Got Green Travel Plans?

It’s not always possible to take a truly eco-vacation, but you can turn any trip into a green trip by taking environmentally friendly steps along the way.

For instance, you can use eco luggage.

I’ve been a traveler my entire life—my first memory is from a family trip when I was just two years old—and I’ve been a travel writer since 2001, so I know the importance of a good piece of luggage. I actually just wrote an article on the advantages of wheel-less luggage for a national magazine.

Did you know the average piece of wheeled luggage costs more than its wheel-less counterpart and weighs up to 75 percent more and has less room (since some of its valuable space is devoted to the wheels and all their accoutrements)? And, think about it, other than wheeling along a long hotel hallway or airport terminal, you spend a lot of time carrying wheeled bags—lifting them into the truck, hoisting them into the overhead bin, etc.

In this economy, you want to get more for every dollar . . . and, with many airlines charging you for checked luggage, you want to get more from your carry-on . . . and, with the vital importance of being green, you want that carry-on to be eco-friendly.

And here’s a suggestion for you: Stella McCartney’s Large Bowling Bag for LeSportsac (www.lesportsac.com/stella/).

Okay, the price tag hurts a little ($395) but it’s a chic designer bag, it’s the perfect size for a carry-on (and great for travel with a zip-around bottom pocket for shoes), and it’s green—the bag is made of 100 percent eco polyester. There are a few colors, but I just love orange.

Bon (vert) voyage!

Question of the blog: What’s your favorite green travel tip?