Your guide to sustainable travel

The previous post was all about the definition and principles of sustainable travel, but what does that mean in practical terms? How can we enjoy the natural beauty of this planet and experience other cultures in a sustainable and respectful way? I have listed some of the most useful tips, but if you feel like something is missing, please feel free to share in the comments!

1. Cut back on single-use plastics. You can do this by bringing your own reusable items, such as a grocery bag, utensils, straws (please remember to tell staff that you don’t want a straw, otherwise you will get one automatically; this has happened to me a lot of times), food containers, coffee mug and water bottle. You can use the food containers to bring your own snacks so you won’t have to buy any in plastic packaging and you can use them if you want to get some food on the go. Also, bring your own shampoo, conditioner and soap bar so you won’t have to buy any in a plastic bottle or use the ones at the hotel.

2. Refuse. By refusing items that are offered to you, you can avoid using a lot of plastics, such as snacks and free ear phones on the plane, free water bottles in the hotel, little toys/candies for kids at restaurants etc.

3. Drink water from the tap. In many countries it is perfectly safe to drink tap water. In case it is not, bring a Steripen or a self-purifying water bottle to purify your water (Larq, Lifestraw, Grayl and Mahaton to name a few).

4. Support the local economy. Help benefit the local communities you travel to by eating and shopping locally, staying in local accommodation (Airbnb or a locally owned hotel, or better yet, go camping or glamping), traveling with local transport providers (if safe of course) and choosing local/eco-friendly tour operators. Another plus of staying at short-term rentals is that they normally come with a kitchen, so you can shop at your local grocery store or market and make some home cooked meals. If you do go out to eat, look for restaurants that serve meals with locally sourced ingredients. This means that all-in resorts are a big no-no. They are owned by big chains and because guests get everything at the resort, they don´t venture out to spend money locally. Furthermore, because most of the meals are served as buffet, a lot of food tends to be thrown out (see point 10).

5. Reduce your footprint while staying at a hotel. You can do this by doing a couple of simple things, such as:

• hang up your towels as a sign that they don’t need to be washed

• leave the ‘do not disturb’ sign on the hotel door to reduce unnecessary washing of linen, vacuuming and the use of other chemicals for cleaning

• don’t use the small plastic bottles and other toiletries hotels offer, but instead use your own (see point 1). If you do use them, bring them with you for further use, otherwise they will be thrown away.

• turn off the lights and AC/fan/heat/tv when you leave the room

6. Think about your transportation. For short distances, try to use a bicycle or walk and avoid using taxis. For longer distances try to use the bus or train, since flying produces the most amount of carbon per passenger. If you do fly, try one (or more) of these tips:

• go non-stop since a direct flight is always more fuel efficient.

• don’t go in business or first class.

• reduce your carbon footprint by paying for the carbon offset program of your airline. These programs give passengers the option to invest in carbon reduction projects to help neutralize or reduce their carbon footprint caused by travel. Otherwise, you can also offset your carbon footprint with one of these programs: Carbon Alt Delete (you can offset not only your traveling but everything for a whole year), Atmosfair, CarboTax.org, Carbonfund.org Foundation, TerraPass, and Native Energy.

7. Check sustainability certifications. If you want to stay in an environmentally and socially responsible establishment, look for certified accommodation providers. Ask for their green certification and check whether that certifier has been approved by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). If they are not certified (because in some countries this doesn’t exist), ask them questions on sustainability policies they might have. The GSTC provides a set of minimum requirements that a tourism business must meet to be approved. Some of these are:

• protecting and sustaining natural and cultural resources

• maximizing social and economic benefits for the local community

• encouraging cultural heritage (for the full list, check here)

8. Honor local customs

Be respectful of the culture that you are visiting. Do some research so you know how to behave and speak at your destination to not offend anyone. Ask for permission before taking any photos and learn some important words in the local language.

9. Stay longer at each destination

If you are planning on traveling around, consider staying a little longer at each destination and cutting out one or two destinations. This way you can save on travel emissions (and costs) and on your cleaning footprint of the places you are staying at.

10. Check what you put on your plate

This is actually a good one not only for traveling but also for at home. Thinking more about what you eat doesn’t only include locally sourced food, but also the type of food. Consume less meat or forgo it all together. Raising livestock has a huge impact on the environment so by not eating meat you immediately reduce your carbon footprint. Plus you can avoid getting some foodborne illnesses. Also only order at restaurants what you will finish and buy at shops what you will consume to lower the amount of food wasted.

11. Be aware when it comes to wildlife/animals

People love to have encounters with (wild) animals, but many fail to realize that most of these animals live in terrible conditions. Avoid riding elephants, walking with lions or visiting tiger enclosures, swimming with dolphins, going to animal shows and taking pictures with them. If you engage in animal tourism, you are supporting an industry that illegally captures and abuses millions of animals every single year. Also, don´t buys any souvenirs made of animals.

12. Go digital

Many tourist attractions have digital versions of maps and tourist info. Download them on your phone or iPad so you have them when you need them (even when not on wifi). If you forgot or it is not possible and you end up using hard copy versions, return them after your visit so other tourists can use them again. Also, don’t print any reservations and boarding passes but get them digital. This will save a lot of single-use paper.

13. Leave any place a little bit cleaner then you found it

Pick up some trash when you see it whether that be on the beach or in the street and throw it in the bin. If we all do it, it has a major impact.

14. Avoid going on a cruise

Cruise vacations are one of the worst when it comes to environmental impact. The ships use tons of fuel and often discard their waste in the water. Furthermore, when they dock they barely support local economies.

15. Don´t give money or gifts to children

Even though it seems like you are doing a good deed, giving to local children stimulates a begging economy. If you want to donate, get in touch with a tour operator or local NGO to make sure your money and gifts end up in the right hands.

Everyone can do their part in creating a more sustainable world today. That is why 8 Billion Trees put together a carbon footprint calculator for people who are interested in understanding more about their personal impact...and what they can do about it. Check it out here and find out how you can be part of the change.