It is our responsibility to leave each place we travel to exactly how we found it, if not better than how we found it. As travelers, we should treat each place as our own, just as we would not litter our homes. There are many places famous for ecotourism in India, that have made it their priority to sustain the environment as well as give tourists a good experience. We should support such initiatives.
Any seasoned traveler will tell you stories of how when they visited a place for the first time it was clean but eventually, when it got popular, people started polluting that area so when they revisited, that place had lost its essence. We should be careful to not leave such a negative impact behind.
Ways of Sustainable Travel
We should aim to make sustainable travel our goal. Other than caring for the place we should also care for the people of that place. We should support local artisans by buying handicrafts from them instead of souvenir shops. Take local rickshaw rides; eat at Dhabas and small eateries instead of big restaurants. Take tour guides wherever possible because mostly they are from local families. We will learn more about the place we are traveling to as well as help locals earn money.
Here are some easy ways to incorporate sustainable travel and be a responsible traveler.
1. Use cloth bags or jute bags
Littering is a serious threat to our environment and reducing the use of plastic reduces the chances of plastic waste. Use cloth bags for anything you buy.
2. Use public transport, CNG-driven vehicles, or EVs
This helps reduce carbon monoxide levels in the environment. Use carpools or buses for longer distances. Another way to travel sustainably is to rent bicycles or battery scooters.
3. Avoid printing tickets
Most places allow entry with electronic tickets nowadays. Imagine if everyone stops printing tickets how much paper we can eventually save.
4. Buy organic produce
Organic produce reduces environmental pollution as they require less water and use less energy. So, buy organic fruits and vegetables from farmers during your stay. Also, avoid packaged food, especially the ones that come in plastic. Not only are they harmful to your body but also threatening to the environment. Most rags pickers do not collect them as they are very light in weight.
5. Carry waste bags wherever you go
You can easily deposit all your waste into those bags without worrying about littering the environment. Don’t forget to dispose of the bags in properly labeled dustbins.
6. Do not pollute water
When we travel to the mountains near a source of water, we should be very careful to not use soaps or any non-biodegradable material. The source of water may flow down to the locals who may even use that water for consumption.
If we all treat the places we travel to as our own and take care of them, the world will be happier and healthier for everyone.
