The worlds travel community is going green, don’t get left behind! Elsie Gabriel

The worlds travel community is going green, don’t get left behind!

Elsie Gabriel

In the spirit of  the Young Environmentalists deep concern of environmental stewardship, we are working hard to do our part in protecting our environment for today and future generations. Investing in green practices means an investment in a more sustainable future that preserves our natural resources. We invest time and energy towards equipping green leaders of tomorrow, today.

Today’s blog is about being a green eco friendly traveler yourself. Here are some tips. Try and do some homework before you choose to travel. Do look around you will find many tour operators  offering ‘sustainable’,  ‘green’, ‘eco friendly’ and ‘ethical tourism’, you may choose them over a luxurious and shopping loaded holiday. Take direct flights rather than change flights as this causes more emissions during landing and take off. Choose flights which make a contribution towards a green or any charity. The choice is yours to make.

Get yourself a holiday that is fulfilling while protecting the environment.

Spend your holiday money well. Try and ensure that some of your expenditure goes towards conservation As a more aware and ‘greener’ traveler, you will not only make a contribution to other people's lives by promoting local art and culture for instance, you might just change your own. 

You already know that factors of importance for emissions are the distances travelled, length of stay, hotel stay, activities carried out, meaning that your decisions will have a considerable impact on the ecological impact, so try and choose an ecotel or green certified hotel or maybe even one which is owned by local traditional people of the land. Many hotels are zero garbage hotels and others are community managed hotels which promote coastal reefs or forests or landscapes, choose these over hi end ones not contributing towards the sustainability of the environment. It is totally your choice.

Think of how you can collect your travel garbage and dispose it respectfully rather than litter in a destination which is not of your nationality. Do not invest in any products that exploit wildlife or aid the destruction of species or habitats while traveling abroad. Do not promote illegal trade of endangered animals or bi-products made from them. You can take your kids to museums and conservation life sciences cultural spots generates income and employment for travel destinations while protecting local ecosystems and preserving local culture. Get involved in a conservation or  garden or protection programme while visiting. Choose local fruits and food over your favourites. Donate correctly towards a green cause. Participate in your hotels green events and local green dates with the indigenous people. As your prepare to leave your destination you might like to reflect on your holiday and consider the types of activities you have enjoyed as well as their consequences for the environment and people.

The problems surrounding climate change and its impact on our world are complex and it is easy to believe there is little the individual can do.  But this is not true.  Energy-saving steps can be as simple as unplugging appliances and equipment when not in use.  Items can be re-purposed for reuse or donated to those who can use them. 

 I have been traveling the world, sharing its amazing stories with each new generation but also carrying out expeditions and scientific fieldwork, documentations, research, encouraging geography education for students, promoting natural and cultural conservation.Staying with the locals,villagers and indigenous inhabitants of a locale,eating the local food and studying the local ancient hideouts make my eco tours all worth the rough road.Sometimes during traveling all one needs is place to sleep and shower, ofcourse eat,therefore I try to find ways to budget and 'when in Rome do as the Romans do' adjust and adapt.Indulging in a fussy hi end travel itinerary doesn't necessarily increase your travel value. Ofcourse to each his own,this is from my experiences.I value your options too.  

Next time you travel, enjoy and have yourself a blast, relax and rejuvenate but choose green travel options.

Choose to leave a comment if you agree and of course share the tips with many others, simply share this piece of blog link -the  Green traveler tips.