10 tricks for travelling greener

27 September 2015 - 02:00 By Elizabeth Sleith

Whenever we travel, we pollute. Period. The emission of gases from motorised transport methods is a huge factor in global warming and the damage wrought by mass tourism, particularly in ecologically sensitive areas, is a growing concern. Yet, most of us will travel anyway. Still, you don't have to holiday in a hut or cycle across continents to reduce your environmental footprint. Elizabeth Sleith offers some small tweaks that, added up, could make a huge difference.1. LIGHTEN UPIt's the most common tip we see from seasoned travellers: pack light. You want some space for souvenirs and to not be lugging large bags anyway but there's also the fact that the more weight planes, trains and cars have to carry, the more fuel they use, and the more greenhouse gases they emit. So pack smart. Make a list of your essentials, then edit it.Take versatile, lightweight clothes; ditch the 17 costume changes (unless you're Madonna, and you're not Madonna); and don't carry what you can buy when you get there.2. GO UNPLUGGEDIf you're leaving your home empty while you're away, or just have someone checking in, turning off your geyser is an obvious power saver and that goes for the microwave and DStv decoder too. Turning off your electronics at the wall will cut down on energy usage.In fact, unplug all your electrical items, since they can leach power even when they're off.3. CHOOSE THE RIGHT RIDEFor most long-distance travellers, a plane ride is inevitable but, once you've arrived, you can reduce your carbon footprint by choosing Earth-friendly transport options. A couple taking the bus rather than a car will cut their carbon emissions nearly in half - even when compared to a hybrid. You could plan an entire holiday around biking, walking or using public transport.If you must rent a car, go for a hybrid or a smaller model over a gas-guzzler.full_story_image_hleft14. DON'T GO OUT OF YOUR WAYBesides being the quickest, flying direct is also your greenest route. A significant proportion of a plane's carbon emissions comes from takeoff and landing, so when it comes to multi-stop journeys, even if it's cheaper, now you have a noble excuse to just say no to long layovers. Sadly, the same "spoil yourself" logic doesn't apply to choosing your seats.story_article_left1Business-class spots take up more space on the plane and so reduce the number of people who can fit on each flight. Economy class may not be comfy, but it is the eco-friendliest way to fly.5. LOCAL IS LEKKERWhen it comes to eating and drinking, wherever you are, favour locally sourced and grown foods as much as possible, rather than items that have been flown in from thousands of miles away.You'll enrich your travel experience by browsing local farmers' markets anyway. Similarly, don't order endangered fish - even if they have been plucked from a nearby sea. Also, support the locals when shopping for souvenirs but take care that whatever you're buying isn't made from at-risk animals or plants.That way, you'll keep your conscience clear and save yourself a battle with a grumpy customs official in the bargain.6. SLEEP SOUNDLYWhen searching for accommodation, favour establishments that have demonstrated a commitment to the planet. Most hotels these days encourage visitors to reuse their towels, but who goes a step further? Do they grow their own food or at least source locally? Have they got worm farms or solar heating? Do they recycle?There are several accrediting bodies for green hotels, including greenglobe.com and environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com, on whose websites you can search for members by country.story_article_right2Making it even easier, the hotel-booking platform GreenHotelWorld allows users to search for hotels based on their green practices, and compensates the carbon emissions of all stays booked through them with donations to the climate organisation myclimate.org - at no extra cost to you.7. STAY CONSCIENTIOUSJust because things are included in your rate doesn't mean you have to abuse them. Don't let a break from your normal routine be a holiday from your principles. At the hotel, follow some simple practices to minimise your energy use: turn off the tap while brushing your teeth and keep your showers short.Turn off the lights, TV and air-conditioning when you leave the room. And of course, reuse your sheets and towels rather than having them washed and changed every day.8. TAKE ONLY PHOTOSAnd leave only footprints. Do be respectful of any place you visit and don't litter, ever. Find a dustbin or carry your junk with you until you can dispose of it responsibly, particularly when visiting natural attractions. There's nothing like some rusted Coke cans and old chip packets to ruin a splendid scene.Same goes for heritage sites: don't break off chunks of that ancient temple to sneak home and - okay, this one's just for the love of humanity - do dump that selfie stick.full_story_image_hleft29. REDUCE YOUR PAPER TRAILNow, we're not suggesting you use leaves instead of loo paper (though, if you're up for it, feel free). But the constant evolution of apps and Smartphones has given travellers several ways to carry their required documents in digital formats rather than waste paper. So check in online and carry your boarding passes and hotel information on your phone.10 MAKE AMENDSIf you can afford to travel, chances are you can spend a bit extra to compensate for all that CO2 you'll be sending into the sky. Planting native, broad-leaf trees is a great way to offset since they absorb carbon dioxide. Too much? Then donate to a carbon-offset charity. Locally, we have Food and Trees for Africa (trees.co.za) and Green Works (greenworks.co.za).If you punch in your route at myclimate.org, it will put a price on your CO2 output and offer some choices for atonement, from funding eco-stoves in Kenya to helping small-scale farmers in Nicaragua. All you do is click and pay - and perhaps sleep a little better at night...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.