If you are anything like me, you love to travel and want to do it sustainably. Often overnight travel requires car rides and flights, two modes of transportation the emit greenhouse gases into our atmosphere and are major contributors to climate change. But thanks to improvements in technology, global travel has become more “green” than ever before. As climate change becomes more of a mainstream issue but our current government isn’t really taking action to protect the environment, it’s more important than ever that people do what they can to lessen their impact on the environment. I, for one, acknowledge that I fly a lot. I took two international trips last year, in addition to three “shorter” flights across the USA. So when I travel I attempt to do so as close to zero waste as possible in an attempt to offset my carbon footprint as much as I can.
If you are considering an overnight excursion, whether it be a one week trip to Italy’s countryside or a five day road trip to visit Utah’s National Parks, I encourage you to do what you can to decrease the impact of your trip on the environment. Here are some tips that represent areas where you can make a difference:
• Stay at an Eco Lodge. An eco lodge is a tourist accommodation designed to have the least possible impact on the natural environment in which it is situated. Eco lodges tend to be run by locals and employ people in the local community and put the environment first.
• Embrace the local lifestyle and take public transportation when possible. When my husband and I traveled through South America, most of the local people took buses, so we did too. We met a lot of interesting people on buses, and city buses were always a fun experience.
• Stay at an AirBnB or a home stay. Pass up a week in a hotel and elect to spend some time living within the local community. You will be eating local food and taking part in local activities, decreasing the environmental emissions associated with the food and transportation industry.
• Purchase environmentally friendly souvenirs. Steer clear of plastic souvenirs and anything that looks like it’s going to break and end up in the landfill in a few months. Instead, purchase handmade souvenirs f
rom local artisans who use local and sustainably harvested ingredients.
• When traveling via air, say no to the single use reusable plastic on the plane. Bring your own reusable water bottle and food for the plane ride. Last week I took a domestic flight and I was offered three different plastic cups and two small non-recyclable food packages during the flight. Imagine the trash from an entire plan if everyone took what was offered to them?
• Turn your trip into an outdoor adventure. Consider a bicycle tour or a backcountry camping vacation instead of a five days traveling through different cities. Yes, you have to drive to your
entry point, but once you are there you will have days of emission free enjoyment!
• Pack your reusables. Even on overnight trips bringing reusables is an option. I travel with a reusable container for food, a water bottle, a coffee mug, a cloth napkin, and a set of bamboo cutlery. Even when I travel on Spirit airlines and have to shove all of my items into a tiny bag to avoid extra fees, I make sure to bring these items.
If you are looking at doing a local trip (an excursion that does not require an overnight stay) please read by blog post titled Zero Waste Local Travel Tips.
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For additional resources on how to pick an environmental flight, check out these links:
- https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/sep/16/carbon-offset-projects-carbon-emissions
- http://charlieontravel.com/sustainable-air-travel
- http://www.atag.org/facts-and-figures.html
