From borders to flights, the world is beginning to open back up. Before we pack our bags and get on the first plane out of here, we should start thinking about ways to become a more sustainable traveller.
Although travel is accessible, it isn’t always the best thing for the environment. In this guide, I’ll walk you through four ways to become a more sustainable traveller. From changing your habits to offsetting your carbon output, you’ll be travelling sustainably in no time!
Where possible, take the train
At this point, we all know that every flight we take emits carbon dioxide. With roughly 4.9% of the man-made effects of global warming being attributed to flights, we could all do with skipping them where we can.
If you’d like, you can use this calculator to work out the amount of carbon the flights you take are emitting. They even put the figure in terms of cups of coffee to make it easier to understand. We’ve also written an article about the eco-travel and the real carbon footprint of flights if you want to learn more!
Flights emit considerably more carbon dioxide than trains. Due to this, it’s a great idea to hop on a train where possible. Although transport links are fairly scarce in America, if you’re in Europe there is a large network of interlinked trains you can utilise.
If you want to make a holiday of it, you can even purchase an Interrail ticket that allows you to travel anywhere in Europe by train over a certain period. Travelling by train, experiencing Europe, and reducing your impact on the planet – what’s not to love!
A sustainable traveller tries to avoid plastic waste
When travelling to a new place, it’s easy to reach for plastic comforts out of ease. From a bottle of water to fruit preserved in a plastic case, plastic does make things easy. But, considering that it can take up to 450 years for a plastic bottle to decompose, we’re much better off planning ahead.
Instead of buying bottles of water when we arrive, bring a metal container with you. By refilling your water bottle at public fountains or in restaurants, you’ll be cutting back on the amount of plastic you’re using. The less plastic you use, the better off for the environment your trip becomes!
If you need a bag that has enough room for a large water bottle, we’ve got you covered. Our Bagmaya sustainable backpacks are made from sustainable materials and are the perfect travel companion.
Slow down
One of the best ways to travel more sustainably is by slowing down. A sustainable traveller should try and experience a location, rather than just zooming on through.
Spend more time in each location you visit. In doing so, you’ll reduce the amount of transport you’re using while also actually getting to know a city. Not only is this better for the planet, but you’ll also be getting an enriched experience of a place!
If you want to know more about slow travel, we’ve broken down the benefits for you in another article.
Become a sustainable traveller by offsetting your carbon
Carbon offsetting is a fairly recent phenomenon. By calculating how much carbon your journey has emitted, you can then proportionally invest in projects that offset that carbon. All you need to do is head to Sustainable Travel International and enter the amount of carbon you have used. From there, it will generate a figure to donate.
Any money you donate goes straight into carbon offset projects. These are environmentally-friendly projects like replanting forests that will offset the amount of carbon your journey has released.
Considering how easy it is to calculate your figure and invest, this practice is a phenomenal way of making your travelling practice more sustainable.
Which of these ways of becoming a more sustainable traveller are you most excited to try? Let us know in the comments down below!
