Sustainable Travel
I cannot deny my travels cause harm to the environment. The long-distance flights I’ve taken from the UK to Mexico, New Zealand, and Canada, are large contributors to carbon in the atmosphere. I have also had multiple short-distance flights, as well as many road trips in petrol-fuelled cars.
Clearly, my concerns haven’t been enough to stop me from travelling. What’s more, I’m here creating a website that may inspire others to travel. So, what am I doing?
Is sustainable travel possible?
Sustainable travel might sound contradictory, particularly if there is flying involved. But there are ways to ensure travelling is less impactful on the environment. And, for those of us who travel to see nature, there is added reason to be mindful of reducing our impact.
Almost everything we do has an impact on the environment – buying food, using electrical devices, buildings homes. It is inevitably of our existence. What we can do is minimise the pollution, waste, or damage. So, without wanting to sound like a hypocrite, or a virtue signaller (whatever that is), I’ll share tips on how to protect the environment as much as possible. As always, I would love to hear more ideas from you!
Extended trips
Travelling by foot, or by bike, are the most environmentally friendly ways to get around. The only problem is, if you want to see the world, it might take you awhile.
I think I offset trips to New Zealand, Australia, and Canada by going to live in those countries for approximately a year in each. Although the flights used a lot of energy, I utilised my extended stay to see as much as possible within those countries within one visit. If I had tried to see as much as I did in those countries on a series of one or two-week holidays, I would have totted up many more air miles than I did.
Modes of transport
So, if a working holiday is available to you, or you can travel for a few months, an extended trip is a great way to immerse yourself into a new destination, while reducing the total number of trips. It also means you can take more sustainable forms of transport. If you have a few weeks or months, you can take public transport – such as buses or trains – although they may be slower than flying, or driving, you are doing your bit to reduce your carbon footprint.
While I love road trips, I often use trains or buses at least part of the way. For example, on my road trip around Scotland, it made sense to take the train to Glasgow and hiring a car from there – it was a relaxing train ride before lengthy drives.
An organised bus tour can be restrictive if you prefer to go at your own pace, stopping when and as often as you like. But these tours offer a chance to meet other travellers and, quite likely, you’ll have a knowledgeable and interesting guide to show you around. Also, of course, sharing transport with a group is better for the planet than going it alone.
Eco-friendly activities and accommodation
Some accommodation providers and tour operators are environmentally conscious or actively working to help the environment. For example, in some countries, wildlife tourism compensates locals for allowing wildlife to live side by side with humans. That encourages biodiversity – one of the many important aspects to protecting the environment – and allows tourism to benefit the locals and nature.
Choose to stay at accommodation that prioritises sustainably over comfort and luxury. An all-inclusive hotel may offer to wash towels and change bedding everyday – is that needed? Even if you do stay in a place that offers that, you can ask them not to do so. If you stay at a guesthouse, often someone’s home, you can reduce energy consumption while immersing yourself into the local culture.
The little things
When on any type of trip, including a walk or hike, make sure you take whatever you bring back out again. If you can carry it there, you can carry it out. Leaving rubbish, plastic, cans, or other waste can damage the natural habitats and animals that exist within them. Be mindful to leave only footsteps.
Make sure you recycle. You might find it harder to recycle in certain parts of the world, where recycling is less common. If you can, keep hold of anything that can be recycled until you find a recycle station.
Refilling your own bottle with water, rather than buying plastic bottles, is an easy way to reduce plastics that are hard to recycle. Take water purification tablets if you are weary of the tap water. Likewise, if you are carrying your own bag, there’s no need to accumulate plastics bags from shops.
More information
There are other websites that can offer much more insightful and detailed information on this subject, if you want to learn more:
Every little preventative measure we take when travelling can help preserve, maintain, and even benefit our planet – helping keep those natural wonders protected for us all. Please do everything you can to reduce your impact – and please let me know if you think there is more I can add here!