Some helpful tips for sustainable travel, put together by the team at Veed
What is Sustainable Tourism
Earth is a wonderful place and it boasts awe-inspiring beauties of nature. Waterfalls, islands, beaches, and mountains are just a few of the amazing beauties that our world has on offer. Not only that, but we can also find incredible human-made tourist destinations with unique architectures. Visiting these spots can satisfy our thirst for adventure as well. That’s why there are a lot of travelers who are willing to invest time and money to witness these wonderful natural creations.
Our desire to experience nature’s beauties can sometimes be of disadvantage. Preservation is the key to making these wonderful nature creations last longer. That’s why a sustainable tourism concept has been introduced.
As stated by the UNEP (United Nations Environment Program) and UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization), “Sustainable tourism addresses the needs of both visitors and communities while taking into account current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts”. Basically, it encompasses the whole tourism experience so that current and future generations can earn from it.
How can we make travel more sustainable?
Sustainable tourism is important because it teaches us to become more responsible travelers. With the sustainable tourism concept, protection of the environment and conserving the natural resources can be given focus. It helps minimize the negative impacts and maximize the benefits to the environment.
Traveling is a way for people to escape from stress and workloads. It allows us to meet new people, experience different cultures, explore the world, and capture wonderful moments. We can collect a lot of videos in so many attractive places that can consume our drive or storage. You’re going to need the best video compressor to make sure that you can compress your videos without losing their quality.
By traveling, we get to see new places and reveal the adventurous part of ourselves. However, travel can also give a negative impact on the environment especially if it’s not done sustainably. Keep reading and learn more about the best tips for sustainable travel.
Best 9 tips for sustainable travel
Tourism in every country is blooming again after the drastic effect of the covid19 pandemic. International travel has also reopened in selected countries. This means traveling is everywhere, like never before. That’s why it is important to gain knowledge and apply these best tips for sustainable travel.
- Unplug everything at home
Before leaving for a long trip, make sure to remove the plug of everything that must be unplugged. This is to ensure no charger, aircon, or other appliances are left plugged in while you’re away that may cause electric short-circuit problems or worse, fire. Especially when there’s no one home left.
- Support the local stores
As you travel to one destination, make it a priority, too, to support the local stores. Tourists always go to souvenir stores to buy tokens or remembrance. By shopping at the local stores, you can guarantee to get cheaper rates than that of the foreign souvenir stores. And you can help the locals with their business as well. They also offer environment-friendly materials. - Dine-in in local restaurants
Eating at the local restaurants can be more fun than in the expensive foreign restaurants in town. They mostly offer original and traditional delicacies while foreign restaurants upgrade their version which makes it more expensive. Eating in local restaurants can save money as well. - Book your accommodations in local lodging
There are also local accommodations where you can lodge and stay comfortably. Some of them can be found in AirBnB. They are less expensive compared to hotels and motels. - Bring your own travel mug with you
Travelers enjoy every minute of their travel. Even when drinking coffee. Sometimes, however, we do not have the time to stay at Starbucks for a long time due to a long list of things to do. That’s why it is important to bring your mug along with you so you can still have a sip on the go. This is to avoid the use of plastic cup materials and to lessen the trash that you will leave at your next destination. - Mode of Transportation
Air travel, unlike land travel, planes consume the most amount of carbon. Traveling by bus or train can lessen the amount of carbon emitted per day. Aside from that, traveling by land is more enjoyable as you get to see beautiful sights along the road. - Choose electric vehicles
If you are uncomfortable traveling in public, you may want to rent a private vehicle. When renting one, choose electric cars. Electric cars are becoming well-known today as it is less expensive and you can help save the environment more than using diesel for transportation. - Utilize mobile apps
Instead of printing your boarding pass and maps for directions to your destinations, practice utilizing mobile apps. Mobile apps give convenience especially when you are traveling. You’re just a click away on your phone and you can present your boarding pass right away. - Go to a destination and leave only footprints
Every tourist destination can do something for you. It may brighten your day, uplift your spirit, or bring out the adventurous side of you. That’s something that you cannot obtain easily in your daily life. In return, make sure to bring all used materials and waste with you as you leave the place. Leave only footprints and memories you created there.
We only have one planet to live on. This planet gives us so many benefits to enjoy life. One of those is the plethora of beautiful places that we can visit. And as we see the world, make sure that we look after our planet as well.