Travel Swaps - 6 easy ways to make your travel more sustainable

Table of Contents

Do you care about sustainability, but have a hard time enforcing your principles while traveling? Then these travel swaps are perfect for you! You can avoid single-use plastic, reduce your local emissions, and inspire many other travelers in the process. We believe that good preparation can go a long way and you can make a difference with minimal effort. We'll show you 6 easy ways to make your travels more responsible.

Toilet bag

It's easy to add more sustainable products to your toiletry bag. It's best to try to carry as little plastic as possible in your luggage. In the drugstores you can already find countless alternatives that make this step easier for you. If you are not able to find a plastic-free alternative for one or the other product, try to recycle the empty containers properly in your destination country or at home. Since all of our cosmetic products enter the environment through wastewater, the ingredients should be as natural as possible. Product formulas should be free of microplastics and contain no chemicals that harm you or the environment.

Swap Examples:

  • Plastic toothbrush → Bamboo toothbrush
  • Shampoo / Conditioner Bottle→ Solid Shampoo -/ Conditioner
  • Deodorant spray→ deodorant cream
  • Liquid shower gel → bar of soap
  • Chemical sunscreen→ Reef safe sunscreen
  • Synthetic mosquito spray → Natural fragrance oil
  • Tampons, pads → Period underwear, menstrual cup
Swaps Sustainability

Sustainable Food & Drink

In restaurants and supermarkets, you probably often realize how much plastic is in circulation. To reduce this amount a little, the following swaps are helpful. It will probably take some getting used to, to always think of the substitutes, but you will surely master this quickly. 

Swap Examples:

  • Plastic Straw→ Reusable stainless steel, bamboo or wood straws.
  • Disposable coffee cups → Reusable to-go cups
  • Plastic water bottle → Stainless steel bottle
  • Disposable Takeaway Box → Lunch Box
  • Disposable Cutlery → Travel Cutlery Set 
  • Plastic Bags → Jute Bag, Shopping Bag, Fruit & Vegetable Net

With these simple substitutes, you can easily avoid single-use plastic. You can drink your coconut through a bamboo straw and enjoy your favorite coffee while walking on the beach.

Sustainability carry

Now you're wondering what your travel wardrobe can do to help the environment and support local businesses?

Let us explain it to you in a simplified way.

Raw material extraction, production, shipping and disposal contribute to the large environmental impact of clothing. In addition, every washing process also has an impact on the environment. In the process, fibers end up in the wastewater, which is particularly problematic in the case of synthetic fibers. The most common synthetic fibers include polyester, polyamide, polyacrylic, aramid and polypropylene.

Quality over quantity is the principle of sustainability. Focus on buying clothes that are of good quality and will last you a long time. Locally, you can support local businesses that strive for sustainable value creation of the clothing. This way you will have great souvenirs of your trip and support the local economy.

Swap:

  • Synthetic fiber→ Natural fibers 
  • Fast fashion → local designers
Swaps Sustainability

Traffic

If you travel far, you usually can't avoid a long-haul flight. What you can influence, however, are all other emissions of your trip. To minimize these, you should use the public transport network. You can find trains and buses almost everywhere. It's best to do some research before your trip or seek local advice. 

Swap:

  • Private cab → Public transportation
Swaps Sustainability

Activities

It can be difficult to know which activities are ethical and sustainable.

However, how you spend your travel time can have a major impact on the local economy, population and environment. Mass tourism crosses many borders and should be largely avoided. It is always better to promote small local businesses and guides. Meaningful activities can be found everywhere and you can easily incorporate them into your trip. These include workshops, beach cleanups, and volunteering. 

In many countries it also seems common to ride elephants or camels, take pictures with tigers or swim with whale sharks. However, most providers disregard and neglect any needs of the animals. Alternatively, you can visit animal rescue centers or animal shelters or observe the animals in the wild. 

Swap Examples:

  • Elephant Riding → Visit Elephant Sanctuary
  • Visit zoos → Volunteer at animal shelters
  • Water parks → Beach cleanups
  • Eating at international fast food chains → Testing local restaurants
Swaps Sustainability

Sustainable adventures

If you're looking for a travel company that is local and responsible, you've come to the right place. TripLegend just right. Responsible travel and sustainable adventures are becoming increasingly important. We therefore ensure that all emissions from your trip are offset. In addition, we prefer Adventure away from mass tourism and support the local economy. To add even more sustainability to your trip, you can implement the presented travel swaps.

If you're looking for more inspiration for sustainable travel, visit us at Instagram.

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