Travel sustainably, travel naked

This blog post has been made possible thanks to the sponsorship of France4Naturisme. A group of 6 naturist campsites in France that are living proof that luxury and sustainability can go hand in hand.

Is there anyone who still believes that global warming and climate change are nothing but myths? Summer after summer, the newspapers are filled with reports about wildfires. They seem almost unstoppable. This isn't something particularly new, but it does seem like the fire departments can't count anymore on the support of a good rain shower like they used to. And when it does rain, it rains hard. Causing floodings in places where we would've never expected it a decade ago.

Those are just the signs that are very much in our faces. Less noticeable but even more disturbing are the increasing temperatures of ocean water, the diminishing or Arctic sea ice, and the changing snow patterns, that will eventually result in even wilder weather. It has become more than obvious that change needs to happen. Right now.

How to reduce our ecological footprint

Reducing our ecological footprint is not something most of us love thinking about. Because it comes at a cost. Maybe not particularly monetary, but definitely when it comes to comfort. Do we really need such a large car? Shouldn't we just stop eating steak and get our nutrients from crickets? Has the time come to invest in solar panels and a windmill?

Are we willing to pay more for locally produced products? To earn less if it means working at a less polluting company or a company that doesn't require us to drive for many kilometres to get there? In the end, we all need to eat, go to places and earn money to finance our lives. But do we really need to go on a holiday? If we would all just stay at home during our free time, wouldn't that reduce our ecological footprint tremendously?

Of course, this would also mean that we would lose the benefits of having a vacation. And we're not talking about a nice tan but rather about the relief of stress, loading up our batteries, trying new things and learning about new cultures. It's hard for us to give you an objective opinion because our whole life is based on travelling. But we don't think that drastic life changes ever work. It's like losing weight. By far the quickest way to lose weight is to just stop eating. Day after day, you'll see the needle drop. But how long can you hold on? When will you say "Screw it, I'm stopping at McDonald's"? If we all stop travelling, how long will it take before being at home just becomes too much and we jump on the first plane to some exotic resort in the Caribbean?

How to travel responsibly

Consciousness is the keyword here. Instead of standing still and holding our breath in fear of putting even more dangerous substances in the air, it's much better to consciously consider our options. Taking planes and driving long distances has become so convenient that we hardly ever consider alternative options. When we choose our next vacation destination, the deciding factors are mostly the weather, the facilities, and the accommodations. How about we add sustainability to that list?

We know, this is not an easy one to measure. "Eco" has become a buzzword lately and many resorts jump on the trend by putting a solar panel on the roof and calling themselves an eco-lodge. How on earth can you figure out where their energy really comes from? How their waste is managed? What happens with their grey and black water? Where their food comes from? and their building materials? How can we possibly know which products they use to keep the pool clean? Oh boy…

Luckily, this isn't something you have to figure out yourself. More and more organisations are starting to hand out labels that provide an answer to the above questions. The Green Globe label, for example, or the Clef Verte in France, have done all this research for you. The only thing you need to do is look for their tag.

Travel sustainably, travel naked

We like to make the joke that naturist vacations are more sustainable because at the end of your vacation, you'll have less laundry to do. But naturism is much more than that. A big part of the philosophy is based on the preservation of nature. Naturist campsite Arnaoutchot, in the French Landes department, collaborates with the French National Forests Office to preserve the pine forests in the region. Bélézy, on the other side of France, uniquely works with green energy. And Bélézy is not a small campsite, this is a huge resort we're talking about. These are just two examples of an endless list of naturist resorts that invest in the preservation of our planet, each in their very own way.

As a naturist, you are expected to consider the environment, recycle, not waste too much water, save energy, and shop wisely. Lots of small steps in the right direction. But by staying at a naturist resort, you are also contributing to a greater good. You are supporting communal projects that you could never organise on your own. In other words, if everyone would just stop going to Arnaoutchot, the pine forest conservation project would inevitably have to be put on hold.

Do you travel sustainably?

Aren't we just trying to justify our nomadic lifestyle here? Maybe. As mentioned before, our opinion is all but objective. Maybe we are just hypocrites who preach about preserving nature while boarding a plane or driving a gasoline-fueled car. We'll leave that up to you to decide.

But we're very curious about whether you are taking steps towards travelling in a more sustainable way. Are you going all-in and just stopped going on vacation altogether? Is sustainability a decisive factor when you are planning your vacations? Would you rather pay more to stay in places where your ecological footprint is less? Let us know in the comments!