Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
44
Tips
It's Easy Being Green
Here are a few simple ways you can help c onserve fuel and ener gy when you
travel:
• Each time y ou take a flight or driv e a car g reenhouse gases r elease int o
the atmosphere. You can help neutraliz e this danger t o the planet thr ough
“carbon off setting”—paying someone t o in vest y our money in pr ograms
that r educe y our g reenhouse gas emissions b y the same amount y ou've
added. Before buying carbon offset credits, just make sure that you're using
a reputable company, one with a proven program that invests in renewable
energy. Reliable carbon off set c ompanies include
Carbonfund
( www.
carbonfund.org),
TerraPass
(w ww.terrapass.org), and
Carbon Neutr al
(www.carbonneutral.org).
• Whenever possible, choose nonstop flights; they generally r equire less fuel
than indir ect flights that st op and take off again. Try t o fly during the
day—some scientists estimat e that nigh ttime flights ar e twice as harmful
to the en vironment. And pack light— each 15 pounds of luggage on a
5,000-mile flight adds up t o 50 pounds of carbon dio xide emitted.
• Where you stay during your travels can have a major environmental impact.
To determine the g reen credentials of a pr operty, ask about trash disposal
and recycling, water conservation, and energy use; also question if sustain-
able materials were used in the c onstruction of the pr operty. The website
2
For general info on v olunteer trav el,
visit
www.volunteerabroad.org
and
www.
idealist.org
. Before you commit to a v ol-
unteer pr ogram, it 's impor tant to make
sure any money you're giving is truly going
back to the local community
the work you'll be doing will be a good fit
for y ou.
Volunteer I nternational
(www.
volunteerinternational.org) has a helpful
list of questions to ask to determine the
intentions and the natur e of a v olunteer
program.
, and that
10
TRAVELING SAFELY WITH KIDS
IN CHICAGO
The easiest way to stay safe in Chicago is
to
hold hands with y our kids.
I t's safe
and fun, without being o verly protective.
Keep your kids close and within ey eshot,
and be extra car eful around busy intersec-
tions. Cabs will not slo w do wn for any-
one—even families with kids. D o not
cross anywher e but at traffic lights (it
sounds obvious, but I've seen parents with
strollers cr ossing in the middle of busy
streets). Again, driv ers won't stop for y ou
in the city just because you have a stroller.
Stay on major str eets and av oid construc-
tion sites.
Visitors should steer clear of situations
where kids could get lost in a cr owd. A t
the ballpark, at the end of the game, wait
until most of the cr owd files out so kids
can go at their o wn pace. R emember,
Michigan A venue and major attractions
can get cr owded in the summer .
Make
contingency plans for r
euniting,
ev en
