Whether you’re headed away for a weekend or a month, you can still make eco-friendly choices.

When you head across the state, country or around the world, green travel tips can give you a feeling of pride in your choices. After all, the last thing you want to do by discovering how great the world is, is to cause it harm.

These top green travel tips make sure all that your globetrotting leaves behind is footprints.

It would be perfect to be able to use green travel tips that take things to the eco-friendly extreme. None of us want to have to leave trash behind. We’d rather not waste our money on something we can use only once before it ends up in a landfill. Most of us would rather not travel in a way that fills the air with pollution, either. That said, we need to be realistic. Many eco-friendly efforts are labor-intensive or just plain expensive. Fortunately, there are still many things the average traveler can do while being affordable and convenient.

Use these green travel tips the next time you head away on a trip away from home.

• Check your tire inflation – Whether you’re driving your own car or a rental, use a tire gauge and emergency multi-tool you’ve tucked in your carry-on or handbag. Tire inflation takes a few seconds per tire but it can save you from burning through far more gas than you need to while you’re on your trip. Even more, it can help to reduce the wear on your tires. This will save you a small fortune over time and will cut back on pollution you cause while on the road
• Choose eco-friendly transportation on arrival – Once you reach your destination, choose public transportation or even a bicycle. Many cities have bike rental services that are easy to use and let you get to know the place much better. Alternately, public transportation means you’ll be able to look out the window, avoid the frustration of driving in rush hour and save the gas from one more car on the road.
• Use refillable containers – Instead of buying tiny expensive bottles of shampoo and conditioner you’re not wild about, buy some small refillable bottles and fill them with your favorite products. This will also save you from having to suffer from greasy or straw-like hair after using hotel shampoos.
• Bring a refillable water bottle – Don’t rely on disposable water, juice and pop bottles while you’re on a trip. Bring a refillable one and fill it everywhere you go. Stainless steel bottles are light and highly durable.
• Pay attention to every part of your trip – If there is a component of your trip that would generate waste or otherwise harm the environment in a way that you think is unreasonable, opt out. Simply choosing not to support those tours, venues or guides can make sure your travel dollars speak for your values.

These green travel tips can give you the peace of mind of knowing that you’re doing your part for the planet you love to discover.