Sustainable travel has gained significant traction over the years, transforming from somewhat of a trend to a mainstream movement that wouldn’t hurt for many of us to jump on board with. Amid the increasing awareness of environmental issues and the impacts of tourism on local communities, travelers worldwide are becoming more conscientious and looking for ways to explore the globe more responsibly. As our planet faces more environmental challenges, the importance and weight of traveling more sustainably have become more evident. Not only is it something crucial for travelers to consider, but it also allows us to make more thoughtful choices about our adventures around the world while still being able to satisfy our wanderlust. If you are wondering about how you can do your part – even if just a little – here are 15 ways to travel more sustainably:
1 – Choose Eco-Friendly Accommodations
Select accommodations that prioritize sustainably and where they do what they can do reduce their environmental footprint. Hotels or even vacation rentals have integrated energy-efficient systems with solar panels or smart thermostats which can minimize energy consumption and reliance on fossil fuels. Properties can also have waste reduction programs that include composting and recycling and efforts to minimize single-use plastics. By choosing eco-conscious accommodations, travelers can directly support environmentally-responsible efforts while enjoying a comfortable stay.
2 – Lessen The Amount Of Housekeeping Requests
Lessening the number of housekeeping requests by reusing your towels and lessening linen changes can also significantly contribute to traveling more sustainably by minimizing the amount of water and energy associated with daily cleaning as well as cleaning chemicals needed. This simple act can help travelers lessen their environmental impact while promoting resource conservation and environmental stewardship during their stay.
3 – Conserve Water
You can do your part in conserving water by taking shorter showers, turning off the tap when brushing your teeth, reusing towels, or choosing accommodations that prioritize water conservation where they are equipped with items such as low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets without compromising comfort for guests. By practicing mindful water usage, you can play a role in preserving this precious resource in many countries around the world.
4 – Embrace Slow Travel
Opting to stay longer at a destination and embracing slow travel to minimize the amount of travel that needs to be done while on your vacation is a part of sustainable travel. And as hard as it is, especially when you fly across the world and want to visit multiple locations to make it worth your while, extending the duration of your stay can help reduce your carbon footprint associated with the many short-haul flights or drives needed. Staying longer in one location allows you to explore a destination more thoroughly and to connect with the local culture more. Slow travel encourages appreciation and respect for the places we visit and helps you have a more meaningful travel experience as well. Here is The Ultimate Guide To Slow Travel to help you get started.
5 – Choose Responsible Tour Operators
When on vacation, choosing responsible tour operators who incorporate sustainable travel practices into their business ensures your touristic activities contribute positively to local economies and the environment. Through the effort of promoting ethical tourism practices, supporting the local people and businesses, and preserving the cultural heritage and environments, it creates a more responsible travel industry and helps you travel more sustainably too.
6 – Opt For Sustainable Activities And Excursions
When planning your travel activities, prioritizing sustainable excursions can help minimize carbon footprints and possibly even damage to the destination you’re visiting and allows you to immerse yourself in the location responsibly. Eco-friendly activities like hiking, birdwatching, snorkeling, and biking allow you to have minimal impact on the environment. In addition, participating in beach clean-ups and conservation projects lets you give back to the destinations you visit. Volunteering to protect natural habits and wildlife directly contributes to environmental preservation as well as helps the local communities in their own conservation efforts. Even visiting conservations and protected areas to educate yourself further and donate through a nominal entrance fee is an effort to travel more sustainably.
7 – Go Off The Beaten Path
There is such a thing as over-tourism where historical landmarks, beaches, and many other tourist hotspots are being overrun by hordes of visitors. While it’s tempting to go to the popular bucket list destinations that you can see all over social media, sometimes it’s even more rewarding to go off the beaten path and find hidden gems that less tourists know about. Although if you save all your time and money to finally be able to visit the destination of your dreams, I fully understand that you can’t not visit them – trust me, I feel the same way too because some places are still worth visiting in your lifetime! However, if it’s a must, you can also opt to visit during the low or shoulder seasons, early in the morning or near closing hours to avoid the crowds. On the other hand, don’t forget to do some extra research while you’re visiting so that you can also see other beautiful and unique places that people don’t talk about as often. You’ll find that you may enjoy the experience much more and have special memories in a place that’s less traveled.
8 – Choose An Environmentally-Friendly Form Of Transportation (aka Green Transportation)
I find that the best way to explore a destination is definitely on foot. This way, you can stop as often as you’d like and be able to visit random stores and boutiques or places that catch your attention and spend however long you’d like without worrying about parking or timing. Also, it’s super healthy for you and you can really get your steps in! When I’m traveling, I’m walking at least 20 to 30 thousand steps a day – so remember to bring good shoes! Here are the Types Of Shoes To Bring On Vacation.
If walking isn’t possible, you can opt for green transportation options such as biking, carpooling, taking public transportation like trains, buses, or even renting a hybrid or electric vehicle to minimize your carbon footprint, reduce emissions, and alleviate traffic congestion.
Additionally, when it comes to taking flights, you can choose airlines that prioritize sustainability through carbon-offsetting programs or fuel-efficient aircrafts to reduce the environmental impact of taking planes to travel more sustainably.
9 – Practice Leave No Trace Principles
A major way you can also travel more sustainably is by doing the minimal work needed to minimize your environmental impact. This includes following the Leave No Trace principles, meaning, whatever you bring in, you take out. This largely applies to parks where you can go hiking and a lot of locations actually don’t provide wastebins so you’ll need to take your own waste back out. Basically, enjoy the places you visit but respect the area and act as if you were never there to help with preservation and conservation. Also, practice staying on designated trails to keep the area protected and respect the wildlife habitats you enter.
10 – Support The Locals
One of the most impactful ways to travel sustainably is by supporting local communities at your destination. By considering locally-owned homestays and guesthouses and boutique hotels, or opting for local family-owned restaurants, independent stores and purchasing handmade souvenirs, donating to them, or hiring local guides, you can contribute to the economic growth and well-being of the community you’re visiting while supporting their livelihood. Your support can help continue their traditions and cultural practices that might otherwise be threatened by tourism or international businesses.
11 – Reduce Meat Consumption
By opting for plant-based meals or choosing vegetarian or vegan-friendly restaurants during your travels, you can help mitigate the environmental impact that it takes to produce meat and promote a more sustainable food system while even improving your health. Plant-based meals are rich in antioxidants, fiber, and have plenty of nutrients that can fuel you for your travels. Reducing the environmental impact of food production and being more conscious about the choices in your food consumption can help with sustainable travel. It’s also understandable if you love meat or need the protein and can’t cut out meat completely – and some famous cultural dishes have meat in them which means you’ll definitely need to try it for the experience – but you can try to make an effort to reduce meat consumption when possible!
12 – Pack Light And Avoid Checking Your Bags
Some people are pro-packers and only travel with carry-on luggage no matter the duration of their trip. I’m currently using the Béis Carry-On Roller (here’s $15 USD off your first purchase) and the only time I use checked luggage is when I’m going international for more than 2 weeks and know I’ll be purchasing a lot to bring back home. An upside of packing light and only using carry-on luggage is that you don’t need to wait at baggage claim, don’t need to worry about your luggage getting damaged, all your possessions are with you at all times, and you reduce the cost of having to pay for checked luggage. Another reason to pack light and minimize your luggage weight helps reduce fuel consumption during transportation and decrease your carbon footprint. Either way, you and the environment can be winning in this case!
13 – Bring A Reusable Travel Mug Or Tumbler
I like bringing a reusable travel mug or tumbler with me when I travel so that I can either refill my bottle or ensure that I can keep my water cold on a hot day, or even use it for a hot drink when needed. Bringing a better-quality water bottle also helps you avoid unnecessary plastics and it’s also nice to have your personal bottle to use along the way for familiarity. You can see which ones I use under Travel Hydration in Shop My Favorites – Travel. By packing a reusable mug or tumbler, you can also minimize single-use plastics which reduces plastic waste and environmental pollution. Some establishments also encourage sustainable practices so they offer discounts or refills for customers who bring their own bottle which ends up being a perk for you!
14 – Opt For Digital Maps
Most of us probably use digital maps or navigation apps in this day and age and it’s a great way to travel more sustainably as you can reduce paper waste by avoiding paper maps. Although I will admit that they can be a great souvenir if you purchase a high quality or unique one! But I’ve noticed in many destinations, hotels, parks, and other locations provide free paper maps and a lot of other pamphlets to take with you. While some are necessary to take especially if you go on a specific hiking trail, you can easily find other maps online. When I travel, I like downloading offline maps on Google Maps so that even if I don’t have a connection to the Internet, I can still get directions when I need them.
15 – Educate Yourself And Others
The best way to promote traveling more sustainably is through education. Learning about sustainable travel practices and sharing your knowledge with friends and family and fellow travelers can inspire positive change and promote responsible tourism worldwide. You can read books or learn more online and watch documentaries to expand your knowledge and stay informed about issues and trends in sustainable tourism. Starting the conversation with others can lead to minimizing environmental impact through the promotion of making eco-conscious choices. You can even play a vital role by putting these practices into play at home so that it becomes second nature when you’re traveling abroad.
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