As the allure of travel beckons and holiday plans take shape, let's pause for a moment to consider how we can turn our adventures into more eco-friendly holidays. Everybody’s choices will be different, but wherever we go and however we get there, we can reduce the environmental impact of our holidays in lots of simple ways.
Here are some tips to inspire you:
Tips for your holiday
Pack Light
The heavier your luggage, the more fuel it takes to transport it by plane, bus, car, or train. Pack your bags as light as possible to reduce fuel use and therefore, the carbon emissions.
Pack Right
Ensure you're equipped with
reusable essentials like water bottles and shopping bags. These are often standard practice at home, so try to continue it on holiday, it will likely save you money too!
Conserve Water
Opt for eco-friendly accommodation that promotes responsible practices such as only having sheets and towels changed when you need them, rather than every day. Small actions like these add up to big environmental wins especially in water-scarce destinations.
Buy Local
Whether it's savouring street food or shopping at neighbourhood markets,
buying food or other produce locally boosts the economy, and benefits the local vendors and communities where you are staying.
Embrace Public Transport
Opt for eco-friendly modes of transportation such as
walking, cycling, buses and
trains, rather than cars and taxis. It not only reduces carbon emissions but also invites authentic experiences along the way.
Research your Destination
Do some research into things such as what can be recycled, or other things that can make you travel in a more sensitive way. It may also help you appreciate local traditions and practices you may not have noticed before.
Leave no Trace
Lastly, but most importantly, cherish the golden rule of sustainable travel: leave no trace.
Put garbage in its place to avoid litter, and don’t remove or alter anything without permission.
The F Word
Yes, we're talking about ‘flying’. It's well known that flying emits large amounts of carbon and is one of the fastest growing areas of emissions. But also, the idea of not flying is something many aren’t ready for yet. So, if you are taking an aeroplane for your next holiday, here are some ways to minimise the impact of your flights:
- Booking non-stop flights and flying economy uses less carbon per mile travelled. On Google Flights you can find out the different emissions from different airlines as a guide.
- Offset your emissions. But note, offsetting has come under scrutiny and criticism because it’s not clear how much of the carbon emitted is actually removed from the atmosphere. Do support offsetting projects that you like which support restoration and local communities but, at the moment, don’t assume it means you can fly carbon free.
- Maybe commit to flying only once a year or not flying long-haul.
From the Giki Zero website & app –
https://zero.giki.earth