The Simple Strategies Rick Steves Recommends For Being Eco-Friendly While Staying In European Hotels

While you're in your own home, you're probably doing a lot to help the environment, from recycling and turning the lights off to taking shorter showers and keeping the thermostat at a reasonable temperature. However, sometimes, that can all go out the window when vacationing. It can be easy to forget that we're all sharing a planet when we're trying to get away from it all. Enter travel pro Rick Steves, who has given us great travel tips over the years. He's got some ideas on how to be eco-friendly while staying at European hotels, and on his website, he praises this part of the world for its commitment to preserving Earth's precious resources.

He explains, "With every visit to Europe, I'm inspired by the way Europeans recognize human-created climate change not as a "theory" — they accept it as a reality — and take meaningful action to address it." One thing you can do to help at hotels, he tells us, is to skip getting your towels and sheets washed every day by putting the "do not disturb" sign on your door. 

Another thing Steves recommends is to make sure to turn off the lights and the air conditioning when you leave your hotel room each day. It may take a few minutes to cool down the room when you return, but it's worth it. He also mentions that some hotels in Europe have a system whereby the lights and power turn on only when your hotel room key is in a slot in the wall. (If you ever enter a hotel room and the light doesn't turn on, that may be why.)

If you visit a hotel with windows that open, Rick Steves says to keep them closed on warmer summer days. That way, when you return, it won't take as long to cool it off. (Close your blinds as well so the sun doesn't heat up the room.) Another thing he advises — which you might be doing anyway — is to bring your own toiletries in reusable bottles instead of using the single-use items that the hotel provides. That saves on waste like soap wrappers and those tiny little plastic bottles. If you do use them, bring them home with you and finish them completely instead of throwing them out partially used. 

Beyond the hotel, he suggests it's a great idea to bring a reusable shopping bag instead of getting disposable ones from stores as you shop. Bringing your own reusable water bottle is also smart, as many European cities have delicious, drinkable tap water. Some of them, like Italy, have free public water fountains, which can also keep you from wasting money on bottled water.

You can even help by shifting the activities you choose. Steves explains, "Before taking a bus tour, look into a bike or walking tour instead." In fact, bicycles are a great way to get around if you're staying in a city like Lucca, Italy, whose centuries-old city walls are great to explore by bike. It's also worth checking if your hotel has free bike rentals. If you're going to a number of cities or countries, Steves tells us to avoid taxis, rental cars, and rideshare vehicles and take public transportation instead. Picking a hotel that is near the subway is a great option to get around as well.