As an environmentally-friendly citizen, I never choose to fly when I'm traveling. It is something that I learnt from my children who were working on some school projects on how to help reduce carbon footprint and how to be a responsible traveler at the time.

Apart from that, I also learnt about carbon offsetting services that many non-governmental organizations offer online.

Carbon footprint is a measure of the impact of human activities on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, which is measured in units of carbon dioxide.

Lung Kwu Tan

Carbon footprint is the sum of two measurements: the primary footprint and the secondary footprint. Usage of energy and direct emissions of carbon dioxide by burning fossil fuel create the primary footprint. The secondary footprint is the indirect carbon dioxide emissions from the life cycle of any products associated with manufacturing.

We consume a great deal of energy and thus produce a large amount of carbon dioxide in our daily lives. For instance, when we travel by plane, when we drive the car, when we turn on the air-conditioner, when we cook, or when we purchase food items from a non-local supplier.

Since the lesson that I had from my children, I've become a wise traveler as well as a smart buyer.

I love to stay in eco-friendly accommodations with "green certificates". What I enjoy most is the warmth and the kind of personal touch that they deliver. When I stay in a hotel, I always make sure that I switch off all electrical appliances when they are not in use, and I make it a habit to use my towels more than once. Apart from that, I try to bring along clothes with fast-drying materials so as to reduce electricity consumption at the hotel laundromat. I also try not to use the toiletries provided in hotel rooms. Nowadays I also bring a reusable water bottle with me wherever I go.

Traveling by train is the most relaxing way to appreciate the scenery and when in Europe, my preference is to take Eurostar to travel through the region. Before I travel to a foreign country, I like to plan ahead and study the local public transport system which would help save traveling time and expenses.

It is very interesting to find countries with car-free zones and there is nothing better than exploring every corner and back alley in a city on foot to experience the culture there.

Cycling is another alternative of touring around and it is environmentally friendly and a healthy way of getting around.

Consuming seasonal food and fruits is always the most sensible dietary choice. Not only can you show your support for local and independent shops by buying local products from them, you can help reduce energy costs which would have incurred when transporting food items from non-local suppliers.

A great place to look for locally-grown and home-made food products would be weekend markets where you can interact with the locals directly which will certainly prove to be an enjoyable learning experience.

There is always something surprising and beautiful for us to explore wherever we go. All we have to do is to show our respect to Mother Nature and the culture.

The author is the marketing development director of

HK Discovery.

(HK Edition 09/19/2008 page4)