It doesn’t matter whether you’re heading to the beach or the mountains or going way to get lost in nature or explore a big city, it’s possible to have a great time abroad whilst protecting the environment at the same time. Whether you’re looking to arrange a weekend in Verona or a week exploring Vienna, here are the most eco-friendly ways to travel:
When it comes to planning a holiday, you need to decide on a destination. When choosing a destination for eco-friendly travel you need to consider how far you will need to travel. The majority of public transport available to us contributes to climate change, but you can minimise your total holiday emissions by choosing a destination that requires you to travel less and is closer to home. You may decide to look at eco-tourism options too since many travel organisations have now jumped on the bandwagon and offer holidays that support sustainable develop and reduce the negative effects travelling can have on the environment.
Sometimes there’s no other way than to hop on a plane to get to your destination but if there are alternative options, you should choose the most environmentally friendly form of transport to get there. You may be able to drive or even take the train. You should avoid short haul flights that are less than 500km but if you do have to fly, be sure to pick an airline with a higher occupancy rate so more people can fit on board so less trips between countries are made.
Choosing the right place to stay is hard enough as it is without having to choose an environmentally friendly alternative. Do your best to identify hotels and other types of accommodation that operate sustainable waste treatment systems, encourage recycling and are energy efficient.
It’s all well and good researching the above as long as you strive to be the responsible guest. Remember to respect the local environment and don’t stray from public trails and footpaths. You don’t feed the animals at home, so why would you feel the need to abroad? Be sure to take all your litter with you before you leave if you can’t find a bin to stash it in. When you can, you should recycle newspapers, magazines and glass to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. Make sure you dispose of sanitary waste in the correct way and avoid flushing cotton buds, tampons and condoms down the toilet since these items do not decompose in water and can immediately clog up the toilet.
Just like you would at home, you should conserve as much water as possible abroad too. Take showers instead of baths and use a refillable water container where you can to avoid buying bottled water. Make sure you turn off all lights and air conditioning units before leaving your hotel room to use less energy and conserve electricity.
When you buy a souvenir, watch out for what you buy! Avoid buying products made of endangered species including the use of animal fur, skin and body parts including the likes of ivory, coral and tortoise shell. Some souvenirs could even land you in jail including designer knockoffs, dog and cat fur and animal-hide drums. So think twice about making your holiday purchases!