Wednesday, June 3, 2009

The ecology of 'staycations'


By SHAWN DELL JOYCE

This summer, the trend is to stay close to one's home and explore one's region in new ways. Jacqueline Schwab is staycationing by painting a panoramic vista from a mountaintop 10 miles from her New York home

This summer, many people are rethinking their travel plans. AAA reports that the slowing economy and high fuel prices "have pushed some Americans to what we call the traveling tipping point. It's clear that a small number of us may choose to stay home ... and relax with friends and family rather than take a vacation."

Fewer Americans are expected to fly this summer than normal, which may be good news for the environment because a single trans-Atlantic flight for a family of four creates more carbon emissions than that family generates domestically for an entire year.

Instead of making pricey travel plans this year that damage the environment, as well as your bank account, take a local vacation, or "staycation." This is a chance to rediscover the beauty of your home region by taking the time to visit cultural attractions and natural places that you may be too busy to see in your daily routine.

A staycation does not mean staying home and doing yardwork or the list of jobs you've been putting off for the past year. "Instead," suggests Pauline Frommer, who writes popular travel guides, "become a tourist in your own hometown." Plan to see tourist attractions and historic sites; take an art class; learn to swim; or do a number of small adventures you always have wanted to do.

A fringe benefit of staycations is that you develop a deeper connection to your community and hometown. People feel more connected to places when they experience the history and natural beauty of them firsthand. Try to see something different each day a different spectacular view, a different museum, a new restaurant. At the same time, you benefit your local community by pumping vacation money into the local economy.

Some staycationers go so far as to camp in nearby campgrounds to get away from their daily routines. If you are addicted to technology and can't imagine a day without e-mail or the Internet, then consider leaving the house and staycationing in a local campground or bed-and-breakfast. You still would save gas money and travel expenses, but you'd feel refreshed after being away from the computer for a few days.

Here are a few tips for a successful staycation:

Explore the rail trails in your area by bicycle. Most communities have rail trail projects connecting towns by walking and biking paths. Explore your area by riding in five-mile sections each day. (See http://www.RailsToTrails.org.)

Go to your local tourism office or Web site for a list of historic sites and museums to visit.

Spend a Saturday touring farms and farmers markets in your region to find out what is grown locally and to get a fresh, delicious taste of the local flavors. (See http://www.LocalHarvest.org.)

Pick a nearby town on the map, and spend the day walking through the whole town, antiquing, eating in local restaurants, and getting a real sense of the history and culture of the place.

Take an art, music or acting class. Do something you always said you would do if only you had the time.

If you really must go out of town, make your vacation as green as possible by:

Staying in a green hotel when possible. If you strive to be green at home, why not on vacation, as well? (See http://www.GreenHotels.com and http://www.EnvironmentallyFriendlyHotels.com.)

Traveling with friends and sharing the costs and carbon of each car trip. If you carpool and share vacation rentals and meals, you can use less gas, form tighter friendship bonds, and eat out less.

Considering a working vacation and volunteering to work on an organic farm located in a place you wish to visit. Many countries also have programs for whole families to spend vacations working for relief efforts. (See http://www.GlobeAware.org and http://www.GlobalVolunteers.org.)

Offsetting the carbon emissions from your air travel by purchasing carbon offsets through the airline or Carbonfund.org.




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