Taking off Travel blog

Who’d have thought it? It’s now cool to be green. Not green like the colour green, but green in a metaphorical sense regarding your daily activities when it comes to being environmentally-friendly. If you revealed a concern for saving water and remaining ‘carbon neutral’ twenty years ago, chances are you’ll have been laughed at. But, now, with continued pressure from environmentalists and governments, being green and Earth-friendly has become the norm.

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And that brings us to holidays. Everyone loves a good trip away, but if you want to be green then that does pose quite a big stumbling block. After all, taking a plane to Spain is going to leave a huge carbon-footprint, as is driving to Newquay in your petrol or diesel-powered car. So what can you do to be environmentally-friendly but still have a holiday to remember?

First off, you need to be realistic about your green-credentials. Yes, you want to be as responsible as possible, but it’s almost impossible to do have a holiday were you won’t leave at least a small carbon footprint, so bear that in mind. So, without further ado, here are five suggestions for a fun yet earth-friendly vacation.

A Local Vacation

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Now, we know this doesn’t sound the most appealing of vacations. After all, the whole point is supposed to be that you get away from the daily grind, right, so who wants to stay in their country of origin? Well, fair enough, it might not be particularly exotic but, wherever you live, there’s a lot of fun stuff to do, especially if you’re willing to go off the beaten track. Buy or hire a nice efficient car (electric would be best!) and go exploring!

Ethiopia Highway Tour

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Operating since 2006, Highway Tours in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia has been catering to the eco-conscious to a big fan-fare. While Ethiopia may not seem like the most obvious of choices for all holiday, it is one of the most beautiful and intriguing destinations for those who enjoy activities such as bird-watching and viewing historical monuments.

Couple that with the diverse culture and you’ve got yourself one hell of an interesting holiday that won’t put a big dent in your carbon conscience.

Hiking Holidays

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Hiking vacations have one particular green benefit: you can take them anywhere! The only limit is your imagination, so grab a pair of sturdy boots and head for the hills. Wherever you are, you can be guaranteed that there are some beautiful spots for a good hike, whether it’s hills, mountains, deserts or forests. Just be sure to clean up after yourself!

The UK’s Lake District

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There’s plenty of places to explore and fun to be had in the Lake District. You don’t need to hit Lake Windermere to enjoy everything that this beautiful part of the country has to offer. Places like Grasmere have stunning views, fantastic pubs and, most importantly, lakes to have fun in. Carbon-free fun like kayaking and boating can be found all over the Lakes!

It’s just another option for those searching for a low-cost, low-emission holiday away.

Ice Hotel

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One of the most famous hotels in the world is the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi, Finland. Made entirely from ice, as its name might suggest, the Ice Hotel is probably the most environmentally-friendly hotel in the world thanks purely to its materials it is made from.

You can’t get any more natural than ice, so if you like your nipples to be tough enough to puncture through a diamond-glazed window then the Ice Hotel is the perfect place to rest your head at night.

If you’re thinking of vacationing in the UK, check out car hire in London, Manchester, Birmingham and more from Vroomvroomvroom.co.uk

Planning a green vacation over the holiday weekend? Check out Park Ride Fly USA’s latest discount airport parking coupon for big savings on off airport parking.

Gas prices keep on rising, even when the price of oil drops. And that’s a financially painful situation for US travelers. How can we ease the pain at the gas pump? Here are some tips to consider.

1. Maintain your car properly. There’s nothing to keep your car at optimum fuel efficiency like sticking to the service schedule. Getting spark plugs, air filters and so on changed at regular intervals means the engine will work efficiently – and that’s good for gas consumption.

2. Keep the gas in your tank at the most efficient level. That’s usually more than a quarter tank. When the tank isn’t full, then there’s less to for the car to carry, but keep it too empty and you can put strain on other parts of the car. And when you fill up, fill up – going back every couple of days to put in small amounts means more gas used on trips to the pump.

3. Keep your tires at the the right pressure to save on wear and tear. Badly worn tires mean the car won’t handle as well, which means less efficiency.

4. Try a different type of car. If you’re using an ordinary car, consider a diesel engine. You will get great miles per gallon and fuel efficiency. A car that runs on used vegetable oil can also help you save. You will spend next to nothing on filling it up and will be recycling a used product – a win-win environmentally. Also consider getting a smaller, lighter car for increased efficiency. Read more »

It’s Monday – did you get the result you wanted at last night’s SuperBowl? Whether you’re heading for the parade or looking to put it all behind you, check out our round-up of the latest travel news.

Travelers From Memphis Frustrated by High Air Fares

A WMCTV report suggests that high air fare prices out of Memphis International Airport are costing the city in more than one way. The report says there are fewer conventions in the city, business travel has been reduced and some 35% of locals are driving to other airports to pick up cheaper flights. There has been a 9% increase in air fares in the last year alone, which Scott Brockman COO of the Memphis Airport Authority blames on the airlines. Well, we can’t do anything about the cost of the flights, but we can provide discount airport parking at Memphis International Airport – check it out!

Business Travelers Want More Luxury

If you were planning on attending London’s Business Travel Show this week, let’s hope you made it in before flights got canceled at Heathrow. A survey of 1,000 business travelers showed that some business travelers are ready to get fancy with their trips, with a desire to see onboard cinemas, flying casinos, a hairdressing salon and double beds on the new super jumbos. Other business travelers have focused on practicality with 69% wanting more leg room, 54% wanting Wi-Fi and 28% wanting showers. See more on the Business Travel Show survey here.

National Green Week

This week is National Green Week. This is the week when schools and students around the nation work to reduce waste and live a more sustainable lifestyle. It’s all part of the lead-up to Earth Day on April 22 when the world goes green. If you’re wondering how you can do your bit this week as you travel check out our tips on having a green vacation and our totally green eco-tourism resources, and don’t forget that you can do your bit to cut down on wasted paper by getting email updates of our latest airport parking offers.

Carbon Neutral Aircraft Progress

Finally, could carbon neutral aircraft finally be here? Not quite yet, but NASA is starting to test prototypes being developed as part of its subsonic fixed wing program. The program not only looks at the reduction of drag, weight, energy consumption, emissions and noise in aircraft but it developing new ways of bringing these together. A number of aircraft manufacturers form part of the team.

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When I first started traveling, we gave very little thought to the effect of travel on the places we visited. That has changed. Along with eco-friendly travel, people are talking about sustainable travel and responsible travel. But what exactly is it, and does it mean we can’t have fun any more? Not at all.

What Is Responsible Travel?

A simple way of looking at responsible travel is that we should be aware of the impact of our travel choices. The ResponsibleTravel.org site describes it this way:

With the opportunity to travel, however, comes a new responsibility to all travelers to ensure that their activities do not upset or destroy the very cultures and environments we choose to visit.

Lonely Planet has a great article on the topic which says it is ‘assessing our impact on the environment and local cultures and economies – and acting to make that impact as positive as possible.’ Read more »

These days the rising cost of oil, steady erosion of natural resources and climate change are on everyone’s mind. The travel industry has taken notice. In response to growing flocks of truly eco-sensitive tourists, hotels, airplane manufacturers like Boeing, Mexican destination-villagers, and even the United States Government are getting into the show.

Make no mistake. These days “green” equates to cash-on-table for the travel industry, while at the same time tourism-operators do right by savvy customers. It’s pretty dang chic’ to treat Mother Earth with respect whilst out and about frolicking in the surf. Read more »