Traveling in an ecological way starts from the moment you plan your vacation: the route and accommodation have a strong influence on the environmental balance of your stay. If you want to travel in a sustainable and responsible way, you must opt for means of transport, hotels and local activities whose impact on nature and humans is as low as possible. A few small adjustments in the organization of your holidays will allow you to contribute to more sustainability and to discover foreign regions with a clear conscience. That’s why we’ve put together some important tips regarding mobility, accommodation and more.
Eco-responsible holidays: tips for a sustainable trip
If you want to travel in a more eco-responsible way, you will quickly discover that two types of trips are unsavory from an ecological point of view: those that involve air travel and boat cruises. These are the source of high emissions of CO 2 and other pollutants. To make your holiday trips greener, you should therefore give up these means of transport, as far as possible. In Europe, traveling without a plane is generally feasible, as options for more eco-responsible mobility exist
Traveling without flying: favor the long-distance bus or train
To travel in France or Europe, you can resort to more sustainable means of transport, such as trains and long-distance buses , which take you to your destination in a safe, comfortable and more ecological way. When all the seats available on board are occupied, they have a much lower environmental impact than planes, because the CO 2 emissions per person are lower overall. For long journeys, it is therefore better to favor a trip by bus or train. For that, here are some tips:
Book a place in time , as this often allows you to benefit from reduced prices.
Find out about the possibilities of obtaining a reduced price ticket or if you are eligible for certain reductions. Children and young people, seniors and students can usually take advantage of favorable prices. The option of group tickets can also be interesting.
Check the baggage conditions beforehand . Bulky suitcases, bicycles, strollers and wheelchairs can usually be transported on trains without problems. On long-distance buses, large pieces of luggage often have to be declared in advance.
As a general rule, means of transport are more environmentally friendly when used to their full capacity: a complete car always produces considerably less emissions per person and per kilometer than an airplane. If it is an electric car, its environmental record is even comparable to that of long-distance trains and buses.
Can we fly sustainably?
Traveling without flying isn’t always feasible if you want to travel long distances. For transcontinental trips in particular, there is currently no more ecological alternative (unless you are ready for adventure and have enough time available to make a crossing by sailboat, for example). Discover our advice to reduce the environmental impact of your flight a little :
Stay in place longer . Think carefully in advance about the need for this flight. If you are crossing a long distance, you should stay there for two or even three weeks. On the other hand, for short stays, it is preferable to
