Greening Disney: Getting There
OK, so your kids have finally worn you down with their incessant pleas for a Disney vacation and now you find yourself wondering how you can possibly plan a trip to Disney World without abandoning your green ideals. Well, you’ll be happy to know that it can be done! All this week I’m going to share with you green tips and behind the scenes eco-information I learned from my family’s latest trip to Mickey Mouse land. For starters, let’s take a look at the best ways to green your travel to Disney.
Planning Your Trip
Consider Traveling by Train: Planes emit more carbon dioxide per traveler than any other means of transportation, followed by cars and trains. If possible, consider making the train trip to Disney part of the vacation. I know…I know…traveling by train is not particularly easy with kids. But consider this, the train trip to Disney could save you hundreds of dollars on the cost of your vacation, and that’s even if you get a “roomette” on the train with beds for the night. Also, all meals are included when you get a room on the train. There are stations located in both Orlando and Kissimmee.
Line Up Green Lodging: The and list a bunch of eco-savvy hotels, motels, and resorts near Disney so it should be easy to find lodging in line with your green ideals. Also, keep in mind that all of the Disney resorts have been certified by Florida’s program as “environmentally conscious” lodging facilities. And staying “on campus” so to speak means that you can travel to and from all of the parks via Disney’s excellent public transportation system, eliminating the need for a rental car. And if you stay at certain Disney resorts, you may be eligible to take Disney’s free bus service from the airport to your hotel. Honestly, I’m not trying to plug Disney resorts over other types of lodging, but if you’re trying to streamline and keep it green, it really does help to eliminate the need for a car.
Play Greentag: If you really want to negate the carbon emissions of your vacation, consider purchasing carbon offsets (also known as greentags). The money you spend on carbon offsets will be used to plant trees or support a renewable energy project, thereby “offsetting” the carbon emissions generated during your travel. You can even get your kids to help with this. Log on to a carbon offsetting website and help your child calculate the carbon emissions that will be generated during your trip. Check out or to purchase greentags to offset them.
Before You Leave The House
Unplug:
Save money on your electric bill by taking a few minutes to unplug appliances, computers, power strips, and televisions before you head out. Adjust your thermostat so that you are not heating or cooling an empty house (but be mindful to leave the house a comfortable temperature if pets are staying behind).
Go Digital: Invest in a digital camera to capture your vacation’s highlights. If you take a lot of pictures, you will easily recoup the costs of the camera in film and processing fees. The latest camera models come equipped with rechargeable batteries, but if you have an older model, just be sure to load your camera with rechargeables, bring your charger, you’re good to go.
Packing Green
Make It Green: Look for gently used luggage (either from around your house or from your local thrift store) to pack up your gear. If you do need to purchase new, try a daypack or courier bag from that’s made from 100% recycled PET plastic.
Keep It Light: Save your back and save the planet by keeping your load as light as possible. The less you pack, the less energy (yours and the planet’s) it will take to get your bags to your destination. Remember, a lot of airlines charge now for every checked bag…so it pays to to travel light.
Grab the Green Stuff: Of course, packing lightly doesn’t mean that you should skimp on the green essentials. Make sure you have these supplies in your suitcase so that you can go green on the go:
- Reusable drink bottle
- Reusable tote bag
- Reusable bottles of toiletries (be sure these are in your checked luggage or they’ll be confiscated at security)
- Digital camera
- A great green read
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I was thrilled to bits when I found out about Florida’s Green Lodging guide. I have since learned that other states have similar listings for green hotels in their state (CA, DE, FL, GA, HI, ME, MI, NH, NC, RI, VT, VA, WI). The Hotel Assoc. of Canada has a eco-rating system http://www.hacgreenhotels.com.
In addition, to packing green and using rechargeable batteries, also know that after your vacation or when the batteries eventually wear out (up to 1,000 charges, 2-5 years depending on frequency of use) they can be recycled at no cost in the U.S. and Canada at http://www.call2recycle.org. These include any rechargeable battery that requires being plugged in to be recharged (cell phones, laptops, camcorders, power tools, two-way radios, remote control toys, cordless vacuums, electric toothbrush and electric razors).
Hey!
Cool article.
We should try to be green even when on vacation.
We should all work together to save our beautiful planet!
Disney can be a great time for the family…
The Green Parent | Greening Disney: Getting There great article thank you.
The Green Parent | Greening Disney: Getting There#comment-14050 great article thank you.
Gracias por el post man! segui con tu buen trabajo
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