Here I have undergone some research into one of my chosen topics in the hope that this will enable to to decided which one is best to take forward and further develop within my vector style approach.
Low-Impact Travel Tips
http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/greentips/304-lowimpact-travel-tips.html
Greentips: March 2005
Millions of people take to the road and the air each day, for business or leisure travel. This globetrotting has a significant impact on the environment, damaging natural resources, creating air and water pollution, and increasing the risk of global warming.
Whether you are planning a business trip or family vacation, here are some important tips to help bring your concern for the environment on the road with you.
Getting There
• Transportation alternatives: When possible, take a bus or train to your destination rather than driving or flying. Mass transit options are better for the environment and give you the freedom to sleep, read, or do work on the way.
• Driving: Plan your trip route ahead of time to minimize gasoline use. If you're traveling with coworkers or a group of friends, reduce automobile use even further by carpooling.
• Flying: For many short- to medium-distance trips, airplanes emit more heat-trapping gases per person than cars. If you must fly to your destination, consider making your trip "climate-neutral" by making a donation to zero- or negative-emission projects-such as building renewable energy facilities or planting trees-that cancel out the carbon dioxide produced by your flight. These so-called carbon offsets are available through organizations such as the Better World Club (see the link below).
Staying There
• Green hotels: Many 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 your room attendant to change your linens and towels every other day (or less often if you prefer).
• Toiletries: Reduce waste by bringing your own shampoo, soap, and toothpaste instead of relying on those provided by most hotels.
While There
• Public transportation: Many cities have bus and rail systems that can bring you to major hotels and attractions, reducing or eliminating the need for a car.
• Human-powered 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 would never otherwise find.
• Car rentals: If you need to rent a car during your trip, choose the most fuel-efficient model that meets your needs. In some areas, you may be able to rent a hybrid-electric car-call the major rental agencies or see the links below for more information.
• 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.
Staying There
• Green hotels: Many 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 your room attendant to change your linens and towels every other day (or less often if you prefer).
• Toiletries: Reduce waste by bringing your own shampoo, soap, and toothpaste instead of relying on those provided by most hotels.
While There
• Public transportation: Many cities have bus and rail systems that can bring you to major hotels and attractions, reducing or eliminating the need for a car.
• Human-powered 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 would never otherwise find.
• Car rentals: If you need to rent a car during your trip, choose the most fuel-efficient model that meets your needs. In some areas, you may be able to rent a hybrid-electric car-call the major rental agencies or see the links below for more information.
• 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.
Tips for becoming a low impact traveller
- Pack light. Lessening your load makes it easier for you to get around and you have less valuables to worry over. Plus, less fuel is used transporting your stuff around. And keep it light; don't go crazy buying things that will just turn into clutter when you get back. The only exception to this is purchasing quality handcrafts from people who rely on this for their livelihoods; you're doing them a good turn, helping their industry, and you get a unique keepsake or two to bring back home.
- Go local. See what your own backyard has to offer. During downtimes, you might need to book in advance as budget-conscious citizens turn to their own country for vacation options. Campsites, fragile walking trails and cheap accommodation might be booked out well in advance, so be prepared to think ahead and book early.
- Take your rubbish with you. Low impact travellers clean up after themselves. Always dispose of rubbish in the proper places and never litter. This means both cities and nature trails. It is always a good idea to pack out food scraps from hikes and other nature destinations, so as to not disturb the feeding patterns of local wildlife.
- Know the local rules about low impact touring. It always pays to know the rules about the activities you are undertaking. For instance, keep to the trails to preserve the local fauna and know about animal feeding prohibitions. Know when it is impolite and downright improper to photograph people at work or play. Know what gestures and signals are considered rude in the country you are visiting and avoid them. A little bit of consideration beforehand goes a long way to being a low impact traveller.
- Know what sort of activities you will be participating in before you go and read up on the most environmentally conscious and ethical providers of the activities. Look for local employment for guides, instructors, operators etc. And try to prefer those who are doing their best to provide employment opportunities for locals. Ask questions about revenue return to local communities if you aren't sure, and ask if they are involved in local community projects such as youth training and conservation initiatives.
Reduce air travel. Air travel is loved by travellers because it gets us to our destination quickly and we can cover most of the world this way. The trouble is, it is an environmentally-costly activity in terms of the creation of greenhouse gases and the usage of fuel resources. On the one hand, it is great that so many people can be shifted at one go per plane but on the other hand, travelling a lot by this fashion puts the frequent flyer higher on the ecological footprint scale. Buy carbon credits. Help offset your carbon pollution from air travel by buying carbon credits where possible. While not every person believes that these provide a valid solution to our carbon releasing problems, they are a symbolic and hopefully real start to our becoming more effectively creative about how we shoulder responsibility for our personal energy burden, both now and down the track. Be a public transport fan. Find out which options are the safest and most efficient in the destination you are travelling to, before you leave. For example, catching trains is fun, peaceful and lets you have a lot of leg space. Use trains a lot when you travel and you'll have time to take in the sights, meet the locals and get good snaps. Buses can be great but sometimes they are crowded, or unsafe. There are often local transport options too, such as tuk-tuks, pedalled vehicles, and mini-vans etc. Find out before you go and plan to use them as part of your itinerary.
