We have prepared a handbook for a Eco-conscious traveller consisting of 10 useful rules to make your holiday with Slow Active Tours even more sustainable. Adopting a sustainable lifestyle is certainly a good habit that each of us should practice all year round. If we want to contribute to making this world better, we should start to be more conscious of the choices we make, even on holiday. Any small measure can become decisive.
1. Water is a precious commodity
It is probably the most important of the ten rules included in the handbook of the Eco-conscious traveller. The serious climate crisis that Europe, and the entire world, is experiencing continues to cause long periods of drought which compromise the work of thousands of farmers. For this reason it becomes essential to commit to reducing water consumption. How? Certainly a useful tip is to always make sure you turn off the tap after drinking from a fountain along the way. Furthermore, taking short showers instead of bathing in the tub would save hundreds of liters of water... as well as preserving your tan for longer in summer!
2. Support local communities
Discovering a new city through its typical cuisine is certainly one of the most beautiful and fun things you can do during a trip. In fact, the genuine traditional dishes will not only allow you to fill up with energy to continue your journey on foot or by bicycle as best as possible, but in this way you will contribute significantly to reducing emissions into the atmosphere. The products will not have been transported hundreds of kilometers. Furthermore, you will strengthen the local supply chain and the economy of the place you are visiting, and you will taste a product that is certainly fresher and more nutritious.
3. Don't leave waste behind and bring reusable bags with you
When traveling on foot or by bicycle, the advice we suggest in the vademecum of the Eco-conscious traveller is to always eat fresh seasonal fruit.
Firstly for a nutritional aspect, and then because it would avoid dispersing into the environment the single-use plastic used to package most of the snacks found in supermarkets.
One of the advantages of traveling outdoors is being able to take advantage of what seasonality offers ? But when that's not possible, dried fruit is ideal because you don't run the risk of it melting in your backpack pockets upon arrival of the summer heat! Our advice is to buy almonds, nuts and seeds in small fruit markets. This way, not only will you be able to purchase a larger quantity by asking the seller to fill your reusable bag, but you will also avoid having single-use plastic bags delivered to you.
4. Bring a water bottle
You don't need to read the ten rules written in the Eco-conscious traveller's vademecum to know that plastic is the most polluting material of our era. In fact, by carrying a reusable water bottle, you can contribute significantly to reducing the waste of resources. Generally in the morning the water bottles can be filled in the structure where you are staying, so as to leave well organized, and along the routes you can find drinking water fountains. These small oases are reported on the Travel App that we provide to our travelers, where you can also find the itinerary to follow, points of interest and lots of other useful information.
5. Recycle according to local regulations
As we know, waste management is a matter of regional competence. It could therefore happen that, when traveling in a region different from the one in which you usually live, there are different provisions on the exact disposal of waste. In the vademecum of the Eco-conscious traveller we suggest consulting the institutional website of the municipality in which you are located and reading the instructions for separate waste collection. Another effective method to avoid the risk of having our waste dispersed into the environment could be to immediately identify where the recycling bins are located in the green area or on the beach.
6. Respect local wildlife
The sustainability of a journey also and above all depends on respect for the places and the living beings that live there. Our presence in nature will never have zero impact, but we can adopt small measures that significantly reduce the weight of our passage and make the journey more sustainable.
Regardless of the Eco-conscious traveller, you must not go off your path. This could disrupt their behavior and we could risk damaging the vegetation the animals feed on.
It is very important to stay away from wild animals and therefore not try to give them our food, or in some cases chase them to photograph them.
Giving food to wild animals is very harmful because it could cause health problems, as well as endangering one's own safety.
7. Move in a sustainable way
There is no better way to discover a new city than getting lost among its alleys and streets of the historic center. By bicycle it is even better because you can cover more distance in less time. If you are in Lecce, discover our bike rental service . Delivery is free to all accommodation facilities in the city with a minimum rental period of 3 days.
8. Sustainable technical material
When traveling on foot or by bicycle, the choice of clothing to wear is certainly as important as planning the route itself, as well as following the handbook of the Eco-conscious traveller. In addition to preferring the material of plant origin to the synthetic one, both from a sustainability point of view and from a more practical point of view, bring with you what you need to make small repairs without necessarily having to buy another item.
9. Eco-friendly sunscreen
For a holiday that is increasingly sustainable, in compliance with the ten rules included in the handbook of the Eco-conscious traveller, it is important to make choices that do not alter in any way the place where we find ourselves, allowing everyone else to be able to admire what we are admiring. It might seem strange, but this is the case with sunscreens. Protecting the skin from the aggressive action of UV rays is essential, but not all creams are the same: in fact, there are protective creams that have a lower impact on fish, corals and the entire marine ecosystem. Micronesia, for example, was the first to ban its use throughout its territory and will soon be followed by other countries. Look for "reef friendly" or "Ocean friendly" products, or read the label carefully to make sure that there are as many natural ingredients as possible, that they are water resistant, without Octinoxate and Oxybenzone filters, with sustainable packaging and free of parabens and microplastics.
10. Interact with the local community
Sustainability does not only concern respect for the environment, but is a concept that can be divided into various components, one of which undoubtedly concerns human nature: a trip becomes sustainable even when the local community of the new territory being visited is involved.
The last of the ten rules contained in the handbook of the conscious tourist is undoubtedly that of interacting with the local inhabitants, learning about their traditions, habits and customs. Even learning the dialect of a new region if you travel to Italy can be a very authentic experience. In fact, in Italy, and in Puglia in particular, there are linguistic minorities such as arbëreshe or griko language, which are really interesting to know and safeguard to ensure that they do not disappear completely.
...an extra effort
And when you return home, to compensate for the CO2 produced by your trip, plant a tree in your city and take care of it.
We hope that the reading was interesting and that you appreciate our suggestions that we recommend in the handbook of the conscious tourist.
