When you think about eco-friendly traveling the first things that come to mind are probably things like going camping or choosing to use your bike to travel across the country, but eco friendly traveling is so much broader and includes so many smaller yet “green” activities that are all a part of what it means to be an eco-friendly traveler.
While some people take green travel to the extreme, no matter what decisions you make during your travels, as long as you try your best to be more environmentally conscious, you’re doing your part. The best and easiest phrase to remember when traveling is to “Leave No Trace”. The concept is to leave nothing behind but footprints no matter where you go.
ECO-FRIENDLY TRAVEL IS NOT A ‘FAD’
While some may think of eco-friendly traveling as a 'fad', it is not something in passing. This growing trend is spreading across the travel industry where they are adopting many eco-friendly practices for their establishments including many of which we have gotten very used to seeing. The signs in your hotel rooms which ask if you want your linen / towels washed or not. Rooms that automatically turn off all electricity when you leave. Hotels installing solar panels on their rooftop and water recycling systems to reduce their consumption.
All around us we are witnessing increasing numbers of key players in the tourism industry finding small ways to reduce their global footprint and creating a greener world. When it comes to tourism in 2018, on most people’s mind is the concept of simply being "better" – better for the location, better for the local people, and better for the environment as a whole.
TOP 10 TIPS ON ECO-FRIENDLY TRAVEL
If you care about the environment and you also love to travel, there are some really easy ways that you can be greener while doing it. Here are some of the top ten tips for eco-friendly traveling.
1. Bring a spill proof tumbler: After you finish that long check in at the airport, most of us go straight for Starbucks to get a coffee while we wait hours for our flight. That’s your first disposable cup tossed into the landfill. Throughout the course of your trip you’ll no doubt go through 20-30 cups that fill up your own garbage bag full. With the simple change of tossing a spill-proof tumbler into your bag, you’re set. This is the #1 most important change that you can make that will keep your trip greener.
2. Unplug your home: Before you leave your home for your trip, whether it’s a weekend trip or a week-long trip, unplug everything in your home. Even if you’re not using something, just having it plugged in seeps energy from the grid. This not only saves electricity but also saves you money.
3. Pack lighter: This may seem insignificant, but packing lighter is a huge environmental impact. If your bag is lighter (let’s say you pack just one suitcase instead of two) that means the plane will weight 50lbs less, the bus you ride or the car you drive will be just as light, and each one of those changes means the fuel consumption will also be less.
4. Use public transportation: While we may not always want to take the bus/rail, they are by far the greenest way to travel on land as they use a reduced amount of fuel per passenger as compared to by a car. When possible, why not walk? One of the best ways to see any place and experience the local intricacies is by walking around, and it’s great for your health too!
5. Eat local: Whether you’re traveling or not, purchasing local food/products means that nobody drove those goods across the country just to get them there. Buying or eating the local produce encourages the local businesses. Let's admit it, food is one of the 'tastiest' ways to get to know a destination. So, get that palate on a hunger hunt!
6. Choose eco-hotels: There are many eco-friendly hotels / hostels popping up all over the world which is a great choice to offset those emissions you caused getting to the travel destination. These accommodations make their mark on the environment by ensuring they do the following:
- Responsibly use electricity/heating/cooling
- Reduce the amount of water wasted
- Build establishment in stable locations that are not prone to flooding and doesn’t damage the ecosystem
- Promote environmental practices like beach/forest cleanup activities
7. Shop locally: Don’t buy products from your home country when you’re traveling as it only increases the weight of the lugage. Instead buy local goods and try something new. Also, make sure to utilize your resuable bag while shopping and try to reduce the use of plastic bags . All those plastic shopping bags just get left in your hotel room to be thrown away after your trip is over.
8. Leave No Trace: No matter where you travel, the only thing you should leave behind is footprints. Most eco-travelers take this one step further now, and suggest that each of us should leave the place we visit even better than when we found it. That means picking up a few pieces of trash we see on the beach or in the forest and tossing it in waste containers, so it doesn’t end up sinking into the ground or ocean.
9. Take non-stop flights: The biggest impact of flight isn’t the flying, but rather the takeoff and landing that consumes the most amount of fuel. Of course, nobody likes having layovers, but the next time you think about flying, maybe that extra USD 20 is worth it for mother nature.
10. Drink near beer: The term “near beer” is a new growing trend but it isn’t a new concept. What it means is that wherever you are, drink the beer that’s made nearby. Since you’re traveling, why not drink the local beer? Not only are you being greener but you’re also supporting local breweries. Cheers to that!
These are only a few tips and there are so many great ways you can travel greener! It is all about doing one small thing at a time.
Comments