Tips for greening your holiday travel

One of the best parts of the holiday season is connecting with friends and family. For most of us, there's some amount of travelling involved. Whether you're taking an afternoon drive or flying across the country, you can make choices to reduce the carbon footprint of your trip. 

Here are some suggestions.  

• Pack light to cut down on fuel use. The more weight a plane, train, car, or bus carries, the more fuel it uses.
• Carpool with friends or family members who are going to the same destination. Or use the Internet for connecting to potential car-mates. Some tools to make this easier: Zimride, Carticipate, eRideShare, and Facebook.
• Take public transportation if it's available.
• Don't take the scenic route. Plan your trip and take the shortest route possible.
• Saving gas is good for your wallet and the planet. The financial gains will not be as great as they were when gas prices peaked, but every little bit helps (especially during the holidays).
• Chose the train instead of a plane if you can. It's a more efficient and cleaner way to travel.
• If you must fly, then try to cut emissions when travelling to and from the airport.
• Rent a hybrid or take public transportation when you get to your destination.
• Stay home and use technology, such as Skype, to connect to far-flung relatives.

Environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green's users. Send Lori a question or suggestion for potential use in a future column. Her book, Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life is available on Yahoo! Shopping and Amazon.com.