Pauls Travel Notes

There’s no doubt that overseas travel can cast a fairly big carbon footprint. In this post we’ll have a look at ways that you can reduce your impact on the environment. So here’s some handy tips for sustainable travel.

We have been traveling for the last 20 years and over that time we’ve picked up a few tips. I’ve also spent the last ten years traveling every week for work.

So let’s dive in and have a look at a few ways that you can enjoy overseas travel without it costing the world.

Pack Light

Not only does packing light help to save your back, But it can also save a few tonnes of carbon in the atmosphere. Aircraft use a huge amount of fuel to take off and maintain level flight, and every kilogram saved reduces the fuel usage significantly.

Just from a consumerism point of view The less we have to buy, then the less that has to be manufactured. This helps to further save on the costs of fossil fuels.

Leave no trace

There’s an old saying, “take only pictures and leave only footsteps”. And that saying survives because of its validity.

Far too often people stray from the marked trails, which can have a huge effect on the ecology of the area. Although it can be tempting to get away from it all, and find a site that nobody else is at, think of what damage you may be causing to the native grasses and plants in the area.

The other obvious point is rubbish. If you do find the ideal campsite, make sure that you take all your rubbish out with you, and leave the site in the same condition you found it.

Fly Non Stop Where Possible

As I mentioned earlier, aircraft use a huge amount of fuel during the takeoff, and ascent to their cruising altitude. it is much more economical once they are in cruising mode.

So instead of taking three short flights. If you can take one long flight, it will save a lot of fuel and put a lot less carbon in the atmosphere.

Added to this is the cost of tyres on the plane. the tyres are only rated for a certain number of take-offs and landings, and they wear out quickly. Whilst it can be daunting to face a long-haul flight ultimately the cost savings for the environment will be a lot better than several short flights.

Avoid Single Use Items

Across the world there is a push to cut back on single use items.

Where possible use a reusable water bottle which can be refilled from water fountains. Most cities these days have started to introduce a lot more water fountains to encourage this use.

The exception to this is on aircraft. Where, there are advisory warnings from aircrew, that the on-board board water tanks don’t get cleaned. Therefore, they discourage people from using the onboard water. In these cases, it’s regrettable, but essential, to use the bottled water.

Just make sure if you have your water bottle in your carry-on, that it is empty for when you pass through the security checks.

Likewise consider a reusable coffee cup for travel. Most baristas are happy to fill those for you instead of using a takeaway cup. In the end it saves them money as well.

We always travel with a couple of sporks. if you’re not sure what they are, they’re like a combination spoon and fork, and quite often the handle has a rudimentary knife. We use them as the spoon and fork and carry a separate knife.

It goes without saying that these items shouldn’t be carried in your carry-on luggage on the aircraft

Reusable Shopping Bags

just like water bottles and cups. Carrying your own reusable bags is much better for the environment. The ones that are sold these days can be packed down to almost nothing. And in many cases, are a lot stronger than the flimsy plastic bags you get in the shops, and can carry a much better load.

Solar Power Chargers

These chargers have been steadily growing in population over the last few years. They are no longer bulky and cumbersome as they were in the past. Their efficiency has also improved.

There are small roll up mats not much bigger than a laptop, that will provide a useful charge to your electronic appliances.

Of course, don’t expect to charge everything up in one hour. I see cyclists and backpackers, that have these small mats attached on the back of their packs during the day. They provide a trickle charge to keep their devices topped up.

Read Electronic Books

Now I’m the first to admit that I love real books. There’s something about the tactile quality of them that appeals to me.

Unfortunately, books can take up a lot of space and add considerably to your load.

These days there’s very little point putting two books in your bag, when your tablet or other mobile device can hold a thousand.

I also like, that I don’t have to remember which page I’m on, or dogear the pages, as the device will remember and take me straight to where I left off.

Fish Safe Sunscreen

It’s hard to ignore the fact, that coral reef systems around the world are suffering. This is due largely to human influence. Obviously overall global warming is playing a large part in this. However sunscreens and other chemicals are also having a dramatic effect.

There are new sunscreen products on the market now, that have been developed specifically to cause no harm to the environment while still providing adequate levels of protection. We’re starting to see some places only allowing these new sun screens. It is the local solution to protect their environment.

Share rooms

It stands to reason, but having more people occupying one room conserves energy.

With 20 people in one room using one light switch. Even if they leave the light on all day, it’s still better than having 10 rooms being used instead.

Added to this is the cost savings that applies to maintenance and cleaning of those rooms, along with the reduction in chemicals.

So whilst dormitory accommodations might not suit everyone, consider whether they may work for you.

Laundry

There are two ways to help the environment with laundry. The first is to make sure you always put in a full load. That might mean you save your load up for a few days, or find a friend to share a load.

Along with this is to use the wash cycle with cold water only. There are considerable power costs that can be saved by not having to heat the water. Most modern detergents work well with hot or cold anyway.

I make it a point to never buy clothes that require ironing. This is not an environmental concern. I just hate ironing. Luckily, not ironing also saves a great deal of power.

Take Short Showers

Shorter showers can have a couple of impacts. using less water has obvious benefits not just on the water itself, but also all of the processes that are used to clean the water.

And just like with the laundry. Using hot water uses more power. Now I’m not suggesting that you shower with cold water. If I did that my wife would never travel with me. But limiting the amount of time that the water needs to be heated is a definite advantage.

We stayed in a Formula One hotel a few years back that had a timed shower. It would turn off after about 1 minute. You had to press a button to get it started again. I’m told that these are starting to appear more and more.

Hang Up Your Towels After Use

It is an internationally accepted symbol that if you hang your towels back up after use, then you don’t need them to be washed. If however you leave the towels on the floor, then the cleaning staff will take them away for laundry.

Extra laundry obviously means more chemicals, more water, and more power usage. Think about how often you would wash your towels at home, and apply the same rules. Let’s face it, you should be clean when you get out of the shower anyway.

Don’t Feed Wild Animals

it might seem like the humane thing to do, and the animals certainly seem to like it. But in the long run you are doing them no favors.

Over the years, the animal species in the area can become dependent on handouts from humans. They then start to lose the ability to gather food on their own.

This effects not only these animals, but the whole food chain. By feeding birds that would normally eat insects, means that the insects are no longer being eaten, and can cause a rise in their population.

Don’t Touch The Coral Or Fish Life When Snorkeling Or Diving.

It seems tempting, they’re so beautiful. But human hands can have devastating effects on the underwater world.

Obviously just snapping bits of coral off to take home is hugely irresponsible, but it’s some of the more subtle things that can also have a drastic impact.

As divers, one of the first lessons is to maintain neutral buoyancy. What this means is that we’re not sinking like a rock, and crashing into vulnerable reef systems. Or shooting to the surface either, which is not good for our bodies.

However, as innocent as it may seem. Just a gentle touch from human hands can impart a whole lot of chemicals which can ultimately do a lot of damage.

Support Local

Eating at local restaurants that use local ingredients, is far batter than eating at a huge chain store that imports all of its products.

Obviously, it is very tempting to go with something that is a known quantity. But the cost is huge. Personally, I hate eating food that has more frequent flyer points than I do.

It also pays to check local products and see where it has been packed. I picked up some packaged fish at our local supermarket in Perth. It was New Zealand fish, packed in China, distributed by Victoria. That fish was on a grand tour.

Imagine how much aircraft fuel was consumed to bring you that fish.

We tend to try to eat food that has been grown, farmed or caught locally. It’s good for the environment, and good for your local economy.

Carbon Offset

When booking your flights, choose the carbon offset option. What is it? This adds a couple of dollars extra to your ticket price. This money is then put into environmental projects.

It may be put towards a tree planting program, or perhaps an environmental clean-up.

Use A Multi-Function Plug

Unfortunately, there is no universal plug across the world. For whatever reasons, the countries all elected to go with an individual design.

So for years, if you were traveling to multiple countries, that meant having to carry multiple adapters.

Now, however, we have the multi-function plug adapter. One adapter to cover all the different outlets. Along with this they also have a couple of USB plugs.

This is the case that any extra manufacturing creates more carbon. So by limiting the products that you need, helps to cut back on that.

Travel Closer To Home

By traveling closer to home, you will have cost savings for fuel. Of course, it doesn’t always save your pocket. In the case of Australia, it’s quite often cheaper to travel to Asia than it is to holiday at home.

The environmental cost however is much greater to holiday abroad.

In the end you may get a much greater understanding of your local area, and find some gems right on your doorstep.

Travel Off Season

While winter in the Greek islands doesn’t tick my boxes. It does put less strain on the environment. In many cases it will benefit you with shorter lines, and easier accessibility for the things you want to see.

Increasingly, there are several countries that are starting to introduce tourist limits. This to protect their local environment. Thousands of people walking on the lawn, will destroy the lawn.

So that’s a few basics for you.

In the end, we all understand that our travel has an impact on our world. Which is sad, because we want to travel, to see and learn from other cultures, but not at the worlds expense.

So now when you travel, start to think how you are going about it. Will this product cause extra manufacturing? If I do something will it take extra power, water or heat? By selecting wisely, you can lower your carbon footprint, and travel a little more guilt free.

So, what did I miss? I’m sure there’s more out there. So, if you can think of some extra tips, drop me a line and I’ll include them.

For now though, here’s some extra tips to help you get ready for your next big adventure.

Handy Tips For Sustainable Travel