Sustainable travel is the perfect way to travel without leaving a harmful impact on the places we visit. Traveling more sustainably goes beyond opting for environmentally friendly means of transportation and choosing a responsible hotel; it's about integrating sustainable practices into all aspects of the journey.
Sustainable travel can have a positive impact on both the people and the places visited, providing a more meaningful travel experience for both tourist trips and student travel programs.
There are many ways to travel sustainably, from supporting local businesses to reducing your carbon footprint. This way of traveling can help you make the most of your experience while also positively contributing to the places you visit.
In this article, you will find some sustainable travel tips that will serve you well for the adventure you are about to undertake.
1. Interact in the right way
Sustainability is not only about reducing carbon footprint but also about enabling the communities visited to have a sustainable future.
There are several ways to do this, such as staying with a host family when you go on your school trip, buying souvenirs made by local artisans, and shopping at local markets instead of supermarkets. This way, the money you spend will stay in the local community, boosting its economy and strengthening its growth.
2. Minimize your carbon footprint
You may have heard the concept but may not be very familiar with it. Reducing your carbon footprint means reducing or eliminating greenhouse gas emissions generated from the products, services, and processes of an organization or the consumption habits of individuals.
One way to collaborate is to choose sustainable accommodations, use public transportation whenever possible, and reduce energy consumption. Carrying a reusable water bottle and avoiding single-use plastics can also help reduce your environmental impact during travels.
3. Choose sustainable accommodation options
Sustainable accommodation options include eco-hotels, eco-lodges, and eco-campgrounds. These types of accommodations often use renewable energy sources, such as solar energy, and continually strive to minimize their environmental impact.
If at any point during your school trip, you plan a weekend getaway, you can consider these types of options when looking for accommodation.
4. Be mindful of your food choices
Eating sustainably can also have a positive impact on your travels. Choosing locally grown foods and dining at local restaurants can help support the local economy and provide employment opportunities.
5. Use sustainable transportation options
Opting to walk or bike whenever possible and using public transportation can significantly reduce your environmental impact. Renting electric vehicles instead of cars with internal combustion engines is also an option that can help reduce your carbon footprint.
6. Travel slowly
"Slow travel" is the art of visiting one or two places for an extended period rather than rushing through many places. Taking the time to explore a place not only reduces travel hours by plane and other means, as well as greenhouse gas emissions but also allows for deeper interaction with the communities and cities visited, something that is beneficial for both the traveler and the planet. School trips are a form of slow travel.
7. Offset your carbon footprint
In cases where there are emissions that you cannot reduce, the most recommended action is to offset your carbon footprint. That is, invest financially in an environmental project. It doesn't have to be a lot of money; even a small donation can help.
It is important to remember that there is no perfect way to calculate emissions accurately. Furthermore, with so many offset mechanisms, particularly tree planting, the actual carbon offset does not occur until twenty years later when the trees have finished growing. It's still a positive thing, but it's better to limit emissions from the start.
8. Use less plastic
With just a few simple changes in routine, plastic waste can be greatly reduced. One of the quickest and easiest things to do is to use a reusable aluminum water bottle. For a small amount of money, you won't have to buy a plastic bottle again, and you can use apps like Refill and Tap to find the nearest point to refill your water bottle. You can also avoid non-recyclable aerosols and use natural solid deodorants and solid shampoo, conditioner, and soap.
9. Caring for wildlife
It may be uncomfortable to acknowledge, but many tourist activities involving animals have very negative effects on the species involved. When traveling and seeking to engage in activities involving animals, strive to ensure they are respectful of wildlife. This means trying to avoid activities such as riding elephants or swimming with dolphins, which often conceal practices of animal cruelty, and prioritizing education and positive interactions between people and wildlife, as well as environmentally sustainable tourism.
Benefits of sustainable travel
The benefits of sustainable travel are numerous. Some of them are:
- They help protect the environment by reducing pollution, conserving natural resources, and minimizing waste.
- They contribute to preserving local cultures and traditions.
- They decrease greenhouse gas emissions associated with travel.
- They support the local economy and provide employment opportunities for destination residents.
- They create a more meaningful experience for travelers, as connecting with local communities allows them to better understand the culture and history of their destination.
- They ensure the long-term success of activities at the destination, minimizing the impact of travel on the environment.
As the world develops and technology advances, it is increasingly viable for many people to undertake trips that decades ago seemed unthinkable. This has led to a significant increase in travel-related emissions, and it is forecasted that they will continue to rise in the coming years. Sustainable travel represents an ethical way of traveling that seeks to preserve the environment, culture, and economy of a destination. This will allow the places we choose for our travels to maintain their conservation status and biodiversity for many more years.
