Visiting Guide for Eco-Friendly Places in 2022
With the world progressing as it is, we are leaving behind a large carbon footprint. As each day passes it becomes harder and harder to roll back the damages that we are causing to the environment. Studies show that the largest carbon footprint after the production of electricity is created when traveling.
For those of you who are concerned about nature and the environment around you, it’s quite a hassle. Because it’s been found that the ones who care most about nature are the outgoing adventurers. So, how do you go about visiting different places without leaving a significant carbon footprint?
Eco-Tourism: The Environment-Friendly Option
The answer to that question is eco-tourism. It’s a form of tourism that involves managing your travels to make sure that you’re preserving the well-being of the environment. The way it works is by reducing your carbon footprint.
Visitors and tourists can learn about the cultural heritage of the places they visit. They can also be educated about the impact that standard travels can have on the flora and fauna. This is one of the reasons why eco-tourism is considered an educational experience.
Things to Enjoy on an Eco-Friendly Tour
Well, obviously you’re going to enjoy the sights. But what sights specifically? The main focus of eco-tourism is on managing your travel plans to reduce the harm you’re doing to the environment. You also get to enjoy the biotic components of the natural environment.
As we talked about it before, cultural heritage is the main attraction. You get to interact and immerse yourself in the place and be one with nature.
You also get to learn about the impact that human beings have on nature. You also get to visit places that run on sustainable energy. You also get to see the impact of eco-tourism first-hand. And eco-tourism also helps the socio-economic situation of the area.
Benefits of Eco-Tourism
Here are some of the benefits that you get by going on an eco-friendly tour as opposed to a regular one.
✔ Protecting Natural Areas and Habitats
An eco-friendly tour is at its core respecting and caring for the environment. You need to watch what you do and how it affects the environment. And you also need to be mindful of the natural habitats that you interact with. You always want to make sure that you are not disrupting the natural flow in any way.
Let’s take a look at an example. Say you are on a hiking trail. There’s a set path laid out for you that’s been made in keeping with the eco-friendly attitude in mind. Straying off from that trail might have you unknowingly stepping on some endangered flora effectively killing it.
✔ Learning about the Environment
You learn a lot when you go on an eco-friendly tour. You get to see beautiful sights and visit some amazing places. But in the process, you also learn what it takes to keep it that way.
You learn the inner workings of a conservation system and how it ties together the different aspects, to make everything sustainable and reusable.
Sometimes you get to participate in tending the environment. This practical experience should help you understand why and how the different systems in place work to protect nature.
✔ Generates Revenue for the Tourism Spot
Eco-friendly tours also serve as a great way to improve the economic conditions of the place you’re visiting. You help out the socio-economic condition by visiting the location. For many countries, tourism is the primary mode of their income.
✔ Generate a Small Carbon Footprint through Eco-Tourism
You can cut back on flying and travel by train. But that’s not efficient. What you’re looking for is eco-tourism. This allows you to visit some amazing places of natural beauty all while generating a very small carbon footprint.
Now that brings us to a very important question. What places can you actually visit that allow for eco-tourism? You might think that your options would be limited to local areas and restrict you. But it’s quite the opposite.
There are quite a number of places that you can visit. Throughout this article we’ll take a look at some of those places and what you can enjoy there. So, without any more delays, let’s see the places. Then you can get started on planning your trip.
Listing the Best Eco-Friendly Places for Visiting
Before we start with the list, we’d like to talk a bit about the criteria that we followed for choosing these places. We’ve tried to include the most beautiful and eco-friendly places from around the world. That should give you a lot of options. Let’s start then.
Ucluelet, Canada
This massive expanse of ocean in British Colombia is the best place for visiting if you love the sea. The great big blue expanse that stretches to the horizon is truly a sight to behold. Enjoy the sunset on the beach, or take a ride along the shoreline on an e-bike which environmentally friendly.
You can also take a boat and travel to the area where you can see whales. There are resorts that have adopted measures to reduce waste and protect nature. It’s a complete package and great for touring with friends and family.
Hawaii, United States
We don’t think that we need to tell you twice about Hawaii. It’s considered one of the most amazing places to visit with your loved ones. The cultural experience is rich and you get to learn so much. We all know about the different tribes that exist on the island. A trip to Hawaii gives you the chance to learn more about them.
There are many tourism plans that offer eco-friendly as an option. Explore the customs of the different tribes or plan a trip to Ka Papa Lo’io Kanewai for a chance to learn more about their farming methods and survival techniques.
Himalayas, India
The Himalayas is considered one of the world’s most beautiful mountain ranges. From large brown mountains to snowy capped peaks, it delivers a diversified visual experience that you can enjoy. The weather also shifts depending on where you are, so best to pack something warm for when it gets cold.
The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) has been a hotspot for tours. And you’ll be glad to know that not only can you have an eco-friendly journey there, but you will also be helping out the local population. This is because tourism falls under one of the main livelihood activities in the IHR.
Trinidad and Tobago
Let’s face it. Every one of us has wanted to tour the Caribbean. And this is probably after we watched that Disney movie involving pirates. In Trinidad and Tobago in particular, you won’t find a high-rise hotel anywhere. This is done to protect the local environment.
As an alternative staying arrangement, you can live in small huts that are made out of sustainable natural resources such as bamboo and hay. It also adds to the whole immersive experience of enjoying the culture to its fullest.
Tasmania, Australia
Throughout the entire continent of Australia, Tasmania is the sole place full of natural resources and beautiful places to visit. And in recent years, it has become a hub for eco-friendly tours in Australia.
If you look for it, you will find a number of eco-friendly operators who are offering some amazing options to tourists. The main goal of their plans is to minimize the harm done to the environment while ensuring the best touring experience. If you’ve always wanted to visit, Australia, we recommend that you give Tasmania a try.
Lech-Zurs, Austria
This one is for those who are fans of cold weather. If you enjoy the snow and every fun activity that comes with it, Lech-Zurs is the place for you. Skii down the slots of the snowy mountains and enjoy the scenery of the village that follows. The snow piled up on the roofs almost turns it into a scene from the books.
To minimize the damage done to the environment, all tourists can travel through the place on e-bikes and rental scooters. Visitors can leave their cars and minimize the pollution that the car fumes will do to the air.
And since it gets cold, you might be looking for some heat source to warm you up. Well, what do you know? The village has introduced a bio-mass heating plant where you can war, yourself right up.
Iceland
You knew this one was going to come up on the list sooner or later. We just couldn’t leave this one out. Iceland is one of the leaders in the world when you consider renewable energy. More than half of the energy requirements of the country is met through this renewable energy model.
And the pledge to become carbon neutral by 2040 tops it all off. It should be a must on your list of eco-friendly places you need to visit. And carbon neutrality is not even the best part. The views and the surrounding environment are just too mesmerizing to pass up.
Colorado, United States
The red mountain ranges of Colorado are strangers to no one. In America, it’s considered one of the most popular places for outdoor activities and hiking. And the reason becomes quite clear when you visit it once. If you haven’t done that already, you really need to put this on your list.
By 2023, Colorado aims to run completely off of renewable energy. This means no additional production of energy would be required for the residents there. And it should also reduce the carbon footprint by a mile.
The mountains aren’t the only thing in Colorado, however. There are plenty of parks, hiking trails and wildlife-watching locations that you can visit and enjoy in your leisure.
Scotland, United Kingdom
Scotland is one of the world’s most beautiful places. The vast green plains will definitely take your breath away. You can enjoy the different forests and mountain ranges in an eco-friendly manner.
The best part about visiting Scotland though is not just the natural scenery. You can volunteer in protecting the environment by helping to build mountain trails for visitors. If you are an outdoor kind of person, Scotland is the perfect destination for you.
Check out the things you need to watch out before planning an eco-friendly trip in the next article.