Domestic Eco-Travel Tips:
Green Business Travel Made Easy

Ecotourism on your vacation is a fabulous way to travel as the environmental and cultural payoffs are priceless. But what about our more frequent domestic travel? Can we travel green when we take business trips? You bet we can! We wanted to list some simple tips here for you to incorporate whenever you are away from home. Green business travel is easier than you think.

How to Travel Green for Business

Green on the Go. If you can avoid air travel, trains are a good alternative. If the trip is short enough to drive, rent a hybrid, electric or biodiesel car if you don't own one of your own to use. And in the event that you are traveling by boat, some, like Royal Caribbean, are using biodiesel.

Green Lodging. Stay in eco-friendly hotels or B&Bs if you are not staying with family or friends. A little online searching should yield varying degrees of green lodging options wherever you are heading. Some chains and boutique hotels are more green than others, but if they are environmentally conscious they will advertise their energy-saving measures, recycling, waste-minimizing strategies, etc. There are truly green options sprouting up. In New York City, Greenhouse 26 is slated to open in 2008. This green boutique hotel will have geothermal heating and cooling, water-, electricity- and energy conservation measures, is built from green materials, minimizes waste, and offers organic food, products and linens.

Deeper Green. No matter how green your lodging, go a deeper shade of green by turning off lights and the TV when you leave the room, turn your thermostat to a moderate setting when you are gone, take shorter showers, and ask housekeeping to not change your sheets or wash your linens every day to save on water.

These Feet Were Made for Walking. Book your lodging near your work destination so that you can walk there, carpool, or take public transportation. Resist the temptation to hire a car service--save fuel and emissions.

Walking, as well as being the first form of green travel, is the best way to see city sights while you are there on business.

Beverage Bliss. If you're like me, a cup of hot green tea or a latte is de rigeur in the morning. Bring your own travel mug with you to keep from using the paper cups at your cafe stop. And I always travel with a reusable water bottle, found at any camping or outdoor store, to stay hydrated through the day. If I have to buy a water, I always recycle the bottle.

If you are a coffee drinker, choose fair trade, shade grown coffees when possible. The production of these beans is better for the environment and is fairer to the local coffee bean pickers.

Go Native. When you are in a new city, eat local and eat organic. Do a quick search online for organic eats in town and look for restaurants or markets that specialize in locally-grown, seasonal foods. Eating local saves on countless gallons of fuel used to ship produce across the country. And eating organic saves you from consuming pesticides, hormones, and genetically modified foods. Plus it tastes better, and you can really enjoy the character of a place more fully when you experience its cuisine. And enjoy some organic wine to toast your greenness. Cheers!

Travel Toiletries. Several companies offer fabulous organic toiletry products for men and women that are not tested on animals--and some even come in handy airline-friendly carry-on 3-ounce containers, perfect for short trips. When you empty them, simply refill them for the next trip. Check out Aveda, Kiehl's and Burt's Bees for companies who are committed to environmental programs.

For more help with Green Business Travel, check out Trip Prep Tools.