How to Make Your Adventure More Socially Responsible

Nov 19, 2012 by Nicole Lombardo

Every year, thousands of people load up and head toward some exotic destination for the adventure of a lifetime. Unfortunately, when some people travel, they leave their social responsibility at the doorstep alongside their other daily stressors. Whether you are heading toward the Appalachian State Park or Cabo San Lucas, you can always remain eco-friendly in your travels and vacation adventures. Below are five tips that will help you to enjoy your traveling adventure while staying eco-conscious.

1) Travel Responsibly

Gasoline uses precious, costly oils that are becoming less and less available. These oils are fossil fuels and cannot be easily replaced once we use it all up. Perhaps more importantly, the byproducts of gasoline include carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that are a major contribution to air pollution. Global warming and the greenhouse effect are exacerbated by the growing usage of engine fuels. Airplanes should be avoided at all costs because jet fuel is one of the leading concerns of environmentalists. Car fuel is bad for the air but presents a better alternative than air travel.

Once you reach the destination of your vacation adventure, try to be fuel conscious. Use local public transportation systems like busses, trains, and subways. Walking provides a good, healthy way to sight-see without putting harmful chemicals into the air.

2) Pack Responsibly

Remember that the more things you bring along on the journey, the more weight will have to be hauled around. On airplane flights, more weight equals more fuel. Luggage takes up great amounts of space, too. If traveling in a vehicle, you may run out of luggage space, which will entice you to take more than one vehicle or use larger, less fuel efficient vehicles. Packing light is much more convenient and much more socially responsible.

Be aware that plastic bags are non-biodegradable. It takes thousands of years for plastic bags and sacks to break down on their own, so try avoid using these environmental stressors. Use cloth-based luggage and durable, reusable paper sacks.

3) Buy Local

Importing goods to a tourist destination is extremely costly for the environment, especially if the destination is remote or secluded, for instance on an island. Therefore, you should try to purchase mostly locally produced goods. As a bonus, you will also be supporting the local economy more this way.

4) Use Green Hotels

Some hotels have “gone green”, which means that they have made provisions to be more eco-responsible. They may have implemented energy saving lights and electrical appliances. They may use low-energy heating and cooling systems. The hotel design may have been built with social responsibility in mind, using energy saving windows and wall insulation. This, mixed with good energy-saving practices (i.e., turning the lights off when leaving the room), is a fantastic option that will enable you to enjoy yourself while using less energy.

5) Respect Nature

Nature is a beautiful thing that can be enjoyed by generations to come after us, but only if we treat it with the respect and care it deserves. When hiking on a trail or walking along a beach, do not litter. Litter will inhibit plant growth and pose a danger to wildlife. Never leave a park trail because even the tread on the bottom of your shoe can cause habitat damage over extended periods of time.

This article was written by Emilio Arroyo on behalf of ARCC Adventures, a great resource when deciding on your next big adventure!

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Buying Products With a Conscience

Sep 6, 2012 by Nicole Lombardo

Guest post: Written by Manuel Aguinaldo on behalf of Bhutan Travel

The average consumer makes buying decisions based on features, price and product design. Conscientious consumers, however, consider topics outside this narrow realm. They want to know what kind of conduct and activities are practiced in the production of their purchases.

A product’s conscience is a reflection of its manufacturer’s actions and conduct. The conscientious consumer won’t make a purchase if those actions and conduct are out of step with what he believes is ethical behavior. For example, during the nineties, conscientious consumers initiated a boycott of canned tuna because dolphins were regularly killed in tuna nets. The actual product may not have contained any dolphin meat, but it wasn’t considered a conscientious purchase because of egregious production methods. Due to the boycott, companies sought new ways to fish for tuna without killing large populations of dolphins. Consumers ended the boycott once these companies initiated better practices.

In addition to having concerns about ethical practices, the conscientious consumer understands that when he is spending money on a product, he is also supporting a company’s activities. A consumer who does not approve of the conduct of America’s largest tobacco corporation, Phillip Morris, may choose to forgo products from other companies owned by Phillip Morris, such as Tombstone, Jell-O or Kraft.

A consumer concerned with a product’s conscience will be knowledgeable about where a company produces its products. He understands that when he purchases a product produced in another country, he is supporting the practices and conduct of that country. For example, during the eighties, the apartheid in South Africa inspired a boycott of all products produced there. Non-democratic countries such as China, Burma, Indonesia, and export processing zones like Mexico, Haiti and the Philippines are known for exploiting workers, making products from these places questionable.

Of course, a conscientious consumer is concerned with more than just the ethical practices surrounding the production of a product. Still, he will spend a little bit more money on the version of a product whose production practices he supports wholeheartedly over a product that doesn’t meet his ethical standards. This is a consumer who considers a product’s conscious along with price, features, overall benefits and product design.

The practice of conscientious consuming is meant to fiscally punish those companies who do not bother to create an ethical environment for the production of their products and to reward those that do.

What is the best way to become a conscientious consumer?



To practice conscientious consumerism, the average buyer must educate himself about the practices of various retailers and manufacturers. Modern consumer concerns include factory farming, environmental damage, excessive packaging and fair wages. Contacting companies to inquire about their practices is the first step to becoming a well-informed conscientious consumer. The internet is a vital tool for researching manufacturers and their practices.

When shopping, it is important to scan packaging for labels and union labels. By doing so, a consumer will be able to discern where a product was produced. If this information is difficult to locate, ask a store manager for assistance. Consumers can also request that retailers supply them with their sourcing policies. If a retailer isn’t willing to give this information, its practices may be questionable.

It’s important to consider the global impact a purchase can make. Where does the money go and how does it affect workers and global economics? Begin keeping a record of purchases made, and as you do so, discover where and under what conditions they were produced, and who is ultimately profiting from their sales. Finally, ask yourself whether you can live without the products that don’t stand up under scrutiny.

 

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