How To Become A Conscious Traveller

1
How To Become A Conscious Traveller
2
(No Transcript)
3
Accountability matters! Mankind has to realize
this and put an end to mindless exploitation of
Mother Nature and its various elements. Tourism
explosion in the last few years had contributed a
great deal to the worlds economy so much that
many small nations started completely relying on
foreign earnings. But over-tourism led to
environmental pollution, deforestation,
exploitation of local, indigenous cultures and an
end to many exotic species of land and marine
fauna by poachers. But, for the first time in
centuries, the table has turned and Mother Nature
has found the rare opportunity to rebound itself
when all the perpetrators, the humans are locked
down in their homes for months, all thanks to the
widespread coronavirus pandemic. This window of
hope is bearing fruits as we can see air quality
increasing, water pollution receding and many
supposedly lost species reappearing again on the
face of the Earth. The COVID-19 pandemic is
definitely a lesson we are all learning the hard
way that as the dominant species on earth, we
simply cannot take advantage of its resources for
our selfish needs because these are shared by
other living beings as well - It is their home
too! And, there are few others out there who
tried to equip others with the importance of
attaining sustainability and shouldering
responsibility when it comes down to tourism,
like the TreadRight Foundation. Such foundations
have put together a number of resources to help
travellers become more aware of sustainability in
the travel space and include steps for making the
best decisions.
4
But, you do not have to register yourself with
any foundation or organisation to adopt a
responsible behaviour towards Mother Nature when
travelling across countries. You can do your own
bit, even if it is a small step but that tiny
effort is your first step taken towards attaining
sustainability in the travel space. The United
Nations designated 2017 the International Year of
Sustainable Tourism for Development which
presents an opportunity to raise global awareness
about how responsible tourism can act as a
vehicle for positive change. So, here is a list
of six different things you can at least try to
become a responsible tourist.
5
4 Ways to Be a Responsible Traveller The three
pillars of sustainable tourism entail the
employment of environmentally friendly practices
such as reduce, reuse, recycle, and protecting
the cultural, as well as, natural heritage and
local communities thrive economically. Reduce
carbon footing - Be a part of the emerging slow
travel trend by cutting down your itineraries to
a handful of places and spending more valuable
time at each spot. Avoid travelling by air and
enjoy a train journey which will award you with
picturesque views of the landscapes you are
passing by, something you miss while travelling
by air. This is how you will reduce your carbon
footing as well. Donate to reputable social
welfare organizations - Kind gestures on the part
of certain tourists like handing money or gifts
to children and villagers in developing nations
can trigger community conflicts and encourage bad
habits such as begging and stealing among the
local communities. So, it is advisable to
approach legitimate social welfare organizations.
6
Say no to plastic - We have read often that
non-biodegradable products like plastics do not
decompose easily and are capable of realising
harmful Greenhouse gases in the air. The Great
Pacific Garbage Patch, a collection of marine
debris in the North Pacific Ocean, a swirling
mass of human trash stretching across thousands
of miles of the ocean which includes gallons of
throw-away plastic bottles and bags take hundreds
of years to decompose, thereby wreaking havoc on
the marine ecosystem, is directly responsible for
harming the fragile environment underwater. So,
cut back on plastic waste, it will also reduce
your carbon footprint and also the use of
petroleum-based ingredients which are a staple in
manufacturing plastic bottles and bags. Avoid
purchasing wildlife products - This is not a
hidden fact that animal skin is often used in the
fashion industry. Elephants are killed mindlessly
by poachers for their tusks that are highly
valuable in the ivory industry. Local villagers,
for instance, in Vietnams Halong Bay sell
beautiful sea-shells to foreigners to earn a few
coffers. Tourists who purchase such products
thinking that they are helping the poor villagers
are inadvertently helping to support a growing
marketplace that relies heavily on rare and
exotic wildlife trafficking. So, never buy
wildlife products - PERIOD!!!
7
Source https//www.smore.com/tpacy-how-to-become-
a-conscious-traveller