To celebrate International Earth Day, we wanted to share with you tips on how to be more environmentally friendly and implement habits which limit the negative impacts of tourism and travel.

RECYCLE

You probably recycle at home and have access to recycling bins. Well, there is no reason why we should not recycle while traveling. Ask the hotel staff where you can find recycling bins for plastics, glass and paper. If visiting a city, you’ll probably find in the street different bins for garbage and recyclable waste. If you cannot find a recycling bin near you, wait to be back at the hotel to discard your waste.

LIMIT ENERGY USE

Let’s plead guilty: we all have left a light on in our hotel room while we were out at least once in our life. Haven’t you? Make sure to turn off the lights and lower the air-conditioning when you leave your room. Unplug your chargers when you don’t use them and if possible, limit your use of hair dryer.

SAVE WATER

Some countries have extremely limited access to water all year long or during drought season. No matter your destination but especially if traveling to an arid area, make sure to take short showers instead of bath and re-use your towels instead of having them cleaned each day.  If you are into golf, see if you can find an eco-friendly club which recycles water.

PICK YOUR MODE OF TRANSPORTATION WISELY

Rather than renting a car or hailing a taxi, use public transit such as subway, tramway or buses. Many cities offer the ability to rent bikes for a half hour for free or only a few fucks. Finally, gear up with your most comfortable sneakers and use your feet!
 

RESPECT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

When visiting natural, make sure you stay on trails and public footpath. Do not pick wild flowers and plants and do not feed animals. Keep your waste in your bag until you find a garbage can and do not litter.
 

BUY LOCAL, FAIR-TRADE PRODUCTS

We all like to bring back souvenirs for family and friends. When shopping for souvenirs, think before you buy and ask questions about the items you are interested in. As a rule of thumb, try to buy local and fair-trade products and stay away from items made from wildlife such as corals, ivory or shell.  Not only the production of such items can be harmful to the environment but it can also be illegal. Finally, watch what you eat! When dining out, ask about the origin of the products and pick local foods and avoid imported ingredients.
 

And Finally,

We encourage you to enjoy the nature and the environment wherever your travels take you. Our planet offers us so much breathtaking things to see and we hope that by implementing these simple steps, we will all help preserve these beautiful destinations for future generations to see!

Happy Earth Day 2017!