Holidays have always been a symbol of freedom and relaxation and represent a well-deserved goal after a period of work and sacrifices, however in recent years more and more people have converted their traditional holidays into eco-sustainable holidays , supporting the environment and local traditions. sustainable tourism is increasingly popular with travelers because it cares about economic and environmental impacts, preserving the traditions of local communities and is accessible to all, thanks to small habits and tricks that do no harm to anyone ! Here are some that you can put into practice right away!
1) Green light to experiences!
Traveling is always nice, so every time we return we take home something that makes us remember the holiday. We usually bring back souvenirs but ... what if they weren't the only way to rethink that carefree period? This is why there is experiential tourism which focuses on emotions rather than goods. This type of tourism focuses on local customs and traditions, inviting the traveler to discover them firsthand, more and more as a protagonist and less as a spectator.
For your eco-sustainable holidays do not choose tourist and crowded destinations, but set out to discover small villages or lesser-known destinations, where people live in a more authentic way and will know how to convey you their values and their lifestyle.
In addition, these small realities are more in contact with nature and the environment, so they give you the opportunity to undertake trekking routes flanked by a guide who will be able to tell you the history of the place and the nature that surrounds it. In this type of experience you never stop discovering, for this reason even during the lunch break the traditions of the place are not abandoned, but embrace each other, discovering the typical cuisine in small restaurants or farms usually family-run.
For lovers of good food and food and wine traditions it is important to get to know them in the very place where they were born, which is why tastings are the best way to get in close contact with them. Often the best places to satisfy the palate are wineries, taverns or taverns and farmhouses managed by families who have handed down the recipes that have contributed to writing the history of their home for generations.
For the more curious who also want to know the processing of typical products, the farms are always ready to show their work, also revealing some secrets… but not too many! If you are lucky you could also participate in a real food and wine tour focused only on the discovery of wine and typical products, even better if organic, perfect for your eco-sustainable holidays .
Do a good research and try to find out if a certain activity is practiced in the place where you want to go and sign up for a workshop or a group session, for example if in that place the main activity is working with ceramics inquire if by chance some expert can teach you how to do it. Or think about picking mushrooms for a mountain destination, producing wine in a country village, a fishing lesson, a cooking class or teaching a typical dance.
In short, if you let your imagination run wild you will take home unforgettable memories!
2) Travel on less polluting means of transport
Due to global warming, we are always looking for ways to minimize pollution even while we are relaxing on vacation. If you like traveling on the road, consider driving an electric car as this technology has improved a lot in recent times and charging stations are more frequent than a few years ago, many facilities already do. use such as hotels, motorway restaurants and supermarkets. With a little organization and planning, you can enjoy the convenience of traveling by car without penalizing the environment.
If, on the other hand, you don't feel like driving, traveling by train will also have less impact on the ecosystem, but that's not all! It will allow you to better see the landscapes as you move from one destination to another and to live your experience in a less hectic way, as well as being a suitable means for your eco-friendly holidays because it is comfortable and accessible everywhere.
Even better if you choose to sleep in a hotel with a nearby station so you can reach it on foot, especially if these structures are organized to have a lower impact on the environment.
However, the least polluting means of transport remains the bicycle or the e-bike , which has been very trendy lately. In large cities, many bike tours are organized, where you can admire the most famous sites by pedaling or aboard other vehicles with zero environmental impact. It is also widely used for tours in the countryside, such as visits to vineyards or even to move from one village to another while admiring the surrounding landscape.
If, on the other hand, you are looking for something more original, you can find out for a city tour in ape , even if it is more used in small towns. However, to make the most of any destination, it is advisable to move during the low season periods, in order to avoid overcrowding.
3) However, respect separate waste collection
During a holiday it is right to unplug from everyday life but there are some habits that must always be maintained such as separate collection , thanks to which it is possible to recycle most of the waste produced every day and allows you to live in a cleaner world, but also to make your real eco-sustainable holidays .
Therefore, it is good to inquire about how waste collection works at the destination, be told the days in which the collection will be carried out, inquire if the color of the bins is different and also make sure to divide paper, plastic and damp well. The lower environmental impact also depends on this, because if the division is done well, less means and energy will be needed for disposal . For this type of information, you can contact the municipality or the local urban sanitation company.
But even before throwing away, think if you can reuse something, you could fill the plastic bottle instead of buying another one or think about whether you can reuse a waste in the kitchen.
4) Do not leave traces of your passage and respect nature
The ecosystem is organized in a very precise way and is based on balances which, if altered, over time can lead to impoverishment . Therefore try not to pick flowers (even if they are beautiful) or other types of vegetation and do not bring any native animal type with you, it could represent a dominant species out of its habitat and consequently make others disappear.
To say that you have visited a place, it is not mandatory to leave a trace of our presence, even less if the traces are, in reality, waste. This is why you must always try to use the right bins , throwing away any waste you produce, whether you are in the city or in the midst of nature.
Fortunately, today it is possible to buy objects with a minimal environmental impact that can be very useful for embarking on your eco-sustainable holidays such as steel water bottles, wooden or steel cutlery, reusable straws , products in reusable paper or cotton packaging, and so on.
Reducing single-use plastic with these and many other alternatives can make a difference when used every day along with habits such as buying loose foods by replacing the plastic bag with a cotton one or walking around the city avoiding public transport as much as possible.
In recent years, it is increasingly popular among environmental associations to create groups of volunteers to collect waste on beaches or in highly contaminated places, it may not be an activity for everyone, but if you are interested you could contact one of these associations or, if you feel like it, do it yourself.
5) Adopt a tree!
We all care about our planet and would like it to remain as it is, unfortunately everyday life does not allow it but this does not mean that there is nothing to be done. Rather! Many sites give the opportunity to plant a tree anywhere in the world to offset the production of carbon dioxide, as they can absorb it.
By doing so you could help the local population from which it would derive economic as well as environmental benefits, in exchange you will be sent photos and coordinates of your tree, in case you want to visit it, but the best thing is that the environment will also benefit from it in the years to come, restoring a little balance.
The satisfaction of taking a eco-sustainable holiday also lies in seeing the results obtained thanks to your contribution, so through one of these sites you can see how many results the tree you would like to plant will bring in ten years. The costs for a tree vary, depending on the type, from about 15 to 70 euros but think about how many benefits it will give over the years, it is also an excellent gift idea for an ecology enthusiast for those who care about the environment.
Also if you want even greater results, you could plant one every time you come back from a vacation, think about how much wonder you could give back to this world!
What do you think of these tips? Will your next vacation be sustainable? Let us know below in the comments!
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