Hello, friends! You might have heard of popular beaches closing because of plastic pollution. Travel is a enlightening and fun thing to do and thinking about how we impact the places we visit can keep it that way. We’ve been working on some ways to be more environmentally friendly during our tours. Here’s how you can help:

Help Reduce Plastic Waste During Your Tour

1. Bring a reusable water bottle

   Our goal is to be 100% Single Use Plastic Free during our tours. Plastic bottles are probably the number one SUP that can be easily reduced with minimum effort. Over the last two years, we’ve avoided thousands of plastic bottles with a few simple choices.

   Most of our food stops have juice, beverages and other drinks to enjoy, without the use of SUPs. We have a water refill stop at the beginning of the tour and can arrange to stop at another near the end. We are also speaking to our vendors about not including plastic straws unless specifically requested (some people require them due to illness/disability/etc)

   We still provide bottled water upon request, but bringing a reusable plastic bottle will help us in our effort to minimise the amount of plastic waste in the environment. Plus its really convenient too!
   

2. Bring an umbrella

   Sometimes you get caught in an unexpected shower. It happens, especially in a tropical place like Penang. Unfortunately, plastic ponchos have a huge environmental impact even when disposed in the recycle bin. Solution? A small umbrella!

   You can get a compact one for about RM10 - RM30 depending on the quality, and it will fit nicely in your carry bag or luggage. They’re usable and create much less plastic waste than ponchos/single-use plastic raincoats. The umbrella will also be useful during the rest of your stay here and you can pass it on to someone else if you’re not carrying it along for the rest of your journey.

   Many hotels also provide umbrellas for free and you can return them when you’re done. Of course, if you’re a fan of dancing in the rain, that is also an option. Just bring the right soundtrack!

Help Reduce Food Waste During Your Food Tour

1. Pace Yourself and Communicate with Your Host

   Our goal is to help you enjoy some of the amazing food in George Town, introduce you to the wonderful stories and show you some more awesome things you can do on your trip to Penang.

   Our hosts will check in with your throughout the tour and order food based on how much more tummy space you have. What if there’s more you want to try but you’re full? Don’t worry, we’ll provide you the locations we visited so you can come back for more. We’ll even give you some extra recommendations! You will have plenty of amazing food places to try while you’re here.

   By enjoying our food responsibly we can prevent unnecessary food waste, and that’s a great sustainable way to see the world.

2. Extra Tip: Bring a small food container

   Here’s a tip we got from an expert on reducing waste (thanks, mom.) Bring along a small food container if you can. Pick a size that’s easy to carry and will fit into a bag or handbag.

   During our tours, we’ll try to order enough so you’re full and satisfied, but also try to avoid creating food waste. Admittedly, it’s a fine line. So if there is any extra food, the container will come in handy!

Got some more tips to help? Tell us in the comments! Find more tips for your trip to George Town and food tour in our previous post: 3 Must Know Tips for Your Tour in George Town