When my husband and I piled our three young children onto the transatlantic flight to London, we had two simple goals. Get there safely. Avoid meltdowns. We were modestly successful, arriving intact with all meltdowns squelched or forgotten.

Or almost all. While we managed to tame the kids, our 7 hours in the air did nothing to avert the really big meltdown: global warming.

As most travelers now know, burning fossil fuels in planes, cars and cruise ships generates greenhouse gases – and those gases are slowly warming and changing our planet.

There are still lots of great reasons to travel, especially with children. Most of us travel out of love and wonder for other cultures, people and places, and a desire to share that with our kids. But it only makes sense that caring for the planet should be part of our agenda.

So what’s an avid yet conscientious traveler to do? In celebration of Earth Day (April 22), here are a few ideas.

Explore Your Own Backyard

Want to travel green? Fuel up your body, pack up the tent, and step outside your back door. Kids don’t have to go far to be amazed. Try a weekend trip to a nearby bed and breakfast or an overnight adventure in the woods. Many sports strollers have optional jogging, bike and ski attachments so you can push, pull, even drag your kids into the great outdoors.

For inspiration, see the hiking, biking and camping resources on Outdoor Baby, find a walking trail near your house or visit your local outdoor store.

Curb Your Emissions

There are lots of ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while on the road. To start, take a look at your car. Properly inflating the tires, cleaning the air filter, watching your speed and turning the engine off instead of idling can save fuel and cut emissions.

If you are renting, choose the smallest car for your needs and consider an energy-efficient model. Most major US rental companies now offer hybrid or other “green” cars – just check availability well in advance. Better still, use public transportation. Trains and buses use much less fuel (per person) than family cars or planes. And what kid doesn’t love a train ride?

At your destination, look for eco-friendly hotels. A stamp of approval from LEED or Green Seal ensures a gold standard of environmental responsibility. You can also find lists of green hotels on travel sites such as Expedia and istaygreen. No matter where you’re staying, turn down the thermostat and air-con, request minimal housekeeping and bring your own shampoo!

Compensate the Earth

Reducing emissions is the first-line defense against global warming. Compensation or “offsetting” is second. Offsetting allows you to pay into projects that help reduce the environmental damage of your travel. For example, that overseas trip to London with my kids generated close to 3 metric tons of planet-warming CO2 (one way!). To atone for those emissions, I can pay an extra $30 – $100 on my ticket and direct that money into green projects such as wind, hydroelectric or solar power.

Offsetting is very trendy. There are now scores of online providers that will calculate the “carbon footprint” of your flight, drive, house – even your kid’s birthday party. A few keyboard clicks and your credit card number will help to shrink that footprint.

Still, most travelers (especially harried parents) don’t head to their favorite carbon-offset provider when planning a vacation. Thankfully, many travel companies and airlines are making green travel easier by incorporating an offset option into the booking procedure. The amount you pay depends on your itinerary and the type of projects supported. In some cases, it’s just a few bucks.

Here’s a run down of the major US airlines that offer carbon offsets:

* Continental Airlines
* Delta Airlines
* Northwest Airlines
* American Airlines
* Midwest Airlines
* jetBlue Airways
* Virgin America (in-flight offsets available through your seatback entertainment system!)

And travel sites with carbon offsetting options at the time of booking:

*Travelocity
*Expedia
*Hotwire (they’ll even pay half the offsetting cost)

Many international airlines such as Air Canada, British Airways, Lufthansa and Japan Airlines also offer carbon offsets. And airlines that do not have such programs may be lowering emissions in other ways. Search their websites.

Talk to Your Kids

Okay, I haven’t discussed carbon offsets with my preschoolers but we have talked about caring for the Earth and saving energy. They get it. And older kids will get much, much more. Pass on your love of travel – and your love of the planet!

Recent posts by this author

• Nature Therapy in South Africa
• Eating Out with Very Young Kids
• Wild Olive Guest Farm: Still Bay, South Africa
• Cape Town for Kids
• Fair Play: Ethical Family Travel in South Africa