Travel indeed impacts the environment. Besides, it also affects the cultures and people, since they are part of the travel process. One cannot go from one part of the world to another without leaving an imprint. As responsible global citizens, we have a lot of room to figure out how we can travel “softer” and re-evaluate our global footprint.
For this matter, you’ll find so many buzzwords on this topic. You can read the 10 Tips on Boating with Kids for the Single Mom if you’re looking into taking your kids out in the water. Besides, you will also find more about being a responsible and sustainable traveler. This last topic is vital but often overlooked since many people might somewhat ignore it as they have it enough with picking an eco-friendly destination.
In fact, if the world wishes to save the environment, they have to go for extra miles during green travel. In this case, it would be great if every traveler starts to understand to make simple but effective changes in the way we travel. This way, they can make a real difference in the environment. That’s why this article has prepared this list of things you can do to travel lightly.
Reduce Carbon Emission
There’s no denying that air travel emits a lot of carbon. Thus, please take a step to go green by starting to offset the carbon emission and fly with carbon-neutral instead. Calculate the emission you are about to use on an online emission calculator and contribute yourself to fly carbon neutral in most top airlines. After that, those airlines then often pass on this specific contribution to environmental and social efforts.
Rethink How to Consume Water
You may be adept at avoiding plastic bottled water at home, but travel seems to be one of the last bastions when it comes to ditching unnecessary plastic. Understandably, it makes no hassle and safer. When you’re traveling in developing countries, the last thing you need is a case of nausea and vomiting with that water you realized you should avoid. However, there are viable options. You can fill reusable bottles with boiled or filtered water. Another option would be to invest in a fancy product like LifeStraw that makes contaminated water drinkable.
Buy and Support Local Products
Whenever possible, it’s a great idea to shop in the neighborhood when you travel. You can choose to stay in local accommodation, dine in on the locally grown restaurant, use a local tour operator, or purchase a local artisan souvenir. These are the easiest way for a country to see tangible benefits from the influx of tourism dollars and ensure that the money we pay can reach throughout the neighborhood sector. If you keep the big hotel chains and look for cheap souvenirs bought in Vietnam but made in China, you can probably make only some basic improvements.
Be Culturally Sensitive
Generally, it should be a part of common sense, but it’s also what you see many people breaking down while traveling. Some vacationers often wear inappropriate clothing or covering up to take pictures on culturally significant sites. Therefore, it’s simple to do a little bit of study to make sure you don’t inadvertently cause a cultural offense when traveling. For example, in some Muslim countries, it is illegal for girls to show their skin. In others, tourists must cover their hair to enter main religious sites. In some cultures, photographing spiritual or military sites is not allowed.
Think About Sustainability in Everything You Do
Enjoy the present needs while protecting the future to be able to enjoy them too. If you make this statement your travel principle or mantra, you could minimize your overall travel footprint every day. Many destinations get a bad rap for their impact on the environment and culture. You can see some restaurants that only attract international tourists, World Heritage monuments littered with trash, and tacky stalls in ethnic locations. If we all become better at questioning our travel behaviors and discussing potential negative consequences, we can go a long way toward becoming more conscious and sustainable travelers.