Disclaimer: Part of mindful travel is respecting laws and regulations. Until the coronavirus pandemic has passed, please regard all travel restrictions and do not plan vacations until they have been lifted.
Travel is one of the best things anyone can do with their spare time. Vacations can help you get out of a rut, recharge from stressful work situations, and offers a chance to enjoy other cultures through art, music, food, and customs. However, while travel is certainly an enjoyable experience it isn’t always the most eco-friendly activity. Flights and the subsequent transportation you take at your new destination can have a serious carbon footprint, but with a few tricks, you can not only reduce your environmental impact while traveling but even improve areas you visit as well.
Do As The Locals Do
Traveling can be an incredibly exciting and eye-opening adventure. Experiencing a new culture takes you out of your comfort zone giving you a new perspective while testing you in various ways, ultimately teaching you to live in the moment and really absorb new experiences. One of the best ways to really understand and appreciate a new culture is to do your best to live like a local, which not only sets you up for far more exciting adventures than a guidebook might recommend but also helps to keep your trip as green as possible.
Believe it or not, the things that you eat and drink while abroad can have far-reaching environmental impacts that might not be initially obvious. When traveling, try to eat local, seasonal foods and if you’re the type that enjoys a nice cold beer, go for a locally brewed one. The less distance food and drink have to travel the less carbon is produced in the transportation process. Additionally, by consuming local products you are directly contributing to the area’s economy which allows it to be more independent and thus rely less on imports, further reducing environmental impact.
For a great example of how sustainability can be achieved by following local customs one only has to look to Japan. Sustainable tourism in Japan is booming and has been largely successful because many sustainability practices are built into Japanese culture and customs. Recycling, taking public transport instead of taxis, and riding a bicycle to get around locally are all a part of everyday life in Japan and tourists that emulate this are engaging in sustainable tourism simply by being mindful of how they act in a foreign country.
Make An Effort To Clean Up
Taking the time on your travels to live like a local does wonders for reducing your environmental impact while also helping you to have an unforgettable vacation, but for many, the simple act of reducing their carbon footprint while traveling might not feel like enough. Fortunately, there are ways to be more proactive in being a mindful traveler with a passion for sustainability and the environment.
If you find yourself wandering out and about, bring an empty backpack with you and pick up any recyclables you see along the way. First, this will give your explorations a bit more of a fun purpose and then at the end, you’ll have done a good deed by picking up plastics that otherwise would have sat for hundreds of years, refusing to break down.
Headed to the beach? Not only can you bring an empty bag with you to clean up and beautify the beach, but if you bring along a metal detector you might even find something worth keeping. Of course, personal gain isn’t what environmentalism and sustainability are all about, but it never hurts and can give you a bit more purpose while you’re out enjoying the beach on a sunny day. Leave no trace isn’t just about making sure that you don’t leave anything behind, but that you actively help leave an area better than you found it by undoing the damage done by irresponsible tourists.
Look Into Alternative Travel Methods
The modern world is full of conveniences that make life easier, especially for someone looking to travel the globe. Many of these conveniences come at a steep environmental price that the majority of humanity has become far too comfortable paying. While traveling abroad usually requires that you take a flight to get where you’re going, once you’ve landed there are plenty of things that you can do to offset your carbon footprint when it comes to getting around.
Most countries have functional rail systems that can let you explore the whole nation in a more economic and environmentally friendly manner. For example, if traveling to Seoul, South Korea, you might want to visit Jeju, the tropical island to the south of the main peninsula. While you can book a flight there, you can reduce your carbon footprint by instead buying a ticket on the KTX high-speed train to Mokpo, then purchase a ride on the ferry over to Jeju island. This method is slower than flying but will expose you to so much more of the country you’ve traveled to and its citizens than flying would, all while being the more sustainable option.
Maybe you’re just planning on taking a road trip across the United States to see all of the wonderful sights. In that instance, it might be a good idea to look into renting an electric vehicle to offset the carbon emissions that such a long journey would create otherwise. Not only will you have the benefit of being more environmentally conscious, but you’ll most likely be able to better enjoy the sights as the majority of new electric vehicles are capable of some level of autonomous driving.
Traveling doesn’t have to have such a significant impact on the environment. As long as you remain mindful of how you’re getting around, where your food and drink comes from, and try to help clean up while on your travels, you’ll be helping to make a serious dent in the carbon footprint of your trip while working towards increased sustainability overall.
Photo Credit
Image by Jess Foami from Pixabay
Guest Author Bio
Jori Hamilton
Jori Hamilton is a writer and journalist from the Pacific Northwest who covers social justice issues, healthcare, and politics. You can follow her work on twitter @HamiltonJori, and through her portfolio at Writer Jori Hamilton.
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