“Everyone thinks of changing the world but no one thinks of changing himself.” - Leo Tolstoy
At HomeExchange, we believe that it’s all the little actions that we take that can leave a significant impact, so we’ve prepared a non-exhaustive list of things that you can consider doing (if you haven’t already) during your next and future holidays to travel more ethically!
Choose your destination and mode of transport consciously
1. It is always better to travel locally.
Explore new towns and cities near you, some of them might even surprise you!
2. Best modes of transport:
3. Whenever possible, compensate for your carbon footprint.
Compensate for your trip's carbon footprints with Cool Effect, myclimate or GoodPlanet.
Act like a guest and a participant, not like a spectating tourist.
4. Choose to home-exchange whenever possible!
Instead of concentrating travellers in overexploited tourist areas, HomeExchange values local tourism, using empty houses instead of saturating touristy areas. Find out more about why HomeExchange is the most responsible way to travel here.
5. Invest some time to find out more
about the beliefs, values, customs and habits of the locals so that you can remain respectful of their culture when you visit.
6. Interact with locals
to find out more about their day-to-day lives.
7. Do your research about any animal activities
such as visiting elephant sanctuaries
What to look out for in an animal operator:
- Their aim is to protect the animals.
- Are registered as an NGO.
- They are transparent about their business operations.
Source: https://www.gvi.ie/blog/12-ways-to-travel-responsibly/
Choose to be an engaged traveller who contributes to the local economy
8. Visit local markets and locally owned businesses
Talk with the vendors to learn more about their lives and purchase locally sourced produce. Don’t hesitate to ask your host about their favourite local markets!
9. Bargaining for goods should be done with an understanding
of the average local prices and with respect for the sellers’ livelihood.
10. Eat in locally-owned restaurants.
Yes, we’re calling out big multinational food chains here! Instead of going for that same burger that you can get anywhere in the world, take this chance to try more local dishes and give back to the local economy at the same time.
As we all embark on our adventure globe-trotting around the world, let’s remain mindful of the impact we leave behind.
