Are you a responsible traveller? Believe in travelling green? When travelling in South Africa, you can travel responsibly, travel green and give back to communities, by choosing providers who subscribe to the ethos of eco-tourism (see: What is Eco-Tourism?).
How to Travel Green:
- book eco-friendly accommodations
- trains offer economical travel with a lower carbon footprint than a plane or car …
- share the footprint by using public transport when possible (and safe) or “share-ride” with companies like The Green Cab
- if you need wheels of your own, consider a bicycle if distances (and safety) permit,
- or hire a hybrid car (look for the Toyota Prius Hybrid – available from select Avis locations in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban).
- get around responsibly
- choose tour organisers with environmentally responsible practices
- support sustainable tourism – there are hundreds of eco-friendly activities in South Africa
- try wind surfing instead of jet-skiing,
- hire a bicycle instead of a harley,
- hike to the top of Table Mountain for a birds-eye-view instead of doing a helicopter flip,
- hire a canoe instead of a power boat …
- add a “volunteer day” onto your holiday – help out and give back to local communities
- reduce your own individual carbon footprint – travelling on a plane? Select an airline with the latest, more fuel-efficient jets as this will reduce your individual carbon footprint, as travelling by air is simply not friendly to the environment. So what to do? South Africa beckons to be explored and paddling the ocean to get here by boat is not an option, so hop on a plane and then offset your carbon footprint by joining a scheme that “pays back” what you “spent” in terms of emissions by planting trees in an equivalent amount to the carbon footprint of your flight – this assists local communities too.
Eco-friendly activities in South Africa by Province
In keeping with August’s theme of Eco-Tourism, over the next four weeks we will be be publishing articles on volunteering and eco-friendly activities in South Africa by Province, so that wherever you are headed in South Africa, you can make informed decisions on what to do that will not only make your holiday enjoyable but will also give back to local communities and not impact detrimentally on the environment.
Happy Travelling!
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