Why Your Travel Choices Matter

It’s easy to get overwhelmed while trying to be both a global traveller and a decent human. We are constantly bombarded with information about the best and worst ways to be sustainable and conscientious. It feels as if we are constantly told that we are horrible people who want the planet to burn if we don’t use this travel website that plants a tree for every trip booked; this travel insurance that is feeding 13 villages in Africa; this shampoo bar that is made of only the finest ethically sourced olive, hemp, lemon-grass, and CBD oils; or this hotel that is single-handedly saving the sea turtles by employing them to run the front desk - the guilt-inducing list is infinite.

I find that this level of eco-warrior bullshit puts people off, which is not surprising in the slightest. What other reaction would you expect if you have been told by countless influencers, bloggers, and activists that you’re a horrible person because you’re not making the right choices (aka their choices), in exactly the right way (aka their way), or in the right quantity (aka every waking hour of the day and all of the sleeping hours of the night)?

It makes people feel like shit. So, I’m going to break down, and hopefully reassure readers, why even the smallest eco-friendly, sustainable travel choices made as individuals, do, in fact, matter and have a positive impact on our planet and environment.

Every Little Choice Helps.

There is a reason this is the ethos behind the tagline of one of the largest supermarket chains in Britain - it’s true. In the case of the supermarket, every little purchase you make helps provide their CEOs with a nicer pay packet. Perhaps an oversimplified way of explaining something quite complex, but the foundational principle still holds true: market forces matter.

If the decision-makers of Tesco make it their company motto to reassure Margaret from Govan that her 12 pound weekly spend on biscuits is important to them and that it helps their supermarket keep on ticking, it’s because there is truth to it. They know those little purchases add up and count for quite a lot when you take into consideration all the Margarets from every town, village, and city in the United Kingdom. It translates into a lot of cash for them so it’s smart to keep Margaret’s favourite biscuits on the shelves - it’s worth the company’s financial while. The same applies for eco-friendly travel products, booking platforms, hotels, and transport providers.

So, you’re only using shampoo bars but still using bottled conditioner - it’s still better than using bottled conditioner and bottled shampoo. So, you only managed to use a bamboo toothbrush but are still using disposable cotton pads - it’s ok, a little is better than nothing. Just build up slowly. Companies will be keeping track of these changes in consumption patterns and will produce, manufacture, and market goods and services accordingly to fit what customers want and are willing to pay for.

It took me almost three years of regular travel for work in the tourism industry to get to a point where my toiletry bag started to resemble anything that I would consider to be ‘eco-friendly’. I felt guilty that my toothbrush was disposable plastic, that I bought mini versions of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, and always used single-use cotton pads. I still use cotton face pads which means twice a day while washing my face I manage to convince myself that I am a massive hypocrite and the sole reason the planet is dying. What I’m saying is that if you feel similarly, rest assured that you’re not alone. Don’t be too hard on yourself, your small changes do genuinely make a difference.

One key thing to note, and somewhere I went wrong for a long time, is this: make changes that are compatible with you and not based on what others are telling you that you should be doing.

The more manageable you make travel changes for yourself, the more likely you are to stick to them. This will look different for each individual person. This will be what leads to your changes in shopping patterns and creates long-lasting, sustainable behavioural changes. With that in mind, I have a challenge for you: make one eco-friendly change to your packing with every trip you do. On your next trip, try using a bamboo toothbrush. The trip after that, pack a bamboo toothbrush and shampoo and conditioner bars. Trip number three, add in the reusable face pads. Baby-step your way to becoming an eco-friendly traveller. This is what will help you make a lasting change and a positive impact.

Your Choices Won’t Be Perfect.

We are human and, therefore, flawed. No decisions we make regarding eco-tourism and sustainable travel are going to be 100% eco-friendly or green. It’s a depressing fact but a fact, nonetheless. Every aspect of human consumption will have an unsustainable aspect to it somewhere along the line because the whole consumer process is run by imperfect human beings and companies trying to make as much money as possible. Don’t let travel influencers tell you that there is only one right way to travel in a more eco-conscientious way, either; that one and only correct way will most likely have a cash reward or incentive for the online personality in question. A lot of people are out to make money.

The important question to keep in mind is this: what better travel decisions can I make as an individual to make a less damaging impact on our environment based on my needs, budget, ethics, and circumstances? Everyone’s answer will be different. The real impact comes when more of us start to take more conscientious approaches to how we travel and create methods of being sustainable while travelling that works for each of us as individuals.

The Classic Excuses.

 There are two biggies:

1)     Nobody else is doing it so it doesn’t matter

2)     One tiny change won’t make any real difference

I hear these all the time and, if I’m being honest, am guilty of saying these things myself. However, we just don’thave the time to be making these sorts of excuses anymore. Realistically, we have until 2030 to make changes to our sick and dying planet, according to the UN, before we are more or less fucked (my words, not theirs). So, as travellers and tourists let’s make an agreement, we all start being more kind to ourselves and give ourselves permission to realise that our individual choices and behaviours do make a difference without feeling guilty about not doing enough or being perfect.

Now, will your personal use of bamboo toothbrushes over plastic ones cancel out the environmental damage of fossil fuel corporations? Of course, not. However, as previously mentioned, your individual choices will affect market forces, supply, and the purchasing behaviours of other travellers. I promise, your seemingly minor changes do add up and influence things for the better. At the very least, you get to feel a wee bit smug that your travel choices are making a positive impact.

You’ll Make Mistakes.

I am constantly making mistakes when it comes to sustainable travel and I always feel terrible about it, especially as someone who has chosen to create a platform that is based on helping people make more conscientious travel choices. It’s difficult to not feel hypocritical. However, I’m trying to use my experiences, this blog, and social media to help others avoid the poor choices that I have made, help them understand that mistakes will happen, and to not let those mistakes get them down or discourage them from trying to be more sustainable.

Small Changes, Big Impact

Over the years, I have made a lot of sustainable changes to my behaviour and the way I travel, from small actions like using a reusable water bottle to larger scale changes like switching flying for long-distance train travel where possible. I have had the good fortune of interacting with thousands of people who are also trying their best to be more conscientious. I feel grateful to be able to use my personal failures and successes to help them to do so.

The above are some of the most mentioned hurdles when talking about the negative aspects of trying to be sustainable, the things that get people down the most. By creating a post that was practical and encouraging, my hope is that it will allow people to feel more at ease with their travel choices and share their own successes and failures below for people to learn from. You can share your successes or failures in the comments below so our community can grow and learn from each other. And as always, happy travels!