By 20 Easy Sustainable Travel Tips
Are you someone who loves nature and wants to explore it without harming the Earth? Then you are in the right place. The travel sector accounts for 8% of global carbon emissions, says a study by Nature. Emissions need to reduce and experts say that carbon offsetting will have to increase to help compensate. These 20 easy sustainable travel tips will help you to do your part.
No, I am not here to tell you to quit traveling but to discuses a few easy steps that all of us can take during our travel. But before that, we need to understand what carbon footprints are.
What is Carbon Footprints?
To understand carbon footprints, let me give you an example first. Imagine Kumar lives in a village somewhere up in the mountain or somewhere in the planes of the Ganges. His house is being made by woods, mud, and straw. He cooks his food using woods collected from his surroundings. Use his ox to plow the field to produce all the foods that he and his animals need. Now tell me, would he be adding extra carbon dioxide to the environment? The answer is NO. Everything he has used is part of the natural carbon cycle. The carbon dioxide is captured during photosynthesis and again released by Kumar or his animals. Here Kumar will have a Carbon Footprint of “0”.
Your carbon footprints will be measured by the amount of extra carbon dioxide your lifestyle adds to the atmosphere. It could be due to the use of fossil fuel, cutting trees, etc. Hope this will give you an idea about what carbon footprints mean. I am sure if you understand the impact of the carbon footprints and implement these easy sustainable travel tips then we can definitely impact the environment.
If you want to measure your own carbon footprints then you can use any tools to calculate your own carbon footprints.
Footprint by WWF
https://footprint.wwf.org.uk/#/
Now let’s focus on sustainable travel.
What is Sustainable Travel?
Like me, I am sure you are also hearing about ecotourism, green travel, or sustainable travel among all the stakeholders of the travel and tourism industry and even among the travellers. But what is the difference between all of these and which one is to follow? We need to follow all of these. Don’t worry it is not that difficult. Sustainable Travel is traveling long-term without harming the natural and cultural resources, help the local community, and reducing your carbon footprints at the same time.
“Sustainable tourism development requires the informed participation of all relevant stakeholders, as well as strong political leadership to ensure wide participation and consensus building. Achieving sustainable tourism is a continuous process and it requires constant monitoring of impacts, introducing the necessary preventive and/or corrective measures whenever necessary.
Sustainable tourism should also maintain a high level of tourist satisfaction and ensure a meaningful experience to the tourists, raising their awareness about sustainability issues and promoting sustainable tourism practices amongst them.”
– World Tourism Organization, 2004 (now known as the UNWTO)
I am sure you are thinking of a complex process but believe me, it’s not that difficult. As the UNWTO says we all have to play our role. Let’s have a look at some of the easy steps that we can take towards sustainable travel. I am sure these easy sustainable travel tips will help you to become a responsible tourist.
Things we can do to ensure Sustainable Travel:
Make Informed Travel Decision
The first easy sustainable travel tips is knowing what you are going to do. Whenever we are going to take a step towards changing anything, it becomes very important to understand the reason and solution for it. While traveling if you understand the impact of your travel then I am sure you will be able to take the necessary steps to reduce our carbon footprints.
Your carbon footprints depend on the mode of transportation you chose, the kind of water bottle you are caring, or if you are throwing plastics. Plan your travel keeping these in mind.
Pack Light & Pack Smart
After making a sustainable travel plan it is the time for packing for your dream trip. Always remember to carry only the necessary items and avoid the items you are not very sure about. It will be easier for you to carry your own baggage and save money on extra baggage fees.
Remember you can always wash clothes during your travel and reuse them multiple times. You can choose items that can be hand-washed. Remember carrying light and smart will give you more flexibility.
Use of Plastic
Another major contributor to greenhouse gases is the plastic wastes. Plastic items take up to 1000 years to decompose. Also, the plastic bags we use in our everyday life take around 20 years to decompose. I also harm the environment during its manufacturing. And this is one of the most important tips for the list of easy sustainable travel tips.
Don’t take free plastic bags that come with most of the food or products. Also, carry your own reusable cotton bags to your travel. Bring back your plastic waste from your travel or trekking adventure. Avoid using the free toiletries in the hotel or resorts; carry your own travel-sized toiletries. Be an eco-friendly traveler and get rid of plastic straws, the straws are detrimental to the environment. Instead, use your own Bamboo or Metal Straw, you can find them online.
Reducing plastic waste is one of the most important sustainable travel steps.
- Carry your own Water Bottle
As I was mentioning earlier plastic is the most harmful elements in terms of Green House Gasses.
And the biggest contributor is Single Used Plastic Bottles. Let me give you an example. I am sure that we all love to explore the beautiful valleys of Ladakh. But do you know, only around one and a half kilometre from the Leh city you can witness a unique kind of mountain. A mountain made out of plastic bottles. More than TWO Lakh tourists visit Ladakh every year. And there is an estimated Thirty Thousand plastic bottles are getting dumped every summer. The plastic flies in whichever direction the wind takes it, damaging the same majestic mountain we all love.
So, how we can reduce this?
Next time whenever you are on a trip, make sure you carry your own water bottle. You can get yourself a stainless steel or a copper bottle and just refill it when you find a clean water source.
You can also get a Filter fitted water bottle for yourself. It will give you the freedom to collect drinking water without worrying about getting sick.
Chose Train, Bus or Ships over Flight
It is also very important and easy to reduce your carbon footprint only by choosing the right kind of transportation. If you have the option to travel via bus, train or ships then please chose them over flight. They have less negative environmental impact than flying.
And believe me it will open up a whole new world in front of you. You will meet new people, make stories and actually understand the core idea behind traveling.
If you are happens to be in a country like India, then a ride on the Indian Railways will be an experience to remember.
Use Public Transport
Next comes the small distance transports during the travel. Use public transport her then hopping in a cab. If you are travelling in a city then try to use metro rails of trams, they will be your new best friend in the city. Using public transport is one of the most affective step in this list of easy sustainable travel tips.
Don’t Print Your Boarding Pass, Hotel Reservations, etc.
In this fast changing digital world, it’s easy to download your maps, plan, train or bus boarding passes or your hotel booking challan on your mobile phone. This will help you to reduce your carbon footprints by saving hell lot of papers.
Walk or use Cycle whenever possible
One of the most favourite sustainable options for me is cycling. I think that’s because I grew up in a small town where I use to cycle everywhere. It is not only good for environment or save your hard earned money but it is also very good for your health.
You can hire cycles from local agencies or if you are in a big city then you can get app based cycle hiring services; like SmartBike in Delhi or PEDL in Kolkata.
Walking around the local places will give you opportunity to explore local hidden places. I strongly feel if you want to know a place then walking is the best way to do that.
And if you are a solo traveler then walking or cycling could give you an experience that you will remember for a long time.
Opt for Sustainable Hotels/Resorts
Before booking your hotels or resorts ask questions about the properties sustainability initiatives. Try to understand if they are using solar energy, rainwater harvesting, energy efficient lighting or any such measures towards lowering the carbon footprints. It is a practice which doesn’t eat on your pocket as a guest.
Chose Hostel/Homestay over Hotels
If you are traveling to a remote destination or a small village then you can ensure sustainable traveling by staying in a homestay. Staying in homestays will help the local people and also help you to understand the local way of living.
Now a day’s hostel is becoming another favourite along the backpackers or solo travellers, It not only save money but you end up meeting new people from other end of the world. You share resources with a group of people and making a huge impact for the environment.
Zostel is one of the most popular hostel chains in India.
Chose Camping or Glamping
I know like me you all like camping too. Yes, it not only saves money and but the experience of living in the nature comes free with it. But what is Glamping? It’s a new buzz word in mass use since 2010. It is ‘Glamorous+Camping=Glamping’. As par Google,‘glamping is a form of camping involving accommodation and facilities more luxurious than those associated with traditional camping.’
Whether you chose camps or glams you are not only saves the environment but you will also get an authentic raw experience of a place. However, it is really important to leave the campsite as you found it. You should carry the wastes you created during your camp and reducing your carbon footprints.
Take Showers not Bath
Water is another precious resource for all the living beings. And we all know the importance of it as we say ‘water is life’ and it is limited. Let’s take the example of Ladakh again. Ladakh is facing one of the histories worst water crisis. As per a study by the Ladakh Ecological Development Group, an NGO based out of Karzoo; an average Ladakhi uses 21 Liters of water per day during the summer and 10-12 Liters of water during winter, while a tourist needs as much as 75 Liters. This is affecting the sustainability of the eco-system of the place.
I know when we are traveling it may be tempting to have a lovely long bath. However, long baths use up to 100-150 liters of water, while showers use just 30 liters. So chose your option wisely. And to be an environment friendly traveler, take shorter showers too.
Always Turn Off the Electrical Equipments
When you are not in side your room, you are not using any of the electrical equipment so why you keep them on? Switch off all the Electrical Equipment while you are going out. This way you will save a lot of fossil fuels and hence your carbon footprints. Let’s move to the next tip of this 20 easy sustainable travel tips.
Eat Local Produce and Cook In Your Accommodation
Try to skip the big restaurants next time. Instead try to get a kitchen at your disposal and make your own food. I know if this feels a bit more, then try the local street market, farmer’s market or small food shacks. And if you want to give yourself a treat try to look for local independent restaurants that uses locally sourced ingredients.
Always Throw Your Garbage in the correctly labeled Dustbin
I was travelling to a newly discovered small village deep inside the Kalimpong region called Sillery Gaon. It is a new hot destination for the tourists who likes to spend some quiet time in peace. After a journey through a bumpy roads when I reached there, what I saw is only a handful ‘tourists’ are making the small village into a garbage dump, destroying the beauty of the place and the main reason why they are all there.
So, one of the best ways towards sustainable travel is to take responsibility of your own waste. The easiest way to ensure you throw the wastes in a proper dustbin. And if you are trekking or visiting any remote place then store the waste in the pocket or use one of the pockets of your backpack and then throw it later at a later time when you get a dustbin.
When I travel in India, I see countless people throwing waste form trains, buses and even while walking. And that is really annoying. It is not a difficult this to carry the wastes and throw them in a designated dustbin.
Do Not Engage in Animal Tourism
Please avoid animal tourism in any cost. It is not only nasty but unethical too. Don’t take any tour packages that includes hands on encounters with wild animals, unless you are 100% sure that it is ethical. It could be a simple encounter with tigers or elephants to the use of high-end civet cat coffee. Remember that if you indulge in animal tourism, then actually you are supporting an industry that abuses millions of animals every year.
Invest in Eco-Friendly Travel Products
One of the easiest way to start living a low-carbon footprint lie is to make switch from using unsustainable products to sustainable products. Chose products that are sustainable and not only treat yourself but treat the planet. The list could include bamboo toothbrush to bamboo fiber cloths, eco-friendly detergents, organic shopping bags etc. The list can go as long as you want. But before making that list, we need to change our thought process.
Return Maps, Brochures, And other Tourist Info Once You’re Finished With Them
When you are traveling to a new country or to an exploring a new trekking route, we collect travel information or maps from the information desks. Returning all this information guides and maps either to the information desks or to your hotel, they may be reused by future travellers. This saves paper and the trees.
Try to download the maps on your phone, it will help you to see the map even when you don’t have internet.
Respect local traditions
In order to became a sustainable traveler you also have to think about how you treat the environment. It is all about treating the local people and their customs well too. Do an in depth research about the place before you are traveling to a new destination. This will help you to know the local traditions.
Avoid Places Suffering from Overtourism
I know it seems very intriguing when you see your friends are traveling to a certain place and posting that iconic photo on the social media. Most of the travellers don’t think twice about the impact of their next trip on the local community. However, there are many destinations struggling from over tourism. You will see narrow roads becoming jammed with tourist vehicles, and wildlife being scared away. So, next time you want to travel, think twice.
So, that’s the 20 easy sustainable travel tips that will hep you to reduce your carbon footprint significantly and help you to be a sustainable traveller. Share your own sustainable travel tips with the community here.
BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD.
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