I'll be honest, the most sustainable choice would be not travel at all! But I'm never going to suggest that, because if you haven't traveled, you haven't lived. Period. Travel has been one of the biggest joys of my life and I have been very fortunate to have visited so many beautiful places, met the most warm and welcoming people and experienced such rich cultures and landscapes.
But, at a cost. A very big environmental cost. According to a recent study in the scientific journal Nature Climate Change, with the growing demand in long haul flights and luxury accommodation, tourism now contributes to almost one tenth of the world's greenhouse gases! There is also sometimes a social cost involved as the tourist industry's growing demand on natural resources means that access to these limited resources becomes even more difficult for the local communities.
So is there a way to travel more responsibly with your family and be more conscious of your impact on the local communities and the environment that supports them? In short, yes! In this blog I'm going to share some tips on eco friendly travel, which will help you to 1) reduce your carbon footprint, 2) support local and small businesses and 3) respect the cultural traditions of the places you visit on your next eco-friendly family holiday.
Before You Travel
With some careful planning, you can reduce your carbon footprint and enjoy an eco friendly family holiday. Here are some decisions you need to take before you get there:
1. Pick a Destination
Have you thought about a staycation? If you're looking for some time to unwind and relax, and at the same time, you don't want to increase your carbon footprint, this could be a good option for you.
But if you are interested in going away on a family holiday, think about how will you get there? The most sustainable mode of transport would be using a train or a bus, but if that isn't practical and you really do need to fly, do some research to see how can you offset the carbon emissions from taking that flight.
You simply enter your flight details in this free online carbon calculator, which will give you the amount of carbon emitted and quote you a price for offsetting that carbon. There is a range of options from tree planting to installing solar panels to a wide range of community projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
On my last long haul flight (back in 2019), my family and I were responsible for emitting about 7.5 tonnes of CO2e. I was given multiple options and chose to fund a project for a wind turbine and the cost came out to be 3.4% of the cost of the return flights. That's it! I was blown away by how easy and affordable it was and bonus points, you get to travel guilt free too!
2. Choose Your Accommodation
There is usually always a wide range of options to choose from, from couchsurfing to self catering accommodation to package holidays. The most sustainable choice in this case would be to stay with a local family (in an Air BnB for example) so that you not only immerse in the culture and traditions of the place you are visiting but that the local people are also directly able to benefit from the money you spend on your accommodation, food and other expenses.
However, if you prefer to stay at a hotel, then do some research on the hotel's sustainability policy (you can find it on the company website), but you can look out for the following actions that a 'green hotel' should be taking:
Conserving their energy
Saving water
Diverting waste from landfill (by recycling or composting food waste)
Limiting the amount of plastic they use
Paying a fair wage to their employees
Being sensitive to the cultural needs of the local communities
In recent years, the hospitality industry has become increasingly aware of their impact on the environment. Plus it also makes business sense to them, as they not only save money while conserving resources but they also need to respond to their guests who are becoming more and more eco conscious and expect to stay at an establishment that shares their values.
It's not enough anymore for the hotels to request their guests to reuse their towels, they need to step up and really demonstrate the efforts they are making to reduce the carbon footprint of their operations. Their sustainability policy (typically on their website) should mention this.
3. What to Pack?
Packing for a family holiday is stressful enough but if you keep a few things in mind before you start the daunting task, you will reap the rewards later on.
Pack light, and only what you need. It's the most fuel-efficient way to travel, especially if you are traveling by car.
Create a capsule wardrobe for yourself and the children. Just make sure you carry something (like a wrap) that can cover your shoulders / knees, if you are planning on visiting any religious sites.
Avoid using plastic as much as possible. You might not have access to recycling facilities and that plastic may end up in the waterways or the ocean. Carry some zero waste essentials such as a reusable water bottle, a set of bamboo cutlery that comes with a stainless steel straw and an organic cotton bag that can help you avoid single-use plastics.
If you're in the market for buying new travel gear, consider purchasing bags and accessories made from vegan leather. House of Ethics uses an eco-friendly and chemical-free plant based leather, the cork fabric, for all its bags and travel essentials. You can read more about what cork leather is and how its sustainably and ethically sourced here.
While You're On Holiday
The first time you visit a new city, the smell of exotic foods, the fresh air you breathe in the mountains, the feel of sand beneath your feet. Traveling makes you feel like you are in another world of adventure and excitement!
Trust me when I say that your experience could be magnified tenfold if you knew that by traveling more responsibly, you could even be bringing positive change to the people and their environment.
Here's how:
1. Support the local economy
One of the reasons I fell in love with traveling was that it gave me an opportunity to meet the local people and experience their unique cultures. One of the best ways to interact with the locals is to eat and shop from local businesses.
I find eating street food to be so much more exciting and delicious than what you get at a fast food chain or at the restaurants catering to the Western tourists. You also know for a fact that the money you paid for your meal is going directly back to the community and that you are supporting someone's livelihood this way.
Hiring local tour guides or operators is also a great way to support the local economy as many of the guides are young and energetic people trying to make a living in a a very competitive and seasonal industry.
2. Conserve scarce resources
Many of the places we visit on holiday are often strained for resources like energy and water. So be mindful of your impact and follow some basic guidelines, such as:
Fill up your water bottle before you head out for the day or carry some water sterilizing tablets. Avoid buying plastic bottles if you, they will often up in a dump.
When you leave your hotel room, make sure the lights are switched off and any appliances or chargers you are using are plugged off.
Walk, cycle or take the public transport. Travel like the locals do and you'll get a very unique perspective of the city.
Use less and waste less. Refuse the free toiletries, return your city maps, avoid overfilling your plate at the breakfast buffet, leave your books for someone else to read and find out where the nearest recycling center is.
Spend your time and money on experiences and excursions instead of buying cheap souvenirs and unnecessary gifts for friends and family back home. They might be more excited to see your photos on Instagram, than receiving fridge magnets they don't need!
Try out new and exciting vegetables and fruits. You might never see some of them again!
3. Understand the local culture
The first rule of traveling is that you must think of yourself as a guest and you are visiting someone's home so be respectful of their house rules. Do some research on the local cultures and customs of the places you are visiting, especially if you are staying with a local host. Are they conservative and don't appreciate the men speaking to their female members of the family? Are certain hand gestures considered offensive? Is haggling at the local market expected or frowned upon? How much do you tip and for what kind of services?
When You Get Back
It's the bitter-sweet time to head back home be proud of the fact that on this holiday you made an effort to reduce your carbon footprint, you were conscious of the impacts of your activities on the local environment and you took steps to support the local businesses and the wider economy. There are just a few more things you could do to make your holiday even more memorable:
1. Write a review: if you were happy with the service you received, writing a positive review for your host will help to support their business as well as give valuable feedback to other eco conscious travelers like yourself.
2. Support charitable initiatives: you could make a charitable donation or extend a micro credit loan with Kiva. Your funding could help provide for much needed social welfare projects or even help the local communities to preserve their natural resources.
3. Keep in touch: Traveling helps us to grow as people, to become more understanding of one another and to connect people from vastly different cultures and backgrounds. You may have added someone on Facebook not thinking much of it at the time, but who who knows, it might be the start of a long and beautiful relationship.
So where are you going on your next holiday? Do you think you'll be using any of the tips mentioned here? We would love to know. You can also subscribe to our newsletter and we'll send you more inspirational content as you embark (or continue) your journey into sustainable living (pun intended!).
Comments