ETHICAL TRAVELLER: Catherine Mackon responsible tourism
'STOP LECTURING!" someone said to me recently. "No one wants an ecolecture when they go on holiday."
He's right, of course. We don't all want to change the world, and definitely not on holiday.
The United Nations World Environment Day, on June 5th, was, therefore, reassuring for those of us who need a bit of company up here in the moral holiday high ground. It aimed to "give a human face to environmental issues and promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues".
The community in question is the community of tourists, soon to be gathering in its millions around the world. Carbon dioxide apart, that's vast amounts of waste, water usage and energy consumption in a short period of time, with the UN forecasting a 179 per cent growth in tourism by 2035.
So, like it or not, we all have to do our bit on holiday. Leave your packaging at home, as many countries have limited recycling facilities, and you are adding to landfill by taking your lotion and potion boxes.
When you are at your desination, check out your accommodation's recycling facilities and use them.
Complementary bathroom products are definitely passe. If your accommodation is providing them, it is probably not recycling.
Consider bringing your own drinking bottles and filling them from one large bottle of water. Or use water- purification tablets if you think it is necessary. In Europe my attitude is that if local people drink the tap water it is fine for me too. Buying fold-up plastic water pouches from camping shops is another option.
Conserving energy and water on holiday is vital, and yet many tourists still have that I've-paid-for-it-so-I'll-leave-the- air-conditiong-blasting-for-as- long-as-I-like attitude.
Many hotels now have energy-saving devices with keycard controls. If not, switch off lights and televisions when you go out. Consider buying a solar-powered charger for gadgets. If camping, a wind-up or solar light is cheaper and also cuts out the battery-disposal issue.
You can consume less camping gas by using a Kelly Kettle (www.kellykettle.com), an inspired Irish product that has your cup of tea ready in minutes by just burning a few sticks.
If hiring a car, choose a company with green cars in its fleet. Many still look at you as if you're an alien if you ask for a green car, with the exception of Hertz, Avis and Holiday Autos - all offering green options, depending on your destination.
The best option is, of course, to use public transport. Or ask your accommodation providers if they can order rental bikes to be delivered to your door.
Finally, I do think there is a place for offsetting carbon emissions. Carbon calculators are inconsistent, however, and the choice of companies is mind-boggling. The Association of British Travel Agents, also representing Irish agencies, has an excellent, jargon-free offsetting website, with a concise breakdown of where your money is going. See www.reducemyfootprint.travel for details.
If offsetting isn't your thing, then another option is to subscribe to Friends of the Earth, leaders in climate- change campaigning and research (€4 a month to sustain its climate campaign; see www.foi.ie).
The UN describes these things as giving environmental issues a human face. Others call it lecturing. Home and away, it's still the same slogan on the T-shirt. We don't have to change it.
macktourism@yahoo.co.uk