Apart from developing sustainable habits at home, it’s also important to consider taking the same idea into travelling. According to the United Nations, international travel is expanding like never before, but unfortunately, this comes at an enormous social and environmental cost.
When thinking about sustainable travelling and reducing our individual carbon footprints, flying less often would easily and quickly cut back on emissions. However, when you still want to see the world, there are lots of different ways to make your trips more sustainable.
Skip flying, if you can
Obviously, skipping flying is the easiest way to cut your carbon footprint. The carbon dioxide that planes release into the atmosphere is tremendously damaging, so any chance you get, travel by train, bus, boat, bike or on foot. Do whatever you can to produce as few greenhouse emissions as possible.
If you can’t avoid flying, there are still ways you can be more eco-friendly – you can pay Carbon Credits to offset your flight’s emissions and try to pack light since heavy suitcases cause the aeroplanes to use more fuel.
Pick sustainable destinations
Among the greenest travel options is staying close to home and finding local adventures, such as visiting museums in your cities or historical sites and building, maybe exploring lesser known corners of your own neighbourhood. If you still want to venture a bit farther and check out places such as the area of Florida, Carolinas, and Georgia, you could opt to book adventure tours and activities and take a private eco-tour, go dolphin watching, hiking, fishing, boating, mountain biking, or choose some unexpected destinations that are outside the main tourists’ spots with loads of eco-friendly activities.
If you do choose to visit popular destinations, consider travelling off-season and pick sustainable destinations such as cities and towns in Slovenia, locations in Spain, Palau and Australia. Stay longer, book accredited accommodation and engage in local activities that give back to the local population, instead of taking the popular activities, which are often tourist traps.
Stay in eco-certified resorts or with locals
If you want the comfort and luxury of a hotel stay, book one that is sustainable and eco-friendly. Nowadays, a lot of places all over the world are trying harder to be greener and as an eco-conscious traveller, supporting them is very important as it gives the incentive to other hotels to follow suit.
Such places could be simply an eco-building that uses recycled materials, doesn’t wash towels every day, doesn’t use or offer anything plastic, and practice sustainable activities in their community.
You might also choose to stay with locals, which will give you the chance to exchange ideas, and connect with local people on a new level. Staying with them is certainly more eco-friendly than staying in a hotel, mostly because less energy is consumed and the profit directly contributes to the community.
Use public transportation or walk
While it may not always be possible to take the train or bus, travelling by public transportation is by far the environmentally-friendlier way to travel on land due to its reduced amount of fuel per passenger in comparison to a conventional car. An even better choice would be to travel on foot. It’ll allow you to see and experience places at your own tempo and convenience plus it’s beneficial for your health too.
Shop locally
When you shop on your travels, shop locally and support the local communities. Pick local goods and be open to new experiences. Also, have your reusable bag at hand while shopping to reduce the use of plastic bags. All those plastic shopping bags will just end up at the hotel’s bins and then get thrown away after your trip has ended.
Leave no trace behind
No matter where and how you travel, you should only leave footprints behind. The true eco-travellers mission is to leave the place you visit better than when you found it. That means you should pick up trash you stumble upon on the beach or in the forest and throw it in waste containers, taking your own toiletries in reusable bottles, so you don’t use the hotel’s mini shampoos and body lotions – this only means you won’t be adding to the mountain of waste that is created at every holiday destination. Also, bring your reusable water bottles to say no to plastic!
It’s a fantastic opportunity to be able to travel the world and contribute to one’s own education as well as nurture an open, loving mind. Hopefully, the tips listed here will give you some idea of how your love for travelling can also become sustainable and committed to the idea of being respectful to our environment, local people and their cultures.
