We all need to be concerned about climate change and the future of our beautiful planet. Going on a trip is a great experience: it’s often the result of long months of savings, and it’s an extraordinary opportunity to discover the world! Would you like to know how to reconcile your love for adventure and respect for the environment? Here are our tips for eco-responsible travel and becoming an ecological explorer.
Decide on your destination by promoting eco-responsible tourism
Travel is often synonymous with long-distance, yet it is possible to travel close to home. Moreover, in terms of pollution and restoration of our economy, the best thing is to discover France. There is still so much to explore: our country is full of gems and incredible spots. To miss none of them, your best traveling companion will be Bobee Spot! A fun and essential application for all travelers in search of authenticity.
If despite your ecological awareness, you’re dying to go far, it is possible to favor the environmentally-conscious countries such as Denmark in Europe or Costa Rica in South America. The latter destination is one of the most ecological and aims to be carbon neutral by 2021.
The choice of destination also includes how the stay is organized. For this, calling on an eco-responsible travel agency is often a quality guarantee. It will guide you to the greenest destinations and make sure to call in experienced and environmentally conscious guides. The agency will offer you many services that will allow you to travel eco-responsibly.
Choosing the right mode of transport to reduce our carbon footprint
No surprise, you guessed it, the plane is really not a friend to the planet. Some researchers even accuse it of being the most polluting means of transport with 285g of CO2 emitted per passenger and per kilometer. At the bottom of the scale, we find the train; and between them, the car, bus, and motorized two-wheelers. Of course, for national trips, you understood that the solution is to quietly get on a train rather than on a plane.
The problem arises for international flights, and in this case, you’re faced with 3 possibilities :
- either you decide to refrain from traveling around the world ;
- either you are radical, and you say goodbye to long journeys ;
- either you want to continue to travel internationally, and you compensate with the other tips that we are going to give you!
During your holidays in France, if you can’t do without your car, several tips will help you limit your environmental footprint :
- avoid highways by favoring national roads on which you will go slower and therefore pollute less ;
- favor air from the window over air conditioning ;
- carpool when possible ;
- travel light so as not to weigh down the car too much and thus avoid overconsumption.
To travel eco-responsibly, you can also opt for the bus, but the least polluting means of transport remains obviously the bike! Why not decide on a nice trip by touring the islands of the Mediterranean on a sailboat, for example?
Pay attention to your accommodation to travel eco-responsibly
Decent green travelers know how to find the best places to sleep so as not to harm the environment. If you like to go to hotels, many of them are making efforts to reduce their impact. They limit or even eliminate individual products and ask you, for example, not to change your towels every day. Your best bet is to choose independent hotels rather than the big chain hotels.
Then some hosts decide to bank on ecology through and through and create eco-lodges. There are some for every budget and every taste. These are charming accommodations that limit their impact on the environment and are often located in the heart of nature.
As a warmer and cheaper alternative, you can opt for B&Bs. You will surely be entitled to dinner and to a thoughtfully prepared breakfast, and you will discover fresh local produce. It’s a great way to consume differently.
To sleep and travel eco-friendly, renting accommodation to individuals is also a possibility, as is sleeping directly at the locals’ house. The latter solution will be more easily done in countries open to this kind of practice. Camping or bivouac will get you to reconnect with nature and allow you to produce no pollution if you leave and take your waste with you. Whatever type of accommodation you choose, you can count on your Bobee Spot app to take you to the most unusual places.
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Preserve flora and fauna to take care of ecosystems
Fauna and flora are at the heart of our ecosystem. This is a very important point to watch out for when traveling. All over the world, there are nature reserves and protected places that must be respected. In the guides or from the locals, you will obtain the necessary information. Some actions will make the difference between an average tourist and an eco-responsible tourist :
– don’t bring back anything that you would have collected during your travels (sand, shells, etc.) ;
– don’t dive in overexploited places where tourists ravage the seabed ;
– use sunscreen that is biodegradable and safe for the oceans ;
– don’t partake in attractions involving animals like riding an elephant or visit zoos ;
– meet wild animals thanks to naturalist safaris that will allow you to learn more and thus better protect flora and fauna;
– don’t throw garbage in nature;
– don’t buy products from the traffic of protected species to not encourage poaching;
– respect wild animals: don’t feed or touch them.
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Eat and consume during your eco-responsible trip
The journey also touches your senses, and in particular, taste. Whether you go to France or abroad, each corner of the world has its eating habits and customs. It’s time to let go and let yourself go to the tasting. Eating fresh, local food in traditional restaurants is one of the many ways to travel eco-responsibly. If you plan to cook on your own, why not head to a market? This will limit unnecessary packaging, and you will also avoid unpleasant surprises, especially if you have misunderstood what was written on the package bought at the supermarket!
During your stay, you will surely want to bring back souvenirs, remember to avoid “made in China” and consume in the small local shops.
Eco-responsible travel is not just a way to clear your conscience: it is an opportunity to explore differently. Much more rewarding and authentic, your experience will often cost you less, in addition to being good for the planet. There are millions of us traveling the world, so certain sometimes trivial actions make all the difference.