Sustainable travel: conscious choices for a healthier planet

8 ways to help the planet when you travel 

1. Explore your own backyard 

The wonders of the world are hard to ignore, but if the holiday mood arises, it’s possible to enjoy yourself and minimise harm to the planet by choosing domestic travel.

After all, there’s no shortage of incredible things to see in Australia and New Zealand: the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, the Great Ocean Road, Kakadu, Queenstown, Milford Sound and countless vineyards, beaches, and mountains. 

The most sustainable way to get from destination to destination within Australia or New Zealand is to minimise your flights and travel by bus as much as possible. 

2. Use your feet 

Whether you’re overseas or travelling locally, the most obvious thing you can do to minimise your footprint is to avoid cars and public transport and walk wherever you can. 

Walking tours are a cheap and wonderful way of exploring the town or city you’re in. Or, you can even make walking the feature of your holiday, and take part in some of the world’s great walks like the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage in Japan, Ausengate in Peru, The Simien Mountains in Ethiopia, or the revered Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea. 

3. Travel light

Traveling with fewer items reduces the weight of your luggage, which in turn reduces fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Whoever said less is more is a genius. Plus you'll save in airport fees if you accidently go over weight - we've all been there. 

4. Forgo animal tourism 

Always dreamt of going on safari or riding an elephant? If your holiday involves animals, make sure you are choosing ethical companies which support wildlife conservation.

If you do end up going to a zoo, a wildlife sanctuary, or a private game safari, then do your research on whether these organisations are helping or hindering their local ecosystems. 

Instead of unconsciously choosing animal experiences that are convenient or cheap, think about sustainable animal tourism who both support conservation projects and animal well-being. 

5. Support local communities

Helping local communities on holiday is nice way to give back for the privilege of being a tourist. 

If you have certain skills, you might be able to volunteer for a local program, but do your research before you commit. Some programs are set up to make participants feel good, rather than empowering the local communities.

Buy local, eat local, and avoid mass-made tacky souvenirs. Respect the environment around you and do not litter or damage the local community.

6. Choose eco-friendly accommodation

Another way to travel more sustainably is to choose eco-friendly accommodation. 

With a sharp rise in eco-friendly hotels, hostels, and bed & breakfasts across the world, you can choose to stay somewhere that boasts earth-saving practices like water conservation, responsible energy use, reusable eating utensils, recycling bins, and sustainably made furniture. 

Whilst you're there, do your bit- turn off lights and electronics when not in use, take shorter showers, and reuse towels to conserve water and energy.

7. Bring reusable items

Say no to anything you use for one time use. Carry a reusable water bottle, coffee cup, and tote bag to reduce your use of single-use plastic when you're at home and when you travel. Any time you refuse a single use items means one less item in landfill. 

8. Offset your air travel carbon emissions

Numbers are expected to hit 8.2 billion air travellers by 2037 meaning the aviation industry could soon eat up a quarter of the world's carbon budget. 

So, if you're going to fly, choose an airline that has a carbon-offset program, and say ‘yes’ to offsetting when you buy your ticket. Qantas are well-known for their carbon offset programs supporting a number of carbon friendly projects worldwide, including Preservation of The Great Barrier Reef, and Rarakau Rainforest Conservation Project in New Zealand.

Carbon off-setting isn’t expensive either. If you fly from Melbourne to London, it might only cost around $25 to offset your emissions for that entire journey. 

Each thing you do makes a difference

Whilst we live by the ethos that 'to travel is to live' we also want to make sure that the actions we take are supporting our planet. By following these tips, you can help to reduce your carbon footprint, support local communities, and preserve the natural environment while travelling.