Each time you take a flight or drive a car CO2 is released into the atmosphere. You can help neutralize this danger to our planet through "carbon offsetting" -- paying someone to reduce your CO2 emissions by the same amount you've added. Carbon offsets can be purchased in the U.S. from companies such as Carbonfund.org (www.carbonfund.org) and TerraPass (www.terrapass.org), and from Climate Care (www.climatecare.org) in the U.K.
Although one could argue that any vacation that includes an airplane flight can't be truly "green," you can go on holiday and still contribute positively to the environment. You can offset carbon emissions from your flight in other ways. Choose forward-looking companies that embrace responsible development practices, helping preserve destinations for the future by working alongside local people. An increasing number of sustainable tourism initiatives can help you plan a family trip and leave as small a "footprint" as possible on the places you visit.
Responsible Travel (www.responsibletravel.com) contains a great source of sustainable travel ideas run by a spokesperson for responsible tourism in the travel industry. Sustainable Travel International (www.sustainabletravelinternational.org) promotes responsible tourism practices and issues an annual Green Gear & Gift Guide.
You can find ecofriendly travel tips, statistics, and touring companies and associations -- listed by destination under "Travel Choice" -- at the TIES website, www.ecotourism.org. Also check out Ecotravel.com, which is part online magazine and part ecodirectory that lets you search for touring companies in several categories (water-based, land-based, spiritually oriented, and so on).
In the U.K., Tourism Concern (www.tourismconcern.org.uk) works to reduce social and environmental problems connected to tourism and find ways of improving tourism so that local benefits are increased. The Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO; www.aito.co.uk) is a group of interesting specialist operators leading the field in making holidays sustainable.
Thailand, being an extremely poor nation, is way behind the rest of the world in general eco-awareness. That said, Thai authorities are finally taking tiny steps to preserve the nature and wildlife of its many different ecological zones, from swamp jungles in the south, to mountain forests in the north, to the many marine parks in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. In more than 80 national parks, visitors are told about not only the local wildlife species in residence, but also the delicate balance of each habitat. Some parks have clearly displayed interpretation facilities at their visitor centers, as well as trails with bridges and catwalks, and markers explaining the important elements of the environment and its inhabitants. Others provide rudimentary bungalow accommodations or tents and supplies for campers. For more complete information, get in touch with the Royal Forestry Department at tel. 02561-4292 or visit the useful English website www.forest.go.th.
Hotel groups, such as the Banyan Tree resorts in Bangkok and Phuket, have also made huge efforts over the last decade to implement sustainable projects including a pledge to reduce their carbon footprint and cut water usage in all their resorts by 10% in 2008.
It's Easy Being Green
We can all help conserve fuel and energy when we travel. Here are a few simple ways you can help preserve your favorite destinations:
Whenever possible, choose nonstop flights; they generally require less fuel than those that must stop and take-off again.
If renting a car is necessary on your vacation, ask the rental agent for the most fuel-efficient one available. Not only will you use less gas, you'll also save money at the tank.
At hotels, request that your sheets and towels not be changed daily. You'll save water and energy by not washing them as often, and you'll prolong the life of the towels, too. (Many hotels already have programs like this in place.)
Turn off the lights and air-conditioner (or heater) when you leave your hotel room.
