Congratulations! By choosing independent hostels you are already one step towards being a great green hosteller! However here are 10 more things you can to do become a truly green traveller.
Congratulations! By choosing independent hostels you are already one step towards being a green hosteller!
Not only have you chosen a staycation thus saving all the CO2 from flying but the shared nature of the accommodation provided by hostels and bunkhouses ensures less CO2 is required to host each person. Most of our hostels are small local businesses employing local people and putting their profits back into local communities. Thriving local communities are green because people don’t have to travel so far for to get the things they need. Also IHUK has been awarded Green Tourism Gold and you can see how we intend to keep improving by looking at our Green Policy.
There are a few more things you can to do become a truly green hosteller:
1) Use public transport to get to your destination. All our accommodation listings include public transport details so you can plan your trip without your car.
2) Cycle or use bikes when you get there. Nothing can be greener than using your own legs to get you around. Many of our hostels have bike stores and you can search for them on our website. Lots of our hostels are also on National Cycle Network (NCN) routes- type your route number or name into the search box or search by proximity to NCN cycle route on the find by facilities button. Some of our hostels hire out bikes and others have electric bike charging!
3) Separate your waste- most of our accommodation owners are environmentally aware and will provide recycling facilities- please use them as much as you can. If you need to take waste home why not set up two bags one for recyclables and sort them when you get home?
4) Be efficient. Other hostellers will love you if you have a quick shower! Remember to turn off taps and lights (although not if someone else is in the room!)
5) Shop local- not only will it save you petrol money but again you are contributing to the local economy. Totally Locally encourage people to spend £5 a week in their local town instead of in super markets arguing that this could bring £13.5 billion to the UK’s small businesses. Spend that £5 locally when you are on holiday too- it all contributes to creating vibrant community economies.
6) Take a water bottle- there aren’t many places in the UK where the tap water isn’t delicious so take a water bottle and refill it in the hostel kitchen saving on money and plastic bottles.
7) If your hostel offers clean towels etc let them know you are happy to keep them for the whole of your stay.
8) Choose an “eco” hostel. You can search our hostels by their Green tourism certification or other “green” attributes.
9) Once you’ve done everything to reduce your CO2 impact then consider offsetting the remainder by donating to a carbon offset scheme or plant a tree with the woodland trust.
10) Remember the old adage “Leave only footprints, take only photographs”