The idea of traveling the world and exploring new cultures offers exciting opportunities. However, given the increasing environmental challenges faced today, every travel decision must take into account conscientious and sustainable practices. Eco-friendly travel prioritizes reducing carbon footprint and minimizing the detrimental impacts on the environment. Sustainable travel also involves respecting, supporting, and uplifting the local communities and economies affected by our travel choices.
Making green travel choices throughout the planning process can have a significant positive impact on our ecosystem. These decisions help conserve and protect our environment, allowing us to appreciate our surroundings for years. As defined by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), sustainable travel “takes full account of its current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities.”
To help you get started on your sustainable travel journey, I’ve put together a 6 simple steps.
Choosing Eco-Friendly Transportation for Your Next Trip
Traveling by air has the most detrimental impact on the environment, and this is a well-established fact. However, there are ways to reduce your carbon footprint if you must travel by air. The easiest of these is to opt for a direct flight instead of a connecting flight. Although connecting flights are cheaper, they’re not ideal in the bigger picture, as the highest emissions occur during takeoff and landing.
Secondly, when booking flights, most airlines and travel agencies, such as Skyscanner, now offer a ‘greener flights’ search filter. This feature provides information on which airlines prioritize sustainable travel and ranks them based on their fuel consumption or use of biofuels, which can reduce emissions by up to 80%. With this information, you can choose flights that support sustainable practices.
Thirdly, prefer flying economy class. No matter how comfortable first or business class may seem, when considering fuel usage per passenger, economy class is the most efficient option.
One often overlooked fact is that cruise travel is more damaging to the environment than air travel. Cruises are known to emit 3-4 times more carbon dioxide per person per kilometer than airplanes. Unlike commercial flights, sea travel does not offer a greener alternative and continues to burn highly polluting fossil fuels throughout the journey. Hence, choose air travel against sea travel.
Now, let’s consider situations where flying can be avoided altogether. Domestic flights can easily be replaced with public transportation options like trains, buses, or cars. In fact, trains are the most environmentally friendly option, after self-propelled vehicles, as they reduce carbon emissions by 66-75%. If driving, choose an eco-friendly vehicle, such as an electric or hybrid car, as these are more efficient in fuel consumption. Also, try to maximize the number of passengers in the car to reduce the carbon footprint per person.
Lastly, always walk or bike shorter distances. It will not only enrich your travel experience but allow you to minimize the impact on the environment.
Eco-Friendly Hotels: What to Look for When Booking
Choosing a hotel is also an important decision when traveling sustainably. Experts recommend checking for a hotel’s environmental certifications and its active participation in initiatives that promote environmentally friendly practices. Examples of such initiatives include efficient energy solutions like solar panels, EV car chargers, eliminating single-use plastics, and supporting local menus.
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is recognized globally for its comprehensive approach in ranking hotels that meet basic environmental and social standards while optimizing the use of natural resources. Therefore, the next time you choose a hotel, check to see if it is GSTC certified. Other certifications to look for include EarthCheck (Australia), Green Globe, Rainforest Alliance (Latin America and the Caribbean), and the Green Tourism Business Scheme (UK).
Just as airlines have a ranking system, hotels can also be searched based on their green initiatives. Many websites allow you to filter hotels by their carbon footprint. For example, Expedia and Hotels.com have introduced a “Sustainable Travel” badge, which identifies properties that meet eco-friendly standards. To use this feature, simply search for accommodations on these platforms and look for the “Sustainable Travel” badge or apply filters to prioritize eco-certified options in your results.
Solutions That Save Energy and Money
Now that you’ve decided which hotel to stay in, it’s important to choose services and adopt habits that minimize energy use and save money.
First, avoid using the hotel’s laundry services. They often send clothes for dry cleaning or wash them separately, resulting in a large carbon footprint. If you have a short stay, instead of using the hotel’s laundry services, try washing your clothes in the sink or shower. Washing clothes in cold water also helps reduce the carbon footprint.
Moreover, hotel towels don’t need to be washed daily. You don’t do that at home, do you? Instead of leaving your towels on the floor or folded on the countertop, hang them up to signal that you’ll be reusing them, so the hotel’s housekeeping staff doesn’t take them for washing.
Additionally, the tiny bottles of shampoo, body wash, and hand soap provided by hotels are often thrown out rather than recycled. Next time you check out, take those empty bottles with you for reuse.
Most importantly, be conscious of your energy and water usage. Consider your hotel room your home for the duration of your stay and minimize energy consumption by turning off lights and unplugging electronic devices and appliances that are not in use. Unplugging chargers that aren’t being used is one of the most overlooked practices—remember to remove your chargers as soon as you’re done with them. Also, set your thermostat to 20°C to help conserve energy.
To conserve water, use refillable bottles and take showers instead of baths. One of the most popular water-saving techniques is the military or combat shower. The total running time of water during these showers is 2 minutes or less, as you turn off the water while lathering.
Although each of these methods may seem small, by using them all together, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint.
Support Local Communities While You Travel
Uplifting local economies and communities is an important aspect of sustainable travel.
Buying food from local shops, supporting local menus at your hotel, and purchasing locally made souvenirs and crafts may not always be the most budget-friendly option. However, it directly and positively impacts the local economy and community.
Be mindful of the products you buy throughout your trip. Most products include information on the label, but if you can’t find it, don’t hesitate to ask the sellers for details to ensure your purchase isn’t harming the environment. Safe buying choices include organic or locally made products, as well as items from museum and library stores or naturally sourced products.
When dining at a restaurant, opt for local shops and cafes, avoid takeaways in single-use plastic cups or containers, and, if you have access to a kitchen, try recreating a regional dish using local ingredients.
Sustainable Travel Essentials: What to Pack
Being mindful of what you pack for your sustainable travel adventure is another crucial step.
First and foremost, keep your baggage light. Traveling light is sustainable, as lighter luggage results in less fuel consumption, ultimately saving fuel that would otherwise be burned while transporting heavy luggage across continents.
When packing, choose products such as moisturizers, shampoos, and conditioners with non-toxic ingredients. Organic products are known to be the most environmentally friendly, so it’s best to incorporate such products into your daily routine—not just for food, but for personal care items as well.
Other sustainable habits include using soap and shampoo bars instead of products in plastic bottles, avoiding plastic straws, and carrying a cloth shopping bag rather than collecting plastic or paper bags at each store.
Be sure to pack a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated on the go. This reduces plastic consumption since you won’t need to keep buying disposable water bottles. The increasing availability of water dispensers at airports and public locations worldwide makes it even more convenient to carry a reusable bottle. Depending on whether you’re staying at a hotel or camping, consider packing other reusable items like cutlery, toiletries, a clothesline, napkins, and food storage containers.
Moreover, when purchasing sunscreen, always choose reef-safe options that are not harmful to coral reefs and do not leave harmful chemicals in the ocean. Another sustainable travel tip is to avoid using single-use headphones provided by airlines, as they often end up in the trash after one use.
In summary, packing mindfully for sustainable travel involves choosing eco-friendly products, reducing waste, and opting for reusable items to minimize your environmental impact.
Eco-Friendly Activities: Swimming, Hiking, and More
Once you’ve landed on your perfect holiday destination, there are several activities you can partake in to stay true to your sustainable travel adventure.
One of the best ways to get around within the city is to walk or bike. Many cities offer free walking tours, which allow you to explore the city from a local’s perspective. Historical sites, cultural influences, and small, often overlooked city attractions can all be part of this tour. Not only is this budget-friendly, but it also has minimal impact on the environment.
Traveling is a wonderful way to reconnect with nature, but it’s important to be mindful of your interactions to avoid harming the environment. For example, avoid feeding wild animals, as it can make them dependent on human interaction. Additionally, wildlife activities like tiger feeding, elephant rides, or swimming with dolphins often prioritize entertainment over the welfare of animals, so it’s best to avoid promoting these practices.
Hiking, camping, and backpacking are other amazing adventures that you can enjoy on foot. However, when hiking, always stay on the marked paths to avoid damaging native flora, fauna, and wildlife.
National parks and protected areas rely on tourists, among other sources of funding, to support their conservation efforts. By visiting these areas and paying entrance fees, you’re actively contributing to their preservation. Museums, zoos, theme parks, and water parks are other environmentally friendly activities you can add to your travel itinerary. If you’re staying in a hotel it is bound to have above ground swimming pools as a popular amenity which can be a nice relaxing spot during your stay.
During your nature adventures, be sure to carry a litter bag so you don’t leave traces behind. Also, pick up any litter you come across to help protect the environment from microplastics and harmful chemicals.
If you’re looking for inspiration for your next family vacation, here are the 12 Best Family Friendly Vacation Spots in 2024.
Conclusion
Sustainable travel is not just about making eco-friendly choices during your trip, but also about embracing a mindset that respects both the environment and the communities you visit.
By adopting green travel practices such as choosing eco-friendly transportation, supporting local businesses, and minimizing your carbon footprint through mindful packing and activities, you can make a significant positive impact. Every small change – from reducing energy and water consumption in hotels to opting for organic products – contributes to the preservation of our planet.
Sustainable travel allows us to explore the world responsibly, ensuring that future generations can enjoy the same beautiful destinations. By taking these conscious steps, you not only enhance your travel experience but also help conserve the environment and uplift the communities that make travel so enriching.
So, the next time you embark on an adventure, remember that the choices you make today can lead to a more sustainable future.
About The Author
Heather James
Hello I’m Heather, a seasoned content writer specializing in travel and lifestyle. With a passion for exploring new destinations and uncovering unique experiences, she crafts engaging, informative content that inspires readers to live their best lives.
