How to make your travel more sustainable?
Sustainable travel aims to reduce the negative impact caused on the environment and ecosystem of the places you visit. This protects the natural environment and animal welfare, manages tourist activities and numbers, raises environmental awareness, benefits local communities and businesses, and allows visitors to truly see the place they are visiting for what it is.
How to make your travel more sustainable?
# 1 The first tip revolves around choosing a destination that values sustainability more than others.
Environmental Performance Index published a report in 2018 and listed travel destinations for sustainable travel. The shorter distance you travel from home, the lower the carbon footprint you produce.
So, if you’re in the Philippines, we urge you to find local adventures.
There are tons of areas that the Philippine tourism industry has started to shine a light on. They specifically put the limelight on those cities and provinces that were deeply affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Department of Tourism’s Calabarzon office has even initiated to invite media and travel organizations to go on trips to experience different kinds of stories around Calabarzon. Last June 1 to 3, they invited Village Pipol Magazine to a Farm-To-Table Experience where we visited farms and culinary tourist destinations in the region. Then, from June 27 to 28, we visited interactive farms, historic churches, and culinary tourist destinations in the region around Cavite for the Center For Fun Tourism Circuit Experience.
Then, we also joined airasia Super App’s initiative on resuming the face-to-face celebration of the Sandugo Festival after two years of lockdown. This time, we experience traveling in a more accessible, convenient, and hassle-free way as we toured around Bohol. We also joined and celebrated their initiative of celebrating the Kadayawan Festival in Davao City where we went to nature tourist sports and tasted the native delicacy of the city.
When going farther, on the other hand, choose a destination that values sustainability more than others.
European nations like Switzerland, France, and Denmark have taken the top slots as the world’s most sustainable nations. Albania has started to go up in the rankings. This comes especially when the country prioritizes the protection of wild areas. Meanwhile, Namibia became the first African nation to write protection of the environment into its constitution.
You can also choose a destination that needs your support.
Basey, Samar, Philippines
There are places in and out of the Philippines that need support, especially those that are rebuilding after a disaster. For example, a tropical storm named Agaton entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) last April 2022. It made landfall over Basey in Samar and impacted the area so much.
So, if you’re in the Philippines or planning on visiting the Philippines, you can go to Basey in Samar. You can go to the Sohoton National Park. You can take a scenic boat ride or kayak your way to the Sohoton Natural Bridge. Aside from that, you can also explore the cathedral-like Sohoton Caves. You can also go to the centuries-old St. Michael Church or also known as the Basey Church.
Or, pay homage to the Sto. Niño in Buscada Church. If you want to learn more about the locals, you can go to the Soob Cave in Brgy. Basiao along the highway. There, you can learn from local female weavers who make the banig products which were later expanded to bags, wallets, slippers, and other decorative materials.
Abra Province
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), thousands of people were displaced across the Cordillera and Ilocos Regions following the 7.0-magnitude earthquake which struck the highland province of Abra last July 27.
So, with that in mind, you can also go to the province of Abra in the Cordillera Region. You can visit the Kaparkan Falls, the number one tourist destination in the entire province of Abra. Then, you can head to a breathtaking waterfall at the Kili Falls and Hot Spring. Or even hike up some challenging cliffs and trails to reach the Piwek Rock Formation and see the picturesque scenery of Apao Rolling Hills.
Then, immerse yourself in the natural wonder of Abra. Learn more about the masterpieces at Teofilo Garcia or most popularly known as Tabungaw Gourd Hats. Dive deeper into the province’s rich culture and learn more about the hand-loomed textiles at the Abel Loom Weaving in La Paz, Abra. You can even visit a natural landmark called the Abualan Cave which houses full of surprises and unexplored gems.
# 2 Of course, after booking your trip and planning your itinerary, packing smart would be the second step toward sustainable travel.
Make your travel even more sustainable by packing things that would reduce your impact on your destination. Biodegradable shampoos, sunscreen with fewer chemicals, and less usage of plastic can help lessen the mark you leave on natural environments. You can even bring your own water bottle and cutlery to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic items.
Aside from essentials, on the other hand, you can also go for a capsule wardrobe. The concept of this revolves around using versatile and high-quality clothing that can be easily mixed and matched accordingly. Since you won’t have or bring as many clothes, you wear every single piece you own. So, no clothing goes to waste. Invest in quality pieces that last long and please avoid fast fashion as much as you can.
# 3 Then, the last tip for making your travels more sustainable would point to booking eco-friendly accommodations.
Sustainable accommodation doesn’t automatically mean you would say no to luxurious hotels. However, before booking your accommodations, check out how your stay would affect the local ecosystem of the area. Do they make a minimal impact by adhering to a zero-plastic policy? Do they use renewable energy from solar panels, and rainwater filtration systems, or were built using renewable materials?
If you’re in the Philippines or even planning on visiting the Philippines, ETIC Hotels listed and ranked ten of the most sustainable hotels in the Philippines with niood. Aside from listing them all down, ETIC Hotels also enumerated the reason that makes certain hotels sustainable. Their criteria included the usage of renewable energy, environmental waste reduction, composting, water conservation, and environmental initiatives among others.
Although it can be hard to remain conscious of the impact you leave on this Earth, doing a little bit of research and being curious about doing so is a good first step.
