1 BOOKING

It takes 14 mature trees to make a tonne of magazine newsprint – or 10,000 holiday brochures. The tour operator First Choice, which has a transparent eco-policy, recycled nearly 900 tonnes of remaindered brochures last year. If only its customers had done the same . . . This illustrates how booking online can aid the environment.

Websites can also be the best place to check operators’ green policies. There is no internationally accepted “Kitemark” for green tourism. Airlines and hotels meeting the environmental standards of the World Travel and Tourism Council use the green globe symbol (www.greenglobe.org), which denotes an aspiration – rather than any actual achievement – to be eco-friendly.

The Association of Independent Tour Operators (www.aito.co.uk) also has a green code. Its members tend to be specialist operators, and are often greener than the giants.

Try to find locally owned accommodation, and look to book half-board on package tours, or self-cater – that way, you’ll be sure to contribute to the local economy.

2 CARBON OFFSETTING

The average household generates about 10 tonnes of carbon a year. Your holiday is responsible for 10%-15% of that. Where you go is of little consequence, as most aircraft emissions occur during takeoff and landing – all the more reason to find alternative means of transport for short distances and, whenever possible, avoid connections and fly direct.

Carbon offsetting is an option worth considering, although it is steeped in controversy. In principle, it is an important stepping stone; in practice, there are worrying teething troubles. The key is finding a good “broker” – a worthwhile scheme will offer tangible benefits for the environment. The government is consulting on this issue, with a view to introducing a voluntary code of practice next year.

The process is not just about trees. The carbon offsets funded by Climate Care (www.climatecare.org), for example, mix sustainable energy projects (with schemes in Kazakhstan, the Marshall Islands and South Africa) and rainforest restoration. With the CarbonNeutral Company (www.carbonneutral.com), you can choose where in the world you want to offset.

3 PREPARATION

Time to state the obvious: cancel food and newspaper deliveries, and unplug as many appliances as possible before you leave. Without the standby function, we could shut two UK power stations.

4 PACKING

Take less. It’s less for you to lug around – this is a holiday, after all – and less for the plane to carry, which, to the last gram, has a fuel impact. Pack versatile clothes: people often end up sticking to one outfit that “works” for most of their holiday. Check what’s available at your hotel or apartment before travelling; there’s no point in dragging an iron or a hairdryer halfway round the world unnecessarily. Thankfully, natural locks are in this year. And consider buying clothes at your destination: they can double as a memento of your trip.

5 BABIES AND TODDLERS

Don’t even think about what type of buggy to take unless you want holiday hell. Carry junior in a sling or backpack. That means no worries about whether you can take the buggy on as hand luggage – and no chance of getting stuck on the beach. A wrap slings (such as the Didymos; www. didymos.de) is incredibly versatile – it can be used as a blanket, a sun shade, a windbreak, a hammock, even a swing.

Now, nappies. Any holidaying parent is going to use disposables, so help your hosts and make them biodegradable. Outside Europe, you may find it hard to buy green nappies, so you will have to take them with you (www.greenbaby.co.uk). In sunny climes, let the tots go commando. For younger babies, save on weight and waste by packing organic dried and puréed baby food in pouches rather than jars.

6 AT YOUR DESTINATION

You may not be paying for the air conditioning that’s left running in your hotel room when you’re out for the day, but the planet is. As you did at home, turn off your lights, television, heating and air-con while you’re out. As for the thermostat, set it at the temperature you actually want – cranking it higher or lower doesn’t make it work faster, it just wastes energy.

Use a solar-powered battery-charger (www.thegreenshop.co.uk) for cameras, iPods or mobiles.

And, wherever you go, conserve water. Don’t be the average tourist, who uses more water in 24 hours than a Third World villager does in 100 days. Tell your hotel that you don’t need fresh towels and sheets every day; and, if self-catering, use biodegradable and eco-friendly cleaning agents and soap.

7 SUN CARE

Use natural products or locally sourced solutions. Natural and organic sunscreens are kinder to you, your skin and whatever water you enter – the cumulative impact of manufactured chemicals can be poisonous.

We use Organic Children Sun Lotion SPF22, available at Waitrose and www.organicchildren.com. Other natural, organic sunscreens include YAOH – Natural Sun Cream (www.earthlets.co.uk) and Weleda, a fantastic skin range for adults (www.weleda.co.uk).

8 LEISURE ACTIVITIES

You could write a book on this – many people have – but here are some of the key considerations.

Hire a bike or use public transport: whether you’re sightseeing or going to the beach, you’ll see more, meet local people and feel thoroughly pleased with your cunning in getting from A to B. If you really can’t do without a car, both Avis and Alamo offer carbon offsetting.

Use a digital camera. Fewer chemicals are required to make prints, and you can eliminate unwanted shots before printing.

If you’re going diving, look, but don’t touch: coral is an endangered species. Ask your tour operator about its responsible-tourism and diving policy – if it doesn’t have one, consider changing to one that does.

Choose sail power where possible. A one-hour ride on a boat with a 10-horsepower, traditional two-stroke engine causes the same amount of hydrocarbon emissions (an atmospheric pollutant, contained in exhaust fumes, that causes smog) as driving a car 25,000 miles.

9 RECYLE, REUSE, REDUCE

First, the facts: last year’s international coastal clean-up, organised by Ocean Conservancy, removed 3,700 tonnes of debris from coastlines in 74 countries. A plastic bottle can take 450 years to break down in the beach environment – and beach litter kills more than 100,000 mammals and sea birds annually.

Litter left on beaches accounts for a third of the problem, and, while we can’t do anything other than campaign about sewage and industrial and shipping waste, we can take our rubbish away with us. Don’t bury cigarette butts. Pack something like an Onya bag (made from recycled parachute silk; www.onyabags.co.uk) to take your picnic waste home, and avoid disposable bags when you shop.

Refill your water bottle instead of buying a new one; and if a hotel provides miniature toiletries, leave them intact or, if you do use them, take them home to refill with your own products next time you go away.

10 DO AS THE LOCALS DO

Enrich your travel experience by supporting the local economy. This is probably the biggest benefit your visit can bring, whether through your choice of food, souvenirs or trip guides. Drink regional wine, beer and liquors, eat local produce and avoid imported multinational brands, with their associated food miles.

And, whatever you do, don’t encourage illegal poaching by buying trophy souvenirs using parts of endangered species, such as ivory, tortoiseshell, starfish and coral.

- For more on ethical travel, visit www.responsibletravel.com and www.greentraveller.co.uk

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