3 Easy Tips to Become an Eco-Conscious Traveler!

Eco-conscious travel is really not a daunting task. As the world begins to open its eyes to how we, humans as a whole, have such an influence on environmental factors – We also start to realize how important small changes are, and how easily obtainable some of these changes can be.

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“ We don’t need a handful of people being perfectly sustainable, we need millions of people doing it imperfectly.”

So how exactly can we all become more eco-friendly when traveling?

It all begins with mindfulness. Now obviously, if you are reading this article, you are already mindful of the impact humans have on our planet. Let that mindfulness be put into action by taking into account a few ideas to reduce your carbon footprint. The following tips are so easy that they can be applied to your everyday lives, not just when traveling!

Tip #1: Eco-Friendly Travel Destinations (Less is MORE)!

Don’t worry, this is not where I am going to push minimalism on you. What I suggest here is the concept of “less”. Over the past few years, I have really taken advantage of what my home country (US) has to offer. I spent months taking part in domestic travel, exploring some of the highlights, and even some places I didn’t know existed!

So how is that less?

For a greater portion of my life I always associated travel with hopping on a plane, and flying internationally. For whatever reason, I never really thought of domestic travel as.. well.. truly being travel. But by taking advantage of these “local” (domestic) experiences, I have also begun to recognize experiences for what they’re worth to me, rather than what they look like to everyone else. And the added bonus – these become more eco-conscious travel destinations.

That’s not to say that international travel can’t be eco-friendly, but for the purpose outlined here, domestic travel is a great and easy place to start.

Additionally, by packing up and taking off for undetermined amount of time on the road, I obviously had to physically work with less. By doing so, I learned an extremely valuable lesson… We don’t need many of the things we accumulate to truly enjoy life. Because in the end, they truly are just things. You’ve never seen a hearse pulling a U-haul, have you?

You can read more about my story by clicking here.

Like I said, the idea is that less is more. You don’t need to travel to some far away place to have an incredible experience. There is no need to always having to do the biggest, most alluring adventure that there is. Step back a moment, and make the most of what you have; Both tangible AND non.

This may not seem like a tip at all. And believe me, I am not telling you nix international travel, or those crazy-fun adventures. But by altering your mindset, a chain of events begins to occur; Ultimately, reducing your eco-impact, and hopefully leading to more presence in the moment.

Tip #2: Thinking Local is one of the Most Eco-Friendly Ways to Travel!

Now, I am sure you have heard this before, and if you haven’t, there is no better time than now to tune in! This is not about the travel in and of itself like above, but rather how you get involved during those travels!

Local, in this sense, simply means to remain mindful of your contribution. I think one of the easiest ways to put this into action is to start supporting local/small businesses, and spending less time at those major retailers and chains. By doing so, not only are you jumping first-hand into the local culture and experience, but you are also allowing your tourist dollar to stimulate the local economy.

One of my personal favorite things when traveling is to visit local coffee shops. Not only do I help support community this way, but it also provides an opportunity for me to experience local cultures. For example, when I was exploring New Mexico, I was drinking Piñon coffee! It’s a unique blend of piñon nuts and Arabica coffee beans, almost exclusive to the New Mexico way of life!

But beyond where you buy your goods, because we don’t all always buy things everywhere we go… Thinking local can also be applied in ways such as taking local transportation, staying at a local inn, and even seeking out local experiences to make the most of your trip (like participating in a beach clean-up, if visiting a coastal destination).

A simple, actionable way to think local on your next adventure is to prioritize your accommodations in relevance to your plans. Are all of your intended activities going to take place in the city center? Find local accommodations right in town, opening up the opportunity to walk to where you need! How’s that for simplified eco-conscious travel?!

Tip #3: Mindful Carrying Creates a more Sustainable Travel Approach!

By far one of my favorite practices to reduce my carbon-footprint when traveling is to practice “mindful carrying”. Put simply, this is making sure I have what I need in my backpack, and making sure it supports my attempts to remain an eco-conscious traveler.

You can see more of some of my favorite resources by clicking here.

I will always be an advocate for using a backpack, no matter the travel experience. This could be that I just don’t like to carry things around, leaving my hands full. Plus, I can carry so much more with me when I use a pack. Camera gear alone would be a struggle to carry in my hands. And I promise, I carry more than just camera gear!

There are a few products I always have in my pack, and I recommend finding what fits your needs as well. Yes, this is another actionable approach to becoming more eco-friendly when traveling!

For example, I carry at least (!) one Nalgene water bottle with me at all times (more often than not, I’ll have two. One 32oz and one 16oz). And again, more times than not, I also have a re-usable coffee mug in my pack as well.

Any chance I get, I opt to use my own resources. Apart from most public places having access to free drinking water (obviously dependent on where you are), some will even let you fill your own bottle/mug/cup (whatever you choose to carry) for a discount!

Summing Up Eco-Conscious Travel

By no means am I going to tell you that every move I make is sustainable. Remember that quote I added in a few paragraphs up? If we all make minor adjustments (like carrying our own water bottles around everywhere), it adds up. And it adds up in a powerful way (and in your wallet)!

Just by remaining eco-conscious after reading this article, you are one step ahead! The key concepts to take away here are less is more, think local, and be mindful. See, that’s not so bad.

Let me know what your eco-conscious travel swaps are by leaving a comment here, or tagging me in a post on Instagram by using @adamtheplant !

Cheers!