Did you know that you can "travel green" and save money at the same time? As you are planning your trip to Grand Canyon National Park, the following tips will help you reduce your carbon related travel costs.
Before You Leave on Your Trip
- Plan your route to minimize carbon emissions, for example travel by train and public transport where possible.
- Keep your vehicle's engine tuned and your tires properly inflated to get the best gas mileage and reduce the chances of expensive repair fees.
- Minimize flying time and stopovers. Carbon emissions are extremely high during take off and landing.
- If you are selecting a tour company, ask how they minimize environmental impacts and contribute to the local economy in order to support the greenest business practices.
- To save money while you are gone, adjust your air conditioner and/or heat to the lowest possible setting to still protect pets, plants, etc.
- To save even more money, turn your hot water heater to "Vacation" or the lowest setting, or just turn off the breaker. This may save significant costs, even if only over a 3-day weekend!
- Appliances, such as televisions and computers, can be unplugged because they can draw or "leak" as much as 40 watts per hour even when they are turned off, costing you money even when you are not there.
- Put your newspaper delivery on hold and ask if the company will prorate your bill so that you don't pay for newspapers you don't receive.
- Purchase electronic tickets for airline travel to reduce waste and cost. If paper tickets are lost, they may cost $75-100 to have replaced.
