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As travellers, we are responsible for taking care of the places we visit and minimising the footprint we leave on them. Thinking about that, today we will talk about the best practices to take care of the environment while you travel. Take note of these tips and make sure you are a responsible tourist.
Take care of the places you visit
Are you thinking of going on excursions in Lanzarote or anywhere else in the world? Think for a moment about the environmental impact of your travels. First, there is the issue of transportation, and others follow, such as increased consumption of energy, water, waste production, etc.
If we aren’t aware of the way we travel, we do a lot of damage to the planet. Therefore, it is important to know how to take care of the environment when you travel.
The reason is very clear, we don’t have another planet to go to, so we must take care of our home to ensure the survival of future generations.
Humans are responsible for most of the pollution in the world. So it is essential to raise awareness and start taking actions to reduce the negative impact on the planet.
Changes start at home, but we must also apply them to the places we travel to. And there are many ways to do it. Later, we will give you some tips that you can apply.
Reduce pollution at home
Before starting with our recommendations for tourists, we will give you some that you can apply in your own home. It is not enough to take actions when travelling. We must also take care of the environment in our home.
Some of these tips are basic, but we still overlook them. Consequently, the environment suffers, and so do those who inhabit it.
- Don’t waste water, turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth or soap your hands.
- Turn off the lights in rooms you are not using at the moment.
- Separate waste and recycle.
- When you go shopping, take your own cloth bags and avoid using plastic ones.
- Do not throw away used clothing in good condition. The textile industry is one of the most polluting. Better donate it to people who need it, or take it to thrift stores.
- When you are away from home for a while, disconnect all electrical appliances. Leave only the essentials running, such as the refrigerator.
- Use eco-friendly products like shampoo bars or bamboo toothbrushes.
These are simple actions that will contribute to caring for the planet, and that you can also apply while you are travelling.
Tips to take care of the environment while travelling
Tourism is a growing activity, it is becoming easier to travel. Also, after two years of the pandemic, many people want to know other places. But we must take into account the following recommendations to be responsible with the environment.
Reduce waste
The waste produced by visitors is a serious problem at tourist sites. Therefore, we must learn to be more practical and avoid producing so much waste.
Doing it is easier than you imagine, and it means a big change. Start by using less plastic; for example, use stainless steel bottles that you can reuse instead of buying bottled water every day. Take your own cloth bag for shopping or to pick up the waste, and never leave rubbish lying around the places you go.
Another way to reduce waste, especially the use of plastics, is to buy organic products with eco-friendly packaging.
Follow the rules of the places you visit
When you travel, adapt to the place you are going and respect the rules. There are places that are delicate and must be taken care of to preserve them. For example, in some places you will find marked trails for walking, specific places to make campfires, or areas in the sea where you cannot dive or fish.
All this has a reason for being, and its objective is to take care of the place and the species that inhabit it.
To take care of the places you visit, you should also avoid taking souvenirs made of animal parts. In coastal areas, for example, necklaces made of shark teeth or shells are common. This not only encourages the hunting of animals, but can alter the environmental balance.
As for waste, to take care of tourist places, leave the garbage in the areas designated for it. If you can’t find a place, then keep them in your bag until you find a dump.
Control the consumption of resources and products
Reduce the consumption of energy and water, as well as products that are not necessary. In this way, you will contribute to reducing pollution in the destinations to which you travel.
To do this, apply the tips we mentioned at the beginning, such as turning off the lights or closing the taps when you are not using them.
Greener means of transport
One of the most serious problems of tourism is the pollution produced by the transport. Planes affect the environment the most, but in many cases we cannot avoid them to reach our destination. However, if trains are available, you can take advantage of them as a greener way to travel.
When you arrive at your destination, you can also look for options to pollute less in your transfers. For example, instead of renting a car, you can walk, cycle or use public transport.
Guided group tours are a great alternative to touring a city, and generally they are on foot or in a transport for all visitors. In addition, you can take the opportunity to meet other tourists.
Participate in environmental projects
One way to contribute to caring for the environment is to participate in environmental projects. It can be something as simple as cleaning the beaches one day with other tourists.
But you can also find out if there is any activity going on in the area and offer to volunteer.
Recycle while you travel
Just because you’re travelling doesn’t mean you lose your recycling habits. Sort your trash to make it easier to recycle. You can also create new objects with scraps, such as crafts. There are people who do this on the go and sell it to make some money.
These are some of the best practices to take care of the environment while you travel. Would you add any other recommendation to the list?
This post is also available in: Español (Spanish)