Hitting the open road is a great way to make sure you and your kids see more of the world, but it can also do a lot of damage to that world. Burning fuel, throwing away disposable containers from grab-n-go food, and paying less attention to your conservation habits can turn your world travels into an eco-nightmare. Here are a few tips for staying green when you travel.

Walk when you can, share if you must.

You probably do a lot more moving about town when you’re visiting a new one than you do when you’re home. That doesn’t mean you have to increase your fossil fuel use. Walk when you can or ride a bike. If that’s not possible, take advantage of public transportation to cut costs and fuel emissions.

Avoid the water bottle trap.

It’s important to stay hydrated on the road and you can often spot a tourist by the plastic water bottle. However, plastic is bad when it comes to being good to the Earth. Invest in a reusable water bottle with a filter so you can stay hydrated without contributing to landfills and plastic production.

Bring your own shopping bag.

Do you bring your own shopping bag to the grocery store at home? Remember to throw a few in your backpack when you head out to buy souvenirs. While you’re out shopping, look for products that don’t use unnecessary packaging and say no to extra pamphlets and brochures from shops and museums.

Limit your laundry.

Most hotels will give you the option of reusing towels and linens to save on water and laundry soap. You can also rewear your own clothes to cut down on the amount of laundry you need to do when you get home. Consider using a clothes line in the hotel shower to eliminate the need for a dryer.

What’s your favorite tip for green travel?

Photo: Britt Reints

I have always loved traveling, but I’ve just recently begun traveling extensively with my two kids. In the past, our trips together include visits to families, beaches, and historic cities with more relics than crowds. In other words, safety wasn’t a big concern. However, recently we’ve been visiting major cities as a family, including Washington, DC; Philadelphia; and New York City recently. These trips have brought about the need for new safety lessons and rules.

Tips for Keeping Kids Safe in Big Cities

Have money for panhandlers ready. If your kids or family are into helping the homeless on the street, set some funds aside in an easy to access pocket before heading out for the day. This will prevent you digging through bags and purses – which is a great way to get robbed – and also put a limit on how much you hand out each day, which can be important if you’re raising a kid who notices every single cardboard sign in the city. If your family policy is to walk by without giving, have that talk with your kids before you come face to face with an outstretched hand.

Have an “in the event of separation” plan. Talk to your kids about finding a police officer and go over exactly what information they should give, whether that’s a cell phone number or a hotel  name. It’s also a good idea to have the name of out-of-town relatives on the tip of everyone’s tongue as well as a previously agreed upon meet-up point in town.

Use the buddy system. My 11-year old doesn’t generally have to hold hands, but he did have to stick close to me on busy New York streets while his younger sister was his dad’s sidekick. Both kids were required to hold hands while crossing streets and neither complained thanks to discussions ahead of time about large crowds and safety measures.

That’s really about it as far as extra preparations for the kids. Our goal was to expose them without scaring them but also keep them safe and these minor adjustments, along with the common sense we’d practice if traveling alone, were all we needed to have a great time without losing anyone or getting mugged.

Photo by Britt Reints

The best way to make Disneyland, and life, more enjoyable: jazz hands.

How to survive Disneyland? That seems kind of silly, doesn’t it? Isn’t surviving Disneyland the same as enjoying Disneyland? I should think so. However, there are some among us (you know who you are) that feel otherwise. They look at a day in a crowded theme park like the rest of us look at a day in the DMV — long lines, too hot and very expensive.  Man, the DMV sucks.

Disneyland, thankfully, doesn’t. To turn that frown upside down I am offering some helpful tips for creating a Disneyland vacation that should make even the most cynical crack the occasional smile (someone buy that person a Grumpy t-shirt). Churros not included. Read More »

Big Lake, Arizona

Continuing where I left off…

Four – The folks who live in the places where you visit and vacation want you to love their home town. So, while travel guides and vacation packets from the local tourism bureau are all well and good, make sure that you ask around for the best things to see, places to stay, restaurants, clubs, shops, and the like. For example, my husband and I never would have experienced the Snake River Brewing Company in Jackson, Wyoming (and THE BEST wild game chili I have ever had IN MY LIFE), had we not asked a waitress to tell us where the locals like to hang out.

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