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Responsible Travel


Take Action

The term responsible comes from the noun response, in turn from the verb respond ('to react').

 

Book your holiday sensibly

  • Book sensibly means always try to book your holiday or tour via one of the local Libyan tour operators or travel agencies, so that your money will help the local economy, and also make sure while inside the country to support local hotels, restaurants and other tourist services.

 

 

Travel Sensibly

  • Use common sense.
  • Never talk about politics.
  • Always remain calm in difficult situations.
  • Be polite to everyone.
  • Always respect other's religious practices.
  • Always kindly ask permission before taking photographs.
  • Never point the soles of your shoes directly at other people.
  • If invited to a house, please do leave your shoes outside (or do what everyone else does).
  • Avoid smoking in people's homes, unless they are smoking.
  • Avoid kissing in public.
  • Always use your right hand when offering or receiving things, eating or shaking hands.
  • Always dress modestly: (you can wear swim suit away from traditional families' beaches).
  • Avoid refusing offers of food or drink, if you can.
  • Do not eat in public in Ramadan (the fasting month).
  • Do not touch ancient monuments and displayed artifacts.
  • Do not touch wild animals.
  • Do not use flash photography where it is not permitted.
  • Avoid products that were made from endangered or protected species.
  • Do not leave your rubbish behind.

 

 

 

Use Energy Sensibly

The impact of greenhouse gases on our planet can be reduced by adopting some of   the energy-saving measures listed below. Being a responsible traveller can make all the difference and help bring happiness and joy to the lives of millions of people affected by climate change, but being a responsible citizen will even benefit the whole planet and your life.

If you are serious about climate care, then have a look at the following list of things you can do without having to pay anyone any money - instead you will save a lot of it:

  • Buy clean green power, if you can.
  • Turning your central heating thermostat down by 1°C could save up to 288 kilos of CO2.
  • Turning appliances, like TVs and PCs, off standby could save up to 36 kilos of CO2.
  • Using 30°C wash cycle could save up to 36 kilos of CO2.
  • Boiling only as much water as you need for your tea or coffee could save up to 24 kilos of CO2.
  • Defrosting your fridge and freezer saves energy by making them more efficient.
  • Using short showers instead of baths saves a lot of energy and water. Using less water makes a double saving: less energy heating the tap water, and less energy cleaning the water after it has gone down the plughole.
  • The Science Museum in London recommends fitting a compost tank under your toilet and redoing your plumbing so that it flushes with water recycled from your bath or dishwasher. (Do not try this at home!)
  • Insulating hot water pipes and tanks saves a lot of energy.
  • Closing the curtains at night stops heat loss through the windows.
  • Loft and cavity wall insulation save a significant amount of energy and money.
  • Putting draught strips around windows and doors prevents the loss of heat and could save up to 20% of the energy used.
  • Turning off room lights when not needed saves energy.
  • Use energy-saving light bulbs as they use less than a quarter of the energy used by ordinary bulbs (75% saving).
  • Waiting until having full load before using the washing machine saves energy.
  • Using cold wash cycle for clothes that are not very dirty saves a lot of energy.
  • Using low-temperature for dishwashers saves energy.
  • Using a toaster rather than a grill to make toast saves energy.
  • Depending on type of work you do, ask your employer to arrange for you to work from home a day or two a week: this cuts down on travel costs, commuter stress, and energy used in the office.
  • Install solar cells on your roof if you can afford them. There are some systems which allow you to make money as well by selling the surplus energy produced to energy companies.
  • Sure you can think of many other ways to live green.
  • Ensure all electrical and electronic appliances, like TVs, stereos and DVD players, are fully switched off before going away.
  • Turning off air conditioning units and electronic appliances and lights in hotel rooms when not needed and before leaving the hotel.

 

 

 

Fly Sensibly

  • Fly less: reduce your air miles by not flying locally; instead take the train whenever you can.
  • Fly smart: avoid changing flights and always fly direct to your destination.
  • Reduce the amount of luggage you take with you - fly light.
  • Fly cheaply: choose an economy flight wherever is possible.
  • Fly sensibly: choose airliners with clear carbon efficient policies (hard to find).
  • Force airliners to cut down the number of flights by occasionally taking a holiday at home (helping the local economy).

 

 

 

Drive Sensibly

  • Drive less: share your car with friends and neighbours, use a bike, and walk short distances whenever you can.
  • Short car journeys while your engine is still warming up produce buckets of CO2: why not walk the kids to school?
  • Drive smarter: driving in higher gears and switching the engine off when caught in traffic jams saves fuel and therefore reduces CO2 emissions.
  • Check your car: soft tyres, excess weight, air-conditioning, and poorly maintained car can increase your fuel bill.

Please see our recommendations for driving in Libya at:

  • https://www.temehu.com/travel-guide-to-libya.htm#road-hazards
  • https://www.temehu.com/Sahara-Desert-Routes.htm

 

 

 

Preserve sensibly

  • Help preserve the environment and the natural resources. Do not take part in collecting artifacts from the Sahara, like stone implements, prehistoric art fragments, coins, shells and pottery, all of which must be collected and studied. Doing so is against the law and wholly damaging to Libya's history.
  • Preserve flowers and plants wherever you can.
  • Do not pour water over prehistoric paintings in order to bring their colour out for good photos, as has been reported, and do not scratch, sign or autograph your name near the painting. Free software is available online which allows one to retouch photos with one click. Do not break any pieces to sell online.
  • Help preserve rare water and wood to make sure the local communities will not be affected in the future.
  • Use soap and other cleaning products only away from water sources and ensure protection from water pollution.
  • Remove all extra packaging material from all the things you will be taking with you before leaving your country.
  • Help the local economy by buying local produce whenever is possible, as opposed to imported goods; making sure not to buy any products made from endangered species or ancient goods.
  • Always try to listen to what the local people have to say rather than impose your hasty answers on matters alien to you.
  • Never look down at local people for whatever reason you might have in your mind.
  • Bush toilets: hole should be away from water sources and as deep as possible; cover with sand afterwards.

 

 

Wildlife Guidelines

  • Do not touch animals.
  • Do not uproot plants for your private collection, for fire, or whatever reason.
  • Do not destroy bushes or break tree branches for fire wood; instead ask your desert expert or guide to show you where to find dead wood.
  • Do not come very close to animals.
  • Do not hunt wild animals for fun or food.
  • Do not disturb the natural habitat of animals: example: do not turn over stones in the desert for no reason, as this may and often will destroy many homes, such as scorpions' homes. If you have to do this for camping reasons, then make sure you do it in broad day light and never at night, otherwise you will risk inviting scorpions to your home (tent).
  • Never corner a snake, and always stay away and allow enough space. Cornering a snake sends the wrong signal and may force the snake to panic and attack; otherwise they are very peaceful animals and often will pass right through your camp, and even climb over your sleeping body without causing any harm. They only attack when they feel they are threatened - just like humans; well!
  • If you are exploring the habitat on foot, then open your eyes and make sure you are wearing good boots.
  • Do not smuggle small species in or out of the countries you visit.
  • If you take a camera with you then make sure not to use the flash in the vicinity of animals, and also remember to take enough memory cards (or films) with you. Flash can trigger unwanted reactions.
  • If you are a smoker, then please make sure you do not smoke in the vicinity of animals (and humans) and do not use your lighter or matches as this may scare some animals.

 

 

 

Camping Sensibly:

  • Please remember not to leave any rubbish behind and do not burry it; only bury your own (biological) waste where there is no toilet.

  • Tins, plastic, batteries, glass, tampons, condoms and other artificial material should be taken back to camping site for proper disposal or to the nearest village or town. Some tourists minimise this by taking their own supplies in reusable containers.

  • Due to lack proper of recycling facilities, technology or even understanding in current Libya, travellers are advised  and encouraged to take toxic refuse, such as batteries and  aerosols, back to their countries of origin, and to leave all unnecessary packaging back home.

  • Not many people know why water bottles are shaped the way they are (with lines and grooves across them); these lines are designed for squashing the bottle to a fifth of its original size, as follows: remove the top, place your hand under the bottle, then push the top of the bottle all the way down and immediately replace the top (the lid) before releasing it to prevent air going back in. Like this you will end up with much less rubbish to carry back.

  • Do not take wood from living trees, only use dead wood found about. Collect good wood during your day travel to use at night, rather than wait until dark and then start looking for trouble (scorpions, snakes, etc.), and always remember to keep fires small and use a pre-existing fire ring (or hearth) wherever is possible.