Tips & Tricks: Ways to reduce your carbon foot print while travelling

Traveling is no longer a matter of personal choice. Each time we decide to travel - whether bus, train or flight, we need to be morally sensitive to the needs of the environment around us way ahead of our business or pleasure expeditions. We can take a cue from the far-sighted Japanese who strictly use public conveniences at the airport before they board flights as in-flight usage of such services means extra weight and increased fuel. This sensitive practice helps enhance their carbon footprint furthering their commitment to the environment. The following optimal travel tips will help you do your bit towards ensuring a green, clean environment for all of us and the generations to follow.

Reducing your carbon footprint while traveling

At the outset, let's understand the concept of carbon footprint. This is nothing but the aggregate of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by organizations, events, products or people. These emissions happen transport, land clearance as also the manufacture, intake and usage of food, fuels, goods, materials, wood, roads,buildings and services. Now that we know about carbon footprint, let's see how can we reduce the same in the course of our travel through different modes of transport.1. Don't drive alone

Reduce carbon footprints while travelling

In today's era, it's always advisable to opt for car-share schemes and car pools to get the most out of your car voyage. Although this does not mean you pick every other hitch-hiker or strangers for company, the fact remains that shared transport helps the environmental cause. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, every car adding one more passenger saves 32 million gallons of gasoline in daily commute as a car one an average produces 4500 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions every year.

2 Walk or cycle whenever you can

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We all know about the health benefits of walking and cycling but these two endeavours also help us keep the environment clean. We need to recreate the past when both were the normal modes of transport. Imagine the carbon footprint we'll reduce in the process.

3 Fly only if you must

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Environmental groups across the globe hold air travel as the biggest threat to the environment. In contrast, aviation industry claims to produce a mere 4 percent of global CO2 emissions. We don't need to fuel the argument to be aware of the fact that air travel indeed is pollution-friendly and if we can't eliminate the mode, we can at least minimize it. Train travel not only consumes less CO2 but also means minimized intermediate land transport like cars or cabs as railway stations are invariably in the central business districts or in city centers.

4. Go Public in transportation

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Public transport or carpool is known to reduce CO2 substantially. Public Transportation Calculator or sites like ERideShare, Zimride and Carpool Connect help you find the carbon footprint you reduce through this decision. You'll be surprised how much you can do to save your environment.

5. Keep your Car healthy

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Ensure the maximum fuel efficiency of your car. This means ensuring things like well-inflated tires and minimal car weight that that consume less energy and consequently lower emissions. Don't trust your judgement of the car's health. Double check with your mechanic. It pays.

6. Travel light

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The more weight you carry, the more energy your transportation mode needs to move you to the destination. So whatever the mode, travel light.

7. Travel Locally

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Local vacations make much better sense in this era marked by carbon footprints. The host of benefits also include cost savings and better appreciation of the local treasures that's often overshadowed by the obsession with distant voyages.

8. Drink from a reusable, filtered bottle

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Your favorite use-and-throw plastic bottles are a bigger menace that you think. Not known to compost easily, the bottles are made up of harmful chemicals that are a health hazard in every respect. Quench you thirst at the local canteen or better opt for a reusable, filtered bottle.