What a lot of people don’t understand is that being a better and more couscous traveler is not an exact science. As a traveler you need to be savvy, you need to be experienced, eco-conscious as well organized, and knowledgeable. Even though there are some people who strive to be better and more couscous travelers others just don’t think about it. It is as simple as considering how your traveling will impact that environment and the locals. When you are traveling, you owe it to yourself that you become a better traveler. There are so many different things that you can do that will make you a better traveler and here are some of the best ways.
Be an Eco-Conscious Traveler
When you are traveling, especially when flying you are creating a massive carbon footprint. One of the best things that you can do to make up for the footprinting you have left by flying, is thinking about staying at hotels that are known for being eco-friendly as well as choosing restaurants that are sustainable and just ensuing and doing your best to respect the environment and that you are leaving as little trace behind you as you can.
Travel Empathetically
When you are traveling you are usually expanding your perspective by interacting with different cultures and people. But what a lot of people don’t even try to do is empathize with the place they are visiting and that is where they go wrong. If you don’t do that, you aren’t really experiencing the place you are visiting. It is popular to say that you are traveling like a local, but that is not possible because no matter what you are a foreigner. And that is ok, you should always strive to understand your surroundings and respect the culture you are in.
Consider Under-tourist Places
Unfortunately, most people will choose to visit super popular places such as Barcelona, Bora Bora, Alaska, Jamaica, and so on. What they don’t understand is that is pushing the locals out of their homes as well overcrowding heritage sites as well as degrading the environment. When it is time to choose the place you are going to travel to, make sure that you are not choosing places from the hotlist, instead of doing some research and finding a more licentious and unique option. Make sure that you are checking the COVID rules and regulations before booking your tickets and place of residence.
Travel Slower Or Closer To Home
One of the best and simplest ways you can be a more sustainable and better traveler is by choosing locations that are closer to your home. It will also give you time and the space to understand your travel locations on a deeper level. Traveling closer to home will not only reduce your carbon footprint but you will also make your trip less hectic and more adventurous. It will let you live at a more human pace which will also allow you to be more significant to the community.
Embrace Camping
What it is important that people realize is that being green isn’t just being good to the environment, it is also about getting back to nature. When you are traveling you need to put nature back at the center of your journey. That will also help you to understand how everything is connected to nature and it is the only way a plant will thrive. It will not only let you be more eco-friendly but it will also reduce your stress, boost your creativity and it will let you immerse yourself with the place that you are visiting. Camping rather than staying in a five-star hotel will let you experience the country in a whole different way and it will bring you closer to their culture as well as become one with nature again.
Be Aware Of Greenwashing
Just like with any industry, greenwashing is a term that is used by environmentalists, and it is used in the travel industry. Most likely you have noticed that there are signs in the hotel room’s bathroom that will suggest to you that you should use fewer towels because it helps them save the planet. But you have to be aware of the buzzwords and fluff you can see. Just as ‘all-natural’ and ‘ocean-friendly’ labels are put on your toiletries or in the grocery store, you have to ensure that you are paying close attention to a hotel’s website to spot any fake green talk.
Always Travel Purposefully
What a lot of people don’t realize is that traveling for leisure is a relatively recent phenomenon. Throughout history people have been traveling to flee from war, to seek treasure or God as well as explore new parts of the world. When you are taking a vacation in a way you are vacating yourself from your day-to-day life. That is why you need to make sure that when you are traveling you are doing it with a purpose. One of the best ways you can combine traveling and giving it a bigger purpose rather than it being pure pleasure is by enrolling in a volunteer overseas program. That way you are traveling for good as well as getting to enjoy the location that you have picked in a whole different way. By doing it like this, you will be able to get to know all the local ways as well as get a whole new look into their culture. While you are there it is important that you are supporting the local businesses instead of going to famous big chain markets.
Never Be Judgemental
Possibly one of the most important things that will make you a better traveler is simply not being judgemental of the culture that you are experiencing. Make sure that you are not insulting their culture, and in order to do so, you need to ensure that you are doing the research. Different cultures will have different traditions and things that are appropriate and inappropriate. For instance, in the most romantic place in Europe, France, when you are going to someone’s house, make sure that you are bringing a bottle of wine or dessert because if you show up empty-handed or uninvited, you are being rude. To avoid being rude or just being in an awkward situation, make sure that you are doing the research.
Travel Is Personal
What a lot of people don’t think about this, but in many ways traveling is very personal as it is a self-serving pursuit. That is why before booking your destination, you should take the time to understand why you are traveling and what is the best location that will suffice and bring you joy. Another thing that you can do to share your personal growth while exploring different countries. Choose destinations that will help you identify with yourself and discover new things about both yourself and the location.
As you can see, being a better traveler is not something super complicated. Now more than ever it is so easy to reduce your carbon footprint and be more eco-conscious. You can start whenever and even the smallest effort will play a big part in saving the world.