«Think carefully about where to stay. Look for leading eco certification badges, such as the non-profit Global Sustainable Tourism Council. Denmark’s Green Key program now operates in 56 countries (France has the most awarded sites), while Los Angeles-based Green Globe measures businesses in 90 countries against 44 criteria. Beware TripAdvisor’s GreenLeaders program, though; it’s a self-reporting system that gives hotels room to make claims with little external verification.»

«For closer-to-home holidays, non-profit Ecotourism Australia represents 500-plus environmentally responsible ecotourism operators across Australia, while Green Getaways lists Australian eco resorts, luxury eco cottages and green hotels.»

The Guardian has published an article «Reusable bags and no elephants: travel the world without trashing it«, which recommends travelers to look for the GSTC Logo, GSTC-Accredited Certification Bodies’ certification schemes, and GSTC-Recognized Standards.

Read the full article: Reusable bags and no elephants: travel the world without trashing it by Koren Helbig, The Guardian (published: 23 February 2018).