Be mindful of the Earth you are vacationing on

As temperatures rise, hurricanes whirl and wildfires burn, the conversation about climate change and our role in it is intensifying. And with increased documentation about the environmental, economic and social impact of travel, families may be wondering how best to be a responsible traveler.

Here are four ideas to consider.

Choose wisely

Popular vacation spots like Barcelona, Spain; Venice, Italy; and many U.S. national parks have begun taking steps to protect their destinations from the effects of overcrowding by managing access, establishing visitor fees and sharing information about responsible practices. If you still plan to visit tourism hot spots, consider a shoulder or off-season trip when the impact may be less. When researching your next family adventure, review second-tier cities, parks with fewer visitors, uncrowded beaches or other locations not currently experiencing a high profile, as your holiday possibilities. Consider visiting a location that is rebuilding after a natural disaster. For example, Florida and other coastal beach communities hard hit by hurricanes will be grateful for the return of visitors as they recover. And if a visit to the Hawaiian island of Maui is on your list, consider engaging in a volunteer experience, contributing to the destination’s resurgence.

When choosing a tour operator, opt for those that give back to their communities and make a strong effort to tread softly in each destination. Companies like Country Walkers, Lindblad Expeditions, Abercrombie & Kent, and G Adventures, a small group adventure firm that helps develop rural tourism projects, are among those striving to find a healthy balance in the travel equation.

For more: www.gadventures.com, www.expeditions.com, www.countrywalkers.com, www.gohawaii.com, www.abercrombiekent.com

Opt for outside

A young people’s experiences in nature can strongly influence their view of the wider world and instill a desire to preserve and protect the planet. As you hike, bike and paddle, discuss the environmental changes that might be underway in your location. Share knowledge and encourage kids to research areas of interest on their own. Explain how small changes can have a big impact when enough people are in the mix. For example, using proper sunscreen can help protect important coral reefs around the world. Skin protection that contains oxybenzone or octinoxate washes off beachgoers, swimmers and divers and has been found to cause bleaching, deformities and potentially death to coral. Palau, Hawaii, and other destinations are taking steps to ban these chemicals. Check for products that do not use these harmful substances and consider the use of clothing that blocks rays from the body.

How will you roll?

Consider exploring close to home or plan trips that don’t require air travel. If you fly, limit emissions by taking direct flights. Travel by train, a boat or other forms of public or human-powered transportation. You might also research buying carbon offsets. In doing so, you would effectively pay others to plant or not cut trees or to embark on other projects that reduce greenhouse gases. Organizations like Cool Effect offer options with more than “90 percent of every dollar going to directly to projects” in Oregon, Tennessee, Indonesia and Guatemala. Combine your adventure with a local volunteer experience. Join a beach cleanup, read to kids at a school or assist at a wildlife sanctuary.

Contact: www.cooleffect.org; www.goldstandard.com; www.volunteeringsolutions.com; www.beaches.com

Conserve to preserve

Just as you might at home, keep water usage low, avoid unnecessary packaging, plastics and shopping bags. Recycle and turn the lights out when departing your hotel room or vacation rental. Reuse towels. Encourage each member of the family to bring their own reusable water bottle and refill from large containers if the local water is not safe to use. Hop on board local transportation, use bikes or walk whenever possible. Pay attention to local signs and customs. Follow Leave No Trace principles to minimize your impact. When we all do our part, we stand a better chance of protecting our parks, keeping forests healthy and ensuring wildlife is unharmed.

For more: www.LNT.org