Planes, Trains, and Biofueled-Hybrid-Offset-Carpools:
Tips for Eco-Friendlier Travel
Sometimes
a vacation is when all our best intentions for eco-friendly living
fly out the window, and we find ourselves burning jet fuel and
staying in accommodations that have a giant eco-footprint.
On other vacations, we’re living close to the earth, on
just granola, candles, and a favorite tin cup. Whichever
way you go, here are a few tips to help you
have a great vacation and keep your impact
on the planet to a minimum.
Getting There
If you compare the fuel efficiency of different modes of transportation
you will find the following:1
- Amtrak train travel uses 2,978 BTUs per passenger-mile
- An automobile uses on average 3,496 BTUs
per passenger-mile (based on 1.6 passengers)
- Airlines use 3,959 BTUs per passenger-mile
Beginning with this energy use and factoring in such environmental
factors as air emissions, water pollution, and infrastructural
impacts on land and habitat, we offer the following recommendations
for choosing a mode of travel:
- Take the train. A train can use up to
70% less energy and causes up to 85% less air pollution than air
travel.2
Even though trains run on diesel, they are highly efficient because
for much of the time the train’s wheels glide on the rail.
Mass transit options such as the train or bus are better for the environment
and give you the freedom to sleep, read, or do work on the way.
- Don’t fly if you can help it. One transatlantic
flight for a family of four creates more CO2 than that family
generates domestically in an entire year, and about twice
the emissions of a car traveling 12,000 miles.3 Short flights
are especially energy-guzzling because take-off and landing
require so much extra energy. If you must fly, do it only
for long flights and go nonstop whenever possible.4 Planes also
emit lots of pollutants at high altitudes, particularly nitrogen oxides,
which may triple the climate impact of plane travel.5 Flying
is by far the least eco-friendly option.
- If you must drive a car, consider not just going fuel-efficient
but renting a hybrid. You can start with listings
from the Eco-Directory.
For the issues associated with driving cars, and also a survey of future
transportation technologies, read the Terrain article Car
Wars: Renegotiating Our Relationship with the Open Road.
- For those running on biofuels, the station
locator will help you identify sources of biofuels along
your trip route. For those who haven’t made the switch
yet, read about why biofuels may be the best bet of all in
the Terrain article Liquid
Solar: The Nation’s Fastest-Growing Alternative Fuel?
Vegetable Oil. Decided that you want to go biodiesel?
Check out the Berkeley
Biodiesel Collective.
- Contribute to a carbon-offset program. If you
have to fly, consider making your trip more "climate-neutral"
by making a donation to zero- or negative-emission projects such
as building renewable energy facilities or planting trees that
help to cancel out the carbon dioxide produced by your flight.
Carbon offsets are available through
organizations such as those
listed in the Eco-Directory. Alternatively, you could donate
an estimated amount of money to the environmental group of your
choice, like the Ecology Center.
Choosing a Destination and Staying There6
- Greener hotels: Some hotels are making a commitment to reduce
their environmental impact. Since some are doing more than
others, ask each hotel about its environmental practices before
making a reservation.
- Linens: Laundering sheets and towels consumes large amounts of
energy, water, and detergent. Ask for your linens and towels to
be changed less frequently.
- Human-powered and public transportation: Not only are walking
and bicycling good for the environment and your health —
they can also help you stumble upon all sorts of hidden treasures
you might not have found otherwise. Many cities have bus and rail
systems that can bring you to major hotels and attractions, reducing
or eliminating the need for a car. If possible, don’t rent
a car, don’t rent a scooter, and don’t fly within
the country. Plan your trip using buses, trains, ferries, bicycles,
and your feet.
- Ecotours: The city in which you're staying may have sightseeing
tours designed to minimize your impact on indigenous populations
and the local environment. Check the city's tourism website
or call its chamber of commerce for details.
- Going camping? The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics’s
fact sheet on the Seven
Principles of Responsible Camping will tell you how to
camp with the least impact. Other great links on camping
- including camping with kids, camp recipes, and making your
own gear - can be found at knowledgehound.com.
For more ideas, Lonely Planet has a great Guide for Responsible Travel on their website. Have a great trip!
Much of this guide was adapted from articles from Grist
and The Green Guide.
1 Source: Department of Energy, Sierra Club, http://www.sierraclub.org/howgreen/getaway/answer.asp
2 Source: http://www.climnet.org/publicawareness/transport.html
3 Source: http://www.redpepper.org.uk/temp/x-mar2005-stewart.htm
4 Jets produce an average of almost .4 tons of C02 per passenger per flight.
Source: The Green Guide, http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc.mhtml?i=114&s=ecotourism
5 Little is known about the effects of atmospheric releases of NOx
from planes and other sources. The pollution impact of every plane
trip also includes your travel to and from the airport, all the
golf carts driving around on the tarmac, and the thousands of airline
employees who go to work to get you on the plane. These other "mobile
sources" must
be factored into the per-mile pollution burden of air travel. We
weren't
able to find this calculation.
6 Adapted from the Union of Concerned Scientists, http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/greentips/304-lowimpact-travel-tips.html
