When you think about travel, first of all, COVID-19 restrictions come to our mind. Till the beginning of 2022, there were still many countries that were not very welcoming to tourists. That’s why it is now more than just important to travel eco-friendly.

We have once faced a complete shutdown, so now we have to focus on sustainable ways to travel. If you plan to travel more sustainably, you can play your part in making this world a much better place to live in.

Traveling GREEN is a much broader term and includes many activities.

However, if you are confused about where to start and where to go to practice those sustainable ways to travel, download the app FAYVO. Within the app, we have people sharing numerous destination options that support and promote eco-friendly travel. FAYVO is all entertainment and help, and it is all based on your likes. 

Also, FAYVO users can get recommendations for travel places that they’d love to explore. It is all about how you share your favorite travel stories. 

For now, let’s talk about what is sustainable tourism and how we can be more environmentally conscious.

What is sustainable tourism? 

 

Before we get into the actionable steps, it’s important to clarify what we mean by sustainable travel. 

As sustainability means minimizing our environmental footprint, and it is true but has a broader explanation. In simpler words, sustainable tourism means maintaining a balance between economic growth, human well-being, and environmental health.

It focuses on keeping nature in its pure form and demotivates the idea of leaving your mark on the plant. By practicing sustainable tourism, we can maximize its positive benefits for communities, cultures, ecosystems, and the globe. Sustainable tourism covers both the immediate impacts felt today as well as those longer-term impacts that will be experienced by future generations. 

So now, let’s talk about eco-friendly ways to travel in 2022.

Use public transportation or walk:

 

While exploring a new place, using public transport is always preferred. First of all, it is a greener option and a healthy thing. By going to the stop to take your next bus, you get to know about the surroundings, meet new people, and make memories. Also, the use of fuel is reduced to 80% when you choose to visit the next destination via local transport. Even better, if you can walk to the place, do it. On your way, experience the local intricacies by walking around. It is all fun!

Take your own everyday accessories:

 

One of the best things to try when traveling abroad is getting the taste of different foods. While visiting a new place, you should be open to local eateries, and the responsible turn is to bring your own amenities. Need to try a delicious coffee? Take your mug with you. Are you worried about staying hydrated? Pack that water bottle in your bag. This way you can also enjoy many things at a time. Grab a cup of coffee and continue walking down the street. While the world is striving for a zero-waste lifestyle, we all need to act upon little things that can help in the cause.

Bring your own shampoo, conditioner, body lotions, etc., in small reusable containers. It is always better to bring smaller packets. If left unused, donate them to your local homeless shelter or some non-profit organization.

Eat local food:

 

We understand the cravings for eating McDonald’s every Friday night. But what’s the point of eating the same food on a faraway trip from home? Also, if you are planning to import and enjoy the homemade food at some late-night bonfire, you are totally ruining your experience. We need to learn how we can reduce our carbon footprint on the planet. Get your hands on the local delights. Enjoy and experience the taste of street food. As long as it is hygienic, you’ll love it. When visiting coastal areas, get delicious fish. Not only will this practice reduce your environmental impact, but it will allow you to experience the culture fully.

 

Read More: What Type of Traveler Are You? Find it Now!

 

Treat your holiday home as a home:

 

There’s a common mistake that almost all tourists make on their trips. When we are discussing sustainable ways to travel, you need to behave like the hotel is your own place. Just the way you keep your home and surroundings clean, practice the same thing. No matter wherever you are in the world. Turn off the lights when stepping out of the room, don’t throw tissue papers on the floor, don’t spend eternity in the shower, wash your own towel and reuse it. To achieve good results, it is important to maintain your eco-friendly practices.

Support local community:

 

One good way to help this world become a better place is by supporting the locals in different regions. We are not asking for a big amount of donations or charity, but just finding ways to benefit both you and the locals. When you plan a trip from start to finish, leave room for the tour guide. Book everything in advance, get tickets, reserve hotels, and plan destinations, but give a chance to local tour guides when you reach there. If you are not good with this idea, find a local company that works from the travel destination. This step will cost you a little more but gives you an experience you’ll never forget.

Fly direct routes:

 

Flying is one thing that is unavoidable when you are traveling but, it can be reduced. We can minimize our carbon footprint when flying by booking a direct route without layovers or flight changes. As airplanes produce their largest emissions during takeoff, it is better to take off just once and then reach your destination. Do your research on the flights and make an impact.

 

Read More: Smart Ways to Make & Share Your Travel Plans with FAYVO

 

Avoid printing tickets:

 

Being digital comes in handy while promoting sustainable tourism. We use our cell phones to mark the event, set the reminders, and make notes, so why not use them to book our tickets and keep them safe there to reduce the paper usage.

While traveling, use your mobile phones for entry into film halls, airports, events, and whatnot. Do not print tickets when it is not necessary. You can easily attend an event with an electronic ticket. This helps save paper and thus is beneficial for the environment.

Avoid snacks with plastic packaging:

 

Who doesn’t love a good snack, especially during travel?

We all need a little sugary pick-me-up treat once in a while and there’s no harm in it. But wait, you can change the way you consume snacks. Instead of heading to the convenience store to get your favorite sweets, why don’t you opt for something Mother Nature created for you?

That’s healthy, environment friendly, and a good fit for sustainable travel.

One of the best things to replace packaged food is getting to eat fruits and veggies that you don’t have access to at home. Enjoy the local fruits of the region, cherish the tastes, skip out on that heavily-packaged, sugar-filled fake food, and go enjoy a local delicacy.

Unplug your home:

 

A smart move before you leave your home for a trip is unplugging all the appliances. Whether it’s a weekend trip or a three-week-long trip, switch off everything in your home. It is both safe and environment-friendly. This way, you can reduce your carbon footprint while you are out of your home sweet home and can save energy. The practice of unplugging your home has also saved many people from facing short-circuits while they are away.

Save money, save electricity, save your planet!

 

Read More: 13 REASON WHY - Travel Is Good For You!

 

Use a ride-share app and literally share a ride:

 

If you are a frequent traveler, you’ve probably used an app for travel by now. To get around in another country, there are travel apps that offer ride-sharing and car-pooling. And when it asks to be environmentally friendly, the best way to maximize eco-friendliness with these apps is to choose an option like taking multiple people together on the same route.

In many countries, Uber is available and visitors use Uber often to take rides from neighborhood to neighborhood. Choosing options like UberPool allows a driver to pick you up and drop you off with some other rider who has a similar route as yours.

Not only is this a budget-friendly way to save a buck but in the crowded cities, this is a way to do our environment a favor and lessen our carbon footprint.

Try going vegan or decreasing meat for a week:

 

If you don’t know, let us tell you that red meat is one of the highest carbon contributors in the food sphere. So, now think about what can you do to reduce it?

We have a solution. Try decreasing meat intake. If you eat meat twice a week, reduce it to once a week. This is actually something we do on the regular at home and when we’re not traveling. Meat takes longer to cook and when we do travel, and wind up cooking in our Airbnb or apartment kitchen, the air takes longer to absorb the gases emitted by meat cooking.

Try going vegan to have a healthy lifestyle and a safer planet!