Green travel is big business these days, and with the growing volume of information and advice on how to travel more responsibly, it should be easy for most of us to do something to help the cause. But that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice exploring faraway lands, relaxing on the beach, trying adventure sports or whatever floats your boat. It might just mean a rethink or compromise on how you get there, where you stay, what you eat or what activities you choose to take part in.

To get you started we’ve put together a few ideas and links to help you plan a greener holiday:

Getting there
Plane, train or automobile – they all use fuel but some modes of transport are more eco-friendly than others. Trains produce a substantially smaller volume of carbon emissions than planes, for example.

Overland travel has enjoyed an increased spate of publicity recently and that means there’s more information available to help you make your plans. Good examples include sites such as www.seat61.com with guides for train travel all over the world. This includes information on the new Eurostar routes from St Pancras in London, linking up more rail services in the UK with destinations in Europe. Or you could just go all out and jump on the Trans Mongolian Express to Ulaanbaatar and see what adventures you have!

If time and overland transport restrictions mean you have to take the plane then help offset your carbon emissions at www.climatecare.org or  www.carbonresponsible.com or www.carbonneutral.com. You can work out how much you need to offset with their online calculators. Your contribution then goes towards sustainable projects such as reforestation.

Holiday ideas
The Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) cites green tourism and responsible travel as key concerns for the organisation and its members. Any company with AITO status must try and provide tourism that protects the environment, respects local cultures, benefits local communities, conserves natural resources and minimises pollution. You can find a list of members who are practising responsible tourism at www.aito.co.uk/corporate_RT_MembersPractising.asp. One of the first and most trusted eco-travel sites, Responsible Travel, has a directory of carefully-screened eco-holidays run by more than 260 specialist tour operators plus hundreds of holidaymaker reviews. It also runs the Responsible Tourism Awards in association with The Times. Winners from 2007 include The New Forest, Gecko’s Adventures, Australia, Apex Hotels Ltd, Finca Esperanza Verde Ecolodge in Nicaragua, Andaman Discoveries in Thailand and Grootbos Nature Reserve in South Africa.

The sites www.ethicalescape.com,  www.explore.co.uk  and  www.greentraveller.co.uk are also helpful for everything from accommodation to conservation or volunteer holidays. Or check out specialist sections in newspapers and magazines, www.guardian.co.uk/travel/green has up-to-date reviews and features that could inspire you to visit green spas or help conserve a wildlife sanctuary.

Going local
One of the reasons why The New Forest won the best destination award in the 2007 Responsible Tourism Awards was because of its commitment to sustainable development. This includes using local produce for its catering, and for working with the community to push responsible tourism forward. For Brits, holidaying at home also removes the need for plane travel and encourages more UK destinations such as The New Forest to develop their facilities and eco-friendly credentials to cater for increased tourist demand.

To find other exciting green holiday ideas in the UK you can now visit  www.ecoescape.org or pick up a free brochure at the Britain and London Visitor Centre in London. You can also read our guide on why you can have just as great holidays in the UK as abroad.

If you do venture abroad, then remember to observe local customs and culture by doing some research before you go – bare legs and boots in a Buddhist temple or eating with your left hand in Morocco aren’t going to make you very popular.

The wrong souvenirs
It’s great to bring back a memento of your holiday but not if your purchase or find upsets the local economy, trade system or environment. Avoid buying anything that exploits wildlife or threatens endangered species – ivory is a good example of this as are antiques or statues that have been scavenged or stolen from historic sites. It’s also all very well to haggle – some vendors won’t respect you if you don’t – but stop when you have a reasonable price.

Respecting the environment also means leaving important ecosystems in place. This includes not removing shells, coral or pebbles from beaches no matter how pretty they are. Tourists also have a responsibility about what they leave behind. Don’t litter, recycle where you can and try to not to create unnecessary pollution in natural areas. Washing in the stream is great fun if you’re camping or trekking but it won’t harm you to do it with eco-friendly soap. You can buy this and other environmentally friendly travel products such as natural insect repellent and solar-powered battery chargers at www.naturalcollection.com/responsibletravel.

Responsible travel also means taking care of yourself and your family with adequate travel insurance. With Direct Line you can choose from single trip, annual or Discoverer travel insurance depending on your travel needs. Check out our travel insurance policy documents online for more details and apply for a quote today.

Related information:
No place like home – taking one of your holidays in the UK can cut down on your yearly carbon emissions

Hidden treasures – let us inspire you with ideas for holidays off the beaten track – but make sure you check that the destination is covered by our travel insurance

Advice on activity holidays – find out which activities Direct Line travel insurance covers