Each month, CU-Boulder's Environmental Center provides eco-tips with the goal of promoting sustainable choices. March's topic is green travel.
Did you know:
- Green travel indicates responsible travel practices that focus on economic, socio-cultural, and environmental sustainability.
- A round-trip flight from New York to San Francisco creates a warming effect equivalent to 2 or 3 tons of carbon dioxide per person, which is significant considering the average American generates about 19 tons of CO2 per year.
What you can do:
- Book non-stop flights; the most carbon is emitted during takeoffs and landings.
- Support local businesses that use sustainable methods
- Buy products made by local artisans.
- Travel with small group tour operators, which have less of an environmental impact.
- Look for seals of approval indicating environmental certifications, such as Earthcheck, Green Globe, Rainforest Alliance, and Green Tourism.
- Stay in hotels that make it a priority to be as environmentally low-impact as possible.
- Calculate your personal travel carbon footprint, then offset your impact through an organization listed below.
- Pack light, and bring clothing you can use repeatedly.
Resources:
Carbon offset resources:
What is Ecotourism, and why care?
By Drew Searchinger, CU Environmental Center outreach and engagement assistant.
