Environmentally friendly travel destinations
Green travel has been gaining popularity over the past few years. In the past it was thought to be uncomfortable and expensive to take an environmentally friendly trip. That is not the case anymore. Forget about staying in a hut or a treehouse (unless you want to) because now, more than ever, cities and hotels are taking a green approach to travel.
Here are a few options to consider for your green vacation:
1. Austin, Texas
Austin is ranked as one of America's greenest cities. The new AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center meets the US Green Building Council's certification standard for Leadership in Energy and Environment Design, and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport's terminal is made of recycled steel. The Capital Metro operates 'Dillo shuttles that use an EPA-approved fuel additive to reduce harmful emissions, and hybrid buses recently joined the fleet. For hotels, Habitat Suites is one of the city's greenest, using natural fertilizers, pesticides and cleaning products, as well as ozone-safe fire extinguishers.
www.austintexas.org.
2. South Padre Island
The South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center brings nature up close, with interactive exhibits and 4,800 feet of bay-view boardwalks and paths. Explore 43 acres of freshwater ponds, island scrub brush and saltwater marshes. Sea Turtle on South Padre is a nonprofit sea turtle rescue center. A number of species, both endangered and threatened, call the center home, including the rarest of the sea turtles, the Kemp's ridley. The South Padre Island Dolphin Research & Sea Life Nature Center focuses on preservation of wild dolphins, birds and marine life. With an option of hotels, rentals and campgrounds, Isla Blanca Park is on the island's southernmost tip, where visitors can camp on more than a mile of clean, white beach.
www.sopadre.com
3. Scottsdale, Arizona
The Sonoran Desert is a delicate environment, but Scottsdale is committed to sustainability and is preserving one-third of the city's land in the creation of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. As many as 16,460 acres are protected. Eight Scottsdale resorts are making strides in sustainable practices, as well. The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa lets guests opt to turn off one of the dual shower heads in their rooms, choose all-organic spa products and drink filtered water instead of bottled. At the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale, there's a "preservation hike" in the desert, and visitors may plant a cactus or other native plant to help ensure the sustainability of this unique ecosystem.
www.scottsdalecvb.com
4. Canmore, Alberta
Canmore has been on the leading edge of environmental awareness for years, with some of the strictest building standards in Canada. The city also offers intensive recycling programs and bike-friendly trails. Mount Engadine Lodge has a state-of-the-art microbiotic septic system and eight types of recycling containers. The lodge runs on battery power at night or in the off season. www.tourismcanmore.com
5. Aruba
If you're heading to the Caribbean, consider Aruba. Several organizations are working to protect the island's natural resources, including the Aruba Reef Care Project; Turtugaruba, a foundation that protects sea turtles; and Stimaruba, which guards local flora, fauna and sand dunes. Hotels are in on the action too; seven are listed on a Green Globe 21 certified list.
www.aruba.com
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