Many individuals are opting for green travel destinations these days in order to do their bit to sustain our surroundings. If you are thinking about making a difference with your choice of travel plans this year, then consider these destinations. These are seven of the top eco-friendly destinations in the world that definitely need to be on your bucket list of green vacation destinations.

Aruba

This hardly explored destination is one of the world leaders in promoting eco-tourism, with the nation deriving nearly 70% of its economy via the eco-tourism industry. The country uses this money wisely to operate wind farms that power nearly 20% of the Aruba’s energy. The government has also created plans to introduce more walkways in neighborhoods in order to encourage people to walk rather than hailing taxis or other modes of transportation that could lead to traffic jams, congestion and pollution. Aruba is also known for its sustainable travel options, including the Aruba solar powered tram that takes visitors to the capital, Oranjestad. The Aruba Care Reef Project also encourages visitors to take part in regular clean ups of beaches and scuba diving sites.

Reykjavik in Iceland

The city of Reykjavik runs completely on renewable energy. The nation makes use of geothermal activity to create clean energy to fuel electricity. Reykjavik is a living example of sustainability in today’s world, generating its heat and electricity mainly from geothermal and hydro resources. Iceland has also indicated of planning to become a hydrogen economy by 2050, removing itself from all fossil fuel dependencies.

Chile

Chile takes the top spot in the environmental protection list and is the first nation in South America to approve the carbon tax. The country has also announced plans to shift towards renewable sources for nearly 20% energy production by 2025. The government has also been clear in blocking and restricting the rise of businesses and industries that could potentially harm the environment.

San Francisco in California

San Francisco launched its recycling program in 2009 , and has successfully diverted nearly 80% of its waste out of landfills since then. The city has in fact been among the top greenest cities of North America for quite some time now and has successfully bagged five out of nine metrics to qualify for the same. These include transportation, green buildings, energy, air quality and water. The city has also banned the use of plastic bags and has so far, saved nearly 100 million bags from entering the landfills every year.

Mauritius

Mauritius is considered as one of the most bio diverse nations in the world. In addition to taking measures to preserve the same, the government has launched campaigns to plant nearly 200,000 trees before 2014. The nation has also set up several marine parks, fishing reserves and coral based farming programs to prevent coral/reef erosion.

Vancouver in Canada

Considered to be the greenest city in Canada, Vancouver has ambitious plans to become the world’s greenest city by the year 2020. The city is renowned for relying on clean tech innovation, including the solar powered trash compactors that can hold five times the waste of normal trash cans, albeit being the same size as the former. These trash cans draw their power from renewable sources and have very low carbon emissions in return. The city also has over 200 parks that contribute to its green status.

Uruguay

Uruguay has formulated some really impressive options when it comes to sustainable transportation. The country has announced plans to launch electric taxis and buses by the year 2015. It is also well on its way to become carbon neutral during this period, deriving over 80% of the energy it uses from renewable sources.

Stockholm in Sweden

Stockholm is considered as one of the greenest and most environmentally conscious cities in Europe. The city has kept its commitment to sustainability for many years now and has over 40% of its open spaces covered by gardens and parks. Stockholm is also home to the cleanest waterways in Europe and boasts of having carbon emissions of below 3.4 tons per capita.

Summary

Holiday destinations around the world have started taking initiatives to offer greener surroundings and environmentally friendly options for tourists as well as local residents. If you want to kick start 2015 in such a place, consider visiting these destinations to contribute your share to a greener world.