Whether you're traveling to the next state or traveling to faraway countries, there are plenty of ways that you can stay eco-friendly. In some cases, it's a simple matter of practicing the same good habits you would practice at home. In other cases, you can help make your vacation greener by being very selective in how you purchase plane tickets or car rentals. Regardless of what you choose, you will be able rest easy in the knowledge that you are helping to preserve the earth and having fun at the same time.

There are a wide variety of simple ways you can enjoy the best green vacations. For example, one of the best things you can do is pack light. Not only will it make your luggage much easier to handle, but it will save on space and materials as well. After all, the less you pack, the less need you have for disposable item or plastic bags. You'll also be able to save on energy as well; the taxi or car rental you ride in will consume considerably less energy if there are only a few bags in the trunk rather than an immense amount of them weighing the vehicle down.

A great way to cut down on your carbon footprint is to arrange your travel plans in an eco-friendly way. This can mean everything from car pooling to sticking to bikes during your vacation instead of driving. Public forms of transportation are also a great way to cut down on gas emissions. If you're concerned about your upcoming flight or car trip, however, there are other options you can choose for keeping your carbon footprint down. This involves you purchasing an offset to compensate for the amount of emission your plane or rental car will create during longer vacations.

One of the keys to enjoying some of the best green vacations is to reuse and recycle as much as possible. For example, are you using a temporary, pay per use cell phone while on the road? Before your vacation begins, do a bit of research and learn which cell phone brands have options for recycling. Many manufacturers allow you to mail the temporary cell phone back to their headquarters, where it can be used again or broken down to create new ones. This rule still applies for damaged cell phones too. You can also make the most of your green vacation by consuming less energy. This is more than simply turning off the lights when you're not using them. If you're in the car, go easy on the heating and air conditioning. This will save you both on gas and on energy. Be sure to turn off any cell phones, laptops, or ipods as well. Not only does this save you on batteries, but it cuts down on wasted energy as well.