A Traveler's Guide to Responsible Tourism

The shabby-looking goat stared at me while chewing on my red, plastic sanitizer wrapper. I looked on in horror because I had properly discarded that non-biodegradable wrapper in the guesthouse trash. But, the guesthouse staff did what was acceptable to them and other Kabul residents: threw the trash onto the muddy street.

As countries like Afghanistan become accessible to the Western world, more travelers will venture across the borders and need to be mindful of the impact they make and take responsibility in preserving that particular country's existing culture. My recent trip to Afghanistan prompted me to evaluate how Western tourists (defined as those originating from western Europe or North America) can reduce their negative impact while visiting these developing countries.

Pack It In, Pack It Out
Sure, those individually wrapped sanitizer packets or hotel-sized shampoo bottles are handy for traveling, but what is going to happen to those wrappers and bottles once you are finished with them? Or, Polaroid photos make a great gift to give to the locals, but, consider what will happen to the empty film cartridge upon being discarded. Will those chemicals in the empty cartridge seep into the water supply?

Developing countries traditionally produce biodegradable waste: they shop at local markets and buy fresh produce with minimal packaging. The infrastructure in these nations, like garbage disposal, recycling centers and water purification is close to non-existent.

While packing for your journey, consider what you are taking with you and what you plan to leave behind. Upon reaching your destination, re-use your water bottle, avoid plastic bags and consider bringing back your non-biodegradable trash.