Summertime is vacation time. From June until September hoards of people seeking rest and rehabilitation annually stream to their vacation venues. Depending on where and the type of transportation, vacation can mean a real waste of fuel and energy. Environmentally friendly and energy-saving mobility begins long before the trip itself with the choice of destination and mode of transportation.

Auto, train or plane?

Usually the environmental friendliness of a vehicle is measured by how much CO₂, a greenhouse gas, is produced over a given distance. For the auto this means, especially for solo travelers, that the CO2 balance is very poor. Car pools, including a family vacation, distribute the cost of fuel and the emissions over multiple passengers; for long distances, this means an advantage for the auto over air travel for a family. Choosing the best mode of travel also depends on the situation (see Vacation-CO₂-balance).

You should take advantage of car pools on an everyday basis. Also, proper driving technique helps you save fuel and thus spare the environment and your budget.

To compute the CO₂ emissions for your vacation, use our CO₂-calculator! Under Transport you can easily compare emissions for reaching various destinations.

Bahamas or balconies?

Clearly, the best way to save fuel and conserve the environment is to vacation at home. A round-trip flight from Vienna to New York emits as much CO2 as 15,000 kilometers by auto, and energy consumption is similar. For travelers who want to save energy, a nearby vacation is better than faraway destinations. For intense wanderlust, consider one long trip rather than two short ones.

A special vacation destination could be a place that accents gentle mobility. For its environmentally friendly mobility concept, the city of Burgos in Spain won an ENERGY GLOBE Award.

During absence, set your home to minimum energy

To save money, CO₂ and energy while you are on vacation, you should also put your electrical appliances on vacation.

• TVs, computers and other devices draw energy even in stand-by mode. Counter this by turning them off completely or pulling the plug. Note the some devices, e.g., those with clocks, might need to be reset after your vacation.
• Vacation is a good opportunity to defrost refrigerators and freezers and then turn them off. Leave the doors open to avoid mold.
• Likewise your electric water heaters in the kitchen or bath deserve a rest. There is no need to keep water hot when no one uses it.
• The power supplies of low-voltage halogen lamps consume energy as soon as they are connected; unplug them as well.

We offer additional energy-saving tips.