On the Road Again: My Journey to Ethical Travel (part 2)
Since my childhood trip to Holly River so long ago, I’ve had many more camping road trips, beach getaways, site-seeing tours, weekend festivals, and other adventure-seeking opportunities.
And while these were worthwhile and memorable experiences, my travel reach was rather narrow, spanning only from Central Michigan to New York City and from Toronto to Key West. I didn’t have a passport until well into adulthood. I had yet to visit another continent. And the first time I boarded an airplane was 15 minutes before I jumped from it.
Because my travel experiences were geographically limited, they were also culturally homogenous. I understood that the tourism industry provided people with jobs and local economies with revenue. I was aware of the adverse impacts that tourism could have beyond resource use and emissions.
But like so many places I had yet to see, there was still so much yet unknown to me about traveling sustainably.
After spending several months in 2008 co-organizing a citywide Earth Day event with my local Sierra Club, I embarked on a joyful getaway to Key West, Florida.
It was a birthday gift that thoughtfully included a carbon offset for the flight.
My travel partner and I explored the island on bikes and took public transportation.
Leading the way, I sought out locally-curated and off-the-beaten path activities for us to enjoy.
I snorkeled above coral reef for the first time!
I knew that rising ocean temperatures were responsible for bleaching the coral. And it was easy to see how much single-use plastic waste we tourists were generating on the boat to the reef.
But I was shocked to later learn that my own sunscreen was a toxin to that majestic aquatic ecosystem.
Becoming active in sustainability academically and in my own community naturally led to more familiarity with both ecotourism and responsible travel. Deeper knowledge and curiosity about it was inspired by a writing assignment very early in my college career.
In Eco Tourism: Can Sustainability and Tourism Coexist?, I theorized that even well-meaning individuals who respect nature and adhere to leave-no-trace rules of the trail can still impact the surrounding environment just by being there.
I explored how each individual’s small impacts can add up—to the point that a mass population of individual travelers’ impacts multiply into problems. Expanding that further to repetitive over-tourism, those problems become untenable for local environments and communities.
From this holistic understanding, my own travel experiences began to shift. I now see tourism not only as a way to explore new places but as an opportunity to leave a greener footprint, possibly even a net positive impact.
My travel reach has also widened considerably
I’ve hiked the Haleakalā moonscape on Maui and lazily cruised the Danube waters in Budapest. I’ve placed my hands on two continents in Iceland and ziplined my way down the lush green jungles of Jamaica.
I’ve traveled by car, train, bus, plane, and bicycle, with each mode offering unique opportunities to connect with the world more consciously. From sleeping in two- to five-star hotels and all varieties of hostels to camping under the stars on Bureau of Land Management grounds, I’ve embraced the full spectrum of travel styles.
Along the way, I’ve learned that every choice—whether it’s opting for a more eco-friendly mode of transport or choosing accommodations with a commitment to sustainability—has an impact. These experiences have taught me to be more intentional with my decisions, striving to reduce waste, support local businesses, and align my travels with sustainability principles.
I’ve traveled solo, with my cats, friends, romantic partners, and family. I’ve joined group travel adventures with between 30 to 200 new friends. I’ve navigated myself around cities using folded paper maps, MapQuest printouts, apps, hastily sketched notes, and finger-pointing from helpful strangers.
I’ve been hopelessly lost, gotten on the wrong train, sprinted across a terminal to catch my flight, packed too much, and tried cramming to learn polite phrases in foreign languages. I’ve made my plans using detailed advance itineraries, professional travel planners, haphazard spontaneous ideas, and a whatever-happens attitude. I’ve listened to countless hours of travel podcasts, joined remote and local travel communities, and attended a travel conference.
With every step on my journey to more sustainable, responsible, and ethical travel, I have consciously worked to improve my attempts to leave a greener footprint by reducing my waste and not overusing natural resources. I seek cultural centers to learn a place’s history and try to find some way to contribute value to the community that I temporarily inhabit.
I know I can do more
But I also accept that I’m not perfect.
In creating the Eco Wander Woman website, I’m grateful for the opportunity to share this ongoing journey with my family, friends, the digital nomad community, and anyone else looking to embark on their own adventure while striving for sustainability.
