Green Your Next Trip

As much as I love to travel, I always feel a little guilty when I pack my bags. I think about what my actions are doing to the earth, and I cringe. I fly frequently, after all, and although I try to be as green as possible when I travel, I know the earth would rather me stay at home. Case in point: Air traffic accounts for about 10 percent of greenhouse gases worldwide, according to the International Ecotourism Society. Fortunately, though, you can make any trip more environmentally friendly just by tweaking your habits. After all, keeping the planet fit and healthy is as important as keeping yourself in tip-top shape. Take these six strategies on your next vacation:

1) BYOB: You need to stay hydrated when you travel. But quit buying bottled water (yet do give yourself a little credit if you use that bottle your entire vacation) and pack a reusable water bottle, preferably BPA-free. You can't go through airport security with the bottle fully loaded, but you can walk through with it empty. Love coffee or tea? Bring a reusable mug, too.

2) Go direct: When booking airline travel, choose direct flights as much as possible. Planes burn less fuel when they don't have to stop and start as much.

3) Be your own motor: Walk or bike whenever you can in your destination. To make things more fun, wear that pedometer and see how many miles you can rack up on your vacation. I've done this for years and have a running competition for the most pedometer-friendly destination. (New York City, by the way, tops that list, especially since it's not unheard of for me to walk 80 blocks roundtrip in an evening just to go to dinner!)

4) Unplug: And no, I'm not talking about disconnecting from your SmartPhone (although you should do that, too). I mean literally unplug any lights or appliances (like the hairdryer and coffee maker) when you leave your hotel room. Even when they're off, they're still sucking power. At the very least, flip off all lights, radio and TV whenever you're not there.

5) Reuse those towels: This one's a little tricky because even in hotels that tout eco-friendly programs where you're asked to hang your towel if you don't want it changed, they still snatch it. Leaving a note for the cleaning staff doesn't help either (I've tried). My suggestion? Place the do not disturb sign on your door and skip the daily room service.

6) Don't take a hiatus from recycling: Just because you're on vacation doesn't mean you can't recycle. Ask your hotel what items it recycles (it helps if you've chosen eco-friendly accommodations) and be on the lookout for recycling bins as you explore the area, especially if you've purchased any plastic bottles, the majority of which sadly wind up in landfills.