Through being more conscious of our waste and being a bit more resourceful, these sustainable travel tips will help you make a positive impact on the environment instead of a negative one.
It can be so easy to get lazy while traveling. Sometimes that’s a good thing – relaxing more, catching up on rest, reading good books. But it’s also easy to get lazy about things like recycling and reducing waste, even if we have the best habits at home! I’m also guilty of this.
The problem is, especially in areas where major tourism is constant, if everyone has that attitude the place will eventually become trashed and depleted. It’s so important that we develop sustainable travel habits and are mindful of our impact on the environment while traveling.
I’ve put together this list of the 13 best tips for sustainable travel so we can all be a little kinder to the environment! It’s really not that hard.
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1. Take care of your garbage.
This one should be the most obvious key to sustainable travel. Show respect to the locals and appreciation for the country you’re visiting by taking care of your trash. The cliche, “Leave it better than when you found it,” is really a great way to live.
Never litter. If you can’t find a place to dispose of your trash, take it with you until you can find one. Choose to recycle whenever possible. You can ask the hotel you’re staying at whether they have a recycling program. And if you find trash other people have left lying around, it shows so much kindness when you take the time to dispose of that too!
Not only is it respectful to the locals, but it’s also respectful to the environment. By taking care of trash you’re also preserving the beauty you’re enjoying!
2. Don’t buy disposable water bottles.
Instead of buying disposable water bottles and creating lots of plastic waste, consider buying and exclusively using a reusable water bottle whenever possible.
Plastic water bottles take 1,000 plus years to biodegrade and produce toxic fumes if they’re burned. Plus, most plastic water bottles aren’t recycled and recycling programs are scarce in some countries where you may be traveling. This article on water bottle waste stats is really informative.
My personal favorite reusable water bottle which I and Ryan both have is theKleen Kanteen stainless steel water bottle. I love that it’s not made of plastic, and the stainless steel doesn’t at all affect the taste of what you put in it. Plus, the cap is totally leak-proof!
If you want something super compact and portable, check out theVapur Element Bottle which is BPA-free, foldable and flexible.
If you’re heading to a country where tap water is not safe to drink, you have two good options. One thing you can do is buy large containers of water at a grocery store and refill your personal water bottle daily.
Alternatively, you can check out the LifeStraw Go water bottle which can filter and make almost any water safe to drink on its own! It’s lightweight, BPA-free, and extremely effective. I haven’t tried this water bottle yet, but here you can read another traveler’s detailed review of it.
You can also check out this super handy interactiveinfographic by Just the Flight to find out if the country you’re traveling to has safe drinkable tap water. Being conscious of using as few plastic bottles as possible is a key to sustainable travel.
3. Bring reusable bags and other items with you when possible.
This requires a bit more planning ahead but it reduces so much waste in the long run! I still have a lot of growing to do in this area but I’m eager to improve. There are lots of items you can purchase to use and reuse rather than purchase for one-time use and throw away.
Rather than getting plastic bags when you go shopping, bring your own reusable cloth bags. Consider packing reusable toiletry containers(and don’t take the freebies from the hotel). You can also bring your own reusable cutlery, thermos, and food containers.
4. Opt for digital instead of physical maps, guidebooks, and other resources.
This is a sustainable travel tip that is easier to follow than ever before. When you can use digital versions of these things, you have a lot less bulk to carry with you and you reduce the waste of the papers and pamphlets you’d later throw away.
You can read my post on how to best use the Google Maps app while traveling, including instructions on how to use it offline if you don’t have data. There are also many great free apps which serve as guidebooks for locations all around the world! You can also just take photos of maps, flyers, or guidebook pages to access easily from anywhere.
For more ideas, you can read my post on the 5 travel apps you can’t go without.
5. Go easy on the free stuff.
This goes with #4. Chances are during your travels you’ll be offered some free stuff, whether it’s maps and brochures, freebies handed out on the street, or even just the supplies provided to you where you’re staying.
Just be mindful – do you really need that thing, will you use it, and how soon will you be throwing it away?
I know it can be hard to say no, especially to people on the street. You don’t have to be rude – usually a, “No thank you!” and a smile goes over well. Or, (this happened to me a lot in Istanbul), if there are people everywhere trying to get your attention, sometimes it’s easiest to just avoid eye contact and keep walking.
It’s good for me to remember that doing something like avoiding eye contact, while it might feel impolite to me as an American, is completely normal in some other cultures.
6. Borrow instead of buying.
This sustainable travel tip is for packing. If there’s an item you’re going to buy just for your trip and probably not use again, see if you can borrow it from someone! It saves money and is less wasteful.
7. Consider buying eco friendly travel products and gear.
There are so many amazing travel products out there created with minimal impact on the environment! Some brands make their products and packaging from recycled materials, others create products to be durable and long lasting so that fewer products are bought and thrown away, and many are free of harsh chemicals and substances.
You can find lots of lists of great eco products, but I especially loved this list for a huge variety of products and this list specifically for luggage.
8. Use do not disturb sign.
I know it’s kind of luxurious at times to come back to your hotel and find new sheets, new towels, and everything freshly cleaned, right? I enjoy that every once in awhile for sure. But it’s not necessary. I mean, I would never wash my linens that often at home.
We can save a lot of wasted energy (manpower and electricity) and cleaning products by putting up the do not disturb sign and reusing towels and sheets a few times.
9. Turn off the lights and turn down the AC when you leave the place you’re staying.
This goes along with the last one. Just like at home, you can save a lot of electricity by turning your air conditioning or heating down or off and turning the lights off when you leave your hotel or wherever you’re staying. Super easy!
10. Do laundry less often.
Instead of wearing an entirely new outfit each day of the week while traveling (who has room to pack that much anyway?), re-wear clothes at least a couple of times before washing them. If you don’t have enough clothes to make a full load in the washer, combine clothes with a friend to make a full load where possible.
11. Support local businesses.
This is an especially helpful sustainable travel tip if you’re visiting a developing nation. You can support local businessmen and businesswomen by choosing to buy from local businesses rather than big corporations whenever possible. This helps the local economy a lot!
You can do this by buying tours from locals, by shopping from local artisans or markets, by choosing to stay in an Airbnb or a local hotel rather than a big hotel chain, and eating at local restaurants.
Plus, I really think you experience more of the local culture that way! You might make some new friends and you may even end up paying less.
12. Fly less.
I fly a lot, so I’m talking to myself on this one, but it’s simple: airplanes do a lot of damage to the atmosphere and environment. Flying less is one of the most effective ways you can lessen your negative impact on the environment, if you’re willing to do so.
There are a few ways to do this – consider traveling by train or taking road trips when possible instead of flying. Or, choose to travel to places closer to home. Slow travel will help you fly less as well. If it’s possible for you, spend longer amounts of time in each location you visit rather than darting on planes from place to place every week or two.
13. Be conscious about animal experiences.
When it comes to things like riding elephants, watching a dolphin show, or going to a circus, be conscious of the way the animals are being treated, and avoid experiences where they may be experiencing exploitation or abuse. You can read more about this at the World Animal Protection website.
I understand the stance of people who firmly believe animals only belong in the wild, but I also think we can learn a lot from positive experiences with animals, so I don’t think all should be ruled out.
Do you have more tips for practicing ethical and sustainable travel? Share your ideas in the comments below!
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