Lifestyle Sustainability Practices

The choices you make every day, even while traveling, can have a larger impact than you may recognize. Durango hosts thousands of visitors on an annual basis, which can create significant wear and tear on our local landscape and our natural resources. Here is a list of simple and easy solutions to help us keep our mountain paradise vibrant during your visit, and beyond. Thank you for being mindful of how all of your lifestyle choices impact our community!

Easy and Short Term Solutions

Adopting a more sustainable lifestyle while on vacation doesn’t need to be a chore. Here is a list of some simple solutions you can add to your daily routine while you’re visiting.

Enjoy Durango’s Trolley: Durango’s Trolley system is within any budget and a great way to get all about town, without the larger impact driving your own vehicle.
Walk or bike your way through town! If you are staying in or near the downtown area, there is an amazing River Trail that runs from the North end of town to the South, along the magnificent Animas River. The River Trail is super scenic and biker friendly.
Choose your restaurants and eateries carefully. There are plenty of local restaurants that source locally-grown and seasonal ingredients, or even grow their own! There are also plenty of places that offer delicious vegetarian and/or vegan options. So whether you’re a seasoned locavore or vegetarian, or are just looking to dip your toe into the world of more sustainable menu options, there’s something for everyone.
Ditch single use plastics: single use plastic water bottles, bags, straws, and utensils are overwhelmingly prominent in landfills all over the world, and our community landfill is no exception. Bring a refillable water bottle, reusable bags, and even reusable utensils to keep from further burdening our local landfills.

Future and Longer-Term Solutions

If you’re willing to put in some extra effort toward becoming a zero-impact traveler, here are some solutions to consider both in the planning stages of your trip and during your visit.

Choose more sustainable modes of transportation. Take a road trip instead of booking a flight. Too far? Book a direct flight if there is one available. And either way, pack light to lessen the plane’s overall load.
Choose sustainable accommodation options: seek our smaller more basic accommodations with a smaller overall carbon footprint, or seek out higher-end properties that are choosing renewable energy sources, as well as energy and water efficient technologies.
Before you leave for your trip, unplug electronics and appliances at your home.
Turn down your water heater a few degrees to save energy.
Turn down your thermostat. Why heat the house unnecessarily while no one is there to notice? Of course, during the colder months, you’ll want to keep your house warm enough not to freeze pipes. Too hot isn’t great either. Keeping your thermostat at 55 degrees in the winter, and 85 degrees (fahrenheit) in the summer should be adequate to keep your house at a good temperature while you’re away.
Use blinds and shades to insulate your home while you’re traveling.

Summarizing

Adopting more sustainable habits while traveling doesn’t have to take the fun out of your vacation. In fact, you might not even notice any negatives in the process at all! And what’s even better is the gratification that you’ll have knowing that you are helping keep this landscape pristine for other visitors while ensuring that you can visit and share this beautiful place in the future!