Whether it’s partying at a global hot spot or taking off to somewhere quiet, hitting the museums and cafés or sashaying up a mountain, one thing you shouldn’t leave behind is your responsibility to the environment. Here are some things you can do to make your fabulous vacation easier on the planet.

Buy carbon credits
You may consider it paying for a guilty conscience, but it’s also a quick, effective way to redress the damage done by clocking up the air miles. Use an online calculator to check on the size of your carbon footprint. If you can’t cut the emissions down, offset them by purchasing credits that will fund renewable energy projects for immediate effect.

Check into a green hotel
Several international hotels are now members in green industry associations like Green Seal or Green Leaf. Look for an accreditation when you’re making a booking.

Banish paper
Paperless ticketing is a small action that makes a huge impact on your footprint, so book online as much as you can. Donate your newspaper subscriptions to a school for the length of your stay. Use online maps and share brochures and guidebooks.

Treat your own water
Recycling plastic is a huge pain in most economies. Take a refillable bottle and use iodine tablets or portable purifiers. It’s also a more reliable safeguard against illness.

Take rechargeable batteries
Resist the urge to buy disposables – chemical leakage from batteries is extremely harmful.

Buy local
Shopping for gifts at swanky airport counters is convenient, but how much of it is mass-produced? Keeping an eye out for genuine local arts and crafts is a much better idea for the culture and economy of your destination.

Combine trips
Taking one long holiday is better than several short ones; not only does it give you more time to unwind; it also has a lower impact.

Bike
If the weather permits, rent a bicycle! It's private, chic, and fun.

Donate
Instead of hoarding holiday clothes and accessories that you won’t reuse, do consider giving them away to charity. You’ll be freeing up a lot more than closet space.

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