You've chosen a destination and finally arrived, now where will you stay? You will often have many choices – from camping in a tent or recreational vehicle (RV), to staying a hotel. The camping and tenting vacation is quite a different experience from staying in a hotel and visiting the sights and sounds of a big city, for example. No matter which vacation you take, there are things you can do to reduce your environmental impact.

Camping

Packing a tent in your car and heading off on a weekend camping trip has a much smaller impact on the environment than if you were to take a recreational vehicle (RV). RVs consume more gasoline and emit more greenhouse gases and other emissions than a typical car.

Even campers can have an impact though, and it's good to remember to take only photos and leave only footprints. People who camp are usually seeking high quality outdoor experiences and should ensure they act responsibly in natural surroundings. Protecting streams, lakes, land, and wildlife means taking proper care when we pitch our tent, clean our dishes and go to the toilet.

Tenting is low impact and can be a wonderful getaway experience.

R.V. Rasmussen

Low impact camping tips

• Always pack out what you have packed in. Never litter!
• Help keep the environment clean and bring a bag to pick up human litter you may encounter. Human litter can be dangerous. For example, a broken piece of glass, dry grass, and the hot summer sun could be enough to spark a gigantic forest fire!
• Buy or bring food and other products in reusable or recyclable packages
• Do not take any nature "souvenirs" back home. Leave wildflowers, rocks, insects, and bark in their ecosystem.
• Camp 60 metres (200 feet) or more away from water sources to avoid water contamination.
• Stay on the trail! Do not make new trails, shortcuts, or trudge up slope; too much foot traffic can cause vegetation damage and erosion.

Find out more:

• Read about backcountry ethics and practices
• Take the low impact hiking quiz!

Recreational Vehicles

If being too close to nature does not appeal to you or you are not physically up to the camping experience, a recreational vehicle (RV) is another way to go. If you are renting or purchasing an RV, examine various types to find the most efficient fit for you and your fellow vacationers.

RV fuel consumption varies according to class and model. There are three different classes of motorized RVs. These include a Class A "luxury" motorhome, a Class B Camper Van, and a Class C "mini-motorhome." Fuel consumption for a 28-foot Class A motorhome is approximately 24 litres/100km. Class B models can range from 12-13 litres/100km to 17-19 litres/100km. A Class C model's fuel consumption is similar to that of a Class A model. GoRVing Canada explains the different types of RVs and can help you decide which one is right for your needs.

Generally, a bigger RV consumes more fuel and emits more greenhouse gas emissions. Check with manufacturers and dealers to compare fuel efficiency across different models. Remember money saved on gasoline, will stretch the vacation budget even further and afford greater travel opportunities. And the environment will thank you!

Hotels

Hotels offer convenient and comfortable accommodation and there are ways to exercise your "green" options when choosing a hotel. Better World Travel and Green Hotels Association offer the following tips:

• If possible, stay at an environmentally friendly hotel. In Canada, green hotels are Eco Logo certified (see the box). In the US, you can choose a hotel from the Green Hotels Association. For other countries, do your research before you book.
• Tell your room attendant you would like to reuse your linens and towels. This will save water and energy.
• Turn off lights, TV and air conditioners to save energy before leaving your room.
• Do not use your toilet for trash disposal. On average, one flush of a toilet consumes 15-20 litres of water, although green hotels may have low-flush toilets.
• If you won't be using the little bottles of shampoo or conditioner, just leave them in the room for another person.
• Take photos with a regular or digital camera. Single use disposable cameras are very wasteful and expensive.
• Try to avoid fast food, as serving containers, cups, and utensils create a lot of waste.
• Bring your travel mug for beverage refills.
• Participate in hotel recycling programs by placing recyclables in appropriate bins.
• Use the hotel van instead of renting a car, or try out the bus or local transit system.
• If you're driving, turn your motor off when idling. Encourage tour bus drivers to do the same.

Did you know? Making Hotels Greener

Thanks to the Green Leaf Eco Logo Certification program, hotels can improve their operation's efficiency and get recognized for it. The Hotel Association of Canada's Green Leaf Eco-Rating Program is a graduated rating system designed to identify hotels that are committed to improving their environmental and cost-savings performance. Green Leaf performance is related to successful application of the principles of eco-efficiency, including energy and water conservation, waste reduction and eco-purchasing, reduction of hazardous material impacts and sound overall management policies.

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