Save the Vacation

As high transportation costs force many Americans to consider the "staycation" this summer, retailers are stocking their shelves with stay-at-home summer indulgences, reports The Columbus Dispatch. Sierra magazine asks a similar question: Is the family vacation gone for good?

Don't give up on that summer get-away just yet! Keep your green by punctuating the summer with low-impact, local vacations. Bike or walk a regional trail to cut carbon emissions and save gas money. Switch homes with a friend for an easy change of scenery. Visit a farm in your area to see where that organic produce is grown, then pack up your locally-grown goodies and enjoy a picnic at your nearest local park.

Still craving a "real" vacation? Read and share stories with Sierra readers here. Search Sierra Club Outings for trips and offset your emissions.

--D.W.