The Satisfaction of Travel in a Sustainable World

One of the ways that many people find satisfaction in life is through travel. That’s a great thing. Learning how others think and act in the world is critical to bringing the world together, and we wish that it was an activity that was more available to others. In addition, quite frankly, the world is full of beautiful and amazing sites to see. However, it’s no secret that travel, particularly global travel, leaves its carbon footprint on the world. How can you find the satisfaction of exploring the world while still making an effort to be sustainable and live green? Here are a few tips to get you started!

Increasingly, the number of hotels and hostels that are making (and, of course, promoting) eco friendly changes provides you with a number of more environmentally friendly options for where you stay when you travel. Of course, there’s also always the camping option! Even in places as wasteful as Las Vegas, if you do your research you can find options that are slightly less damaging to the world than others, and every little bit of environmental help counts!

There’s a quote we love: “The only thing that money can buy is a happy memory.” We think that that’s so true, and something to think about when you’re about to buy that t-shirt or stuffed animal to commemorate your trip. Another good thing to think about when buying that is this: “Will this t-shirt or stuffed animal really matter to me in five years?” In Yellowstone National Park, they’ve actually started grading all of the souvenirs available in the park shop with a carbon footprint tag so that people know exactly what the impact on the earth is if they purchase them. If you really want souvenirs, try to buy local crafts. You’ll not only help the local economy, you’ll most likely be supporting local and sustainable materials.

From the tiny bottles of hotel shampoo and hotel soaps that, once half used, are typically thrown away to the temptation to buy bottled water while traveling instead of carrying a refillable water bottle, all of your travel waste adds up. Because we’re “on vacation” it’s easy to stop paying attention to how much we’re wasting. In fact, when traveling, it’s the most important time to pay attention to these things because you’re buying more disposable items. Just be aware of what you’re doing and make decisions based on what’s best for you. That’s all we ask!

Travel should be an activity through which we find satisfaction. The educational and cultural benefits can’t be matched in any other way. However, being conscious of how we’re contributing to the effort to create a sustainable world while we travel is important. These days we can even buy carbon offsets for our journeys. Plus don’t forget to travel in the most earth-friendly mode possible considering your destination, maybe even a bicycle! Have an idea on how to be sustainable and satisfied while you’re traveling? Friend us on Facebook and tell us about it!

The Get Satisfied Interactive Handbook evaluates where you are on your journey to finding the satisfaction of enough and gives you a personalized how-to plan on beginning to find the satisfaction of enough.