August 2019: Green Travel

Tuesday, August 6, 2019 at 6:30 PM – 8 PM

Quixotic Coffee, 769 Cleveland Ave S, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55116

Green Travel– Lessing environmental impact that traveling has by focusing on reducing travelers’ waste and carbon footprint
Preparation for travel

- Pack lightly– save baggage cost and fuel from less weight
- Bring multi-purpose clothing and items

- - Capsule wardrobes
  - Coats with SO MANY pockets lol
  - Bags

- - - Smaller bags with maximum storage
    - Travel Backpacks- suitcase with back straps and compartments
    - Purse/day pack- fit for a water pack, souvenirs and adventures
    - Duffle/suitcase
  - Packing Cubes (from recycled plastic)
- Bring reusable items
  - Reusable Water Bottle with a filter, or a straw/stick filter
  - Dish-ware, silverware set, straw and tupperware
  - Reusable make-up wipes
  - Reusable cloth/napkin- to use as napkin, washcloth
  - Reusable laundry bag
- Eco friendly travel items
  - Soap bars (Shampoo, conditioner, body, deodorant (plastic wrap free!):
  - Ex. Lush, Friendly Soap, Ethique, Basin Hair Care
  - Bamboo toothbrush
  - Antibacterial and odorless clothes (less smell = less washing = saving environmental resources) Organic’s Basics
  - Raw organic sunscreen made from natural ingredients
  - Solar charger, and solar powered items
Reservations
- Accommodations
  - Eco-friendly hotels
    - greenhotels.com– association of hotels with environmental resources
    - www.tripadvisor.com/GreenLeaders- levels of green living

- - - - GreenPartner (minimum), GreenLeader – Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum
    - Environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com
      - Eco-friendly score 1-7 leaves (must have 10 of possible 30 green initiatives)
  - Eco-friendly hostels
  - Airbnb’s– less waste, water, energy used
    - Airbnbs (https://press.airbnb.com/how-the-airbnb-community-supports-environmentally-friendly-travel-worldwide)
    - www.ecobnb.com– lists its sustainable perks
    - Launched Office of Healthy Tourism- empower emerging destinations and support environmental sustainability
    - Partnered with My Green Trip- eco-friendly travelers’ network that organize community clean-ups and share sustainable travel habits
      - Based in Switerland! (Vive la francophonie !)
  - Couchsurfing– app to stay at someone’s home (couch or room)
  - Camping
    - Supports State Parks & states’ Department of Natural Resources!
    - Items
      - Steel wool scrubber
      - Water purifiers
      - Microfiber towels (smaller dry faster, and usually softer!)
      - Multi-functional soap (body, dishes, etc)

- - - - Rub greasy dishes with dirt and soap
      - Refilling propane tanks (refilling)
      - Keep recycling items until obtaining access to a recycling bin
      - Compost- dig 30cm (2.5ft) deep in the earth- then cover
      - Natural bug spray- lavender or vinegar oils →Sara knows
      - Wax ear plugs- reusable and compostable
      - Solar lamps & chargers
      - Refillable lighters
    - Other alternatives
      - Log cabins
      - Staying with friends/family
      - Converted van life-rental
Cross country transportation
- greenroutes.org– routes leading to sustainably minded businesses and areas throughout MN & WI
- Planes
  - One round-trip flight from the US to Europe adds three to four tons to an individual’s annual carbon footprint and creates more greenhouse gas emissions than driving a medium-sized car 7,500 miles a year (about 2 US cross country trips)
  - Tips to reduce your carbon emissions while flying
    - Take a direct flight if possible
    - Travel economy, fits more people than luxury
    - Pack light, less weight = less fuel used
In-city and city to city transportation
- Mass Transportation
  - Mega bus- all over the world
  - City busses/trains/subway
    - Trains are also a great option when traveling city to city in Europe
  - Hotel/airport bus/shuttle
- Rental
  - Rental bike-Rent a bike through a city bike rental program
  - Rental scooters
  - Rental cars
    - Avis, enterprise
      - Some Hybrid and “Green Fleet” i.e. low emission cars (ford focus, etc
- Ride sharing
  - Blablacar- ride sharing app for people going in the same direction
- Eco-cab companies-
- Walking
  - Ride share with family, friends

While traveling

- Activities

- - Nature
    - Hiking, bike trails, rock climbing, camping, learning about the area at museums in state parks (about 70 in MN)

- - Green tourism companies
  - Walking tour
    - FreeToursByFoot.com– Harry Potter, Rock n’ Roll, Street Art Tours
  - Museums
  - couchsurfing.com– also has activities and meet-ups
  - Shopping
    - Locally owned shops with locally made souvenirs that represent their culture (generally away from tourists areas)
    - Markets- Night, book, farmers markets, craft fairs, etc.

Food and waste reduction

- Focus on local restaurants
- Avoid fast food to reduce 1 use to-go containers
- Bring your own Tupperware for leftovers
- Save extra sauce packets- using/finishing food
- Research where/how to recycle at your destination beforehand

- - keep until you can properly dispose
- Keeping a fire and it’s ashes away from water to protect water quality

Environmental Travel nonprofits
- Pledge for the Wild-a group of mountain towns supporting responsible tourism in wild places.
- Suggested donation of $1 per hour of your time spent outside enjoying these places

Delphane’s 10 tips

- 1. Gather your addresses before leaving– research eco-friendly places
- 2. Prepare for you modes of transportation – car, train, plane,)
- 3. Tupperware/food containers– to reduce food waste and packaging
- 4. Zero Waste Kits– picnics and take-out
- 5. Prepare your toiletries bag– reusable, package free items
- 6. Avoid supermarkets
- 7. Learn how to say “no thank you” – to straws, take out containers, etc
- 8. Be attentive when buying souvenirs & gifts- made local, second-hand
- 9. Eco-tourism– preserving the land and communities you visit
- 10. Buy Carbon Offsets– to balance out the carbon from your transportation

Extra

- Dr borax- can clean everything with it
- Sephora & Lush- return black make-up containers to be reused (after every 5/6 you get a free item)
- Carbon Footprint calculator
- Working while abroad

- - Work away- working while away
  - Wwoof.com- organic farms
  - Numundo.com- experiences or stays (appetences, or eco-friendly accommodations)
- Twin cities pera-culture group-

Green Tips

Get Your Mayor Involved

More than 600 cities nationwide are not waiting for federal action on climate change—they are taking matters into their own hands. The U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement is one way cities are reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and urging government to take action. Read more about the agreement here, plus learn what Minnesota’s government is doing about global warming.

Start Backyard Composting

Did you know that the average Minnesota household throws 15 pounds of compostable materials into the trash every single week? Composting is an easy and simple way to have an immediate personal impact by diverting trash from the landfill or incinerator. Backyard composting takes leaves, grass clippings, veggie scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells, and tissue and turns them into valuable compost that reduces the amount of water and fertilizer required for your yard and garden, improves soil quality and supplies essential nutrients for plant growth.

Learn more!

Think Twice About Bottled Water

If you live in an area with clean drinking water, fill a reusable bottle with tap water and bring it with you wherever you go to avoid buying bottled water. The U.S. sends 2 million tons of plastic water bottles to landfills each year—and producing those bottles requires oil and emits carbon dioxide. Some restaurants in the Twin Cities feel so strongly against bottled water that they refuse to sell it. Learn more.

Recycle Your Paper Products

Most people don’t realize it, but one way to reduce global warming is to recycle paper products. Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees. Each tree helps reduce global warming by capturing and holding carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas. Remember your bottles and cans, too—any recycling you do means fewer of the Earth’s raw materials are used. Learn more here.

Learn from Woodbury

Is it possible for one of the fastest growing cities in Minnesota to be sustainable? The City of Woodbury has committed to try. Since adopting its initial Sustainability Resolution in 2006, the City has progressed toward becoming a sustainable community through several initiatives. You can read more about them in here. Can your city follow suit?

Pack a No Waste Lunch

A ‘no-waste lunch’ is a meal that does not end up in the trash. Buy food in bulk and put it in reusable containers to carry to school or work. Packing your food in reusables is typically less expensive and creates less waste than buying food that comes in disposable containers.

Check out our No Waste Lunch tips!

Check Windows and Doors for Energy Efficiency

Here are some easy tips for Home Energy Savings:

Leaky windows, doors and frames can let out the air you paid to heat or cool. Once a year, check the caulking around your windows, doors and joints to make sure everything is sealed tightly.
Install weather stripping around any leaky windows and doors.
If you use storm windows, check them each winter to be sure they provide a good seal and are not cracked.
If you have only single glaze windows, you can purchase do-it-yourself plastic storms that just tape into place.
If you use window air conditioners, take them out for the winter. If they are attached to the wall or too big to move, make sure they are well-covered with insulating material to avoid leaking a lot of your warm air.
If you have a fireplace, install a glass door that reduces hot air loss.

Use Reusable Gift Bags

Americans produce 25% more trash during the holiday season, including about 2 million tons of wrapping paper that use an estimated 30 million trees per year! Eliminate your gift waste with creative packaging ideas like making your own from reclaimed fabric!

See our full list of ideas for a No Waste Holiday!

Contact Your State Legislator

As a constituent, you are your local legislators’ highest priority. Why not share your views with them and ask them to support your position? It may seem like your letters and emails will get lost in a deep, dark political hole, but don’t despair. Whether you call, fax, email or visit in person, this article offers tips on how to effectively communicate with your elected officials and get them to listen.

Host an Art Night

Looking for a new way to connect with your neighbors, get free life advice, and spark your creative juices? Consider hosting an art night at your house, complete with paints, modeling clay, colored pencils and art smocks. Get messy, be creative, and let the conversation flow. For inspiration and resources, check out this article.

How Our Food Choices Effect the Planet

Explore More Green Coffee Talks

How Our Food Choices Effect the Planet

Our Sponsors