When planning a more sustainable vacation, your choices extend past your transportation options; there are things you can do throughout every leg of your trip to make your vacation greener. Consider visiting more than one destination when traveling – combining trips saves fuel

and reduces carbon emissions. In their 2023 Sustainable Travel Report, Booking.com found that more than 75% of respondents want to make their vacations sustainable. However, almost 50% said barriers include the higher cost and perceived lack of sustainable options, and uncertainty of where to search for environmental and social equity stewardship opportunities. Sustainable travel doesn’t have to be hard! Here are a few tips to make your trip more green.

• Bring a sturdy water bottle. At the airport, make sure it’s empty as you go through TSA, then fill it at a drinking fountain.
• Bring wired headphones to use with airline entertainment systems so you won’t need to use new disposable ones.
• Bring your reusable shopping bags.
• Pack shampoo and soap bars in small reusable containers.
• Purchase sunscreen that doesn’t contain chemicals that harm water and coral quality. Research shows regular commercial sunscreens can bleach coral.
• Pack common reusable items like cutlery, small containers, cloth napkins, and snack bags.
• Pack light—leave the extra weight at home and you’ll travel easier and with better fuel efficiency.

Your eco-friendly behaviors travel with you! Turn off lights, and turn down heat and air-conditioning when you leave your lodging. Refuse styrofoam cups and plates and use your own reusable ones instead. Find and use recycling bins to dispose of plastic and paper items. At restaurants, skip the glass of water that’s offered unless you want it, and be aware of your food waste. Ask if you can share a serving, or order a variety of items and you’ll get to try more local dishes.

When it comes to activities, consider renting bikes to travel locally and look for local walking tours instead of riding a tour bus. Public transit is also a great way to explore a new city! Visit protected lands and waterways. Stay on trails, and observe – not interact with – wildlife. If you think to carry a bag to pick up litter, visitors can enjoy cleaner and more beautiful sites and reduce pollution. Educate others about your top eco-friendly travel tips! This includes letting managers in resort businesses know what they can do to increase the sustainability of their operations. Let them know that doing so will increase customer satisfaction. Even when you’re out of town, you can have an impact spreading sustainable tourism wherever you are!

By Bev Harrison