Five ways to be a more a sustainable traveller
Step up your sustainability as a traveller with these top green travel tips
Off-set your carbon footprint
Every time you fly on a plane or stay in a hotel emissions are being generated. To compensate for your travel footprint, you can purchase carbon offset credits equivalent to the amount of emissions you were responsible for. These credits can be used to fund green projects such as building wind farms and planting trees.
Avoid single use plastics
Next time you’re on holiday avoid drinking water from plastic bottles. As hotels and tour operators become more environmentally conscious many hotels now offer water filters to allow you to re-fill your reusable bottles with safe drinking water. Also consider using a canvas tote bag for shopping and bring your own reusable utensils.
Go by train
Ditch the plane all together and opt for a more environmentally friendly mode of transport. Whether it’s taking advantage of Europe’s vast rail network or taking an Amtrak through north America, train travel is not only a carbon conscious alternative to jumping on a plane but can allow you to uncover lesser explored destinations.
Avoid spots suffering from over tourism
How about visiting Valencia instead of Barcelona or Bologna instead of Venice? With many of the world’s most visited hotspots suffering from over tourism, choosing where to go can help boost sustainable tourism. Stray away from the well-worn travel trails and you’ll uncover a much richer travelling experience while playing your part in the future of the planet.
Eco-Friendly Hotels
Hotels are one of the worst offenders for carbon emissions. You can play your part by researching a number of eco-friendly hotels to help minimise your carbon impact while travelling. Researching a hotel’s green credentials can also better inform your decision of where to stay. Even better, apps like Airbnb make it easier than ever to stay with locals and cut out the need for a hotel all together.
