Now all this talk about space and space travel got us thinking here on the getaway, with

more
emphasis than ever on us all to reduce our carbon footprint what can we do to make sure we’re
travelling in a more environmentally friendly way? Well, I spoke to Martin Sanchez from WWF to
find out more. Who started by telling me picking an appropriate destination is vital

The first thing to do is to pick an appropriate destination.

Have a look at how far you will need to travel, most forms of transport contribute to climate
change. To minimize your holiday emissions, choose a destination closer to home and/or one you
can reach by transport other than plane. Look at eco-tourism options. Many travel companies now
offer holidays which support sustainable development, do not impact negatively on the
environment, and provide financial support to local communities. It worth pointing out a trip to
the Seychelles could be more beneficial to the environment if you planned the trip right by taking
part in conservation projects than a trip for the same amount of time from to Paris from London.

That’s surprising and I suppose that would come down to just how you plan to travel around your
destination if your driving a big 4by4 around Paris it would do a lot more damage than helping to
combat sea levels in the Seychelles?

Yes literally that.

Although and I suppose at the risk of sounding slightly contractionary flying does have a big negative
impact on your carbon footprint?

Yes it does you should always try and choose the most environmentally friendly form of transport.
Can you drive or take the train to your destination instead of flying is always something we’re
trying to get people to consider. And actually instead of long haul we really try and get consumers
to try and avoid short haul flights because if you could travel in a way that isn’t by plane you could
really reduce your carbon footprint. However if you must fly try and choose an airline with higher
occupancy rates and more efficient aircraft.

These are some really great tips Martin, and if we move on now to when your at the location. Is it
possible to choose an environmental friendly accommodation?

Yes it is! Look for hotels and other accommodation with effective waste treatment systems, that
recycle, that are energy efficient, and, where possible, that use environmentally friendly energy
sources such as solar energy or hydroelectric power. And also, whilst you’re a guest make sure you
respect the local environment. Stay on trails and public footpaths; do not remove plants or feed
animals; and never litter, this can really damage an area, there’s plenty of beach in countries like
Thailand and Vietnam that wont allow foreigners on to certain beaches because of the repeated
amount of damage caused by littering and just general disregard for the environment.

And following on from this you guys at WWF have a really useful guide that may seem a bit obvious
to some people but with some tips on how to be a responsible guest, could you list us a few key
one?
Absolute, I would say these rules are great because whether your traveling around the UK or going
to Australia or somewhere in between all these tips will really help you!

Firstly Choose reputable, conservation-minded tour operators and suppliers, it’s important to be
safe whilst traveling and an increasing amount of companies are doing what they can to be more
sustainable.

Conserve water in some countries the amount of energy consumed to produce clean
drinking/bathing water is really bad for the environment so try taking showers rather than baths;
use a refillable water container, sterilizing water when necessary rather than buying bottled
water. Minimize your use of personal care products and detergents to wash linen and reuse your
hotel towels and bed linen.

We’ve already mentioned travelling in a environmentally friendly way but also when at your
destination instead of hiring a car, could you use taxis, trains or buses. Maybe even hire a bike or
even walk! Of cause don’t put yourself in danger, I’m not going to sit here and say walk 20 mintues
back to your hotel in the dark if you’ve had a few to drink, but could you walk there in the first
place? Just little things like this to consider.

You know this has really got me thinking about all the trips I’ve been and what more I could of done,
I think maybe because it can quite often be foreign country I don’t think twice about getting a taxi
but yeah why not cycle or walk? Think of how much I’m missing out on as well!

Exactly.

And just finally Martin you wanted to make a point about souvenirs?

Yes, watch what you buy for a souvenir! Think twice before you buy any products made from any
endangered species, including animal hides and body parts, tortoise-shell, ivory, or coral - they
could be illegal and you’d have trouble getting it back into the UK but also it could be really
damaging to the local eco system.

That was Martin Sanchez there from WWF green travel board and if you’d like to learn more about
environmental travelling, head over to our website Destination radio.uk where you’ll find a link to
everything Martin said there anymore, and why not check out our socials to see