This summer I have made the choice to keep my radius to a tight 300 miles. I will be limiting car trips, riding my bike, walking and steering clear of airports all together. This is not for lack of desire or opportunity.

I have always been an avid traveler and have elected to turn down invitations to California, Berlin, Australia and Mexico. As a personal choice, I just couldn’t bring myself to dismiss the pervasive deterrents–liberal guilt, climbing fuel prices, carbon footprints, non-eco tourism, etc. Admittedly, this is a short-term solution, and in no way am I advocating everyone suspend any future globe trotting, as writer Dan Neil of the Los Angeles Times does in his recent opinion piece Please Don’t Go.

No, I actually believe that travel is an essential component to human, social and emotional development, and that if all travel (domestic and international) were to cease tomorrow, societal collapse would beat out environmental catastrophe by at least a decade or two. So by all means, if you really want to go, you should go. But (to loosely paraphrase an old idiom) take only pictures and leave only light carbon footprints.

Easier said than done, but there are a few practical things you could do, especially if traveling with children, that could lighten your load and make your travels a bit more digestible for us all:

1. Drive and fly as little as possible. This sounds impractical, but really not impossible. If you need to dry or fly to a destination, do what you have to do. But once you arrive at your destination, try to arrange it so you and your children are using public transportation, renting bikes or walking. You will likely see a lot more and make it a memorable few days of exploration. If you absolutely need to rent a car, consider a Flex Car, ZipCar or Hybrid rental, where available.

2. Green hotels are out there. Sure there are swanky, hugely expensive “green” hotels out there, but there are also green hotel options that are environmentally responsible without charging crazy boutique hotel prices. Before booking, ask if the hotel has a working recycling program in place, if they are locally owned and operated, and if the hotel has any existing programs to reduce consumption and contribute to the local community. Often your questions will be easily answered and met with enthusiasm.

3. Water bottles for everyone! Before you leave on your trip, purchase reusable water bottles (aluminum is preferable) for each family member. Personalize them in whatever way you/they see fit, which will give your children a sense of ownership. Then when someone gets thirsty, fill their bottle up with tap water, rather than routinely buying bottles and bottles of water. If your children refuse to drink water (an issue that you will likely need to work on), you could fill up with any desired drink at a local soda fountain, restaurant or cafe.

Eric Steinman is a freelance writer based in Rhinebeck, N.Y. He regularly writes about food, music, art, architecture and culture and is a regular contributor to Bon Appétit among other publications.