Reducing Waste When You Travel: 


Making Environmental Choices


Travelers create a lot of waste, even with 

the best intentions. Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, you can 

do a few simple things that will reduce your 

waste, conserve resources, and minimize the 

overall environmental impact of your visit. 

What’s more, you won’t have to sacrifice 

comfort or convenience to do them. 

Before You Leave 

With a little planning and a few simple 

changes to your habits, you can make a big 

difference when traveling. 

— Stop your newspaper subscription while you’re 

away. Some newspapers will let you donate 

these papers to a school or other group. 

Check with your newspaper publisher. 

— Use electronic tickets whenever possible for 

plane, train, boat, and bus trips. They generate less waste and cost less to replace. 

— When planning a road trip, make sure 

your vehicle is “road-ready” to 

improve fuel efficiency, prevent pollution, and 

save money. Make sure your engine is properly tuned and your tires are properly inflated. If you change your own motor oil, be 

sure to recycle it at any “quick lube” shop, 

gas station, or auto parts store that accepts 

used oil for recycling. 

— When booking your guestroom, campsite, 

or meeting location, consider locations within 

walking distance of planned outings or that 

are easily accessible to public transportation. 

— If you have one, remember to take your own 

camera, so that you don't have to rely on a 

disposable one. To reduce packaging waste, 

try to use film with more exposures since 

12-exposure film uses the same amount of 

packaging as 36-exposure film. 

— “Down-size” your toiletry items for travel 

by reusing and refilling small bottles and jars 

you already have with products you already 

have, such as mouthwash, shampoo, or 

other necessities. 

TRA VEL


Did You Know? 

Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) 

and mature travelers made over 241 million 

trips in 2002. Mature travelers (age 55+) made 

about 75 million of those trips. 
Hotel Tips 

Many hotels have waste reduction and energy 

conservation plans. Book your trip with one 

that does. Otherwise, try these easy things to 

help hotels reduce waste. 

— Participate in the hotel’s recycling program. 

If they don’t have a recycling program, ask 

them to start one. 

— Let the hotel know that it’s not necessary to 

change your sheets and towels every day. 

— When you’re out of your room, turn off the 

lights, radio, TV, computer, and other electric 

devices, and adjust the air conditioner and the 

heat to use less energy. 

— On cold nights, draw curtains to keep heat in 

the room, and similarly on hot days, draw curtains to keep the heat out of the room. 

Camping, Fishing, or Hiking 

■	 When camping, avoid disposables 

whenever possible. Rent equipment 

and pack waste-free by bringing 

reusables and recyclables home with 

you. 

■	 To keep lead out of the environment, 

don’t use lead sinkers when fishing. 

■	 When hiking, carry an extra bag, so 

you can pick up and carry out any 

trash along the way. 

— If the hotel provides a complimentary newspaper, or if you buy your own, ask the hotel to 

see that it’s recycled. 

— Take partially used shampoo, soap, and other 

complimentary hotel items with you when 

you check out; leave unopened items in 

the room. 

— If available, use the hotel’s electronic checkout program on the television or over the 

telephone to reduce paper waste. 

Be Energy Efficient 

When You Can 

If renting transportation, ask about 

alternative fuel vehicles. Although such 

rentals may be limited in availability, 

some companies do offer natural gas, 

hybrid-electric, or clean-air gas powered 

vehicles. 

Sightseeing, Outings, and 

Dining 

Sightseeing brochures, food, and packaging 

account for most of a traveler’s trash. By taking some simple steps, you can eliminate or 

reduce this kind of waste, as well as cut 

down on other types of pollution. 

— Plan sightseeing activities where you can use 

public transportation or the hotel van, or walk, 

bike, or rideshare. 
— Resist the urge to grab more brochures than 

you need. Be sure to recycle the ones you 

don’t keep as souvenirs. 

— Don’t litter. Carry your trash with you until find 

a waste container. 

— Buy recyclable products for your trip, or as souvenirs. Be sure to recycle them when you’re finished using them. 

— Dine at “eat-in” restaurants and hotel dining 

rooms whenever possible to decrease the number of disposable items associated with meals. 

— When eating at carry out restaurants, take only 

the condiments, napkins, and utensils you 

need. Try skipping a straw altogether, or 

declining a bag when you don’t need one. 

— Take reusable plates and flatware on picnics. 

— Clean up after picnics and other outings. 

Dispose of all waste in trash receptacles to prevent debris from accidentally fouling the land,

the water, or harming wildlife.

wildlife. 

Ecotourism


Ecotourism is a traveling philosophy to 

help people minimize their impact on the 

places they visit. It doesn’t take much to 

be an ecotourist or a “green” traveler. 

You can set an example by following 

these few simple practices. 

■	 Leave only footprints. Take everything 

out that you brought with you. 

■	 Don’t take anything from natural areas, 

historical areas, or hotels. 

■	 Value wildlife. Leave animals and their 

habitats undisturbed. 

■	 Protect and respect endangered species 

and wetlands. 

■ Conserve and preserve natural resources. 

■	 Don’t litter. Pick up and properly 

dispose of trash when you see it. 
RESOU R CES 

■ Special thanks to: 

The Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance, which provided most of the 

information in this fact sheet. 

www.reduce.org

■ For more information on the environmental practices in the hotel and 

lodging industry, visit: 

Green Seal, an independent, nonprofit organization that strives to achieve a 

healthier and cleaner environment. 

www.greenseal.org

Green Hotels Association, an organization dedicated to bringing together 

hoteliers interested in reducing solid waste, saving water and energy, and 

protecting the earth's beautiful destinations. 

www.greenhotels.com

■ For more information on ecotourism and being a responsible traveler, visit: 

The International Ecotourism Society, which promotes responsible travel to 

natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of 

local people. 

www.ecotourism.org

■ For more general information about protecting the environment, visit: 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

www.epa.gov

EPA-530-F-04-019 Solid Waste and United States

August 2004 Emergency Response Environmental Protection

www.epa.gov/osw (5305) Agency

Recycled/Recyclable—Printed with vegetable oil based inks on 100% (minimum 50% 

postconsumer) recycled paper.