ArcaMax

Got your reusable water bottle? That’s one of the easiest things you can do to reduce your environmental footprint when you are traveling.

Around 85 percent of plastic water bottles, which can take up to 1,000 years to degrade, end up as waste, according to a new report from the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health. Plastic bottles also end up in the ocean, adding to a vast swirl of plastic waste that poses a serious threat to marine life.

“Plastics are contaminating our oceans, clogging our drains, causing floods, spreading disease, killing wildlife, and impacting low-income communities the most,” said Kathleen Rogers, EARTHDAY.ORG president, “Governments, businesses and citizens must all contribute to stop the destruction of our shared home and restore nature.”

The theme of Earth Day 2023 (April 22) is “Invest in Our Planet” and to that end, there is The End Plastic Pollution campaign and The Great Global Cleanup, which provides opportunities to remove trash from green spaces, urban areas and waterways. Check the live map for nearby cleanups or create your own event. You won’t be alone. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world.

Sustainable travel is important to 225 million American adults, according to a recent survey from The Vacationer and reported by AAA. Nearly 82 percent of travelers say they will make more sustainable or eco-friendly decisions when planning their trips and more than 78 percent say they would pay more to lower their carbon footprint.

Anyone traveling with kids these days knows that they are especially mindful of environmental challenges and what they might do to be a better environmental steward. On your next trip, visit a zoo, an aquarium, a botanic garden for a lesson on conservation.

Opt for public transportation or bikes when possible; Shop local and carry reusable bags for your purchases. Reuse towels in hotels and opt out of daily maid service. Turn off the AC and lights when you leave your room. Have a contest to see who can take the shortest shower.

Visit farmers’ markets where you can meet local growers. How about a vegetarian meal? Studies suggest that eating plant-based or locally sourced food helps reduce an individual's carbon footprint, just as does buying items that are being reused or recycled.

Hotels, cruise lines and destinations are all touting their own efforts whether by using solar power, serving produce grown in their own gardens, offering refill stations for water bottles, getting rid of single-use plastic toiletries or encouraging the use of ocean-safe sunscreens and volunteer projects. Ask about sustainability efforts where you are traveling. Here are nine you may not have known about:

Aqua-Aston Hospitality, which has 40-plus hotels in the Hawaiian Islands, has raised awareness about the environmental benefits of mineral-based sunscreens through its #ForOurReef campaign. Also in Hawaii, the Hanalei Colony Resort, where we recently stayed, has partnered with Malama Hawaii and Limahuli Garden & Preserve. Volunteer during your stay and get a fifth night free.

...continued

(c) 2023 DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.