While exploring new cultures and landscapes enriches our understanding of the world, the environmental cost of travel threatens the very places we hope to experience. Sustainable travel, sometimes called responsible travel or ecotourism, is not simply about recycling or opting out of daily housekeeping at your hotel. It requires travelers to rethink their choices and see every booking, purchase, and route as an opportunity to support environmental and community well-being rather than undermine it.
Preparation: Steps to Take Before Traveling
Reducing your environmental footprint begins long before you board a plane or pack the car. Smart preparation focuses on efficiency, waste reduction, and avoiding unnecessary consumption.
Start by packing light. Extra weight requires extra fuel to carry, especially on planes, so choose versatile clothing that can be washed easily and worn multiple times. Bring multi-purpose toiletries to avoid waste from mini bottles: Solid shampoo bars can often double as body soap, and some conditioners work well as shaving cream. Bring a reusable water bottle to avoid buying single-use plastic ones during your trip. Likewise, a durable reusable tote can replace dozens of plastic bags during shopping or excursions.
Other Tips for Pre-Travel Sustainability
- Opt for e-tickets and digital confirmations instead of paper itineraries.
- If traveling for business, schedule meetings back to back to reduce the number of trips and the fuel required for them.
Transportation: Sustainable Air and Ground Travel
Transportation creates the largest share of a trip’s environmental impact, but thoughtful planning can significantly reduce it.
When booking flights, choose non-stop routes whenever possible. Because planes burn the most fuel during takeoff and landing, eliminating layovers dramatically lowers emissions per passenger. Research airlines’ carbon-offset programs or sustainability commitments to ensure that your ticket supports cleaner aviation practices.
On the ground, prioritize fossil-fuel-free options: Public transit, biking, and walking are not only greener but often more immersive ways to experience a destination. If a rental car is necessary, choose a hybrid or electric model over a standard gasoline vehicle. And for domestic travel, keep in mind that driving with a full car often has a lower per-person carbon footprint than flying.
Accommodation: Choosing Eco-Friendly Stays
Where you stay shapes your environmental impact as much as how you get there. Selecting properties that meet recognized sustainability standards can help your trip support responsible resource use. In the U.S., look for hotels with certifications such as Green Seal or LEED. Internationally, programs like EarthCheck, Green Globe, and the Rainforest Alliance serve a similar purpose. These properties typically use energy-efficient lighting, low-flow plumbing, and systems that reduce overall water and electricity use.
Guests can reinforce these efforts through simple choices: Hang towels and reuse them, decline daily housekeeping, and unplug unnecessary electronics, which continue to draw power even when switched off. Resource conservation should continue in your hotel room as well. Take showers instead of baths, which use far more water, and avoid leaving taps running while shaving or brushing your teeth. If the hotel does not have a recycling program, set recyclables aside and dispose of them later in an appropriate bin.
Steps to Take While Traveling
Sustainability also includes how you interact with the communities you visit. Supporting local economies and respecting local resources strengthens destinations and reduces environmental strain. Eating at independent restaurants and shopping at small businesses helps direct money into the local community while reducing emissions tied to imported goods. Handmade, locally sourced souvenirs also tend to last longer and provide immediate income to artisans.
Additional Resources
- Nine Eco-Friendly Travel Habits
- Eco-Friendly Hotels and Why They Matter
- Traveling Green on the Mother Road
- Sustainable Tourism Development
- Responsible travel tips
- 10 Tips for Energy-Efficient Travel
- Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism
- How to Dine Sustainably When Traveling
- Eco-Friendly Travel: Exploring Sustainable Tourism
- Have an Environmentally Friendly Vacation
- Six Ways to Be a More Sustainable Traveler
- What You Need to Know About Travel in an Electric Car
- Guide to Responsible Travel
- Eco-Friendly Tourism: A New Era of Conscious Travel
- A Guide to Becoming a Sustainable Traveller
