Buying Sustainable Goods When Traveling
Buying crafts, clothing, and other objects on your travels can be a major green issue; especially if you’re traveling in other countries. Plenty of the items you see and may even adore could be the result of shady practices that are anything but green or ethical. You don’t want some pretty item on your shelf if it hurt people or the planet to make it do you? Here are some tips…
Look for the Fair Trade label – this is tricky because Fair Trade labeling in itself is complex. However, read up on Fair Trade labels and goods before you ravel to gain a better understanding of what’s actual Fair Trade.
Go local: Why go to another country and buy goods that have been shipped in? Supporting the local economy is a green step you should practice all the time, even when on vacation.
Go small: Buying a large heavy item then shipping it home is not a green act. Trust me, you don’t need a 4 ft tall solid wood statue of a tiger or a huge clay mask anyhow.
Avoid jewels and stones in non-settings: It’s hard to find eco-jewelry stones as a general rule. On vacation it’ll be even harder to make smart decisions.
Don’t buy endangered goods: This means items like ivory, coral, sea shells, starfish, many cactus plants, animal skins, turtle shells, or any thing else that looks like it could be rare and endangered. Note that many hardwoods in other countries are endangered as well. For a more in-depth look at what not to buy visit the World Wildlife Fund Buyers Beware list.
Skip products that are alive: I HOPE I didn’t need to mention this but never, ever bring home live animals or plants or flowers. Not only is this a questionable ethical act but it may be illegal, and living things need to stay in their own eco-system.
THE NUMBER ONE TIP:
One of the single greenest acts you can participate in is owning less stuff, which applies even when you’re on vacation. Your green living skills shouldn’t take a holiday. If you wouldn’t buy it at home, don’t buy it on vacation – i.e. products made of non-eco materials.
Ask yourself the bare green consumer basics before you buy. Ask yourself the following – Do I need it? Will I use it? Do I already have something just like it at home? Can it be reused or recycled when I’m done with it? Is the packaging recyclable?
You don’t need to buy a thing actually, and you’ll still have a great vacation. If you want better memories, save the money you’d spend on goods and spend another day or two actually on vacation. Another day is worth way more than tacky souvenirs.
[image via stock.xchng]