See the World With Sustainable Practices

Traveling the world can be incredibly fulfilling. The idea of jumping on a plane to visit another country or taking a road trip to a state you’ve never seen can be very satisfying. However, over time, you may have realized that riding on fuel-burning planes and pollution-producing cars isn’t really doing the environment any favors. While you can only do so much to limit the fuel used by jets, you can do many things on your own to see the world in as sustainable a way as possible.

From packing reusable items to monitoring your health, you’ll be amazed at what you can do during your trip to help Mother Earth.

Take Care Of Your Health And Take Care Of The Earth

To truly see the world with sustainable practices, you need to think about every aspect of the trip, including how to stay healthy.

For starters, if you’re sick and you require additional medication, cough medicine, and other supplies, then you’re adding more to your suitcase. It may seem mundane, but the more you add to your luggage, the heavier it is. When everyone brings excessive luggage, it requires the plane to work harder to take off, and it produces more emissions as part of the process. Another issue is that when many people are done with their medication, they throw them out, and the bottles fill the landfills.

Make it a point to look up the weather at your destination and how it might affect your health. Colder temperatures will narrow the arteries and force your heart to pump harder, impacting your blood pressure. If you’re going somewhere dry, be aware that the air can affect your skin and make it more prone to cuts.

There are always those unpredictable times when illness just happens and we have to accept it. But there are also things you can control, such as getting all your vaccinations before departure, as well as assessing the weather and preparing accordingly. The healthier you are, the fewer resources you’ll consume in the process — and of course, the better you’ll feel.

Planning Is Key During Road Trips

Road trips can also be more sustainable with proper planning and vehicle maintenance. Before you leave, visit a mechanic so they can check the oil, tires, and engine. If your car is not running at peak efficiency, it will need to burn more gas to operate and create an unnecessary amount of carbon emissions. During your trip, take the time to check the air in the tires, fill them to the required pressure, and check the fluids to ensure that the vehicle is still in good shape.

There are also steps you can take during the trip to reduce harmful and unnecessary carbon emissions. One is to leave the car off until you’re ready to drive. When your vehicle is sitting in place idling, it’s burning gas, and there’s no reason for it. As a driver, you can try some simple idle reduction strategies, like avoiding the drive-through at the restaurant and instead parking and walking inside. Another solution is to buy or rent an electric car for your journey.

Finally, consider some helpful road trip tips that can save you money while also helping the environment. One idea is to research the route ahead of time and the restaurants that catch your interest. Doing so will prevent you from having to drive around aimlessly looking for food while burning fuel. You can also use an app like GasBuddy to tell you where the most affordable gas stations are and plan to stop at them. That’s another way to drive the most direct route and reduce your carbon footprint.

Prevent Unnecessary Waste Along The Way

When you’re traveling to see the beauty of the world, the key is to produce as little waste as possible so you can help preserve the glory of our planet. In addition to your water bottle, you can pack other reusable items, including reusable bamboo straws that you can bring to restaurants, so you don’t have to waste the paper options. If you have a coffee machine in your hotel room, you can plan ahead and bring a reusable cone coffee filter so the disposable filters aren’t wasted.

When you’re at your hotel, you can continue to avoid wasted water and electricity by being responsible during your stay. When possible, leave the lights off and open the curtains to take advantage of natural light. You can also make a big difference by taking shorter showers.

Finally, ensure that you’re being as eco-friendly as possible by booking hotels that make it a point to practice sustainability every day. When researching potential lodgings, look for those certified by green organizations like Green Key. You can find a lot of information about a hotel by checking their website. When in doubt, call and ask.

There’s a lot that you can do to enjoy worldwide travel while also ensuring the health of the planet you love so much. Proper planning and staying sustainable are the keys to long-term success on Earth.

Author Bio

Sam Bowman writes about people, sustainability, recycling, and how they merge. He enjoys getting to utilize the internet for the community without actually having to leave his house. He volunteers his time as a local recycling and waste reduction activist, working to help people better navigate proper recycling. In his spare time, he likes running, reading, and combining the two in a run to his local bookstore.