Traveling is a healthy addiction that gives you everlasting memories and experiences. You get to know different places and people having different food, culture, language, and mindset. The COVID-19 pandemic was the major setback for travel freaks. But things are getting normalized again. So, you can explore different states and cities with your family and friends. Planning a trip with your family means spending a joyous time without any stress. Also, you have to keep different factors in mind to ensure an eco-friendly holiday season.
If you do not travel frequently, it is advisable to consult your peers or friends before planning your trip. It will help you to prepare a travel checklist and plan a sustainable trip according to your budget. It would help if you kept an eye on different things such as accommodation and food to have a memorable journey. Let’s uncover some valuable tips that will help you to experience a healthy and hassle-free trip.
Make wrapping paper yourself
Most wrapping papers are not recyclable that you find in stores due to shiny coatings and colors. That is why it ends up in wastage. Natural resources like water, trees, and oil get used for producing wrapping papers just to be thrown away in the end. You need wrapping papers to pack your stuff for the trip, so you should make your wrapping papers to avoid paper wastage in the future. You can use old newspapers, maps, scarves, bandanas to pack your stuff. Once consumers start doing this, it will reduce the need for wrapping papers. Eventually, it will help to ensure a healthy environment.
Find the right accommodation
Luxurious and big hotels are usually not sustainable. Continuous cleaning and entertainment in such hotels can cause energy wastage. It would be best if you looked for eco-friendly accommodation to avoid useless energy consumption. It would be better to research the accommodation in the city or state where you plan to go.
For example, suppose you are planning to go to St. George. In that case, you may look for sustainable and environment-friendly rentals in st george utah, that will make your trip everlasting. Also, make sure that your rental place is near attractive places, so you do not have to travel for hours to reach your destination.
Hospitality and travel businesses are now investing in environmental sustainability more than ever before. So, you can find plenty of hotels that are implementing sustainable policies. It would be best if you could afford a personal villa to take care of your waste.
Clear your fridge before leaving
Think sustainably while planning a trip. It is essential to clean your fridge before setting off. It is better to give leftovers to any homeless person on the street rather than throwing them in a waste bin when you come back home. There is no point in leaving the fridge switched on when nobody is home, so you must clean it before leaving.
Turn off your home power
To enjoy healthy and sustainable vacations, you must also save the energy of your home. You should completely switch off the power of your home that will save not only the energy but also your money. It will be best if you also reduce the temperature of the thermostat to reduce energy costs. If you have concerns regarding the security of your home, then you should invest in smart home automation technology. It will turn on the lights each evening for a couple of hours and then switch it off automatically. In this way, you will have peace of mind throughout your journey.
Keep energy-saving lights
Taking energy-saving lights will make a positive contribution to sustainability. By decorating your rental space or own home with energy-saving LEDs, you will be able to save 90% energy as compared to conventional lights. Energy efficiency is one of the significant aspects of a sustainable environment, so you cannot afford to avoid this factor. Also, it will help you keep a smaller bag that will save you some amount on luggage allowance. A cabin bag size is sufficient to keep LEDs that will save your time during check out and check-in. It will also help you save transport expenses due to heavy baggage.
Pick your transport carefully
Transport should be one of your biggest concerns that will help you to experience a sustainable trip. Traveling through trains or buses is more eco-friendly than planes. It may take longer to reach the destination, but it will also help you to reduce your carbon footprint. Landings and take-offs cause most emissions, so if you have to travel by plane, pick non-stop flights.
Avoid room service
While staying in a luxurious hotel that gets cleaned daily will have minimal impact on your memory. Most of us change bedding at home ourselves, so you should do the same during your trip. Place the sign of do not disturb on your door, so cleaners stop changing bed sheets unnecessarily. It will also save the electricity that vacuum cleaners consume.
Purchase locally
To experience a genuine holiday experience, you should go for locally manufactured products rather than imported ones. It also applies to dining out. Local restaurants will give you an enriching experience as compared to restaurant chains. Sustainability is also about adding value to the local economy, so you should use your tourist money smartly.
Take care of wildlife
It is essential to maintain a distance from any wild animal during your travels. If you try to get closer to wild animals, then it can make them feel stressed. As a result, they can drive away from natural breeding and resting areas. You are liable to protect the sustainability of wild animal’s habitats. Keep in mind that you are a visitor in their place, so you have to act like one by not disrupting their life. In short, respecting wildlife is also crucial for a sustainable environment.
Donate something for an environmental cause
To make your trip worth remembering, volunteer yourself for an environmental cause. There are different ways to improve your planet and community’s well-being. From cleaning up the local parks to helping children from the inner-city who have never experienced outdoors, you can pick anyway. You can find any charity or organization working for environmental stability so that you can donate your money or time to them. Such small efforts are required from everyone to bring positive environmental change.
Focus on recycling
One of the effective ways to enjoy a sustainable and healthy holiday season is to focus on recycling. For example, if you want to get a new phone for the holiday trip, you should recycle the old one. You can give your old phone to any staples store or phone recycling program. According to a statistical study, over 130 million cell phones are thrown away every year. It means the weight of around 65,000 tons that emits hazardous elements like mercury, lead, and cadmium that affect environmental health in many ways. Taking measures such as recycling items holds particular importance to improve environmental sustainability.
Conclusion
A huge responsibility lies on our shoulders to ensure an eco-friendly environment. You can plan your travel trip to any beautiful destination. But you are also liable to take measures to secure environmental health. From keeping your space clean to using environment-friendly transportation, you have to take the necessary steps to make your trip sustainable and a healthy holiday season. It will last forever in your memories and help you motivate others to build a healthy and safe environment. A healthy environment is critical for human health, so protecting it means ensuring a healthy life for yourself and your family in the future.