Okay, so today I wanted to try out some of those “green travel” things I’ve been hearing about. It all started with me planning a weekend trip to see my folks.
Figuring Out the “Greenest” Way to Travel
First, I looked at my options. Usually, I’d just drive, it’s easy. But this time, I checked out the train schedule and bus routes. Turns out, there’s a direct train that takes about the same time as driving, once you factor in traffic.
I compared the carbon footprint estimates online – driving alone was way worse than the train or even the bus. It’s all a bit confusing, those numbers, but the train seemed like the best bet.
Packing Light and Local Stuffs
Next, I tried to pack lighter than usual. My old suitcase is huge, and I always end up taking way more stuff than I need. This time, I used a smaller backpack and really thought about what I actually needed. It was actually kind of freeing not to lug a giant bag around!
- Rolled my clothes instead of folding them – saved a surprising amount of space.
- Left behind the “just in case” items. If I really needed something, I could probably get it there.
- Packed my reusable water bottle and coffee cup.
During the Trip
On the train, I made sure to use the recycling bins. I also brought my own snacks to avoid buying stuff wrapped in plastic. Little things, but it felt good.
Once I got to my folks’ place, we walked a lot instead of driving everywhere. We visited the local farmer’s market – the food was way better than the supermarket stuff, and it felt good to support local businesses.
The Wrap-Up
Honestly, it wasn’t that hard to make these small changes. The train was actually more relaxing than driving, and I didn’t miss my giant suitcase at all. And exploring the local area on foot was more fun than I expected!
It’s not like I’m going to become a perfect eco-warrior overnight, but this trip definitely made me think more about how my travel choices impact the planet. I’ll definitely try to do more of this in the future.
