5 Ways to Be a Sustainable Traveler

The term “sustainable” may be familiar to you as the world focuses more on choosing environmentally friendly methods of living. We, as a society, are choosing reusable bottles and bags over single-use plastic bottles or plastic bags. This important and powerful conscious decision-making is what makes us sustainable. And living a sustainable life includes sustainability when we travel as well!

There are more than 5 ways to be a sustainable traveler, however, we’ve created a list covering the most important methods. Traveling sustainably does not need to be a chore affecting your holiday negatively! Eco traveling is just a new habit that we encourage everyone to incorporate in their lives, especially in these defining times. By starting at your own pace and staying motivated to become better, the list of 5 ways to be a sustainable traveler will be incorporated into your life sooner than you think! Because you have all the power to change a whole industry, by your decisions alone. 

1. Booking your holiday 

When was the last time you thought about choosing a transportation method or accommodation type for the purpose of sustainability? And how often do you think about that? Well, below are some points that can help guide you to make more sustainable decisions!

Your destination

Choosing a destination a little closer and more local to home is a positively impactful decision. Besides, consider the accommodation types you wish to go to for your holiday or weekend getaway. Here at Campspace, we have various options for you to choose from, you can set up your own tent, travel with your campervan or go glamping! These are all sustainable choices as we work directly with people who want to offer their gardens and land to travelers! 

That gives you the opportunity to connect with your hosts as they share their sustainable lifestyle with you! If you’re not sure where to start, have a look at the  different options we offer. 

How to get to your destination

Your transport has an influence on how sustainable you travel. It is widely known that flying is the least sustainable option. But with these you are good to go. 

Walk or bike

Walking and biking are the most sustainable ways to get to your destination! That is because these methods do not produce any CO2. Not to mention how fun the activity can be, you can explore local areas this way as well. Some of our campspaces are located directly along with a walking or biking path. Ideal for when you are traveling around like this.

Electric car

Need to go longer distances but still be sustainable? Sixt is a car rental service focusing on 0 emissions as they rent electric cars! You can also opt for hybrid cars as they are still more sustainable than diesel or petrol run-cars. Plan an exciting road trip all while feeling good that you’ve chosen to travel responsibly. 

Train

We often do not consider the trip from our house to the destination as part of our journey. Choosing the train for example can be just as rich, if not a richer experience than a plane ride, all while skipping security and airport stress! Most of our campspaces are easily reachable by public transport, so no excuses ;)! 

2. Give back to your community 

At Campspace, we aim to set a good example of sustainability, eco traveling in the tourism industry, and provide opportunities for people to support their locals. Giving back to the community and supporting a circular economy is also realizing what great resources we all have already and using them. We want everyone to experience real human connections, connecting with nature, and reconnecting with ourselves more often. For example you can:

• Buy food directly from farmers or from farmers' markets! Your money goes directly to hard workers who are also supporting their local community and businesses. We have many hosts and campspaces located near farmers who grow their own food which you can buy from! Have a look at our campspaces here.

• Visit local areas such as the park, museums, or even organic farms! It’s a great way to learn more about the local culture and support them. Visiting an animal farm is a very family-friendly idea and 

• Choose local restaurants! Smaller restaurants are usually run by families and this is a great way to contribute to a better world. Reserve a few hours of high tea or lovely vegetarian cuisine. 

3. Reduce, reuse, recycle...

An easy way to remember how to practice sustainability are the terms reduce, reuse, recycle! These three are part of the six r’s of sustainability. We won’t dive much deeper in that. We will tell you how you could implement them during your trip!

Reusable water bottles

Invest in a good thermal water bottle! They come in all shapes and sizes, colors and designs, and they can last for the rest of your life. Buying plastic water bottles is really not necessary and you can save so much single-use plastic waste with one bottle alone. This is an essential travel buddy item that you’ll be happy to have purchased! Going somewhere where you can’t drink from the tab? Choose a bottle with a filter. Now you can :)!

Tote bags

It’s time to start forgetting about plastic bags. Invest in a few reusable tote bags that can last for years, won’t rip as easily and are far less harmful than plastic. They come in all shapes, sizes, and styles! They come in handy when going to the supermarkt, but you can use them too when going to the beach. 

Bring reusable plates, mugs, and cutlery

Wherever or however you’re traveling, you will most certainly be eating as well. Bring reusable plates, mugs and cutlery to reduce waste! No, not necessarily the metal kind that weighs a ton, there are plates made of bamboo! Super lightweight. 

Microfibre cloth

This cloth is known for its larger surface area making it highly absorbent, and quick-drying! Microfibre is a super lightweight, space-efficient and smart material to bring when traveling. Compared to regular towels, it won’t take up much space in your washing machine making your laundry more energy-efficient and eco-friendly! Want to know more camping hacks? Check out our blog on the best camping hacks for your camping experience!

Food packaging 

This is another reason to ditch the plastic! There are so many options and ways to wrap up your food and items that can be sustainable! From beeswax food wrap or reusable tupperware, make sure your food is wrapped in materials you don’t just throw away.

4. Leave no trace 

This might seem so normal, but many people still forget. Leaving a destination how you arrived at it (or even better), is overall the respect we should always be practicing. Make sure to show that you care about your hosts’ campspaces and bring your trash with you! Or ask if you can help separate your waste at the place you are staying.. It also may be easy to overlook your small plastic wrapper from a snack, however, the ecosystem it's lying in will be negatively affected. If you bring your own plastic bag you can collect all your waste and throw it away altogether at the end of your campspace trip. It’s as easy as that!

5. Start Somewhere

Just like any habit you want to improve yourself on, whether it’s physically or mentally, you just need to start somewhere. If you choose to follow one of these five tips, you are already on the way to becoming a sustainable traveler. Once things feel normal to you, challenge yourself to go the extra mile! 

Looking for a new challenge? Let’s have a look at these other eco-friendly travel tips! Not sure where to start? Just plan a trip to a campspace near you!