If you think about it, camping is actually a great way to go on vacation and de-stress. It not only gives you time to totally enjoy nature but it is also a great alternative to the usual trip that puts a lot of stress on the environment.

One thing that you should always bear in mind when going camping is that you have to prepare to leave as little impact as you can. This is actually easier than it sounds. The little things that you do – or don’t do – can make a huge difference in maintaining the camp site.

For example, bring enough trash bags with you so that you do not have to leave any garbage behind. Cigarette butts, water bottles, tin cans, toilet paper, etc. – all these things should go into a receptacle that you can bring along with you. This way, you can dispose of your trash properly.

You should also bring environment-friendly soaps, shampoos, and cleansers. For sure you have to have these things for personal hygiene purposes. However, do make sure that you do not use products that can harm the water supply in the area. After all, you would want to have a clean campsite to go back to.

What other things can you do to keep your camping weekend fun and green?

Fly economy instead of first class. The latter may be more comfortable but since there are fewer people in first class (more space is given per person), it technically uses up more fuel. More than this, however, you should also consider taking the most direct route. It is common sense, as it will get you to your destination faster, but flying directly also lessens your carbon emissions contribution.

Better yet, take the bus. Yeah I know, the bus is not your first choice. If you have time to spare, however, and you do not have that much luggage on you, why not take the bus instead of driving or flying? You will save a LOT on fares and your carbon footprint will benefit from it as well.

Avoid holiday traffic jams. We all want this, but probably for a different reason – who likes getting stuck in traffic anyway? Another reason for avoiding traffic jams, however, is the fact that your car uses up much more fuel when sitting idly. This means higher emissions. As such, plan your trip so that you won’t have to battle it out on the roads with other travelers.

Any tips of your own?

Photo courtesy of Boeing

One way by which you can do this is by staying at environment-friendly hotels. Yes, there is such a thing as a green hotel. With practically every sector jumping into the green bandwagon, it is but expected to see the hospitality industry practice green habits as well.

To make it easy for travelers to find hotels and other types of accommodations that are environment-friendly, iStayGreen has come up with a web site which lists the best green accommodations on earth. So what makes a hotel a green hotel? According to iStayGreen, green properties are those which make a conscious effort to lay in place earth-friendly practices. This can include power saving devices, less use of chemical materials, and serving healthy food produced in a sustainable manner.

The web site aims to empower the public and help them make informed decisions as to the impact of their travel and lodging decisions. In the web site, you will find a comprehensive listing of hotels, bed and breakfasts, resorts, and hostels – all of which are green to a certain degree. You can also read user reviews and, if you become a member, you can provide your own reviews.

Fret not if you are looking for lodging in an international destination – iStayGreen.org even has international listings so you can find eco-friendly accommodation whether you’re booking a Japan hotel or an Italy hotel. Indeed, resources like iStayGreen can help the average person like you and me to contribute to the conservation of our planet.

Photo courtesy of iStayGreen

Welcome to Yurto, the blog about eco-friendly living in the home. Inspired by the yurt, an ancient circular dwelling place built in tune with nature, we hope to explore the ways we can all make a change for the better in the world that we live in – beginning from our homes.

Why is it so important to go green? Al Gore, who woke up the world with his now-famous documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, puts it succinctly:

“…Some of the leading scientists are now saying we may have as little as 10 years before we cross a kind of point of no return, beyond which it’s much more difficult to save the habitability of the planet in the future…”

10 years??? Now that’s a scary thought.  If you have children like me, that’s enough reason to stop procrastinating and do something about NOW.

So from plastic to canvas, wasting to conserving,  lets find ways to care for the earth while we can and live healthier, happier lives.