Modern travel seems inherently unsustainable. For instance, airplane flights constitute a notoriously carbon-intensive activity, and on a trip, it is a struggle to avoid wasteful single-use plastic.

Although staying home may be the most eco-friendly approach to traveling, many adaptations can reduce a trip’s carbon footprint.

Mainers can avoid a plane flight by sticking to New England and nearer Canada. Multiple long-haul bus services are affordable, offer comfortable seats and Wi-Fi, and reach metro areas, plus, in some cases, smaller destinations like Cape Cod. Amtrak trains also service major population centers as well as smaller locations in between.

For greater flexibility, rent an electric automobile; though it may cost more per day than a vehicle burning fossil fuels, you can save money in fuel costs, particularly on long trips.

Once you have arrived at your destination, there are many ways to get around without an automobile. One can simply walk, a healthy way to learn the local geography, “take the pulse” of a place and chance upon worthy restaurants, shopping and sights.

Bicycling offers similar advantages, and user-friendly bike-share programs are now a staple of urban infrastructure. Public transportation services typically offer multi-day passes that are easily acquired; timetables are published on the internet, but Google Maps makes scheduling easy by identifying the most convenient transit stops and mapping out excursions requiring transfers. Ride-hailing services can also be affordable options if you are not footing the bill for your own car.

Recycling while on the road is not as simple as it is back home, so try to avoid acquiring waste in the first place. Refillable water bottles and mugs are a must. Bring along a reusable shopping bag and prioritize products with minimal packaging. Should you acquire glass or plastic bottles, aluminum cans and other recyclables, take advantage of the scattered recycling opportunities that present themselves.

Public places, including bus and train stations, ought to have recycling containers, as do some hotels and short-term rentals. If you are driving, just stow recyclables until you get home.

Conventional modes of travel tend to be hard on the environment. However, by thinking outside the box and planning in advance, one can have a big time while traveling more sustainably.

David Conwell belongs to the nationwide advocacy organization Citizens’ Climate Lobby and is a former member of Brunswick’s Sustainability Committee.