We often spend hours journeying to experience breathtaking mountain vistas, bathe in the purest of waters, and simply revel in the awe-inspiring beauty of nature.
Unfortunately, these landscapes are gradually shifting from untouched beaches to coasts cluttered with debris, seas where you swim not with marine life but with plastic, and the nature and wildlife that once sparked our wanderlust are being harmed, devastated, and overwhelmed with waste.
However, this state of affairs isn’t inevitable. Although it may seem like a battle we’ve already conceded, we maintain faith that the situation can still improve. Here are five ways to be an eco-friendly traveler.
Travel Green
Air travel, unfortunately, tops the list for generating damaging emissions. Yet, if flying is unavoidable for reaching your destination, spending more when booking your ticket is worthwhile to offset the carbon your flight produces.
Once you’ve reached it, try to move around on foot or by bicycle, or use public transportation if possible. Being an eco-friendly traveler starts at home. Arrange an Easy Donation Pickup before traveling to find out what you can donate from your packing list.
As more people adopt environmentally friendly travel options, train travel is experiencing a renaissance, offering a splendid opportunity to enjoy picturesque views. If car rental is a necessity, go for an electric one.
Investigate and Show Respect for the Indigenous Culture
Practicing sustainable travel also includes suppressing the urge to enforce your cultural values or viewpoints on the nation and community you visit. For instance, if the local norm calls for modest dressing, it’s advisable to follow suit.
In the context of respect, it’s important to seek permission from locals before capturing their images. This approach makes them feel comfortable and more likely to smile for your photo, but it also communicates your regard and respect for the individual you photograph.
Pack Refillable Bottles
Consider enhancing your travel sustainability by swapping plastic items in your travel kit, such as toiletries and containers, with environmentally friendly alternatives like glass or bamboo. Make sure to carry your refillable containers for liquids like shampoo, lotions, conditioner, and shower gel when on the go. If hotels provide hair care products in bulk, utilize them to refill your containers.
Avoid utilizing or taking away the plastic toiletry kits provided at hotels. The consumption and disposal of these contribute to the issue of plastic pollution as they ultimately end up in landfills. Even if you only use a portion of the liquid, housekeeping will discard the rest. It’s best to refrain from using these kits despite their no-cost availability.
Travel During Non-peak Hours
Traveling during the off-peak season frequently results in less crowded destinations, more reasonable rates, genuine experiences with residents, and a unique location perspective. Ecologically conscious tourists often opt for off-peak travel not just to evade the masses, but also to minimize their effect on the place they visit.
Journeying during quieter periods aids in easing the pressure on local facilities and resources that can become overloaded during high season. It can also offer a steady and evenly distributed revenue stream for the local community annually.
Shop Smart
Wherever possible, ensure your travel expenditure aids local communities. It’s particularly commendable to back social enterprises that focus on providing essential training and job opportunities to the needy. By visiting a social enterprise cafe, handicraft store, or hostel, you do more than just make a philanthropic gesture. You’re creating a lasting memory through your interactions with the locals.
Endnote
Despite the adoption of sustainable travel practices by numerous corporations, some businesses remain unconvinced of its merits. Make it known that you prioritize sustainability by investing in it. Remember that a company’s claim to be ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘sustainable’ doesn’t automatically validate their assertion.
Seek detailed information about their actual practices and policies, and by making inquiries, demonstrate your commitment to incorporating sustainability into your purchasing choices.
