Travelling is enjoyable! It takes you to new destinations, assists you with exploring hidden fortunes, meeting new people, and ultimately gives you numerous significant experiences. But knowing sustainable travel tips come in handy for all.
As with different people, the taste of travel also varies. While some might romanticise serene beaches, many are interested with regards to the adventure of natural life, and for other people, their calling lies in the mountains and valleys.
The overlooked truth is, with an ever increasing number of individuals joining the customised tour and travel temporary fad, more harm is expected towards nature. Thinking about how?
Well, the disturbing impacts of the travel industry include consistent strain for heritage sites and urban areas, increased fuel consumption via aircrafts, absence of spotlight on the local networks, etc. These are a couple of reasons that make travel ‘feasible’, the need of great importance!
With sustainable travel tips collecting enormous global consideration, we should find out about it and get a couple of simple tips on the best way to travel sustainably without overhauling your trip!
Meaning of Sustainable travel
In basic words, sustainable travel is a type of tourism that doesn’t harm the climate and environment over the long haul. Everything revolves around protecting nature, enabling networks, combating environmental change and tackling pollution so we safeguard our planet.
Sustainable travel is typically utilised reciprocally with ideas like responsible travel, green travel, or eco-conscious travel. While this multitude of terms are unique in relation to one another, they are a part of a sustainable travel journey which is upheld by three key points namely social, environmental, and economic aspects besides taking care of nature.
As a sustainable traveller, you want to leave a more modest energy impression, support local networks, and know about the local culture. Even with budget travel, all these goals can be accomplished.
You might have heard the terms ecotourism and sustainable travel being used interchangeably. Although both are significant, there is a slight contrast between what they mean.
While sustainable tourism is creating travel opportunities without movement with insignificant effect and positive advantages for destinations and their communities
Ecotourism is more centred around instructing sightseers about nature and the climate, and Travellers enjoying protection and social activities.
At any rate, the aim of sustainable tourism is to limit adverse consequences of the tourism on a destination. Obviously, as capable explorers, we need to ensure our presence benefits local communities also.
Tourism is a colossal piece of many nations’ economies. By mindfully choosing local accommodations, activities, and merchandise, we can have a net positive contact with our visit.
By contributing to local businesses, we guarantee that our cash is returned to the local area. A local businessman will spend their cash locally they are a piece of, rather than a chain or establishment that main thinks often about their primary concern.
Tourists can likewise voice the requirement for better foundation, which thus expands the way of life for local people. In spite of the fact that tragically once in a while states possibly listen when travellers make some noise, better frameworks like sewage and public transportation frameworks are frequently improved with an increment in tourism.
Effective sustainable travel tips for the conscious traveller
TIP #1 Reduce the usage of plastic
Restricting single-use plastic is apparently one of the best ecological difficulties we face. With an expected 91 percent of plastic not being reused, the vast majority of it winds up either in the sea,oceans or landfills.
Consistently, 8 million metric huge loads of plastic winds up in our seas. This is comparable to one waste vehicle brimming with plastic being unloaded into the sea each and every moment of each and every day. As of late, a growing number of shoppers, organisations, and governments started reducing single-use plastics.
But in these years, single use plastics made a rebound as the pandemic prompted an expanded dependence on latex gloves, takeout holders, pressing air pockets, and basic food item packs. As the travel industry recuperates,many hotels and resorts are reinstituting dispensable plastics as an additional cleanliness precautions. In any case, numerous nations need an adequate waste administration foundation to stay aware of how much plastic junk that is created by tourists and local people.
Thus, plastics end up in spilling over landfills or dumped in the environment where they are present for many years. With the expanded dependence on plastics because of covid, it’s significantly more vital to cut down our own plastic usage when we travel.
Perhaps the easiest way for decreasing your plastic and utilisation of single-use items is to pack a reusable water bottle when you travel. For a warm or cold environment, carry insulated bottles which can maintain a beverage’s temperature for quite a long time.
You can skip using straws made of plastic.If you like having something to sip your drinks, use a glass, bamboo, roughage, metal or other sort of reusable straw. Request no plastic straw while ordering drinks.
You can switch to reusable shopping bags to decrease your general waste and that can prevent from harming animals and sea life creatures. Plastic cutlery is one more inefficient item, which can be substituted while travelling. Numerous eco-conscious travellers carry their own bamboo or metal cutlery sets.
While many travellers make an effort to leave places of natural beauty the way they found them by earning some karma points by picking up trash wherever you find it, in deserts, forests, and mountains.You can also participate in ocean and beach clean-ups drives.
TIP #2 Utilise proficient means of transportation to reduce carbon footprint
As the world begins to open up again after the covid-19 pandemic, many people are anticipating travelling once more. There are various ways that you can reduce the fossil fuels or carbon offset delivered by your trip.
Around 8% of the world’s carbon emissions are brought about by the tourism industry. Tourism is a huge factor for environmental change, which is probably the gravest danger to the eventual fate of the travel industry, individuals, and the world.
Air travel, driving, and different types of transportation make up the largest part of the tourism carbon impression. However all methods of transportation require energy, some are more proficient and cleaner than others.
Planes and private cars are considered as the most un-proficient means of transportation. When travelling to nearby destinations, travel via train to cut down carbon emissions while absorbing the view. When you’re in your area, think about taking public transport,like going by rail, or cycling in and out of town instead of booking private vehicles. If you do rent a vehicle, decide on an electric , or smaller model. You can also opt for electric bikes for wandering around to reduce pollution.
However walking may not get you to another destination, getting around by means of your own two feet is one of the top ways of travelling. Walking is additionally an affordable method for getting around and can be also helpful for exercise while voyaging.
TIP #3 Choose a sustainable stay option
One of the primary things people do when planning a travel trip is sort out where to stay. Regardless of where you’re going, you’re probably going to track down a wide scope of accommodation choices from hotels to resorts.
But next time you plan your vacation, I urge you to consider sustainability as one of the factors. Let’s define what sustainable stay really means.
An eco hotel is an ecologically sustainable stay option that is focused on fusing ecological enhancements to limit its effect on the natural habitat. It is an earth friendly housing that follows the acts of green living.
While booking for the sustainable stay options you should consider the following criteria-
Housekeeping uses non-toxic cleaning liquids and detergents.
1.It uses 100 percent natural cotton sheets, towels and sleeping pads.
2. Hotels should have a non-smoking zone.
3. It implements sustainable or renewable power sources like sunlight based or wind energy.
4. It has mass natural cleanser and amenities rather than individual bundling (which adds to squander)
5. Guest room and lodging halls have reusable bins and compost programs
6. Towel and bed sheets should reuse, you need to explicitly demand clean things from housekeeping what eliminates water utilisation when not necessary
7. Energy-proficient lighting like switches off automatically, needs to utilise keycards to turn on lights/power/and so on.
8. Newspaper reusing programs
9. Organic food, obtained locally, should be served in cafés. You can look the menu items before placing an order!
10. Hotels should provide filtered water and that does not use plastic water bottles.
11. On location transportation with green vehicles.
12. Hotels that use non-dispensable dishes and cutlery.
13. Natural cleansers and toiletries.
Some people are huge proponents of slow travel. There are many benefits of slow travel, but just from a sustainable perspective, you cut down on transportation emissions by staying in one place, your hotel stay becomes more sustainable and you immerse yourself more in the culture.
Some great websites to find sustainable hotels and other accommodation include: Book different, Book it green, EcoBnb and Kynder.
The most appropriate choice and one that I would personally suggest to you is a homestay.This concept is basically a room in the house of a family that they lease, they commonly get ready dinners for you or you eat family style together.
By picking a homestay, you are straightforwardly helping a local family, in addition to you’ll probably get an exceptional involvement at a very reasonable cost. And who knows, perhaps you will even wind up for certain new local companions!
Another sustainable option that isn’t a great fit for all, but is worth experiencing, is camping! You can camp in a tent, in a motorhome, or a van, in camping areas or in the wild.
Setting up camp has a natural footprint. Simply ensure you are continuously utilising reusable camping stuff, taking your waste with you when you leave, and protecting natural beauty.
Go green, Book green!
TIP #4 Conservation of water and enery
Apart from transportation, your travel depends on energy for lighting and power. This alongside concentrated water use by tourists can place major strain on nearby water supplies and energy foundation.
Travellers use fundamentally more water and energy than localites and numerous tourist places battle to stay aware of the interest. As worldwide temperatures rise and the population develops, it will compound this issue significantly further.
At the point when you’re an extended get-away, do what you can to monitor nearby water and energy assets. Switch out the lights, TV, and whatever other hardware when not being used. When leaving your hotels, switch off the AC or set the thermostat a few degrees higher.
Take shorter showers and shut off the tap while you’re brushing your teeth to reduce water wastage.Handwash your own garments and hang up the “Don’t Disturb Sign” to avoid unnecessary washing or laundry.
Try not to print tickets if you can travel utilising electronic tickets. Either save those tickets to your cell phones or download them from the web when required.
You can also diminish your ecological impression by remaining in a low effect accomodation. This could either be a more modest, more essential convenience or a better quality property that uses environmentally friendly power and water/energy proficient advances.
TIP #5 Try not to invest in a travel wardrobe
There is a habit to purchase a heap of pristine outfits before your get-away. However, did you have any idea that the fashion industry is the second-biggest polluter on the planet, after the oil business?
All of us in general are to blame for purchasing things of dress for our outing that we never wear on our return. Rather than falling into this propensity, completely survey what you currently own, and check whether your present closet will work for your vacation.
Assuming you truly need to buy a particular thing, search for the choices of acquiring from a companion or shopping second-hand. Assuming you in all actuality do have to purchase new, pick a decent quality, unbiased thing that you realise you will actually want to reuse and it will last you for some get-aways, so you don’t have to get it again sometime later!
TIP #6 Respect Local Customs
There is a term in cultural studies called “egocentrism”, and that implies seeing your own way of culture as better than others. While travelling, you should try not to be egocentric no matter what.
It’s crucial to set your self image to the side and comprehend that no culture is preferable or more awful over another. Like what makes the local culture unique in relation to your own, and comprehend that local people there experience that way on purpose.
Generally, local people are cheerful and content with their lifestyle, so notice and regard that instead of attempting to push your own specific manners on them.
It’s vital to consider yourself a guest while travelling. At the point when you visit another land, they as of now have their own loved traditions set up, and that is the way life flourishes there.
Your own way of life and way of life might be not quite the same as how these individuals live, however you should have the mentality that travel is a type of learning, and you are there to learn.Retain their lifestyle, attempt to adjust, and consistently attempt to see the positive side of things.
A significant method for recognizing the way of culture is to communicate clearly with local people.This implies moving toward individuals in a well disposed, harmless and non-critical way.
Certain individuals are reluctant to open up to outsiders, so you should show that you are reliable. Having an inspirational perspective, continuously wearing a grin, and showing restraint will assist your correspondence with local people hugely.
To take this energy with local people further, attempt to have a feeling of compassion with them. This implies having the option to imagine their perspective and connect with their feelings.
You’ll see that regardless of where you are on the planet, people are no different either way on a deeper level. Notwithstanding skin tone, clothing, religion, occupation, social class, sexual direction, or whatever other attribute, all individuals feel similar feelings and need to be content throughout everyday life.
Perceiving this normal association between individuals can assist you with connecting with them and experience a feeling of locality regardless of whether you’re many miles away from home. This is additionally one of the numerous ways that tourism makes you more liberal.
TIP #7 Visit national parks,sanctuaries and protected areas
National parks, marine safe-havens, sanctuaries and other protected regions assume a significant part in ensuring our planet’s normal assets and biodiversity.This developing interest in wildlife life tourism, and the monetary advantages that show up with it, can change local area mentalities towards protection.
Without tourism, local communities may only view wild animals as a threat to their ranches and families, and just worth normal assets for utilisation. Be that as it may, when creatures and regular regions carry the travel industry dollars and occupations to their local area, it can assist occupants with seeing the significance of keeping their normal resources flawless and solid.
Apart from altering the mindset, tourism can prevent ecosystem degradation by making more possible occupations for local networks. Occupations as guides, cooks, or servants offer elective pay sources to ecologically damaging activities like logging, cut-and-consume horticulture, quarrying, or illegal hunting.
Tourism not just bears the ability to shift local outlooks and behaviour, it can likewise raise ecological mindfulness among sightseers. From setting up camp to relaxing on the oceanside, the travel industry gives innumerable open doors to people to find out with regards to the normal world and experience it firsthand.
At the point when individuals interface with nature during their travel, it can lead them to see the value in it more and put resources into ensuring it. Visits, parks, and other travel encounters frequently work with this sort of natural learning through interpretive procedures like instructive leaflets, shows, or directed trips. Whale watching, for example, has been displayed to raise guests’ information on oceanic warm blooded animals and increment their help for whale protection.
Tourism plays an essential role in bridging the gap of financing conservation by providing an additional source of funding. Proceeds from visitor entrance fees, operating permits, accommodations, and guiding services can help pay the salaries of park rangers and guards, and fund necessary management activities such as ecosystem monitoring, anti-poaching patrols, invasive species eradication, and environmental educational programs.
TIP #8 Sustainable packing list for your vacation
The desire to save and really care for the world you love should come from within.. It’s not dramatist to say that if we don’t act currently, don’t stress now, then, at that point, later on our planet won’t exist.
Also genuinely, there’s a great deal of astounding spots in this world we actually need to visit, isn’t that so?
In light of that, Kosha has assembled a sustainable packing list to assist you with creating as minimal waste as possible during your vacation. Trust me, the little demonstrations can have a significant effect!
From thermals to sweaters and from beanies to socks, Kosha offers all winter wear layers. When it comes to winter layering and extremely cold regions, make sure you are informed about the various materials that make these layers. You can decide on the fabric once you are aware of the weather in the place of visit and your tastes and likes.
Base layers form the innermost lining of your winter wear and are therefore very important. These layers can be made from thermal material. Merino wool is said to be the softest material that provides maximum warmth and comfort. It is also very light in weight and compressible for easy packing.
Many of these thermal base layers have the additional function of being temperature-regulating. This means that this fabric responds to the change in your body temperature. Merino wool base layers also tend to soak in your sweat thus providing additional comfort.
For a mid layer, make sure you choose a non-restrictive material. It needs to be compatible with the base layer as opposed to contradicting its features.
Cotton is the kind of cloth that can match merino wool. It provides softness (not as much as merino wool would) and is very easy on the skin. There are two higher quality cotton called Supima Cotton and organic cotton.
Supima cotton translates to the superior quality of Pima cotton. Organic cotton is an eco-friendly alternative. It is made ethically by not harming nature in the process.
Organic cotton uses less water, hardly any pesticides, and also a smaller number of CO2 emissions. This material is sustainable while providing the best user experience.
Outerwear, as its name suggests, forms the outermost layer of winter apparel. Based on the purpose of your visit, decide on the most suitable material. Outerwear usually includes winter jackets, parkas, winter coats, etc. Winter jackets further include fleece-made jackets, puffer jackets, etc.
Winter coats can be made of fur, faux fur, or the most renowned snow wear material, nylon. There’s also cashmere, hemp, mohair, flannel, etc that works well as an outer layer. There are numerous things to consider before choosing the type of outerwear. Things like luggage space, the compressibility of the jacket, breathability of the make, etc should also be looked into.
When it comes to winter accessories, choose the kind of product that has the maximum utility for you.
Products like winter gloves, socks, scarves, mufflers, beanies, monkey caps, shawls, strolls, mittens, and much more are available. It is key that you bear in mind the purpose of your trip.
For instance, do not forget to carry good quality winter gloves when you are going skiing or snow hiking. Most of the time accessories are made out of wool or cotton. The gloves can be nylon made. Choosing comfort and utility over the rest can help make a better decision.
Kosha’s collection is technical in nature – designed without compromise on quality with features that enhance comfort and performance during travel. Our garments have an optimum weight to warmth ratio.
One of our hero products is the Kosha Base Layer. These are made of Merino Wool and Bamboo Fiber and are 100% eco-friendly – made from a soft and new age nano tech fibre, unlike old school itchy wool.
Puffer Jackets that get packed in a pouch, hence it is out of your check-in bag, giving you more room to pack other essentials.
- Stylish Trench Coats for Business Travel.
- Classic Pullovers in cotton and wool.
- Rain pants and Rain Jackets with seam sealing.
- Shell Layer or jackets made with technical fabrics that have a waterproof as well as breathability rating.
TIP #9 Shop for local items
Little actions of people can have a major effect. Beginning with these delightful words, I need to discuss one of the elements of sustainability – shopping locally.
I desire to inspire you to change to shopping in the road markets and from small local shops rather than giving cash to large organisations and stores.It’s more good for you, yet additionally more eco-friendly and capable as you get to help the local economy.
Shopping locally has turned into a method for eating great, making less waste and backing privately claimed organisations. There are many reasons which will persuade you to purchase locally in your regular routine, and furthermore while you travel.
As we are aware that small shopkeepers focus on quality rather than quantity, shopping local items you are sure to get better products. Shopping locally is significant for the local economy. Private ventures now and again depend just on the local customers. Without shopper interest, some businessmen will stop existing.
Each imported thing needed to travel, creating contamination. Buying locally decreases the effect you have on the environment. Check for local road markets or locally owned businesses rather than heading for shopping to outside city shopping centres.
On the off chance that you can’t get what you need close by, placing online from a similar nation makes less carbon footprints than driving far, as the delivery organisations resemble public transportation for delivering products.
Road markets offer food as well as sell utilised garments, old fashioned furnishings or upcycled things. This gives a valuable open door to follow the eco-friendly mantra to decrease, reuse and reuse whatever possible. Rather than purchasing new things, consider getting utilised items.
It’s reality that items in the local markets will be less processed than those from a supermarket, made in the factories. Fresh fruits and vegetables will rather have less synthetic substances and chemicals and will be more natural.
Additionally, food on the road market will be more fresh and also comprise of more nutrients and microelements. If you are stressed that shopping locally when travelling will cause you a stomach issue, I desire to change your perspective at the end of this post.
TIP #10 Try to avoid cruise ships
If you’re looking for ways to make tourism sustainable, right at the top is avoiding cruise ships. Cruise ships are absolutely terrible for the environment. Not only that, but they don’t benefit local communities where they dock. No one benefits from cruise ship tourism, except those who want to book an all-inclusive vacation without a second thought about who it harms.
Cruise ships are notorious for terribly polluting the oceans. In case you hadn’t heard, our oceans are in serious trouble. They need our help by reducing/eliminating our plastic use, fish consumption, and by not undertaking activities that are harmful to marine life.
Cruising is one of those things.
Additionally, ports need to be dredged in order to be made deeper to accommodate large ships, disrupting ecosystems and disturbing coral reefs.
Finally, cruise ship tourism doesn’t benefit locals. There are local businesses, hostels, and restaurants in popular cruise ship ports in the Caribbean and Croatia that attest to this. Cruisers have already paid a set price for their accommodation and food on the ship, so they rarely spend much in the towns that they visit. They might buy some souvenirs while walking around, but that’s it.
In St. Croix, an island in the US Virgin Islands there is one restaurant, located just a couple of blocks from the cruise ship port. But no cruise travellers visit this restaurant, and this restaurant mostly relies on the business of locals. The food is absolutely amazing and it’s a real shame that cruisers are missing out on local cuisine in favour of all-you -can -eat buffets on the ship.
Most of the cruise ships all over the world dump their waste including plastic trash, food scraps, and literal shit into the ocean every single day which is a very horrible situation.
Not only are cruise ships terrible for the ocean and environment, they’re also not great for human health. Moderate size cruise ships consume as much as 150 tons of fuel a day, radiating as much particulate matter as one million vehicles.
So, how could any sustainable traveller hop on board a cruise that produces such atrocious amounts of waste?
Additional sustainable tips and FAQs
Is the flight I travel by connected with my carbon footprint?
For those of us that do fly, it is probably going to make up a huge cut of our own carbon footprint. This is on the grounds that, mile for mile, flying is the most harming method to travel for the environment.
A return flight from London to San Francisco discharges around 5.5 huge loads of CO2 per individual – over two times the emissions delivered by a family car in a year, and about a portion of the normal carbon footprints of somebody living in Britain. Indeed, even a return departure from London to Berlin produces around 0.6 tons CO2e – multiple times the discharges saved from a time of reusing.
Also discharges from planes are rising quickly – they expanded by 32% somewhere in the range of 2013 and 2018. While further developing eco-friendliness is continuously decreasing the outflows per traveller, it isn’t staying aware of the quick expansion in complete traveller numbers, which are projected to twofold in the following 20 years.
We do understand that in most cases travelling by flight is unavoidable, especially long distance trips. But one can always do their bit by not taking flights for shorter trips that can be done via public transport like buses, ferries and trains.
Avoid renting a car in places where public transportation networks are strong, or you can easily walk to various attractions.
For long haul flights, the airline provides a blanket wrapped in a single-use plastic bag. Is there an alternative to this or how do I avoid using this?
The decrease of single-use plastic waste is a hotly debated issue right now, and people are attempting to diminish their measure of plastic waste in all parts of their life – including when flying.
Some of the plastic items which can be replaced with sustainable alternatives such as bamboo and other compostable materials included cups, cutlery, salt and pepper shakers, sick bags, packaging for blankets and pillows, dishes, food packaging, and toothbrushes.
The airline provides a blanket wrapped in a single-use plastic bag that can be wrapped in a paper bag, as opposed to a plastic one. The best solution to avoid blankets wrapped in a single-use plastic bag is carrying our own bedding while travelling.
Some hotels are conscious about conserving water and offer a card that is to be placed on the bed; informing the Housekeeping staff to not change the bed linen. Other hotels do not offer this option. What should I do?
The hotel / AirBnb I am staying at does not segregate their waste. What should I do?
There are numerous ways of bringing better waste management into the hotel industry, and organisations are taking steps to reduce the greatest patrons like plastics and food. Likewise with any great waste management plan, the prevention of waste is the best solution, with the reusing and recycling of waste being secondary.
If the hotel / AirBnb you are staying at does not segregate their waste then try to reduce your waste and opt for zero waste and sustainable travel.
You can also try to book your stay in the hotels or AirBnb which focuses on zero waste initiative.
I love trying different flavours of gelato / ice cream. Some of the brands offer plastic spoons for tasting, while others give wooden spoons. What should I do?
Plastic spoons are a popular option of trying different flavours of gelato / ice cream. In spite of this, plastic spoons, even those that are made to be reused, have a short lifespan.
They are intended to be used for a short period of time, and plastic spoons persevere in landfills for many years. These spoons, among other plastic items, have been causing a considerable amount of ecological issues.
Other than plastic, there’s one more kind of spoon that is dispensable however is undoubtedly more eco-friendly. Bamboo spoons are not that normally utilised in homes across the globe, yet they are increasing in popularity for many reasons.
Bamboo spoons are strong, and that implies they’re effectively reusable. Since they’re produced using normal bamboo, they are biodegradable, compostable, and great for the environment overall.
So now it’s crystal clear that you should switch to those brands which offer wooden or bamboo spoons for tasting different flavours of ice creams.
Is use of sunscreen bad for marine life & corals? Is there an environmentally friendly sunscreen that I can use?
That dab of white solution to block off the sun as you catch the rays on the beaches might be integral to your vacation, but what does it do to marine life submerged? Sunscreens and other such beauty care products and chemicals affect corals and the delicate marine life.
Researchers have additionally found that some of the chemicals found in sunscreen and other personal care products threaten the soundness of coral reefs. How these, and different mixtures, influence reef ecosystems remain a functioning area of exploration.
If you are searching for eco-friendly sunscreen,always take a look at the ingredients. If they contain two synthetic substances, i.e oxybenzone or octinoxate, then, at that point, it’s a sunscreen that you need to keep away from.
Mineral based is ordinarily a preferable decision over synthetic based. By and large, a reef safe sunscreen will be mineral based, yet not these items are eco-friendly either.
Nano-particles from mineral based sunscreens can cause harm to reefs when they are consumed,even if the particles are too small for us to see. Greater particles, nonetheless, don’t have this impact.
What you need is a sunscreen that is mineral based however contains non-nanoparticles. This implies any that say ‘undetectable’ or ‘clear’ should be stayed away from. Whenever the particles are greater, it will leave that particular white look on your skin.
There are multiple brands present in the market which work on sustainable products including sunscreen so you can buy those sunscreens and also they are more organic and effective for your skin glow.
Is it really tempting to use / collect / bring back the toiletries given by the hotel?
It happens with most of us that despite not being a thief, we behave like kleptomaniacs while staying in a hotel. There is a wrong perception among us that if we have paid for the room, we are entitled to its contents. The instinct for gathering takes over us and we try putting things into our trolley.
Your bill covers the cost of free hotel items like toiletries and hotels actually let the guests taking the toiletries home. Those things remind the guests of the hotel along with advertising about it to others.
Anything that’s complimentary is free for you to snag. This includes the mini bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, coffee, packets of creamer and sugar, and other bathroom amenities.
The slippers will get thrown away after you leave, so it’s fine if you want to pack them away for later use. Stationery, pens, notepaper, postcards, and envelopes are also a gift to you and because they carry their logo, hotels consider these free advertisements.
Unlike parts of Europe, tap water is not drinkable in other parts of the world. I am forced to buy mineral water bottles during my travels. What is the solution?
When on vacation, it’s frequently unsafe to drink regular water, which prompts people buying plastic water bottles to remain healthy. The best solution to avoid buying mineral water bottles is to carry your own reusable water bottle because that will help you to reduce the amount of plastic bottles.
The simplest and cheapest way you can ensure you have clean, drinking water all the time, is through buying a gadget that will filter regular water for you like Steripen – which sterilises water utilising UV.
If you fail to carry your water bottle on you, a delicious and hydrating alternative is coconut water.
I ask for coffee in a ceramic mug and not the takeaway cup, that includes the single use plastic coffee cover. However, post the pandemic, most coffee shops / cafes have stopped using ceramic mugs?
Of the many ways the coronavirus pandemic has changed our lives, the banning of reusable mugs by many cafes and other outlets serving hot drinks probably doesn’t appear at the top of most people’s lists.
But the move is likely to add to the mountain of waste piling up as the pandemic has led to a reliance on large amounts of single use plastic and brought recycling at halt.
In such a scenario , if you wish to go sustainable, you can carry your own small portable mug. In this way you can avoid takeaway cups that include the single use plastic coffee cover.
I am trying to reduce single-use plastic, however, on my recent trip, I observed that airlines are providing earphones in a sealed plastic bag. The crew is wearing PPE suits that are non-biodegradable. How can I offset this or what is the solution?
We see that many airlines provide earphones in sealed bags. The best solution to avoid this situation is not to accept such items.
Other accompanying measures could be to adopt biodegradable plastic packaging for in-flight snacks, beverages and amenity kits, or fully transition to reusable items. However, these environmentally friendly health and safety precautions would require the airline industry to invest large amounts of money and time, which may not be possible for smaller airlines that have been hard-hit by the pandemic.
The worldwide pandemic in 2020 has prompted many people to get admitted to hospitals. What’s more, as the infection rate is high, it utilises PPE by health workers and also by crew members much more fundamentally.
PPE incorporates the utilisation of single-use gloves, aprons, and gowns, surgical masks, respirators, and face protectors in the form of glasses, goggles, or face shields.
Increased use of PPE by the crew on flights has prompted another totally extraordinary issue – the disposal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Given the pandemic-induced circumstances, it is very clear that we really want these PPE to protect ourselves.
But the question is ‘Are these PPE kits disposed of properly?’
There are several ways of disposing of these PPE kits but before taking the flights, just check whether the flight is disposing of this huge waste carefully. As we’re witnessing these PPE littering our streets and beaches all across the world. This waste is piling up, creating an environmental impact or crisis.
Incineration, a process of waste burning at exceptionally high temperatures. Along with destroying viruses, incinerators can reduce the amount of waste. The heat produced can further be used for producing electricity.
These are little creatures that consume plastic. Over 50 Species of such Plastivores have been found. As per Scientists at Brandon University, Canada, waxworm, the larval type of the more prominent wax moth, can digest plastic.
Mealworms can likewise benefit from plastics including poisonous synthetic substances like Styrofoam and show no adverse impacts.These Plastivores could be an answer for our PPE kits waste issues.
But now the crew members on the flights should implement these measures for a sustainable travel experience to their passengers. Now it’s your call to check all these factors before booking your flight tickets.
What should I pack in my handbag to ensure I am travelling sustainably?
With an effort to reduce the environmental impact, people are taking up many eco-friendly measures to guarantee sustainable travel. An incredible method for reducing your carbon footprints while travelling? Pack sustainable items for eco-friendly trips.
When packing for sustainable travel gear, a water steriliser or filter should be one of your top picks. With the best water filters, you can avoid buying plastic water bottles. Eco-friendly toiletries cut down on waste as well as made of natural materials that won’t hurt the environment. Some extraordinary, sustainable items are solid body wash, a bamboo toothbrush, a security razor, toothpaste tabs and organic deodorant.
Probably the greatest thing we notice while going on trips is how much waste we make. Get together a zero-waste unit with reusables that will assist you with eliminating single use things.Some of the items are reusable sack or bag, beeswax food wrap, fabric napkin, tempered steel straw, bamboo cutlery, lunch box and reusable mug and water bottles.
Conclusion
Even though sustainable travel might appear like a contradiction in terminology, you can in any case settle on cognizant decisions.
This begins with the destination: the nearer to home, the less affect your vacation will have on nature. Then pick a sustainable aircraft – if needed, this will offset your CO2 emissions, and opt to fly economy class.
Settle on conscious decisions at your destination. Book your stay at eco-accommodating hotels, attempt to diminish your waste, and respect the local nature and culture. Take your responsibility. We can all add to a superior world!
We’re undoubtedly fortunate to have the option to travel to every corner of the planet with such ease and broadly nowadays. It genuinely is one of life’s most prominent delights and experiences.
We additionally believe it’s basic for our own education and fostering an open, cherishing mind. We simply need to make it manageable. It can possibly make a ton of advantage for the destination of choice yet so much of that relies upon our activities.
I hope this rundown gives you a couple of thoughts for a few sustainable ideas and habits.
Go clean and green!
This post was written by Kosha team member Mansi Rai