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Have you ever felt guilty when traveling? A little voice inside your head telling you that it is selfish to travel (again)?
If you travel often, chances are that you have already been to one of the poorer countries in the world. For many of us, this can be an eye-opening, even life-changing experience. An experience that makes us want to travel more responsibly.
The good news is: it’s much easier than you think! Check out these 20 easy ways to travel while doing good.
1) Book With Giving Getaway
Let me first introduce to you my service, and I assure you that it cannot get much easier than that! Giving Getaway’s service is based on affiliate marketing. That means that every time you click on ads or use the search widgets to look for hotels, flights, or transportation and then complete a booking, our partners (Booking.com, GetYourGuide, Jetradar, and Omio, just to name a few) pay a commission.
Of each commission, I donate 50% to trusted charity organizations. For example, in 2021 Giving Getaway donated 100 Christmas gifts to kids and teenagers in a children’s home in Montenegro. It was a huge success thanks to the many generous donors!
I would like to organize many more such events in the future. So why not book your next hotel right here on this website? Or buy tickets for flights, buses, trains, rental cars, scooters, and even sailing yachts.
Giving Getaway also helps you get compensated for canceled or delayed flights, take out travel insurance, buy a universal SIM card, and tickets for some of the best tours, attractions, and, live events worldwide. And all that for the same price as you would find on the original websites!
Alternatively, you can check Giving Getaway’s growing online store with unique travel merchandise. 50 percent of the margin of each purchase will be donated to trustworthy and effective charities.
Simply bookmark this website to not forget to book your next trip with Giving Getaway and feel free to share it with your friends and family. The more people book their trips with Giving Getaway, the more charitable donations we get together. An easy way to travel and do good!
2) Buy Travel Products on AmazonSmile
Now that you booked your trip, you might need to buy travel products or equipment to make sure you are fully prepared. And what better way could there be than ordering something on Amazon? Great idea, but have you ever heard of AmazonSmile?
AmazonSmile is another website operated by Amazon, but it has the same products at the same prices. The only difference is that of every eligible purchase you make on their website, 0.5% will be donated to a charity organization of your choice.
Simply visit smile.amazon.com and sign in with the account you use for Amazon.com. Then, select a charity you would like to support and start shopping. Super easy!
Products that are eligible for purchases for AmazonSmile are easy to spot once you click on a product (“Eligible for Amazon Smile donation”). Only remember to check out smile.amazon.com to generate donations for the charity you chose, and that’s it, there’s nothing more you need to do.
In case you are using the Amazon app on iOS or Android, check out this quick guide about how to set up AmazonSmile on your smartphone.
Another cool way to support your chosen charity is by checking out their charity list with items they need. Simply purchase an item on their list and it will be shipped directly to them.
In total, there are more than 1 million charities to choose from, and as of October 2022, over 422 million (!) US Dollars have been donated to charities worldwide with AmazonSmile. Let’s help grow this number and bookmark AmazonSmile for your next online shopping tour!
3) Use a Madlug Travel Bag
You booked your trip with Giving Getaway, you bought everything you need on AmazonSmile, and the departure date is coming closer. It’s time to pack, but where? How about a travel suitcase or backpack from Madlug?
With every backpack you purchase on Madlug.com, a pack-away travel bag goes to a child in care in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Their motto: “Because no child should carry their life in a bin bag or plastic shopping bag.”
In total, there are over 90,000 children in care in the UK and Ireland. Every 15-20 minutes one child enters care in the UK, many of them having their few belongings in plastic bin bags.
Heartbroken about these facts, founder Dave Linton started Madlug in 2015 with the ‘Buy one Give one’ approach. That means, that with every backpack you purchase, one will be given to a child in care.
Every backpack they give to the children in care is labeled with the wonderful message “You are incredible” to remind them of their value, worth, and dignity.
As of November 2022, 55,000 giving bags have already been donated and another 14,000 are in production. That makes a total value of 690,000 GBP in only 7 years!
Their goal is to donate 100,000 pack-away travel bags to children in care across the UK and Ireland by April 2024. Help them reach this goal and buy a Madlug travel backpack or suitcase for your next trip, you won’t regret it!
4) Pack for a Purpose
Did you know that even in the process of packing you can do something good? Pack for a Purpose is a non-profit organization that helps travelers support local communities they plan to visit.
Simply visit their website, select a destination or an initiative, and check the lists with items they need. These lists are provided directly by the local community-based projects and usually comprise general school supplies like pencils, rulers, and erasers.
Leave some space in your suitcase or travel bag and pack those supplies you wish to donate. Once you arrive at your travel destination, drop them off at the accommodation or tour company. They will then deliver them directly to the local project. That’s it!
Popular travel destinations with local projects you can support are for example Thailand, Mexico, the United States, and Nepal. Check out the list of all destinations with local projects you can support on your next trip.
With this unique concept, Pack for a Purpose travelers already donated over 187,955 kg (414,369 pounds) of supplies meeting essential needs in over 55 countries since 2010. Read the latest stories of travelers who donated supplies with Pack for a Purpose and check out this page with stories from local communities.
Now it’s up to you to write your own success story. Simply pack your suitcase or travel bag for a purpose, another easy way to travel while doing good!
5) Travel Eco-Friendly
This is a topic many of us would rather not talk about. Traveling often involves flying, and flying is bad for the environment. Ergo, you should never fly again (so they say).
But it’s not that simple, and let’s face it: it won’t happen. About 4.5 billion passengers are flying with the world’s airlines each year. And this figure is set to increase in future.
Instead of setting the bar so high that we feel guilty and frustrated when thinking about booking a flight, we should focus on following these five guidelines which help us travel in an eco-friendly way.
Avoid Domestic Flights
When looking at the CO2 emissions of travel per kilometer, domestic flights are much worse for the environment than long-haul flights. That is because the take-off and landing of each flight use the most fuel.
A straightforward way to reduce your CO2 footprint is, therefore, to simply travel short distances by train or bus, not only on your way to but also at your travel destination. When traveling by car, the second-least efficient means of transport, try to do carpooling. This blog post presents the ten most recommended apps for car sharing.
Choose Direct Flights
If you can’t travel by bus or train, then you should always try to choose a direct flight over connecting flights. Direct flights use significantly less carbon dioxide than connecting flights. More flights mean more travel kilometers, more take-offs, more landings, and therefore higher CO2 emissions.
Choose Your Destination Wisely
For a simple beach vacation, it is not necessary to fly around the planet. Yes, domestic flights are worse than long-haul flights, but only when talking about the CO2 emissions per kilometer. The total amount of emissions when flying overseas is insanely high.
For example, flying from London to the Bahamas emits over 3.5 tons of CO2 per flight per person. Bear in mind that the emissions for one car per year (12,000 km with a middle-class model) are “only” 2 tons of CO2.
So, if you live in Europe, why not check out some of the world’s most beautiful beaches which are in Greece, Spain, Italy, or in less known countries like Albania? Read this blog post if you are looking for inspiration.
Choose Energy-Efficient Flights
Some airlines already take actions to fly “greener”, for example by using biofuel alternatives or flying with more efficient planes. For your next trip, try to figure out if one of these six sustainable airlines can help you reach your travel destination.
Alternatively, an easy way to find flights with the least possible CO2 emissions is by using Google Flights. After entering dates and destinations, you will be able to choose more filters, one of them being “Emissions.” Simply click the option “Less emissions only” to sort flights by their CO2 emissions, super easy!
Fly Economy
One of the key factors in determining an air passenger’s emissions is the amount of space they take up on a plane. A seat in business class is usually two times larger than a seat in economy class, and a seat in first class is even bigger.
More space on the plane means a larger carbon footprint. That is why flying in economy class will not only save you money but also lots of CO2 emissions!
6) Offset Your Cabon Footprint
Traveling environmentally friendly is an effective way to decrease your CO2 footprint, but eventually, it’s impossible to entirely avoid being responsible for carbon emissions while traveling. So, what to do?
Fortunately, there is an easy way to make up for that. Carbon offsetting is the compensation of CO2 and other greenhouse gases that were made elsewhere by reducing carbon emissions or increasing carbon storage (for example by replanting trees).
That means for you, that you can calculate your CO2 emissions and pay organizations to make up for the emissions you are responsible for. Three of the best-known carbon offset projects are Carbonfund, Atmosfair, and myclimate. So, what do they do to offset your carbon emissions?
That varies from organization to organization. Carbonfund and Myclimate for example focus on reforestation and investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy. Atmosfair has similar projects but also currently develops and produces green synthetic kerosene called FairFuel.
Choose the project you would like to support, calculate your emissions, and let these organizations do the rest. A safe way to clean your conscience and travel more responsibly!
7) Support Local Businesses
Now it’s time to look at the options you have to help and do good right at your travel destination.
One easy way to do that is to support local businesses. Not only will you help people who often rely on tourism, but it will also help you experience their culture much more authentically.
Let’s take a very common way to support a family-run business: homestays. By choosing a homestay over a hotel, you will experience the everyday lives of local people up close. Furthermore, you will often get to taste home-cooked and get tips on hidden gems you shouldn’t miss.
Airbnb is the most popular platform to book your homestay, but there are plenty of alternatives out there if you would like to try something else.
Another way to support local people while traveling is by purchasing fair trade and shopping on local markets and in family-run businesses. Also, try to avoid chain restaurants and choose local restaurants instead.
If you plan to make a tour, you can also think about hiring a local tour guide. You will benefit by getting secret insights into your travel destination, and at the same time, help boost tourism-based jobs.
8) Be a Responsible Traveler
Sometimes it is not so much the things we do, and more the things we don’t do that can make a difference. Not wasting energy for example. One of the easiest and to me, one of the most important things travelers can do is to travel responsibly.
Too often on my travels, I’ve seen people not paying attention to their energy usage. Especially when choosing a homestay, prices are often low and include both lodging and utilities to stay competitive.
When then travelers let the air conditioning or the heating run even when they leave their room or apartment, it takes a lot from the profit they give to local hosts to support them.
Even with hosts putting up signs as a reminder to not constantly use air conditioning and heating, too many people don’t pay attention. Personally, I must say, this is one of the most disappointing things I’ve experienced during my trips.
My advice: do it like the locals. When it’s warm outside, go outside. Don’t stay inside and use heating. Even when it’s cold it is still possible to put on more layers of clothes before using heating. And if all this doesn’t help, then use air conditioning or heating, but please do it responsibly.
To give credit to my fellow travelers: most of them handled waste disposal beyond reproach. Always pick up your litter and try to avoid buying plastic bags whenever possible.
Many countries already have a litter problem, so let’s do our part to not contribute to that. True to the motto: take only memories, leave only footprints.
But there’s also another way we can travel more responsibly, it’s the social aspect. Different cultures have different customs. The least we can do is do our research and learn about the dos and don’ts of the countries we visit. On top of that, try to learn a few basic phrases of the national language, you will quickly see how the locals appreciate it.
It’s easy to forget about these things sometimes. We’re on vacation and our vacation is there to be enjoyed. But for locals, it’s a job, a way to earn money and put food on the table. So, let’s do our best and travel in a sustainable and socially responsible manner.
9) Join Free Walking Tours
Maybe you have already heard of the concept of Free Walking Tours. These are tours with local freelance tour guides who help you explore a city like a local.
What is special about them: these tours are based on the Pay What You Want pricing, which means that you alone decide if and how much you pay for the tour.
Local guides who offer Free Walking Tours know their city inside out. Such tours often last up to three hours and cover the best attractions of a city, sprinkled with interesting and funny background stories.
Some Free Walking Tours are exclusively guided by students who offer their services to finance their studies. An effort that is well worth supporting, don’t you think?
Free Walking Tours are getting more and more popular and can therefore be found all around the world. What makes them so convenient is the fact that you often don’t even have to book in advance. No booking in advance also means no cancellation fees.
Instead, there are appointed times and meeting points where you can join, discover the city with your local guide, and then pay as much as you like. Many cities and tour guides have their websites, but freetour.com is one where you can find Free Walking Tours in major cities around the world.
Explore your travel destination like a local and support your guides by giving them a generous tip. That’s certainly one of the easiest and best ways to travel while doing good!
10) Go on Charitable Adventures
A fantastic and unique way to travel while doing so is by joining adventures that are organized to raise funds for a good cause. Each year many such charitable adventures can be found all around the world.
Depending on the event and organization, funds are either raised for a very specific cause or leave it up to you to choose a charity to support.
Team in Training for example is a fundraising program dedicated in support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). They use their funds to support blood cancer research, education, and patient services.
You can check out all their events and book one of their adventures to support their cause. Some events in 2023 are for example hiking through the Rocky Mountains, the Lavaman Waikoloa Triathlon in Hawaii, and America’s most beautiful bike ride.
While their focus lies mainly on the United States, Global Adventure Challenges and Huma Charity Challenge offer adventures all around the world. Whether you always wanted to trek to the Everest Base Camp or walk the Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu, now you can!
Choose and register for an open challenge, choose a charity you would like to support, and that’s it! An amazing way to enjoy the adventure of a lifetime and do something good at the same time.
11) Bid on Experiences
With Charitybuzz you can also be part of unique events and experiences, but the remarkable part about them is: that you have to win them in online auctions.
Often cooperating with celebrities and brands, Charitybuzz conducts online auctions with unique experiences and items to raise funds for nonprofit organizations. This way, Charitybuzz managed to raise $550 million as of November 2022, and that is in just 15 years!
Charitybuzz offers experiences from various categories, such as music, entertainment, sports, politics, and, of course, travel. Have you always dreamt about a vacation on your very own private island? Or about spending a couple of nights in a fairytale castle? Now’s your chance, they make it possible!
Check out all auctions with travel experiences that are about to end soon. Or search for events and experiences for a destination you plan to visit.
In case you would like to bid on an experience, keep in mind that in the end there will be a 20% buyer’s premium on top of the auction hammer price. This fee is standard across most auctions worldwide and Charitybuzz uses it to manage the entire auction lifecycle.
Make sure to check out their frequently asked questions before making a bid and you will be on the safe side. Good luck when trying it out yourself!
12) Avoid Unethical Activities
Now that we’ve talked about how charitable events and adventures can be used for good, let’s talk about those activities we should rather avoid because they’re doing more harm than good. By the way, if you are interested in this topic, feel free to check out my blog post about 12 unethical activities you should avoid when traveling.
It goes without saying that child sex tourism is an unacceptable and inhuman manner of exploiting children for criminal purposes. A problem that is still widespread and must be addressed immediately.
Another problem in tourism that comes to mind is the exploitation of animals. For example, taking selfies with heavily sedated big wild cats such as tigers, lions, and leopards is one of those unethical practices.
Especially across Asia, elephant tourism is a big business. As of 2020, there were more than 3,800 captive elephants that were exploited for tourist entertainment in 357 camps. Elephant interactions as well as other types of animal performances always involve cruel training and suffering and are therefore considered unethical.
When talking about irresponsible and unethical tourism which is bad for our environment we have to take a critical look at cruises and all-inclusive resorts. While cruise ships are big polluters having a carbon footprint greater than 12,000 cars, many all-inclusive resorts harm both the environment and the local economy.
Since many of these resorts are foreign-owned tourism companies that often don’t source locally and give tourists no incentives to leave their premises, they have very little impact on the local economies.
Try to avoid these activities when traveling and you will contribute to making this world a better place. Also, it helps a lot to spread your knowledge if you witness irresponsible or unethical tourism practices. Is there something I missed? Please let me know in the comments!
13) Give Small Loans With Kiva
With many charity organizations, it is not very transparent where donations go and what they are used for. Two things Kiva handles differently.
With Kiva, you don’t donate money to charity organizations, you lend money and directly support low-income entrepreneurs and students. And the best thing is: that you know exactly where your money goes.
With as little as 25$, you can support those people who otherwise would have no chance to start or continue their business. And since it’s just a loan and not a donation, you will be fully repaid in (almost) all cases (96.4% repayment rate).
Founded in 2005 in San Francisco, Kiva wanted to address the problem that there are more than 1.7 billion people around the world with no access to financial services, most of them women.
Since then, 2.1 million people lent 1.85 billion (!) US Dollar to 4.5 million borrowers in 79 countries. How awesome is that? “Kiva is a simple concept that can change a person’s life”, Oprah once said. And she is right.
With Kiva you can help students pay for their education, farmers buy equipment, families get emergency care, and women start a business. And that is not merely an empty phrase. 81 percent of all supported Kiva borrowers were women!
Learn more about how exactly Kiva works. And if you are ready to give out your first loan, browse through the list of potential borrowers and get started.
Whether you give out a loan or tell people and potential borrowers at your travel destinations about this platform, Kiva makes it super easy for you to make a difference while traveling!
14) Start a Crowdfunding Campaign
Another easy and effective way to support people and projects while traveling is through crowdfunding. Whether you would like to make a donation for existing events or organize your funding project, crowdfunding works both ways.
How powerful crowdfunding can be shown by Giving Getaway’s charity project in Montenegro in 2021. By starting a crowdfunding event on GoFundMe I managed to collect 2,195€ to donate 100 Christmas gifts to kids and teenagers in the children’s home in Bijela.
There are several platforms out there and which one you should use depends on the cause you would like to support. Here is a quick overview of the best nonprofit fundraising options out there.
The procedure itself is super easy. Imagine you travel and find a cause you would like to support. First, start by determining how much money will be needed. Then, create a funding event with a donation goal and a detailed description. And finally, share the link with friends, family, and followers on social media.
Once you start collecting money, the website operators will verify the funding project to ensure credibility and trustworthiness. This usually happens by asking the involved parties a few questions and verifying the accuracy of the statement. Also, keep in mind that in most cases crowdfunding platforms keep a small percentage (up to 3%) of each donation to operate their website.
And that’s it! Now you know how to make a difference next time you travel and find a cause that’s worth supporting through crowdfunding.
15) Try Volunteer Work
A more direct approach to travel and doing good is through volunteering. There are plenty of organizations all around the world that help you combine traveling and volunteering. But be careful, not all organizations are trustworthy.
Two of the best organizations out there are Volunteering Solutions and International Volunteer HQ. Their programs bring you all around the world at affordable prices. Whether you are looking for short-term programs for 1-2 weeks or programs that last several months, they help you with everything you need to know.
If you are looking for more affordable or even free volunteering programs, you should check out the articles “Cheap Affordable Volunteer Abroad Programs” and “Volunteer Abroad For Free”. They cover absolutely everything you need to know!
And in case you are already an experienced traveler and volunteer, you can always do your research and contact charity organizations directly. Animal shelters for example often gladly accept volunteers who are willing to take care of their animals occasionally.
However you decide to volunteer, be prepared to enjoy the experience of a lifetime!
16) Work on Organic Farms
WWOOF is a non-profit organization that allows volunteers to combine homestays, organic farming, and traveling while at the same time supporting ecological projects.
How does it work? Simply check out the world map on their website, click on the country you would like to explore, and you will be redirected to the country-specific website. Browse through their active projects, get in touch with hosts, and start planning your trip!
As a WWOOFer you will get accommodation for free, several meals a day, and enough free time to explore the country. While I never tried WWOOFing myself, I met several travelers who tried and loved it.
And the numbers speak for themselves. Over 50 years, WWOOF managed to build a worldwide movement with more than 100,000 WWOOFers and 12,000 hosts in 130 countries as of 2022. Pretty impressive, right?
Both hosts and volunteers are required to pay a subscription fee for one year for one specific country. And the good news is: WWOOF uses this money to support ecological projects and initiatives.
So, if you’re still thinking about what to do and where to go on your next trip, how about WWOOFing? It’s a unique and easy way to travel while doing good!
17) Teach Children Abroad
If you have more time and would like to delve much deeper into other cultures, then teaching abroad might be just right for you. Many countries in Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East are looking for teachers, and here’s where you can step in.
Especially English teachers are needed all around the world. And the good thing is: neither do you need to have prior teaching experience, nor do you have to be a native English speaker.
With sufficient English skills, anyone can get a language certificate which is often enough to teach children in countries like Costa Rica, Brazil, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia. In total, there are teaching opportunities in more than 100 countries worldwide.
By teaching English abroad, you will have a positive impact on many people and help them interact with the global community. Plus, you will experience other cultures more authentically and be able to make trips to explore the surroundings.
The world leader in TEFL (“teaching English as a foreign language”) certification is the International TEFL Academy (ITA). They will guide you through the whole process from getting credited to finding a job.
Teaching abroad is an amazing way to contribute to making this world a better place and travel the world at the same time!
18) Don’t Give to (Child) Beggars
This one might surprise you. Why would you be doing good by NOT giving to begging children? Giving is good, especially for children, right? Wrong.
As is mostly the case, wherever there is money involved, fraud and scams are just around the corner. Too often, organized crime syndicates force children, elderly or maimed people, and women with babies to beg on the streets and leave them only with a small cut of their earnings.
If that wasn’t enough, they often use despicable practices to increase their “revenue”. Purposely mutilating children or making them addicted to drugs are common ways to keep control over them. Because deformed or disabled children attract more attention and therefore make more money.
But even if there were no crime syndicates involved, giving money to begging children only enhances poverty rather than helping to alleviate it. What happens if children who grow up poor see that there is a constant flow of tourists, willing to give them money when they beg?
They drop out of school. Either on their own initiative or because their parents make them After all, begging too often turns out to be a lucrative business. And no education means no chance to escape poverty in the long run.
And what about things? What can be bad about giving small gifts like pens or candy to children? While there’s certainly a good thought behind it, there’s also a hard truth to learn.
All sorts of school supplies like pens given to begging children are rarely used in school and rather sold back to local stores. And about sweets, they often cause dental problems in countries where dental hygiene pretty much doesn’t exist.
Often you will encounter women asking you to buy formula milk, also known as baby formula, or diapers for their newborn babies. And again, those will often be resold somewhere else, or right back to the store where you bought them.
Keep this in mind on your next trip, and even when it’s hard, try to avoid giving money and non-cash gifts to (child) beggars. And in case you would like to learn more about this topic, feel free to read my blog post “Think Before Giving: The Harm Of Giving Money To Child Beggars”.
19) Feed and Help Stray Animals
In 2021, I found a tiny kitten in Tivat, Montenegro. Around three weeks old, lost, crying next to the main road. I decided to take care of her as it turned out that she was not only alone and without owners, but also sick.
It took several treatments to bring her back to health, and fortunately, the veterinarians acknowledged my effort. They only let me pay for the medicine they gave her, and not their working time. Some days they didn’t even take any money.
I tried to find a home for her, but in many developing countries, people either already have or don’t want any animals. 1.5 years later, Muki (that’s her name), is still with me, accompanying me on my journey around the world.
Of course, you don’t have to take stray animals home with you to improve their lives. As rewarding as it can be to save an animal’s life and give them a loving home, there are several other ways to help stray animals while traveling.
In many countries around the world, it’s almost impossible to explore major cities without encountering stray animals. Some cities have programs that take care of ownerless animals, for example by neutering and treating them when they are sick, but many don’t.
On my trips through countries like Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, and Turkey, I saw hundreds of stray cats and dogs. What was a shock at first, became normality very fast.
To my surprise, I soon realized many nice people in all those countries took care of them and fed them daily. And that’s something you can do, too.
Whether you buy cat and dog food for them or give them scraps of your food, they will surely be grateful for your help. As long as you don’t feed them things that can be dangerous for them, they will be fine. On this website, you can find a list of foods you should not give to (stray) animals.
Now what to do if you find sick or injured animals on the streets? First, it’s important to not take any risks. Not only can stray animals transmit diseases but also can injured and frightened animals behave unpredictably. This guide tells you everything about how to help a sick or injured stray animal safely.
Often it comes down to finding a vet who is willing to treat them but keep in mind that somebody must pay for their service. Not all veterinarians are as obliging as the ones I found in the veterinarian clinic in Budva, Montenegro.
Despite the risks and the financial burden, helping and feeding stray animals is one of the best and most fulfilling things you can do while traveling. If you would like to read more about this topic I suggest reading this article in The Washington Post which pretty much covers everything you need to know.
20) Join or Organize Cleanups
Every year, 8.3 million tons of litter end up in our oceans, with 15% of it landing on the world’s beaches. Our mountains are not much better off. According to a recent study, the chances of not seeing litter and waste during mountain trips in 74 are extremely small.
Litter kills hundreds of millions of animals both on land and in water, causes severe accidents, destroys natural areas, and damages crops. In short: littering impacts humans, animals, and the environment.
During the holiday season, most of the popular beaches and national parks around the world are spotlessly clean. But getting off the beaten path and traveling off-season is often enough to see the harsh reality. Reason enough to do something about it.
Next time you see litter on a hike or at the beach, why not pick it up? Or why not attend or even organize a cleanup event yourself?
While there are websites that help you find and register cleanup events, I found that many of them are not up to date. Instead, you can use Facebook groups not only to find cleanup events but also to organize them yourself.
Every country and major city has its own Facebook group, and I found that many people in these groups are willing to attend cleanup events. And if not, free up an afternoon, take a bin bag and a pair of gloves, and start collecting.
Every piece of trash that is picked up is a contribution to making this world a cleaner place. An easy way to do something good while exploring the world!
Conclusion
As you can see, there are plenty of easy ways to travel while doing good. Things you can do in the process of planning and preparing your trip as well as ways to help right at your travel destination.
In many cases, all it takes is more awareness. Being aware of your carbon footprint and your energy consumption for example or avoiding unethical activities and giving money to child beggars.
In other cases, it’s just a change of habits, like reminding yourself to book your trips with Giving Getaway, supporting local businesses, or packing supplies to donate on-site.
Many ways are very effective, and can even be done from home, like carbon offsetting, lending money, and organizing crowdfunding events.
And other options will not just help you travel for a good cause, but also lead to once-in-a-lifetime experiences, like booking charitable adventures, volunteering, and organizing cleanup events.
Now it’s up to you! Choose a few of these easy ways to travel while doing so and start planning your next trip. And while doing that, don’t forget to use the search widgets and ad banners on this website to book your accommodations, flights, rental cars, and more.
Your completed booking will earn a commission, with 50% of the profits going towards charity events like the 2021 Christmas gift drive for kids and teens in a children’s home in Montenegro.
So not only will you be enjoying a wonderful vacation, but you’ll also be contributing to a better world. Book your trip through our site and join us in making a positive impact today!
Very good text👏. It should be a must-read for anyone who wants to go on any kind of trip😁. Thank you Chris.
Thank you so much Ania, that’s very nice of you to say! 🤩🙏
What a great list of ways you can give back a little when you are travelling. I had never heard of Amazon Smile before. We have brought things with us that locals are in need of when we visited places like Cuba. And we try to support local businesses when we travel. Much more unique than getting tourist trash. Some great ways here with something that can work for everyone.
Thank you Linda, I’m glad you liked! I’m happy to hear how much you’re already doing to support local communities on your trips, that’s really admirable, kkep up the great work!
This is a thought-provoking post. Lots of these are straightforward, solid ideas, like reducing one’s carbon footprint and supporting local businesses. Others I’m not sure about, as sometimes the “solution” creates other problems. It’s important to look thoroughly at specific organizations and their practices to ensure that donations are effective and not creating cycles of dependency. Thanks for sharing!
I totally agree with you Melanie, donations are a sensitive topic and I wouldn’t trust all organizations just because they call themselves a charity or NGO. Often it needs extra research to find those who actually care and make a difference. Thank you for pointing that out and I appreciate your kind words!
Wow! What an array of ways to give back a bit when you travel! ‘Amazon smile’ seems to be such an easy option – I am signing up today. We donate and help the needy while we are at home but to be able to do this when you travel is great news. I like the idea of avoiding domestic flights and not giving to child beggars in particular. Great post! 🙂
Happy to hear that, it really is an easy option! Even better that you are already doing things to help the needy at home, I hope more people will follow your example. And I’m glad that you could take something from this blogpost Jan, thanks for your nice comment 🙂
This is such an important post for all kinds of travellers, tourists, whatever you choose to call yourself. Sadly, travel as such has automatically a negative impact on the environment that we hardly can avoid. Hence, we should at least compensate it as much as we can be behaving respectfully and consciously at our destination.
I’m glad you liked it, and I couldn’t agree more! Obviously the best thing to do would be to stop traveling, but that seems rather difficult and unrealistic. So finding a good middle way is the second-best option, and fortunately it’s often pretty easy to travel more responsibly.🙂 .