Eco-Friendly Travel

I like to think of myself as being conscious of the environment. With that in mind, traveling can sometimes conflict with what we consider eco-friendly. Driving long distances or taking fuel-guzzling flights is not an ideal way to improve the environment. However, I have come across several options that allow for a more environmentally-conscious style of vacationing and traveling.
"Green Hotels"
There are hundreds of hotels worldwide that have made an effort to reduce their carbon footprints. By taking simple measures, such as changing to energy-saving light bulbs, they are able to save money and have a positive impact on the environment. Personally, I have noticed that at many hotels now, new towels are only distributed by request, in an attempt to reduce the unnecessary washing of towels. Simple measures like these can make a big difference.

Other hotels claim to be completely "green". For example, the Orchard Garden Hotel in San Francisco, claims to be one of the first hotels to be totally environmentally friendly. Not only does this hotel have energy-saving lighting, but it also boasts nontoxic paints, glues, and varnishes, and all organic food. Orchard Garden even goes as far as to offer its visitors transportation to and from airports, in what else? A hybrid Toyota Prius.

Eco-Friendly Travel Must-Haves
When I started to research environmentally friendly travel, I found a lot of interesting "green" items that someone who tries to be eco-conscious might find useful when journeying.

I know that when I travel, having an alarm clock is an absolute necessity. Wake up calls seem to be a thing of the past, and cell phone alarm clocks, in my experience, are simply unreliable. Having said that, the eco-friendly alarm clock that I noticed seemed very practical. The clock is portable and compact, a requirement when traveling. What makes it green, is that is requires no energy or electricity to function. Its manufacturers have created a way for the small clock to tell time by using salt water.

Another product that is undeniably useful is the 'ultimate rechargeable battery'. This battery can take place of the widely used toxic, alkaline batteries of the past. It can be charged by way of a USB, and is good for up to 500 uses!