Sustainable travel focuses on lowering the negative effects of tourism and travel on the local populations and environment of your destinations. Also, it aims to conserve the quality and amount of natural resources and cultures. Sustainable travel helps find a balance between traveling responsibly and safeguarding the environment. When traveling eco-friendly, you enable the environment to preserve the destination’s valuable flora and fauna. In addition, your carbon footprint during travel is low, which is key to combating climate change. As a sustainable traveler, you significantly contribute to a healthy environment. Also, you help in attaining a balance between human well-being and economic growth. Outlined below are four sustainable travel tips.
1. Rent an electric car for your travel
Electric vehicles are among the best ways to travel sustainably because they operate without direct pollutant or exhaust gas emissions. Booking an electric car for your travel enables you to contribute to lowering the negative effect of travel on air quality while mitigating climate change effects. Electric vehicles utilize electricity instead of traditional fuels, providing significant fuel cost savings per kilometer traveled.
Thanks to battery technology advancements, leveraging an electric car rental service can help you travel far without the need to recharge or refuel. Since most cities have charging systems where electric vehicles can be recharged on the go, keeping up with sustainable travel becomes easier.
2. Buy carbon offsets
Carbon offsetting enables individuals and companies to compensate for the hard-to-avoid emissions by supporting projects that lower emissions elsewhere. It’s a voluntary, proactive approach that helps eliminate, lower, or prevent greenhouse gas emissions. If you’re looking to compensate for your travel carbon footprint, consider purchasing carbon offsets equal to the emissions you’re liable for.
The projects you invest in lower carbon dioxide by storing or capturing existing carbon dioxide or keeping new emissions from occurring. For instance, some projects may plant carbon-absorbing trees or grow secular forests while others establish wind farms that generate clean energy. Picking the correct carbon offsetting project is key to ascertaining an effective contribution that aligns with your values.
3. Opt for public transportation
Once you reach your destination, you’ll need a way to move around as you explore. Opt for public transportation instead of renting a vehicle or hiring a driver. Leveraging public transport eliminates the need to fill up a private car, lowering fuel use and costs. Additionally, hiring unsustainable personal vehicles for travel significantly contributes to emissions.
Opting for public transport helps lower these emissions, which is crucial to safeguarding the environment. It also reduces air pollution, producing better air quality. If you decide to rent a vehicle, choose electric, hybrid, or smaller vehicles instead of pickup trucks, vans, or SUVs.
Alternatively, you can explore on foot or by bicycle if you want an active experience.
4. Avoid flights
Flights are to avoid if you want to travel sustainably. Planes are responsible for about 20% of the global tourism carbon footprints, and aviation itself represents about 2.5% of total annual CO2 emissions. Booking non-stop flights is one way to lower carbon emissions when traveling by air. Since these flights follow the most direct path to your destination, they need less fuel. In addition, the distance covered will be lower than when connecting flights. Note that planes produce the most carbon when landing and taking off. Booking one long flight instead of several shorter flights is more sustainable because the plane doesn’t have to take off and land multiple times.
If your destination is in the same state or continent, consider the train as a means of transportation to travel sustainably. Taking the train instead of flying cuts your CO2 emissions by a staggering 90%! In addition to not requiring long waiting times for check-in, it allows you to arrive directly in the heart of the city.
Endnote
Traveling sustainably is key to lowering carbon emissions and protecting the environment. Consider implementing these tips to promote sustainable travel.
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