International travel for many of us carries a heavy carbon footprint.
Often we need to take a flight on our journey of exploration and discovery.
What we do not see is that in many locations precious resources like fresh water and even fresh food are allocated to satisfy the tourist market. This can drive up prices and even create scarcity.
So how can we to help reduce or offset our footprint.
We take a broader view of what is our “footprint” beyond just carbon.
What is is our impact on the communities we visit both positive and negative needs to be also considered. What about the local environment, what are the impacts we are causing?
These are our top 8 actions we think as individuals we can embrace to make a difference.
One – Rethink how you will get there
For many this will be out of reach but if you are time rich and there is a way take a slower journey by ship, train or bus then slow done enjoy the journey and stop and smell the roses. You could even look at taking a shorter flight and then continuing by some other means to your final destination.
Two – Offset your emissions
If you have to catch a flight ensure you offset your carbon emissions with many airlines now offering this and also some great third party websites doing some amazing work. You can even double up and offset with your airline and one of these great alternatives.
We love the work of MyClimate and you can check out their site on the link below:
https://co2.myclimate.org/en/offset_further_emissions
Three – Support Community Projects
Do your research and visit a impact driven community project and support it. There are amazing local projects generating much needed local employment.
In Siem Reap, Cambodia we discovered an amazing NGO supporting women by repurposing plastic into travel bags and other great products. A link to that project is below but the world is full of wonderful people making a difference so take time to find and visit these.
https://www.plasticcollective.co/project/siem-reap/
Four – Look for local service providers
Staying at a locally owned hotel or guesthouse means more of your tourist dollars stay in the local community. Get a local guide and immerse yourself in the history and culture.
Some of your best experiences can happen when you jump in the local shared transport. Be brave and look beyond the tourist restaurants and eat where the locals eat. Do what you can to support the local economy and do not forget to tip for good service.
Five – Practise the five R’s
Just because we are on holidays should not mean we should stop our efforts to reduce our impact. It may sound simple but pack a water bottle as part of your practise of the five R’s of Refuse, Reduce, Re-use, Recycle and Rethink while you travel.
Six – Make time to volunteer
This one needs some research and time invested before you travel but often local community groups have clean-ups going on and other great initiatives and these are a great way to give back and meet the locals.
Again for those that are time rich and can dedicate longer periods to volunteer work you will find that the experience will leave you as enriched as those that you are helping.
Seven – Make sure your travel agent is making a difference
If you are using a travel agent find out what they are doing to make a difference. Although we feel we have just began every time you book with us, it allows us to make a difference somewhere in the world.
Eight – Leave somewhere better than it was
As the saying goes take only photos, leave only footprints. Do not be afraid of picking up some rubbish and putting it in the bin or take it with you to dispose of elsewhere. Practise random acts of kindness with the locals who often survive for a month on we are spending without a second thought.
We were waiting for a ferry one day in Kampong Chhnang in Cambodia and started to pick up rubbish. Suddenly we had some local boys asking what we were doing and joining in.
