It’s that time of the year when you’re thinking about going on a holiday but this time you want to travel with your eco-friendly hat on – well, you’re in the right place as we have rounded up some green traveling tips that will get you prepared for a fun eco-conscious trip.
Why Is It Important To Travel Sustainably?
To ensure we reduce the damage caused to the Earth’s atmosphere, it is crucial to implement green practices. As CO2 emissions continue to increase, we must look at ways to reduce our impact.
By minimising our collective CO2 footprint, we will be one step closer to repairing the amount of damage already done to the ozone layer.
Making more eco-friendly decisions when going on holiday or travelling is a key step in the right direction to help with this.
6 eco friendly traveling tips
Let’s get to it, below are some key ways you can minimise your impact on the environment whilst you’re on holiday or travelling.
Eco-proof your own home before you leave
Before you leave, it’s a great idea to do a check around your home to see what eco-conscious steps you could take.
Switch off any running appliances, check the heating and radiators are off and make sure plugs aren’t plugged in – many people don’t realise that they still use electricity when plugged in the wall but switched off at the socket!
You’ll thank yourself when you come back from holiday with a lower electricity bill after all.
Research eco friendly hotels
More and more eco hotels are popping up, which means more opportunities to stay in one! Many hotels operate in-house eco friendly policies which encourage guests to recycle, use sustainable toiletries, and much more.
The Hotel Journal have put together this useful list: The world’s most sustainable hotels
You can also choose to make your hotel stay greener by ensuring you switch lights off and plug sockets when you leave the room or they are not in use.
Travel to an eco friendly destination
When choosing your next holiday destination, think about whether or not it’s a green area in itself. And, by green, we don’t mean a place surrounded by lush green hills, though that would be nice.
Carry out a bit of research about the city or country and the eco-friendly practices and policies in place (or lack of!). We recommend choosing a destination that celebrates a green lifestyle – this is a helpful guide written by The Times: 12 sustainable destinations doing good for the planet
Choose green transportation
Ideally you’d travel to a destination that doesn’t require long plane journeys, as they are heavy CO2 polluters. But we appreciate it’s not always possible or desirable for your lifestyle – but do try an minimise the frequency of your plane journeys.
Is there a way you can travel via train instead of an airplane? Trains are far more environmentally friendly than other modes of land transport and can even be more economical if booking far in advanced. For those that live in Europe, traveling by train is very feasible.
If you can’t, think about the ways you can reduce your environmental impact when on holiday e.g. choose to hire bicycles and travel on foot wherever possible.
Read more: Eco Friendly Travel Products: from bags to razors
Enjoy eco-friendly activities
There are so many planet-friendly leisure activities that you can enjoy when on holiday. From snorkeling to hiking, mountain biking, paddle boarding, or going for a walk whilst plastic pollution litter-picking – the list goes on and on.
When planning your activities, don’t forget to pack essential items like sustainable water bottles, a packed lunch (with reusable cutlery!) and most of all, enjoy the nature around you. Ditch those expensive bus tours and make your own eco-friendly fun instead!
Pack lightly and consciously
There are many things that you can bring on holiday with you that are in line with an eco-conscious mindset. One thing many of us do when in a hot climate is buying bottles of water. Consider bringing a stainless steel bottle in your luggage to refill yourself when needed to reduce plastic waste. If you need to pack any sorts of wipes, including baby wipes, there are lots of biodegradable options available.
Many people are guilty of overpacking, but by packing lightly, you’ll burn fewer resources transporting your items. Ultimately, only bring the essentials with you.
Read more: Best natural eco friendly deodorants that smell great
A Final Note On Green Traveling
We hope the tips above have you ready for tackling your next holiday with an eco-friendly attitude. As you’ve come to see, there are many ways in which you can make positive changes to your traveling habits.
Every action really does count, and the more of us that make an effort will result in a healthier planet earth for future generations and your own generation too.
If you have any eco friendly travel ideas, or a sustainably made, environmentally friendly product that you would like us to feature on the site, email us with your details: hello@ecofriendlychange.com
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