Ever heard of sustainable tourism? Although there is no standardized definition of this term, you could describe it as the aim to correct or negate the negative effects of traveling from an ecological and socio-cultural perspective.
In other words: Traveling in an environmentally friendly way so that a country’s nature and culture are protected.
Since the existence of our beautiful planet is finite, this is a concerning topic, which is why sustainable tourism is not just a trend but a solution oriented way of traveling in general. And I will show you how you can be part of this green travel lifestyle.
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Traveling eco-friendly – is it really possible?
Good question. One thing you should always keep in mind when traveling are the CO2 emissions caused by your touristic activities. Even though it is certainly not easy to find ways and tips on how to travel abroad eco-friendly, there are a few measures you can easily take to save our planet and still keep exploring it.
And the best part about it is that it usually provides you with unique experiences and sometimes even saves you some money. So keep on reading to find out what is the most eco friendly way to travel.
#1 Alternative means of transport
The most obvious tip on how to travel more eco-friendly is avoiding planes. For shorter trips there are several ways of moving around, other than airplanes. Especially in Europe you have a wide variety of options, when it comes to traveling without airplanes.
Did you know that in Europe, around 57% of railway networks are electrified? While in Switzerland 100% of their network is electrified, in other countries like Austria or Germany at least the most important commercially used routes for passengers are electrified.
There are even routes that are recommended to do by train because of their scenic views, such as the Trans-Siberian Railway connecting Europe and Asia, the Bernina Express in Switzerland or the Vietage in Vietnam.
For countries with a less dense railway network there is also the option of traveling by bus. Flixbus is probably the most known company that offers routes for a very affordable price all over Europe, North America, Brazil and Chile.
Since buses are still one of the most important means of public transportation in many countries, you will most certainly find local transportation companies providing you with a lot of national and international routes for bus travel in other countries and continents.
Given the fact that you can’t just travel overseas by bus or train (except for the Channel between France and the UK) there isn’t always a way to 100% avoid airplanes.
However, eco-friendly air travel is somewhat possible if you compensate for the CO2 emissions of your flight. There are fees that you can pay with every flight to offset. Offsetting means that the same amount of CO2 is saved elsewhere, usually through climate projects. So basically you are donating money to the respective providers of climate projects, which save carbon dioxide.
One more note on means of transportation. Please ban cruise ships from your options of moving across continents. Cruise ships are still mainly powered by heavy fuel oil, which makes it extremely unsustainable.
In fact, heavy fuel oil, which is highly harmful to the environment and health, is banned on land,but unfortunately not at sea.If you want to travel responsibly, cruises should not be on your travel wish list anymore.
#2 Travel off-season
Overtourism, also known as mass tourism, is a term for completely overrun destinations, which is largely triggered by a hype about a holiday destination. Affected spots you might know include Venice, Barcelona, Santorini, the island of Koh Phi Phi or the island of Boracay.
The mass of people places a heavy burden on the environment. This happens, because all these destinations are simply not made to accommodate so many people at once. Not only is there a lack of infrastructure, a lot of people also leave a lot of trash. Which can be a problem if local authorities are not prepared to manage it properly.
One way to travel more eco-friendly is to visit certain destinations during the low season. You will not only be able to see sights in a less crowded environment but also will most likely be treated better by locals and pay less for your accommodation. So this option is a win for everybody.
#3 Have the right travel gear
Having the right travel gear is fundamental for saving our planet while exploring it. To avoid plastic and especially single-use plastic you could bring your own reusable water bottle, tea cup, bamboo or steel straw, cutlery and so on.
Another way of being more environmentally conscious is by using sustainable materials in your everyday utilities. In case you were wondering what to look for in eco-friendly travel clothing, here are some materials:
- Lyocell (known as tencel) is a spun natural fibre made from the pulp of sustainably grown beech and eucalyptus trees.
- Econyl is a recycled nylon fabric made of synthetic waste from ocean plastic, abandoned fishing nets, and waste fabric.
- Certified organic cotton or recycled cotton is usually easier to get.
- When mechanically-processed, fabrics made of hemp or bamboo such as bamboo linen are a good option.
#4 Pack lightweight
The next one of our tips for eco-friendly travel sounds very logical, yet so many people forget about it. Pack as lightly as possible because less weight also means less CO2 emissions since less fuel is necessary to move your stuff.
It really is as simple as that. In order to avoid overpacking and only taking necessary goods with you, you should plan your trip as much as possible and make a list of things you will need during your trip.
Also try to pack smart, so you can combine as many items into different outfits as possible. If you are planning on buying souvenirs or new stuff you might want to consider it as well. Just leave out a few items and therefore leave some space in your luggage, so you can bring all your souvenirs without any trouble.
#5 Sustainable accommodation
Another way to make traveling a little more eco-friendly is to choose sustainable, green accommodation. What this means is that you should be careful when choosing your hotel.
There are more and more hotels that have been awarded an environmental certificate. These pay attention to aspects such as waste separation, low energy consumption, preservation of biodiversity and the use of renewable energy and sustainable building materials when providing accommodation.
And if that’s not enough, there are even hotels that operate completely CO2 neutral. In addition, care is also taken to use organic products for catering and to offer regional and seasonal cuisine.
Usually you will find information on the accommodation’s support for several environmentally friendly projects on their website. If not, you can also just write an email, call or if you are already at your destination go and ask at the reception for further details.
#6 Eat locally and (if possible) cook your own food
The following tip doesn’t just apply for traveling more environmentally friendly but could be seen as a general advice for a more sustainable lifestyle.
Cooking your own food (I know, this isn’t always possible when traveling) and also going to local markets and buying regional produce is a simple and affordable way to take a little more care of our planet and society. Traveling eco-friendly also means to support local entrepreneurs. This is why you should always choose local food over any other.
Big restaurant chains are usually known for a terribly big carbon footprint, supporting mass meat production, exploiting animals and locals, destroying nature and never offering high quality food.
Therefore, you should always prefer going to local restaurants and cafes where people get paid a decent salary and regional produce is used to prepare the food and beverages. This is not only a unique experience, it also makes you get to know the culture more and help mother nature.
#7 Safe local resources
When you stay in a hotel or apartment in another country you shouldn’t waste ressources just because you are far from home. What I mean by that is to be respectful and not use more of the local resources than necessary.
Ask yourself:
- Is it really necessary to turn the lights on in every room of the apartment and not turn them off, even when you leave the house?
- Do you really need the air conditioning on at all times?
- Could you maybe do without taking very long showers or a bath every night?
- Do you actually need a fresh towel every single day?
- Is it necessary to open every single-use plastic container of shampoo and maybe not even use all of it?
Instead you could only turn on the lights of the room you are currently in and turn them off when leaving. You could also just turn on the air conditioning to cool off the place shortly before sleeping.
Instead of taking a bath you could just have a quick shower and for cleaning you could bring your own shampoo in a reusable container. If you did not bring your own towels you could let the service personnel know that you wish to use the same towels during your entire stay.
#8 Avoid all-inclusive and tourist traps
I know, all-inclusive sounds cool. Paying a rather small price for a seemingly big package including a lot of activities, food and beverages and promising a luxurious holiday.
I hate to break it to you but most of these deals are a scam and not at all environmentally friendly. So do yourself and our planet a favour and stay away from such package deals.
There are not just hotels that offer all-inclusive, there are also local companies that sell you typical tourist traps promising you that all expenses are included. Before booking tours like this make sure that they do not support condemnable practices such as elephant rides or pack mules for hikes.
Usually it is worth taking a second look at some offers and paying the higher rate to ensure fair pay, good conditions for all parties and high quality experiences.
#9 Take care of nature
As you can see there are several eco-friendly ways to travel. But no matter where you go and what you do you should always take care of mother nature. Especially trash can be a real problem when traveling.
But just because there are no trash cans near you doesn’t mean you can just drop your waste wherever you are. Be mindful of nature and collect waste products to dispose them properly.
In general, pay attention to local rules and regulations, follow them and respect the (indigenous) culture of the destination. Stay on paved paths, show gratitude and adapt to the situation as much as you can.
#10 Slow down and travel with conscious companies
The most eco-friendly way to travel is to take longer but fewer trips instead of doing many short weekend trips throughout the entire year. Slow down, take your time and enjoy one place at a time, rather than rushing from one city to another. This doesn’t just have a positive impact on the environment, it also helps you to slow down your routine and relieve stress. So it definitely is a win-win.
When booking your next vacation also be aware of the sustainability effort of the companies you travel with. Similar to what we mentioned above about the responsibility of accommodations to fulfill their part, this also applies to travel agencies.
Take TripLegend for example. This climate-neutral company offers sustainable travel which means that they offset the entire CO2 emissions of all trips, including flights. They also carefully select their partners, only work with locals and participate in a tree planting project in Africa.
These and other measures should be taken by all travel agents and are especially important when planning to travel eco-friendly.
