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10 Green Travel Tips

In support of Earth Day and Earth Hour, here are 10 Green travel tips. Earth Day is on 27th March 2010, from 8.30pm to 9.30pm (local time).

Here are 10 simple green travel tips, which lets you enjoy your vacation while still contribute to going green.

1. Ask about the hotel’s or company’s green initiatives.
Book your travels with hotels or tour agencies who supports eco-friendly or sustainable tourism and activities.

• Do they recycle?
• Are they energy efficient?
• Do they address water conservation and waste management?
• Do they use local materials in their building?
• Do they use local ingredients in their dining menu?

Borneo Island

2. Offset greenhouse gas emissions
If you have a choice, take trains over flying. Or if you must fly, try to book a non-stop flight. In the Sabah, a car or a four wheel drive will get you where you want to go in relative comfort.

3. Never Litter
Even if you see locals disposing of their rubbish without a care for the environment, you should not follow suit.

4. Choose where you stay
Pick a local bed & breakfast, or locally owned accommodation. It will benefit the local community.

5. Purchase and use local products whenever possible
Purchasing locally made souvenirs provides memories of your trip and will aid the local industry. However, be careful of products made from endangered animals, or products that are risky and destroys the local animals, flora or environment.

6. Conserve water
Use water sparingly to help conserve the water resources. Water is a sparse resource in many parts of the world, and you can help conserve this precious resource without undue hardship on your part. Every few years, like this year, Sabah experiences very dry spells.

7. Conserve electricity
Turn off lights and air-conditioning when you leave your room or when you don’t need it. Re-use your hotel bath towel helps.

8. Do not feed local wildlife
They may look hungry but your interference will cause more harm than good. This can cause them to depend on humans for food, instead of foraging for food. Processed food are not part of their diet and can be harmful to animals. Orang Utans are sometimes quite eager (I was going to say aggressive) for snacks, especially during non-feeding hours.

9. Leave nothing but footprints
If you are on a nature tour, or visiting a conservation area, take with you only what you bring in. Do not left your rubbish behind or take some of the local flora with you. When you visit our islands, do not take pieces of the corals with you. If you are camping, use only biodegradable products to wash in.

10. Be part of Going Green
Help spread the word on green living, and let people know how conservation and green living does not mean a life without comfort. It’s about helping the environment recover.

Planning a visit to Sabah? Click here for Hostels, or here for Hotels and Resorts.