20 Tips

Everyone knows there are things they should--and shouldn't--do to help the environment. Even so, most people aren't going to completely avoid planes as a way of reducing greenhouse gases. Here are a few reasonable courses of action that every traveler can and should take. Unplug your appliances Many TVs, DVD players, microwave ovens, computers, cell-phone chargers, and other devices drain electricity even when they're not in use. Also, lower your thermostat before leaving for winter vacation, and make sure the air-conditioning is off while you're away in the summer. Turn the hot water heater down to its lowest setting--or shut it off completely, though that'll require you to relight the pilot light when you get home. Think about how you travel Takeoff and landing account for a large portion of the fuel use and emissions of flights, so go with direct flights when you can. If possible, take the train instead of a short-haul flight. If you're on a road trip with a group, squeeze into as few cars as possible. Forget disposable products Nix the single-use camera, as well as take-out meals with wasteful packaging and plastic utensils. Instead, choose sit-down restaurants or food from the local market. Bring reusable containers for water, coffee, and leftover food. Refilling a bottle at a water fountain is much more eco-considerate than buying water that's been shipped from France or Fiji or somewhere else far away. Think before you buy Rather than buying stuff that you'll use sparingly--tents, beach chairs, voltage converters--borrow them from friends. (And offer your gear to friends for their vacations.) At trip's end, give maps and guidebooks to other travelers, or leave them at the hotel for future guests. When shopping during your vacation, take a tote or backpack--people tend to reuse plastic bags a lot less while they're away from home. And remember that souvenirs that look kitschy and fun on the shelf often end up in a landfill. Eat with a conscience Think about where the food on the menu actually comes from. Ask your waiter what's local and choose something produced nearby over something that had to be trucked in. Treat your hotel room like it's your own house Turn the lights off when you leave, and while you're at it, turn off the air-conditioning, too. It may mean 10 minutes of being uncomfortable upon your return, but you'll survive. The fact that you're not paying the hotel's water bill is no reason to let the faucet run when brushing your teeth. Reuse your towel You don't wash your towels and sheets every day at home, right? (If you do, maybe you should reconsider.) You don't need them changed daily when traveling, either. Tell the hotel that you're fine using linens a few days in a row. In many hotels, it's understood that if you fold your towel and hang it neatly, housekeeping won't replace it. But just to make sure, let housekeeping know by calling the front desk or leaving a note. The detachable card at right should help get the message across. Ditch the car Walking, riding a bike, and taking public transportation are all better than riding in a car. With the money saved foregoing taxis and rental cars, book a nice hotel within walking distance of the sites you want to see. Use rechargeable gadgets They have less environmental impact than ones that require disposable (alkaline) batteries. Should a device go haywire, don't just toss it in the trash. Batteries contain toxic materials, so you should recycle them when you get home. For recycling locations, go to rbrc.org or earth911.org. If you have the option, choose a digital camera: You'll print only the photos you actually want, and they use fewer chemicals than film cameras. Speak up! Hotels, resorts, airlines, and tour companies actually do read comments left by customers. So take a moment to scribble your disappointment in the recycling program--or lack thereof. And by all means, encourage companies doing the right thing to keep up the good work.

We've compiled 10 of our favorite stories from the past year. Enjoy--and happy holidays!   Secret Hotels of the Amalfi Coast   Credit Cards with Big Rewards   Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip   Ultimate Guide to Free Travel   25 Best Places You've Never Heard Of   Coolest Small Towns   The Hungry Man's Tokyo   Are You the Ugly American?   50 Utterly Charming Hotels   Where the Boys Are: Jackson Hole

The life of children's book author Beatrix Potter may seem an unlikely inspiration for a biopic, but watching Renee Zellweger portray her in Miss Potter, you will quickly realize what a fascinating life Potter led. Director Chris Noonan (Babe) has brought his own sense of magic to the story--Potter's animal characters wiggle and hop around in their drawings. And despite some schmaltz, the film is undeniably sweet as it tells the love story of Beatrix and her publisher Norman Warne (Ewan McGregor). There is something else to swoon about in the film besides Mr. McGregor. Scenes depicting Potter as a child and then as an adult beginning to buy her own property were filmed in Britain's Lake District. The area's stunning landscape includes England's most impressive mountains and 16 icy blue lakes of every size. It looks like a place where Wuthering Heights would have taken place, only more serene. Rolling green moors and hills are dotted with little farms (some owned by the real Beatrix Potter). Hill Top Farm, the first of several farms purchased by Potter, is now owned by the National Trust and is open to visitors (nationaltrust.org.uk). Admission is $10. To experience a working farm, used as a location in the film for Hill Top, visit Yew Tree Farm. The picturesque property is also a B&B (yewtree-farm.com, from $104). The farm will, however, be under renovations this winter. If you do happen to go, be on the lookout for mischievous bunnies and gullible ducks. The film opens in limited release on December 29 and nationwide on January 12. For more information on Beatrix Potter sites and the film Miss Potter, check out our article, Movie Quest 2006 or visitbritain.com/misspotter.

I was fascinated by the egg shops too, where fresh duck and chicken eggs were on offer alongside dried egg yolks and 100- (or1000-) year-old eggs. These preserved duck eggs were prepared by soaking them in strong tea then rolling them in a coating of wood ash, salt and lime. They were then stored in a huge earthenware jar and surrounded by fine soil rich in humus. In this state, they were left for just over three months during which time the yolk hardened and turned grey-green, the white of the egg turning into a semi-transparent black jelly that looked like onyx. Another preserved egg was made by coating it with red earth and ash, salt and lime bound together with tea and rolled in rice husks. They were then stored in an airtight jar sealed with candle or beeswax. When consumed, they were not cooked and were usually taken raw as an hors-d'oeuvre. Several streets were lined by food stalls known as dai pai dongs from which exotic and enticing aromas wafted. One evening, much to the consternation of the stallholder-cum-chef who was cooking over a charcoal brazier, I hoisted myself on to a stool, passing cars inches from my back and, ordering by pointing, asked for one of the preserved eggs. It was served sliced on a plate with a small bowl of pickled sweet vegetables and a dipping bowl of Chinese vinegar, rice wine, soy sauce and thinly sliced ginger. I picked up the chopsticks. A crowd gathered. The spectacle of a blond European boy sitting at a dai pai dong alone of an evening was more than most could resist. The traffic slowed. Then stopped. A jam began to form. Tentatively, not because I was suspicious of the egg but because I was aware that I was the centre of attention and not yet fully proficient at using chopsticks, I picked up a piece of yolk, dipped it in the sauce and ate it, following it down with a nibble of ginger. The taste was unique, savoury and rich and not at all egg-like. I ate a piece of picked cabbage. The stallholder put a bowl of steaming green tea before me. I held it up as if giving a toast. The crowd applauded, laughed and gradually dispersed, not a few of them touching my head in passing. I then tackled the problem of eating egg jelly with chopsticks. When I was done, the stallholder refused payment. I tried to press him. He refused again. I then saw why. I had brought him good luck. He had not a vacant stool. Excerpt from "Golden Boy" by Martin Booth. Copyright © 2006. Reprinted with permission by Picador. Buy the book from amazon.com.