When you think about it, travelling isn’t necessarily eco-friendly. Every year, millions of us hop on a plane and head to new and exciting destinations, thousands of miles away from our home. All of this moving around generates a lot of pollution and uses a lot of resources, but is there a way which we can focus on making it more eco-friendly?
Things that come to mind when thinking about eco-friendly travel are probably camping or staycations, but eco-friendly travel is so much broader and inclusive. As travellers, taking part in smaller vacations or making green changes to the way that we travel all makes us much more eco-friendly travellers. Whilst some people may take eco-travel to an extreme level, no matter what decisions you make before and during your travels, as long as you try to become more environmentally conscious, then you are doing your part. Here are 4 tips for you to consider when planning your next trip, or for when you are on holiday.
Take A Refillable Water Bottle
Many of us don’t realise it, but we tend to use a lot of single-use plastic on holiday, particularly in hotter locations. Think about it – as soon as you check in at the airport, you probably head to a coffee shop or go and buy a bottle of water. By taking your own water bottle, you can get it refilled for free from various coffee shops and restaurants and cut down on your plastic use.
Throughout the duration of your holiday, you will likely buy bottles of water whilst you are on the go to stay hydrated. You can buy larger bottles of filtered drinking water and refill your water bottle this way, which still cuts down on your plastic usage, or buy a filtered water bottle and fill it straight from the tap. Not only are you saving money, but you’re also cutting down on plastic waste.
Look At Eco-Friendly Destinations
Eco-travel and tourism have been on the increase for years, and for wonderful reasons. Across the globe, there are some countries in particular which have stepped up their efforts in order to protect the environment and make it a great place for visitors and locals, but also the wildlife that surrounds the destination.
Iceland is one of the most environmentally-friendly countries in the world, whilst New Zealand is on a mission to be completely fossil-fuel free by 2025. There are so many destinations out there which have a focus on being eco-friendly – all you need to do is dig a little deeper!
Unplug And Unwind
Before you leave for your vacation, no matter if you’re away for a weekend or a week, be sure to unplug everything around your home. Other than the fridge and freezer, there is little else which really needs to stay plugged in whilst you are on vacation. Even when you are not using the item, it is still seeping energy through from the power grid. Doing this not only saves electricity, but it can also save you some money off your next bill!
Look At Eco-Friendly Holiday Clothes
Going on a 2-week long holiday is something that many of us look forward to all year. It is what we save up for and use as a way of escaping the day-to-day life. With this comes the excitement and preparation, which for many of us means buying a whole new holiday wardrobe and accessories. These items are often only used for the duration of the holiday, before being flung back into the wardrobe and forgotten about.
There are small things you can do to be more eco-friendly when it comes to holiday clothes. Look out for sustainable fashion brands which offer eco-friendly versions of your favourite holiday items, for example, sporty swimsuits for lounging around the pool or stylish sandals for exploring the local towns. You could also donate or recycle old holiday clothes in place of new ones. Stores like H&M offer a voucher scheme, where if you take in a bag of old clothes to be recycled, they will give you a money off voucher for your next shop.