Having just returned from a mammoth trip around France that took in a lot of stops along the way it got me thinking about sustainable travel and how I can be much better at it in the years to come. And, when I look at the ways in which we can do that it really is simple. So, here’s 5 ways you can travel sustainably…
THINK ABOUT HOW YOU TRAVEL
Of course, air travel is always going to come out as one of the most unsustainable ways to travel but it is often our main go-to when travelling abroad, so why not think about using trains to travel around when you arrive at your chosen destination to do your bit for the planet. Whilst we were in France we used trains as our main method of travelling when on the French Riviera because it was just so easy.
According to GoEuro studies have shown that travelling from the UK (London) to France via train would take only 2 hours and 16 minutes, in comparison to the nearly 6 hours it would take going through the hassle of an airport and flight! So, if you can travel easily from the UK to International destinations not only will travelling by train save you lots of time, it will actually be more environmentally friendly. If I had have known this, I would have swapped my flight to Paris for the train (& I wouldn’t have had to have worried about those pesky luggage allowances!)
I am definitely thinking about more European train travel in my future travel plans!
THINK ABOUT YOUR PLASTIC USEAGE
As we were self catering we had to go to the shop most days to stock up of food and bits for the kitchen. Instead of buying a plastic bag each time, we used a re-usable bag that the villa owners had left for us to carry our goods back home.
Sometimes there’s no getting away from using plastic on occasions, and because we were in such a hot country we needed ice cold water so we bought one or two big water bottles and when we finished them we re-filled them and put them in the fridge freezer to eliminate the excessive use of water bottles.
Also, remember to say no to plastic straws! If you don’t need one, don’t use one – but if you really want one, why not invest in a re-usable straw?
BUY LOCALLY
The sustainable travel thing was way more easier when we got to the South of France because there were lots of independent grocers and bakeries dotted around Villefranche-Sur-Mer. There was even a cute little farmer’s market on the Wednesday morning. This meant we could stock up on local produce and give back to the community rather than in to the hands of the big supermarkets!
It felt good to east fresh veggies and locally bred roast chickens too!
TRAVEL WITH TOUR OPERATORS THAT CARE ABOUT THE PLANET
There are a few travel companies that actively look after the destinations they send their holidaymakers too and it’s companies like that, that want what’s best for the planet.
Seek out what they do to protect the local resorts by checking their about me pages for charitable work and their work ethics and policies.
A fabulous company called Explore have a fantastic section on their own charity work and how they travel responsibly on their group tours. They even have sections on how you can be more eco-friendly when travelling!
This also extends to destinations and hotels that are committed to maintaining the longevity of sustainability around their resorts.
RESEARCH YOUR DESTINATION
The more time you put in to researching your destination, the more you will learn about what it has to offer.
It also means you can save a lot of time whilst you’re there, thus making it easier to fit in more sightseeing and the potential to give more back to where you are travelling. By being able to experience more whilst you are there means the more money you will spend on the local economy.
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Bee
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*This post was written in collaboration with GoEuro because I am committed to saving the planet when I travel!
