According to Pablo, Salon’s resident sustainability expert, your
next family vacation should be a road trip—that is, if it’s not a “staycation,”
which Pablo advises is the most ecological way to soak up a little R&R. But
if you’re a city dweller who’s dead set on going somewhere where your thighs
are NOT permanently sweat-glued together, pack up the Toyota Corolla (or Prius
or other un-supersized car) and camp your way to a breezier, more spacious
destination.
In these airline-challenged times, even driving across the
country is cheaper and more ecological than flying. To quote Pablo’s
conclusion (and conveniently skip right over his intricate calculations), a family
of three flying across country results in more than eight tons of greenhouse
gas emissions, while driving the same distance results in less than two tons of
emissions—certainly not inconsequential, but better than eight. And with Boston to San
Francisco round trip airfares starting at around $450,
your family of three would save about 500 bucks on fuel costs by taking a road trip, more than enough money to patronize the United States' amazing national park system.
Now we just all have to ask our bosses for three-week-long vacations. Let me know if anyone has any luck with the "But it's for the environment" excuse.
Image: Leapin' Lizards Designs
