Take a Vacation: Sustainably
Historically humans remained close to their homes but globalisation has led to the concept of vacation. Vacation refers to a period of time that you take off from your daily life to relax and enjoy and is essentially an experience that entails travelling away from homes for a change of environment to get rid of monotony. Modern civilisation has seen a steady rise in travelling for pleasure since the early 1800s and is now something that most people cannot go without. But like all human activities, vacations also have an impact on the environment. An excess of anything without regulation and moderation can be bad and the same goes for vacations, but there are many ways you can enjoy your time off without adversely impacting the planet.
The first step would be choosing where to go, and it is advisable to travel somewhere closer to home, as your carbon footprint increases the farther you travel. Travelling closer to home does not mean that you need to give up on new experiences, a lot of hidden treasures can be found closer to home.
Even a small adventure can rejuvenate the body and mind so consider driving to a nearby beach or forest. It is also important to visit places that need your support, it might seem like that these locations might not have a lot to offer, but the places that are not frequented by most offer the most profound experiences.
Enrich your time away by engaging in activities that support the local economy without harming and exploiting the native flora and fauna and resources. Many popular tourist activities are very damaging and destructive for the environment and animals involved. Petting zoos in tropical locations and elephant rides might seem innocent and harmless fun initially but the demand for these activities has destroyed the lives of many animals. It is always better to engage in more meaningful activities that are fun not just at the moment but can positively impact your life and those of the locals.
After planning your itinerary the next thing you need to do is fix your mode of travel, as different modes of transport have different levels of CO2 emissions. In comparison to other modes of transport, aeroplanes have the worst impact on the environment and therefore if you absolutely must travel by air try opting for airlines that use bio-jet fuel. Direct flights with no connections are more fuel-efficient so booking long-haul flights is the way to go. Trains are comparatively better emissions wise, as they emit significantly less CO2 and are a great way to enjoy some sights while travelling. Carbon footprint wise, buses, carpooling, and road trips are more fun and better for the environment.
Travelling in today’s time is easier than it was a hundred years ago and the tourism sector accounts for 10.8% of the world’s GDP. With such a vast demand the environmental impact is equally great and the burden falls on people who are able to offset the negative impact that tourism creates.
Sources & References
https://volcanoessafaris.com/press/7-ways-to-make-your-travel-more-sustainable/
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/travel/how-to-travel-sustainably
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/22/travel/sustainable-travel.html
https://www.sustainablejungle.com/sustainable-travel/travel-tips/
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/how-to-travel-sustainably