Tread lightly upon arrival
Photo by Aviv Perets on Unsplash
If you read the last article, you know that I love to travel. As the world opens up from pandemic-related shutdowns and vacation planning resumes, I’m re-examining the impact my travel has on the environment by asking these three questions:
How am I getting there?
What do I do once I’m there?
Why am I going?
In part one of this series, I covered “how we get there”. In part two we are diving into what you do when you arrive.
What you do when you’re there matters
Studies have shown that business travel is largely unnecessary–at least with high frequency. The pandemic grounded frequent fliers and ultimately business continued. While there are surely legitimate reasons to travel for business, the default no longer needs to be getting there on a plane.
When it comes to traveling for pleasure, tourists’ activities are frequently at odds with the environment they’ve come to enjoy. Popular destinations like tropical islands are especially vulnerable to the impact of increased numbers of people putting stress on the already limited natural resources. The same goes for buying plastic water bottles, touristy souvenirs (like those giant shells in many tropical souvenir shops), or the use of plastic bags at the grocery store–all of which puts a strain on the local environment. Personally, I love to travel to tropical locations to go scuba diving. It wasn’t until I read an article about how chemical sunscreen kills coral reefs that I had an ‘aha’ moment about what my presence and choices could be doing to the environment I had come to enjoy.
What you can do:
Think about your sunscreen. And not just sunscreen but all of the products you’re bringing, especially if you’re traveling to a sensitive ecosystem like a coral reef or rainforest. Only use zinc-based sunscreen and consider packing a shampoo bar and bar soap instead of using the tiny plastic bottles in hotels.
Plan ahead. Just because you’re not home doesn’t mean you should throw out all of your eco-conscious habits. Reduce single-use plastics on your trip by packing a tote bag and reusable water bottle.
Support local businesses. Instead of going to big international chains for meals or souvenir shopping, invest in the local economy for a more rewarding experience. I love to find local artists or craft markets to look for gifts, rather than going to the overwhelming souvenir shops that are usually owned by a larger chain and carry goods made en masse, in an anonymous factory far away.
For the third and final part of this series, I’ll turn introspective and examine the question “Why am I going there?”
