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Paris's "love padlocks": Romantic idea, or public defacement? The railings on Paris's Pont des Arts bridge are covered with multi-colored padlocks. For a few years, couples have been attaching padlocks to the pedestrian bridge. They toss the keys into the Seine in a gesture of endless love. No one is sure how the tradition started. The HuffPo reports that the gesture may have been copied from lovers in China. Chinese couples have locking up their love and throwing away the key from the sides of Mount Huang for decades. if (WIDGETBOX) WIDGETBOX.renderWidget('109ab273-bed7-495a-938f-608d21e44174');Get the Poll Creator Pro widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox! Not seeing a widget? (More info)In the case of Paris, officials think the padlocks are an eyesore. So one day last year, about 2,000 of them disappeared from the bridge. Some locals and visitors complained, and the locks are slowly being added again. Romantic idea, or public defacement? It's all in the eye of the beholder. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Real Deal: Paris & Rome, Air/6 Nights, From $999 What do you collect on your travels? (35+ comments) Would you fly more frequently if airplane seats were more comfortable? (40+ comments)

Matchbooks. Maps. Seashells. Sand. Hotel-room key cards. Heck, even hotel shampoo. Some of the most collectible travel souvenirs don't cost a cent, but perfectly capture a memory of a place. When I was planning a recent trip to France to sniff out secret hotels of Paris for our February issue, I unearthed a Paris Métro map from the '90s, which I'd saved in a file folder of miscellaneous keepsakes. It may sound corny, but unfolding that map brought back such fond memories of my earliest trips to the city and that thrill of (self-)discovery that comes with exploring a new place on your own. (Speaking of sniffing, I've also always had a Proustian reaction to the scent of the Paris subway. Bizarre, I know, but at least I'm not alone in my public-transportation obsession.) What are your favorite freebies to pick up on a trip? Or does the thought of keeping stuff like this around send you into a de-cluttering frenzy? MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Travelers reveal what's in their bags Airport lounge access for $17.50? American tests "tag-your-own-bag" system at Austin's airport

Recently, PepsiCo unveiled its new, eco-friendly soda bottle. The bottle, the first of its kind, is made entirely from recycled plant materials: switch grass, pine bark, corn husks, and other materials. It is identical in shape and style to its predecessor and the new plastic is equally priced. PepsiCo plans to launch the product—which ultimately will consist of orange peels, oat hulls, potato scraps and other leftovers - with a few hundred thousand bottles in 2012. The new bottle marks an inevitable (and dare I say it, trendy) departure from our reliance on fossil fuels (most plastic is petroleum based). The message is not, of course, to curb your rampant consumerism, but instead to consume in ways that reduce your carbon footprint. Err, sort of. Ironically, despite the fact that these bottles are made from plant materials, they are not biodegradable or compostable. But they are recyclable… And that got me thinking. I tend to view discarded plastic bottles, and other man-made materials only in terms of their negative impact, but, what about the other ways these materials can be used? That is, if we're stuck with this trash anyways, how are the materials being used for the better? Here are some rather ingenious ways the humble plastic bottle and other trash has been up-cycled into something far greater than its initial intended use: Wat Pa Maha Chedio Kaew. Made from more than one million glass bottles, the temple lies roughly 400 miles northeast of Bangkok in the city of Khun Han. Collection of Chang and Heineken bottles began in 1984 when the monks began using discarded bottles to decorate their shelter. As word of the new building material spread, donations of bottles grew until they were able to build the current standing temple. Roughly 1.5 million bottles were used in its construction, and bottle caps play an integral part in design mosaic. Not surprisingly, over time the temple garnered the nickname "Wat Lan Kuad" or "Temple of Million Bottles". Spiral Island. Built by British artist Rishi Sowa, Spiral Island is an artificial floating island near Cancun. The first Spiral Island (66 ft by 54 ft), which Sowa began constructing in 1998, was destroyed by Hurricane Emily in 2005. The island was made by a placing bamboo and plywood platform on top of nets filled with approximately 250,000 discarded plastic bottles. The platform was then covered with sand and plants. It was strong enough to support a two-story home, solar oven, and self-composting toilet. The second Spiral Island (approx. 66 ft. in diameter) was built in 2008 using 100,000 bottles. It contains beaches, a house and solar panels. The island opened for tours in August 2008. The Corona Save the Beach Hotel. Mexican beer king Corona sponsors the Save the Beach Campaign, which aims to recover one European beach each year from human-caused pollution and damage. To gain attention for their campaign, last summer, German artist HA Schult built a two-story hotel in Rome entirely out of trash found on European beaches (12 tons of garbage was used!). The hotel opened for only 3-days, and could accommodate up to 10 people. What do you think about these initiatives? Does a stay in a trash hotel appeal to you? What other "green" projects have you seen on your travels? — Madeline Grimes MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: Have a Green Stay The Ecolodge Authority Baby Steps to Save the Earth

There are more ways than ever to tour Europe. Unfortunately, the trip just might be more complicated and more expensive than ever too. In an upcoming issue of Budget Travel, Trip Coach aims to help readers plan the big European vacation in the most rewarding, least stressful ways possible. First, we need to hear from you. In the comments section below, please enter your most pressing concerns and questions. For instance, you might be wondering… *What's the most sensible way to come up with a doable itinerary? *What destinations are overpriced? Which ones are up-and-coming and still affordable? *Any tips for saving on airfare during the peak summer months? *Any tips for saving when exchanging money? *Get around by bus? Rental car? River cruise? Ocean cruise? Fly? Train? Rail pass? Air pass? Some combination therein? *What are the pros and cons of hostels, hotels, apartments, and other forms of lodging? Now you tell us. Fire away with your questions, and we'll answer the best ones in the magazine. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: London Booking Strategies Paris: 4 Easy Day Trips by Train Trattoria Heaven in Tuscany