Top 10 Tips for Eco-Friendly Budget Travelers
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VOICE OVER: Rebecca Brayton
WRITTEN BY: Spencer sher
If there are two things we love, it's helping the planet and saving money! Welcome to MojoTravels, and today we'll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Tips for Eco-friendly Budget Travelers. For this list, we're looking at the best ways to keep your traveling greener without breaking the bank.
Top 10 Tips for Eco-Friendly Budget Travelers
If there are two things we love, it’s helping the planet and saving money! Welcome to MojoTravels, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Tips for Eco-Friendly Budget Travelers.
For this list, we’re looking at the best ways to keep your traveling greener without breaking the bank.
#10: Pack Light, Pack Green
Packing is the final hurdle every traveler must overcome before setting out on a new adventure. As such, we could all benefit from learning to pack more efficiently, and with the environment in mind. By packing light you jumpstart a trickle-down effect. For instance, less luggage means less travel-related fees. It also makes getting around easier, and frees you up to walk instead of taking a bus or taxi. This will in turn lessen your carbon footprint. However, packing light is only half the battle; packing green is equally important. This means travelling with rechargeable batteries, tote bags for souvenirs and groceries, and a reusable water bottle. Logic dictates that the more you bring with you, the more garbage your destination will inevitably be forced to deal with.
#9: Stay in an Eco Hostel
Shunning traditional hotels for couch surfing or Airbnb is one thing, but for the budget traveler who really wants to remain environmentally conscious on the road, nothing beats staying at an eco-hostel. Examples include the JETpak ECOLODGE in Berlin, which boasts 100% green power and a bed for as little as $22 a night, and the HI Portland Hawthorne Hostel in Oregon, which harvests its own rainwater and earned a Gold Certification for Sustainability at Work four years in a row. Be sure to check out greenhotelworld.com for even more eco-friendly and cost-effective options.
#8: Unplug Electronics and Give Away Your Food Prior to Leaving
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2018 saw the electric power sector account for roughly “33% of total U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions.” Part of the reason this number is so high, is because many electronic devices continue to use energy even when they’re not in use. For example, a cable box that’s not in use consumes roughly 227 kilowatts of electricity annually, which, according to the New York Times, is more energy than the average Kenyan or Cambodian citizen uses in an entire year. Another way to avoid wastefulness prior to travelling is to reduce the amount of groceries you buy, and giving away, freezing or composting whatever is left over. Less wasted food and energy can mean more money for travel related expenses.
#7: Do Your Research Before Interacting With Animals
One of the best parts about travelling is interacting with new and exciting animals, but it’s important to do some research before visiting sanctuaries, zoos or reservations. While many of these establishments will bill themselves as being ethical shelters for endangered or at-risk animals, some have a tendency to be less than reputable. So, make sure that before you book a tour or visit, you scour the web or ask a local whether the place in question is on the level. Once you’ve settled on a trustworthy experience, be sure to review The Wildlife Selfie Code, which was put in place by the World Animal Protection International to ensure animal selfies remain cruelty-free. And as always, never take a picture with an animal in exchange for money.
#6: Go on an Eco Adventure
One of the best ways to keep your trip green and inexpensive is to go on what professional adventurer Alastair Humphreys calls microadventures. In his words, “A microadventure is an adventure that is short, simple, local, cheap – yet still fun, exciting, challenging, refreshing and rewarding.” Instead of booking an overseas flight, which leaves a massive carbon footprint and can sometimes cost an arm and a leg, spend the weekend canoeing, camping or hiking a nearby mountain. If you’re dead-set on going abroad, why not try WWOOFing? The organization offers volunteers room and board in exchange for work on organic farms and other eco-friendly projects. If National Parks are your thing, the American Hiking Society offers trail reconstruction excursions, complete with free overnight stays in a cabin or campsite.
#5: Walk and Bike Instead of Driving
Renting a bike is one of the most cost-effective, eco-friendly and health-conscious ways to experience a city or country. Most major cities now offer cheap bicycle sharing programs, with a Citi Bike day pass in New York City costing just $12 and a one-month Bixi membership in Montreal only setting you back $34. Another alternative to renting a car or calling a cab
9or ridesharing service) is to use public transportation. Not only is it much cheaper, but it’s also a great way to experience the city like a local. If all else fails, simply walk to your destination. It’ll save you money, ease traffic congestion and help keep harmful fumes out of the air.
#4: Say No to Room Service
If travelling green is the only way you travel, then you’d be wise to start hanging a “do not disturb” sign on your hotel room door from now on. Why? Well, according to Green Travel Media, by passing on housekeeping, “You’re saving the electricity needed to vacuum, the water needed to wash linens and clean bathrooms, not to mention the harsh chemicals used in the cleaning process.” Some hotels will even offer you perks, such as hotel points and food and beverage credits, if you decide not to have your room cleaned. If you want to take it a step further, eschew hotel toiletries for your own. All those plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles are wasteful.
#3: Fly Greener
Much of what we’ve discussed involves reducing your carbon footprint. And while the easiest way to do that is to avoid flying, there’s no denying that it’s the fastest way to travel. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t fly a little greener. From requesting that your boarding pass be sent directly to your phone (thus limiting paper waste), to choosing economy over first class (the latter “can be more than five times as heavy on carbon” according to Lonely Planet), there are numerous ways to make air travel eco-friendlier. A cool way to balance out your guilt is to purchase offset credits. The airline calculates how much of a carbon footprint your flight will leave and pays the equivalent to organizations dedicated to funding renewable energy sources.
#2: Bring a Water Filter and Purification Tablets
While clean water initiatives have made great strides in increasing the number of countries with potable tap water, there are still an estimated 844 million people who don’t have access to clean water. A common misconception is that plastic water bottles are the only safe way to consume water in these places. Not only are plastics terrible for the environment, the cost of purchasing them every day can add up quite quickly. One solution is travelling with a water filter, which will enable you to have a clean water source handy wherever you go. Purification tablets are also a viable option, though they can sometimes take a little longer to take effect. Finally, no matter where you travel, always make sure to bring a reusable water bottle.
#1: Eat and Drink Like a Local
Street markets, farmers markets and food stands are some of the cheapest and most delicious ways to taste the local cuisine wherever you go. Green Global Travel’s Jonathan Engels proposes that opting for local foods “encourages us to try what’s on the menu rather than eating stuff imported to recreate the same unhealthy food we try to avoid at home.” So by eating and drinking like a local, you can keep costs low while also helping to reduce the environmental strain that comes with importing foreign goods. In regions such as SouthEast Asia, domestic beers can cost as little as 0.85$ a bottle, while a plate of pad Thai will only set you back $1. Ecolicious!
On Thu, May 30, 2019 at 3:25 PM J Karpati wrote:
Top 10 Tips for Eco-friendly Budget Travelers
If there are two things we love, it’s helping the planet and saving money! Welcome to MojoTravels, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Tips for Eco-friendly Budget Travelers.
For this list, we’re looking at the best ways to keep your traveling greener without breaking the bank.
#10: Pack Light, Pack Green
Packing is the final hurdle every traveler must overcome before setting out on a new adventure. As such, we could all benefit from learning to pack more efficiently, and with the environment in mind. By packing light you jumpstart a trickle-down effect. For instance, less luggage means less travel-related fees. It also makes getting around easier, and frees you up to walk instead of taking a bus or taxi. This will in turn lessen your carbon footprint. However, packing light is only half the battle; packing green is equally important. This means travelling with rechargeable batteries, tote bags for souvenirs and groceries, and a reusable water bottle. Logic dictates that the more you bring with you, the more garbage your destination will inevitably be forced to deal with.
#9: Stay in an Eco Hostel
Shunning traditional hotels for couch surfing or Airbnb is one thing, but for the budget traveler who really wants to remain environmentally conscious on the road, nothing beats staying at an eco-hostel. Examples include the JETpak ECOLODGE in Berlin, which boasts 100% green power and a bed for as little as $22 a night, and the HI Portland Hawthorne Hostel in Oregon, which harvests its own rainwater and earned a Gold Certification for Sustainability at Work four years in a row. Be sure to check out greenhotelworld.com for even more eco-friendly and cost-effective options.
#8: Unplug Electronics and Give Away Your Food Prior to Leaving
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2018 saw the electric power sector account for roughly “33% of total U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions.” Part of the reason this number is so high, is because many electronic devices continue to use energy even when they’re not in use. For example, a cable box that’s not in use consumes roughly 227 kilowatts of electricity annually, which, according to the New York Times, is more energy than the average Kenyan or Cambodian citizen uses in an entire year. Another way to avoid wastefulness prior to travelling is to reduce the amount of groceries you buy, and giving away, freezing or composting whatever is left over. Less wasted food and energy can mean more money for travel related expenses.
#7: Do Your Research Before Interacting With Animals
One of the best parts about travelling is interacting with new and exciting animals, but it’s important to do some research before visiting sanctuaries, zoos or reservations. While many of these establishments will bill themselves as being ethical shelters for endangered or at-risk animals, some have a tendency to be less than reputable. So, make sure that before you book a tour or visit, you scour the web or ask a local whether the place in question is on the level. Once you’ve settled on a trustworthy experience, be sure to review The Wildlife Selfie Code, which was put in place by the World Animal Protection International to ensure animal selfies remain cruelty-free. And as always, never take a picture with an animal in exchange for money.
#6: Go on an Eco Adventure
One of the best ways to keep your trip green and inexpensive is to go on what professional adventurer Alastair Humphreys calls microadventures. In his words, “A microadventure is an adventure that is short, simple, local, cheap – yet still fun, exciting, challenging, refreshing and rewarding.” Instead of booking an overseas flight, which leaves a massive carbon footprint and can sometimes cost an arm and a leg, spend the weekend canoeing, camping or hiking a nearby mountain. If you’re dead-set on going abroad, why not try WWOOFing? The organization offers volunteers room and board in exchange for work on organic farms and other eco-friendly projects. If National Parks are your thing, the American Hiking Society offers trail reconstruction excursions, complete with free overnight stays in a cabin or campsite.
#5: Walk and Bike Instead of Driving
Renting a bike is one of the most cost-effective, eco-friendly and health-conscious ways to experience a city or country. Most major cities now offer cheap bicycle sharing programs, with a Citi Bike day pass in New York City costing just $12 and a one-month Bixi membership in Montreal only setting you back $34. Another alternative to renting a car or calling a cab
9or ridesharing service) is to use public transportation. Not only is it much cheaper, but it’s also a great way to experience the city like a local. If all else fails, simply walk to your destination. It’ll save you money, ease traffic congestion and help keep harmful fumes out of the air.
#4: Say No to Room Service
If travelling green is the only way you travel, then you’d be wise to start hanging a “do not disturb” sign on your hotel room door from now on. Why? Well, according to Green Travel Media, by passing on housekeeping, “You’re saving the electricity needed to vacuum, the water needed to wash linens and clean bathrooms, not to mention the harsh chemicals used in the cleaning process.” Some hotels will even offer you perks, such as hotel points and food and beverage credits, if you decide not to have your room cleaned. If you want to take it a step further, eschew hotel toiletries for your own. All those plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles are wasteful.
#3: Fly Greener
Much of what we’ve discussed involves reducing your carbon footprint. And while the easiest way to do that is to avoid flying, there’s no denying that it’s the fastest way to travel. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t fly a little greener. From requesting that your boarding pass be sent directly to your phone (thus limiting paper waste), to choosing economy over first class (the latter “can be more than five times as heavy on carbon” according to Lonely Planet), there are numerous ways to make air travel eco-friendlier. A cool way to balance out your guilt is to purchase offset credits. The airline calculates how much of a carbon footprint your flight will leave and pays the equivalent to organizations dedicated to funding renewable energy sources.
#2: Bring a Water Filter and Purification Tablets
While clean water initiatives have made great strides in increasing the number of countries with potable tap water, there are still an estimated 844 million people who don’t have access to clean water. A common misconception is that plastic water bottles are the only safe way to consume water in these places. Not only are plastics terrible for the environment, the cost of purchasing them every day can add up quite quickly. One solution is travelling with a water filter, which will enable you to have a clean water source handy wherever you go. Purification tablets are also a viable option, though they can sometimes take a little longer to take effect. Finally, no matter where you travel, always make sure to bring a reusable water bottle.
#1: Eat and Drink Like a Local
Street markets, farmers markets and food stands are some of the cheapest and most delicious ways to taste the local cuisine wherever you go. Green Global Travel’s Jonathan Engels proposes that opting for local foods “encourages us to try what’s on the menu rather than eating stuff imported to recreate the same unhealthy food we try to avoid at home.” So by eating and drinking like a local, you can keep costs low while also helping to reduce the environmental strain that comes with importing foreign goods. In regions such as SouthEast Asia, domestic beers can cost as little as 0.85$ a bottle, while a plate of pad Thai will only set you back $1. Ecolicious!
If there are two things we love, it’s helping the planet and saving money! Welcome to MojoTravels, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Tips for Eco-Friendly Budget Travelers.
For this list, we’re looking at the best ways to keep your traveling greener without breaking the bank.
#10: Pack Light, Pack Green
Packing is the final hurdle every traveler must overcome before setting out on a new adventure. As such, we could all benefit from learning to pack more efficiently, and with the environment in mind. By packing light you jumpstart a trickle-down effect. For instance, less luggage means less travel-related fees. It also makes getting around easier, and frees you up to walk instead of taking a bus or taxi. This will in turn lessen your carbon footprint. However, packing light is only half the battle; packing green is equally important. This means travelling with rechargeable batteries, tote bags for souvenirs and groceries, and a reusable water bottle. Logic dictates that the more you bring with you, the more garbage your destination will inevitably be forced to deal with.
#9: Stay in an Eco Hostel
Shunning traditional hotels for couch surfing or Airbnb is one thing, but for the budget traveler who really wants to remain environmentally conscious on the road, nothing beats staying at an eco-hostel. Examples include the JETpak ECOLODGE in Berlin, which boasts 100% green power and a bed for as little as $22 a night, and the HI Portland Hawthorne Hostel in Oregon, which harvests its own rainwater and earned a Gold Certification for Sustainability at Work four years in a row. Be sure to check out greenhotelworld.com for even more eco-friendly and cost-effective options.
#8: Unplug Electronics and Give Away Your Food Prior to Leaving
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2018 saw the electric power sector account for roughly “33% of total U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions.” Part of the reason this number is so high, is because many electronic devices continue to use energy even when they’re not in use. For example, a cable box that’s not in use consumes roughly 227 kilowatts of electricity annually, which, according to the New York Times, is more energy than the average Kenyan or Cambodian citizen uses in an entire year. Another way to avoid wastefulness prior to travelling is to reduce the amount of groceries you buy, and giving away, freezing or composting whatever is left over. Less wasted food and energy can mean more money for travel related expenses.
#7: Do Your Research Before Interacting With Animals
One of the best parts about travelling is interacting with new and exciting animals, but it’s important to do some research before visiting sanctuaries, zoos or reservations. While many of these establishments will bill themselves as being ethical shelters for endangered or at-risk animals, some have a tendency to be less than reputable. So, make sure that before you book a tour or visit, you scour the web or ask a local whether the place in question is on the level. Once you’ve settled on a trustworthy experience, be sure to review The Wildlife Selfie Code, which was put in place by the World Animal Protection International to ensure animal selfies remain cruelty-free. And as always, never take a picture with an animal in exchange for money.
#6: Go on an Eco Adventure
One of the best ways to keep your trip green and inexpensive is to go on what professional adventurer Alastair Humphreys calls microadventures. In his words, “A microadventure is an adventure that is short, simple, local, cheap – yet still fun, exciting, challenging, refreshing and rewarding.” Instead of booking an overseas flight, which leaves a massive carbon footprint and can sometimes cost an arm and a leg, spend the weekend canoeing, camping or hiking a nearby mountain. If you’re dead-set on going abroad, why not try WWOOFing? The organization offers volunteers room and board in exchange for work on organic farms and other eco-friendly projects. If National Parks are your thing, the American Hiking Society offers trail reconstruction excursions, complete with free overnight stays in a cabin or campsite.
#5: Walk and Bike Instead of Driving
Renting a bike is one of the most cost-effective, eco-friendly and health-conscious ways to experience a city or country. Most major cities now offer cheap bicycle sharing programs, with a Citi Bike day pass in New York City costing just $12 and a one-month Bixi membership in Montreal only setting you back $34. Another alternative to renting a car or calling a cab
9or ridesharing service) is to use public transportation. Not only is it much cheaper, but it’s also a great way to experience the city like a local. If all else fails, simply walk to your destination. It’ll save you money, ease traffic congestion and help keep harmful fumes out of the air.
#4: Say No to Room Service
If travelling green is the only way you travel, then you’d be wise to start hanging a “do not disturb” sign on your hotel room door from now on. Why? Well, according to Green Travel Media, by passing on housekeeping, “You’re saving the electricity needed to vacuum, the water needed to wash linens and clean bathrooms, not to mention the harsh chemicals used in the cleaning process.” Some hotels will even offer you perks, such as hotel points and food and beverage credits, if you decide not to have your room cleaned. If you want to take it a step further, eschew hotel toiletries for your own. All those plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles are wasteful.
#3: Fly Greener
Much of what we’ve discussed involves reducing your carbon footprint. And while the easiest way to do that is to avoid flying, there’s no denying that it’s the fastest way to travel. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t fly a little greener. From requesting that your boarding pass be sent directly to your phone (thus limiting paper waste), to choosing economy over first class (the latter “can be more than five times as heavy on carbon” according to Lonely Planet), there are numerous ways to make air travel eco-friendlier. A cool way to balance out your guilt is to purchase offset credits. The airline calculates how much of a carbon footprint your flight will leave and pays the equivalent to organizations dedicated to funding renewable energy sources.
#2: Bring a Water Filter and Purification Tablets
While clean water initiatives have made great strides in increasing the number of countries with potable tap water, there are still an estimated 844 million people who don’t have access to clean water. A common misconception is that plastic water bottles are the only safe way to consume water in these places. Not only are plastics terrible for the environment, the cost of purchasing them every day can add up quite quickly. One solution is travelling with a water filter, which will enable you to have a clean water source handy wherever you go. Purification tablets are also a viable option, though they can sometimes take a little longer to take effect. Finally, no matter where you travel, always make sure to bring a reusable water bottle.
#1: Eat and Drink Like a Local
Street markets, farmers markets and food stands are some of the cheapest and most delicious ways to taste the local cuisine wherever you go. Green Global Travel’s Jonathan Engels proposes that opting for local foods “encourages us to try what’s on the menu rather than eating stuff imported to recreate the same unhealthy food we try to avoid at home.” So by eating and drinking like a local, you can keep costs low while also helping to reduce the environmental strain that comes with importing foreign goods. In regions such as SouthEast Asia, domestic beers can cost as little as 0.85$ a bottle, while a plate of pad Thai will only set you back $1. Ecolicious!
On Thu, May 30, 2019 at 3:25 PM J Karpati
Top 10 Tips for Eco-friendly Budget Travelers
If there are two things we love, it’s helping the planet and saving money! Welcome to MojoTravels, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Tips for Eco-friendly Budget Travelers.
For this list, we’re looking at the best ways to keep your traveling greener without breaking the bank.
#10: Pack Light, Pack Green
Packing is the final hurdle every traveler must overcome before setting out on a new adventure. As such, we could all benefit from learning to pack more efficiently, and with the environment in mind. By packing light you jumpstart a trickle-down effect. For instance, less luggage means less travel-related fees. It also makes getting around easier, and frees you up to walk instead of taking a bus or taxi. This will in turn lessen your carbon footprint. However, packing light is only half the battle; packing green is equally important. This means travelling with rechargeable batteries, tote bags for souvenirs and groceries, and a reusable water bottle. Logic dictates that the more you bring with you, the more garbage your destination will inevitably be forced to deal with.
#9: Stay in an Eco Hostel
Shunning traditional hotels for couch surfing or Airbnb is one thing, but for the budget traveler who really wants to remain environmentally conscious on the road, nothing beats staying at an eco-hostel. Examples include the JETpak ECOLODGE in Berlin, which boasts 100% green power and a bed for as little as $22 a night, and the HI Portland Hawthorne Hostel in Oregon, which harvests its own rainwater and earned a Gold Certification for Sustainability at Work four years in a row. Be sure to check out greenhotelworld.com for even more eco-friendly and cost-effective options.
#8: Unplug Electronics and Give Away Your Food Prior to Leaving
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2018 saw the electric power sector account for roughly “33% of total U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions.” Part of the reason this number is so high, is because many electronic devices continue to use energy even when they’re not in use. For example, a cable box that’s not in use consumes roughly 227 kilowatts of electricity annually, which, according to the New York Times, is more energy than the average Kenyan or Cambodian citizen uses in an entire year. Another way to avoid wastefulness prior to travelling is to reduce the amount of groceries you buy, and giving away, freezing or composting whatever is left over. Less wasted food and energy can mean more money for travel related expenses.
#7: Do Your Research Before Interacting With Animals
One of the best parts about travelling is interacting with new and exciting animals, but it’s important to do some research before visiting sanctuaries, zoos or reservations. While many of these establishments will bill themselves as being ethical shelters for endangered or at-risk animals, some have a tendency to be less than reputable. So, make sure that before you book a tour or visit, you scour the web or ask a local whether the place in question is on the level. Once you’ve settled on a trustworthy experience, be sure to review The Wildlife Selfie Code, which was put in place by the World Animal Protection International to ensure animal selfies remain cruelty-free. And as always, never take a picture with an animal in exchange for money.
#6: Go on an Eco Adventure
One of the best ways to keep your trip green and inexpensive is to go on what professional adventurer Alastair Humphreys calls microadventures. In his words, “A microadventure is an adventure that is short, simple, local, cheap – yet still fun, exciting, challenging, refreshing and rewarding.” Instead of booking an overseas flight, which leaves a massive carbon footprint and can sometimes cost an arm and a leg, spend the weekend canoeing, camping or hiking a nearby mountain. If you’re dead-set on going abroad, why not try WWOOFing? The organization offers volunteers room and board in exchange for work on organic farms and other eco-friendly projects. If National Parks are your thing, the American Hiking Society offers trail reconstruction excursions, complete with free overnight stays in a cabin or campsite.
#5: Walk and Bike Instead of Driving
Renting a bike is one of the most cost-effective, eco-friendly and health-conscious ways to experience a city or country. Most major cities now offer cheap bicycle sharing programs, with a Citi Bike day pass in New York City costing just $12 and a one-month Bixi membership in Montreal only setting you back $34. Another alternative to renting a car or calling a cab
9or ridesharing service) is to use public transportation. Not only is it much cheaper, but it’s also a great way to experience the city like a local. If all else fails, simply walk to your destination. It’ll save you money, ease traffic congestion and help keep harmful fumes out of the air.
#4: Say No to Room Service
If travelling green is the only way you travel, then you’d be wise to start hanging a “do not disturb” sign on your hotel room door from now on. Why? Well, according to Green Travel Media, by passing on housekeeping, “You’re saving the electricity needed to vacuum, the water needed to wash linens and clean bathrooms, not to mention the harsh chemicals used in the cleaning process.” Some hotels will even offer you perks, such as hotel points and food and beverage credits, if you decide not to have your room cleaned. If you want to take it a step further, eschew hotel toiletries for your own. All those plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles are wasteful.
#3: Fly Greener
Much of what we’ve discussed involves reducing your carbon footprint. And while the easiest way to do that is to avoid flying, there’s no denying that it’s the fastest way to travel. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t fly a little greener. From requesting that your boarding pass be sent directly to your phone (thus limiting paper waste), to choosing economy over first class (the latter “can be more than five times as heavy on carbon” according to Lonely Planet), there are numerous ways to make air travel eco-friendlier. A cool way to balance out your guilt is to purchase offset credits. The airline calculates how much of a carbon footprint your flight will leave and pays the equivalent to organizations dedicated to funding renewable energy sources.
#2: Bring a Water Filter and Purification Tablets
While clean water initiatives have made great strides in increasing the number of countries with potable tap water, there are still an estimated 844 million people who don’t have access to clean water. A common misconception is that plastic water bottles are the only safe way to consume water in these places. Not only are plastics terrible for the environment, the cost of purchasing them every day can add up quite quickly. One solution is travelling with a water filter, which will enable you to have a clean water source handy wherever you go. Purification tablets are also a viable option, though they can sometimes take a little longer to take effect. Finally, no matter where you travel, always make sure to bring a reusable water bottle.
#1: Eat and Drink Like a Local
Street markets, farmers markets and food stands are some of the cheapest and most delicious ways to taste the local cuisine wherever you go. Green Global Travel’s Jonathan Engels proposes that opting for local foods “encourages us to try what’s on the menu rather than eating stuff imported to recreate the same unhealthy food we try to avoid at home.” So by eating and drinking like a local, you can keep costs low while also helping to reduce the environmental strain that comes with importing foreign goods. In regions such as SouthEast Asia, domestic beers can cost as little as 0.85$ a bottle, while a plate of pad Thai will only set you back $1. Ecolicious!
