Environmentally Sustainable Travel Tips

(July, 2019)

Practicing environmental sustainability helps to ensure that our communities are healthy and clean for both ourselves and future generations. While we cannot individually control the carbon emissions from our flights, the chemicals that hotels use, or the plastics and non-recyclable materials used by vendors in the locations that we visit, making simple choices to lessen your impact on the environment while traveling can have a huge cumulative impact. 

Travel Incorporated has a few recommendations for easy choices that individuals can make while traveling in order to reduce their environmental impact and carbon footprint:

Bring empty recyclable water bottles and fill them up once you’re past airport security:

Most airports have water bottle filling stations that you can use. By bringing your own bottle rather than buying plastic ones from airport vendors, you will not only cut back on plastic waste, but also reduce your carbon footprint, since petroleum-based ingredients are a staple in manufacturing plastic bottles and bags.

Try to book non-stop flights whenever you can:

While all flights are going to produce some carbon waste, it’s takeoffs and landings that create the most carbon emissions. By flying nonstop, you’ll reduce that spike of carbon from having multiple flights. 

Reduce your use of hotel resources:

Hang up your towels after each use so housekeeping does not wash them in order to cut down on water and chemical usage. You don’t wash your towels every day at home, so why do it when you travel?

When you leave your room, always turn off all lights, heat/AC, and television to cut back on energy consumption. Closing the curtains and blinds can also help keep out the heat of the sun in summer.

Leave the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door of your room for the duration of your stay. This cuts down on chemical cleansing agents, electricity used in vacuuming, and the washing of bed linens.

Be aware of your carbon footprint:

Travel Incorporated provides carbon footprint data on our proprietary eItineraries and our Carbon Footprint dashboards to help you stay aware of the effects of your travel on the environment. Keep an eye on your dashboard to see how your efforts are making an impact!

By making these small changes and staying aware of the effects of your choices on the environment, you can contribute to a more sustainable future for travel. Visit https://www.travelinc.com/our-culture/social-responsibility/ to read more about Travel Incorporated’s social responsibility efforts.