It is no secret that the environmental conditions of the world are at an all time low. In such difficult times we all need to be eco friendly in every way that we can. Preserving the resources and avoiding overuse of things that cannot be recycled should be high on our priority list. But do you remember these things during a travel? Most people do not, although it is equally important to travel eco friendly if you are a concerned citizen of the world. So we are here to help and in this article we will be telling you all about zero waste travelling. It is high time that we did something for the environment in every way possible and travelling should be no exception.
Some important tips for zero waste travelling
- Take the direct flights:
While not many people are aware of this, an aero plane burns most of its fuel during takeoff and while landing. So in order to save on some precious fossil fuel try taking the direct flights. Not only are they hassle free and cheaper, they also save a significant amount of fuel. Imagine the impact if more and more people pick up on this practice. - Carry your food: Most flights provide you with food. But this food comes in plastic containers which are disposed after a single use. It just adds up to the huge amount of plastic junk around the world. To travel eco friendly, carry your own food in your own reusable container. That way you will not only be saving on the extra money to buy overpriced flight food, but also do your small bit for the environment. To make it even better try to carry your own water bottle as well. This will help evade the usage of plastic cups or one time disposable plastic bottles.
- Ask for canned beverages if you must:
You might feel the urge for a tasty beverage during your flight and in case you do opt for the tin canned variant. As a sustainable tourist you must also make sure that you carry the can after usage and get it recycled at some suitable place. Do not leave the can in the plane as it may then find its way to the garbage dump and not the recycling machine. - Go paper free: Gone are the days where you had to get paper tickets and a printed boarding pass. Since your goal is zero waste travelling, try to get your tickets as soft copies and download the boarding pass beforehand so that you do not need to waste some unnecessary amounts of paper. This again is a tips which if followed by a lot of people will make a significant difference.
- Travel light:
Do you carry huge weights of luggage every time you are up for a travel? If yes is your answer, you have to change your ways to be environmentally friendly. This is because the more weight the aero plane carries the lesser is its fuel efficiency. Apart from this a lighter travel bag is also easy on your shoulders and allows a lot more mobility. Zero waste travelling has to ensure that you are packing less and indulging in light travels. - Do not waste home food: This is a serious concern if you are leaving for a long period of time. Wastage of food is to be avoided and so make sure that you roast all your excess vegetables and freeze them. As for the meat items, neatly wrap them up and have them frozen. Fruits too can be sliced up and kept for the future smoothies. If there are perishable goods that you can neither freezer nor consume, give them away to friends or neighbors or to the needy. If you are planning on zero waste travelling then you should ensure zero waste home food as well.
- Turn off all appliances and unplug:
This is an important move if you are environmentally friendly and also important if you are worried about the safety of your house. Not only should you switch off all appliances before you leave we will suggest that you unplug them as well. This ensures that no energy is lost or there is no risk of a short circuit causing a fire. - Purchase carbon offsets: This is a provision provided by some flights and you can avail them. Purchasing the carbon offsets mean that for all the carbon dioxide emission your travel will cause, an initiative will be taken to neutralize some of the damage. For instances with that money some trees might be planted. You may have to conduct some searches to avail this option as it is not there in the direct page while purchasing the ticket.
- Bring your warm clothing:
If zero waste travelling features in your agenda make sure that you carry some warm clothing. This is because the insides of the airplanes often get extremely cold and it becomes a necessity to wrap yourself in something. In case you are not carrying adequate gear to face such conditions you will have to use the disposable plastic blanket provided by the plane which is clearly not the eco friendly option. - Set thermostat at 50: In case you reside in some of the coldest parts of the world you will need to have the thermostat running so that the water in the pipes do not freeze. For this set it at 50 degrees as it conserves a lot of energy and also does the function of not freezing the pipes.
Final words
Now that you have read about the things you can do to be environmentally friendly it is time to put them to good use. If you are planning to pick up on some sustainable habits be a sustainable tourist as well. Go green even while travelling because the situation is so grim that the planet needs all your efforts to be sustainable in the long run. May you enjoy your journey in the best possible way!
