Green travel ideas from two environmentally conscious travelers

Happy Holidays to all.

Just wanted to check in and post a link related to a discussion we’ve been having on this blog the last week or so.  The folks at MarketingProfs had a very interesting post recently about how hotels play on travelers’ emotions through environmental messaging rather than really doing the most they can to decrease their environmental footprint.

Well, as you know, we’ve tried to get beyond the marketing messages and get a better idea of concrete actions that both Hilton and Marriott have taken.  We declared Marriott the winner.

First of all, I completely agree with MarketingProfs’ assessment of where the “green consumerist” movement is right now.  There is a lot of marketing to play on people’s emotional response to environmental issues, but not enough substance, regulation, or knowledge of how to implement effective environmental change in products and services.  (That’s note to say that the knowledge isn’t out there — it is, in many respects.)

Secondly, this gets at exactly what we’re trying to do with Simple Green Choices.  We want to take the traveler’s emotion OUT of the equation and look at what travelers can do by making the proper choices and taking actions that lessen their environmental impact.

Reusing towels is a nice first action–it saves energy, water, and money on the hotel’s bottom line, but it’s a drop in the bucket.  Let’s all be honest–with ourselves and with our customers.

I’ve seen an angle in the media playing out over and over again in the past few months. Companies’ internal research departments, independent polling agencies, industry-wide panels, and consumers themselves are all citing the same “struggle”: customers like to think they’re environmentally conscious, but when the rubber hits the road, they’re not willing to pay more. The studies are coming out in the paper industry, home construction and remodeling, and, of course, travel–in a study we cited a few weeks back.

I see these stories and the attitude they engender as a real threat to progress. Reading this news produces the very sort of throw-up-your-hands, “why bother because nobody else does” response in consumers that reinforces the status quo.

As I see it, there are two ways to combat this bluster:

1) walk the walk
2) talk the talk

I talked about point #1 a bit a few weeks ago when I addressed this same issue. We need to make decisions that are consistent with our values. The government is taking an increasingly laid-back attitude in regulating companies on environmental issues, so consumers have to dial up the pressure and hold companies to account. You can do this in your everyday lives by making decisions that those companies feel on their bottom line: buy carbon offsets (I’ll have more on that later), rent hybrids, purchase cleaning products from a company that uses non-toxic ingredients, etc.

You get the point. I don’t need to beat that drum any more.

But almost as important as “walking the walk” is “talking the talk”–letting companies and their customer representatives know that you’re judging them based on their environmental performance. On a trip, try having the following conversations:

At the Rental Car Agency:
“I’m sorry, sir, we’re all out of compact cars, so we’re going to upgrade you to a gas-guzzling tank.”
“Actually, that’s not acceptable. I refuse to drive a truck that gets 5 miles per gallon. Either you find me a car that gets 30 miles per gallon or I’m going to walk over to the competitor’s office.”
“Well, we could downgrade you to a subcompact car.”
“That would be fine, but I really wish you had a hybrid for me to rent. If you’re always selling out of your Priuses, maybe you should consider getting more for your fleet.”

At the Hotel:
“What seems to be the matter, sir?”
“Well, the room is comfortable and the service has been great, but I’m concerned about the fact that this hotel isn’t serious about its environmental program.”
“Sir, well, I’m sure you saw that brochure in your room about everything that this hotel is doing to minimize it’s environmental impact.”
“Yes, I see that if I hang my towels back up, you don’t wash them. I appreciate that. Except that you’re wasting TONS of electricity by not switching over to compact fluourescent lightbulbs, and I haven’t been able to find a recycling bin anywhere in the hallway. Plus, you drop the USA Today at my door every morning when I have no intention of reading it.”
“I’m sorry, sir. Is there anything I can do to make your experience more pleasant.”
“Well, you could go back and get your manager, so I can explain all of this to her.”

On the Phone with the Golf Course:
“I’d like to get a tee time for this afternoon, but before I book anything, I’d like to know more about your environmental practices.”
“What? You must be joking…”
“No, I’m serious. Do you use any pesticides on the course? If so, which ones? And what kind of water use does the course require? Have you done anything to conserve water in recent years? Also, have you given any thought to wildlife habitats?”
“Sir, I don’t see what this has to do with…”
“With booking a tee time? Well, if you can answer these questions, I’ll book a tee time. If not, I’ll find another course to play at. Thanks.”

OK, so I realize that some of these conversations might be kind of confrontational, so if that’s not your style, try something a bit more subtle. For instance, when you get to the golf course to play your round, ask the pro what kind of environmental practices they use. Even if you don’t threaten to leave, you’ll learn something about the environmental impact of golf, and you’ll plant the notion in the pro’s head that some golfers DO care about the environment.

I suggest that we all speak up and talk about the environment on our next vacation. If enough of us communicate that the environment matters to us, then it will start to matter a whole lot more to the hotels, airlines, rental agencies, and other service providers we’re doing business with.

There seems to be no clear, commonly-used label that describes how we can travel in a fashion that minimizes the environmental impact of our travels? Do you know what the difference is between “ecotourism” and “sustainable travel?” What about “zero-carbon” versus “carbon-neutral?”…I certainly wasn’t sure.

I figured the first step toward greening my own travel would be to understand the language and claims of all the glossy brochures and travel websites that I review every time when I’m planning a trip (or researching posts for this blog). With that in mind, we’ve created a little glossary of all these terms, to help us keep them straight.

Ecotourism refers to both the travel practices and the type of destination. It is travel to a natural setting or area of ecological importance that also works to preserve and sustain that ecosystem – both human and natural. The Rainforest Alliance has come up with a more detailed definition. Conservation International also has a whole website devoted to the promotion of responsible ecotourism. One thing to keep in mind about ecotourism is especially susceptible to “greenwashing” issues (see below for definition). If an ecotourist resort or tour operator is talking a good game in terms of being environmentally responsible, but is not properly conserving the land or providing for local communities, that businesses actions are especially harmful, because they are usually operating in a sensitive area. As a traveler, you should educate yourself and do your due diligence when researching companies that claim to be offering “ecotourism” services. Also known as: Ecotravel, ecotours, or anything “eco.”

Sustainable Travel is not limited to natural areas or ecosystems, but travel to ANY destination – urban or rural, coastal or mountainous, developed or undeveloped – that seeks to limit environmental impacts. The concept that defines sustainable travel is minimizing negative impacts when traveling. The UN and others define this as limiting negative impacts on areas both environmentally and socially, while making sure that travel contributes significantly to the local economy (and is not just spirited away by international tourism conglomerates). Also known as: Sustainable tourism, green travel.

Responsible Travel is very similar to the idea of sustainable travel with a bit more emphasis on social impacts and ethical concerns. This framework also emphasizes contributing to the local culture where you’re traveling by spending your dollars with local businesses (hotels, restaurants, etc.) or by possibly volunteering when visiting a developing world destination. A good resource on the web for more about responsible travel is Planeta.com. You can also check out the World Tourism Organizations Code of Ethics for Tourism, which has formalized standards for ethical travel in more detailed (if more convoluted) terms. One of the travel guidebook companies, Lonely Planet, has taken up responsible tourism as a cause and devotes a section of their website to instructing their readers on what they can do. Also known as: Ethical travel.

Carbon-Neutral Travel is an in-vogue term nowadays that refers mainly to the carbon offsetting schemes that have sprung up in recent years. By now you have probably heard of carbon-neutral businesses, movies, events, and households. The idea behind the term “carbon neutral” anything is that you offset the carbon emissions you produce by paying a company to invest in projects that save carbon emissions in another part of the world – for example, through planting trees or funding renewable energy projects in the developing world. For more information on whether you should offset your travel and how, see our section on carbon offsets. However, buying offsets to be carbon-neutral does not, unfortunately, mean that the business or activity you are buying the offset for is being as efficient as possible.

Zero-Carbon Travel is an oxymoron. Unfortunately, there is no way to travel without producing carbon dioxide. The mere act of getting in your car to drive to the airport starts moving the needle on the carbon produced on your trip. Although some people equate “zero-carbon” with “carbon-neutral,” there is a difference. Zero-carbon refers to the aspiration of producing no carbon in the first place. Solar power, for example, is a zero-carbon form of electricity.

Greenwashing is when the environmental claims made by companies in advertising or marketing to consumers do not hold up to close scrutiny. Because of the increased concern for the environment in recent years, “greenwash” has become much more prevalent, with companies exaggerating the environmental benefits of their products and services in order to gain a competitive advantage. Greenwashing is prevalent in the travel industry, with hotels, tour agencies, car rental companies, and many other tourism-related businesses making claims about their environmental policies that are distorted or exaggerated. Part of the reason this is possible is that there are very few organizations monitoring and certifying environmental claims in the travel industry. Greenwashing makes it particularly important for travelers to do their homework and ask lots of questions before booking travel plans such as green hotels or ecotourism resorts. For examples of corporate greenwashing, see the website for Center for Media and Democracy’s Sourcewatch.

Your Carbon Footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere because of your activities. In the case of travel, most of your carbon footprint is a result of transportation.