How to get the most out of your trip for Earth Day 2023

CNN
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The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970. We celebrate again this Saturday.

The first event in decades, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reminds us, is that “global climate change is having an alarming effect on the Earth and its inhabitants.”

Wave upon wave of tourists crossing the globe has contributed to local tensions. But to be a good planetary citizen, you don’t have to ditch travel altogether or stay too close to home.

You can still travel the world and minimize the impact on the health of our one and only (and vulnerable) planet. Check out these five ways to explore Earth more gently:

Cruising is an industry known for carbon-emitting ships, waste production that goes from waste to gray water, and congestion at ports of call.

However, you don’t have to give up your dreams of ocean adventure to be a good steward of the environment.

Click here to learn how Hurtigruten, Ponant, Star Clippers and other cruise lines are reducing the pressure on the oceans.

You might burn some fossils to get there, but once you’re there, hiking is all about burning calories. But where to go for a great hike?

CNN Travel has 23 top hikes, including the Camino de Santiago de Compostela (Spain), the Appalachian Trail (United States), the Basho Wayfarer (Japan), and the Lycian Way (Turkey).

The infrastructure that supports the fun sport of skiing adds its own burden to global warming.

Some resorts are trying to reduce their environmental impact, such as using renewable energy to run their lifts.

From Val d’Isère (France) and Jackson Hole (Wyoming) to Zermatt (Switzerland) and Whistler (Canada), here are 10 places to ski with ease.

Not only are bikes easier on the environment, but they also allow you to get up close and personal with cities in a way that vehicles never could.

But not all cities that tourists enjoy are bike-friendly. To get the most out of an urban cycling vacation, you need a certain city to get it right.

From Antwerp and Melbourne to Montreal and San Francisco, check out 10 cities where cycling works.

Sometimes, Earth’s stunning beauty and diverse landscapes inspire us to think about better protecting the planet.

And whether you’re taking in the lush landscapes of Brazil, the green beauty of Ireland, the endless sweep of Canada or the beautiful landscape of Vietnam, what a beautiful world it is.