Traveling is a beautiful experience, whether solo or with friends. It teaches you many things. It helps to meet new people, broaden your perspectives, and learn about cultures, food, and traditions.

 

While doing all the fun stuff, it is equally important that we don't pollute the environment. The use of plastic, renting cars, hotels, airports, and flights leaves environmental footprints. It can be challenging to live sustainably while traveling. But it's not difficult if we make simple, practical choices to change our lifestyles.

 

Here are the seven amazing tips to help you with an eco-friendly trip.

 

Reusable bags
Single-use plastic bags are not suitable for the environment. They pollute the environment, the ocean, and take 500 years to biodegrade. Carrying your reusable bags makes it easier to go plastic-free without purchasing any carry bag while shopping.

 

While holidaying at a beach location, you can bring the beach essentials like sunscreen, moisturizer, hat, towel, in your carry-on bag. You can also use it to carry your workout clothes, shoes, etc. Instead of using fancy bags for your kids to carry their books, bring them in reusable bags. If you don't like the look of your bags, then decorate them with beads, or paint them with glitter. Reusable bags are a green way of saying “No, thanks” to paper or plastic bags while traveling. Plus, if you feel warm, you can always use your reusable tote bag to store your jacket and yet travel hands-free.

 

Pack light

Traveling light has a lot of benefits. One such benefit is that it is environment-friendly. When you fly with a heavy bag, the flight also weighs more. The more the plane weighs, the more is the usage of fuel. More usage of fuel means more air pollution. Traveling light has long-term benefits for the environment. It gives out fewer carbon emissions, which is good for the future. Apart from this, traveling light gives you more flexibility and freedom of movement. When your bag isn't heavy, you can walk freely around the city without hiring any vehicle.

 

 

Take public transportation
Public transportation is a great way to explore a city or going shopping. It is an environment-friendly way to get around the city without adding any carbon emissions. A public transport vehicle carries many passengers at one go, compared to a private car carrying a single passenger. It helps in reducing the traffic level, number of vehicles, and hence the emissions associated with each vehicle. Taking public transport can save money and reduce smog levels. It will ensure good air quality, fewer health risks, and less energy per person. According to studies, taking public transport is an essential step towards conserving our resources.

 

Travel overland

It's crucial that when we travel, we also take care of the environment for our future kids and grandkids. To reduce carbon footprint you have to go slower, eat locally, and travel overland. Cutting down on a five-hour flight saves at least a thousand kilograms of carbon footprint. This kind of travel is suitable for backpackers who take long trips. It will give you a localized tour of the places, help meet local people, and you will have time to get more out of the area you are visiting.

 

Try walking instead of taking a cab or rent a cycle. That way, you can reduce the gas emissions and still get a quick view of the city that you are traveling to. Another exciting way to involve yourself with your overland travel is to scratch off your favorite places that you have visited. All you need is a carte a gratter which would help you to preserve your precious vacation memories.

 

Eat and drink locally
Buying and eating locally grown food has its environmental benefits. Eating local protects farmland, as that's how these local farms survive. If the locals don't use the farms for farming, these farms give way to commercial or industrial purposes. These farmlands are also a place for the birds and animals to thrive. Eating and buying locally grown fruits and vegetables help reduce the food miles too. Food miles is the distance covered by food from the point of production to the end of the sale. Fewer food miles imply lesser carbon emissions due to lower transportation fuel used. Low food miles also protect genetic diversity, and our future will receive more options.

 

 

Avoid bottled water

Purchase of single-use plastic water bottles every time you travel is a lot of plastic waste. Also, drinking from a plastic water bottle leaches out foul smell and taste into the water. It also infuses harmful chemicals when exposed to higher temperatures. Therefore, switching to a reusable water bottle saves you money and runs for a long time. It is suitable for the environment, and you know the source of water that you put into the body. Purchase and carry reusable water bottles made of steel or BPA-free Tritan plastic to take your water and refill it from a water filter.

 

Stick to the path

Hiking, trekking, and camping are favorite kinds of travel for nature lovers. When going on this kind of adventure trip, it's best to stay on the marked trails to protect any endangered plants. When you go off-trail, it might encourage others to follow you. It will create many trails and destroy natural wildlife. One important rule to stick to while hiking or trekking is that there should be no trace of you being there. Also, while setting up your campsite, use a sustainable surface like a flat surface or a flat rock. Do not disturb the animal zone, as it is their home that we are exploring.

 

Conclusion

The above tips are seven essential points to keep in mind for an eco-friendly trip. Contribute positively to the environment by taking small eco-conscious steps. Other than the above tips, steps like taking a train instead of a flight, hanging a “Do Not Disturb” sign outside your hotel room, also are great carbon bargains. By attaching the 'Do Not Disturb' sign, you are saving the electricity required to vacuum, clean bathroom, and washing linens. By choosing not to clean your room, you also prevent the use of harsh chemicals. Traveling with a small group size also puts a lesser burden on the environment. Also, while traveling, you get a tour guide for exploring various places. While leaving, you can leave them a review on what you like and what changes you would like to see.

Written by Rebecca Siggers

 

 

About the Author

Rebecca Siggers has been closely studying the travel industry trends from quite some time. Intrigued by the booming growth of this sector, she takes interest in penning down her views providing quality insight on current travel trends and also likes to write about food and beverages, particularly wine.

 

 

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