Ethical, Eco-Friendly Travel – Once Upon a Journey

Eco Friendly Travel

Especially while travelling it’s difficult to be environmentally cautious, as taking off by plane is by definition not eco-friendly. And have you ever realised everything ‘travel’ comes in plastic? Small plastic travel shampoos, deodorants, toothpaste and other stuff.

But plastic isn’t the only problem: sunscreen ruins coral, Western values may endanger local cultures and let’s not even speak about animal tourism. BUT no need to cry and think the world is doomed because of your travels! I’m going to tell you exactly how to travel greener: sustainably, responsibly & ethnically.

Expressed simply by The World Tourism Organization, sustainable tourism can be defined as:

“Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities”

In other words: to travel sustainable means you have to protect and enhance places for the future – everywhere you go. On an economic, cultural & environmental level, so generations after you can enjoy the same (no wait: better) experiences in those places. Minimising the negative impact of tourism, by helping to make a positive impact. So let’s dive into that!

SAY NO TO PLASTIC

Plastic pollution is such a big deal. It becomes even clearer when you travel to Asia and find beaches full of it. Not so fun fact: there are no more beaches on earth untouched by plastic pollution (even the unexplored ones on uninhabited islands). We looked up some plastic pollution statistics and it’s so incredibly shocking.

By Maartje Hensen – Full Story at Once Upon a Journey