Go Green, Go Travel

It’s no secret that travelling can have a negative impact on the environment, as do most things humans do in everyday life. We're not saying you shouldn't travel, though. On the contrary, we're encouraging you to get back out there and travel when you're comfortable doing so — but in a more sustainable manner.

Consider this: air travel alone accounts for 75% of tourism's overall greenhouse gas emissions. Imagine if we all took just a few small steps to minimize our carbon footprint while travelling.

Well, we have great news — we can! There are some key components involved with planning a more eco-friendly travel trip, but thankfully, none of them are difficult, expensive, or out of reach by any means. travelling more sustainably does require more thoughtful planning, however, which is exactly why we created this guide to sustainable travel.

Once you've mastered a few eco-friendly travel tips, you'll feel more fulfilled not just from travelling itself, but about your positive impact on the environment. Ready to learn about how to travel more sustainably? Let's get into it!

How to Travel Sustainably

Every stage of travelling can be made more sustainable and green, from deciding where to go to what you pack and where you choose to spend your money once you arrive.

Choosing an Eco-Friendly Travel Destination

Sustainable travel actually starts before you even leave home. Some destinations are undeniably "greener" than others, so the very first step you should take is comparing the eco-friendliness of several potential places if you are flexible with your travel destination. To help you get started, look at Ethical Traveler's annual list of the World's 10 Best Ethical Destinations. An independent non-profit organization, Ethical Traveler's mission is to "empower travelers to change the world.”

To that end, its annual list of ethical travel destinations highlights countries that are "actively improving the state of their people, government, and environment." The organization ranks countries based on four key factors: environmental protection, social welfare, human rights, and animal welfare, focusing specifically on how individual places have improved in these areas over time. Ethical Traveler explains that in order for a country to receive an Ethical Destinations award, it "must also offer unspoiled natural beauty, great outdoor activities, and the opportunity to interact with local people in a meaningful, mutually enriching way." 2021 award winners include Belize, Ecuador, and Uruguay.

While we're on the topic of choosing an eco-friendly travel destination, you can also practice green travel when you book your hotel (more on that later) and flights. Over 25% of all airplane carbon emissions are released during takeoff and landing, so one significant way you can reduce your personal impact is booking direct flights. Sure, they often cost a bit more, but they also come with the added benefit of being less likely to experience flight delays.

Opt for Eco Friendly Travel Transportation

Looking for an alternative to flying altogether? Consider taking a road trip. It's more environmentally-friendly and (usually) more affordable, plus you don't have the hassle of renting a car in your destination.

Of course, driving isn't always feasible. When flying, consider getting around town by biking, walking, or taking rideshares or public transportation. These are all much greener transportation options. If you can stick with walking or public transportation, these are extremely wallet-friendly alternatives! In the event that you must rent a car, try to get a hybrid or electric vehicle.

Explore Your Travel Destination Like a Local

There are several ways you can practice being green, even after you arrive at your destination. The main way to do this is to support the local community whenever possible. From dining out to shopping to taking guided tours, avoid chain or "big-box" companies and always choose a local option, if available. Everyone loves Tim Hortons and Starbucks, but your tourism dollars have a far greater impact when they're spent at a mom-and-pop corner cafe or local farmers' market.

Big companies have massive networks of suppliers and distributors and their goods — everything from ingredients to packaging — travel a much longer distance. This has a significant domino effect: more transportation means more carbon emissions and higher costs, passed on to the consumer. Food items are also not nearly as fresh when they have to travel.

On the other hand, locally-owned businesses often source things locally. These items don't have to be transported, so they're fresher, more affordable, and have much less environmental impact. And of course, shopping locally means you're putting money directly into the pockets of a person, rather than a giant corporation.

Sustainable Travel Packing Tips

Instead of buying disposable plastic water bottles, travel with a good reusable one. You can also buy reusable, environmentally-friendly versions of ziplock bags and either pack food or head to the grocery store (or farmers' market!) once you arrive. These small steps drastically reduce waste from single-use products and they'll save you money in the long run.

Practice Leave No Trace

Several of the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace apply specifically to spending time outdoors or camping. However, the general concept of Leave No Trace is to make the smallest impact possible, so there are many practical applications for people who want to travel more sustainably. For example, you can turn off the lights and turn down the air-conditioning in your hotel room when you're out, and you can opt out of daily housekeeping service.

If you're doing any hiking, be sure to stay on marked trails and always have a plan for packing out your trash. Don't assume everywhere you go will have trash cans, even if it's a big city. It can be as simple as keeping a couple of grocery bags in your vehicle or pack, so that you can gather trash and dispose of it when you have the opportunity.

How Coast Hotels Encourages Green Travel

At Coast Hotels, we're extremely selective about where we build new properties. They're in gorgeous locations including mountain ranges and pristine beaches — and we want to keep them that way. That's exactly why we created the Coast Hotels Refreshingly Green program. Here's a look at some of the sustainable, green initiatives in our hotels:

• Biodegradable cleaning supplies
• Large-format toiletries to minimize single-use plastic
• Electric vehicle charging stations at many properties
• Wide-range recycling program
• Use of energy-efficient lighting and appliances

Coast Coal Harbour Vancouver Hotel by APA is our first entirely Zero-Waste property