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A great idea for a holiday this year is a road trip. A road trip makes a good holiday, as you can still go to places you’d want to go on holiday, except you make the travelling more fun. Some people worry that road trips aren’t exactly eco-friendly, but there are tips you can follow to make your trip more eco-friendly. Let’s dive in.
To have an eco-friendly road trip, you should ensure that you take the most efficient route possible. This would be the case for any holiday, from air travel to trains. If you can travel less on your holiday then you will not only use less fuel and be more eco-efficient, you will also be able to save money.
With a road trip, a lot of the fun comes from the actual driving itself, but that would not be the case for driving when lost. Ensure you have a GPS in place to help prevent you from getting lost, and keep you on track.
Plan your most efficient route in stages to get a complete picture of the overall trip, if it helps. You can also plan ahead by reading online travel guides to help inspire you about where you want to go and how you can get there efficiently.
It will be useful for your eco-friendly road trip to check out your car before you go. Of course, you should try to ensure you are driving an eco-friendly green car, such as an electric car, but there are still things to check either way – for example, you should also ensure you have your tyres filled with air, so it is also as efficient as possible.
Check out the other parts of your car so you’re happy with the condition and efficiency before driving away. It’s also worth considering the car’s weight, as excess weight could mean you burn more fuel, increasing your carbon footprint and cost you extra money.
It may be a good idea for you to have your car serviced before you leave. This can reassure you that everything is working the right way and that everything is good to go before you go. The main goal is to manage your carbon footprint and lower it, and a service could help you to make this happen.
You will also want to check your insurance policy before driving out so that you get the best deal and the most suitable coverage for your car. To get the best deal, you should compare different insurance providers. One of the best things you will get from comparing different insurance providers is that you can find the exact coverage you need. You can use sites such as CompareNI.com to find unbiased car insurance policies that can suit your needs. If you aren’t comparing providers, then you may be burning money unnecessarily.
Before leaving home for your holiday, you should ensure everything at home is sorted. This includes unplugging any appliances that may waste electricity. If you have left anything on standby, this could also drain electricity, as plugged electronics will still consume energy even when you’re not using them.
Think of the electronics within your home, and consider what you can turn off. This will include your television or something such as an electric shaver plugged into a charger. It is unlikely that these pieces of technology will need to be on while you’re away, so ensure they are powered down.
This allows you to be eco-friendly even when you’re not at home. If you are worried about your plants or anything like that, then you could always leave a key with a friend or family member so that they can care for them and your home on your behalf.
While on your road trip, you should try to find some eco-friendly accommodation. That’s not to say that you have to find a 100% green hotel, but you will be able to find hotels that focus on conserving water and energy and dealing with waste responsibly.
You could look into camping as an accommodation option. Depending on where you’re looking to travel, there will be a range of different camping sites worldwide. You can stay at campsites with basic facilities, or you could just take to a camp-friendly field and enjoy a night under the stars. This will be ideal for more adventurous road trips where you don’t know where you’re staying.
You will also have to think about where you are eating each day. You may be bringing your own food on your trip, or you may be looking for places to eat at. It may feel great to sit down somewhere cosy and eat a prepared meal for you, but you should consider how this could impact your carbon footprint. Find independent restaurants where possible, and bring whatever you can to minimise your time going out. This will also save you money.
