Environmentally Conscious Travel
by Donna Thomson
The following 10 eco-tourism "commandments" were created by American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and have been adapted and expanded upon to encourage your thoughtfulness and consideration in how you leave your mark when you travel. You have a personal responsibility when travelling to ensure that you leave the location as it was, if not better, than when you arrived. Even if you are not travelling to a specific 'eco-toursim' location, you can ensure that you respect the people and places and tread lightly. Here are some points to consider...
Respect the frailty of the earth. Realize that unless all are willing to help in its preservation, unique and beautiful destinations may not be here for future generations to enjoy.
Will your travel to a particular destination contribute to adverse effects - the degradation and diminishing of that special place? This is especially important to consider when travelling to out-of-the-way locations in nature. The key word here is respect. We know that just because an area is open to the public, it doesn't mean it is the best thing for the natural environment there. Often the goal is money-making but there are more and more businesses that now base their actions on sustainable tourism. These businesses should reflect the principles outlined in this article. So choose your tour guides and organisers carefully. Help support those who are demonstrating respectful attitudes and actions towards the locations they travel to.
Leave only footprints. Take only photographs. No graffiti! No litter! Do not take away souvenirs from historical sites and natural areas.
Taking little souvenirs such as leaves, flowers, rocks and so on from nature may seem insignificant in the larger scheme of things, but imagine if 10,000 or 20,000 people travelled to that location over a year and each one felt that what they were taking was insignificant as it was "just one thing". Or imagine if each of those people left one piece of litter. It wouldn't be a pretty picture. It is up to the individual to set an example. What's more, when you take something from nature that is unnecessary or harmful, you are turning it into something material that you want to take with you. You can have a much stronger and lasting memory by allowing yourself to connect and immerse with nature in its living context - explore, touch, listen and be still with the environment - commune with it. That sense of connection will make you much happier than looking at the rock you took that brings underlying feelings of guilt each time you look at it. Take photos for the visual memories...turn them into a slideshow and maybe you can inadvertently educate others through your experiences and photos that reflect your love of nature and special places.
To make your travels more meaningful, educate yourself about the geography, customs, manners and cultures of the region you visit. Take time to listen to the people. Encourage local conservation efforts.
Finding out in advance what to expect will help you fit in faster and have a smoother experience. Showing a little effort, even if not perfect, is often greatly appreciated and respected by your hosts. You would not want to do something that disrespects or offends others, so take the time to educate yourself about the location, its people, customs, beliefs etc. before travelling. This is also important for your safety - are there areas that are best for tourists to stay away from? Are there particular crimes you need to be wary of? When travelling as a tourist, you are more susceptible to opportunists who take advantage of your lack of knowledge about the area, money, expectations and so on.
If you are travelling to a disadvantaged area, what can you do, even in a small way, to help? Find out what foundations or organisations are working in that area that will know what will and won't be helpful. For example, sometimes money is more important than giving clothing, while in other places the money will not be seen by the people in need and the actual clothing is much more useful. Sometimes offering help is greatly appreciated while in other places it comes across as offensive. So do your homework and perhaps you can find some way of helping, whether directly or indirectly.
Respect the privacy and dignity of others. Inquire before photographing people.
This falls into the topic of respect again and being aware of customs, but also goes beyond this. When you travel to somewhere and you are excited, you want to capture it all but the people around you are trying to go about their daily lives and you should try not to intrude too much. Be considerate of where you are and don't feel that just because you are visiting, that it gives you the right to photograph anyone and anything. If there are signs not to photograph particular landmarks for instance, don't consider yourself the one person who can break those rules and sneak a photo. Be respectful and ask permission.
Do not buy products made from endangered plants or animals, such as ivory, tortoise shell, animal skins, and feathers.
Before you travel, always find out from your local Customs office what can and cannot be imported. In terms of organic matter, there are very good reasons for why these restrictions are in place. They protect your country from incoming diseases and pests that could adversely affect your local ecology. So check with the Customs list in your home country.
Always follow designated trails. Do not disturb animals, plants or their natural habitats.
Leave as small of a footprint as you can when travelling. Not only does following designated trails and routes conserve the damage to local habitats but it keeps you safe! When travelling to a location you haven't been before, you will often get much more out of it by using a local guide to point out things you might not otherwise notice, to provide 'insider' details and to educate you about what you see. So using a local guide can give you much more insight and knowledge along your travels and keep you safe.
Learn about and support conservation-oriented programs and organizations working to preserve the environment.
Even if you are not travelling yourself, you can help support the organizations that are doing the right thing - not just through financial donations but more importantly via awareness and education. If someone you know is travelling, perhaps you could bring up some of the eco-friendly considerations and options.
Whenever possible, walk or use environmentally-sound methods of transportation. Encourage drivers of public vehicles to stop engines when parked.
If you're very conscious of your imprint on the world, your conservation and sustainability values will not go on vacation when you do. So you can extend the consideration of transport to the bags you use when shopping, to the litter you leave behind (if in allocated bins or taken with you if in natural locations), to how much water you use, and so on. Whether or not there are local water restrictions or not, it would seem contradictory to think "there aren't any restrictions here so I'll use what I want". We have to be conscious of our use of resources and treatment of the planet whether in our own home or on the other side of the world. We are dealing with global issues at this time, not just local ones.
Patronize those (hotels, airlines, resorts, cruise lines, tour operators and suppliers) who advance energy and environmental conservation; water and air quality; recycling; safe management of waste and toxic materials; noise abatement, community involvement; and which provide experienced, well-trained staff dedicated to strong principles of conservation.
...and recommend them to your friends!
Encourage organizations to subscribe to environmental guidelines.
Compliment businesses on their positive practices and ask them if they have considered becoming an eco-friendly or environmentally sustainable business. If businesses realise that people are looking to the businesses that are making conscious positive efforts, it will encourage them to review their practices and create even more improvements.
Be a responsible traveller, tread lightly and thoughtfully, and help to educate and enlighten both fellow travellers and the travel industry to the positive movement of sustainable tourism.
Reference: American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA)