Tips for Finding an Eco-Friendly Holiday in the UK
Eco-friendly isn’t just a trendy label for well-off hippies. More and more people are considering eco-friendly holidays. However, with the growth in popularity of long-haul holiday destinations and luxury holidays, it can sometimes be difficult to find a holiday destination which will minimise your environmental impact.
With the increase in travel costs, people are starting to look at the UK for their holidays again, so how can you find an eco-friendly holiday in the UK?
1. Transport choices
Public transport is much more environmentally friendly than cars, so if you can find a holiday where you can travel by train or coach, this will benefit the environment. With special deals often available, it may also work out cheaper than a car.
2. Energy efficient accommodation
Many hotels and guesthouses list their energy efficiency ratings on their websites. There are also websites which list eco-friendly accommodation in the UK and beyond. If accommodation has special environmental credentials, for example its own power source, then it will normally say this on the website.
3. Food choices
Some holiday accommodation provides local food, which is much better for the environment than food which has been imported from abroad. If you are looking for organic food, you can search online directories of organic holidays too, which can provide inspiration and advice.
4. National Trust holidays
The National Trust run holidays for young people and adults, which include low environmental impact accommodation and food, in return for helping at a National Trust site. They also offer accommodation in a variety of historic and unusual buildings across the country. If you go on a National Trust holiday, then you will be contributing financially to the National Trust, including its environmental work. If you choose an active National Trust holiday, then you will also be contributing practically to the environment.
5. Using your own energy
One of the most environmentally friendly ways of travelling is by using your own energy, either on foot or by bicycle. It also makes for fun, cheap holidays . In the UK there are miles and miles of walking and cycling trails, which are often dotted with small guesthouses and campsites. If you have an active holiday like this, you will not be raising your carbon footprint during your travel, and you will see things that can’t be seen from trains, buses or cars.
Having an eco-friendly holiday isn’t about being boring. It is about appreciating nature, and saving energy. It is certainly worth trying next time you’re considering a holiday in the UK.
Green Social Media
One of my dearest friends from high school went off to college in another state after graduation, and we kind of lost touch. If it were not for Facebook we may not have ever had the chance to talk at all. Luckily, we have stayed in touch for the past few years, and we made plans to see each other while I was on a trip in Arizona, her current home state. It is very difficult for me to be surprised by her, as she is kind of a hippie when it comes to how she lives. Seriously, she was probably my most eccentric friend and still is. I cannot say that I was surprised that when she greeted me at the airport she was in some obviously second-hand clothes and driving a Prius. Being green and environmentally aware has just always been her thing. I was surprised however when we pulled up to her home, all 350 square foot of it. She lived in a tiny house, and I had heard of tiny house living, but I had never seen it firsthand. -All she needed was in the minute little place. The basics were all that was important to her, and that is what she had. She had a private bathroom, a place to sleep, an area to sit, and a small kitchen type area. I was shocked that people could live this way, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that if most people chose this lifestyle our planet would probably be much healthier. -The energy that her small house uses and requires is significantly less than a typical home for one person. Not only is that reducing a big carbon footprint but her energy costs as well. Another great and green benefit to tiny house living is the fact that the house itself only takes up a small piece of land, and so that leaves room for organic gardening. -I loved visiting with my very green friend, and I have to admit that I am enamored with her choice to be so green in all aspects of her life. Sometimes I wish that I had the courage to live life that way, but instead I try to do my part by buying recycled goods and things that claim to be green. I’m certain that my friend will keep trying to encourage me to be greener, and maybe one day she will completely rub off on me.
WRI Climate Data Now Available In Google Public Data Explorer
WRI is working with Google to make our data related to climate change more approachable and interactive than ever.
Google’s Public Data Explorer is a new tool that makes large data sets easier to understand and explore. Users can reimagine data sets from a growing list of providers (like the U.S. Census, Eurostat, the World Bank, and, now, WRI’s Climate Analysis Indicators Tool – CAIT) as interactive charts and maps that illustrate data relationships and trends over time. These new data visualizations can be embedded in other websites and easily shared via email or social networks.
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WRI Climate Data Now Available In Google Public Data Explorer