Green Holiday Travel -- Drink Locally

Even dedicated staycationers can be lured from home during the season of family gatherings. This week we'll offer tips on how to green your holiday travel.

Tip # 3: Turn to the tap

You can chalk it up to homesickness if the tap water in your relatives' city doesn't taste as sweet as the water where you live, but don't fall prey to the bottle. In the United States, city tap water must undergo more-strenuous testing than bottled water, so it's generally safe to drink local water. Refilling a reusable container at the faucet also reduces your carbon footprint: The production and transportation of U.S. bottled water uses the equivalent of 50 million barrels of oil annually.

Share your tips: When traveling, what reusable items to you bring along to avoid extra waste?