Whether it’s an out-of-town getaway or an international business trip, it’s undeniable that traveling has become a rising occurrence in this fast-paced world. Traveling has a significant economic impact as travel and tourism contributed 7.6% to the global gross domestic product (GDP) and created 22 million new jobs in 2022 alone.
While these numbers are undoubtedly impressive, they are not enough to eclipse the fatal effects of traveling to the environment. According to Sustainable Travel International, global tourism accounts for about 8% of the world’s carbon emissions, primarily due to air, land, and water transportation. Other factors contributing to this number include lodging, construction, food and beverages, and souvenirs.
On the other hand, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reports that “tourism is a big contributor to the global plastic pollution crisis.” That’s because many accommodations provide necessities in single-use plastics. Cruise ships also contribute to this issue, releasing “large amounts of microplastic-laden wastewater into the sea,” according to the UNEP.
With these issues and the continuing concern for the environment, it has become crucial to adopt eco-friendly practices to ensure the preservation of the planet for future generations. The key to this is for travelers to make conscious and sustainable choices — and this guide is here to help globetrotters get started.
1. Pack Light
There are a few benefits to reducing the weight of your luggage when you go on a trip. One is that it helps conserve fuel and energy during transportation since packing light decreases the energy required to transport you and your belongings. That also means reducing carbon emissions and having a smaller ecological impact.
Another benefit of traveling light is promoting the more efficient use of water, energy, and other materials. For instance, bringing a few sets of clothes means using less water, electricity, and soap when you do your laundry.
Adopting a more minimalist approach to packing also reduces the likelihood of purchasing unnecessary items during travel. This leads to fewer products ending up in landfills, less consumption of resources required for manufacturing, and a decreased demand for goods that may have been produced through unsustainable practices.
2. Bring Reusable and Eco-friendly Materials
While it may be too on the nose, bringing reusable and eco-friendly materials on your travels goes a long way in practicing sustainability and minimizing your carbon footprint. Making conscious choices in the items you bring allows you to significantly reduce waste, conserve resources, and contribute to a greener travel experience.
Using reusable materials such as water bottles, utensils, and cloth bags eliminates the need for single-use plastics, which often end up in landfills or, even worse, as litter in natural environments. Bringing reusable materials is also more worthwhile since they last longer than their disposable counterparts.
Whether it’s a quick out-of-town trip or an extended camping adventure, having a reusable and durable item ensures that you will have that item for the duration of your trip.
3. Opt for Public Transit or an Eco-friendly Car
Traveling by public transit or using an eco-friendly vehicle allows you to actively preserve the environment and support the transition to a greener future. Public transportation modes such as buses, trains, trams, and subways can accommodate more passengers, reducing the number of vehicles on the road and alleviating traffic congestion.
In turn, using public transit enables you to reduce fuel consumption and lower your carbon emissions. Additionally, this mode of transportation runs on a network of optimized routes — meaning vehicles are utilized more efficiently while transporting more people with less energy.
Using an eco-friendly car, such as an electric or hybrid vehicle, offers similar benefits. Electric cars help in reducing air pollution and carbon discharge since they produce zero tailpipe emissions. Meanwhile, hybrid cars provide improved fuel efficiency and reduced environmental impact thanks to their design of combining an electric motor with a traditional combustion engine.
4. Support Local Businesses and Communities
Choosing to support local businesses and communities allow you to reduce the environmental impact associated with large-scale tourism operations. That’s because local establishments often prioritize sustainable practices, such as using locally sourced ingredients, implementing recycling and waste management practices, and supporting sustainable supply chains.
This approach significantly decreases the carbon emissions and ecological footprint associated with producing and transporting goods. In addition, supporting local communities generates socio-economic benefits. Spending money at local businesses results in a larger proportion of the revenue staying within the community.
This practice subsequently supports local livelihoods and contributes to economic development. Patronizing local businesses also enables you to indirectly support their environmentally friendly practices and help foster a more sustainable local economy — all while engaging in sustainable travel.
5. Offset Your Carbon Emissions
Even if you follow all the strategies outlined in this guide, along with those not included here, other traveling-related factors can still impact the environment. Offsetting your carbon emissions allow you to counterbalance these unavoidable effects immediately.
Offsetting involves calculating the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during your travel and investing in projects that help reduce an equivalent amount of greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere. These initiatives include reforestation, renewable power projects, energy efficiency improvements, and waste management systems.
However, keep in mind that offsetting should not be adopted as a substitute for reducing emissions directly. It should be used in conjunction with efforts to minimize carbon emissions through sustainable practices like choosing eco-friendly transportation, reducing energy consumption, and supporting local businesses.
The Road to Sustainable Traveling
There is no escaping the environmental issues the world is facing today, and constant traveling can significantly contribute to this problem. However, it is also impossible to stop people from embarking on their journeys.
That’s why it’s crucial to take small steps that can make a big difference in mitigating climate change, conserving natural resources, and preserving local cultures and ecosystems. By embracing sustainable travel through the tips outlined above, travelers can enjoy enriching experiences while positively impacting the destinations they visit.
