As travellers we are often more aware of the beauty and fragility of the world around us. Wednesday, 22 April 2015 marks the 45th anniversary of World Earth Day – a day to encourage us all to live and travel more responsibly.
My current favourite song is titled ‘Mother Earth‘ by the incredibly talented Skinny Living. The key lyric is “Mother Earth can give you all that you need”… so below I’ve listed a few tips to encourage you to give back to the Earth that gives us so much for free.
“Take a look about to see what goes on around you and open up the eyes of your soul. The answer’s already there, its written in the stars, just ask a man to teach you to see.” – Skinny Living
Shop local
Luckily many hostels offer guest kitchens where you can prepare your own meals. By buying locally, you are helping to support local agriculture whilst also giving less money to the large-scale supermarket companies and their excessive carbon footprints.
This isn’t just a tip for the chefs out there. Souvenirs are often mass-produced to an environmental cost in factories with no connection to the country they are being sold in, so look out for the handmade local products, such as the rugs in the photo below.
ps always travel with a tote or reuse plastic bags left by other guests in the hostel to save the waste of plastic.
Take part in a clothes swap
I do this all the time. Throwing away items of clothing is a huge waste of the resources that went in to making them, but sometimes you really want that locally-weaved top from Morocco even though there’s no room left in your backpack.
So tell others in the hostel that you have spare clothes that you can’t carry around with you anymore and it’s likely that someone desperately needs that warm sweater you want to throw away because theirs is full of holes.
Hire a bike
Almost every city out there now offers bike rentals, as do many hostels. Take advantage of getting around town cheaper than the cost of public transport, exercise more than you would if you were getting the metro, and avoid taxis!
Use BlaBla Car
I am a huge fan of BlaBla Car and use it all the time to cut travels costs and meet some great open-minded people who are willing to share their car with travellers in need.
But sharing rides can also cut emission fuels being released in to the atmosphere – so not only are you making new friends, you’re also helping the environment!
ps. read my guest post for BlaBla Car: the Top 5 Destinations for a European Road Trip.
Don’t forget the lights!
If you’re the last one to leave your dorm room, remember to switch off all the lights on your way out – even the one you left on in the bathroom!
Same can be said for your electrical items! We travel with so many mobile devices now that it’s easy to leave them charging while you’re out – but they don’t need to be charged for so long! Make sure to unplug anything that is fully charged.
Do you have any other tips for responsible travel? Leave the links in the comments below!
Lots of love,
3 comments
I regularly put books I’ve finished reading into the hostel’s collection. No need to carry more weight than necessary.
That’s a great idea – especially if they have a book swap and you get to pick up something new! 🙂
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