How to Travel Sustainably in Groups
Of course, when you travel by yourself, it is much easier to manage your own habits, and live as sustainably as possible. But what about when you are traveling with friends?
As COVID restrictions lift up slowly but surely around the world, it is only a matter of time until we can all get back to our travelling plans. We are all ‘starved’ for travelling and new experiences, so it is fair to expect a huge boom in tourism everywhere around the world, which might negatively impact the environment and the local communities.
That trip you had planned with your friends but never got to go on? Soon enough, you might be able to. That is why now, more than ever, it is very important to know more about sustainable traveling and how we can do our part in helping the planet, especially in larger groups.
Are you on the same page?
We all want to take our best friends, family or special ones on holiday, but sometimes our values and plans don’t coincide. Before making any plans, make sure that you are all on board with the idea of keeping your holiday as sustainable as possible: that might mean giving up some of the luxury or entertainment, and for some people it might even be a dealbreaker.
In larger groups you might never agree on things completely. Compromise wherever possible, but don’t shy away from saying your opinion.
The planning stage
Once you have decided on your perfect group, it is time to get into the planning stage. This is the perfect time to sit down with your friends and decide where you want to go, what you want to do, how to get there and so on. Opinions may clash from time to time, but one thing to always keep in mind is to be mindful of each other’s ideas, and mindful of the environment.
Deciding where to go is perhaps the most important thing, since everyone has their own idea of ideal holiday: do you want to be close to the sea, or in the mountains? Do you want to stay in a big city or a small, remote village? No matter where you go, you need to do your research about the area to make sure you keep your trip as sustainable as possible.
For example, always try to schedule trips in the off season: this is when overcrowded places have some space to breathe, and it is also the time when these places will benefit the most from your visit. For example, the season for beach trips is mid-summer, so even going somewhere between August and September will ensure you get the most of your trip, while also avoiding huge crowds. Same goes for a trip deep in the mountains: many people choose to go in winter, but you can always choose to go earlier or later, and get the same experience overall.
Although it may be hard to do this, you should try to keep your traveling group as small as possible. Once you have decided on your group and booked all the main things (accommodation and transportation), avoid bringing in more people and changing plans last minute. It might mean that hotels or flights have made unnecessary preparations for your group, which requires resources and energy.
How to travel?
No matter if you and your friends are trying to decide how to travel to your destination, or how to travel around while at your destination, there are plenty of ways to keep it sustainable.
At any time, make sure you use the minimum number of vehicles: when traveling by car, opt for one of those big cars that can transport all of you. If you need to rent a car for this, also consider renting an electric one: the environment will thank you.
Of course, while at your destination, try to avoid using cars (rentals, cabs or Ubers) at all costs: it is much better to use public transportation. Or, why not, you and your friends might have the best time of your life simply walking around places. You can use this time away from the noisy traffic and crowds, and really bond together and create magical memories.
Where to stay?
Deciding on accommodation when traveling in large groups can be a real challenge. It is hard to keep your consumption as low as possible when there are too many people.
Most of the countries you travel to have certain certification programmes which attest how green a hotel is, based on levels of energy and water consumption, recycling initiatives, sustainable design etc. Always try to research those programmes beforehand, and choose accommodation accredited with these certificates. It is the easiest way to ensure your stay leaves as low of a carbon footprint as possible.
In places without these certificates, there are other signs to look for, which tell you just how sustainable living there would be. For example, how much recycling does the hotel do? You can research online, or simply contact them and ask. Secondly, look into how much the hotel actually uses local resources: do they employ locals? Do they use food/decorations produced locally, or imported? Most hotels are owned by big companies which don’t invest in the local communities, but if they use local resources and staff, then it is a step in the right direction.
Many hotels advertise themselves as ‘green/eco’, but few of them go out of their way to help the environment. When you and your friends ask a hotel about the green initiatives they have in place, it is most of the time very clear whether they care about the environment and local communities or not. If they are interested in sustainability, they will be more than happy to share details with you. Otherwise, they might just give you some general information flooded with buzzwords to make it sound as good as possible.
A general rule of thumb for you and your friends would be to try to occupy as few rooms as possible: it takes far less preparation from the hotel’s side and will also take less resources to clean the rooms afterwards.
The good news is that, in a larger group, you have the chance to do even more research together, and find the perfect place for your holidays.
How to engage in sustainable activities?
When traveling with friends, the most difficult part is coming up with a schedule of activities that fit everyone’s taste. Everyone has their own idea of fun, and these ideas are not always environmentally friendly. So how can you and your friends keep up your sustainable travel habits while at your destination, while making sure everybody is having fun?
In larger groups, there is a big temptation to choose to spend time in the ‘fun’ places, such as clubs, amusement parks (a la Disneyland), or dining at fancy 5-star restaurants. While these can definitely make your trip feel more exciting, they most of the time engage in not-so-sustainable activities. They overcharge you while not paying their employees properly, not to mention the pollution and wastefulness they cause. Consider going on trips in nature or visiting historical heritage sites: you all get to spend time together and learn more about the communities you visit.
Of course, you don’t need alcohol to have a fun time with friends, but it is true that many people do participate in social events which include adult beverages. What you might not realise is that alcohol consumption is often times highly unsustainable.
When choosing what cocktail to order at a bar, consider ordering only those that use seasonal ingredients. You should also choose locally manufactured drinks, as there is a lot less pollution caused by transportation involved. Another thing to keep in mind is that bottles tend to require way more resources and energy to produce, so try to stick to cans rather than bottles as much as possible.
When with friends, we have so much fun that sometimes we completely ignore our surroundings. In larger groups, it is always important to keep being mindful of locals: always avoid taking pictures of local people without their consent, no matter how much you all want that moment immortalized. Another issue to keep in mind is the noise: be respectful of people around you both inside your accommodation and outside. We get it, you are having fun, but there is no need for everyone to see it: most of the time, people will be annoyed by it, not to mention the fact that you are adding to the noise pollution level.
There is absolutely no reason why you wouldn’t be able to travel sustainably even in larger groups. Sure it might take longer planning, but it will be worth it once you look back on all the memories you made.
Now that COVID restrictions are likely to get lifted, you might want to resume the amazing trip plans you made with your friends. However, as many people are about to do the same, it is more important than ever to try to keep our carbon footprint as low as possible, to protect our environment and our local communities. You and your friends will have the best time possible, and you will feel much more fulfilled knowing that, together, you helped make the world a little greener.