Going on (a green) vacation

I read an interesting column in today's Kennebec Journal about the columnist's difficulty staying "green" while she and her family went away for a vacation.  You can read the full piece by Liz Soars here: kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/view/columns/6774323.html.  But I will share a piece of it with you now:

"We are avid recyclers, and have a system at home involving plastic bins for returnables and plastic milk jugs, a wooden box for newspapers and, of course, our city-issued green buckets for cans and glass. We wash the tins and jars and toss them into the appropriate bucket or bin. Then we set them out on the curb on the appropriate day.

Couldn't be easier. And yet, nothing could be harder on vacation. The cans and glass still accumulate; actually, at a faster rate, as I don't want to be whipping up meals from scratch three times a day when I'm supposed to be enjoying a retreat from everyday duties.

But while we carefully rinsed and stored (in yet another brown paper bag) all our returnables, the other cans and glass went straight into the trash."

So, this got me to thinking - what is it that you do to make your vacations greener?  Do you think about all of the things that Ms. Soares thought about?  I wonder if you have tips for going green while going on holiday.  If so, please share them here so that others can take them into consideration when they head out before summer's end or as they travel this fall and winter.

I know that there are even some travel agencies who specialize in "green travel" - have you ever used one of these agencies?  If so, what has been your experience?

Have you stayed closer to home this summer because of the economy?  If so, did you find a great vacation location right here in Maine?

I know that most of the summer's weather didn't cooperate with vacations (with my vacations anyway...I picked the rainiest weeks of the summer!), but now that the weather is better, I have been out and about enjoying the warm summer weather.

My mother and I went on a windjammer cruise out of Portland - two hours on an 85-year-old schooner that was built in 1924 in East Boothbay and has sailed all over the world.  What a beautiful way to see Portland Harbor and the Portland waterfront - as well as Portland Headlight, Bug Light, and Spring Point lighthouse.

I hope you are all having a great summer!  Hope to hear from you!

- Beth, Public Affairs Coordinator

Comments

[MaineGuide.com]

I think you're onto something. Green vacationing?... Sounds like a niche for small mom and pop inns, motels, etc. Maine is a "natural" fit for such a cottage industry we should think! Thank you for your post.

[Jorgia]

No $ to travel but don't have to - I live in Maine where life is beautiful. Thanks for your post.