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Last October, Tripadvisor surveyed Americans about their travel plans for 2009. The results? More people than ever planned to incorporate environmentally conscious activity into their journeys.
Around 73 percent of the 3,000 people surveyed said they were planning on visiting a national park—up from 62 percent from the last survey in 2007. Over 33 percent said they planned on staying in an eco-hotel, up from the flat 30 percent from the year before. And a full 6 percent more said they'd be more environmentally conscious while traveling than did in 2007, when the number was a paltry 26 percent.
Okay, so the numbers aren't staggering—we still have a ways to go, obviously. But it is encouraging, especially when you consider that the survey was done in October, smack in the midst of some of the direst economic news to hit for years. It shows that despite the developing setbacks, people's awareness and resolve are only growing when it comes to environmentalism.
A New Year For Traveling Green
But. It is, after all, just a survey. As we all know, there's a significant gap in what people say they'll do and what actually ends up occurring. So let's heed our own proclaimed desires this year, and make 2009 a year of green traveling. Here are some ways we can make good on our word.
- Choose Eco-Friendly Travel Destinations when making vacation plans. Some places are greener to go to than others, so do a little research about the ecological conditions and carrying capacity (how much human traffic a place can handle) of your intended locale before you take off.
- Stay in green hotels when you're on the go. This is important—there are hotels out there making a genuine effort to practice ecologically responsible principles. Support them, and support the environment.
- join the majority and head to a national park this year. There's arguably no greener way to vacation.
- Use public transportation. This one's a catchall that's available almost anywhere you're planning to go (unless you're sticking to #3 up there). It's cheap, simple, and green. Use it.
- ditch bottled water while you travel. Bottled water is one of the prime examples of unnecessary waste?fill up a water bottle when you're making trails instead.
There's obviously plenty more to do, so if you're looking for more ways to travel green, or are new to the concept, check out our How to Green: Travel and Outdoors guide. And if you've already got a destination in mind, see if we've got it covered in one of our Green City Guides.
More on Green Travel:
5 Easy Eco Travel Tips That Make a Difference
