Top 10 tips for Green Travel

Bret Love is today's guest blogger. He writes that responsible, sustainable travel is built on a fairly simple principle: Try to leave every place you visit a little bit better than it was when you got there. But aside from the old adage, “Take only pictures, leave only footprints,” what steps can you take to have a positive impact? Here are a few of his favorite tips:

10. Lighten up
Packing light not only saves you money on baggage fees, it also makes the plane more fuel-efficient. Focus primarily on packing items that can be hand-washed and line-dried fairly quickly so that you can wear them multiple times over the course of your vacation.

9. Conserve water
Water shortages are a major problem in many developing countries, but there are simple ways to lower your personal usage. Take shorter showers, turn off the faucet while shaving and brushing your teeth and re-use towels for multiple days, just as you hopefully do at home. And never use the hotel laundry, as they typically wash each guest’s clothes separately, even if there are only a few items.

8.Conserve energy
When you leave your hotel room, turn off the lights, air conditioner, heat and television. Consider leaving the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door so that the housekeeping staff won’t clean your room, which will save on harsh chemical cleaning supplies and the electricity of vacuuming and washing bed linens.

7. Reduce, reuse, recycle
Convenience often overshadows conservation when we travel, but a little eco-consciousness goes a long way. Take a BPA-free water bottle you can refill, use just one bar of soap for both the sink and shower, return brochures and maps once you’re finished using them, and hold on to your trash until you find a place to recycle it. If the hotel or restaurant doesn’t have a recycling program in place, encourage them to start one.

6. Buy local
Take time to seek out local artisans from whom you can buy directly, ask them about their craft and listen to their stories. When I was in the Riviera Maya near Coba, Mexico, I saw tons of assembly line art at various stalls, but wound up buying from a man who taught local children and tourists the ancient craft of Mayan pottery and distributed profits equally among families in his village.

5. Tread lightly
When hiking, stick to established trails to avoid harming native flora. Whenever my family and I visit the lake, mountains or ocean, we always try to pick up at least one bag full of garbage left over from previous travellers. It’s not only a great way to help preserve our environment and keep the scenery beautiful, but it also protects wildlife who might accidentally consume or get trapped in the trash.

4. Get cultured
When we were in the beach town of Cabarete, Dominican Republic, we were shocked to meet a family that stayed at the same hotel every year but never left to explore the area. Be a traveller, not a tourist! Take time to immerse yourself in the local music, art and cuisine. Embrace the differences that make it unique. Get to know the locals and how they view life. You might be surprised at the things you learn when you open your mind to new ideas.

3. Respect traditions
Different cultures have different traditions, some of which may be very different from yours. In many Muslim countries, women are forbidden to show more than a sliver of skin. And in many cultures, being photographed is akin to having your soul stolen. Take time to understand and respect these traditions, or you may risk offending the people whose culture you’re there to explore.

2. Be kind
When you travel to a new destination, you take a piece of that experience with you for the rest of your life. Consider giving something back in return. Many developing nations have people desperately in need of basic necessities you may take for granted. Consider bringing school supplies on tours in which you know you’ll interact with locals. I once mailed a $25 tape recorder to a Zulu musician just so he could record his own music.

1. Buyer beware
All around the world you’ll find people selling products made from endangered species, ancient artefacts and precious hardwoods. Read labels, ask questions such as “What is this item made of?” and “Do I need special documents to take it home?” It may not be against the law in that country to sell those items, but you can still vote with your wallet by refusing to buy them.

About the author: Bret Love is the co-founder/Editor In Chief of Green Global Travel, a web-based magazine devoted to ecotourism, nature/wildlife conservation and the preservation of global culture. He’s also a veteran freelance travel writer whose work has appeared in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, AirTran’s Go, American Airlines’ American Way and more than 50 other national and international publications. Visit  Green Global Travel or follow him on twitter 

What are your top tips for Green Travel? Leave them in the comments section below or head to twitter and Facebook to share them with other Gecko's travellers. 

If you're ready to go and try out these tips on a trip around the globe, why not check out our list of destinations. You can also visit our Responsible Travel page to see how we are helping to sustain the commuities we visit.

• Tweet