On the occasion of Earth Day, celebrated every year on April 22, the CaraMaps team would like to remind you of a few important rules to respect through this eco-responsible van traveler guide. In order to perpetuate the practice of itinerant travel in the future and continue to discover exceptional places, here are our tips for you to adopt an environmentally-friendly practice when you are traveling!
Respect the environment 🌳
When you arrive at a natural spot, make sure you respect the environment around you. Sort your garbage and dispose of it in the appropriate bins. If you’re on a natural spot, collect all your garbage and dispose of it later.
Avoid wild fires and noise pollution. Respect the flora and fauna around you.
If you have a pet, keep it on a leash in protected areas and always pick up after its droppings!
If you’re a smoker, buy a pocket ashtray or, once you’ve extinguished it, put your cigarette butt in a garbage can, to avoid polluting the environment and risking a fire.
Park in the right places 🅿️
As far as possible, park in areas reserved for recreational vehicles, so as not to disfigure the landscape and to respect local residents.
Don’t park in protected areas (nature parks, etc.) or by the sea.
If you love natural spots, be sure to leave them as you found them!
Empty your vehicle waste water in the designated areas 🚱
Emptying waste water in the middle of nowhere is absolutely devastating for the environment, and is even punishable by law. Many service areas and campsites provide service points for emptying your vehicle.
Consult our map (https://www.caramaps.com/en/map) to find out where you can empty your van waste water!
Limit your energy consumption💡
Avoid using electronic appliances in addition to those already in your motorhome, to avoid over-consumption, or opt for gas appliances.
And don’t forget to turn off the water when you’re not using it.
Avoid grouping 🚐🚚
If you see that a spot is very busy, make sure you change location and/or don’t stay several nights in a row, so as not to overload the site and spoil the landscape.
Practice slow travel 🌅
Slow travel is a real philosophy of life, which consists in driving more slowly, and not swallowing up kilometers in an attempt to see as many places as possible in as little time as possible.
Slow travel means parking in the same spot several days in a row, and not driving every day.
In addition to slowing down our speed on the road, slow travel also advocates slowing down our digital connection, so we can take time to contemplate the places around us.
Support local trade 🏪
Shopping locally is another way to adopt an eco-responsible attitude when traveling in a camper van or van. Visit local merchants and producers to do your shopping, and you’ll be supporting short circuits and having a positive impact on the area you’re visiting!
Tell us what do you think of our eco-responsible van and motorhome traveler charter! And you, are you an eco-responsible traveler? Would you like to tell us about the actions you take to protect the environment during your travels? Don’t hesitate to contact us at contact@caramaps.com, on our Facebook page or on our Instagram page! We’d be delighted to talk to you and publish an article about you!
For more advice on environmentally-friendly practices, don’t hesitate to read our article “Top 10 tips for a greener travel“.