Reykjavík Grapevine - Jun 2023, Page 28

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Guide Treading Lightly
Around Iceland
How to travel without a massive impact
WORDS Catharine Fulton
IMAGE Art Bicnick
Is any travel technically
eco-friendly? Nearly every aspect of
our daily lives has an impact on the
surrounding environment. That im-
pact is multiplied when engaging in
carbon-intensive transport through
travel hubs that seem to be fuelled
by single-use plastics and mass
consumerism. In fact, it’s estimated
that 8% of total global carbon emis-
sions are the result of the travel and
tourism industry.
But you’re coming to Iceland be-
cause you love and respect nature,
right? Of course. Don’t consider the
country’s geothermal reputation as
a get-out-of-jail free card for mak-
ing an eco-friendly effort. Here are
some tips for seeing the country
sustainably.
DON’T BUY BOTTLED WA-
TER
It’s absolutely disgusting to see
grocery and convenience stores
shilling “pure Icelandic glacial
water” in plastic bottles. You know
who buys that? Tourists who don’t
realise it’s the same calibre of liquid
that springs forth from every tap in
the country. The hot water may stink
like eggy farts, but the cold water is
as clean, crisp and pure as it gets.
Bring a refillable water bottle to fill
up as you travel. Access to drink-
ing water is considered a right, so
restaurants and cafes are kind of
obliged to give you a free glass of
H2O (or refill your bottle) if you ask.
BUY LOCAL SOUVENIRS
Want to bring home a memory of
your trip aside from all those photos
you snapped? Buy local when you
shop for souvenirs. The vast majority
of the junk – erm, sorry, keep-sakes
– in the so-called “puffin shops” (you
know, the places emblazoned with
imagery of puffins, Vikings, polar
bears and trolls) are mass produced
in factories far, far away from Ice-
land, upping their carbon footprint.
That includes many of the wool
sweaters, gloves, hats and blankets
many of those shops stock.
Pay attention to where things are
actually made. Check the tags. “De-
signed in Iceland” is usually code for
“not made in Iceland.”
Skip the mass-produced trinkets
and opt for things like woollen
goods from the Handknitting Asso-
ciation, sea salt from the Westfjords,
or a piece from a local artist to hang
on your wall back home.
RESEARCH BEFORE BOOK-
ING A TOUR
Is the day trip you’re booking going
to transport you on a massive coach
to the same, heavily-visited water-
fall/beach/hotspring that everybody
else stops at while in Iceland. We
get that you want to get a snap for
the ’Gram from behind Seljaland-
sfoss, but think about the environ-
mental impact of so many people
visiting so few spots. It takes a toll
on the vegetation, with the constant
foot traffic giving the local environ-
ment zero time to rebound. That’s
especially the case now that Iceland
is a year-round destination, inviting
countless pairs of boots to trod all
over nature at times of year when
the ground should be repairing itself
after the winter thaw.
Instead, go with small, local tour
operators that have knowledge spe-
cific to their town or region and are
taking travellers to areas less visited
by the big bus companies.
Wherever you go, though, stick to
the marked paths, tread lightly and
leave nothing behind.
EAT LOCAL AND SUSTAIN-
ABLE
A lot of the food for sale in Iceland
has made a long journey over the
Atlantic ocean to reach the grocery
store shelves and your plate. But not
all of it. Fruits and vegetables grown
in Iceland are typically marked
in grocery stores with a distinct
“Íslensk” sticker with the colours of
the Icelandic flag.
You can ask about the origin of the
food being served in the restaurants
you visit, as well. Some menu items
you should know to avoid, even if
they are locally sourced. The Atlantic
puffin population is in steep decline
in Iceland, so ordering puffin for din-
ner is not a sustainable choice. The
same goes for ordering whale. Not
only is it not a traditionally Icelandic
protein, the positive environmental
impact whales have on the world’s
oceans is such that it’s ecologically
irresponsible to be hunting them for
a novelty bite.
You should similarly ask about the
origin of the salmon you’re order-
ing. A growing number of Icelandic
restaurants are sourcing their fish
only from land-based fish farms, on
account of the documented risk to
wild fish stocks open-pen sea cage
aquaculture poses.
We only have one planet. Be mindful
of how you go about exploring it.
Pay attention to where things
are actually made. Check the
tags. “Designed in Iceland” is
usually code for “not made in
Iceland.”
H
ve
rfisgata 12
Happy hour / 4–7pm
Beer / Wine / Cocktails
RÖNTGEN