Go Green: 16 Ways You Can Save The Planet While Traveling

Say yes to sustainability.
by Andy Flores | April 21, 2017

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Conserve water

Conserving water during your trip is pretty simple: Turn off the taps when not in use. Take a quick shower instead of soaking in the tub. Reuse your towels, and don’t request for your sheets to be replaced, unless extremely necessary, to cut back on laundry.

Bring your own bottle

According to the Container Recycling Institute, over 60 million plastic bottles end up in landfills and incinerators everyday. Take part in reducing that number in your own humble way by bringing your own reusable bottle, which you can simply refill at drinking stations, restaurants, and other sources of potable water.

Tote your own shopping bag

Hold up! Before you take your purchase off the counter in a plastic bag, consider this: Each year, about 8 percent of the world’s oil supply is used to produce plastic — a huge waste of resources to create something that usually ends up as unnecessary long-term landfill (a bag can take up to 500 years to decompose). So the next time you go shopping on your trip, take a reusable canvas or jute bag with you to carry the stuff you buy in one go.

Buy local

It’s so easy to clinch cheap deals on mass-made souvenirs at tourist spots. You know, the usual — key chains, magnets, bottle openers, and button pins that are priced at a few bucks per set. But as inviting as those seem, you’re better off buying locally-made souvenirs. Each place has its own special product that you may not find anywhere else, so get that instead. Doing so will also help local workers receive a greater share of the profits.

Watch what you buy

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reminds travelers to be keen on the souvenirs they come across during their trip. Be sure not to buy products made from animals, especially endangered species. Steer clear from animal hides, body parts, tortoise shells, ivory, corals – to name a few. These items could be illegal and trying to take them home with you can put you in serious trouble.

Eat where the locals do

You know what they say… “when in Rome.” True enough, the best way to sample a place’s prized fare is to eat where the locals do, but what’s this got to do with saving the environment? Well, locally produced food are not just fresher or better-tasting. They also have caused much less pollution to reach your table.

Volunteer!

What better way to be an eco-friendly traveler than traveling to volunteer for a good environmental cause? If you’ve got some time in your hands, you might want to sign up for a volunteer program aimed towards protecting nature. Check websites like ecotourism.org or voluntourism.ph to find out more on how you can embark on your own eco-voluntourism journey.

Consider the distance

Keep in mind that intercontinental long-haul flights produce more carbon emissions than the average motorist does in a year, so before you book plane tickets to a far-flung country for the entire family or barkada, look into other vacay destinations that are closer to home. Perhaps, you don’t have to travel that far to catch a cool breeze or bask under the sun’s golden rays after all.

Got more tips to share? Post them in the comments!

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