National Geographic Traveler Sustainable Travel Guide

Planning on traveling in the near future? Want to be as green on the road as you are at home? Pick up the October issue of National Geographic Traveler. Inside you'll find the Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Travel that includes 50 must-have tips for traveling green. Here are a few of my favs:

2. Unplug Your Home or Office - Before you leave, unplug any appliance that won't be in use while you're away, such as computers, chargers, televisions, video game players, and microwaves. As much as ten percent of the electricity used in your home may be wasted by such idle devices.

6. Sign the Responsible Travelers Pledge - Sign the online Friends of the World Heritage Responsible Travel Pledge and take a step toward preserving the natural and cultural attributes that make places you visit so special.

20. Bring a Reusable Shopping Bag - Packing a basic canvas tote or other sturdy, washable cloth bag is an easy way to keep plastic shopping bags out of landfills and off roadsides, conserve energy, and protect marine life. Use the bag instead of the paper or plastic bags provided when you make purchases during your trip. [note: Check out EM fave Envirosax!]

49. Share the Wealth (of Information) - If it's paper, pass it on. When we travel, we accumulate research and reading materials—maps, guidebooks, newspapers, paperback books, brochures, and so on. Instead of abandoning any of these at the hotel or in the airport trash bin, share them with fellow travelers or friends and family, donate them to the local library, or trade them for cash or credit at a used book store.

These are just a few of the easy-to-follow tips that NGT lists, in addition to a great article about a traveler who did his best to implement them. What are some of the ways you go green while traveling?