SLOW TRAVEL: 5 TIPS FOR YOUR SUSTAINABLE JOURNEY
Fantastic beaches, clear water, wild mountain landscapes, green forests - people like to go on vacation there. But these are exactly the places whose idyll can suffer from tourism. Who wants to swim in a polluted sea or hike through a dried up forest? So if we don't want to only look at beautiful landscapes and personal places of longing in photo albums, we should protect exactly these places. More and more people are rightly thinking about how to travel in the most environmentally friendly way possible.
And you don't have to bury your thirst for adventure or give up your portion of sun. With a few simple tricks, you can have an environmentally friendly holiday without making any major sacrifices.
GOOD OLD ROADTRIP: THE WAY IS A GOAL
It's no longer a secret that air travel has the worst carbon footprint. And by far: per kilometer you save around 90% of the emissions by long-distance bus or train compared to the plane. So if it can be avoided somehow, just don't fly. Because it can also be nice to experience the journey itself - with an exciting book, good music and a window seat on the train, the journey becomes the destination.
If your destination cannot be reached without a plane, there is always the possibility of compensating your flight. You can calculate how much CO2 you emit with your flight and support global compensation programs, such as reforestation projects, with a corresponding amount of money.
I AM PACKING MY SUITCASE…
Basically: travel with light luggage! This is not only good for your back, but also for the environment. Because more weight requires more energy in transport. So only take what you really need with you. A good possibility for this are waterless piece products. After all, why lug around a large shampoo bottle containing 80% water when you can do without leaking products? Solid piece products are lighter, smaller and last longer.
What can definitely find space in the suitcase: your own drinking bottle. It is a real game changer when it comes to sustainability when travelling, because you can do without plastic bottles on the go. Your wallet will also be happy about it.
FROM APARTMENTS TO TENTS: THE ABC OF SUSTAINABLE ACCOMMODATION
There are also particularly sustainable alternatives when it comes to accommodation. Of course, this includes the good old campsite as well as the Bulli, which has long been one of the most popular travel trends. But there are also many accommodations, from organic farms to small owner-managed hotels, whose climate balance is significantly better than that of large all-inclusive hotel chains. At bookitgreen , GOOD travel , FAIRWEG or greenline hotels you can discover unique and individual holiday homes, B&Bs and hotels.
KEY IT! TRY LOCAL FOODS
Whether it's a restaurant or your own kitchen in the holiday home: be open to new culinary discoveries and try what comes from the region. This not only saves you the cost of transporting groceries, but also supports the local people and infrastructure.
LUST BUT NOT LEAST: TREAT YOURSELF!
Why just a short vacation when you could also relax for two weeks? In the end it should be worth it. And the environment is happy if you save on journeys and take a long vacation instead of short short vacations. The longer, the better! So who's to say - that doesn't sound like renunciation, does it?
Text: Julika von Werder
