MORE ABOUT SLOW TRAVEL & GREEN WANDERLUST
Here you will find sustainable travel tips highlighting the benefits of slow travel, ethical tourism, and mindfulness on the road. This blog offers tips to visit dozens of destinations and helps you make more conscious decisions to join the slow travel movement!
What does sustainable travel entail? The concept of ethical tourism and sustainable travel has evolved throughout time, and today best describes any form of small-scale tourism which places priority on minimizing environmental impact and supporting local communities. Interchangeable with concepts such as ecotourism, traveling mindfully is all about striking a healthy balance between exploration and the protection of the environment. This can be achieved in many different ways including your destination, what you pack, where you decide to stay, how you get around, and who you support while on your adventures.
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HOW TO TRAVEL MORE SUSTAINABLY
1. Fly mindfully and consider carbon offsets: FULL GUIDE AVAILABLE
What are carbon offsets, how do they work, and is it worth carbon offsetting your flights? The aviation industry is currently responsible for about 5% of global warming, and part of responsible tourism is accepting this reality and acting on it. Check out my green wanderlust guide to carbon offsetting HERE.
2. Search for green hotel options
For example, choose hotels with recycling programs, solar power operations, and energy-efficient lighting! If you are traveling in Australia, use reference seals such as EarthCheck that evaluate sustainable site development, water savings, indoor environmental quality, and energy efficiency. Similar seals exist in other countries such as the Green Tourism Business Scheme in the United Kingdom and the Rainforest Alliance in Latin and Central America.
3. Consider alternatives: FIRST WWOOFING EXPERIENCE
Consider alternatives to traditional tourism. Have you ever heard of wwoofing? The term stands for worldwide opportunities on organic farms, and essentially, when you become a wwoofer, you sign up to help out and learn on an organic farm. There is absolutely no money exchanged between you and the host, but during your stay, you are fed and housed in exchange for work. This experience is the perfect opportunity for anyone wishing to learn more about organic farming, all the while also potentially exploring a new region. Read about my first experience HERE.
4. Buy locally made products
Imported products have a much larger carbon footprint than anything manufactured locally, so if given the option, you should always strive to support local artisans!
5. Find tours that give back to the local community
Do your research! Green tourism is becoming more and more popular, making it much easier to find eco-responsible tours. Environmentally focused groups that offer such tours include the Nature Conservancy, the Sierra Club, and the World Wildlife Fund.
6. Look for ethical wildlife tourism experiences: FULL GUIDE HERE
Travelers tend to love animals, and often, people who love animals also want to see and photograph the wildlife! The sad reality is that many of the wildlife tourist attractions are run as businesses and often disregard the welfare of our favorite animals. Empower yourself and learn more about ethical wildlife tourism in order to choose the best and most ethical experiences with this full ethical wildlife tourism guide HERE.
MORE RESOURCES
Slow Travel: Ecotraveller Tips
Ecotravel is not simply about where you go, what you eat, or even where you stay. Traveling sustainably is also about what you decide to pack for your trips. That’s why I have created this comprehensive packing list for you, with all my favorite green travel items!
Slow Travel: Travel Camera Bag
I often get reached out to about what camera gear and accessories I use while working on documentaries and slow traveling, so in this simple guide, I’ve put together a complete list of the gear I carry in my backpack, both on the road and at home.
Today, I will be taking you along for a scenic 2 days hiking itinerary, amidst the Pyrenee’s most famous and beloved natural site, the Cirque de Gavarnie. Most famous for its sharp granite peaks and being home to the endangered brown bears, this mountain range transforms into a true hiker’s paradise in the summer! Wait until you see the photos!