Many of us travel in August. It is by far the most popular month for family vacations! As we take to the road under perfect weather conditions we do our best to have little impact on the environment; but as you know, we can always do better.

This month we talk about smarter travel, how to reduce our carbon footprint while traveling, and remember our planet as OUR NUMBER ONE HOST.

For those of you new to the scene, a quick catch up... we’re looking to our community of friends and yogis to consider adopting new environmentally friendly changes each month for the next 12 months. Keep the suggestions and efforts coming and we'll add them to our list.

Join our force of concerned yogis that can change our minds and therefore, anything.

THIS MONTH TRY THE FOLLOWING

HOW TO GET THERE:

Be aware of the carbon footprint associated with your mode of transport You can check out this link for a nice comparison on flying vs. driving.
Many companies, such as Lyft, purchase carbon offsets for the service they provide!
If flying - take direct flights, fly economy class, and pack light (will also avoid the extra baggage fees!)

WHERE TO STAY:

Book with eco-friendly hotels or Airbnb
Take a stay-at-home vacation instead of traveling
When staying at a hotel, practice eco-friendly habits by limiting the number of towels you use and how often housekeeping needs to wash sheets, etc.
Only use lights when absolutely necessary, otherwise, when you leave home for an extended period of time unplug everything that's not in use.
Traveling in a group?
Carpool whenever possible
Split meals so there are no leftovers to worry about

WHERE TO EAT:

When possible, eat the local food! Not only does it support the local economy, but your food will not have traveled too far to your plate.
If you need more variety think about bringing some of your favorite snacks with you, at least they won't be traveling separately!
Cook healthy meals when you can.
Don't forget to bring your own travel-size shopping bag!

TRAVEL ITEMS

As always, bring your own reusable water bottle and fill up when you can! Or try to recycle any disposable water bottles you do buy.
Try re-using those soap and shampoo travel containers, or using a jar from home and filling it with your favorite necessity item.

NEED TO OFFSET TRAVEL-CARBON? YOU CAN ALWAYS PLANT A TREE

~ SOME TRAVEL CARBON NUMBERS ~

Tourism accounts for around 8% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
Air travel is the main contributor to the tourism GHGs, and the high-polluting industry will likely become increasingly problematic as the world gets richer
Flying less and/or investing in payments/actions to offset carbon damage caused by travel will be essential to avoid future growth in tourism-related emissions
In 2018, nearly 4.4 billion passengers were carried by the world's airlines, these flights produced 895 million tonnes of CO2
Around 80% of aviation emissions are from long-distance flights for which there are no other practical alternative mode of transport
Tourism is projected to have a 4% annual growth in global visits
We as a culture need to adopt the "slow travel" concept — an environmentally friendly way of experiencing journeys.
The key ingredients of "slow travel" include the importance of experiences en route to and at the destination, the enjoyment of local culture, and the use of low-carbon transportation modes based on a strong environmental consciousness.
The essential spirit of "slow travel" is quality over quantity!