When you travel, don't take a vacation from being environmentally responsible. It's easy to continue doing your part to reduce waste of resources and energy while on the road and it can even help you get to know your destination a little better. Take a few eco-friendly measures before you leave home, be conscious while traveling and feel like a local by shopping and eating at independent establishments. Here's how to reduce, reuse & recycle on the road without sacrificing comfort and convenience.

Choose a destination that's close to home, if possible. Sticking within 100 to 150 miles of your home is a very ‘green' travel choice - you'll save untold resources and get to know your region up close and personal, and save a lot of money along the way.

Stay at a hotel that's close to the places you plan on visiting while at your destination such as convention centers or attractions. Since accommodations in popular tourist areas tend to be expensive, if budget is an issue, try to carpool or take public transportation to and from more distant lodging rather than renting a car to get around.

Travel by train or bus rather than air or car if feasible. Trains and buses use far less resources and allow you to enjoy scenic views without dealing with the hassle of airport security and traffic. Train travel can lend an old fashioned romantic air to your trip.

Book e-tickets for air and train travel rather than using unnecessary and outdated paper tickets. E-tickets are efficient and simple to use - in most cases you need only provide identification upon arrival to receive your boarding pass.

Unplug electronics like your television, computer, and stereo before you leave. Even when they're not on, electronics and appliances that are plugged in continue to draw electricity. This simple step does double duty as a precautionary measure against electrical fires, keeping your home safer while you're gone.

Reuse your towels and sheets at the hotel for a few days. Having fresh linens every day is an unnecessary luxury that causes thousands of gallons of water to be wasted by each hotel. Many hotels are now placing cards in each room asking guests to conserve water by using their towels and bed linens longer before having them replaced. If your hotel doesn't have one of these cards, tell the front desk or leave a note letting them know you'd like to reuse them.

Hold on to recyclables rather than tossing them in the trash when you can't find any recycling bins. You can rinse them out and toss them in your bag or car and bring them home with you, or ask your hotel if they have recycling bins available.

Lower the thermostat and turn off the lights when you leave your hotel room every day. Just like at home, there's no reason to leave them on when no one is there to use them.

Don't use the small toiletries provided by hotels - bring your own. Most people just throw the bottles away after using up the contents, which is incredibly wasteful. If you must use them, reuse or recycle the bottles afterward.

Eat at local restaurants. Skip the familiar chains and check out the region's specialties, which are more often than not made with local ingredients. You may find a new favorite, and you'll get to experience the real, every day culture of the area. Supporting small businesses is an easy and rewarding way to be ‘green'.

Buy local artisan-made souvenirs rather than tacky imported trinkets. Many souvenirs sold at tourist shops - especially street vendors - are made thousands and thousands of miles away. That's no representative of what the area's really about. Support local artists and craftsmen and get something meaningful to remember the city by.