While February might have gone by in a flash, one of the most common goals for the new year (or even the coming month) is to travel more. And rightly so. There’s so much beauty and wonder to discover around the world. This year, recognising the ever-growing need for the current sustainability movement, why not put green practices at the forefront of your eco travel agenda?
For the conscious traveller, one of the biggest challenges to overcome is justifying the carbon cost of flying. Planes are typically the fastest, most direct mode of travel, but they also expel more carbon into the atmosphere. The conscious traveller, trying to be mindful of their environmental impact, may think it is best to stay home. The truth is that there are many other carbon-reduction methods and eco travel alternatives that are easier and more effective than cancelling your flight.
Let’s be honest, taking #LittleGreenSteps in our everyday lives may come naturally, but sometimes sustainability seems to take a backseat while we’re travelling or on vacation. But don’t fret, these tried-and-true principles are guaranteed to reduce your environmental impact and make you a more mindful traveller.
So without further ado, we’ve compiled several tips, destinations, and even (sustainable) items that you might need while away on holiday!
Become A More Conscious Eco Traveller by:
Based on the comprehensive carbon-reduction methods of Paul Hawken’s Drawdown, these five tips are more effective than giving up air travel and will guide you toward hotels and destinations that are working to actively improve the health of the environment. They could even help you change your daily habits for the better.
1. Switching off the air conditioning
Tropical destinations are a popular choice for travellers, with sunshine and sparkling ocean waters serving as major attractions for most. The problem with these locales is that their gorgeous surroundings come with a major drawback: high temperatures. Your response may be to sit back in your room and turn up the air conditioning, but conscious travellers should pause before they do so.
The truth is that air conditioning is a massive contributor to greenhouse gases, and reducing the use of air conditioning chemicals in favour of natural cooling methods is the number one ranked solution to reducing carbon emissions.
You can reduce your impact by turning off the air conditioning in your room, and many hotels are already working to solve this problem. The gorgeous Playa Viva in Mexico doesn’t have AC but instead creates a natural flow of air by utilising the venturi effect to efficiently cool the rooms. If your hotel hasn’t caught up yet, turn off the air conditioning and take a dip in the ocean, or chill out in the shade while you listen to the waves.
2. Indulge in a plant-based diet
It’s no secret that plant-based diets are good for your health, but did you know that it’s fourth on Drawdown’s list of effective carbon-reduction solutions? According to Drawdown’s website, switching to a vegan diet could cut emissions by 70%. And even going vegetarian could lower emissions by 63%. So what does your diet have to do with your travels?
By staying at hotels that serve vegan and vegetarian menus, you can easily reduce your environmental impact over the course of your trip. In Costa Rica, Finca Luna Nueva is a leader in organic, regenerative cuisine, proudly providing vegetarian and vegan meals for guests. As an added benefit, a plant-based diet is a guaranteed way to improve your personal wellness, along with the environment.
3. Help girls go to school
Have you ever considered the impact your education has had on your life? Education is a powerful thing, even more so for underprivileged young women around the world. Drawdown’s website predicts that a combination of educating girls and providing access to better family planning will help to reduce the global population and enable women to be more conscious caretakers of the environment—thereby reducing carbon emissions by as much as 51.48 gigatons by 2050.
Keep this in mind when you pack for your next journey, and support hotels like Playa Viva and Hamanasi Resort in Belize that have partnered with Pack for a Purpose. The organisation makes it easy to directly contribute to the education of students around the world. All you have to do is make a little room in your bag for an extra book or some much-needed school supplies, and you can help ensure that the next generation of students (and girls in particular) have what they need to succeed.
4. Help protect undeveloped rainforests
The phrase “save the rainforests” has been chanted by activists at environmental protests for decades now, but it is no less relevant today than it was when the first environmentalists rallied behind it. Though it is common knowledge these days, tropical rainforests serve several important environmental functions, beyond producing oxygen. Drawdown’s page on tropical forests states that “…trees, soil, leaf litter, and other vegetation absorb and hold carbon,” and that untouched rainforests are essential for “…supporting the water cycle, conserving soil, protecting habitat and pollinators, providing food, medicine, and fibre…”.
Your role in this is simple: support hotels and resorts that do more than pay lip service to environmental tourism. Hamanasi Resort is doing just that. Situated in the midst of threatened coastal rainforest habitat, the resort not only preserves the environment to attract guests, they have actively worked to reforest previously denuded property. In Costa Rica, Finca Luna Nueva is also reforesting wildlife corridors to encourage the return of large mammals like jaguars to the jungle.
5. Eat Local
Beyond eating a plant-based diet, cultivating your own garden and purchasing local produce can make a huge difference to the environment. Supporting locally-grown produce and reducing food waste can massively lower carbon emissions, in particular, because most food waste occurs at the industrial level, according to Drawdown. From vegetables that are deemed “too ugly” to be sent to stores, to an overabundance of produce that doesn’t sell, finding ways to grow your food locally and utilise what you produce is a step in the right direction.
During your travels, try to patronise hotels and restaurants that serve local food, based on what’s available seasonally. Not only will it taste better, but you can savour the knowledge that your choice is actively reducing carbon emissions. Encourage more hotels to follow the lead of these resorts, by looking for locations that go beyond conserving the environment, to actively regenerating it.
As you move through the world in a more conscious way, remember that it’s not about being perfect in your travels, but making the effort to support businesses and destinations that share your values
5 Eco Travel Destinations:
If you are on a mission to travel more, by choosing to support one of these ecotourism destinations, you can fulfil your travelling resolutions all while making a more positive impact too.
1. Bintan, Indonesia
A quick ferry ride away from Singapore, Loola Adventure Resort is the definition of work hard, play hard. The resort offers many activities that make sustainability fun. Here you’ll find activities like mangrove planting to make your trip carbon-positive, the building of Safe Water Gardens to give local families access to clean drinking water, plant-based cooking classes, and you can even help out by conducting surveys with local professors on the natural biodiversity of bird and marine life. When you are not working on saving the world whilst on your vacation, Loola offers plenty of activities to relax and let loose.
From kayaking to rock climbing to ziplining to trekking — there are plenty of activities to make certain that you are experiencing “something really different.” Loola also prides itself as the number 1 eco-resort in Bintan and Singapore’s best eco getaway.
2. Finland
The Finnish government, private sector, NGOs, academia, science community, and media have collaborated to actively develop the country of Finland sustainably since 1987. The country has taken incredible strides and showcases how, if policy is done right, conscious living can be a usual way of life.
Finland’s current tourism strategy pushes its operating tourism bodies to honour local culture, leave a minimal ecological footprint, and make the most positive impact possible on nature, society, and the economy. This is done by enforcing regulatory themes involving local, fresh food; ethical, slow shopping; sustainable green building designs; and maintaining partnerships with environmental conservation bodies.
While not every tourism body in Finland is verifiably green, as the country tends to operate as green as possible, sustainable travel choices are abundant. Yet with so many to choose from, the decision can be overwhelming. The offers on Harriniva span throughout the entire country, are separated by season and seem to be the most diverse, trustworthy and authentic Finnish experiences out there.
3. Nepal
Due to being extremely rich in consideration of socio-culture, heritage, and natural aspects, Nepal has been named one of the top eco-destinations to watch in 2020. Amazingly, the Nepalese government has put together a tourism development plan entirely revolving around sustainable environmental, socio-cultural, and economic objectives. It has even been suggested that the country is likely to have this extra motivation to focus on tourism, as the travel industry can provide the country with economic opportunities to relieve some of the impoverished stressors relevant to the nation.
As you likely know, the most popular destination in Nepal is Mount Everest. But if summiting the highest mountain in the world is not for you, there are many other green options… such as Her Farm Nepal which encourages visitors to volunteer at a local homestay that provides a safe home for Nepali women and empowers them through employment; allowing them to thrive against the oppression of patriarchy happening within the country.
4. New Zealand
While New Zealand is not a lesser-known destination, it is worth mentioning due to its conservation efforts towards the natural environment. With more than 14 national parks, at least 30% of the entire country is considered to be conserved land, with particular attention paid to protecting the unique wildlife within. And with only 4.5 million inhabitants, New Zealand prides itself in only contributing 0.2% of total worldwide greenhouse gas emissions; it was also one of the first countries to pledge a carbon-neutral future. The country has so many eco-initiatives in place that it has picked up the motto ‘Green, clean New Zealand’.
One of the most popular ways to see New Zealand among travellers is renting a campervan and road-tripping between natural sites. Britz, an Oceania-based car rental company, recently released a fully electric campervan so that all the natural sites can be enjoyed while keeping CO2 emissions to a minimum.
5. Seychelles
Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa. With white-sand beaches, crystal blue waters, and eternal summer, the country is undeniably gorgeous. However, because the entire country is low-lying and considered to be a small island developing state, it is incredibly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. From rising sea levels to coral bleaching, global warming has been putting the Seychelle’s primary source of income — tourism and tuna fisheries — under threat.
Recognising this, the Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Foundation has stepped up to the task to change all travel operations into sustainable ones by collaborating with the public and private sectors, academia, and NGOs. This campaign has been so successful that, in 2018, the destination received the support of The Nature Conservancy and the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation via the ‘Debt-for-Nature’ swap. In short, this deal paid off US$21 million dollars worth of the national debt in return to protect 81,000 square miles of their ocean, where only regulated tourism and research are allowed.
To enjoy this tropical paradise with as minimal of a footprint as possible, Blue Safari is a local hotel brand that has a unique, green lodge on each Atoll.
And 5 Zero-Waste travel items you’ll need:
Did you know that the aviation industry contributes 2% of human-related CO2 emissions? It’s certainly ironic to be zero waste and travel, but we have to explore the world somehow, right? Travelling is extremely important, be it for work, vacation, or family – it’s difficult not to in this day and age. But, that doesn’t mean that we should turn a blind eye to the emissions that travel creates. By aiming to travel with zero waste items, you can help offset your emissions while being extra conscious of the environment when exploring a new country.
1. 24BOTTLES
Don’t worry, that’s just the name of the brand, not how many bottles you’ll need. The -0.08 printed on the bottle reminds you how every time the bottle is filled, you save 8g of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere (that’s the CO2 emitted in the production of one single disposable 500ml plastic bottle). It is also extremely lightweight, weighing only 116 grams. And since many airports have water refill stations, it makes them cost-efficient and convenient, too.
2. Reusable menstrual products
For our readers who menstruate, this one’s for you. Not only do they save space in the luggage (pads and tampon boxes take up a lot of space, let’s be honest) they also save the earth! Opt for a menstrual cup for both convenience and sustainability whilst travelling for a little extra zero-waste effort. Check out the Lily Cup Compact for a collapsible menstrual cup (tampons can’t do that btw). But if the thought of using a menstrual cup still scares you, there are other options such as cloth pads and period underwear to comfortably ease you into a waste-free period.
3. Cotton towels instead of tissues
I mean, how cute are these 100% cotton towels? Their prints are bright, colourful and extremely versatile – perfect for wicking away the summer sweat or as a cute picnic handkerchief. They’re also ultra-light and easy to carry around, too. Check out Marleys Monsters for more cool zero-waste accessories like the Unpaper Towel Set.
4. Reusable zip-lock bags
When you’re travelling around, chances are you’re going to need zip-lock bags for many reasons. From storing snacks to toiletries, it’s a staple in your bag. Zip-lock bags aren’t exactly the most durable, and even with the zip function, they’re still considered single-use plastic and will eventually end up in a landfill. But don’t worry. Enter: Stasher. It’s a revolutionary game changer in the world of ziplocks; it’s a reusable silicone bag that has endless usage. Did we mention it’s leak-proof and waterproof too?
5. Natural zero-waste soaps
Looking for a convenient zero-waste soap option so you don’t have to use little bottles of hotel soap? Etee has made their own line of zero-waste body soap bars that are handmade in Canada. They are made using the cold press method and with 85% – 95% certified organic ingredients (depending on the bar). Etee’s vision is to also make “sustainable products that are accessible to all people of all backgrounds, on all continents.” Perfect for travelling consciously!
FEATURED IMAGE: via Pexels | IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Woman Looking At The Map
