There are a lot of components to think about when planning to take a family vacation. One thing that should be at the top of the list is eco-friendly travel. Being mindful of the environment, local towns, people, and leaving as small of an impact as possible is part of our mission as a family travel company. There are some simple eco-friendly family vacation tips that you can keep in mind while you plan your next trip.
Flights
While airplanes are an incredible invention that makes travel way more accessible for everybody, carbon emissions from planes are not great for the environment. How can you lessen the impact? Buy direct flights, the largest percentage of emissions are during take-off and landing. Direct flights are also less of a pain for you! You can also choose to fly on fuel-efficient planes. Some of the planes that are best for this are the Boeing 777, Boeing 787 and the Airbus 345. Finally, you can purchase carbon offsets. This is when you pay a small amount of money to offset the environmental damage that your flight caused. This money often goes to clean energy projects or climate smart farms.
Packing
First, pack light. The heavier a plane is the more fuel it needs to use. You may think that the extra 5 pounds in your bag won’t make a difference, but if everyone could shave 5 pounds from their luggage that would be a total of over 2,600 pounds on a typical flight. A little bit can go a long way! Leave the one-off bottles of mini-shampoo, soap, hand sanitizer, and toiletries at home. Those will quickly be used and discarded only to end up in landfill to sit there till the end of time. Instead, buy FAA approved re-usable travel containers that you can fill up before you leave. Also, leave the products that contain micro-beads on the shelf at the store. The micro-beads are tiny enough to make their way through filters and drains and end up causing major problems in the ocean. These are toxic and shouldn’t be part of the diet for anything that lives in the sea. One more thing, use a refillable water bottle. No need to be buying and throwing away plastic bottles your entire trip!
Be a Local
It’s best to shop local, buy local, and travel local while on your family vacation. Buying locally produced foods and souvenirs is the best way to support the community that you are a guest in. We know it can be tempting to take a rock from one of your hikes or a sea shell from the beach, but it’s best to leave things where you found them. Take a photo instead! It’ll last longer and it won’t damage anything!
Travel with Companies Dedicated to Eco-tourism
It can be very easy to just travel with the company that is offering the best deal. Traveling with a company committed to eco-travel can greatly reduce your impact. We happen to know one that fits the bill!
