Sustainability is the central concept of the United Nations’ promulgated 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which is religiously adopted by all United Nations Member States since 2015. It reinforces the need to focus not only on ending poverty, spurring economic growth, and improving health and education sectors, it also highlighted other underlying global issues of equal importance like climate change and preservation of our natural resources, flora, and fauna. The sustainable development goals number 13, 14, and 15 are very specific with these:
- SDG 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
- SDG 14. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
- SDG 15. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.
And as responsible citizens, we should take the lead in achieving these goals by setting an example for others hoping they would do the same — the ripple effect. We are already further ahead compared to where we were before. People have been more and more responsive to environmental issues, thanks to the news and various media. We now, somehow, have formed a nation of conscious individuals who are seeing the importance of sustainable practices and are considering them in the conduct of their daily lives; living within their means and with that of natural systems and ensuring that their lifestyle of choice does not harm other people and the environment.
People are saving energy and are in fact seeing the benefits of renewable energy. Eating less meat and prefer supporting organic food sources, local farmer’s produce, or even grow their own food instead. They have also learned the impending threat of paper and other unrecyclable materials that only end in our landfills for years and this is why many have turned to reusable alternatives. Instead of spending on gas, they drive less and bike more to save money and be physically active. Many households have also revamped their living spaces and donated unused items to charity. This made their houses free from clutter and made sure spaces are functional and useful. We have also been introduced to recycling tricks and the use of eco-friendly items and trade fair shopping. Closets have also been replaced with sustainable clothing fashion. Trends brought us to having sustainable groceries on every street corner, “bring your own water bottle” practices and more others that brought us closer to the sustainable goals including sustainable traveling.
Yes, sustainable traveling. The travel industry, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (2019) has created 313 million jobs worldwide to cater 1.4 billion international travelers per year. Despite the overwhelming number our economy can benefit from, we cannot disregard the fact that activities relevant to this are contributing to the production of carbon footprints: cities having excessive energy consumption for attraction lighting, fossil fuels by airlines that may cause harmful CO2 emissions, natural areas that are sacrificed for the establishment of holiday resorts, desecration of forest and beaches and others.
In the Philippines, the world-famous Boracay beach, 2nd placer in the Conde Nast Traveler’s 25 Best Island Beaches in the World: Readers’ Choice Awards (2020), known for its pearl-white sand, was shut down in 2018 for the entire year just so the government can perform environmental rehabilitation. The administration aimed to address coastal erosion, improper coastal infrastructure development, high population density, water quality degradation, green tides, and loss of coastal habitats. A lot of private structures were dismantled because they were built over the identified easement zones. Many were also revoked their business permits for not having proper sewage and disposal systems over the years. Indeed, travel and tourism are still far from sustainable. Mass tourism continues to threaten the existence of beautiful travel destinations like Boracay — a place that should be preserved not commodified. This only sheds light on more reasons to campaign and be an advocate of sustainable traveling.
Sustainable traveling is not a one-time thing, it is a habit or a way of life. It allows you to enjoy the world’s greatest places while sticking to your responsibility and moral obligation to maintain their natural and cultural environments. In other words, your travel should not only be beneficial to you but more so the place where you want to be. Therefore, responsible and sustainable tourism must have a positive impact on your destination’s people, local businesses, places, and native culture.
Here are a few ways to be a sustainable traveler:
- Pack sustainably.
Pack light and remember to only pack what you will wear. It helps to plan your outfits ahead. Do not forget to pack your reusable water bottle for refills, eco-bags for other stuff, and small portions of your toiletries in reusable packets so you can save up some bag space and money as well. Budget your expenses to prepare yourself for the entire trip financially. Stick to buying only food and essentials. When you buy unnecessary stuff, you might need to have it flown or shipped and therefore may require a larger carbon footprint.
- Make sustainable considerations with your transportation.
Pick the most sustainable transportation to get to your destination. If you are going as a group, maybe you can do ride-sharing to cut down on carbon emissions. If you are on your own, it would be smarter and greener to take the bus or train. Should you need to travel by air, take direct routes as much as possible. Stopovers for refuels and passenger loading contribute to carbon emissions because of frequent take-offs and landings. Be consistent with your sustainable transportation aspirations. Once you have arrived at your destination, still pursue sustainable public or local transport instead of private cars, boats, or planes.
- Stay at eco-conscious accommodations.
Those that are probably locally owned or maintained. It is always a good idea to support local businesses with this cause. You want to contribute to their local economy. To get the most out of your eco-friendly stay, check each accommodation’s website, page, or features on Airbnb for their ratings, reviews, and green certification if they have any. You might want to check their sustainability efforts, too. Are they using solar panels for power and lighting? Do they recycle? Are their employees also practicing and are one in implementing sustainability initiatives? Are their employees locally sourced? Stay in an eco-space that is also supporting the same cause so you can boost your morale. Keep away from tempting big resorts as they are known to have the largest water and energy consumption. If you like the adventure, go out there and pitch a tent. That is walking the extra mile.
- Be responsible throughout your tour.
Wildlife tours are a no-no especially if they promise some close contact with animals. If you must scuba dive or snorkel, the world under your feet is a really fragile ecosystem so do your leisure responsibly. Ask the local government if they know of a tour that can make you be involved with their community projects or be in touch with local business owners. Perhaps you might want to try a coffee tasting tour hosted by a local coffee shop, a local food walk, or others that can benefit their locals in any way? Eat at restaurants owned by locals not only for the taste but also for the cause. Ingredients to cook those must have been locally sourced.
Little steps like these are helpful in the grand scheme of things. By making simple choices, we are one step towards reviving our universe so that we can expect better days to come. Do your part and the rest will follow, eventually.
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