Now we’re moving into the homestretch of our 25 Days to Green Travel series with tips for traveling green on the way home.
At the end of my study abroad trip to Russia, I found myself scrambling to find souvenirs for family and friends back home. Fortunately, I stumbled upon a market and found awesome locally-made souvenirs a few hours before I boarded my plane in Moscow.
Here’s what to look for in an eco-conscious souvenir:
Locally produced. Support the people who live in the country you’re visiting. Buy local crafts, like earrings from a native jeweler. Plus, the further your souvenir travels to get to you, the greater impact it has on the environment.
From a locally-owned business. Support the local economy by opting to get your souvenirs from locally-owned shops or street stands.
photo credit: Danumurthi Mahendra
Made from sustainable materials. Avoid rare wood that may have been un-sustainably harvested and animal parts since they may have come from an endangered or might have been poached.
Something the region is known for. Get your friends something they can’t find at home. The Marie Sharp’s hot sauce and jelly I bought in Belize were big hits.
Lightweight and small. The heavier something is, the more resources it burns reaching its final destination. The lightest gift I’ve found was a locally-produced papyrus painting in Egypt.
How to Find Sustainable Souvenirs is the twenty-third post in Go Green Travel Green’s 25 Days to Green Travel series. You can see the complete list of articles in the 25 Days to Green Travel Index. If you haven’t already, subscribe to our feed (also available via email) and stay up to date.
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Great post.
You could almost substitute “authentic” for “sustainable” and the list still works. And isn’t that what any traveler wants most? To bring home an authentic gift rather than one that could have been made, packaged and shipped anywhere?
Great post – the Marie Sharps jellies are awesome – I really need to go back to Belize to restock my pantry. NG Traveler has an growing list of places where you can find authentic and sustainable handicrafts – and our columnist, Laura Morelli, writes a monthly column about how to know what to look for. Here current column looks as buying Batik cloth in Malaysia, http://www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler/extras/shoppingguide/morelli0805.html
And the whole Authentic Shopping guide is here:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler/extras/shoppingguide/shopping.html
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