Guest author Rebecca Scholes is a traveler blogger on Planes Trains and Buggies. She shares 8 top tips for traveling sustainably.
It is everyone’s responsibility to do what we can to protect our planet. Travel and globalisation have paid a huge part in the situation we find ourselves in now. So how can we continue to travel and see the world, but protect the planet and reduce harm at the same time? Read on for 8 top points to consider when traveling sustainably.
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Table of Contents
Consider a different mode of transport
One of the biggest considerations when traveling sustainably, especially if you’re trying to do it in an eco-conscious way, is how you will get to your destination.
Plane travel is one of the biggest emitters of CO2 so whenever it can be avoided it is a great idea to do so. If you have no other choice but to fly then look for a carrier that uses sustainable aviation biofuel— like United, Qantas, and KLM – and fly direct when possible.
But what are the other options for traveling sustainably?
Two alternatives are trains and cars. According to the International Transport Forum, trains generate up to 10 times fewer carbon emissions than an airplane. In many cases, alternative modes of transport are very doable and can actually add an element of fun to the holiday.
The big bonus of overland travel rather than air travel (aside from the environmental gain) is that it is often cheaper and you get to see much more than you do from an airplane. You can take it at your own pace, detour via places you want to see, or even stop for the night somewhere. It can be significantly less stressful with children too.
Obviously, the big downside to overland travel is that it takes longer. But I firmly believe the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us the benefit of exploring closer to home and actually making us appreciate what’s on our doorstep. If you do fancy traveling sustainably further afield, then see the journey as part of your trip, stopping along the way or going on scenic trains rather than racing through places.
As adults my husband and I have done a number of overland journeys, the main ones being 3 months from Cape Town to Cairo where we traveled by truck with other intrepid travelers, living out of backpacks and wild camping. The other main one we’ve done is London to Beijing on the Trans-Siberian Railway. This was for our honeymoon and we passed through France, Germany, Russia, Mongolia, and China amongst others with lots of stops along the way.
Hire an electric car
Designed by: Valeria Horton
We often book a car when we go abroad unless we’re staying in a city where we will always use public transport over taxis. Booking an electric car is a relatively new option that is available in a growing number of locations.
Whilst we’ve not done it ourselves yet it sounds like an excellent way of helping the environment whilst traveling sustainably. We will definitely be investigating this the next time we go abroad! However, we have just purchased an electric car at home and it is a fantastic way to explore where we live without pumping fumes into the atmosphere.
Take reusable bags with you
I remember as a child always being amazed at the fact that in France you couldn’t get plastic bags at supermarkets. Fast forward to now and that is commonplace in most places around the world. And so it should be!
Something that I have found useful, and have been doing for years, is to take my own reusable bags with me on holiday. This means that we have somewhere to keep our shopping when we go to the supermarket. Additionally, we have somewhere to store dirty clothes and to use as a bin if needed. In fact, the uses for them go on and on and it saves picking up any more plastic or reusable bags whilst we are away.
Take reusable water bottles with you
Over 500 billion plastic bottles are used per year. But we can all take steps to reduce that shocking number. At home, we always use reusable water bottles and this is something we extend into our travels now as well. It’s an easy adjustment to make and one that can make a huge difference.
Designed by: Valeria Horton
Embrace refillable toiletry bottles
With over 200 million hotel toiletries thrown away into landfills per year, an effort has begun for these miniatures to be permanently removed from hotels (Intercontinental Hotel Group aims to have completed this process by 2021).
I know the miniature travel toiletries are very cute and tempting but they are used up so quickly and are a lot of plastic for what you get. A much better option is to get a set of reusable travel toiletry bottles to refill each time you go away.
Say no to plastic straws
Whilst paper straws are common in the UK now, everywhere in the world, this may not be the case. If you order drinks, ask for no straws. If, like my children, your children are obsessed with straws, have a supply of paper ones in your bag that you can pop in drinks.
Book sustainable activities
Especially when traveling with children, activities play a big part in holidays. When making your decision about what to do during your trip, how about supporting local conservation efforts at a wildlife sanctuary (check their credentials before you visit) or taking part in a cycling tour? Some of the best tours within the city are walking tours because they often get to places cars can’t reach.
Recently, in Florence we took a guided tour using an electric golf buggy. It is an excellent sustainable way to see the city.
Tidy up after yourself
Designed by: Valeria Horton
As they say – ‘Take only memories, leave only footprints.’ Tidy up after yourselves. No one wants to see beaches or roadsides full of litter and it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure this doesn’t happen.
On a recent trip to Cornwall, England we noticed they have set up facilities so that people can pick up litter/trash from the beach as an act of leaving the place in a better condition than you find it. We thought it was a great initiative.
If you would like to read more about traveling sustainably and overall great traveling with family tips, you can follow Planes Trains and Buggies on Instagram.
You can read my blog post collaboration on Planes Trains and Buggies here. I share my top tips on how to travel sustainably, taking into account the 3 pillars of sustainability: people, profits, and the planet.
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