10 Sustainable Travel Tips
Sustainable tourism doesn’t have to be a myth. For us sustainable travel is about reducing your footprint whilst increasing the economic benefit you bring to the wonderful places you explore. A good sustainable traveller or sustainable travel company also realises that there is always more they can do to reduce their carbon footprint.
With Charlie’s top tips, you’ll be able to keep the carbon footprint of your trip to a minimum whilst relaxing and enjoying yourself to the max.
1. Choose your accommodation wisely
Not all accommodation providers are created equal. In the same way that homes can be insulated, heated and cooled differently, holiday accommodation emissions can vary wildly. Check with your tour operator or look for companies that have signed up to Science Based Targets. Companies we know that are working to address their carbon footprint are listed on the Tourism Declares A Climate Emergency page.
2. Be choosy with your destination
The carbon footprint of countries varies wildly, largely thanks to their mix of renewable and non-renewable energy. A hotel room in Greece, for example, comes in at 30+ kgs of CO2e per night compared to France at under 10 kgs! Here’s a link to a scorecard that lists the energy efficiency of 25 countries.
3. You don't have to forgo luxury
You might assume that to go low-carbon, you have to go back to basics. This isn’t always the case. There are some amazing properties and destinations that have been built with energy efficiency and renewables in mind. Treasure Island in the Pelopennese area of Greece is one such example.
Luxury travel, Maldives. Photo credit: Sebastian Pena Lambarri, Unsplash
4. Consciously turn things off
It's easy to lapse when we’re on holiday, but we should apply the same good behaviours as we do at home when it comes to conserving energy. Turn lights out and the air conditioner or the heating down/off when you leave your room and unplug any appliances rather than leaving them on standby.
5. Get cultural and buy local services
Getting familiar with the local culture is a great way to enrich your experience whilst on holiday. Supporting local guides and businesses is a great way to keep your carbon footprint down and make memorable experiences to boot.
6. Make lower carbon food choices
This generally means less meat and dairy but it doesn’t mean depriving yourself of a cheese fondue on your ski holiday, escalope Milanese in Italy, or a kangaroo steak in Australia, just balance your choices with plant-based meals in between.
Choose the plant-based option once a day. Photo credit: Ella Olsson, Unsplash
7. Choose seasonal food in your location
Food with the least food miles is as much your friend at home as on holiday. So savour the beautiful tomatoes in summer in Italy, the juicy ripe pineapples in the Caribbean and the soft corn tortillas in Mexico guilt-free.
8. Take low carbon transport
Ditching short haul flights makes the biggest impact in reducing the carbon footprint of your trip. Travelling by train is almost always the lowest carbon option. Taking the Eurostar to Provence in France rather than flying can save a whopping 93% of the associated emissions! The table below gives some other comparisons (figures are for one way):
9. Whilst away, opt for human power
Make the most of your surroundings and earn those extra holiday drinks by walking or cycling between attractions. Many cities now have public bike rental schemes where you can pick up a bike on the kerbside, pedal it around for a couple of hours and drop it at another kerbside parking point. In some places, like Montpellier in France, any rental under 2 hours long is free.
10. Leave no trace
It should go without saying, but wherever you go, respect the local disposal, recycling and bottle deposit schemes and use them accordingly. And, if you’re out in nature, take everything home with you.
We hope you enjoyed these tips and can use them to enrich your holiday whilst lowering its carbon footprint. If you’re a travel company looking to measure your carbon footprint and set a science based net zero target, we can help.
