Exploring the world is an incredibly rewarding and enriching experience, but it's important to recognize that our travels have an effect on the planet. Unless you were to walk from destination to destination, your trips probably leave some sort of carbon trail. Whether you drive, fly, or sail to your intended vacation destinations, you'll have some sort of effect on the environment. Limiting your travels is one of the most sensible ways to reduce your carbon footprint, but there are also ways to see the world more sustainably when you do choose to travel. You just have to think carefully about the places you see and the things you do. These are some environmentally-friendly destinations that you should visit if you want to travel in a more sustainable manner.
Berlin, Germany
You might not think of Berlin when you think of environmentally-friendly cities, but the capital of Germany is actually quite a sustainable city. Berlin is home to one of Germany's umweltzones.
This translates to low emission zone,
and there are plenty of these zones across the country. Of course, if you're going to pick a Germany city to visit, then it should be Berlin, and its umweltzone offers plenty of things to see and do.
You'll need an environmental sticker to enter the zone, as Berlin's government wants to avoid pollutants from ruining this part of the city, but there are so many things to see within this large zone. Make sure you visit the iconic East Side Gallery. This open-air gallery is home to a huge remnant of the Berlin Wall. You'll see a series of murals painted on the wall, which stretches for 1316 metres. This is a protected landmark, so it's a very special thing to witness with your own eyes.
Bristol, England
Here's another city that you probably didn't expect to see on this list. When people visit England, they often go to London. It makes sense that tourists are drawn to a country's capital. However, if you want to explore the world but lower your carbon footprint as you do so, then you might want to visit the city of Bristol. It isn't as large and expansive as London. You won't find towering skyscrapers in Bristol. Still, that's not necessarily a bad thing from an environmental standpoint. In terms of living ethically, Bristol's council seems to know what it's doing. It didn't become the European Green Capital in 2015 for nothing.
Its remarkable achievement of sending zero waste to landfill sites definitely helped it to achive that goal, but Bristol has gone beyond reducing wastefulness in its quest to save the planet. With its renewable energy schemes, Bristol has managed to create a city in which less energy is used per household than any other city in the UK. And that's an incredible feat. Bristol also boasts intriguing dining establishments, such as Skipchen, which creates dishes out of unused food ingredients. So, if you're looking for a sustainable city to visit, then Bristol should be near the top of your must-see list.
Ljubljana, Slovenia
As discussed at https://www.worldtravelguide.net/, Ljubljana in Slovenia is another city that has made a big commitment over recent years to reduce its environmental damage. The zero-waste initiative was discussed in the above point about Bristol, but Ljubljana was actually the first capital in the EU to implement such an initiative. A big part of the capital's success comes down to its pedestrian-friendly city center. A little over a decade ago, Ljubljana's streets were filled with cars. Now, those same streets are filled with pedestrians and cyclists. It shows that a green city is possible in the modern age.
So, if you're looking for a trip to a city with a very small carbon footprint, then this is definitely the place to visit. Slovenia is a beautiful country, too; it's worth exploring for that reason alone. The city of Ljubljana's environmentally-friendly status is merely a bonus. Much like Bristol, Ljubljana has won the award for European Green Capital before, as well. It won the award in 2016, and it'll probably win the award again in the future if it keeps pushing itself towards being more sustainable.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Of course, if you're going to visit green cities on your travels, then Copenhagen should definitely be one of the destinations that you choose to visit. The capital of Denmark has had a green reputation for a long time, so it's a great place to explore if you want to go on a sustainable trip. Obviously, any sort of travels will leave a carbon footprint, but that footprint will be minimal on a trip to Copenhagen. Like other cities discussed on this list, Copenhagen is very pedestrian-friendly. It has shied away from excessive industrialization, and that has been of tremendous benefit to the capital.
To put things into perspective, the number of people who cycle to work in Copenhagen is the same as the number of people who cycle to work in the entire U.S. That's a staggering testament to the commitment of the Danish to sustainability; after all, there are many more people in America than there are in Copenhagen. Of course, Copenhagen is environmentally friendly in many other ways, too. As well as its prevalent cycle culture, you'll notice things such as solar-powered picnic boats and green-roofed buildings. Sustainability is important to the people of this stunning Danish city.
San Francisco, California, USA
San Francisco is one of the most spectacular cities in California. And if you needed any more of an excuse to visit it, it's also one of the most sustainable cities in the state. In fact, San Fran is one of the most sustainable cities in the world. It was the first American city to ban single-use plastic bags, back in 2007 (that was well over a decade ago), and it also has more green architects, engineers, and cleaning services than any other American city. San Francisco is also striving to be waste-free; progress hasn't been as quick as they hoped, but they're getting there. Without a doubt, if you want to travel sustainably in the U.S., then you should visit this eco-friendly destination.
Galveston, Texas, USA
Whilst it might not be quite as environmentally-friendly as many of the other cities on this list, Galveston is an intriguing place that would be worth visiting on your travels if you're looking for a fun sightseeing experience. There are certainly aspects of the city that demonstrate how much it values the environment. You should definitely visit Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Research Center. This center has been mentioned on the site in the past, but it's worth a second mention. As the name suggests, it's a lab that specializes in protecting the endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle.
Our oceans are incredibly precious; they are vital to our survival and the survival of numerous beautiful creatures, such as Kemp's ridley sea turtle. The city of Galveston might not have lowered its carbon emissions to the same extent as cities such as Copenhagen or Bristol, but it has things to offer to explorers who are trying to travel across the world and still preserve it. You could learn a lot at Galveston's research center for this rare species of sea turtle, and it might inspire you to do more to protect aquatic life. If you want to make your travels more sustainable, you have to focus on more than just your destination; you have to focus on your own footprint. You have to focus on the effect you have on the world.
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