Self Drives And Responsible Travel
Responsible travel is a major issue today, so much so that many governments are talking about it in their daily debates and meetings. The majority of First World countries are trying to reduce carbon emissions and make their own environments much healthier, but there is only so much they can do. As such, the rest is indeed up to us. The dilemma of attracting tourists to boost the economy without damaging the environment is still somewhat prominent, with the balance between the two being tenuous, but it need not be that way at all.
As tourists or travellers, we need to do our bit to promote eco-friendly holidays when abroad. We can definitely do a whole host of things before and during our self drive holidays that can benefit the environment and the following ideas may give you a few ideas as to what you can do to promote the environment but still have a great time:
- Plan out your route before you go to ensure that you can get to your destination and be as eco-friendly as possible. For example, take a ferry rather than flying to your destination. Try taking a train or extensively planning road routes to ensure that you take the quickest way there. This will cut your carbon emissions and be more eco-friendly.
- Research the tour operator that you plan to book a holiday with because this will let you know whether or not they have a responsible travel policy if they do then you should check their environmental credentials. If you cannot find either then book with someone else.
- Find out about the local people and their culture. You should always attempt to fit in. When in Rome and all that… This will enable their lives to continue undisturbed and ensure that their businesses and livelihoods are stable.
- Check out local activities in your destination that support local business and help the environment. Take treks or walks for example. Organised walks are often planned around paths that avoid harming the environment or destroying the ecosystem so go on them rather than trampling through the country on your own.
- Purchase local items when you are in the area. This includes foods, gifts and any items that you may want to take home. You are supporting the local people and their use of the environment, which is always a good thing.
- Do not take any excess items or packaging into the local area because this could lead to littering. Recycling projects are not available everywhere so do not give anyone a chance to pollute the area, including yourself.
- Avoid using too much water because some areas have conservation programs in place that tourists could ruin if they do not respect the area.
Guest Article by Louise Crowley
Wednesday, November 26th, 2008
My name is Alan Potts and I'm the Editor of the UK Ferry Tickets web site and Managing Director of BUYability Limited. You can connect with me or keep up to date with new posts on this blog via the following social media sites: 
November 27th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Hi,
I work for a company called responsibletravel.com, and I just wanted to say how good it is to see other companies promoting responsible travel!
We have a low carbon holiday section if anyone is interested, perfect for no fly holidays – http://www.responsibletravel.com/TripSearch/Special%20interest/Activity100127.htm, lots that are great for taking the ferry.