It's probably safe to assume that you'll be participating in a few activities when you're away from home, even if you're traveling for business rather than pleasure. There are easy ways to minimize your impact on the environment and reducing waste as you go about your daily schedule. Most of them don't involve doing anything overly strenuous on your part; in fact they're probably things you should be doing anyway, but sometimes a little reminder can be helpful to jog that memory!

- Speaking of jogging, use those legs for sightseeing or getting to your meeting if your destination is within walking distance from your accommodations. If not, look into public transportation, a hotel shuttle (many are complimentary for guests) or renting a bike.

- Sure it may be habit to grab a handful of brochures and maps and stuff them in your bag in case you lose one or want a little souvenir of your trip. However, only grab what you'll need and use, and if you don't use them, recycle them.

- It should go without saying, but don't litter. If you can't find a trash can near you, hang onto your garbage until you find one. The earth doesn't want to hold onto your crap any more than you do. The only difference is, you'll probably find a trash or recycle bin sooner than it will take the earth to process your waste.

- Make sure you take recyclable products with you when you travel and purchase souvenirs that can be recycled as well. Of course it would help if you actually do recycle those items when you no longer need them.

- Avoid fast food and the resulting take-out wrappers and packaging if you can. Choose dine-in restaurants instead to limit the amount of waste you have leftover in the end.

- If you do visit a fast food restaurant, be cognizant of the condiments, napkins and plastic utensils you pick up and only take what you need. If you're really hardcore you can also go without a straw and sip directly from the cup or turn down a bag for your food if you don't need it.

- A picnic in the park sounds like a wonderful idea (it is!), but even more wonderful would be to cut down on waste by taking along your own reusable plates and utensils.

- Clean up after any outdoor outings. This may seem like a fancy way of saying don't litter, but this is a step further. Use recycling bins when you can and ensure you haven't left behind any food or debris that could harm local wildlife, land or water.

» Environmental Protection Agency