Stay green even when you are away from home!

Green travel can be as simple as taking a bike tour or buying meals and souvenirs locally. Or, take your eco-friendly attitude a step further by offsetting the carbon emissions of your trip. In this month's Greenshoots, you'll find many easy tips and links for enjoying your vacation with the environment in mind. Not going away? Create your own paradise with our bamboo products. Bon voyage!

Green Hotels, Eco-Lodges, and Eco-Tours

These eco-active tourist destinations go way beyond your basic recycling program and act as a positive force on the surrounding community. Eco-hotels and lodges are designed to be low-impact structures that make the most of the sustainable resources at hand. Check out the links below on the Crosswaters Ecolodge in China (which is constructed out of bamboo and recycled materials) and the Sarinbuana Eco-Lodge in Bali.

Green hotels and eco-tours are designed to not only minimize the negative effects of tourism but actually have a positive impact on the local communities. They focus on using local guides and staff, local transport, local accommodation and paying fair wages in order to ensure that travelers gain a unique insight into the culture they are visiting, and that the money they spend remains in the community. Many green hotels and travel programs also contribute to community projects (helping to preserve traditional ways of life, providing education and supporting environmental initiatives) and encourage visitors to involve themselves in the culture by volunteering.

Crosswaters Eco-lodge and Spa, Guandong Province, China
One of the most renowned ecolodges in the world today is Crosswaters Ecolodge and Spa set in the Nankun Mountain Reserve in Guandong Province, China. The lodge was designed by eco-architect Hitesh Mehta, and utilizes strong, sustainable bamboo in its construction -- reflecting its context with the beautiful surrounding bamboo forests. Many of the building materials are recycled and reused; boardwalks are made of old railway ties, and roof tiles come from demolished buildings in the village.

Sarinbuana Eco-Lodge, Bali
Perched on the slopes of Mount Batukaru in central Bali, all activities at this eco-lodge focus on sustaining the surrounding environment and community. All building materials, cleaning products, and food are produced locally and organically, and all lodge staff are native Indonesians from the nearby community. The lodge offers guests a vast array of workshops from traditional Balinese musical instrument lessons to Balinese calligraphy and dance – all taught by locals, thus ensuring tourist dollars stay in the community. Treks to a nearby orangutan reserve and volunteer opportunities are also offered.

Some Eco-Travel Links:

ecobookers.com
responsibletravel.com
manaca.com

Going Carbon-Neutral

Did you know that a 5 hour flight across the US burns as much fuel per passenger as a 60 hour coast-to-coast road trip? Rather than forgo vacations altogether, many are opting to decrease their impact by participating in carbon neutral programs. The concept is fairly simple: for every ton of carbon dioxide your car or plane puts out into the atmosphere, you pay a small fee to other folks who work on solutions to fight the damaging C02 effects. Companies do this by expanding wind farms, donating to worldwide ecological programs, or planting trees which absorb CO2 and release oxygen. Check out carbonneutral.com to calculate the carbon footprint of your next trip and offset your emissions.

Green Travel Tips

Whether you're off to rough it with endangered sea turtles in Costa Rica or preparing for the ultimate luxury vacation in Monte Carlo, it's easy to minimize your ecological footprint throughout the trip. Follow these simple tips to staying green from take-off to landing.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME:

1. Prevent waste by purchasing electronic tickets for airline travel.

2. If you have plants or small pets, lower your thermostat to suit them, otherwise, turn off the AC/heat completely.

3. Turn your water heater to the lowest setting.

4. Unplug electrical appliances because they can draw, or "leak," as much as 40 watts per hour even when they're off.

5. Stop your newspaper, or donate it to a school.

TRANSPORTATION:

1. Taking a long road trip? Consider renting a hybrid. You'll save gas and avoid putting miles on your own vehicle.

2. Walk where you sensibly can, and make use of walking and biking tours.

3. Use the bus or local transit system, and share taxis. This cuts down on pollution, and you can enjoy sightseeing while leaving the driving to others.

HOTEL STAYS:

1. Let the hotel know that it's not necessary to change your sheets and towels every day.

2. Take showers instead of baths, and reduce the amount of water used.

3. When you leave your hotel room, turn off the AC/heat, lights, TV and radio, and close the drapes.

4. Participate in hotel recycling programs.

5. Bring your own toiletries rather than using the prepackaged ones provided. If you do use the hotel's toiletries, take them with you and use them at home or during the rest of your trip.

ECOTOURISM:

1. Consider giving back to the community you’re visiting by taking a volunteer vacation! Check out ecoteer.com and ecovolunteer.org for more information on volunteering abroad.

2. Try to buy local products whenever possible instead of those that have been flown or shipped in from overseas. You'll support the local economy and get a taste of native cuisine.

3. Don't buy endangered species products such as tortoise shell, ivory, animal skins or feathers. These animals may have been killed specifically for the tourist trade.

4. Use binoculars and cameras to "hunt" animals, and take only photographs -- not "souvenirs" from natural or historic areas.

5. When hiking, always stay on marked trails, maintain a safe distance from any animals you encounter, and throw all trash away. Light campfires only in established fire rings and be sure they're completely extinguished before you leave.

6. When snorkeling, do not touch the coral (which can be very sharp) or stir up sediment, as these actions can damage the reef's fragile ecosystem.

7. Learn a few words in the native language, be open to cultural differences, and read up on the area before your trip so you're sensitive to issues of dress and behavior.