Did you know that tourism is responsible for around 8 percent of the carbon emissions of the world? Everything from flight to lodging, exploring tourist spots, to having food and drinks at hotels generate emissions that negatively impact the environment. Well, it doesn’t mean that you should stop traveling altogether. Being mindful of your traveling habits will be enough to save the environment.
Tourism’s environmental footprint is rising at an alarming rate. One of the most impactful ways to counter this growth is by traveling responsibly.
If you are planning a vacation, staycation, or workation, here is how you can make it eco-friendly.
Even before you lock your home and commence your journey, your responsibility begins. Packing heavy impacts emission output. The weight and amount of your luggage add to the weight of your vehicle. It, in turn, impacts Co2 emission. Hence, packing heavily contributes to more Co2 emissions.
Make it a point to pack as light as possible. Select outfits that are easy to mix and match. Pack reusable bottles of toiletries.
Book an eco-friendly accommodation
Hotels, resorts, B&B’s, and vacation rentals contribute a lot to greenhouse gases emission. However, most lodging options realize that and work on green principles to restrict their carbon footprint. For instance, most short-term rentals in Dallas use solar panels, support local businesses, encourage composting, and use green cleaning products. These small measures go a long way in limiting the carbon footprint of holiday accommodations.
Before booking any accommodation, go through the green practices they have incorporated into their day-to-day functioning. Select the accommodation that comes across as most promising in this regard.
Pick the location wisely
When booking accommodation, consider its walkability. Select an accommodation within walking distance to places of interest, restaurants, cafés, and shops.
Furthermore, when exploring the nearby places, use eco-friendly modes of transportation, such as cycle, bike-share, electric scooter, or public transport.
Use an eco-friendly mode to travel
Whether you fly or drive to your holiday destination, one thing is sure; you generate a great amount of emissions. Hence, try to travel in the most eco-friendly manner.
The best way to limit your transport emission is by carpooling. Yes, traveling in groups using the same vehicle will benefit the environment in ways we can not imagine.
Limit your water consumption
We are not talking about limiting your water intake but limiting water wastage is what remains the agenda here. How can we do it? By opting to reuse your towels and bed linen, you can limit your water consumption.
Plus, shower quickly or use a bucket instead of a shower to prevent wastage of water.
Indulge in nature-loving activities
While you might be tempted to indulge in several activities to make your vacation more fun, you must ensure their eco-friendliness in order to stay loyal to your green vacation pledge. For instance, you might want to jump on a motorized boat or go on a safari, but instead, opt for kayaking or hiking. Little tweaks in your vacation planning are sure to take the planet a long way!
Gorge-on wisely!
If you are staying at a vacation rental, you can cook your own food. Take it as an opportunity to reduce carbon emission (the food industry is responsible for a good fraction of global carbon emission).
Food production, food transportation, on-site energy use, waste generation, waste hauling, and many other activities that are a part of the regular functioning of restaurants and cafes contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. By preparing your food at the vacation rental, you can cut down on these hazardous emissions.
Furthermore, explore the farmer’s market to buy locally-grown and hand-made food items.
The bottom line
We have to admit that we are responsible for the environmental emergency the world is facing today. Hence, the accountability of fixing the issue also lies on us.
Do your bit by rethinking your traveling habits. Use these tips and plan a green vacation to save the environment and care for the planet.