TREAD LIGHTLY
Visiting new territory is all the more enjoyable when you’re careful about the environmental footprints you leave, writes Sarah Pickette.
Travel is a great motivator for environmental stewardship: who can swim in crystal-clear seas or gaze out at jagged mountains and not feel the need to preserve such beauty? Visiting unfamiliar places can indeed open your eyes to new landscapes and ways of thinking, but sometimes there is an environmental cost attached to this.
As far-flung destinations become more accessible, the need for travel to be undertaken sustainably is greater than ever. “Globally, tourism is now a trillion-dollar industry… presenting challenges for the environment,” says Lina Cronin, communications and audit manager of Ecotourism Australia. “We’d encourage everyone to tread lightly when they travel, to help ensure tourism creates better places for people to live in and visit.”
Travel can be a great force for positive change, says Cronin, and today’s travellers are increasingly eco-savvy. Recent research from Lonely Planet shows that 90 per cent of 19-29-year-olds consider a travel company’s commitment to ethical travel important when booking a trip. “There’s a growing awareness that travel should be done in a way that is beneficial to the places and people you visit,” says Cronin.
Truly sustainable tourism operators and establishments may receive Ecotourism Australia’s ECO certification – the world’s first national ecotourism accreditation program and one of six such programs in the world with global recognition. To receive certification, a business must complete a stringent application process and be audited regularly.
‘SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL MAKES FOR A RICH EXPERIENCE. YOU’LL ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY KNOWING YOU ARE NOT CREATING A NEGATIVE IMPACT BUT HELPING TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.’ Lina Cronin, Ecotourism Australia
If you’re planning to travel with an agent or tour operator, ask to see the company’s policy on sustainable travel. “The pressure you exert as a consumer trickles into business decisions and makes the industry as a whole more eco-conscious,” says Brett Mitchell, regional director for Intrepid. Group travel pools transport resources, lightening the eco burden, he says, while using boutique local hotels invests money into the community and makes travel more authentic.
There are many simple ways to be mindful of the environment as we travel – for example, using our towels for more than one day and not leaving the aircon on all day, suggests Cronin. Travelling responsibly isn’t difficult, she adds, but it is rewarding. “Sustainable travel makes for a rich experience. You’ll enjoy your holiday knowing you are not having a negative impact but helping to make the world a better place.”