You know travel is hard on the environment and you want to protect the planet, but you also want to explore it. How do you reconcile these competing interests? Sustainable Travel For Dummies has the answers. This friendly travel guide shows you how to travel in a way that minimizes harm to people, animals, and the environment. It offers alternatives to airline travel, advice for finding sustainable accommodations, tips for eating locally, understanding how to show respect the people and places you visit and to leave them better off than when you arrived, and gives other ideas for sustainable travel practices.
Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism: Explains the concept of responsible travel.
8BillionTrees: Information about carbon offsets.
Terrapass: Carbon offset company with strong focus on US projects.
Carbonfund.Org: Carbon offset company.
South Pole: Carbon offset company with 700 projects to choose from.
Carbon Offsets to Alleviate Poverty: Carbon offset company.
Pono Pledge: Hawai'i's tourism pledge for visitors.
Aloha Pledge: Tourism pledge for visitors to the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
Malama Pledge: Tourism pledge for visitors to Maui.
Sedona Cares Pledge: Visitor pledge for Sedona, AZ.
Tell-U-Right Pledge: Visitor pledge for Telluride, CO.
The Aspen Pledge: Visitor pledge for Aspen, CO.
Big Sur Pledge: Visitor pledge for Big Sur, CA.
The Bend Pledge: Visitor pledge for Bend, OR.
Sustainable Travel Pledge: Visitor pledge for North Tahoe.
7 Generations Pledge: Visitor pledge for the Thompson Okanagan region of BC, Canada.
Haida Gwaii Pledge: Visitor pledge for Canada's Haida Nation, BC.
Wild Pledge: Visitor pledge for Vancouver Island's North Island, Canada.
The Icelandic Pledge: Visitor pledge for Iceland.
Sustainable Finland Pledge: Poetic pledge for visitors to Finland.
Sustainability Pledge: For visitors to the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia.
Byron Way Pledge: For visitors to the NSW coastal community of Byron Bay, Australia.
Maria Island Pledge: For visitors to one of Tasmania's small uninhabited islands, Australia.
Lady Elliott Island Pledge: For visitors to this island on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
Tiaki Promise: For visitors to New Zealand.
Palau Pledge: Compulsory pledge for all visitors to the Pacific Islands nation of Palau.
Ol'au Palau App: App that lets visitors to Palau earn 'reward points" for sustainability.
Flight Free Pledge: Campaign to encourage travelers to avoid air travel for a year.
World Animal Protection: Pledge to make animal-friendly choices while traveling.
Gorilla Friendly Pledge: For travelers going to see the mountain gorillas of Uganda and Rwanda.
Save the Ocean Pledge: For scuba divers.
Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism: Asks signatories to commit to net zero by 2050.
Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency: Lists travel companies that have committed to reaching Net Zero by 2050.
Responsible Travel: Travel aggregator offering wide range of tours that meet responsible travel criteria.
Byway: UK-based flight-free travel company.
Book Different: Travel booking company that lists sustainable hotels, destinations, transport, and dining options.
Intrepid Travel: Leading global adventure travel company.
World Expeditions:Leading global adventure travel company.
World Nomads: For travel insurance (and bookings) that supports community development projects.
Global Sustainable Tourism Council: Sets global standards and certification for sustainability.
B Corp: Highly reputable certification scheme for travel companies.
Booking.com: Online travel booking site that labels sustainable accommodations.
Google Flights: Online booking site that has eco-labels for listed operators.
Skyscanner: Online comparison site that has eco-labels for listed operators.
Global Family Travels: Seattle-based company specializing in sustainable travel for families.
Green School: Innovative school system that teaches children about sustainable living.
Green Camp: Runs short-term family camps focused on the environment, at Green School Bali.
Worn Wear: Trade in or buy used Patagonia brand packs, bags, and clothing.
Fashion Transparency Index: Ranks large brands and retailers for their sustainability.
Fair Wear Foundation: Lists brands that operate under safe working conditions.
SOLO Eyewear: Sells ethically sourced sunglasses.
LARQ: Sells reusable water bottles with filters.
Pack for a Purpose: Lists what is needed by community projects in sixty countries.
Skyscanner: Flight comparison site that lists carbon-efficient fares.
Science Direct Marine Pollution Bulletin: Study of greenhouse emissions in cruise ships.
Friends of the Earth Cruise Ship Report Card: Ranks major cruise lines and ships according to environmental impact.
Aurora Expeditions: Cruise company committed to sustainable travel to Antarctica and the Arctic.
International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators: Membership organization for tour operators traveling to Antarctica.
Cargo Ship Voyages: Specialist booking company for cargo ship travel.
SlowTravel: Specialist booking company for freighter and cargo ship travel.
Freighter Trips: Specialist booking company for freighter travel.
The Man in Seat Sixty-One: Travel blog that offers comprehensive information about rail travel just about anywhere in the world.
International Railways Union Eco-calculator: Compares emissions made by train, car, and plane travel.
Rail Europe: One-stop shop for rail information and bookings across Europe.
Eurail: Offers rail passes to 30,000 destinations in thirty-three countries.
Venice Simplon Orient Express: Luxury rail travel in Europe.
Intercites de Nuit: Overnight rail travel in France.
Snalltaget: Night train in Sweden.
Nightjet: Overnight rail network covering most of Europe.
SJ EuroNight: Swedish sleeper train fuelled by 100 percent renewable energy.
Santa Claus Express: Overnight train from Helsinki to Finnish Lapland (home of Santa).
Night Riviera Sleeper: Night train from London to Cornwall.
Caledonian Sleeper: Overnight train from London to Scotland.
Amtrak: Long-distance train network in the USA, covering 500 destinations.
Rocky Mountaineer: Luxury long-distance train in Canada.
VIA Rail: Canada's long-distance rail network.
Royal Canadian Pacific: Luxury rail tours from Calgary to Vancouver
.Great Southern Rail: Australian long-distance rail journeys including the transcontinental Indian Pacific (east-west) and The Ghan (north-south) trains.
Queensland Rail Travel: Runs long-distance trains in the Australian state of Queensland, including the Spirit of the Outback.
Blue Train: Luxury long-distance train in South Africa.
Rovos Rail: Luxury and bespoke rail journeys in South Africa and Tanzania.
Shosholoza Meyl: South Africa's long-distance rail service.
Japan Rail Pass: Convenient pass for traveling on some of Japan's trains.
Seven Stars in Kyushu: Sleeper train on Japan's island of Kyushu.
Eastern & Oriental Express: Luxury long-distance trail from Singapore to Malaysia.
Mahajara's Express: Luxury sleeper train from Mumbai to Delhi, India.
Indian Rail: India's vast rail network that covers the whole country, for all budgets.
Leave No Trace: Guidelines for leaving minimal impact on the environment when hiking or camping.
Fairbnb: Accommodation co-operative that invests profits back into communities you stay in.
Rooms for Change: Non-profit hotel booking platform that gives 100 percent of its profits to creating travel scholarships for disadvantaged people.
Global Sustainable Tourism Council: Sets global standards and certification for sustainability.
Homestay: Global platform for finding and booking rooms with locals.
Homestayin.com: Lists homestay rooms in mainly English-speaking countries and Europe.
G Adventures: Runs small group "local living" tours and some other tours that include homestays.
Stay Japan: Lists registered homestays in Japan.
World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms: WWOOF is an online matching service for people who want to work on farms in exchange for room and board.
The View Hotel: Located in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park in Utah; owned and run by a member of the Navajo nation.
Skwachays Lodge and Residence: Canada's first indigenous art hotel, in Vancouver.
Spirit Bear Lodge: Owned and operated by the Kitassoo Xai'xais First Nation, British Columbia, Canada.
Sani Lodge: Run by the Sani Isla Kichwa community of the Amazon, in Ecuador.
Tangulia Mara: First Kenyan safari camp to be owned and run by Maasai people.
Ayers Rock Resort: Adjacent to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park on the traditional lands of the Anangu in Central Australia, owned and run by Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia.
Arthur Hotel Group: World's first hotel (in Denmark) to achieve carbon-neutral status.
Green Pearls: Useful platform for finding green hotels around the world.
Small Luxury Hotels of the World: Look for the Considerate Collection of 56 "actively sustainable" hotels.
Six Senses Shaharut: Teaches guests about its sustainability efforts through tours of its Earth Lab.
Go Kinda: Booking platform for sustainable hotels; supports One Tribe rainforest protection project.
Green Globe: Offers sustainability certification for accommodations.
Green Key: Another global sustainability certification.
Seafood Watch: Guide to which fish to avoid serving or eating.
Food Miles: Online calculator to help you judge your personal food miles.
FoodPrint: US-based non-profit organization that has information about your food's carbon footprint.
Traveling Spoon: Find local cooks to meet up with when you are traveling.
American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association: Publishes an online calendar of native art markets.
First American Art Magazine: Lists fairs, markets, exhibitions, and events by Indigenous people across the Americas.
Destination Indigenous: A good source of information about where to buy authentic indigenous arts and crafts in Canada.
Igloo Tag: Symbol of authenticity for work by Inuit people.
Indigenous Art Code: Sets a standard for ethical practice for dealers in indigenous art in Australia.
Craftmark: Symbol of authenticity for handmade craft products in India.
Toi Iho: Symbol that indicates Maori-made creative products in New Zealand.
Conservation International: Information about plastic pollution in the world's oceans.
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil: Promotes products made with sustainably farmed palm oil.
World Association of Zoos and Aquariums: Has a downloadable PalmOilScan app.
Earthwatch: For information about endangered sea turtles and other wildlife.
Animals Asia: For information about bear farms.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: For information on importing seahorse products.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): International agreement between governments to ensure international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Has a checklist of species and their degree of protection.
Homestay: Global platform for finding and booking rooms with locals.
G Adventures: Runs small group "local living" tours and some other tours that include homestays.
Domino volunteers: Stay with local families while volunteering for community projects.
Garma Festival: Australia's largest Indigenous gathering, held every August.
Duolingo: Popular language app for learning the basics before your trip.
Tandem: Free language app that pairs you with a native speaker for conversation.
Native America Travel: Searchable website listing authentic Native American experiences across the USA.
Destination Indigenous: A good source of information about where to buy authentic indigenous arts and crafts in Canada.
Discover Aboriginal Experiences: Tourism Australia website listing more than 160 authentic Aboriginal guided tourism experiences.
Tourism New Zealand: Lists many Maori-owned and -led tourism experiences.
South Pacific Tourism Organisation: Represents twenty island nations with a strong focus on sustainable and cultural tourism.
World Animal Protection: Lists major travel companies that sell tickets to harmful experiences at captive wildlife attractions.
Abercrombie & Kent: Luxury tour company with a philanthropy arm that supports projects in twenty-four countries.
Asilia Africa: The company's Dunia Camp in Tanzania is the only camp in Africa run entirely by women.
African Parks: Non-profit organization working in twelve African nations to run national parks.
South African Tourism Services Association (SATSA): Has developed guidelines for ethical tourism in South Africa.
Audley Travel: UK-based travel company offering wolf-focused tours in British Columbia.
The Gibbon Experience: Small group tours to Nam Kan National Park in Laos, using ziplines to travel into the jungle, funding projects to replace income from logging, poaching, and unsustainable farming methods.
Much Better Adventures: Runs wildlife treks in Europe.
FNQ Nature Tours: Wildlife tours in Far North Queensland, Australia.
Premier Travel Tasmania: Wildlife tours in Tasmania, Australia.
The Whale Trail: Lists 100 places to watch whales along the Pacific coast of North America, from British Columbia to southern California.
Manta Trust: UK-based conservation charity running dive and snorkel trip to see manta rays, whales, and other marine life.
Echidna Walkabout: Australian company dedicated to research and care of koalas.
Jarjeer Mule and Donkey Refuge: Cares for orphaned or injured donkeys and mules in Morocco.
Princess Alia Foundation: Promotes care, protection, and better conditions for working animals in Jordan, such as camels and donkeys.
ReShark: Dedicated to the recovery of threatened sharks and rays around the world.
World Association of Zoos and Aquariums: Has a searchable map to help find accredited zoos.
eBird.org: Helps tracks declining populations � and you can help!
BirdLife Australia: App and website to track birds.
BirdsChile: Small group, naturalist-led birding and wildlife tours in Patagonia.
Manakin Nature Tours: Tours to see the vulnerable harpy eagle in Colombia.
Green Fins: Promotes standards for marine tourism and lists 700 member companies.
Reef-World Foundation: Offers PADI Eco Center accreditation to dive centers and resorts that demonstrate ongoing commitment to ocean conservation.
Trshbg.com: A mesh bag for divers to collect trash from the water or sea bed.
iNaturalist: App for uploading images of flora for identification by experts. Joint venture by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic Society.
iNaturalist Australia: Run by the Atlas of Living Australia.
Crosstown Trail: Urban walking trail in San Francisco.
Emerald Necklace: Boston's greenway, linking parks and green spaces over seven miles.
Pacific Northwest Trail: 1,200-mile (1,931-km) hiking trail crossing some of North America's wildest public landscapes.
Great Divide Trail: Canada's spectacular and challenging 684-mile (1,100-km) hiking trail.
Land's End to John O'Groats: Hiking trail that runs the length of England and Scotland.
West Highland Way: Scottish hiking trail between Glasgow and Fort William (96 miles/155 km).
Via Dinarica: Long-distance trail in eastern Europe that actively promotes responsible tourism.
Via Alpina: Network of five walking trails across eight European countries.
Milford Track: New Zealand's five-day hike in the South Island's Fiordland National Park.
Tongariro Alpine Crossing: New Zealand's best one-day walk on volcanic Mt Tongariro.
Australian Walking Holidays: Offers guided walks in every state and territory of Australia, with a thoughtful travel charter based on sustainability principles.
Great Walks of Australia: Twelve of Australia's best multiday guided walks.
Leave No Trace: Guidelines for leaving minimal impact on the environment when hiking or camping.
International Dark-Sky Association: Lists dark sky places all over the world.
Niue: Tiny Pacific island nation that is the world's only Dark Sky Nation.
Rubicon 3 Adventure: UK-based sailing company that offers trips on expedition yachts.
World Naked Bike Ride: Annual event in Portland, Oregon, as protest against fossil fuels and oil.
Grasshopper Adventures: Cycling tours in Thailand and other parts of Asia.
Adventure Cycling Association: For information about cycle tours and route networks in the USA.
Conservation Volunteers International Program: Large range of conservation projects around the world, from tree planting to beach cleaning, protecting wildlife and cultural sites.
Responsible Travel: Offers volunteer holidays for families and has strict guidelines for volunteers working with children.
World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms: WWOOF is an online matching service for people who want to work on farms in exchange for room and board.
