Tips for Eco-Friendly Travel

By Zoe Crimmel

As the summer approaches and your long-awaited vacations draw near, it's the perfect time to consider how to make your trip more than just a getaway. By adopting eco-friendly travel practices, you reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to climate change solutions to preserve our planet. Here are two comprehensive lists of 10 sustainable travel tips and how to travel sustainably, designed to inspire and guide you on your journey.

Embarking on an eco-friendly journey is as simple as the moment you retrieve your bag from its 'hibernating place' under the bed or in the closet. Consider packing reusable travel-size toiletries that can be refilled or packing cubes over plastic bags. Even simpler alternatives like carrying a reusable water bottle and snacks in reusable bags reduce waste and save you a few dollars from the pricey airport shops. Here's a comprehensive list of 27 eco-friendly travel products to help you delve deeper into sustainable travel.

Once we get into our mode of transportation, which can range from planes, boats, trains, cars, or even a simple little hike in our backyards, there are little choices that we can make that make a difference. 

When given the chance choose eco-friendly accommodations certified by programs like LEED, Green Globe, or EarthCheck which all support sustainable practices, there are ones for outside of the states like Green globe but you can find more into all of these click here. These aren’t available everywhere, and smaller places may not have them, but some more prominent brands can get certified by these programs, so take a quick look!

When adventuring into nature, try to minimize your contact and stay on marked trails, stay away from wildlife, and don’t leave trash. A good rule of thumb is to make it seem like you were never there. Maybe even pick up trash left behind by others. Being in nature is incredible and something that everyone should enjoy. Leave it like you found it but if you see some pieces of trash or some “leftovers” from the people before you feel free to help by picking it up. 

When choosing a place to stay, eat lunch, or buy your souvenirs to bring home to family and friends, decide to support the local economy by shopping at local stores, eating at family-owned restaurants with local foods, and if you are feeling brave, opt for a bed and breakfast instead of a hotel. If you are in a hotel, be more mindful of what resources you may use in excess. Hang your towels up so they don’t get replaced, unplug/turn off electronics when you aren’t in the room and if you are looking for a nice soak in some water opt for the hot tub downstairs over the tub in the room every night.