4 Ways to Travel More Sustainably

Travelling is 100% a privilege and something that only a small proportion of the global population have the ability to do and it can place a huge environmental burden on the planet. Travellers often take many both long and short haul flights to far flung places and then between them.

However, there are things we can do to try minimise our impact on the planet and the local communities we visit whilst travelling. I always try to make my travel as sustainable as possible for both the global climate and the communities we visit.

Lets jump straight into my tips and the things I think we can do to protect people and planet in unison. If you're looking for a quick run through these why not check out my TikTok too.

1. Bring a reusable water bottle

This is a super simple no brainer but can go a long way to making a difference in countries where single use plastic bottles are the norm.

Yes, I hear you shouting "But Sarah you're not meant to drink the tap water" and you're right in a lot places in South East Asia and elsewhere you can't drink the tap water. But, I found that in a lot of hostels, and some restaurants, I visited there were filtered drinking water stations you could use to fill up your bottle. This will also save you money!

I also found that if we were staying in one place for a long period of time you could find large 10L water barrels which you could then refill your own bottle from.

You can also go a step further and maybe bring a reusable cup to use in cafes or drink stands where they would ordinarily give you a single use cup. You might also have your own useable straw whether it is a harder plastic, metal, glass or bamboo which you could also bring along!

I did find that these aren't the ultimate solutions as some places might not want to make your drink in the reusable cup as it isn't the norm and might mean they don't know if they are giving you the right amount. Don't feel put off if they refuse or look a little confused maybe try somewhere else or just wait until the next time.

2. Volunteer

This is a great one for both giving back to both local communities and the planet. You might choose to volunteer at a local school or eco project. I am currently at a Worldpackers volunteering experience at a local school in Cambodia helping to teach English and it feels super rewarding to be able to slow down and help out even the smallest way.

You might also find small local opportunities to volunteer for maybe a day or couple of hours to do some sort of beach or river clean up! Lots of the beaches in even some of the most remote locations can become covered with litter. Giving just a few of your hours to helping clean up even a small amount of litter is a great thing to do!

If you're looking for some longer term volunteering opportunities I highly recommend using Worldpackers which has tons of different opportunities to volunteer! From teaching schools to working on permaculture farms. You can use referral code SARAHOUTSIDE for $10 off your membership.

3. Using Public Transport

This is definitely easier if you're travelling in areas such as Europe and the US where there is a developed public transport system. However, here in SE Asia public transport options can be pretty challenging. This is especially true for travel within cities and rural communities.

My advice would be to use it when you can and to utilise other sustainable travel options such as walking and cycling. I have found that when the heat is not too intense in the middle of the day most cities I have visited have felt pretty walkable; especially if you're hitting up the main tourist attractions. Bikes are super handy in more rural areas as the roads are quieter.

4. Avoid Short Haul Flights

I have taken the decision not to take any internal or short haul flights during my backpacking trip through SE Asia. Aviation is super damaging to the environment generating an average of 200KG of CO2 for long haul and 150KG for short haul. So, we need to avoid flying wherever possible and short haul flights are super easy to cut out.

Instead of short haul flights I am going to be opting for the bus and train which generate an average of around 25KG of CO2 - a whole lot less than flying! Taking buses and trains are also pretty affordable.

How will I do this? The first thing to do is to plan your route in advance so you aren't going back and forth and instead do one continuous loop. This will mean you are travelling slower so you might have to spend some money on vis extensions but you will also get to see more places and find hidden gems!

We often forget flying is a privilege with around only 3% of the world's population having access to flights each year. It is unfair that this small percentage puts a huge amount of pressure on the climate with the people directly affected are not contributing.

We need to remember that lots of the communities that we visit as backpackers are those that are being hit hardest and first by climate change. Right here in Cambodia they have experienced record temperatures and heatwaves this dry season and the rainy season has come almost a month late in some areas! Not only this, but they also don't have the financial resources we have in the West to adapt to climate change.

I hope you found these tips helpful and can help to make your travel a little more sustainable. You can also find more useful tips, tricks and recommendations for Vietnam and SE Asia more generally on my TikTok and Instagram!

Check out the products we recommend for any traveler (these are affiliate links):

• Worldpackers (code: SARAHOUTSIDE)

• SafetyWing

• Packing Cubes

• Universal Travel Adapter

• Hanging Wash Bag

• Noise Cancelling Headphones

• Loop Quiet Ear Plugs

• Kindle

• Backpacker Card Game

• Ubigi Code for 20% off 4FCAYMCM

I also have an affiliate link and discount code (SARAHOUTSIDE) for anyone who is looking for volunteer opportunities!