Consider your Accommodation Carbon Emissions
Consider your Accommodation Carbon Emissions
Like when you’re considering your transportation when travelling taking into account your carbon emissions, the same should be for your accommodation.
When selecting accommodation, research the destination you’re travelling to prior to making any bookings. Don’t base your destination expectations on another destination, i.e. if you live in London, don’t expect your accommodation in the Philippines to be to the same standard as London, instead look for properties that demonstrate true Philippine culture, decor and traditions. It’s ok to splash out on a 5 star hotel in less developed countries, although try not to make it the norm when you’re looking for accommodation.
Be prepared that accommodation standards may vary to what you are used to. Rooms may have fans instead of air conditioning. Accept that although this may unpleasant on occasions like the middle of summer, an air conditioning may not even be required particularly of an evening, a ceiling fan my be sufficient.
Look for accommodation that uses renewable energy, or even better that monitor your water and electricity usage whilst staying there. Try local smaller properties, which may even have multiple benefits such as using renewable energy plus support local businesses, in lieu of large hotel chains. Even in cities where you would normally opt for a large hotel chain, try bouquet style accommodation that offers renewable energy, you may be surprised the stay may be better than what you’re used to.
Some accommodation properties offer complementary push bikes to use during your stay too, so take up the offer in lieu of hitching a ride or paying for a ride share.
Not all properties offering renewable energy will market themselves as eco-efficient, so look on their website under the “About” section or the Gallery section to see what they offer in forms of reducing your carbon emissions. Or you could even contact the accommodation property to ask about their carbon emissions and how they reduce them or use reusable energy.
