10 tips for an eco-responsible trip
Vacations are approaching and your bags are starting to fill up? We envy you! Before you hop in the car, on the plane or train, we’d like to give you our 10 tips for eco-friendly (and thrifty) travel.
#1 Borrow your travel guide
Yes, we know you like to keep your Lonely Planet on your bookshelf after your trip. But frankly, what’s the point? Rather than spending money on a book you’ll use for 3 weeks and then outgrow, you might as well borrow it from your library or buy it second-hand. And what if it’s from last year? Well, frankly, it doesn’t make much difference!
#2 Buy second-hand equipment
Time to get ready for a hike or a trip to the other side of the world? Are you missing a pair of hiking shorts, a tent or a backpack? If you’re only planning to use them for this trip, then call your family and friends first – they may have what you need. Otherwise, there’s no shortage of second-hand sites and stores.
#3 Drink a in reusable water bottle
It’s almost self-evident: reusable water bottle is the BFF of our travels. Of course, it allows you to avoid plastic bottles. Prefer 1L bottles to 0.5L bottles if you’re walking for a long time. And what if the water isn’t drinkable in the country you’re going to? Well, you can buy 5L bottles and decant the water, saving on plastic. In any case, to keep warm and cold, an insulated water bottle is always useful when traveling!
#4 Leave behind hotel samples
Yes, it’s tempting to use them or put them in your toilet bag “just in case”. That said, shower gel and shampoo samples in hotels are often of mediocre quality and contribute to plastic pollution (not to mention the chemicals in them). It’s better to use your own products, perhaps in smaller bottles, or even better, to buy solid beauty products. You’ll find everything these days: shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, beard soap… And you’re sure to get through airport security without a hitch!
#5 Bring a bento/tupperware
If, like us, you like to go to the corner market on your travels, buy local produce and improvise a picnic, then you need a bento or waterproof tupperware. It takes up space in your bag on the way out, but it’s really handy for carrying food when you’re away from home. A plus? Bring one or two pairs of cutlery and condiments in a small jar. All you have to do is find the best place to have your picnic.
#6 Forget plastic bags
While the single-use plastic bag has (almost) disappeared in France, this is obviously not the case in many countries. Rather than end up with your hands full of plastic bags that remind you of your childhood, consider taking a few reusable fabric bags with you. Lightweight and washable, you can always use them on the way back to pack the bottle of wine you bought as a souvenir.
#7 Buy quality handicrafts
Even when traveling, it’s a good idea to be careful about what you buy. Honestly, are you really going to wear that “I love Barcelona” t-shirt? Except for sports, of course… Buying less but buying better also works with souvenirs. A small bottle of wine from the estate you visited, a speciality in a jar or a small hand-carved trinket, they’re all much more pleasurable. There are certainly addresses like these in the guidebook you borrowed from the library.
#8 Live like a local
Travelling is obviously about taking in the sights and smells, learning, meeting and tasting, but it’s also a good idea to try and get a feel for the daily lives of the people who live there, to really get to grips with their way of life. Taking public transport, eating at the same times and in the same restaurants, shopping at the market to discover local produce… this sometimes requires you to break with your travel habits, but it’s also the surest way to be transported and therefore to travel.
#9 Venture off the beaten track
Getting off the beaten track is not so easy… When time is limited, everyone’s reflex is to give priority to seeing the main sites and monuments of the country or region we’re visiting. Secondary sites? That’s for next time, we tell ourselves, with no illusions of returning. And yet, this has its advantages: fewer tourists, often less expensive sites, more authentic landscapes and inhabitants. Of course, when you stray from the main road, you run the risk of hitting a dead end, but you also have the chance to find hidden treasures.
#10 Give yourself time
Do the maximum in the minimum time, as if we weren’t in enough of a hurry in our daily lives. Of course, we all want to “make the most” of our trip by visiting as many places as possible, but be careful not to go too fast or you’ll miss out on everything. Taking your time, whether you’re traveling or not, is almost unnatural. And yet, what a pleasure it is sometimes to have planned nothing, to simply stroll along and come back to that little café where you were yesterday between two visits. The owner recognizes you, starts a conversation, you spend 2 hours with him and it’s the best anecdote of your trip.
If you too have tips and tricks for traveling in an eco-responsible way, please share them with us in the comments! Every little gesture counts, every attitude has a decisive influence on the way we consume and discover.