WWF Travel Blog

Tread lightly while traveling. © Michel Gunther / WWF-Canon

In honor of Earth Day, guest blogger Bret Love of GreenGlobalTravel.com shares his favorite eco-travel tips with WWF.

Responsible, sustainable travel is built on a fairly simple principle: Try to leave every place you visit a little bit better than it was when you got there. But aside from the old adage, “take only pictures, leave only footprints,” what steps can you take to have a positive impact? Here are a few of my favorite tips:

10. Lighten up.  Packing light not only saves you money on baggage fees, it also makes the plane more fuel-efficient. Focus primarily on packing items that can be hand-washed and line-dried fairly quickly so that you can wear them multiple times over the course of your vacation.

9. Conserve water. Water shortages are a major problem in many developing countries, but there are simple ways to lower your personal usage. Take shorter showers, turn off the faucet while shaving and brushing your teeth and re-use towels for multiple days, just as you hopefully do at home. And never use the hotel laundry, as they typically wash each guest’s clothes separately, even if there are only a few items.

8.Conserve energy. When you leave your hotel room, turn off the lights, air conditioner, heat and television. Consider leaving the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door so that the housekeeping staff won’t clean your room, which will save on harsh chemical cleaning supplies and the electricity of vacuuming and washing bed linens.

7. Reduce, reuse, recycle. Convenience often overshadows conservation when we travel, but a little eco-consciousness goes a long way. Take a BPA-free water bottle you can refill, use just one bar of soap for both the sink and shower (and take the remnants with you to use later), return brochures and maps once you’re finished using them, and hold on to your trash until you find a place to recycle it. If the hotel or restaurant doesn’t have a recycling program in place, encourage them to start one.

6. Buy local. Take time to seek out local artisans from whom you can buy directly, ask them about their craft and listen to their stories. When I was in the Riviera Maya near Coba, Mexico, I saw tons of assembly line art at various stalls, but wound up buying from a man who taught local children and tourists the ancient craft of Mayan pottery and distributed profits equally among families in his village.

5. Tread lightly. When hiking, stick to established trails to avoid harming native flora. Whenever my family and I visit the lake, mountains or ocean, we always try to pick up at least one bag full of garbage left over from previous travelers. It’s not only a great way to help preserve our environment and keep the scenery beautiful, but it also protects wildlife who might accidentally consume or get trapped in the trash.

4. Get cultured. When we were in the beach town of Cabarete, Dominican Republic, we were shocked to meet a family that stayed at the same hotel every year but never left to explore the area. Be a traveler, not a tourist. Take time to immerse yourself in the music, art and cuisine of the native culture. Accept and embrace the differences that make it unique. Get to know the locals and how they view life. You might be surprised at the things you learn when you open up your mind to new ideas.

3. Respect traditions. Different cultures have different traditions, some of which may be very different from yours. In many Muslim countries, women are forbidden to show more than a sliver of skin. And in many cultures, being photographed is akin to having your soul stolen. Take time to understand and respect these traditions, or you may risk offending the very people whose culture you’re there to explore.

2. Be kind. When you travel to a new destination, you take a piece of that experience with you for the rest of your life. Consider giving something back in return. Many developing nations have people desperately in need of basic necessities you may take for granted. Consider bringing school supplies on tours in which you know you’ll interact with locals. I once mailed a $25 tape recorder to a Zulu musician just so he could record his own music.

1.Buyer beward. All around the world you’ll find people selling products made from endangered species, ancient artifacts and precious hardwoods. Read labels, ask questions such as “What is this item made of?” and “Do I need special documents to take it home?” and familiarize yourself with WWF’s Buyer Beware Guide. It may not be against the law in that country to sell those items, but you can vote with your wallet by refusing to buy them.

Veteran freelance writer/editor Bret Love is the co-founder of GreenGlobalTravel.com, a website dedicated to ecotourism, conservation and sustainable living.