Tips on how to make your trip more eco-friendly.
by Judy Goldschmidt
Last year I travelled from Vancouver Island to Baja, Mexico to meet Susan who winters there. She is known as someone who really “walks the walk” when it comes to lowering her eco-footprint. She refuses to fly anywhere, doesn’t own a car, cell phone or personal computer and her preferred method of local travel is by bicycle.
From BC to Baja, she employs various forms of public transit such as buses, trains and hitchhiking. When I arrived in Baja, she advised me to purchase a mug, utensils and a bowl. We carried staples such as powdered milk, granola, nuts and seeds, nutritional yeast and would purchase fresh produce, which really helped us reduce our costs.
We may not all have the physical stamina nor the free time Susan has to green a holiday to this extent, but there are some steps we can take towards more eco-friendly travel.
Green Your Mode of Transport
Flying
When planning to travel, the most obvious and effective choice is not to fly. According to the David Suzuki Foundation web site, “Compared to other modes of transport, such as driving or taking the train, travelling by air has a greater climate impact per passenger kilometre, even over longer distances. It’s also the mode of freight transport that produces the most emissions.”
If you must fly, consider these tips:
• Fly the most direct route possible, since take-offs and landings use the most fuel.
• Fly during the daytime, studies have shown that flights taken at night have a greater impact on the climate.
• Fly economy, because more people per plane means fewer emissions per person.
• Pack light, because lighter planes mean less fuel is burned.
• Purchase carbon offsets to account for the emissions from your flight.
Driving
Here are some tips from the British Columbia Automobile Association:
• Avoid aggressive driving, such as jackrabbit starts and hard braking. These habits increase your fuel consumption by up to 40 per cent.
• Check your tire pressure at least once a month and ensure tires are not under-inflated. Under-inflated tires reduce your gas mileage and fuel efficiency.
• Service your vehicle regularly. A poorly tuned engine produces up to 50 per cent more emissions than one that is properly maintained.
• Look for an “energy conserving” brand when buying engine oil. Using the lowest multigrade of oil recommended in your owner’s manual can improve the fuel efficiency of your motor.
• Replace worn-out oil or clogged air filters to improve fuel consumption.
• Remove unneeded items from your car. Hauling excess weight will result in increased fuel consumption.
• Use an ethanol-blended fuel to reduce harmful exhaust emissions by up to 30 per cent.”
Train It!
• VIA Rail Canada offers savings for travelling long distances when you purchase one of its pass deals. www.viarail.ca
• Susan’s best tip – Amtrak’s Coast Starlight train: it originates in Vancouver and heads south along the US West coast to San Diego. The further ahead you plan and purchase, the more money you will save. www.amtrak.com and check out their chart that compares car, bus and train travel emissions under Explore/Travel Green.
Additional Tips
• Rent an alternative fuel or fuel-efficient hybrid vehicle for your travels.
• Check out the various online ride-share sites to offer and ask for rides.
• Take the bus! In most countries the bus is cheap and comfortable.
• Choose destinations that cut down on auto travel – urban areas where you don’t need a vehicle; places where you can rent bikes (if you don’t have your own), places most accessible by kayak, or places where much of your experiences – beachcombing, swimming, whale watching, hiking, and the like – are close by.
• 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of BC Parks, check the web site for commemorative events. Buy a provincial parks annual vehicle pass for unlimited day parking. The web site also offers a carbon footprint calculator, based on your starting point and destination. www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks
Green Your Destination
Accommodations
• Seek out locally owned and operated accommodations, such as bed and breakfasts, and ones that specifically promote eco-friendly practices and local and homegrown foods.
• Choose hotels/motels for their eco-friendly amenities such as giving you the option to not have towels changed daily, low flow toilets and shower heads, and use of alternative energies such as wind and solar. Programs that certify accommodations based on their efforts to lower their ecofootprint include The Green Key (www.green-key.org), or STEP, the Sustainable Tourism Eco-tourism Program.
• The Land Conservancy of BC maintains four rustic cottages for rent plus a campground and they offer conservation holidays. By participating in the work that goes into caring for TLC properties you can gain an understanding about conservation projects from agriculture to salmon habitat. It’s a unique way to explore BC, give back to Mother Nature, and meet like-minded individuals. Look under ecotourism at blog.conservancy.bc.ca
• Ever sleep in a tree house? These alternative style accommodations will provide you with a novel nature experience:
• Near Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island, you can spend the night in a wooden sphere suspended three to five metres above ground amidst trees. Each unit has power, bedding, and a gentle sway. www.freespiritspheres.com
• In the East Kootenays you can vacation in a tree house built upon a platform five metres high and supported by seven trees. Here you can enjoy a spectacular Rocky Mountain view and watch the wildlife from the deck. www.outathewoods.com
Experiential Vacations
• Be a tourist in your own town. Explore the museums, restaurants, history and stories of various ethnic groups that have influenced your local town’s culture. Check your local tourism office web site.
• Turn your home into your vacation retreat! No work, no chores, call it a mental health break! Eat out, do take out (always choose recycled containers!) and/or make some special recipes. Give yourself permission to turn off the computers. Catch up on reading one of those “some day I’ll get to it” books. Pick up on a hobby or other pastime you haven’t taken on for years. Indulge yourself – hire a massage therapist, reflexologist, palm reader, manicurist who will provide their services in the comfort of your home.
• Go camping, fishing, surfing, and boating in provincial or federal park campgrounds.
• Western Canada Wilderness Committee builds and maintains trails in wilderness areas to promote conservation – find out where and how you can get involved. www.wildernesscommittee.org
• Interested in aboriginal culture? Check out the Aboriginal Tourism Association of BC. www.aboriginalbc.com
• World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (Woofing) offers volunteers food and accommodation in exchange for farmwork. www.wwoof.org
• For eco-friendly places worldwide check out the International Ecotourism Society. www.ecotourism.org
• Earthwatch International offers a variety of handson science expeditions around the world geared towards teens, individuals, groups and families. Upcoming options include protecting leatherback turtles in Costa Rica; saving Kenya’s endangered zebras; and studying climate change’s impact on frogs in the Arctic. www.earthwatch.org
Help the planet and commit to making your summer holidays more eco-friendly!
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Freelance writer and environmental activist Judy Goldschmidt, a Comox Valley resident since 2005, is passionate about local foods, drinking water protection, and sustainable agriculture.