While the idea of “green” vacations” has attracted recent attention, most information focuses on what to do when you get to your destination, not on how to get there. No definitive source has been available to guide travelers toward the transportation option—train, plane, automobile, or motor coach (a.k.a. bus)—that will produce the least global warming pollution during a particular vacation. Until now.

In “Getting There Greener,” the Union of Concerned Scientists presents the first comprehensive analysis—peer-reviewed by experts—of the highest-carbon and lowest-carbon options for vacation travel.
This analysis shows that three key factors determine the environmental impact of your travel:

• The type of vehicle you are taking;
• The distance you are traveling;
• The number of people traveling with you.