Love going to the beaches and swimming when you travel? As an eco-conscious traveler, there are ways to do so without having a harmful impact on our environment. Ocean sustainability is a particularly pressing issue, but you can help protect our underwater ecosystems by making more mindful travel choices.
In this brief post, we will discuss how packing purposefully, avoiding non-essential purchases, prioritizing eco-friendly activities, and sharing your experiences can help make a positive difference in your quest to travel responsibly.
Pack Purposefully
When it comes to preparing for your trip, don’t overpack. You may think you’re simply equipping yourself for every potential experience and activity, but if you’re buying more than you need or bringing harmful items and products away with you, you may do more harm than good. Extra weight in your case also forces the plane to use more fuel, increasing your carbon footprint.
Take a look at your packing checklist and see if any items can be replaced with more eco-friendly options, or even avoided altogether. For example:
- Rather than packing sunscreen with harmful chemicals, opt for reef-safe sunscreen that’ll do less damage to marine life.
- Avoid bringing single-use plastics, so that you don’t have to throw them away or accidentally leave them behind on the beach.
- Bring appropriate swimming gear, so that you can explore the water comfortably without interfering with marine life — for example, you can use a snorkel and mask that’ll allow you to look underwater without getting too close.
Avoid Non-Essential Purchases
It’s not just the packing process that requires a mindful approach. Once you’ve arrived at your destination, you’ll want to avoid making any non-essential purchases, such as plastic water bottles where you could be using a reusable bottle, or souvenirs you could do without, which would inevitably contribute to the growing pollution problem in our oceans.
It’s common for seaside tourist shops and stalls to sell shells and dried coral. Don’t buy them, because it only encourages the selling of marine creatures.
Enjoy Eco-Friendly Activities
Thankfully, you can enjoy our beautiful oceans more responsibly so you don’t miss out on some of your bucket list seaside experiences. When it comes to ensuring your travels are eco-friendly, follow the seven principles of Leave No Trace. In particular, planning ahead, disposing of waste, leaving what you find, and respecting wildlife are particularly relevant to ocean exploration.
If you want to make a positive impact, consider getting involved in local conservation efforts while on your trip. You may get to take care of marine animals, take part in beach cleans, or even repurpose unwanted items to raise money for charity. Just make sure you do this through a legitimate scheme where you can have the most positive impact.
Finally, remember that you have the power to influence other like-minded explorers to do the right thing and explore the world more sustainably. Whether you’re sharing tips on social media or speaking with your fellow travelers and friends back home, you can make a big difference if you choose to be transparent about your experiences and advocate for ocean sustainability.
Your work doesn’t stop once you’ve returned from your trip. Keep the wonderful memories you’ve made, and continue to make a difference by incorporating eco-friendly living into your everyday life.
Aleah Taboclaon is a location independent writer, editor, and the travel blogger behind Solitary Wanderer. She's partial to slow travel, and prefers extreme adventures like hiking and caving over sightseeing. She likes running (completed one marathon, training for the next!), diving (PADI open water diver), and traveling with her Kindle. Follow her on Instagram and Pinterest!
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