On vacations

On vacations

22 Feb 2006

Got questions about the environment? Ask Umbra.

Dear Umbra,

My wife and I want to celebrate our 25th anniversary by taking a significant trip. We are thinking of a 10-day European vacation, possibly the Greek islands. I am conflicted by my dedication to celebrating this milestone and my dedication to living eco-friendly. What advice would you have for those wanting to travel while limiting their impact on the environment? Realistically, if I hope to enjoy another 25 years of marriage, I may have to budge on this a little.

Ed
Richmond, Vt.

Ask Umbra continues below

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Dearest Ed,

If you wanted to take a Love Boat cruise, that's one thing, but I don't see any big trouble with visiting the Greek islands. All you have to do is get to Greece. Once you're there, you can travel around as if you were ecologically minded locals.

Vacation, all I ever wanted.

Photo: stock.xchng.

Getting to Europe will mean flying, and I think you should buy green tags to compensate for your mileage. A little refresher on this idea: alternative-energy production can be divided into two commodities, the power itself and the ecological benefits. (We can think of this as the corollary to the yet-to-be-implemented idea that the true long-term costs of fossil fuels should be included in energy prices.) With green tags, you buy the ecological benefits as a way to offset your fossil-fuel use and, practically, to support green power production. Alternatively, you could simply donate what you judge to be the correct amount of cash to the environmental group of your choice.

Once you get to Greece, use public transportation. Do not rent a car, do not rent a scooter, do not fly within the country. Plan your trip using buses, trains, ferries, bicycles, and your feet. This may raise a fear that you will not "see Greece" -- that is, that you will not be able to check off 10 famous sites during your 10 days. But what would we say to two Vermont tourists who felt the need to drive to a new quaint town every day? They would miss anything about daily Vermont life, their pace would eliminate the possibility of spontaneous experience, and I don't think they would relax.

Wherever you go, the key is to pick an area that contains several of your interests in proximity to one another. In Greece, let's say a few historic sites, a beach, an excellent pastry shop. Or two nice islands within ferry shot of one another, both with whitewashed houses and one with a fabulous ruin. Another idea would be to search for eco-vacation or ecotourism or eco-holiday in Greece or other countries you're interested in, and see what turns up.

Baklavaly,
Umbra

Yours is to wonder why, hers is to answer (or try). Please send Umbra any nagging question pertaining to the environment -- but first check out her FAQs!

The claims made in this column may not reflect the views of this magazine. Neither the magazine nor the author guarantees that any advice contained in this column is wise or safe. Please use this column at your own risk.

Umbra Fisk is Grist Research Associate II, Hardcover and Periodicals Unit, floors 2B-4B.

Comments: (4 comments)

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Greece

Greece is wonderful. Go to an island, but DON'T go to an island that has an airport. Too touristy.
Sifnos is terrific--we spent 3 weeks there in September and loved every day of it.
On the mainland, Nauphlion is wonderful, and the train from there to Olympia is breathtaking.
If you do Athens, don't miss the national museum.

by Ruddac at 4:09 PM on 22 Feb 2006

Greece

Greece is awesome! If you go to Athens there's no way you'll want to drive anyway. It's just too chaotic. And besides, it's way too much fun to walk on those ancient marble streets. And there are ruins pretty much everywere. Public transportation is quick, cheap, and (in Athens anyway) amazingly clean. If you can get to Delphi, go for it. And eat lots of that delicious Greek yogurt drizzled with their rich, dark honey. As you can see, I yearn to go back . . .

by SMLowry at 4:17 PM on 22 Feb 2006

Getting to Greece

OK,Greece is great -- that one can learn from friends, any number of mags and so on. Umbra's contribution is far rarer info: how to do it "ecologically."

As Umbra noted,...you should buy green tags to compensate for your mileage...Alternatively, you could simply donate what you judge to be the correct amount of cash to the environmental group of your choice.

I'd be most interested in the specifics of the choice made, or in retrospect should have been made, in particular, what was/would be the full cost of the fare?

In the long-ago, I got across the Atlantic via sea-travel. Student ships, a freighter, tourist class on the Queen Mary I -- can one utilize such modes still with a better deal on the "green tag"? First-class on a ship means dragging a 5-star hotel around, so the "green tag" would show a huge $-value, I assume, but a SLOW boat with simple accomodations, might it fare well?

- tracy

by tracy at 3:21 AM on 23 Feb 2006

eco island hopping

Greek islands are a wonderful way to vacation green. Aside from ferry travel between the islands all the amenities are in walking distance or there are shuttles that take you to beach, shopping or what have you. I never used a car during my 2 week vacation.

Mykonos has a wonderful, organic bakery in an ancient stone building.

Places like Santorini are entirely dependent on foot traffic with outrageously beautiful views down winding paths.

Hydra is car-free, with all commerce and travel conducted by donkey.

And as a vegetarian I couldn't get enough of the DELICIOUS, locally produced dishes. So yummy. If you eat fish you'll have even more local choices.

by Beccane at 7:04 AM on 28 Feb 2006

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Greece Lightening