Can we travel sustainably?
In short: I
don’t think so. Even if we explored our home country by bike or foot, lived in
a tent and off locally grown vegetables – we would still be leaving traces.
But we can
make it more sustainable.
I follow a
vegan diet, buy my food at the farmer’s market and the bulk store, all organic.
I try to produce as little waste as I can, I switch off the lights when I leave
the room and unplug electronic devices, I go to university by bike and buy my
clothes from fair and sustainable companies – and still: If everyone lived like
I do, we would need 2.5 earths. Because I travel. By plane.
Transportation,
meat production and the clothing industry are the biggest factors in climate
change.
But what if
you’re like me and think that to know what Nepal is like, you have to there?
That Thai food can only be tasted in Thailand? And that Baltic music must be
listened to in the Baltics? What if you’re one of these people who think, like
me, that some things can only be learned abroad, some experiences can only be
gained in other countries and that nowhere can we learn as much (about the
world and ourselves) as when we’re travelling?
Then we can
try to do as little harm as possible.
"Take only
memories, leave only footprints" is still valid, everywhere. So let’s take a
look at what we can do. When I talk about sustainability, I mean harming the
world as little as possible; that includes our entire environment: nature,
animals, people.
1. Transportation
Of course, travelling long distances by bus or train always has a better
CO2 footprint than taking the plane. I would never take a plane from Munich to
Vienna. But if it “has to be” a plane (I’m flying a lot this year and feel
increasingly bad about it), at least there are some projects to compensate your
carbon footprint, like myclimate.org. You can donate a sum to the organization
that supports environmental projects.
And when you’re at your destination, use public transport! It’s cheaper,
more authentic, and better for the environment than a taxi or rental car.
2. Waste.
I will never forget and always, everywhere, recognize the smell of
burning plastic. In Nepal, they would burn the trash of the day every evening
in front of the house. Who would not be scared by the thought of those toxins
released into the air we breathe? Especially in developing countries, the
disposal of trash (plastic!) is still a big problem, while at the same time,
the awareness that it kills wildlife and will still be plastic in 400 years is
just not there. So how do I avoid the plastic waste?
Basically, the same rules apply as at home: I bring my own bags to the
market to buy vegetables. Containers for take away food. Always have your own
refillable bottle with you and find out where you can get drinking water: is
tap water safe? Perfect! Are there refill stations? Can you use a filter or ask
for water in restaurants? I also always carry cutlery with me – mine is made
from bamboo, so it weights almost nothing and is awesome if I get street food.
And as in Thailand literally no drink comes without a plastic straw, I also now
have a reusable straw with me at all times – sometimes they don’t understand my
“mai aow lod” – “no straw” and then I can just show them.
![]() |
bought mangoes in a cloth |
At home, I always have a coffee-to-go cup in my bag, but in Thailand, it
turned out too small for the drinks I get. One of the vets in my first
placement gave me an insulated big ice tea mug with a lid that has a hole for
the straw. It’s an awesome thing and will keep my tea next winter warm for as
many hours as I have those ice cubes now!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wV8Kh7eU9K-ySyAgAQgk3vLeY9KmB5NQDC5HanG90uxbsJFcTq_xZOteXu8ZN1q1wC1g_VrSgRVoyaRK7ZcdYro8IicB6Is17eplr3P5eZLTKXlAZ-Tl0YB5qnLwKQhw4X5Ui-CXx5zL/s200/IMG_20190127_133123.jpg)
And, by the way, you can take your reusable water bottle through the
security check empty, and refill it on the other side, so it’s no problem
taking it in your carry-on!
Your “reusable stuff” doesn’t have to be as fancy as mine. You can use
the plastic stuff that you couldn’t avoid on day one, of course! Plastic
cutlery and bottles are stronger than you think, and I always wash cups and
plastic bags and use them again. Not too long, though, they will start leaking
toxins into your food…
And if you’re a girl, think about switching from tampons to a menstrual
cup, it won’t only reduce your waste massively, but also save you money!
3. Food.
Meat production is one of the biggest “climate killers”, as mentioned
above. But in addition to that, animals suffer – and people. If we would give
all the crops that we give to animals to grow them into food to the people
instead, we could feed all of them. The space for growing enough grains for all
humankind is there. This alone should keep you from eating meat. But if it has
to be meat, consider chicken instead of beef, it takes only 2kg of crop to make
1kg of chicken meat, a much better outcome than cattle.
I don’t really want to talk about male baby chicken being killed and
calves taken away from their mothers here, but being vegetarian just isn’t consequent,
if we want to save them, we should be vegan. But this article is about
travelling, so I’ll leave it at that.
Only one more thing: Consider the water usage for animal products and
what we could do with it if we all ate a plant-based diet!
The best thing to do, of course, is to eat what grows where you are. I
love that I can get fresh coconuts and mangoes every day in Thailand!
When you haven’t had the street food, you haven’t been to the country,
in my opinion. And if you know exactly what it is, it’s not real street food!
![]() |
grilled banana with coconut sauce |
I try almost everything that people want me to try, as long as it’s
(supposedly) vegan. That way, I’ve so far found out that people dye some sort
of pancakes green with the pandanus leaves and eat them with cotton candy, that
raw mango with chili sauce actually tastes better than it sounds, and that I’m
allergic to jackfruit.
The cheapest and best, but definitely most authentic food can always be
found in the small restaurants away from tourist attractions. A tiny place full
of locals in an ugly street? Go there! Not only will you get the better taste
of the country you’re visiting, but also you’re supporting the local economy
instead of some big chains.
And don’t be afraid that you’ll get food poisoning! If you’re in a third
world country, don’t drink the tap water, refuse ice cubes and peel the fruit.
Meat and raw vegetables are more dangerous than cooked veggies. So stick to
those. I’m lucky to have a strong stomach and have never had any problems, but
one thing is for sure: If you eat, what the locals eat, you’re safe than if you
go for Western dishes! The local food is requested more frequently, so it’s
fresher, and they know better how to store and cook it – so the quality will
always be better!
4. Water
I’ve talked about drinking water, so let’s talk about what happens to
the waste water. Of course, we don’t want to waste water anywhere in the world,
so we take quick showers, turn off the tap while brushing our teeth, that old
story. Most developing countries don’t have a sewage system like Europe, so all
the chemicals and toxins that we pour down the drain will end up in the
environment unfiltered. The pipe from the kitchen sink in the house I currently
live in in Thailand ends on the other side of the wall – and the water oozes
into the ground right there. If you can see what happens to the water like
that, it sure makes you think about the things you flush away! I use the same
bar of natural soap for my skin, hair and laundry, but if I go to Asia again, I
will also bring a more natural dishwashing detergent. All of our products like
toothpaste, shampoo, and so on, should have as few chemicals as we can find,
and contain no microplastics.
By the way, the pipes in many Southeast Asian countries also can’t deal
with toilet paper, let alone other stuff like tampons. You have to put it in a
bin. But better, of course, would be to use the provided bidet – it’s not only
better for the environment, but also more sanitary!
5. Culture
Respect the culture. Follow the rules. Dress appropriately – in most
Asian countries, it means you should at least cover shoulders and knees, when
you visit religious buildings, but it would be most polite to wear long skirts
or trousers all the time and no tank tops. No-brainers, really. Some things you
will find in the travel guides, and some not. For example, here are some things
that were new for me when I came to Thailand:
Stand in line they can, the Thai! Not necessarily on escalators, but
before entering a skytrain or subway in Bangkok, make sure you queue up where
the lines and arrows indicate you to!
You take your shoes off, when you enter a flat or a house, but not only
private homes, but also temples, doctor’s offices, some rooms in public
buildings, hostels, small stores and pharmacies, even some restaurants. Before
you go inside, always check the area around the entrance for shoes – if you see
some, take yours off, too. They won’t be stolen, trust me. Often toilets
(usually in restaurants) have “their own shoes” that you should change into.
Oh, yes, public toilets: they may or may not have their shoes, but what
they almost never have is toilet paper. I’ve mentioned the bidets before, but
if you want to stick to the paper, there are three options: bring your own
(having some in your daypack is always the safest option), or there is a big
roll near the sink, most Thai people take it from there before they enter the
stall, and third, for example at big tourist attractions or in bus terminals
there is a “service fee” and this includes toilet paper, so basically you buy
it upon entering.
Oh, yes, and there is the fact that basically, you can’t walk for more
than 500 meters without someone asking you if you want a ride. Even if you can’t
really communicate where you or the driver are going. Somebody will always want
to drive you.
I could
talk for hours about how to reduce waste and save water, about food traditions
in other countries… but for today, I’ll leave it at that.
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