Go green: Leaving a small footprint

 A tourist at a viewpoint looking out over a tropical forest. [iStockphoto]

Tourism around the globe is booming, three years down the line after Covid-19. However, at the same time, planet Earth is suffering more than ever from the effects of climate change, which are effects of human activity, among them, travelling effects.

One way that travelling affects climate is through mode of transport - flying, taking the train, bus or ferry. These modes of transport contribute to carbon emissions. While tourism is beneficial to an economy, mass tourism can be damaging to local communities and their environment. 

The turn-around for this damage is through practising sustainable tourism through sustainable travel, also referred to as “conscious travel” “or green travel”. Following green travel tips is the surest way to travel positively while conserving Mother Earth. 

Green travel - Green travel focuses on how a traveller’s action impacts the environment and the local communities. It asks and requires a visitor to be more conscious of the decision that one makes on how their actions impact while travelling. It calls for the traveller to put extra effort into planning to ensure that they are not doing the wrong thing in issues touching on environmental conservation. 

Sustainable travel planning can be easy with practice and becomes better with every trip. Here are some tips to help you start, or add value to your next trip if you are a constant traveller. 

Green transport

When travelling to parts of a country, or to other countries, travel by air, maybe the only option, but there are other destinations that are open to train, bus or ferry. When considering green travel, take public transport over renting a car, especially in cities. This will reduce the carbon emissions as well as keep the parking spots available for locals who have to travel to town for work. 

The other green transport is the now recommended electric mobility. If you prefer to rent a car, use hybrid or eclectic cars. There are electric motorcycles and bicycles too. According to experts, electric vehicles have three times less emissions than fuel-driven vehicles. 

Using public transport reduces carbon emissions as opposed to the carbon emission effects travellers use individual vehicles. There are benefits too, that come along with travelling by public means. It makes you feel like a local and helps you connect with their culture. From a traveller’s perspective, it is a great way to save money. 

Choose a bicycle mode of transport whenever it is possible. Cycling is a great way to get to know a new place and become popular with travellers and locals. Check if there are bicycles for hire, and if there are, this would greatly help you save money as opposed to renting a car. Besides, available in most destinations, are electric bicycles that save you on energy. Cycling around is a great way to exercise and spend more time outdoors to explore places and the act of cycling keeps your body and mind healthy. You can also rent an electric bike. 

Sustainable shopping

According to research by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the fashion industry is the second-biggest consumer of water and is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions. This the report says, is more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. 

While it is hard to put in check the fashion craving of travellers who love to wear something new and appropriate to the destination that they are visiting, it is possible that there are ways to achieve a great look without damaging our planet. The best sustainable clothes are the clothes that you already have in your closet. Simple acts as redesigning, and recycling a new life into your wardrobe, may not seem a gesture to sustainable travel, but it is the small contribution that matters. 

Reuse bottles, bags, cutlery and other products

Travelling around has opened many a traveller’s eyes to how much plastic is used and left scattered all over on a daily basis. One sure way to reduce this is by using reusable travel products. 

Research indicates that around 130,000 tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean every year. With time, hard plastic breaks into small particles that are too small to see, which contaminate the sea water and sea life including the fish that we may end up eating. 

The rest of the plastic that does not end up in the sea takes 20-500 years to break down, meaning a slow degradation of the environment. The simple solution to this is to take a reusable water bottle with you everywhere you go instead of buying one, considering that an estimated 75% of water bottles are not recycled but are “thrown” and left around, causing environmental degradation.