Nowadays, travelling is like a primary need in our lives, since COVID-19 pandemic, we are suggested to go back to nature and live healthy. Then some trends emerged, such as staycation. To preserve our environment while we are travelling to some remote and adventurous area, we still can reduce our footprint. We have some ideas and options for you, Legends, to choose, they are:
Mind mode of transportation In tourism, transportation is very important, it helps us to move from our residence to the destination. And at the same time, it also contributes the biggest carbon footprint, so we need to think effectively in planning transportation on our trip! We can opt for the lowest carbon footprint public transportation as long as it is applicable.
Pack lightly Your belongings are crucial in reducing the carbon footprint, the more disposable belongings you bring from your origin the worse the impact of your destination's environment. Better you pack lightly, so anything that you can get at the destination better leave it at your home. It will help to reduce the space you need while commuting and unlock many options of transportation mode, in addition, it also helps the destination's local economy by using local products and public transportation.
Rent things you need at the destination Similar to the previous idea, renting equipment you need in your destination (depends on your activity; it can be motorbike, goggles and snorkel, or even drone and camera) can help you to reduce your baggage and contribute to the local economy. So then you can travel effectively!
Live like a local and support the local produced goods Being part of the local community can be another option, the purpose is that you can immerse yourself in the core of your destination by engaging with the local communities and learn the local wisdoms. We can take the positive sides of it (sometimes they still produce more natural products than ours and it will reduce carbon footprint), and leave the bad, even better if we can interact and suggest the better option. There will be culture exchange, information exchange, and technology exchange; all of the exchanges that will be done are hopefully helpful to the betterment of our mother nature, at the end.
Contribute to the environment at your destination This might be the summary from the previous points, we must contribute to the local environment, so many things that can be done for that, from the simplest ones to the complicated ones. For example, we can opt for activities that are nature oriented, such as diving with coral planting so that we can have a fun dive while preserving the underwater ecosystem.
Plant trees Lastly, this is the most real and direct action to reduce and offset your carbon, also nourishing the environment in your destination, it is by planting trees.
If you cannot do any of the ideas above, please bear in mind that the point is to travel efficiently and effectively, when you do that, believe that it helps to reduce your carbon footprint! Be a mindful traveller, Legends!
Plataran Indonesia has a program that was initiated to encourage every Indonesian citizen to preserve our natural resources and environment through the
Plataran for the Earth campaign.