Have you ever wanted a holiday that feels exciting yet gentle on the planet? More travelers are seeking meaningful ways to enjoy their time off without creating unnecessary environmental impact. If you’re hoping to relax, explore, and support sustainable tourism at the same time, you’ll find plenty of simple choices that make your trip more responsible without taking away the fun. 

Below are eco-friendly activities that help you appreciate local culture, lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduce plastic waste, and build a deeper connection with the places you visit, all while giving you a holiday you’ll genuinely remember. 

Explore Destinations Through Low-Impact Outdoor Adventures 

Outdoor activities are some of the easiest ways to enjoy a destination while keeping your energy consumption low. Many places around the world offer beautiful walking paths, cycling routes, and waterways that allow you to explore without relying on traditional transportation.  

In locations like Cambridge, for example, you’ll find scenic rivers and quiet natural areas that invite slow travel. If you’re visiting there, taking a punting tour with a traditional punting company in Cambridge is one of the most enjoyable, eco-friendly activities you can try.  

The boats use human power instead of engines, which keeps the experience peaceful and limits greenhouse gas emissions. You get a relaxing view of the historic surroundings while supporting sustainable tourism. It’s a simple reminder that not every experience needs fuel or electricity to be fun. 

Hiking, birdwatching, nature activities, and community cleanups also help you understand the local environment more deeply. These activities often involve minimal waste, low energy use, and a closer look at biodiversity loss, especially in areas where nature needs extra care.  

Support Local Food Culture and Reduce Waste While Eating Out 

Food choices play a huge role in how sustainable your holiday becomes. Many travelers don’t realize how much food waste happens in tourist-heavy areas, especially in busy restaurants or resorts. Choosing small eateries and local businesses helps cut down transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions and supports families who rely on tourism for their income. 

You can also reduce waste by avoiding disposable items like single-use cutlery, take-out containers, and plastic water bottles. Bringing reusable coffee mugs, stainless steel straws, or reusable silicone bowl covers is a small habit that dramatically cuts down the amount of plastic waste you leave behind. 

Trying a plant-based diet or simply adding more plant-focused meals during your trip also helps lower resource use without giving up flavor or enjoyment. Many destinations offer delicious vegetarian and vegan options inspired by their culture. This shift to an Earth-friendly diet, even temporarily, reduces CO2 equivalent output and supports more sustainable food systems. 

Choose Lodging That Prioritizes Sustainable Practices 

Your accommodation can influence your holiday’s entire environmental impact. When a hotel or guesthouse follows sustainability practices, you benefit from lower energy consumption and smarter resource management without needing to change your routine. 

Look for places that use renewable sources of energy or have solar-powered lights or solar panels installed. Buildings that rely on heat pumps or efficient ventilation can also significantly reduce electricity use while keeping you comfortable. 

If you’re staying in a home rental or cottage, simple upgrades like LED lights, energy-saving light bulbs, double-glazed windows, or low-E glass help limit energy loss. Smart decisions like these enable you to enjoy a comfortable stay with a significantly reduced environmental impact. 

Some accommodations use recycled materials in their furnishings, biodegradable products for toiletries, or support local businesses through their supply chain. These details may seem small, but they contribute to a larger effort to cut down on pollution and support low-carbon lifestyles. 

Use Sustainable Transportation Whenever Possible 

Getting around your destination responsibly is easier than ever. Many cities offer public transportation, bike rentals, or walking-friendly streets, making sustainable transportation a natural choice. If you’re traveling longer distances, consider electric vehicle options to reduce your carbon footprint. 

In many regions, you’ll find incentives for using electric vehicles or hybrid transportation systems. Even small decisions, like choosing a train over a domestic flight, make a huge difference in reducing climate challenges tied to tourism. 

Short-distance travel is often more enjoyable when you slow down. You get to take in the scenery, explore hidden spots, and feel more connected to the place, all while reducing unnecessary pollution. 

Join Activities That Give Back to the Environment 

Eco-friendly holidays don’t have to be limited to recreational activities. You can also participate in efforts that support the local environment and community. Some destinations offer tree recycling programs, recycling lesson workshops, and wildlife-friendly feeders for nature reserves. 

Other eco-friendly activities include: 

• Community cleanups 
• Nature journaling 
• Backyard scavenger hunts in rural stays 
• Virtual reality nature tours for educational centers 
• Exploring a pollinator garden 

Each one encourages awareness, connection, and a sense of purpose during your holiday. 

Key Takeaway 

An eco-friendly holiday doesn’t need extreme lifestyle changes or complicated planning. You only need to choose activities and habits that support cleaner travel, reduced energy use, and more efficient resource management. Whether you’re exploring nature, supporting local businesses, or trying low-impact outdoor adventures, every small choice contributes to a more responsible trip. You’ll enjoy a holiday that feels more meaningful, more memorable, and much more aligned with the sustainable tourism practices that help protect the places you love to visit. 

Caring about the planet doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort. However, for years, consumers had to use recycled toilet paper that was rougher and harder than its traditional counterparts. Most options couldn’t withstand common household uses.

With modern technologies and advanced techniques, however, manufacturers have finally figured out how to make eco-friendlier products that people actually enjoy using.

Switching to bamboo toilet paper is one of the easiest and most impactful sustainable living swaps you can make in your home. Here are some of the brands that make switching worth it.

Eco-Friendly Paper #1: Who Gives A Crap

You’ve probably seen the funky, colorful, or black and white wrapped rolls of this product on social media platforms. While looking modern, Who Gives a Crap is actually one of the reasons why recycled paper rolls became cool. The company’s cheeky approach to environmental and social consciousness is a breath of fresh air.    

Who Gives A Crap uses either 100% bamboo or pure recycled paper, free from harmful dyes and softeners in their products, which include bamboo toilet paper, tissues, and paper towels. Its entire lineup is Forest Stewardship Council or FSC-certified, which means it supports responsible forest management.

While its punchy name might have captured users’ attention, WGAC actually started with a serious humanitarian mission: to donate 50% of its profit to help people who don’t have access to clean toilets. Apart from producing septic tank-safe products, it continues to build proper sanitation facilities in developing countries.     

Eco-Friendly Paper #2: Save Trees

Save Trees is a bamboo toilet paper brand with a strong sustainability mission. In fact, it changed its name from Cloud Paper to reflect its commitment to save one billion trees by producing tree-free and carbon-neutral bamboo paper products. The brand is strongly advocating for zero waste and ecologically sound practices.

Although relatively new to the market, it’s quickly gaining a loyal following because of its soft, durable, and family-friendly product design. The brand uses responsibly sourced, naturally long and smooth bamboo fibers that are processed chlorine-free to avoid toxic pollutants.

Post-production, the company utilizes plastic-free packaging and makes a conscious effort to reduce its carbon footprint. Save Trees’ subscription models are also surprisingly affordable for long-term use.

Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper #3: Betterway

Betterway comes right out and says they aim to be the softest bamboo toilet paper you’ll ever try, and they back this claim up with a three-ply structure. This feature mimics the cloud-like cushioning capabilities found in premium brands, but without the guilt. The extra thickness also means more strength, which helps you use less bamboo tissues and toilet paper.  

This isn’t unique to the brand, though, as both Save Trees and Who Gives A Crap offer the same configuration. However, the brand cites a recent blind test showing the majority voted them as the softest brand. Betterway also has a high sustainability scorecard, as it’s recognized as the most sustainable bamboo toilet paper by the Natural Resources Defense Council, a US-based, nonprofit environmental organization with a global reach.  

Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper #4: Reel Paper

Reel is for consumers who want completely plastic-free, eco-friendly products, right down to the shipping materials. Apart from bamboo paper towels, the company also offers facial tissues and compostable trash bags, showing their commitment to improving waste management practices.  

Its bamboo toilet papers are also three-ply and purely made from 100% sustainable bamboo fibers that undergo a safe and advanced bleaching process. It may not be the fluffiest, but it possesses a silky strength required in kitchen and household applications.  

Apart from maintaining a lean and carbon-neutral supply chain, Reel stays active in their deforestation efforts. It partners with a nonprofit group that has so far planted more than 52 million trees across the globe. It also donates a portion of its revenues to an organization in Haiti that focuses on sanitation and waste management. This means your bulk subscription orders can save you more per roll while helping people in need.   

Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper #5: Caboo

Sometimes, you just need a sustainable bamboo paper you can grab while doing your weekly grocery run. This accessibility makes Caboo a good choice for people who need immediate access to bamboo paper towels, baby wipes, and tissues.  

The brand doesn’t just avoid using wood pulp from virgin trees. It reduces its environmental impact further by using natural, recycled materials. Caboo combines bamboo and sugarcane pulp for extra softness and durability. Sugarcane fiber is a byproduct of sugar production that’s also repurposed by other industries. It takes pride in using less than a gallon of water per roll when traditional toilet papers need 37 gallons to produce the same.   

Moreover, it’s Bisphenol-A or BPA-free, which means zero exposure to harmful compounds that may disrupt your body’s immune and metabolic processes. BPA, which is present in some recycled paper products, may also cause endocrine and hormone issues.     

Ready, Set, Roll

It may not seem like it, but your household habits have a massive global impact. Conventional toilet paper, for example, is made from forest paper and goes through bleaching techniques that can harm our home planet.

Conversely, switching to sustainable sources like bamboo and recycled paper stops deforestation and keeps harmful waste out of the environment. Whatever your brand choice is, it’s always a win-win situation. You can indeed protect the ecosystem while keeping your derriere and other body parts comfortable.