The impact of travel to the environment has long been a heated topic to discuss. In one hand, tourism brings revenue to the local economy. However, it can also affect negatively especially to the environment. Especially when travelers are being irresponsible such as throwing trash in non-designated places, damaging facility, and disrespecting the wildlife. Therefore, it is important to raise awareness of the environmental impact of travel.
How to travel without giving negative impact to the environment
Even though many people are already aware of the consequences of irresponsible travel, there are still many travelers who keep doing so just because travelling is what they love to do. However, we can still do what we love without damaging the environment in the process by finding the right ways to do it. Here are what we can do to have environment-friendly travel:
Choose more eco-friendly alternatives for the transport. You can find out more about environmentally-friendly travel program or package that offered by travel agents. They usually apply and use more straightforward ways to reduce environmental impact. There are many of them in website. Make sure to read and understand what they offer because even if they claim the program is environmentally-friendly, you need to make sure they implement it through the right ways.
Be more respectful to the wildlife as well as plant biodiversity and marine life. It is okay to admire amazing creatures in the wild. However, observing and violating the wildlife are two different things. Make sure that your activities during travel doesn’t cause any harm to the wildlife. For example, do not ride animals that should not be ridden. Even if it sounds fun, it is not the right ethical thing to do when encountering with animals. Let the wildlife stay in wildlife. Observe them from afar and let them feel protected and safe in their natural habitat. This can be a great contribution to preserve the nature.
Opt for reusable items for travelling such as water bottle. Avoid using a single-use items especially the one made from plastics because it harms the environment. It can damage the ecosystem because it is hard to process. Bring reusable shopping bags if you plan on purchasing or shopping during your trip. Hence, you can avoid using single-use plastic bags.
Using electronic documents instead of papers. Some documents might not be able to carry around in digital file. However, you can reduce the use of paper of documents you need for travel such as printed itinerary. You can opt for electronic itinerary you can save digitally in your phone. Today, it is more possible to check-in online and save your boarding pass. The more paper you use, the more tree being cut off. The more in danger our planet is.
Be more respectful and responsible when visiting your destinations. Do not do any activities especially if it cause any harm to the facility, people, or the environment. It is time to stop unruly behavior when travelling because there is no benefit of it. Responsible travel brings more benefits to the environment.