Responsible travel tips
Contribute to the places you visit

Shop and eat at locally-owned stores and restaurants instead of chains

• This ensures the money you spend in the community actually stays in the community

Stay at small, local hotels/homestays/guesthouses

• Again, this ensures the money you spend in the community actually stays in the community

Eat local food - it’s cheaper and better anyway!

• Local food is also almost always grown or sourced locally, limiting the environmental impact of shipping 

Understand and be respectful of local customs and etiquette 
(see country specific pages)
Learn a few phrases of local language

• You’ll make friends MUCH faster this way

Give back to organizations working to improve the communities you visit 

• Find a local organization that is doing good and make a donation of time or money

Learn about and visit cultural and/or historic landmarks… respectfully

• This gives great insight to the “what/why/who” of the place you’re visiting and the money goes toward protection and preservation of the landmark

Sustainable travel tips
Reduce your environmental impact

Choose hotels/homestays/guesthouses that are cohica verified, or have another green/eco/sustainability certification such as TripAdvisor Green Leader, etc.
Limit the use of non-organic waste, such as plastic water bottles 

• Many destinations have limited recycling programs, so limiting your use of inorganic waste is important

Options for clean drinking water

• Jugs or large bottles 
• Reuse any plastic bottles a few times to limit consumption
• Buy a water filtration water filtration bottle - although these are expensive and the water may still taste bad
• Boil the water - many hotels have tea kettles and a rapid boil will purify tap water - note you may want to bring something like Emergen-C to combat poor tasting local water
• Iodine tablets are an option, but they don’t taste very good
• Some countries, such as Thailand, have water refill stations - so keep an eye out!

Bring reusable, packable daypack or grocery bag to avoid plastic shopping bags
Use public transportation

• Buses, trains, and the subway are often the most interesting option
  

Walk or ride bikes

• You’ll be surprised how quickly you get in great shape this way!
  

Carbon offset your trip

• Programs like the carbonfund.org, climatecare.org or the nature conservancy allow you to neutralize the impact of a flight/drive/stay by using donations to build “green” programs

The positive effects of sustainable and socially responsible travel 

Financial contributions

• Money spent with local businesses and organizations goes back to the community

Improved environmental management, planning, and awareness

• Increased awareness from sustainable travel improves environmental management and planning in your destination

Protection and preservation 

• Tourism brings needed money and funding that is often directed toward the protection and preservation of the environment, cultural artifacts, and heritage
  

Alternative employment

• Supporting local, sustainable business ensures money spent is being directed toward long-term opportunity and growth for the destination
  

Regulatory measures

• Increased travel/tourism is often followed by increased local regulatory measures