Simple Sustainable Travel Tips for More Eco-Friendly Holidays

There are many simple ways to reduce your environmental impact while travelling. From saving energy before you leave home to avoiding single-use plastics on holiday, small changes can make a difference. Better still, these good habits can easily follow you home.

Save Energy Before You Leave

BEFORE LEAVING, TURN IT OFF TO SAVE ENERGY

Turn off all the electrical appliances and devices that you won’t use while you’re away. Unplug everything you can and try to keep running appliances to a minimum. If you are leaving for an extended period, take the opportunity to clean out your fridge and freezer and dispose of unwanted food responsibly.

If you are really motivated, you can even empty your fridge and freezer and switch them off while you’re away. Instead of throwing away perfectly good food, consider giving it to a friend, neighbour or community organisation. Waste not, want not!

Carpool When You Can

CARPOOL

You can find apps, Facebook pages and websites that connect people travelling in the same direction for carpooling. Sharing a journey can reduce the number of vehicles on the road, lower your transport emissions and even save you money when you share the fuel costs with friends or fellow travellers.

Print Less and Go Digital

PRINT AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE

Don’t bother printing every booking confirmation or travel document if you don’t need to. Nowadays, many airlines and travel companies can access your booking digitally, while mobile boarding passes and QR codes make paper copies increasingly unnecessary.

Take photos of important documents on your phone or save digital copies securely in the cloud so you can access them whenever you need them. Just make sure you have access to your documents offline when travelling somewhere with limited internet connectivity.

Avoid Plastic Luggage Wrapping

DON’T WRAP YOUR LUGGAGE IN PLASTIC

Use a protective luggage cover or a secure strap or clip instead of disposable plastic shrink wrap. There are many reusable options for keeping your luggage clean and securely closed without creating unnecessary plastic waste.

Choose Reef-Friendly Sunscreen

USE A REEF-FRIENDLY SUNSCREEN

When travelling to tropical destinations, choosing your sunscreen carefully is another way to reduce your environmental impact. Some sunscreen ingredients, including oxybenzone, have been associated with harmful effects on coral reefs and marine ecosystems.

Look for reef-conscious sunscreen options and check the ingredients rather than relying only on marketing labels. They are increasingly easy to find online and at dive centres. And if you forget yours, we even have reef-friendly options available onboard.

Take Your Own Reusable Shopping Bag

GO SHOPPING WITH YOUR OWN REUSABLE BAG

Take a reusable cloth bag with you whenever you go shopping. They come in many different sizes and some even fold into small pouches or attach to a keychain.

A reusable bag makes it easier to say no to single-use plastic bags, which can become litter and eventually reach rivers, beaches and the ocean. Remember, turtles can hardly tell the difference between a plastic bag and a jellyfish!

Refill Instead of Buying Plastic Bottles

REFILL = LESS PLASTIC IN THE SEAS

Carrying a reusable water bottle is an excellent idea whether you are going for a walk in your local park or travelling to a faraway destination. Avoiding single-use plastic bottles is good for reducing waste and can also save money.

An insulated, double-walled bottle can be particularly useful in hot climates because it keeps your water cold for longer. With increasing awareness of plastic pollution, refill stations are becoming easier to find in many destinations. When in doubt, ask a local dive centre about nearby water refill points.

Say No to Plastic Straws

SAY NO TO STRAWS

When you order a drink, simply say “no straw”. Single-use plastic straws have become an important symbol of the wider fight against unnecessary plastic waste and ocean pollution.

If you don’t like drinking directly from the edge of a glass, consider carrying a reusable alternative such as a metal or bamboo straw. Collapsible reusable straws can also fit easily into a small case or keychain pouch.

Bring Your Own Coffee Cup

BRING YOUR COFFEE CUP

Do you need your morning caffeine fix? Or perhaps you enjoy your sunset drink without wanting to use a disposable plastic cup?

While many people remember to bring a reusable water bottle, reusable cups and insulated tumblers are often forgotten. An insulated cup can keep your morning coffee hot while reducing the need for disposable cups.

A reusable tumbler can also be useful for cold drinks. Some cafés and other businesses may even offer a discount when you bring your own cup.

Consider Reusable Menstrual Products

AND THINK ABOUT A MENSTRUAL CUP!

For travellers who menstruate, reusable menstrual products such as menstrual cups can be another way to reduce the amount of disposable waste produced during a holiday.

They can be worn for longer periods than many disposable products, although everyone should choose the menstrual product that is most comfortable and appropriate for them. For divers and travellers, reusable options can also help reduce the amount of waste generated while away from home.

More Sustainability Guidelines for Our Guests

At The Smiling Seahorse, we are committed to responsible diving and to reducing the environmental impact of our operations wherever possible. We are a reef-responsible dive operator and aim to create a comfortable environment for divers who care about the marine environment.

We are also particularly well suited to accommodate underwater photographers, helping divers enjoy and document the marine life of the Andaman Sea while respecting the underwater environment.

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