Travelling is a wonderful opportunity to discover new cultures, reconnect with nature, stretch our boundaries and unwind. However, there is more to travel than meets the eye. With travelling comes the responsibility to preserve and protect the environments we visit so we can continue to enjoy them for years to come.
With the number of threats our environment faces today – it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when it comes to responsible travel. Yet, you may be surprised how easy it is to minimise your impact and contribute to the environment in a positive way.
1. Choose Carbon-Free Transport
Self-propelled modes of transport are not only good for you, but they are also good for the environment too! They are a great way to get fit and reduce your footprint. Whether you like walking, cycling or kayaking – they are all excellent ways to slow down and immerse yourself in the area you are visiting with minimal impact.
2. Avoid Single Use Plastic Bottles
It’s a well-known fact that single-use plastic bottles are a problem for our planet, particularly in countries with no recycling systems in place. To reduce your impact, travel with a reusable drink bottle and fill up at potable water stations or use water purification tablets. There are also UV water purification drink bottles on the market too.
3. Leave No Trace
Help protect the long-term health of our natural world by practising the 7 Principals of ‘Leave No Trace’ whenever you are travelling through wilderness areas.
- Plan ahead and prepare
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimise campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of your hosts and other visitors
4. Be an Ambassador for Peace
Before leaving home, read and commit to the International Institute of Peace Through Tourism’s Credo of the Peaceful Traveller.
5. Keep Wilderness Trails Litter Free
Make your impact positive by signing up for initiatives such as 10 Pieces, a litter collection initiative that harnesses the collective power of travellers to keep wilderness trails free of litter.
6. Choose Sustainable Accommodation
Choose accommodation options that protect and conserve local environments. For example, avoid tea house lodges in Nepal that contribute to the problem of deforestation.
