How to...
Go green
February 2007
Our expert: Richard Hammond (BSc 1992), eco travel writer and author
Green travel is no longer about staying in a tipi in West Wales or tagging turtles on the Great Barrier Reef. There are now lots of ways you can tread a little lighter, whether you’re on a summer holiday, city break or business trip.
Before you go
Do you need to fly? Aviation is the fastest-growing contributor to climate change so it’s much better for the planet if you can go by train, ferry or coach. Lots of cities in France, Spain and Italy can now be reached by connecting from Eurostar with high speed rail networks in Paris. Also, if you’re going with a travel company, choose one that has a ‘responsible travel’ policy that sets out how your trip will benefit local people and minimise its impact on the environment.
On holiday
Help spread the tourism pound around by staying in locally run B&Bs and hotels and eating in local restaurants. Buy food and souvenirs from markets or craft co-operatives rather than airport or foreign-owned hotel lobby shops. But avoid buying products made from endangered plants, wild animals, hardwoods or corals. In your hotel room Switch off the TV, lights and air conditioning when you leave your room, and use recycling facilities – lots of hotels now have them in their rooms.
Richard Hammond is a travel writer who specialises in writing about eco travel. He writes a weekly column in the Guardian and manages greentraveller.co.uk, the online guide to green travel. He is also the editor Green Places to Stay – a guide to over 160 places worldwide that are doing their bit for local people and the planet.