6 Ways to Travel More Sustainably and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint While Adventuring

6 Ways to Travel More Sustainably and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint While Adventuring

Are you an ardent traveler with a passion for environmentalism? Are you looking to minimize your carbon footprint as you tour the world’s breathtaking landscapes? It may be time to pick up a book on ecotourism.

For those unfamiliar, tourism is a trillion-dollar industry that accounts for eight percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, which is why embracing ecotourism is crucial to environmentally-friendly travel. While some staunch environmentalists argue the complete elimination of long-distance travel is the only way to conserve the planet’s finite resources, proponents of ecotourism propose eco-friendly travel solutions you can implement while engaging with different people and cultures.

Airplanes are the most popular form of international travel and a significant contributor to carbon emissions, making it difficult for those eco-conscious travel enthusiasts to hop on a plane and zip around the globe without harboring feelings of guilt. However, there are plenty of impactful ways to reduce your carbon footprint while flying to and from your destination.

Are you embarking on an extended vacation, touring neighboring countries, and exploring rare destinations? Rather than jetting off to each pre-planned destination, which amps up your emissions, merge the convenience of air travel with your car’s lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Auto-transport services lower emissions by transporting multiple vehicles, which slashes the automobile emissions produced during long trips. Heading to the West Coast to visit Yosemite and Zions National Park but want to maximize every minute of your vacation time? Instead of trekking across the country in your gas-guzzling SUV, or boarding plane after plane to check-off these bucket list items, you can ship your vehicle to your new home base using Guardian Auto Transport and limit your aircraft time.

Utilize responsible transportation methods

Although avoiding air travel is nearly impossible when traveling long distances overseas, there are plenty of resources perfect for shorter excursions, as well as more ethically-sound options for air travel. Researching green airlines, packing light, and making as few stops as possible sets you up for an environmentally-conscious vacation

When practical, give biking or walking a go. By slowing down your commute, you can view the cities you’re visiting from a fresh perspective. Not to mention, you can maximize your time by making interactive pit-stops.

Buy local

Shopping for locally-sourced products and food is an excellent source of entertainment and impacts the environment positively. Supporting local shops reduces waste from mass-produced items and stimulates local economies, helping indigenous communities directly.

As a tourist, it’s your responsibility to avoid large chains and irresponsible companies that, ultimately, negatively impact the local environment and economy.

Go green

Reduce your carbon footprint before you leave your front-porch steps by prepping your home for your prolonged vacation. By unplugging appliances, disabling heating and cooling, and switching off the lights, you’re directly reducing your carbon footprint while away.

It is crucial to extend the same courtesy to your vacation spot. By double-checking that lights are off before heading off to the next tourist attraction and locating local recycling services for your stay, you can travel responsibly and respectfully. As a travel enthusiast, you should adopt a leave-no-trace-behind mentality as you trek your way across the globe.

Research environmentally-friendly lodging

Booking lodging is an unavoidable aspect of travel. Avoid chain hotels, which have sub-par environmental regulations and little regard for their carbon footprint, and do adequate research to pinpoint lodging facilities with green initiatives in place.

If you’re looking for an even more radical way to reduce your emissions, try community campgrounds and rough it in the wild as you explore your dream destination guilt-free.

Pack with intention

Packing lightly makes air travel more efficient, decreases the risk of lost items, and reduces waste left behind as you make your way through the unexpected twists and turns of traveling.  Instead of single-use plastic utensils, styrofoam containers, and plastic water bottles, pack reusable equipment as an environmentally-friendly, easy-access alternative.

In summary

Sustainable travel is relatively easy to implement and well worth the price of a reusable water bottle. With a small amount of effort and research, responsible travel is within your reach. Reduce your carbon footprint and increase your cultural connections as you wind your way through the labyrinth of tourist adventures.