Eco-Conscious Travel in Europe: Advice for Sustainable Journeys
By Marie Nieves
Traveling the world has to be one of the most enjoyable feelings in the world. Just take a look at Europe which represents a kaleidoscope of different cultures, traditions, cuisines, languages, and natural wonders you could spend an entire life traveling the continent without ever getting it all.
That, however, shouldn’t prevent you from trying. Still, Europe is a huge continent and your efforts to discover all of its flavors can put quite a heavy pressure on the environment you want to explore. So, a couple of precautions and eco-conscious traveling practices are more than desirable.
So, let us take a look at how you can turn your next vacation into an adventure for a lifetime without wasting too much money or natural resources. We want to keep Europe safe and beautiful for the generations to come.
Rent Eco-Friendly Accommodations
This will be an easy job. No matter where you are traveling, European nations are scattered with various Airbnbs that are set up with eco-friendly ideas in mind. This will prove to be beneficial for a variety of reasons. First, the struggle for a sustainable society is not a singular effort.
If we want to get to the finish line, we need to support sustainable businesses. Using green accommodations is one way to do it. Second, sustainable housing options are also producing smaller expenses, so there you will save some money along the way. Documented certifications will help you narrow down the list.
Ditch the Single-use Plastic Items
Being on the go means you need to pack lightly, so to solve this problem people tend to bring along only the essentials and fill in the blanks with various single-use plastic items. Those, of course, find their way to the nearest trash can as soon as they fulfill their purpose. Well, you need to break this practice.
Things like water bottles, coffee mugs, utensils, plates, and other frequently used items don’t take up too much space but can move the mountains in terms of travel waste reduction. Shopping bags, power banks, bamboo toothbrushes, and menstrual cups are other popular mentions.
Leverage Local Sustainable Products and Services
So, here’s the topic of supporting local eco-friendly vendors once again. While you are spending time abroad, renting electric cars, buying food from organic markets, and other eco-friendly practices can make a change for the local economy.
So, do your best to, whenever you have an option to choose, use these products and services. Having easy data access will make this job much easier. So, let’s say you are traveling to Germany. You can easily unlock ultimate connectivity with SimCorner’s best prepaid SIM card Germany and use Google Maps whenever you want to look for local businesses.
Explore the Cities on Foot or a Bike
The great thing about European cities is that the things you want to see are usually focused around the old city centers. That means you can usually walk to the destinations you need to check off your to-do lists. Spend some time planning these visits and you will see you can cover most of the things on foot.
It is also good to know that Europe is also very bike-friendly so, wherever you go, you will get an option to rent a bicycle and great infrastructure to support it. This option is affordable, gives you a good workout, and allows you to cover great distances. Covering Paris on a bike? Sounds good, right?
Travel by Train or Subway
Public transport has always been the cornerstone of eco-friendly commute options. Therefore, if you need to quickly zigzag across huge cities like London, Rome, or Istanbul, the subway makes one of the most sensible solutions. Daily or weekly discounted tickets make this idea even more lucrative.
And when it comes to traveling from country to country, Europe made a great effort to solidify trains as your go-to travel option. Eurail Pass tickets have been in effect since 1959 and they allow you to travel through 33 European countries. And traveling by train is so romantic it’s hard to resist.
Book the Tickets and Accommodations Ahead of Time
Last but not least, we would like to remind you that you are not the only person planning to pay a visit to Europe. And, if you wait for the last minute to book tickets and accommodations, you may miss some offers you would use much better than your average fellow traveler.
Be sure then to get all the sustainable and eco-friendly options you can get as they are offered online. If you move these things off the table as soon as possible, you will get much more leeway in choosing other things that will make your vacation more eco-friendly. Your goal is to get as much freedom to choose as possible.
Wrapping-up
Well, we hope these couple of tips gave you a better idea about how you can make your vacation more affordable, sustainable, and overall more eco-friendly. And, rest assured, if you made Europe one of your travel priorities, you made the right choice. The Old Continent is a gift that keeps on giving.
But, we also need to take into account that the Cradle of Civilization was passed to us by the previous generations. If we want to save this gift for our descendants we need to look at the big picture. And, in this case, every effort, even if it’s only a single vacation, counts.
Author bio: Marie Nieves is a passionate blogger with an eye for design, a flair for storytelling, and a love for culture. She contributes regularly to various blogs and online magazines, all while satisfying her wanderlust by exploring states and countries near and far.