Environmentally Responsible Travel
Permaculture is a
lifestyle, not just a philosophy.
Wherever you are: you can practice permaculture.
True Travel Costs | Benefits of Travel | Ideas for
Sustainable Travel
Some people will find it
very challenging to be environmentally responsible whilst travelling
because
- Travel consumes energy just to move from one place to
another
- Travel involves other people who supply you food and
lodging, information and medical support
- There is limited access to Recycling,
- Less opportunity for composting our waste
- Little or no opportunity to grow food or produce other
things
True Travel Costs
Knowing the true cost and
accepting responsiblity
for our impact is a major step towards finding sustainable solutions.
Travel allows us to:
- Acknowledge
our place in a global context
- Build peace through
understanding.
- Learn technologies from
current and ancient examples.
- Encourage
others and sharing our knowledge.
Benefits of Travel
The advantages of travel
can be optimised by knowing what can be achieved and
following a path that
accomodates the ideals of sustainable travel.
For example, if we know that sustainable travel requires interaction
between fellow travellers and the people we are visiting,
then we will choose accomodation that has shared facilities (kitchens,
bathrooms, lounge) where our chances of meeting others in increased.
Ideas for
Sustainable Travel
- Walk to get around.
Today is is easy to walk, there is luggage with both wheels
and back straps.
Walking is quieter, the air is cleaner and we have time to stop to meet
people and smell the roses.
Before you embark on a major journey, organise a 3 day hike starting at
your own front step.
You may decide to walk to the next city or somewhere away from
civilisation. Most journeys can be accomplished with a little
planning. Planning is an essential tool for sustainable
living because not planning results in waste. Your journey
can have walks of 11km per day and you can book lodgings ahead
of time and if you don't make it all the way, organise to catch a bus
or train. What is the point in whizzing around? do
we do fast journeys simply because we can? who is the traveller- you or
the technology?
- Arrange a swap or
work-accomodation exchange
so that you can be productive, helping on their site whilst
learning about life in another place.
- You will
learn a lot more as you travel if you talk to the locals
and don't just look at objects, monuments and landscapes.
In fact, you could be looking at something far more interesting if
asked a local what to look for.
- Stay where
you can cook
most of your meals,
preferably in a communal kitchen where you get to meet others and learn
how they cook.
- Buy fresh seasonal
fruit and veg that grow locally,
try new foods - this is all part of the experience.
- Share your
transport, food and other resources with other travellers
- Stay in
places that support shared resources, recycling of waste, and helping out -
this helps them to stay in business as well as meeting some of your
responsibilities.
It also encourages other places to be sustainable.
- Stay where
you can meet others and give
them items you have spare such as books you have read,
equipment you no longer need,
wholefoods that are in perfect order but too heavy to lug
home.
- Recycle your clothes
by looking for places to leave them. Good places to leave
clothes are in collection bays at churches. Sometimes, you
may just have to take a risk and leave warm coats or sturdy boots in a
church doorway rather than throw it away.
Feedback is welcome, you can even send photos if you would like them
included.
