I love creating new traditions, so when I first started traveling, I came up with three ways to create lasting memories from my traveling endeavors.  

Travel Tradition No. 1: Save a Bill
Whenever I am traveling, I always keep the lowest denomination paper currency and take it home with me. One day, I found a double-sided clear frame and decided to get crafty. I laid the bills I had collected throughout my travels inside the frame and hung it on my wall. If you visit my home, you can take it off the wall and check out the backside of the bills too! It’s a super simple and fun way to remember your trip.

Travel Tradition No. 2: Discover New Music
When I travel, I appreciate listening to local music, so when I hear a song I like, I purchase one of the musician’s albums. I try to find contemporary, classic and traditional folk music. When friends visit me, we'll talk about my travels, eat some traditional foods from the place I visited and play music from the area to set the mood. Collecting music is a fantastic travel tradition!

Travel Tradition No. 3: Buy Art
​I'm not looking for anything fancy. In fact, I typically prefer something sold by local street artists. I've purchased small sculptures, ceramics, freshly created paintings and wooden carvings during my travels. Whenever I look at a piece of art I've brought back home, it reminds me of where I was, the person who created it and how I felt at the time.
​
Consider implementing these three travel traditions or start your own traditions the next time you travel. Creating traditions is a terrific way to build long-lasting memories and makes it easier to take a trip down memory lane. 

​At home, many of us have a routine for reducing our environmental impact; we use energy saving bulbs and water efficient faucets, compost, buy local organic foods
and walk or bike instead of driving when we can. But traveling disrupts your routine and it may be difficult to figure out how to reduce your impact.

The biggest part of your carbon footprint from traveling is probably your flight. You can offset the flight by purchasing carbon offset with your carrier or ask your travel advisor to direct you to their trusted source. When you are at your destination, consider taking public transportation. Renting a bike or walking is also a great way to enjoy the sites.

Many destinations now offer eco-friendly lodging and if you are staying at a luxury hotel, check their corporate social responsibility (CSR) program. Do they minimize their impact on the environment and have a connection with the community they are in?

There are many other simple ways to reduce your impact, including: packing light and using baggies that you can reuse again; bring a small water filter that hooks up to the sink in your hotel room instead of buying bottle water; support local organic restaurants and shops.