In recent years, travel has taken on a whole new dimension, with an increasing emphasis on sustainable (responsible) tourism as opposed to mass tourism. The Covid health crisis has further reinforced this situation. This practice involves keeping the carbon footprint of our travels to a minimum. It’s not just about pollution. There are a number of factors that make responsible travel possible.
Pourquoi faut-il voyager écoresponsable ?
Tourism is a fast-growing sector, with harmful consequences for the environment, local populations and biodiversity. Tourism pollutes, that’s a fact. Aircraft emit almost 4% of the world’s CO2 emissions. It’s worth noting that digital technology, and video streaming in particular, is already emitting more CO2 into the atmosphere than ever before, with growth expected to be exponential. Other economic sectors emit even more. That’s no reason to pollute more and more, especially when it comes to discovery and leisure…
Travelling is a unique experience to be developed. It’s essential to do so in an eco-responsible way. This considerably reduces our impact on the planet, while giving us a whole new way to enjoy our trip. When you adopt the attitudes of an eco-responsible traveler, you help protect the environment.
Adopter des gestes écosensibles pour voyager responsable
Responsible tourism means limiting our impact on the environment and on the people who live in the places we choose to visit. There are a number of steps you can take to ensure responsible consumption. This means adapting to the local culture, limiting waste and consumption at the destination. This also applies to the means of transport you use. Think of soft mobility transport such as cycling, prefer public transport and avoid flying or driving as much as possible.
Favoriser les relations avec les locaux
Choose accommodation that makes an effort to reduce its impact on the planet. For example, by booking a room in an eco-hotel, an establishment that blends in with its surroundings, or a home-stay.
Couchsurfing is also becoming increasingly popular. This concept is based on the free provision of a bed or sofa for a very short period, usually one or two days, and helps to limit your energy consumption.
You should also remember to pack light. Taking too many clothes with you means that you have to change much more regularly than necessary, which in turn means a lot more washing up to do, and therefore too much water and electricity consumption. What’s more, it’s a great way to avoid back pain…from carrying your luggage.
As you explore a country, it’s a good idea to create opportunities to meet the locals. And if you want to take a photo of them, ask for their permission!
Des gestes simples pour limiter votre impact sur l’environnement
What’s more, adopt simple gestures to reduce your consumption of waste, especially plastic: refuse samples, straws in restaurants, plastic bags at the market, use water bottles instead of plastic bottles. If these are not recycled, they end up largely in the oceans, causing the death of millions of marine species. And don’t forget to bring a bag for garbage on your excursions.
Finally, limit your use of cosmetics, especially in areas with few sewage treatment plants… Everything ends up in nature more easily. So opt for a non-polluting sunscreen. Sunscreen contains certain ingredients that can have an impact on corals and fish. Instead, opt for mineral-based sunscreens, which are more natural.
Faites aussi attention aux activités que vous pratiquez.
As a result, resource-intensive activities such as jet skiing, motor boating (not to mention yachting…) and snowmobiling consume a lot of fossil fuels. Golf, which requires huge quantities of water in sometimes desertified areas, can also have a far greater impact than more environmentally-friendly activities such as hiking in the great outdoors, or swimming in rivers or the sea.
Tenter l’aventure du séjour humanitaire
Humanitarian tourism combines social awareness and environmental preservation. The aim is to improve living conditions for local populations while preserving their environment. It’s a form of tourism that revolves around humanitarian aid, with the value of “traveling in the service of others”. Participating in the construction of a school or clinic, or sharing your knowledge with underprivileged children are all examples of humanitarian tourism.
Helping others, feeling useful, discovering a new culture… going on a humanitarian mission means helping others, but also enriching yourself both professionally and personally.
L’écovolontariat pour voyager solidaire
Ecovolunteering is a form of “participatory tourism” that aims to help local organizations protecting nature, preserving and promoting animal, plant, environmental and cultural diversity. Tourists on a trip to South America can help harvest organic coffee in a small Bolivian village, for example. Or discover the animals of the Amazon. Ecovolunteering is a way of traveling, discovering and participating in scientific and ecological missions.
Pratiquer le slowtourism
This movement, which has been in vogue for several years now, advocates tourism that respects time, people and the environment. Tourists will prefer to travel by train or public transport within the country, rather than using domestic flights. This form of tourism allows you to discover a culture and a society at close quarters, and to make enriching encounters. Eating locally, discovering a country’s culture and cuisine, and at the same time supporting the local economy. Discover handicrafts and offer a more original gift than the usual souvenir store gifts.
Supporting a local economy and meeting new people: these are the reasons why more and more tourists are choosing slowtravel.
Les meilleures destinations pour faire de l’écotourisme
Ecotourism, also known as “green tourism”, is a form of responsible travel based on the discovery and preservation of nature. Tourists can visit unspoilt natural sites, discover different cultures and get away from mass tourism. The impact of the trip on nature is taken into account, and kept as low as possible. Local populations benefit directly from ecotourism. The trip is part of a sustainable development approach.
Les incontournables destinations écoresponsables
– Costa Rica: A world benchmark in ecotourism. The country boasts over 600 different plant varieties, 29 national parks and around 100 private reserves. It’s also 99% renewable-energy electricity.
– Brazil: One of the leading destinations for eco-responsible tourism. The Amazon rainforest is the world’s largest tropical forest. The country abounds in sites shaped by nature (Albrolhos, Chapada Diamantina…).
– Canada: A land of unspoiled natural parks. There are over 35 parks and nature reserves in Canada, including the second largest in the world (Wood Buffalo National Park of Canada).
– Kenya: An East African country known for its natural wealth, and of growing interest to tourists. Kenya’s major sites include Amboseli and Tsavo national parks, Kilimanjaro…
– Bhutan: The only carbon-neutral country in the world, and also the only one that is carbon-negative. What’s more, its constitution stipulates that 60% of the territory must be protected for the benefit of future generations.
Now you know how to become an eco-responsible tourist!
