Commitment to a more sustainable lifestyle means considering how our choices affect all aspects of life, including, and perhaps even especially, travel.

From fossil fuels used in transportation to single-use plastics, a leisurely trip has the potential to be a major strain on the planet. Here we provide a list of easy ways we can all become more sustainable travelers. If not everything on this list is feasible for you, choosing even two or three can have a direct impact on your health of your destination, and the planet as a whole.

Bring a Reusable Water Bottle

dark blue water bottle on blue background — By using a refillable water bottle you are directly reducing the amount of plastic bottles thrown away after a single use. Millions of metric tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans. By 2025, even more plastic is projected to end up in our oceans and lakes unless significant changes are made.
Ocean Bottle is a certified B-corp, carbon neutral, and with every bottle sold they collect the equivalent of 1000 plastic bottles from the ocean.
Another reusable bottle we love, especially if you are traveling to a country with non-potable water, is the self-filtering water bottle by LARQ. As 1% for the Planet memebers, LARQ ensures that a portion of profits helps fund environmental non-profits around the world and ensure that everyone has access to clean drinking water.

Store Snacks in Reusable Silicone Bags

Reusable bags allow you to pack a variety of foods that can be eaten as you travel and after you arrive at your destination, all while avoiding the single use plastics that many pre-packaged foods come in. We talk about Stasher often because their products are durable, reduce waste in landfills and the brand donates a portion of profits to organizations working to make the planet better, including the Coral Reef Alliance.

Check for Biofuel or Low Consumption Flights

According to a study shared by the Air Transit Action Group, 12% of CO2 emissions are caused by air travel, so anything we can do to reduce this is good for the environment. When using Google Flights you can filter by emissions and select lower emissions flights to anywhere in the world. On the website Alternative Airlines you can see which airlines are using renewable biofuels and what destinations they fly to. Renewable biofuels are fuels derived from natural sources such as plant oil, wood chips and agricultural waste.

Purchase Travel Accessories from Sustainably Minded Companies

paravel luggage with lady at table — We touched on this in terms of silicone bags and reusable water bottles, but there’s so much more that you can do to make sure that you are supporting environmentally friendly businesses. If you looking for sustainable luggage and travel accessories, Responsible Retail Award winner Paravel makes high quality travel goods from upcycled plastic water bottles, has planted over 170,000 trees and fully offsets their carbon emissions.

Opt for Public Transport or Bikes

While the availability of quality and dependable public transportation has much to do with local infrastructure, choosing it when possible means reducing carbon emissions. If you’re looking to get out and about and really discover the place you’re visiting, walking or biking also allows you to reduce emissions, and you’ll likely see some friendly faces and discover some hidden gems on your way. Ridesharing, when this feels safe, is a great option for getting to or from the airport and in the case of sharing a taxi, many hotels will help you arrange this if you ask.

Book Eco-Friendly Lodging

1hotel west hollywood king room — A large number of eco-resorts, eco-friendly Airbnbs, hotels like the 1Hotels chain are prioritizing the natural environment from an architectural design point of view and taking measures to not use more resources than they need when hosting guests. These sustainable spaces are available in the largest cities as well as some of the most remote international destinations. From refillable glass water bottles to wooden key cards to solar panels and reclaimed materials, these places often go the extra mile. Whatever style of travel you’re drawn to, you can make your temporary home one that focuses on prioritizing the planet.

Choose Sustainable Restaurants

Much like staying in eco-friendly lodging, eating at restaurants that prioritize sustainability is be a great way to keep the health of the planet and its people in mind while traveling. Restaurants with an emphasis on low waste through the use of so called “imperfect produce” (foods that are perfectly edible but left off of our tables and grocery store shelves for aesthetic reasons) is one option. Restaurants like Jaden Smith’s I Love You, offer healthy meals to unhoused people in addition to serving paying patrons. Restaurants that serve locally sourced foods also do their part to lessen environmental impacts. If you’re not sure where to find these restaurants, the Eat Well Guide is a great place to start. For international destinations, try asking a concierge or local resident.

Buy Souvenirs from Local Businesses

Much like the use of single use plastics, the purchase of souvenirs such as cheap t-shirts or hastily bought airport souvenirs are worth avoiding when traveling as they are likely mass produced in less than ideal working conditions. It is a much better idea to buy something handcrafted by a local artisan, such as art, clothing, pottery or jewelry. These things are more likely to be treasured and kept instead of a disposable trinket. These gifts also support local families and communities and show respect for the local culture.

Visit Low Impact Attractions

Visiting natural sites and participating in activities such as camping, hiking, hot springs, beach days, or going on tours hosted by eco-friendly companies are great ways to make sure that your outings are sustainable. If you’re traveling from a place that is more cosmopolitan, seeking these places out can be a great way to reconnect with nature and yourself. While activities like shopping, sightseeing, or going to spas and nice dinners are not inherently bad (we enjoy all of those things, as well) outdoor activities are a nice change in routine and a break from even having to think about how overconsumption affects the world around you. It is important to leave these natural spaces nicer than you found them and not to disturb any natural habitats.

Keep Up the Sustainable Habits you Practice at Home

Everyday actions such as being intentional about not wasting food or water, not littering or contributing to pollution as much as possible, and reducing electricity use, can be easy to forget about while traveling. It’s not that we are careless, per se, it’s just that we are out of our routines. So in the same way exercise, eating habits and even sleep patterns can be disrupted, so can our sustainable habits. Remembering that the reasons these things are important to us in our everyday life make them equally important when we venture out to explore, relax, or visit family and friends, is key while traveling.

Look For Ways to Offset your Impact

Even if you are intentional about sustainability in your travels, it is not likely you’ll be able to avoid negatively impacting the environment all together. Train travel, for example, may not cause as many emissions as flights, but it’s far from being a completely neutral way to get around. Organizations like Gold Standard and Cool Effect allow both corporations, individuals, and governments to purchase carbon credits, and even have calculators to help you determine how many to buy. Think of it as a type of insurance, guaranteeing that you do more good than harm as you move about the world.

Whatever it is that you find essential for travel, ask yourself if there is a sustainable business that you can buy it from. For more great tips on how to travel sustainably, check out our article on 7 Ways to Travel Like a Local.