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With a trip to Mexico just around the corner for me, I'm surprised at how unaware many of my friends are of the entry requirements for flying to western hemisphere countries from the United States. It's true that when I went to Canada in 2000, I didn't need a passport. I gleefully drove in with my friends, stopping for no more than 15 minutes at the border. But things have changed since then and you should know. You should know because you could be stuck in an airport for hours upon hours, perhaps even days in extreme cases, if you don't bring the proper entry requirements with you when traveling. And you'll likely miss your flight, which is never a walk in the park.
All of that extra time in an airport leads to extra consumption. Just imagine the difference in environmental repercussions between one meal at the airport and six consecutive meals at the airport. Airports rarely offer organic food, traditionally have terrible vegetarian options, and typically serve mostly unhealthy food. The green thing to do is to spend as little time in airports as possible. Knowing exactly what sort of entry requirements you need when traveling by air is a good step toward doing this.
If you're a U.S. citizen traveling to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, South and Central America, or the Caribbean, you need a passport—this has been in effect since January 23, 2007. There are a few exceptions, but you shouldn't count on them.
If you're a U.S. lawful permanent resident, LPR, you need your Alien Registration Card in order to enter the United States from any of these countries.
If you're a LPR but your children are U.S. citizens, your children need to have passports.
If you have a valid Border Crossing Card, BCC, you still need to present a passport to travel to the United States by air.
Safe (and green) travels!
More on traveling green:
Eat Family Style While On Vacation
Don't Ever Turn Your Television On While In The Hotel Room
9 Tips For Working Green While Traveling
Are New Hotels Greener Than Old Ones?
