Who would want to miss the opportunity to travel and go for holidays exploring new places, cultures, people, and the wonderful world we are living in, right now? It’s just something that everybody wants once in a while from their repeated life culture to get the needed refreshment or break to restart back in their usual schedule and that actually helps to become more productive and cheerful in both personal and official levels. Enhancing this idea you can become a sustainable traveler by just following a few simple steps that could actually make your trip meaningful and sustainable.
What do you mean by sustainable traveler?
A traveler who is mindful of his choices and decisions so that he intentionally protects himself from having negative carbon impacts on the environment such as, by reducing his carbon footprint, using reusable traveling items, carrying his own stainless steel straws to water bottles, taking alternatives for more eco-friendly tours like hiking, walking, riding bicycles, kayaking etc. Being a sustainable traveler not only means being aware of the environment and nature but also means respecting and accepting new cultures and customs of different places and countries so that it would be easier to align and accommodate yourself in that environment without giving extra unwanted load to the resources
According to the UNWTO, Sustainable Travel is defined as ‘Travel that fully considers its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities.’
Why is it important to promote sustainable travel?
Sustainable tourism creates space for the natural environment and the wildlife living in it without interfering with the ecosystem thereby protecting biodiversity. It also promotes economic upliftment in the local community development and the culture sustainably. It also creates a good understanding of the diverse cultures and traditions of the different communities in the world.
Here, I have written about 15 easy tips to become a sustainable traveler and I hope it will be useful for you.
15 EASY TIPS TO BECOME A SUSTAINABLE TRAVELER
1. Pack lightly and reduce your carbon footprint
One of the simplest ways to be sustainable while travelling is to pack less that not only saves your extra money but also saves fuel during flight. Your every extra kilo of baggage consumes more energy and fuel unnecessarily. You can book a flight that is more eco-friendly in structures and avoid connecting flights to reduce your carbon footprint.
While exploring new places you should be mindful enough to not harm the environment negatively. Instead, there are multiple choices to regulate your good intentions like cycling, hiking, walking, kayaking, etc. that not only help the environment but also reward you with the natural experience and good health.
2. Respect wildlife and animals
Whenever you are traveling to the natural forest areas or the protected reserved areas, you should respect the serenity and peace of the wildlife and the animals.
It would be best if you avoid tourism that involves animals against their will to entertain you as well as these are mostly illegal practices that exploit and harm wildlife and animals severely.
Tourist places that offer animal riding and snaps with caged or drugged animals should be avoided by each individual to stop the cruelty towards wild animals.
3. Respect the cultures and traditions of different community
People travel all around the world to experience new places, cultures, foods, etc. of the different communities. The diverse traditions and tribes bring out the most colorful experiences with their local eco-friendly ways of living. You should support the local businesses there and indulge yourself in their local green lifestyle till your stay there, that way you reduce your footprint even more.
4. Plan sustainable tourism
Always try to avoid your journey to places that are overcrowded with tourists so that you become mindful of the unsustainable tourism that exploits natural resources and hampers the environment negatively.
Try booking tickets from eco-friendly agents or tourist sites like bookdifferent.com and companies like Lokal also help you book your trip in more sustainable and eco-friendly ways. Nowadays sustainable tourism is popular and invites eco-friendly activities with the local tourist guide that helps to build the economy of the local community.
5. Be mindful of your waste
Wherever you go travel, you should most importantly be aware and mindful of your waste. These simple hacks to go sustainable include carrying your own stainless steel or bamboo water bottle so that you don’t end up trashing plastic water bottles everywhere, carrying reusable shopping bags, using packing cubes instead of plastic bags, refilling your shampoo bottle before the trip, using washable towels, etc.
There are even more choices to be sustainable on our trip anywhere which leads to a healthy environment and saves natural resources from exhaustion.
6. Use energy sustainably
When it comes to saving energy consumption, you can just simply start by turning the lights or fan off when not in use. You need to be careful using energy as it is directly linked with natural resources. Electronic items to gadgets should be in proper check so that it’s not consume more than they take. During your tour be mindful of your energy consumption and just avoid ideas related to energy that are unnecessary.
7. Save water wherever possible
We cannot deny the fact that water is the milk that provides life to all the living creations on earth by Mother Nature. Therefore, saving water is your utmost responsibility. In tours or vacations, you should save water whenever possible in your hotels or BNBs while doing brush to showers and washing clothes to laundry be mindful and carry your own alternatives.
8. Add more veggies to your meals
You should check into more vegetarian restaurants or meals with more vegetable approaches or even vegan food that helps you reduce your carbon footprint from the meat industry and your health is rewarded.
Exploring new cuisines is very exciting and interesting. If possible do with your green approach so that you don’t miss a thing.
9. Book eco-friendly hotels/home-stays
Always do research while booking your sustainable and eco-friendly hotels or homestays that provide you with a simple natural sustainable stay that creates no negative impact on the environment.
Hotel industries with big hotel chains are not now fully prepared for a sustainable way of welcoming guests or tourists, so it’s better if you can possibly stay out of their boundaries.
10. Carry your own steel or bamboo straws
You know that plastic straws cause the deadliest pollution in the ocean as reported. You can avoid that from your end by just being a little mindful of using steel stainless straws, bamboo straws, or even disposable straws. The best way to avoid this particular problem is by carrying your own sustainable straw whenever the tour is on.
This idea might seem little to do but trust me it can result in the most sustainable form by doing it individually and will surely inspire others.
11. Use simple sustainable transport
Whenever you plan to visit new places whether it be a city, countryside or any mountain region, you should try walking, hiking short distances or even riding a bicycle where possible that way you could achieve your true experience of that environment and also will benefit you both mentally and physically.
We are all humans, we need natural and real-life experiences to unlock the mystery of life.
12. Avoid buying plastic souvenirs
One way you can act responsibly towards the natural environment while traveling is by avoiding buying any plastic items that are sold there. Your simple thoughtful actions might inspire others better trends to follow.
Instead, look for naturally made items that are sustainable, and that way you will serve the economy of that local community.
13. Support the local sustainable business
It is very important to respect and support the local communities and their cultures. Buying their local hand-made items to welcome their food and culture while staying can greatly support their local businesses to grow and sustain life.
This brings a strong sense of satisfaction that we are contributing towards sustainable tourism through our mindful actions.
14. Never forget to Research
As it quotes ‘Prevention is better than cure’. You can follow this rule before starting your travel. You should google and research your destinations beforehand so that you can know the environmental situation there and prepare yourself accordingly and by that you can prevent your actions that contribute to the environmental degradation of that particular destinatInspire others to become a Green traveler.
15. Inspire others to become a Green traveler
When it comes to convincing others, you know that actions speak louder than words, and that clearly explains everything. The only way to inspire others to become sustainable travelers/ Green travelers is by becoming a very good example of a Green traveler.
Green travelers research and take mindful actions so that they would least affect negatively and support the environment positively.
These are only a few simple ideas to become a Green traveler or Sustainable traveler and I hope this will help you reflect on your actions before or while on vacations anywhere around the world. I know there are many other ideas and I will be very humbled to receive your thoughts and ideas.
