Green Summer Outings

Ahh, the joys of summer: sunshine, no school, long days, lemonade, beaches, sandcastles, vacations... the list goes on and on.  As August approaches, we are all scrambling to fit in our last summer vacations and planning our weekend day trips.  This past weekend, my husband and I passed up on spending the day at a local water park or amusement park, stayed close to home, and spent the afternoon at the Guadalupe Park Rose Garden in San Jose, California.

It was great!  We did not have to leave the dog at home, and better yet, we minimized the negative impact our day trip had on the environment.  Some things I keep in mind as I fill in my calendar for the remainder of the summer include staying close to home to reduce gas usage. Furthermore, I try to drive during off hours which also reduces gas consumption (AND doubles the benefit by increasing the amount of time we get to spend at our destination!).  When possible taking a train, bus, or other public transit is even better, though I must admit, I am not always the best at this (in my defense, the California Bay Area has awful public transportation).  Biking is even better.

I also try to make use of the summer sun and limit the need for the A/C and other energy eating amenities by planning outdoor outings.  Save the museums and movies for winter and head to your local beach, lake, park, mountain, garden or trail.  And thinking of all of the chemicals and energy necessary to run an amusement park and keep water rides clean leads me to choose other options (not to mention, they are so overpriced and dirty).

Lastly, I pack a big bag with everything I might need, including reusable water bottles, hats, snacks, and my digital camera so that I don't have to buy unnecessary disposable items while out and about.

Please enjoy the pictures of the San Jose Rose Garden and keep in mind some of these ideas when planning your august weekends. Oh, and keep checking in to hear about the green mini-vacation that my husband and I will be taking to Monterey, California in a few weeks!