Alright, let’s talk about trying to make family trips a bit greener. It wasn’t like a sudden switch for us. More like a slow realization, seeing all the plastic bottles pile up after a day out, or thinking about the flights we were taking. We wanted to try something different, see if we could travel with the kids without leaving such a big footprint.
Getting Started – Where Do You Even Begin?
First off, I just started looking around online. Typed in stuff like “eco-friendly family travel”. Honestly, a lot of it seemed kinda preachy or aimed at hardcore backpackers, not a family juggling kids and luggage. So, I simplified. What could we actually do?
We decided to focus on two main things for our next trip: how we got there and where we stayed.
Tackling Transportation
Flights are convenient, sure, but we knew they were a big part of the problem. We looked at driving instead. Our car isn’t electric yet, but we figured driving was maybe better than flying short distances. We planned a route with fewer long driving days and more stops, trying to make the journey part of the fun, not just a race to get there. It meant packing smarter – less stuff, more snacks!
We also seriously considered trains. For one trip, we actually did it. Booking was a bit fiddly compared to flights, especially finding family compartments or good timings. The journey itself? The kids loved it initially – watching the world go by, walking around. It got a bit long towards the end, gotta be honest. But, less stressful than airport security checks, and we felt pretty good about skipping the flight.
- We packed reusable water bottles and coffee cups. Saved a bit of money and cut down waste at service stations or on the train.
- We tried to pack lighter. Still working on that one, kids seem to need so much stuff!
- Looked into carbon offsetting for the car journey – still figuring out if that really does much, but we looked into it.
Finding Greener Places to Stay
This was tricky. Lots of hotels say they’re ‘green’. How do you know for sure? We didn’t go for big chains this time. Instead, we searched for smaller, locally-owned guesthouses or apartments. Our thinking was, maybe the money stays local, and smaller places might waste less?
We found a farm stay once. That was great. The kids saw where food came from, there was composting, rainwater collection – simple stuff, really. We also looked for places that mentioned recycling or energy-saving things specifically. We weren’t perfect, sometimes the best location or price won out, but we actively tried to choose places making an effort.
Little Things During the Trip
Once we were there, we kept trying:
- Eating Local: We hit up local markets for snacks and some meals. Less packaging, tasted better too. Avoided the big international chains mostly.
- Reusable Stuff: Always carried our water bottles and a couple of reusable bags. Amazing how much plastic you avoid just with those.
- Activities: Focused on hiking, swimming, visiting local parks, rather than energy-guzzling theme parks (though we still do those sometimes!). We tried to respect nature spots – stick to paths, don’t feed animals.
- At the Hotel/Rental: We did the usual – turned off lights, reused towels (well, tried to get the kids to). Simple things, but it’s about the habit.
So, Was It Worth It?
Yeah, I think so. It definitely took more planning upfront. Train travel needed more logistical thought than just booking a flight. Driving took longer. Sometimes finding the ‘greener’ option wasn’t straightforward or was more expensive.
But it felt… better. More intentional. The train journey was an experience in itself. Staying at the farm stay was memorable. And involving the kids, explaining why we were choosing the train or using our own bottles, felt important. They won’t always remember, or care, but planting the seed matters.
We’re definitely not perfectly sustainable travelers now. But we’re more aware. We think twice about flying, we look harder at where we stay, and we pack those reusable bottles without fail (mostly!). It’s a process, right? We just try to make slightly better choices each time.
