Travel Tips

Travel Tip: Solar-Powered Travel

Is 2013 the year of solar travel? Sure enough, there are some wild things happening out there in the travel space.

The big news in green travel was the first transcontinental flight by a solarpowered airplane, the Solar Impulse.

The flight time was more than 100 hours combined, but the idea was to show that clean technology is possible.

Ever heard of a solar-powered cruise? One ship, known as Planet Solar, completed the first around-the-world trip powered totally by solar energy.

OK, but what about travel experience that you can do right now?

Let’s start with RVing. These vehicles may be gas-guzzlers, but you can leave less of a carbon footprint using solar power to run your lights and electronics.

And another trend we’re seeing more and more of is hotels utilizing solar power.

For example, in Hawaii, Mauna Lani Bay has a 3-acre system that is expected to save almost 12,000 tons of carbon dioxide over the next 25 years.

And Starwood Hotels recently announced it’s focusing on renewable energy, including a solar array at the Westin St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

For more information, visit the Eco Travel archives.

Keep reading for more travel tips.