Going Green: On The Road

Incorporate environmental inclinations toward your travel

By Kevin Raub
Published: Dec 01, 2007

Destination Green

Better yet, when deciding on your next destination, choose one that offers more than just an eco-friendly hotel or two. Pick somewhere whose commitment to sustainability and environmentalism goes above and beyond. Take Stockholm, for instance. According to the excellent The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook, Sweden's capital has reduced its greenhouse-gas omissions by 17% since 1990, vows to be fossil-fuel free by 2050, and—it's cold here, folks—heats itself from 70% biofuel sources. There's the National Marine Park and UNESCO Natural World Heritage island of Fernando de Noronha, Brazil, where the gorgeous crystalline waters and pristine beaches are so protected, they don't allow any construction near the sand or any fishing in depths less than 50m. There isn’t a single multi-story hotel in the place. Or the entire country of Iceland, where nearly all of the electricity comes from hydroelectric power and geothermal water reserves. Its hydrogen-fueled public transport system has it on par to becoming an oil-free country by 2050—if one of its glaciers doesn’t melt by then and drown the entire island.

B.Y.O.Amenities

I'm well aware of your habit of immediately placing that travel-size bottle of Molton Brown Suma Ginseng shower gel in your suitcase so your hotel's housekeeping replaces it faster and you get nicer bath products for free once you return home. You're not fooling anybody, including housekeeping. Stop stealing hotel amenities and bring your own. Start out by using natural and/or organic bath products in the first place, like shampoos from J/A/S/O/N, shower gels from EO, and moisturizers from Kiss My Face, then bring them along with you in cool little travel bottles like these from Pitotubes (while you're at it, pick up some hemp luggage). Then, instead of walking out with three extra bottles of shampoo, leave a note for management as to why you didn't use their products. Additionally, when your eco-friendly products go down the drain, they will be doing far less environmental damage than most petroleum and chemical-based grooming products. Countries with less sophisticated views towards environmentally friendly living will thank you.

Kevin Raub is a freelance travel and entertainment writer who contributes regularly to Travel+Leisure, Town & Country, American Way, and Organic Spa, among others. He has been slowly and methodically going green since a wise old acquaintance once pointed out that coffee filters were white because they were bleached, adding, “Do you like bleach in your coffee?”

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