Essential tips for travellers who want to travel sustainably.
Doing the right thing for the environment, especially when you’re holidaying, feels great. Over time, the small, positive changes in our routines become second nature and sustainability becomes a way of life.
Hospitality within some of the most luxurious hotels is approached with a sense of responsibility. However, the sustainability efforts of a hotel can be strengthened by the guests within. The ways in which clients can bolster these endeavours is through the adoption of certain habits.
Travelling increases self-awareness and encourages us to engage with fresh perspectives that transform our understanding of people, geography, and history.
The elimination of single-use plastics is a primary agenda for hotels on a sustainability mission. We can play our part by avoiding pre-packaged alternatives, using refillable water bottles, and purchasing toiletries with a refillable design or those that are of 100% recyclable materials. All this helps to reduce the amount of plastic sent to landfill.
Embracing a greener diet will improve our health and help the planet. The consumption of ‘industrial meat’ increases carbon emissions (15% every year), especially when we consider the sheer quantity of meat and dairy that intensive factory farms produce. Precious portions of forest space are eradicated in favour of crop farms that feed billions of farmed animals. Furthermore, certain species are at risk of endangerment if they are not removed from the menu list: primates, bluefin tuna, chinook salmon, shark, green sea turtle, pangolin etc.
When you are choosing from the menu of any restaurant, opt for ingredients that are grown rather than reared. For fine dining choices, look out for those that have been awarded a Michelin Green Star.
We must do everything to protect and preserve the earth’s most precious natural resource: water. From the receding water levels of Venice to the relentless droughts in Asia and Africa, water shortage – to different degrees – is a global issue. The small things we do at home and while travelling will contribute to making a huge difference. Refraining from laundry unless the machine can be filled to a minimum of 75% capacity, as well as showering instead of bathing, is a great start.
Walking invites a host of benefits; it improves cognitive health; you exercise more and reduce carbon emissions. Although tempting to use the elevator or buggy, walking allows you to experience your environment as a local.
Connect through disconnecting. As much as we hate to break it to you, the earth will still turn even if you have no internet for 24 hours. The soul relishes heartfelt connections with another human being. When you are glued to your device, you have not left home or work – you’ve brought everything with you.
Data storage is another environmental issue when we consider the energy-intensive hardware that holds all this information in remote locations. Therefore, try to delete redundant messages, images, apps and videos from the iCloud.
Purchase local and handcrafted items. Artisinal crafts are sentimental, original and helpful in supporting the local community. This type of gift also helps preserve unique skill-sets – passed down through generations – that risk redundancy if individuals did not purchase them.
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