Green Camping Holidays
How Green Is My Self-Drive Camping Holiday?
When you think eco-tourism, it is doubtful that you would put a self-drive holiday into the environmentally friendly category. In fact, many people do not even consider a self-drive holiday because they think that it has a negative impact on the environment. Little do they realise that companies that offer self-drive holidays have made vast strides in relation to the conservation and preservation of our world. It is entirely possible to go on a green self-drive holiday today. It’s all in the planning! As long as you plan your trip out in advance before jumping on the ferry, you can really help the environment! Here’s how!
Transportation
To go on a self-drive holiday you have to have a car, otherwise it really defeats the object. However, some cars are more environmentally friendly than others. If you have a hybrid or a low emissions car then your self-drive holiday may indeed be green. However, if you have a 4×4 or other similar large car then your trip will be anything but environmentally friendly. This is obviously not good if you are travelling to beautiful, unspoiled landscapes because you will undoubtedly contribute to the pollution levels of the area. As such, you should consider your car or mobile home before you head off.
Your Camp Site
The area that you plan to stay in is also of paramount importance in ensuring that your self-drive holiday is green. Some areas of outstanding natural beauty identify themselves as such in their tourist information brochures, whereas others do not so you have to look really hard to find them. However, there are ways of identifying campsites and resorts that have made the effort to go green.
First off, the company providing your camping facilities should be fully aware of the environment and provide facilities that are kind to it. Some might provide mobile homes that do not need to be dug in, for example, this means that the ecosystem is disturbed as little as possible. Others have developed comprehensive policies to govern their management of elements like waste, energy and water. All of this adds up to responsible tourism and will make sure that you have a green self-drive holiday. Any place that has such policies will be happy to discuss them with you and show you the documentation as well because they are proud of it. This is the key to a green self-drive holiday!
If you make the effort to find a site that fits into the above criteria, with or without accreditation, then you are actually supporting them for that effort. This will ensure that your self-drive holiday as green as possible!
Tips For Your Family
If you find the right place to holiday and have a green car then you are two thirds of the way towards having a green self-drive holiday, but there is something else you could do. In fact, you would need to involve the whole family to make sure that your holiday is as green as possible. The following tips will help:
- Have a rubbish rota to make sure that everything is picked up and no rubbish is left at the site
- Recycle any materials that could possibly be recycled
- Avoid having campfires unless there are designated areas because they would upset the balance of the ecosystem and pollute the area
- Be sure to stay on defined paths, walkways and roads because straying off them could cause unspoken damage
- Recycle water wherever you can because we waste an awful lot when on holiday purely and simply because we are not as conscious of what we do with our wasted water
- Walk wherever possible. There may be tourist areas to visit within walking distance and leaving the car at your camp will undoubtedly save on emissions and therefore pollution!
Guest Article by: Louise Crowley
Saturday, May 3rd, 2008
