{"id":15375,"date":"2019-08-15T15:07:44","date_gmt":"2019-08-15T14:07:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/?p=15375"},"modified":"2020-12-22T16:14:16","modified_gmt":"2020-12-22T16:14:16","slug":"sustainable-packing-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/sustainable-packing-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"The Sustainable Traveller\u2019s Packing Checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” content_placement=”middle”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”15713″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/12″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”10\/12″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

Sustainable travel doesn\u2019t just start when you arrive at your destination \u2013 it starts the moment you open your suitcase. We all know we need to do our bit in the fight against single-use plastic, and there are significant ways in which we can cut down on plastic when planning our packing checklist.\u00a0However, there are also other things worth thinking about if you want \u2018pack smart\u2019 and travel responsibly. Packing with care can reduce the waste that you leave behind, as well as impact other aspects of sustainable travel such as cultural preservation and respect to local communities. It can even have a positive impact on your carbon footprint!<\/p>\n

As the Head of Sustainable Travel at Experience Travel Group<\/a>, I’ve given a lot of thought as to ways in which we can pack better. Here are my findings – but do let me know if you have any more ideas to add to the list!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Your Responsible Travel\u00a0Packing Checklist<\/h2>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/12″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/12″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”8\/12″][vc_column_text]\u00b7\u00a0 \u00a0 A reusable water bottle. Many hotels, restaurants and airports these days offer drinking water refills which means you can significantly cut down on single-use plastic bottles during your trip. We are working with our in-country partners to install refill facilities in our vehicles too, to help you reduce your plastic \u2018footprint\u2019 even further.<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A cloth shopping bag. Just as we all take our own shopping bags to the supermarket now, being able to turn down offers of a plastic bag while travelling also wins you brownie points in the sustainability department.<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Try to avoid taking throwaway items such as mini toiletries.\u00a0The vast majority of hotels provide the basic items these days but if you like to have your own brands with you, decant them into small, reusable containers that you can take whenever you travel.<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Wet wipes are very handy to have on holiday, but the majority of mainstream brands contain plastic fibres that do not disintegrate.\u00a0Stick to biodegradable or compostable versions.<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0If you think a cocktail isn\u2019t fully dressed without a straw, pack a bamboo or metal one so that you can refuse plastic ones which are almost impossible to recycle.<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Rechargeable batteries for cameras and other electronics.<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Take some reading material (or audiobooks are great for long journeys) about your destination. Whether folktales, historical novels or travelogues are your bag, they\u2019ll give you an insight into how the people and the country tick and help you feel more immersed while you\u2019re there.<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A phrasebook or language app to help you learn a few words and phrases that will help you connect with the people you meet. Chances are that their English will be better than your Lao or Vietnamese but the fact that you\u2019re making even a small effort will be appreciated and the smiles that your accent provokes will certainly break the ice!<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Think about cultural considerations when you pack: what local dress codes do you need to be prepared for?\u00a0For example, outside tourist areas in Sri Lanka<\/a>, it\u2019s polite for women to wear a sarong or other cover-up while swimming.\u00a0And when entering a mosque, it\u2019s important to cover your head, shoulders and legs.<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Pack light! The lighter your suitcase, the lighter the load of your plane and other modes of transport you take and the less fuel they will burn as they take you from place to place.<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Rather than packing sweets or toys to give to children (which can encourage a culture of dependency), ask your guide for advice on donating some money to reputable charities or NGOs active in the country you are visiting.\u00a0Or contact an initiative such as Pack for a\u00a0Purpose<\/a> and use a bit of your luggage space to take out items that these organisations need.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/12″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_empty_space height=”50px”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

CURIOUS ABOUT ASIA?<\/h2>\n

Head to our website<\/a> for ideas and information about travelling to Asia.<\/p>\n

Get in touch with Alice for sustainable travel queries or to suggest more items for the packing checklist on 0207 924 7133.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sustainable travel doesn\u2019t just start when you arrive at your destination \u2013 it starts the moment you open your suitcase. Here’s how to pack in a more eco-conscious way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":15713,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1317],"tags":[1333],"coauthors":[935],"class_list":["post-15375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sustainable-travel","tag-planning"],"aioseo_notices":[],"views":4209,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15375","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15375"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15375\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15375"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15375"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15375"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=15375"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}