Traveling is one of the pleasures of life! I don’t escape as often as I would like to but as I am planning my next adventure, I am inspired to share a few of the ways we can all make our travels more sustainable. These tips are simple, effective and are coming to you just in time for your exotic summer vacation. You welcome!
1. Pack light
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you already know how I feel about packing light. I love to travel but the one thing I hate is struggling with bags. That is why I pack minimally no matter the destination or length of time. My golden rule is: “If I can’t carry it all myself, I can’t travel with it.” I don’t check-in baggage and stick to my go-to packing apparatus a carryon and personal item. That is all. Packing this way doesn’t only save me time, heartache and money but because I bring less weight on to the aircraft it saves fuel.
2. Carry reusable shopping bags
No trip is complete without a little bit of shopping. Can I get an amen? Instead of taking the plastic bags merchants usually give, travel with reusable canvas bags. They are easy to pack and require minimal space. The only caveat is remembering to carry them with you when you go sightseeing because you never know what you might find on the way.
3. Bring your own reusable water bottle
This tip will not work for everyone because of TSA regulations. Light-packers, like me, who don’t check in baggage can’t do this. The rest of you, however, should pack a reusable water bottle. Make sure to put it in your checked bag so it doesn’t get confiscated at security. Then, assuming that your destination provides safe drinking water, you will be able to refill it at hotels, restaurants and water fountains. You will save money on water bottles and reduce your use of plastic bottles.
4. Ride a bike
Ridding a bike instead of taxis or car rentals is a great way to be sustainable when traveling. Whenever possible use this mode of transportation which will help lower your carbon footprint and trim your body at the same time. Great for the environment and for your health, win-win!
5. Rethink the straws
Plastic straws are polluting our oceans and endangering marine life along with other single use plastic products. So when ordering a cocktail, although asking for a straw is customary, resist the urge to sip. Better yet, ask your bartender to hold the straw when placing your order. If you must use a straw however, I suggest bringing your own metal one.
6. Keep the same towels and sheets
Oh the glory of making a mess without having to clean it up. We all love it but getting new sheets and towels everyday is not an energy-efficient way to travel. Imagine what your electric and water bills would be if you did this at home. It would be very costly in time and money. So instead of splurging on the free towels and sheets keep the same ones for a week understanding that anything less will be costly for the planet.
All in all, when attempting to travel sustainably, every little bit counts. These tips are only guidelines. Taking baby steps and creating your own sustainable travel lifestyle is perfectly OK. The goal is to be aware of how our traveling habits affect the world.
On that note, do you have any fun trips planned this year? Let me know on social media Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest