Eco-conscious travel: Go green in the Galapagos

Hundreds of marine iguanas huddle in a great sprawling mass, oblivious to visitors snapping photographs. The large gray reptiles blend with the stark volcanic scenery of Fernandina, one of the 13 major Galapagos Islands. The iguanas cover nearly every square foot of land — warming in the sunshine, then entering the ocean to feed, emerging with algae-smeared lips. A few dig burrows in the sand to lay eggs. “This is the only island where I say, ‘Please don’t step on the iguanas!’” says naturalist guide Karina Lopez, a native Galapagueño. Then everyone goes quiet. All of the marine iguanas under the bush are sneezing. They sneeze to rid their systems of saltwater, Lopez explains.

Emission-Free Travel

The promise of close wildlife encounters draws many to this volcanic archipelago some 600 miles west of mainland Ecuador, the nation to which the islands belong.

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