I met a wonderful lady recently, a travel enthusiast, who pleasantly surprised me with a meaningful & thought-provoking statement. In discussing our views on travel, she said “I’d like to leave the place a little better than what it was in the smallest way I could”.
Hearing this struck a chord within me and got me thinking about how owning even the littlest amount of responsibility in the way we travel can leave a significant, positive impact on locals and the places we visit.
I wondered why we as humans exhibit different behaviour patterns, extending as far as apathy, regarding our presence in different places. We are careful about keeping our homes and surrounding areas clean, however, we don’t think twice before littering other parts of the city or country with plastic or behaving in a careless manner with food, water or energy resources.
Whether we stay put within our surroundings or travel to explore and wander different parts of the world, it is paramount that all of us, as people of this planet, need to take the onus to protect the only home we have. We all stand to benefit, from making our life and travel a bit greener and responsible too!
Basic choices that we make, such as being water-wise; reducing energy consumption; rethinking your mode of transportation by taking public transportation, biking or walking whenever possible; carrying owned, re-usable metal utensils, refillable water bottles or cloth bags to avoid plastic, keeping the area clean, recycling wherever possible and opting for carbon offset programs on airlines will earn us the earth-friendly, proud title of “eco-tourist”.
Learning about the culture and eco-system of a place by speaking to the local people and buying items from them will help encourage their livelihood… For instance, instead of carrying bags of processed potato chips, buying delicious local produce such as fruits, vegetables or food items made by local food vendors or consuming locally made food or drink items; visiting charming, local restaurants for special and authentic experiences will give our journeys meaning.
Keeping traditional arts and crafts alive by making purchases from local artisans will support the local markets, community and their economy. We must also try to avoid bargaining excessively, as that small amount of money will make a world of a difference to the local vendor than to us.
Making such small efforts will help give back to the regions all of us visit in a big way.
On a recent trek to Peb Fort in Karjat, we chose to hire a local guide from a nearby village to take us through the gruelling 6-hour mountain climb, after which we feasted on the tastiest pav vadas, (a local Maharashtrian dish) at one of the stalls in a nearby village.
Photo by Paul PalathingalWhen we travelled to Kerala, my friends and I opted to live in a quaint, pretty homestay, where we helped the owners tend the garden, cook wholesome meals and do various other household chores. Tending the garden in the morning time, cooking wholesome meals from fresh vegetables and using solar power for electricity and warm water was an enriching and enlightening experience.
Taking things a step further, doing a bit of pre-travel research may help us uncover eco friendly homestays or hotels with sustainability programs that potentially have a positive impact on the local environment. Additionally, choosing to eat at or shop from restaurants or shops that do not promote cruelty or exploitation of endangered species.
Opt for environmentally and socially responsible tour operators that actively work with local partners and communities with respect to location.
As more of us put green living and travelling into practice, it will effortlessly turn into a lifelong commitment. We need to design a lifestyle that allows us to take active steps towards creating an ecological balance which will last for generations to come.
As people of the earth and as a community united in diversity and strength – understanding, accepting and most importantly, sharing responsibility, in our mindset and actions from within, will contribute towards a better tomorrow. Whether at home, or someplace else – we’re all in this together. And despite the fact that there has been so much damage and there are so many challenges that the planet is facing there is also a lot to be grateful for and we must build from there. We must all begin by being convinced that each of our actions will make a difference and only then there shall be the collective change that this beloved planet of ours so needs.
As Robert Swan rightly observed, “The biggest threat to our planet, is the belief that someone else will save it!”
Written by Paul Palathingal
Week 13, April 21
