How to Travel Sustainably and Ethically
With travel restrictions likely to be eased in the coming months, there’s a chance that more of us than ever will be taking to the skies to see different places around the world.
Whilst the anticipation of travel is very exciting for us, we still need to be aware of our surroundings and the impact our actions will have on the environment and local communities.
With that being said, here’s our top tips to travelling sustainably and ethically.
Pack Your Eco-essentials
When packing for travelling adventures, our essentials usually involve self-care products of some sort. After all, who doesn’t want to stay clean and fresh when travelling?
The issue is, many of us pack a copious amount of plastic items, especially from the travel section at local supermarkets where plastic products are rife.
Without knowing what the recycling policies of the countries we are visiting are, it’s better for local environments if we pack eco-alternatives.
Some of these items include:
- A natural toothbrush which could biodegrade in a few months at landfill should it end up there as opposed to a plastic toothbrush.
- Shampoo bars which come in aluminium tins. You can always upcycle the aluminium tins to use for storage of other items you’re carrying around whilst travelling.
- Vegan soap which is good for your skin as well as animals
- Ladies, pack a couple pairs of period underwear which will make that time of month so much more eco-friendly and manageable while traveling.
Respect Local Environments
Whether you’re on a beach holiday or hopping from city to city, it’s important that you respect local environments.
It goes without saying that we shouldn’t be littering but it’s surprising how lazy some people can be. Especially if they’re tired or jetlagged! Don’t leave your rubbish behind when you’re out and about.
Respect the Culture
In order to travel ethically, you need to respect the local cultures. After all, the culture and difference is usually what brings people to different places and that should be respected.
Make sure to read up a list of do’s and don’ts of the country you’re visiting and follow the rules accordingly. If a country has certain rules you’re not used to abiding, follow them anyway. Not only is it disrespectful but it could land you in hot water.
You could also try to learn different languages, or at least pick up some simple greetings before visiting. Whilst many countries in the world have the ability to speak English, they definitely appreciate some form of effort to speak their native tongue first.
Offset Your Carbon Emissions
We’re all aware that travelling by air is one of the most polluting activities on earth. The sheer amount of energy it takes to fuel an around-the-world flight is staggering and can put some people off by travelling this way.
If you are worried about the carbon emissions emanating from your travel, you can always consider off-setting it.
There are many ways to do this but the most popular is to donate to tree-planting initiatives. These tree-planting organisations will plant trees around the world on your behalf with the fees associated with this usually being very low.
You could even end up taking more carbon out of the atmosphere than you put in!
By following these tips you can ensure that 2021 is a year for sustainable and ethical travel.
Infographic created by Dearborn Denim & Apparel – premium American made mens jeans