Are you planning a trip or to travel the world in 2022 but want to do it in the most sustainable, eco-friendly way possible? We’ve gathered a list of some tips for sustainable travel in 2022 to help you reduce your environmental impact while exploring this year.
1. Choose a Sustainable Travel Destination
The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranks 180 countries based on how environmentally friendly they are. This can be a good place to start when choosing a travel destination. Some countries are more set up for foreign travellers while others suffer because of the large influx of tourists every year.
Denmark currently tops the EPI list with it’s commitment to sustainability through renewable energy, responsible business practices, green transportation and waste recycling – making it the ideal sustainable travel destination.
2. Avoid Flying or Opt for Eco Friendly Flights
One return flight emits more C02 than many people generate in an entire year. Exploring closer to home can help you avoid travel flights, but if air travel is a must you can also opt to build flying offsets into your travel budget. Tentree, a Canadian clothing company, in addition to planting a tree for every clothing item purchased, also offers offsets and plants trees to neutralize carbon emissions generated during travel.
3. Travel Slow
As already mentioned in this article, air travel is one of the highest C02 emitters, but also one for the fastest ways we can travel. Generally the faster you travel, the more expensive it is for your wallet and the planet. Traveling slowly seems like a luxury afforded to the long-term travellers who spend months or years on the road, but with some extra conscious decisions, slow travel can be experienced by everyone. Slow your travelling down by trying not to squeeze so many city hops or activities into your trip or eliminate accommodation transfers by staying in one place and really exploring the area.
4. Stay in Eco-Friendly Accommodation
Most eco-friendly hotels will have their sustainability goals and actions prominently displayed for identification but sustainability also shows up in local ownership of the hotel, local food being served and local staff employed at a living wage. Use a website like bookdifferent.com that lists sustainable accommodations, making it easy to find and book an environmentally friendly stay.
If you can, try to also choose a destination where once you’re there, you can walk around or take public transport rather than driving from place to place.
5. Shop Local
Shopping local isn’t only is this a great way to travel more sustainably, it’s also a great way to experience a new culture. Avoid multi-national restaurants and supermarkets if you can and eat and shop at local establishments. Hire a local tour guide to show you around and immerse yourself in the customs of the area.
Bonus Tip: Travel to Tourist Destinations “Off-Peak”
Sustainable travel doesn’t mean avoiding popular tourist destinations. If you really want to visit a popular city or area, try to visit during off-peak months to reduce your impact on the environment. Visiting when there are fewer tourists helps boost the local economy in the off season and also helps reduce the impact to the environment from large amounts of foot and motor traffic.
Sustayn is designed to present the most useful recommendations for environmentally friendly approaches and items. We update links when possible, but note that links can be broken and pricing, where noted, can be subject to change.
