I realized recently that I follow a lot of travel influencers, but not nearly enough sustainable travel bloggers. Entering 2020, I wanted to flood my feed with more eco-friendly vacation inspiration, and also diversify my feed to include more women of color, as the travel sphere can be pretty white. (As a white woman trying to blog about sustainable travel myself, I mean no offense by this.)
After some research, I’ve put together a list of 20 sustainable travel bloggers that you need to follow immediately. Some I’ve been following since I started Suitcase Six while others are newer to me. I promise they will collectively help inspire, educate, and motivate you to make 2020 your most sustainable (and responsible) year yet, in your travels and your daily life!
I’ve got another list already growing so I plan to continue sharing my sustainable travel blogger roundups in future months. And I haven’t included myself on the list but of course, I recommend Suitcase Six, and hope you stick around for the year of eco-content I’m planning!
I’ve followed Miss Filatelista for maybe two years now and she’s one of my favorite sustainable travel bloggers. She’s a freelance writer and between her personal blog and articles she’s written for other publications she’s constantly churning out helpful and unique content.
On her blog you’ll find tons of vegan food guides, reviews of sustainable accommodations and tours, and beautiful photos from location she’s been. On twitter, I find myself wanting to like or retweet nearly all of her tweets and I’ve learned so much from her content about sustainable travel, feminism, and human rights in general.
Green Mochila focuses on South American destinations and they dive into the culture, societal issues, and specific issues in sustainability (both environmentally and otherwise) on their blog. They spent an entire year traveling South America in true slow-travel style, and I appreciate that their content goes beyond surface level itineraries.
Get your daily dose of outdoor inspiration filled by Ketki, with some tips on how to get around sustainably and let nature do it’s thing! She’s got a ton of content on India for your trip planning needs as well, which I’ve been reading up on eagerly.
Two Dusty Travelers is another duo I’ve followed for quite a while. They’re constantly churning out valuable pieces on volunteering while traveling, eco-friendly products, and lesser-discussed topics like ethical social media use or medical mission work. I recommend setting aside an hour our two to pour over the content on their blog.
I also recommend following them on instagram where they’re regularly sharing useful information and sustainability news on their Insta story!
Heading to Mexico? Cassie has you covered. Literally – she has posts on areas in nearly every region in Mexico from the Yucatan Peninsula up to the Northern regions of Sonora and Chihuahua. Some of these posts specifically address sustainable living, while others help you dive into the rich culture and traditions Mexico has to offer. Plus so many food posts – and who doesn’t want to become well versed in Mexican cuisine?
Teja doesn’t put on a facade about her travels – she’s open and upfront about where she struggled to travel sustainably, and how she can improve next time. She provides some region-specific tips on how to been more green on the road too, and has gotten involved with some wonderful social enterprises which she shares on her blog.
A twitter connect recommended Mikaela to me and the instant I found her blog I knew I was a huge fan. She seamlessly weaves ethics, sustainability and responsibility into all aspects of her brand, obviously including travel, but extending to fashion, food, politics, and even the “boring” aspects of daily life like utilities. Check her out, ASAP.
On In Locamotion, you’ll find posts covering social justice, eco-friendly travel, culturally immersive experiences, and even tips on responsible writing. Alissa has an honest approach that isn’t afraid to share controversial opinions (why we shouldn’t be encouraging everyone to travel) and mistakes she’s made on the road and how she’s learned from them.
The content on In Locamotion is thorough and well researched, and Alissa does a great job acknowledging the privilege that many Western travelers (especially white female travel bloggers) have.
Ashley’s blog isn’t just limited to travel – she shares so much knowledge on creating an eco-friendly lifestyle! From organic gardens to vegan fashion to electric cars, I found myself sucked in reading article after article and I’m sure you’ll find some tips on making your daily routine a little greener. Her instagram is also absolutely gorgeous.
Small Footprints Big Adventures blends sustainability with family travel, and parents should be here for it! From responsible travel guides with suggestions on kid-friendly activities, to thought pieces on respectful photography, there’s a ton of useful posts to work through. It’s hard enough being eco-friendly as an individual but parents will find great suggestions on how to raise more eco-friendly kiddos which is something our planet really needs.
Aside from her stunning insta photos, Kay offers a beautiful blog with insightful think pieces dedicated to inclusivity and expanding your world view. In addition, she has some amazing round-ups of Latin, Black, and Asian bloggers to keep you inspired for years to come.
If you love reading about the destinations you visit, The Awkward Traveler also offers suggestions on books to read that are written by local authors. YES.
Simone has some great eco-friendly travel posts, but I also love the rest of her eco-content. From ideas on sustainable gifts for co-workers to making your appliances more green, she’ll have you whipped into sustainable shape in no time. If you’re a fellow foodie, she’s got posts for that too that will leave you drooling.
Firstly and unrelated to sustainability, Abbi’s blog is gorgeous. But to the real point, she has so many great posts on sustainable travel, plus lifestyle and vegan guides, and she’s open about things she’s tried she wouldn’t do again. I’ve definitely made choices in my travels I regret and wouldn’t encourage others to try, and I love anyone who can be honest that we aren’t perfect and sometimes our initial judgement isn’t 100% correct.
Tara’s blog and instagram are beautiful, and she’s been blogging since 2011 so there’s a wealth of information there. I’m partial to the fact Silly Little Kiwi has some wonderful articles about my birthplace and hometown, (Bloomington and Indianapolis, respectively). Don’t miss the responsible travel guides for Budapest and Spain – major European cities with so much tourism that eco-travel is all the more important!
Ellie and Ravi have a gorgeous blog with in-depth guides on sustainable travel in India, London, and other popular destinations. They also have some well written posts on the concept of sustainable travel and how to make a positive impact with our travels that are well worth a read. I found a guest post they’d written on another blog too, included below, on how to find relatable tour operators and I kind of want to print it off and frame it.
I appreciate a writer who doesn’t sugarcoat their opinions, and Bani does just that with so many articles on topics I haven’t heard many others I follow discuss, specifically relating to their tagline, “decolonizing travel culture”. I’m eager to read through more of Bani’s publications on their blog and other platforms; there’s a lot of perspective changing pieces there I believe will make us all better travelers. Entering 2020, perspective and understand is something we could all benefit from – so get reading!
Put simply, Shivya is a badass. Published author of a best-selling book, she’s been featured on tons of major platforms like National Geographic and BBC travel. Rightfully so – the articles on her own blog (and there are a ton) are all full of genuinely helpful tips on responsible travel, eco-friendly wanderer, and inspiration for making meaningful connections with locals wherever you go.
There are so many reasons to follow How Not To Travel Like A Basic Bitch that I struggled to write this recommendation succinctly. Her content is honest and needed, calling us all out for the problematic behaviors we present when we travel, especially white people who (myself included) have a lot to learn. From talking about privilege and racism, to sharing stories and perspectives from locals, to posting an booty pic every 1000 followers on insta to illustrate you can have a PhD and show your body at the same time – I’m constantly learning from Kiona and being motivated to do better.
Soraya is trained in sustainability for business, and lucky for us travelers, she’s turned her talents to the travel industry. Aside from eco-friendly blog posts, she organizes trips like the all-women sailing expedition to research plastic pollution, and even makes some incredible art that’s net positive. She covers all sorts of topics like photography, consultancy, and activism, but I love her out of the box articles on sailing and bamboo bikes, which I haven’t really seen anywhere else!
There is so much personality in Jazzmine’s blog, and her ambitious, cheery, go-getter attitude makes me want to jump off the couch and take action. I love the diversity of articles on her blog and in the many initiatives she’s a part of in India and beyond. This is a newer blog for me and I can’t wait to be following Sunshine & Raine next year.
Thanks for reading and making your social media feed a little more green!
I hope you’ve found some wonderful new people to follow. I already have about 12 bloggers lined up for another round-up post. If you know of anyone writing on sustainable travel, eco-friendly living, or ethical issues related to race, wealth, or gender, and their intersections with travel – send them my way!
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