If you love to travel, but the thought of your environmental footprint has got you feeling guilty about your plans – you’re not alone.

More and more travellers are becoming conscious of how their holidays are impacting the planet, and what they can do to stop it.

We all know that getting in a car, on a plane or even boarding a cruise ship is harmful to the environment. But travel is an essential part of life, it is important for us to experience new surroundings, cultures and history.

Thankfully, there are options available to minimise your ecological footprint whilst enjoying the many benefits of trotting around the globe.

According to Forbes, ecotourism is showing annual growth rates as high as 30%, making it the fastest growing sector of the tourism industry. Travellers are starting to notice how their desire to see more of the planet is resulting in even more pollution, and want to make a change to ease their contribution.

“Ecologically sustainable tourism has a primary focus on getting people to experience natural areas – like reefs, nature reserves and Indigenous sites – with an emphasis on enriching personal experiences and environmental awareness through interpretation,” Rechelle Coombes, founder of Socielle said.

“Ecotourism promotes greater understanding and appreciation for nature, local society, and culture, which is a crucial vehicle for empowering local communities around the world to fight against poverty and to achieve sustainable development.”

As founder of Australia’s leading sustainable retailer of ethically handcrafted, environmentally friendly, sustainable and socially responsible beauty, fashion and homeware products, Coombes knows how regular travel can have a negative impact on our environment.

“With more and more people wanting to escape and explore, it’s crucial that when travelling abroad we engage in experiences and transportation that conserve the environment,” Coombes said.

“Forget the maps, travel books and paper itineraries – monitoring your CO2 emissions, finding sustainable accommodation and identifying organic rest stops is all just an app away.”

“Green” applications for smartphones can help to conserve while you travel, and these ones are our top picks for your next trip.

1. Green Globe is the ultimate green travel app. Green Globe helps you find sustainable hotels, resorts, cruise ships, and tours, and also provides photos, videos and links that allow you to book travel directly.
2. Green Travel Choice can track you CO2 emissions and it doesn’t matter if you’re driving in a car, riding a motor bike, taking the bus or flying on a plane. It also logs your trips, travel distance and emissions over time – meaning you to choose transportation more wisely. Green Travel Choice has partnered with The International Tourism Society which has been involved in ecotourism since 1990.
3. Carma Carpooling helps commuters or travellers to find nearby people to share their drive, which reduces traffic and emissions. According to the app, rides cost about twenty cents per mile that is paid to the driver. This can be an affordable way to get around your travel destination as well as reducing your impact on the planet.
4. Carbon Emissions Calculator estimates the emissions used during air travel. Travellers select the airports they are using, the class of travel and number of passengers, and the app shows the carbon footprint and distance travelled during the trip. This app allows travellers to become more aware of the impact that planes have on the environment, and gives them a choice to seek other alternatives.
5. The Goodguide app allows users to find healthy, safe, and socially responsible consumer products. By photographing the bar code on food, household, and personal care items, as well as toys, users can see information from scientific research and ratings. There are similar apps, including the “orangutan-friendly” Sustainable Palm Oil Shopping and Ethical Barcode.