Okay, so I’d been thinking about how to make my usual short trips a bit less impactful, you know? The whole eco-thing. It feels like everyone’s talking about it, but I wanted to actually try doing a city break differently. Not just talk, but do.
Getting the Idea Rolling
First off, I decided this wasn’t going to be some extreme, zero-waste, off-grid adventure. Just a normal city break, but with more conscious choices. The goal was simple: reduce my footprint where I reasonably could, without sucking all the fun out of it. I figured I’d start with the big things: travel and accommodation.
Planning and Booking – The Nitty Gritty
Usually, I’d just hop on a budget flight. Quick and easy. But flights are pretty bad for the environment, right? So, I looked into trains. Found a city a few hours away that had a direct train line. It took longer, yeah, but honestly, it was way more relaxed. Watched the scenery go by, read a book. Much better than the airport hassle.
Next was finding a place to stay. I specifically searched for smaller, independent hotels or guesthouses that mentioned green practices. Found one that talked about locally sourced breakfast, recycling programs, and water-saving showers. Sounded good enough for me. Booked it.
On the Ground – Making it Happen
Once I got there, the plan was simple:
- Getting Around: My feet were the main mode of transport. Seriously, I just walked everywhere. You stumble upon way cooler stuff that way too. For longer distances, I figured out the local tram system. Bought a multi-day pass. Easy. No taxis needed.
- Eating and Drinking: This was actually fun. I brought my reusable water bottle and coffee cup. Filled the bottle up at the guesthouse or public fountains. Used the cup for takeaway coffees – most cafes were fine with it. I tried to eat at places that advertised local ingredients. Hit up a food market one morning too, grabbed some fruit and bread. Less packaging that way.
- Activities: I focused on things that didn’t consume much. Spent a whole afternoon in a massive city park. Visited museums (already there, low impact). Found a cool area with independent shops selling crafts made from recycled materials. Just exploring on foot was an activity in itself.
- Waste: Tried to just… make less trash. Said no to plastic bags in shops (had my own tote). Avoided buying lots of pointless plastic souvenirs. Put rubbish in the right recycling bins when I found them.
So, How Did It Go?
Honestly? It was pretty straightforward. It wasn’t radically different from a normal city break, just required a bit more thought beforehand. Packing the reusable cup and bottle was easy. Choosing the train over the plane added a bit of time, but made the journey part of the experience. Walking loads was good for me anyway.
Was it perfect? Nah, probably not. I’m sure there were things I missed or could have done better. But it felt good to actually do something, even small things. It showed me that being a bit more eco-conscious on a trip doesn’t have to be this huge, difficult chore. You just make a few different choices along the way.
Definitely something I’ll be doing again. It’s just about building those habits, I guess. Small steps.
