In the age of excess, it’s commendable to attempt to live an eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyle. It may seem complicated and inconvenient, but perhaps we’ve only gotten used to too much convenience. Living a sustainable lifestyle is possible, even with the many adjustments and efforts you have to make.
However, all the efforts to live a sustainable lifestyle can come to a screeching halt when you’re traveling. You can’t follow the usual routine that enables you to live in an eco-friendly manner, and you might have to use more disposable items. But worry not, even when traveling, there are many ways you can help the environment. Here are a few tips.
Support Local Sustainable Businesses
Because of the increasing demand for eco-friendly and sustainable business systems, many entrepreneurs are beginning to implement changes into their operations. It’s not too difficult to find a business that’s eco-friendly in their operations, and many of them are local small businesses too.
These establishments are more likely to use a sustainable dumpster bin rental for their waste products, get their raw ingredients from sustainable sources, and have a lower overall carbon footprint. Help support both the local economy and environmental efforts by eating and shopping in these local establishments.
Avoid Single-use Plastics
Whenever we travel, we tend to use a lot of disposable and single-use plastics, from bottled water to the microwavable food boxes available in most convenience stores. They’re highly accessible and very convenient to use. However, after enjoying these products, the packaging often becomes non-recyclable trash.
Statistically, these waste plastic products end up populating most landfills. You can help reduce this by simply bringing your own water bottles. Carry your aluminum flask; it can be used for both water, coffee, or even soda. It will not only allow you to help the environment, but you’ll also get to always have water with you constantly.
The same can go with food; pack your meals when traveling, if possible. If you’re buying takeout (especially from local restaurants), request that they use your containers. They’ll more likely be happy to do it for you.
If You Can, Travel by Train or by Car
Traveling by airplane leaves the most amount of carbon footprint. It’s convenient and very popular, with millions of people using it every day. But because of this, it’s become a major pollutant. You can do your part by simply traveling in a different method. If possible, travel by train.
The experience can rival that of an airplane; you get to see the sights and wonders as you travel. That’s the point of traveling. Experiencing something new and seeing new sights. Alternatively, traveling by car or even public transport can be the more eco-friendly option. It’s a lot of work, but it’s very similar to an adventure.
Don’t Be Wasteful
A hotel or lodging business might seem like a way for you to spend your time luxuriously without caring for the environment. You can make such a choice. But if you want to help reduce the establishments’ carbon footprint (and thereby, yours as well), there are a few tricks you can employ.
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Bring Your Own Toiletries
You can tell them that you won’t need their complimentary toothbrush and toothpaste, or even tissue paper. Even such a small effort can help reduce their waste for that day.
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Use the “Do Not Disturb” Sign
Many hotels change linens way too often, using water and detergent constantly. By using a “do not disturb” sign, you’re telling them that you’re okay with reusing the linens you’ve already used.
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Bring Your Own Water
As mentioned in the last point, you won’t have to use disposable bottled water if you have your own. Less trash is better for the environment.
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Always Bring a Multipurpose Plug
Here’s a neat trick that you can do almost immediately: always bring a multipurpose plug with you. When we travel, especially to different countries, the electrical outlet’s plug often changes depending on the region. Without a multipurpose plug, you’d have to buy a disposable transformer so that you can charge your devices. You won’t have to keep buying, saving on both money and plastic by having a multipurpose plug.
No matter how small your efforts may seem, it all contributes to the betterment of the world. Just think about the potential impact when more people eventually decide to live sustainably. However, we shouldn’t wait until it becomes more popular. We have to make the decision for ourselves and start in our own small way.
