Green Travel Tips

Whilst away from home, be it a holiday or a short trip, there are many things you can do to help reduce your carbon footprint.

You might wish to travel to your destination by public transport (if feasible), or offset your travel emissions with one of the many online carbon calculators and/or carbon offset schemes – where you pay a fee that is used to fund green projects to ‘offset’ an equivalent amount of greenhouse gasses. This might include tree-planting projects for example.

Even the smallest actions can make a big difference to the environmental footprint made by your stay. Turning off the lights, television, heating and air conditioning when you leave your accommodation can make a significant difference to how much energy is used.

Follow our tips below to help save the planet! Most importantly, enjoy your stay – wherever you go.

• Conserve energy

  Conserve energy – reduce energy by switching off lights and closing windows if the heating is on. The Energy Saving Trust provides information on what else you can do whilst at home.

• Give the car a rest

  Give the car a rest – Leave the car behind, if only for a day. Walk, cycle or use public transport.

• Reduce, reuse & recycle

  Try to avoid over packaged goods and say no to that extra carrier bag. Support efforts to recycle.
  

• Shop locally

  Use local products, they give you a flavour of the area and help support local communities. Ask the local Tourist Information Centre for details on farmers’ markets etc.
  

• Be water wise

  Increasing costs for water treatment and flood defences mean that we all should try to use water wisely. Please consider towel policies or other water saving initiatives and avoid running taps.

• Respect nature

  Help to look after the landscape and wildlife by not littering, guarding against fire and using footpaths and cycle-ways responsible. Ensure you follow the Countryside Code. You could also consider joining a wildlife organisation.

• Support green businesses

  There are a huge number of businesses in the UK trying to reduce their carbon footprints through the Green Tourism Business Scheme. Businesses are awarded Bronze, Silver and Gold for their efforts to be more sustainable.