By Wendy

It’s August and you’re hoping to take a trip with the entire family before the kids officially start school again. So you’ve finally decided on a destination and how many days you’ll be going for. Now it’s time to pack for the actual vacation. We all try to be eco-friendly at home and at work, except when it comes to packing for vacation, we tend to forget about those eco-friendly habits we’ve developed. Whether it’s from all the excitement of going on vacation or just out of convenience, we end up over packing for the vacation; bring items that aren’t eco-friendly; or maybe not recycling when possible, we forget. So, here are 7 easy ways how we can be eco-friendly while we pack and travel for vacation:

1- Pack Light: the heavier the bags, the more fuel it takes for you to travel. It also makes it easier to pack in a way that won’t wrinkle the clothes you do choose to bring, here are 6 Tips for Wrinkle-Free Packing for those who have this issue. The lighter you bag, the better you can avoid paying additional luggage fees for heavy suitcases. It’ll also be easier for you and the family to get around. A win-win situation for everyone.

2- Avoid Bringing Toiletries: it’s great to have your own little bottles of your favorite shampoos and conditioners, but usually, hotels provide you with the toiletries you need for your stay. So skip those and bring only the ones you really need. Put them into your own plastic travel containers so they’ll be reusable and more eco-friendly

3- Pack your Digital Game Camera and Charger: digital cameras take better pictures and can hold more pictures than any disposable camera, which can only be used once and bad for the environment. And you’ll be able to look back at the great vacation you had this summer.

4- Bring a Water Bottle- bring your own water bottles if possible. You’ll avoid having to buy bottled water throughout your trip, which will save you money and stay eco-friendly.

5- Use Eco-Friendly Public Transportation: try using public transportation instead of renting a car and using gas. If you’re flying to your destination, choose a direct flight instead of a connecting flight.

6- Choose an Environmentally Conscious Hotel: many hotels now use renewable energy, use non-toxic cleaning products, recycle, and follow other eco-friendly practices. Search for one that makes sense for your trip. If you can’t find on at your vacation destination, try reusing hotel towels, using less water and energy, and only charge your electronics to full capacity and unplug to save energy during your stay.

7- Support the Locals: eating at local restaurants and doing local activities will let you get the full experience of your stay and decrease your environmental impact.

How are you eco-friendly when you’re on vacation?

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Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.