All travelers would like to think our trips are harmless, that tourism is an industry void of ethical issues. Unfortunately, the reality is often quite the opposite. Many aspects of the tourism industry leave the places we visit in worse shape than we left them, whether the impact be on the environment, the wildlife, or the locals themselves. It’s […]
Traveling sustainably can be difficult, especially on longer journeys. Without the comforts of home at your disposal, taking steps to be eco-friendly on the road requires a little extra planning and effort. Fortunately, it’s not impossible! I’ve created an eco-friendly packing list with the items that have helped me on my six month journey so […]
I recently visited Copenhagen in Denmark and spent 3 nights in the Globalhagen Hostel. Although I wasn’t aware when I booked my bunk in their dorm room, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a non-profit, volunteer-run hostel with a focus on sustainability and giving back to communities world-wide! If you’re looking for […]
Celebrating our Magnificent Planet on Earth Day Earth Day is a day for to reflect on and appreciate our beautiful planet. But nowadays, so many of us are worried about our environment that on Earth Day, we recommit to looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly. For us travelers, that means exploring sustainable […]
For most of the past four years I have been wearing my black, Girlfriend Collective travel leggings on a near daily basis. (No, they’re not “officially” travel leggings, but I’ve decided they are a staple in my travel gear and will refer to them as such.) My regular uniform is compromised of mostly black items […]
Sustainability is a subject popping up in travel discussions with high frequency these days. In my experience, “sustainable travel” can be an overwhelming, yet simultaneously limited term. Just existing seems to be unsustainable. Sustainable travel is not just about eliminating plastic and flying less. It also calls into question the impact our travel has on the […]
The last stop in Thailand for Marie and I was a really special one. Elephants have long been one of my favorite animals and I really wanted to see them when I was in Thailand. That being said, I was very aware of their exploitation and didn’t want to contribute. Before we left, I did […]
In March, I got to spend five days in Singapore with Marie and I fell in love with the place. One of the things I most appreciated about the city was that they make a noticeable effort to protect our planet and create a sustainable city. All this, even though though they have a population […]
At the start of college, I began volunteering at a gift shop called Global Gifts, which is a Fair Trade store selling items from artisans around the world. Volunteering was a formative experience over the four years I helped there. It exposed me to art and culture from all corners of the world while opening […]
It’s been a couple years since I visited Singapore but it still stands out as one of my favorite cities in the world. With all the modernity of other progressive cities (if not more) Singapore maintains a balance of nature in its capital, which could have easily been just another concrete jungle. I spent four […]