If you’re like millions of other Americans,  you may be planning to travel around Thanksgiving.  Here are some green travel tips for planning an environmentally-friendly Thanksgiving trip.

1) Invest in Quality Luggage:   If you’ve found yourself needing a new luggage set this year, resist the urge to save a buck on plastic, poorly constructed bags in favor of luggage that’s designed to last awhile.  After all, buying one quality luggage set that will last a decade, maybe longer, is much more environmentally-friendly than buying cheaper suitcases every couple years.  You’ll probably save money in the long run.

2) Toiletries:  Avoid purchasing those little bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel.  I know, they’re awfully cute, but they’re a packaging nightmare, and close in price to their larger counterparts.  If you have room, just pack your full size toiletries, or buy a set of reusable travel bottles. [Read more →]

Yesterday, we discussed how to pack for a green vacation. But how do you go green while on the road and staying in a hotel? According to the EPA, being away from the comforts of home comes with a brand new “to do” list for green living.

First, pack any food or snacks to take along in reusable containers. This is a great way to save a little cash on your green vacation and it will eliminate the waste that comes with individually wrapped snacks. Water and other drinks can be stored in stainless steel water bottles or other insulated containers.

Next, consider the ways you can implement green living ideas while at a hotel. Leave a note for housekeeping to let them know you don’t have to have your sheets changed every day. You can even hang your towels to dry and ask the housekeeper to leave them for the next day. By implementing just these two ideas, you’ll be saving water and conserving energy as part of your green vacation.

For more information about green hotels and green vacations, visit the Green Hotels Association.

Have you ever thought about how much trash and wasted energy a single vacation can generate? It seems to be something the Environmental Protection Agency is concerned about, and they’ve posted some tips for reducing vacation waste on their website. Here are a few suggestions for preparing for a green vacation. Before you leave, turn your water heater down to it’s vacation setting, and turn down your air conditioning. These two suggestions for a green vacation will help you conserve energy and save money on utility bills. And forget about buying all the travel size toiletries for your trip. Although I must admit that those travel size toiletries are awfully cute, you can easily make your own with a set of reusable bottles, or just take your full size toiletries. After all, a family of 4 can wipe out a travel size shampoo in just a day. Packing for a green vacation is a great opportunity to use reuse all those plastic grocery bags that you don’t know what to do with. Take them along for holding dirty clothes, storing wet swimsuits, and holding trash. When you get home, don’t forget to recycle them.