Making responsible travel choices can help minimize the environmental impact of your travels. This guide outlines practical steps you can take to green your next adventure and leave a lighter footprint wherever you go.
Choosing Your Mode of Transportation
The first decision is how you will get to your destination. Different options have varying environmental footprints, so consider sustainability from the start.
Planes vs Trains vs Cars
While planes are the quickest way to distant lands, they are also the most carbon-intensive form of transportation. Trains and buses emit significantly less greenhouse gases per passenger mile traveled. If taking a domestic trip under 500 miles, traveling by train emits approximately 67% less carbon than flying and four times less than driving alone in a normal family car. Furthermore, high-speed electric trains can rival or beat air travel times for many medium-distance routes. So if a train option is reasonably convenient, that is generally the greenest choice for medium-distance domestic trips.
Sharing is Caring
Carpooling, vanpooling, riding public transit or bikes can dramatically reduce an individual’s emissions. Traveling alone in private vehicles is the worst option environmentally. So whenever possible, try to combine trips with others or use public transportation. Ridesharing apps can make finding carpool companions easy.
Go Electric If You Must Drive
If driving is unavoidable, choosing an electric vehicle lessens environmental harm compared to gas-guzzling options. EVs produce zero direct emissions and have a much smaller carbon footprint overall, even when accounting for electricity generation. For longer hauls with Hybrid SUVs or minivans, you’ll get better fuel economy by filling up with groups of travelers.
Pack Lightly and Travel Smart
Packing lightly and minimizing excess baggage reduces fuel use and emissions associated with transporting unnecessary weight. This also saves money on checked bag fees and makes your travels more comfortable. Here are some other sustainable packing tips:
Pack a Reusable Water Bottle
Instead of purchasing single-use plastic bottles each day, bring a durable water bottle you can refill. One less plastic bottle saved adds up.
Plan Your Outfits
Organize your clothes efficiently so you only need to bring pieces that can be mixed and matched for different occasions. Extra luggage means extra emissions.
Go Digital
Keep tickets, itineraries, guides and maps on your phone or tablet versus printing paper copies. Going paperless eliminates wasteful paper usage.
Reduce, Reuse, Repack
Try to reuse bags, cases and packing materials on future trips instead of constantly buying new ones. Repackaging items in space-saving layouts minimizes what you need to transport.
Choosing Eco-Friendly Accommodations
Where you sleep also impacts the planet. Opting for greener lodging choices leaves a lighter footprint. Some key attributes of sustainable accommodations include:
Eco-Certifications to Consider
Look for lodgings that have received recognized eco-labels like EarthCheck, Green Key or LEED certification. These indicate the property meets rigorous environmental standards.
Low-Carbon Power
Choose accommodations that use renewable energy sources like solar, wind or hydropower. This cuts emissions from hotel operations.
Water Conservation
Hotels with rainwater catchment, low-flow fixtures and linens/towel reuse programs lessen water consumption.
Waste Reduction
See if the property has programs to divert waste from landfills through composting, recycling and donating used materials. Sustainable properties minimize what they send to the dump.
Local and Seasonal Ingredients
Eat at accommodations emphasizing locally-sourced, in-season and organic menu items which support community economies and lessen the carbon footprint of food transport.
Access to Public Transit
Stay near public transportation stops so you don’t need to rely on taxis or rental cars for local travel, minimizing vehicular emissions.
Experiencing a Destination Sustainably
The most meaningful aspect of travel should be enjoying local cultures and landscapes. Do so in an environmentally-conscious way.
Get Active Outdoors
Walk, hike, cycle or kayak to experience destinations up close with intrinsic human-powered transportation. Fresh air and exercise have great health and emotional benefits too.
Support Green Businesses
Spend your travel dollars at locally-owned shops, family-run restaurants and sustainable operators. Your patronage helps green businesses thrive while experiencing authentic culture.
Reduce Over-Tourism Impacts
Avoid visiting the most crowded, over-commercialized sites. Seek out less exploited areas where your presence doesn’t contribute to overdevelopment and congestion issues.
Go Off the Beaten Path
Unique sights may lie just beyond the guidebooks. Ask locals where you can discover lesser-known natural areas and historic gems with few other visitors.
Try Public Transit Abroad
If traveling to cities with efficient metro systems, trams or buses, rely on those rather than taxis to minimize vehicular emissions wherever possible.
Reduce Waste While Exploring
Pack a reusable water bottle and coffee mug to avoid disposables abroad. Bring a reusable bag for shopping to avoid plastic bags.
Give Back Along the Way
Volunteer locally through ecological conservation or community betterment programs to make a positive social impact on destinations you visit. Your efforts contribute to their sustainability.
As mindful travelers, we have a shared responsibility toward protecting places we explore for generations to come. Adopting these sustainable best practices allows us to enjoy travel’s rewards while leaving host environments and communities enriched, not degraded, by our presence. Small changes to our behaviors can yield large benefits for people and planet alike.
Returning Home Sustainably
To complete your journey, follow some final eco-friendly steps:
Choose Green Transportation
Opt to travel home using trains, buses or other public transit again when practical. Carpooling with other returnees also shrinks your carbon footprint.
Fly Sustainable If Flying
To offset the climate impact of unavoidable flights home, consider projects verified by organizations like Carbonfund or Cool Effect that finance emission-reducing initiatives.
Donate or Recycle Unused Items
Rather than tossing still-usable travel accessories or souvenirs, donate them to charities helping travelers in need. Recycle paper maps and guidebooks if donation isn’t viable.
Share Your Sustainable Adventures
Inspire friends and family to follow greener travel practices themselves by sharing ethical trip experiences and sustainability tips through blog posts, photos or videos on social media. Your influence for good can ripple outward.
Keep the Planet in Mind for Next Time
Review which eco-actions were easiest to maintain and plan to replicate sustainable habits on your next trip. Continuous improvement will allow you to travel freely while sustaining environments and destinations for years ahead.
With preparation and some small behavior changes before, during and after trips, we can all practice responsible tourism. Sustainable travel respects host communities, conserves natural treasures and lessens our collective environmental impact. By heeding these best practices, wanderlust need not come at the cost of planetary well-being. Our earth offers too much beauty to deserve any less.