Best Sustainable Travel Tips by Top Eco-Friendly Travel Blogs

As an Amazon Associate, Ecotero earns from qualifying purchases.

Long distance travel is a wonderful experience; unfortunately, it often comes at the expense of the environment.

From carbon emissions to destruction of natural habitats and plastic littering, there’s a long list of environmental issues caused by tourism.

Nevertheless, traveling is an essential part of our lives.

Whether it’s visiting our relatives, business trips, or holiday vacations, we do need to travel from time to time.

So we contacted 100+ top eco-friendly travel bloggers and experts for their best sustainable travel tips.

We are greatly honored that despite their busy schedules, some have taken the time to help us with this project.

Below are some of the most brilliant travel tips that will minimize harm to the environment on your next adventures.


1. Stay on marked trails when hiking/trekking

“While it’s fun to explore in nature, tromping across the delicate plants and disturbing animal habitats can be harmful. Stay on the marked trails and look, but don’t touch.”
Cindy Richards

Cindy is the mom of two now-grown children who have traveled with her since that first, fateful plane ride when one preschooler discovered a barf bag in his seat pocket and his sister, finding none in hers, demanded,

“I want a barf bag too!”

Cindy has been a reporter, editor, and columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune.

She is also a regular contributor to Travel Tuesday on CBS Radio in Chicago and the editor and co-owner of TravelingMom.com.

TravelingMom is a leading independent family travel website operated by a team of family vacation experts from all walks of life.

If you visit TravelingMom, you’ll come across plenty of useful travel resource such as:

  • How you and your family can travel safely,
  • Practical advice on how to plan an adventure that is just right for your family,
  • How to enjoy vacations without harming the planet.
  • And more.

2. Bring reusable items on your travels

“One way we minimize our waste when travelling is by bringing reusable items with us no matter where we go. This includes a KeepCup, metal cutlery, silk shopping bags and water bottles. By carrying these with us, even in airplanes (yes they’ll let you take metal cutlery), we can always say no to single-use plastics.”
Alesha & Jarryd

Alesha and Jarryd are the awesome Australian couple behind Australia’s largest adventure, photography, and travel blog, NOMADasaurus.

The couple had been travelling the world together since 2008, searching for the planet’s best experiences and landscapes.

Through NOMADasaurus, Alesha and Jarryd inspires their thousands of followers to explore the globe in a more eco-friendly and sustainable manner.

NOMADasaurus have been featured on respected media outlets like CNN, BuzzFeed, Studio 10, Weekend Sunrise, Forbes, Business Insider, Yahoo Travel, News.com.au, and more.

From Antarctica to Zambia, and from trekking to kayaking, Alesha and Jarryd prides themselves for publishing some of the best sustainability guides for tourism.


3. Adopt the “Leave No Trace” principles

“If you love nature, adopt the Leave No Trace principles when you travel. That means you should take only pictures, and leave only footprints. Waste is a massive problem in many nations around the world, and mass tourism often contributes to this issue. Try to leave the destinations you visit as you found them, both for the locals who have shown you hospitality and for other travelers who will come after you.”
Bret & Mary

“Saving the world, one story at a time”

This is Bret and Mary’s mission when they started the Green Global Travel.

Through the Green Global Travel blog, the couple shares sustainable philosophies of ecotourism and conservation.

They provide useful resources for responsible travel practice that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.

Bret and Mary’s goal is to inspire people to travel and live more sustainably, and encourage everyone to do their part to make the world a better place.

The Green Global Travel is a well-known platform in the sustainable travel community.

It had been featured in BBC News, Lonely Planet, Travel Channel, The Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, Forbes, The Guardian, Huffington Post, and other recognized press and media outlets.

The couple are also behind the Blue Ridge Mountains Travel Guide blog and the Green Travel Media.


4. Rethink travel

“It is time for us to end the habit of taking pleasure trips with the same lightness if we were to binge-watch a TV series. To become aware of how unsustainable it is to repeat the same mistakes and, therefore, act accordingly. I hope that one of the silver linings of this pandemic in the travel sphere is that more people – after all only a small percentage of world’s population can afford traveling – can take less, but higher quality, purpose-driven trips. Let’s be part of an interesting trend for once!”
Inma & Jose

Inma and Jose are the power couple behind A World to Travel, an award-winning travel and lifestyle blog.

The couple uses their blog to share tips about sustainble, conscious, and minimalistic lifestyle.

A World to Travel features post about pratical sustainable travel guides, itineraries, conscious living tips, stunning photography, and even remote work resources.

Some of our facorite posts on About A World to Travel are:

  • An Environmentally-Friendly Sailing Guide to Croatia
  • Eco-Friendly Travel: Products and Habits to Adopt Now
  • How to Travel Without Flying

Through A World to Travel, Inma and Jose helps average people travel better without harming the planet and live a more eco-conscious life.


5. Choose locally owned restaurants that prepare locally grown and seasonal foods

“This reduces the air miles of food that is shipped around the globe just to end up on a faraway plate, as well as avoids the use of energy intensive greenhouses to grow out-of-season foods. Choosing plant-based options is also a huge way to reduce one’s environmental impact. It’s easier than ever to do so when traveling with apps like Happy Cow and countless helpful vegan travel blogs!”
Samantha & Veren

Samantha “Sam” and Veren claims to be “digital nomads who travel as house sitters, vegans, and responsible travelers.”

They are also the couple behind the sustainable travel blog Alternative Travelers.

In their blog, the couple shares brilliant and practical ideas on how to travel slowly on a budget, while following a sustainable and vegan lifestyle.

If you visit the Alternative Travelers blog, you’ll find plenty of resources on how to travel and live in a more sustainable, ethical, and mindful way.

Sam and Veren also have a podcast (The Alternative Travelers Podcast) to spread the responsible travel message even further, and to be able to have a deeper conversations about alternative and responsible travel practices

Sam and Veren encourages every traveler to practice sustainable travel and to take actionable steps to help preserve and protect the environment.


6. Buy carbon offsets

“Consider offsetting your flight, train, or hybrid car road trip completely for just a few dollars a day through a Green-e Climate carbon offset program, such as Atmosfair and Carbon Footprint, which promotes greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction projects that result in real, enforceable, and permanent reductions. In addition, you could plan an adventure that includes a stay in a completely off-the-grid (in terms of electricity or water usage or waste generation) vacation home.”
Irene Lane

Irene is an eco-conscious mom who loves to plan vacations and the founder of Greenloons.

Greenloons is an eco-travel service platform that enables people to connect with eco-certified travel experiences all over the world.

Irene and Greenloons made it their primary commitment to provide transparent, responsible, and eco-certified ecotourism travel experiences for travelers.

To uphold their mission, Greenloons only works with certified guiding companies and ecotourism accommodation owners.

They partner with businesses that have been independently verified for social empowerment, economic viability, and environmental responsibility.

If you’re someone who seek unique travel experiences that are socially, economically, and environmentally friendly, give Greenloons a visit.


7. Buy a water bottle with a built-in filter

“This will mean you can get safe water wherever you’re travelling in the world. It also means not needing to buy single use plastic bottles that you discard on your travels and has the added bonus of saving you money in the long run! Ours come with us on every trip!”

Ben is the founder and main content creator for the eco-friendly travel blog The Sabbatical Guide.

In a nutshell, the Sabbatical Guide gives people the information, tools and inspiration they need to make their sabbatical dreams a reality.

Ben loves to travel with his wife Becca.

In fact, his biggest passion outside of work is traveling.

He has been to South Africa, Asia, Europe, and all over the globe.

Ben uses the Sabbatical Guide to share his experiences in his travels and to share his travel expertise for those who wants to follow his foot steps.


8. Be conscious during your travels

“Tourism plays a significant role in preserving ecosystems, such as the oceans. Therefore, we can take some actions when exploring the sea during our travels, such as using reef-safe sunscreen and avoiding buying seafaring souvenirs like seashells or seahorses. Avoiding touching animals is also a golden rule, whether at sea or on land.”
Marlene Marques

Marlene is the writer and wanderer behind the travel blog Marlene On The Move.

She graduated in journalism because from an early age, Marlene was curious to see the world, and to report what she saw.

Marlene On The Move explore various international destinations, from a personal experience point of view.

It contains various travel tips and tricks, including how to travel without harming our mother Earth.

As Marlene would say:

“To travel is to understand our place in the world”


9. Don’t forget to pack a reusable tote bag or two

“A tote will help you avoid plastic bags from purchases on the road – especially important if you’re planning to buy groceries or do a lot of shopping during your trip. It also doubles as extra space if you come home with more souvenirs than your luggage will hold. Since totes usually take up very little space, and are lightweight and flexible, there’s almost always room in your suitcase or backpack.”
Sarah Swank

Sarah is a travel fanatic trying to see as much of the world without leaving a huge footprint on Mother Earth.

She started Suitcase Six to share the stories of her and her five best friends and their experiences traveling the world.

By sharing their adventures and travels, Sarah wants to help and encourage other women who are interested in traveling the world to start going on their own adventures.

But more than that, Suitcase Six is an informative resource, with practical tips and tricks to help busy people travel more sustainably and ethically.


10. Travel with a reusable water filter bottle

“I recommend ones with activated natural carbon filters that remove impurities like chlorine and sediment, but help preserve minerals like calcium and magnesium. Having a water filter bottle means you can avoid single-use plastic waste and enjoy fresher tasting water – plus you’ll stay hydrated, something super important when travelling.”

Melissa “Mel” Legarda is a London-based blogger and content creator on a quest to inspire others to travel and explore the world.

She is also the person behind the travel blog “illumelation.”

On illumelation, Mel shares travel tips, guides, resources and stories based on her own personal experiences.

As an eco-conscious traveler, you’ll be pleased to know that:

From budget backpacking around Vietnam to scuba diving with turtles in Indonesia, Mel got you covered with her own experiences and recommendations.

Mel prides herself as an ethnic minority travel blogger, and as a fellow human being who loves to see the world.


11. Support local businesses

“Buying local products reduces your carbon footprint and allows you to spend your money mindfully. Plus, it’s fresh, delicious and gives you a great impression of the local cuisine!”
Leoni & Kyle
softbacktravel.com
Follow Leoni & Kyle: Facebook

Leoni and Kyle are two eco-conscious digital nomads currently exploring Southern Africa in their VW Syncro.

They are also behind the Softback Travel website.

Softback Travel promotes responsible tourism and wildlife conservation.

Through Softback Travel, Leoni and Kyle shares plenty of resources and post about everything sustainability – including a new sustainable travel approach, the ultimate guide to vegan van life, camping hacks, and more.

Every article Leoni and Kyle publish is based on thorough research and experience.

Their intention is to help more people travel the world sustainably and protect our planet’s precious wildlife and great outdoors.


12. Do research on the travel products, services, and souvenirs

“See what the company is doing to reduce or balance their effect on the environment e.g. donations to habitat protection, reducing energy consumption. Remember that your dollar is a vote for the direction you want the world to go in and the policies you want companies to adopt. Also, when buying souvenirs, make sure they are not from animal origin. If you buy something with teeth, feathers, or bone it creates more demand for hunting that animal.”

Ash is a passionate wildlife and tourism expert.

He has worked in travel and tourism industry for the last 10 years and have an MSc in Zoology with a couple of scientific publications on his name.

Ash is also the founder of TourTheTropics.

TourTheTropics claims to be the travelers link to the top inclusive tours in the tropics.

It is a travel booking platform that was founded from a passion for eco-friendly tourism and the conservation of natural habitats and biodiversity.

The business’ slogan is: Book With Leading Tours While Protecting Habitat

To uphold their ethos, TourTheTropics hand-pick tours that demonstrate a sustainable approach to tourism.

They are also committed to protecting at least 1/4 acre of threatened habitat in tropical locations around the world with every travel and tour bookings through their platform.


13. Buy your vacation clothes from a thrift shop or secondhand store

“We all love a great, new outfit for our upcoming trip. What is better than new duds when taking our photos to post on Instagram? Buying clothes from a thrift shop is a win for you and a win for the environment. You will save money and help to save the planet! Buying secondhand saves the waste of energy and resources used to make new clothes and will lower the world’s carbon footprint.”

Chris is a college professor, wife, homemaker, mother to a wonderful boy, and a microinfluencer.

She is also a travel blogger and the founder of the travel blog Tourist With Tots.

Tourist With Tots started as a blog based on family-friendly travel recommendations and advice.

A few years ago, it evolved into a daily lifestyle blog for overworked and under appreciated parents attempting to balance life while juggling jobs, school, and kids.

At the moment, Tourist With Tots contains a variety of very helpful articles about parenting, food, and travel done safely for you and the planet.


14. Travel thoughtfully and responsibly

“Almost any trip can be a green one if you travel thoughtfully. This means supporting local and indigenous businesses rather than multinational chains. Walk, or use bikes and public transportation. Eat as little meat as possible. When you’re conscious of your eco-footprint, you’ll open your world to new foods, people and experiences that you might not have otherwise.”
Vanessa McGrady

Vanessa is an author, journalist and content strategist with a deep interest in sustainability.

She is the wonderful person behind the sustainable travel blog Green Means Go Travel.

Through Green Means Go Travel, Vanessa shares some of the best tips and tricks on how to live a more sustainable and conscious lifestyle.

She likes to save money and offers elegant, practical and efficient solutions for various day to day life problems.

Vanessa also makes it her mission to make any place she have been better.

She is an eco-mom that wants her daughter to understand the fragility of life and the complex interconnection of everything and everyone on this planet.


15. Pack toiletries on travels

“When traveling, be sure to bring your own toiletries. Utilizing reusable travel bottles are a great way to not only save luggage space but to avoid using the single-use ones provided by hotels.”
Natalie Jayne

Natalie is a wife, a millennial, and a soon to be mother of two during publication of this article.

She is also the person behind the blog Sustainable Jane where she shares helpful tips and tricks on how to make “going green” more attainable and less like a far-off dream for average people.

One of Natalie’s favorite quote is by Jane Goodall that goes:

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.”

Natalie knows that the choices we make today will have impact long after they have been made, so she is constantly finding ways to live a more green and environmentally friendly life and shares it to her readers.

She makes it one of her life’s mission to leave our planet a little better off for our children and future generations to come.


16. Practice Slow Travel as often as you can

“Instead of taking three or four short trips, help the planet by taking less air travel and plan one month-long eco-friendly family tradition trip to your destination of choice! Stay in a sustainable, eco-friendly, local rental home. Participate in a volunteer project while you are there. Hire a local cook and or nanny if you wish to indulge. Take a month-long language class or a cooking, art, scuba, surfing or any one of a myriad of locally owned choices to support the local community.”

Louisa is the founder of the eco-travel and sustainable lifestyle blog Sassy Women Travel (SWT).

SWT is a community and platform of sassy ladies inspiring you to be more adventurous and enjoy an elegant, affordable and sustainable life everyday.

The Sassy Women Travel blog have sustainable travel journals that will inspire you to take your own amazing journeys without harming the planet.

Besides sustainable travel, Louisa also shares information and resources about eco-conscious fashion and how one can live a luxurious yet eco-friendly life.

She wants to encourage average people to have the confidence to go out on their own and explore the world – sustainable style!


17. Dine and sleep on establishments and amenities which advocate for a sustainable lifestyle

“For example, when traveling to countries like the Philippines, choose to eat at restaurants that serve organic foods and ethically sourced ingredients. Moreover, stay on accommodations with sustainable practices such as the use of efficient lighting, eco-friendly sewerage system, and proper management of wastes. Better yet, sleep and dine on homestays or community lodges not only for lesser carbon footprints but also to get a better understanding of the local’s culture and environment.”
Daniel Maches

Daniel is a self-proclaimed tree hugger, mountain climber, jungle explorer, and nature steward and defender.

He is also an ecotourism advocate and the brilliant mind behind the travel blog Daniel’s Eco-Travels.

Through his blog, Daniel show people how wonderful yet fragile the natural world is.

His goal is to spread awareness about how people can travel more sustainably and enjoy their adventures without ruining the nature, local communities, habitats, and the planet’s future.


18. Use fuel-efficient cars

“Whenever you can, use fuel-efficient cars and solar power to reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment. Eco-friendly and fuel-efficient cars help to curb pollution and its harmful effects and contribute to a greener and healthier planet.”
Somnath

Somnath is a travel writer and the person behind the eco-friendly travel blog Travel Crusade.

He shares useful information such as what to consider when planning trips, sustainable vacation guides, including resources about renewable energy and eco-friendly living.

Travel Crusade’s contents are focused on travel, nature, and environment.

Somnath keeps his readers motivated and tries to ignite the wanderlust present inside all of us.

Through Travel Crusade, Somnath also provides materials to aid and help travelers across the globe.


19. Choose a local cafe or restaurant that has a social impact

“If you’re looking for somewhere to have a coffee or lunch, social enterprises are now popping up everywhere. Some employ locals from disadvantaged backgrounds and others contribute to their local school. In Cambodia and the Philippines you can also stay at hostels that give back to the community and provide clean water to rural villages.”

Lisa is a travel journalist and blogger with a thirst for the world and an addiction to solo travel.

For the last twenty-two years, Lisa has been travelling, working and living abroad.

Her travels have taken her to 131 countries, 101 of which she traveled solo.

Talk about an adventure, right?

Lisa also runs Girl about the Globe (GatG), an award-winning, eco-friendly travel blog for conscious travelers; empowering women to travel solo and impacting the lives of vulnerable girls about the globe.

Girl about the Globe has some of the best solo travel guide, tips, and hacks you can find online.

Through Girl about the Globe, Lisa aims to create 100,000 conscious travellers and to raise £100,000 to impact the lives of vulnerable girls worldwide by the year 2025.

Lisa also runs a solo travel podcast and she has been featured on BBC Radio, The New York Times, and USA Today, amongst others.


20. Don’t waste resources on your travel destinations

“Water is such a lacking resource in many parts of our planet: don’t waste it, always close the faucets. And when you leave your hotel room, make sure you have switched off all of the lights and the air conditioning. Basically, don’t waste resources just because you are not paying the bills! You probably wouldn’t do it at home, so why do it on holiday?”
Stefania “Stef” Guglielmi

Stef have a Bachelor degree in International Studies, a Master in Communications, and a degree in Digital Marketing.

She is also a full time traveler and blogger from Italy who likes writing fiction and getting lost in words.

Stef is the free-spirited mind behind the lifestyle and ecotravel blog Every Steph.

Visit Every Steph and you’ll find plenty of practical and responsible travel guides and healthy recipes, including lifestyle and fashion tips.

Stef’s mission is to redefine the stereotype of the eco-traveler and want to show that sustainable travel can easily go hand in hand with a touch of luxury.

As Stef would say: Eco-luxury travel is a thing!


21. Carry a reusable water bottle and make good use of free drinking water sources

“We all need to be hydrated during our travels. Instead of buying plastic bottles of water, carry your own reusable bottle and refill it in places like coffee shops or restaurants. Many places allow this and if you encounter a rude employee, just go ask in another place. You always find someone to help you get free water.”
Tiago & Sandrina

Tiago and Sandrina is a couple of nature lovers from Portugal.

They are also the brilliant minds behind the sustainable travel blog, The Wise Travellers.

The Wise Travellers contains Tiago and Sandrina’s travel experiences, adventures and stories together.

Including the cultures they came across as they travel and how these people are living in harmony with nature.

On The Wise Traveler blog, you can also find specific travel guides to famous travel destinations all around the world.

More importantly, the couple promotes ecotourism and shares relevant ideas on how anyone can enjoy traveling without harming Mother earth.


22. Avoid renting cars (whenever possible) in your destinations

“Instead of renting a car, opt for local public transport like train, carsharing and bike tours. Most cities also have wonderful (and free) walking tours..”
Cristina

Cristina is a Canadian travel blogger and a proud coffee lover!

She quit her job as a TV journalist and decided to live a more fulfilling life than the 9-5 routine, traveling the world.

At the moment, Cristina has already visited 40+ countries.

She created her blog Chasing Travel to share ideas focusing on slow travel, social impact and, of course, coffee cultures around the globe.

Cristina has been recognized as one of the Top 25 Travel Bloggers by FlipKey-TripAdvisor.

Meanwhile, her blog Chasing Travels has been named one of the Top 100 Travel Blogs in Canada by FlightNetwork.com.

Besides being a travel blogger, Cristina is also the Events/PR of Travel Massive.


Final Thoughts

There are many upsides to traveling and going for vacation.

Besides personal fulfillment, tourism also promotes economic growth and community development.

And with this list of eco-friendly and sustainable travel tips from experts, you can enjoy your vacations and travels without doing much harm to the planet.

You can also visit any of the eco-friendly travel blogs mentioned above to find more sustainable travel ideas.

You might also be interested in:

6 Comments

    1. Thank you so much for your contribution on this article Cristina, we truly appreciate it. And like us, we are glad to know that you also learned new ideas on how to travel without harming the environment. Cheers!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *