How to Be an Earth-wise Traveller

From 1001 Easy Ways for Earth-Wise Living

Regular travellers know that doing your homework before you leave home is the best way to make your trip an enjoyable experience – and one that is respectful of the local people and environment. Just reaching the destination can be exhausting, so it’s well worth equipping yourself with a little natural know-how before you take off.

Beating jet lag

•Try taking Siberian ginseng a week before flying and for several days afterwards. It may help your body adapt more quickly to jet lag.
•Consider taking a melatonin supplement (available only on prescription in Australia). Melatonin is the hormone that helps to regulate the sleep-wake cycle.
•On board, drink plenty of water because the recycled air in planes is very dehydrating. Avoid carbonated drinks because they can cause wind when the plane changes altitude.
•Move around to avoid the risk of deep vein thrombosis, a condition caused by sitting in cramped conditions for hours at a time. At regular intervals, walk around and do some simple stretching exercises.
•Try to sleep during the hours that correspond to night-time at your destination.
•If you find noise stressful, wear earplugs. The noise of jet engines for a long journey may exhaust you.
•Use rehydrating salts once or twice during the flight and again after you arrive, to avoid cramping, another symptom of dehydration.
•Try to avoid drinking alcohol as it also contributes to dehydration.

Where to stay?

•To find eco-friendly hotels, use the Internet. Some of the larger hotels will have web sites listing the practices they have in place.
•Some big hotels may not promote themselves as eco-friendly, but do give you the opportunity to conserve power and water – for example, by asking you to use your towels and bedding for more than one night. Also, turn off lights and heaters or airconditioning when you’re not actually in the room.

Eco holidays
Increasingly popular, eco holidays allow you to explore the beauty of the natural environment or gain a greater understanding of local cultures without contributing to their decline.

•Check the credentials of the tour organisation by contacting the company itself, talking to travel agents and surfing the Internet.
•Ask whether the organisation hires local people and uses local services in the communities it visits.
•Find out if the accommodation is appropriate to local conditions. Will you be staying in mid-range, locally owned hotels or guesthouses or in an international-brand hotel?
•Feedback from other travellers can be invaluable, so log onto Internet chat rooms – travel guides list some of the best ones.

Your own backyard
Australia and New Zealand both provide high-quality eco-tour experiences that conserve the natural environment.

•Many of Australia’s natural wonders are World Heritage-listed and protected by legislation. The Wet Tropics Management Authority manages almost a million hectares of rainforest, regulating visits and providing signage and infrastructure.
•Take part in bush regeneration schemes while on holiday. You’ll enjoy beautiful scenery and contribute to protecting the natural environment. For example, every winter volunteers visit World Heritage-listed Lord Howe Island, off the coast of New South Wales, to help eradicate introduced weeds.
•In New Zealand, consider becoming a conservation volunteer. You might find yourself helping to plant native trees in parks and reserves, or maintaining tracks in offshore wildlife refuges.

How to Be an Earth-wise Traveller

From 1001 Easy Ways for Earth-Wise Living

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