We have all started to tentatively hope for a future where we might soon be able to travel freely again, to return to a life where we can hop on a plane to visit friends and family, or just have a week somewhere more exotic than our back garden. While this is an exciting prospect, what does that mean from an ecological standpoint?

Putting aside the enormous environmental impact of air travel, there are many other things to consider when looking at the impact of humans travelling extensively again.

Be a more considerate traveller

It’s not the case that you need to totally ditch your holiday plans and stay home, but just have a little more awareness and be a more considerate traveller. There are small measures you can look into while you’re away and also a few things you can prepare before you go.

If you’ve ever been swimming in the sea at a popular beach you will probably have noticed the slick on the surface caused by chemicals in sun cream. You can help lesson this by choosing a sun cream with natural ingredients.

Activities like hiring jet skis, speed boats or having banana boat rides might be fun, but they are best avoided as they can cause so many issues for marine life, not only from the pollution of the engines but due to the fact that there are so many creatures injured by the propellers, often fatally.

Another simple step is to follow the guidance about putting your used paper in the bin instead of in the toilet, as some countries have issues with sanitation and their systems can’t cope with an enormous influx of tourists.

It’s very easy to put all of our eco-friendly habits on hold when on holiday, but with a little thought and pre-planning you can carry on making the good changes you started at home when you’re away.

Small things make a difference if we all put in the effort

Little things like taking a reusable bag so you don’t need a plastic one when you go to the shops, packing your cloth face wipes so you don’t need disposable ones, taking the same cruelty free brands you normally use in small refillable bottles, and trying to support small local businesses. These can all make a difference if everyone puts in the effort!

Trying to limit your environmental impact will make for a much better holiday all round. Many countries rely heavily on our visits but there are a lot of ways that we can still support their economies, enjoy their beautiful weather and sights, have fun and enjoy ourselves, while still being eco-conscious.