Guide for minimizing environmental impact while traveling: Basics for eco-friendly travel journeys
Sustainable Travel: A Guide for Holidaymakers
As the world grapples with the effects of climate change, more and more people are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint, even when it comes to holidays. Here's a guide on how to travel sustainably and make a positive impact on the environment.
Transport Choices
One of the most significant contributors to a holiday's carbon emissions is transport. Short-haul flights and individual car travel are major culprits. By opting for public transportation, trains, or shared rides instead, you can significantly lower your emissions. If car travel is necessary, consider renting electric, hybrid, or fuel-efficient vehicles.
When flying, choosing direct flights and economy class can help reduce emissions, and consider carbon offset programs offered by airlines or third parties to mitigate unavoidable emissions. Sustainable airport transfers can also be made by using low-emission vehicles or public transit.
Packing Tips
Packing intentionally can also make a difference. Aim to travel with carry-on luggage only, as this encourages intentional packing and reduces fuel consumption related to heavier baggage. Bring refillable water bottles, reusable bags, and avoid single-use plastics to minimize waste during travel. Packing light can help reduce transportation energy use and fuel waste.
Eco-friendly Accommodation Options
Selecting eco-friendly accommodations is another important step. Look for lodgings that use renewable energy, have clear water and waste recycling practices, and emphasize sustainable food sourcing such as farm-to-table dining. Choosing lodgings with good walkability or easy access to public transport can also reduce reliance on cars during your stay. Support accommodations that have explicit sustainability policies and certifications, and that contribute positively to local communities and environments.
Additional Sustainable Travel Strategies
Traveling off-peak or to less-visited destinations can help spread tourist impact more evenly. Choose operators with transparent environmental and social responsibility goals, and support local economies by buying local goods and services.
Online tools like 'lower CO2e' filter on Skyscanner and Opodo can help find flights with less carbon emissions. Adopting a selective approach to flying, such as traveling overland more often and only flying occasionally, can also reduce carbon emissions.
The Importance of Sustainable Travel
The stability of the world's climate hinges on keeping the small rise in global temperatures in check. By choosing low-impact transport, packing intentionally, and selecting eco-friendly accommodations, holidaymakers can contribute to this effort. These approaches not only minimize the overall carbon footprint of holidays but also encourage practices that protect natural environments and bolster communities.
Remember, being a sustainable traveller involves a conscious attitude towards travel, including packing less, reducing waste, and choosing sustainable modes of transport. Together, we can make a difference.
For more information on green travel, visit the Green Traveller website.
[1] Airbnb's 'off-the-grid', Sawday's 'Sustainable stars', i-escape's 'eco rating', fairbnb.coop, my eco escape, and eco-certified hotels flagged up by Booking.com, TripAdvisor, and Google. [2] Costa Rica has made efforts to include tourism in its sustainable development goals and has over half of its land covered by forest. [3] Guyana is developing community-based ecotourism to fund the protection of its rainforests, with lodges such as Iwokrama River Lodge, Rewa Eco-Lodge, and Surama Eco-Lodge. [4] Some European cities like Bristol, Angers, Nantes, Zurich, Ljubljana, and Copenhagen are implementing circular economy policies to create sustainable transport, housing, and economic development. [5] Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy, and Germany have impressive high-speed rail networks for low-carbon travel. [6] The current concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is over 400 parts per million higher than in at least 800,000 years. [7] A rise of 1.5C in global temperatures is considered dangerous and has been surpassed in 2024. [8] 1 million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction due to various factors, including climate change. [9] The average carbon footprint of a night in a typical UK hotel is about 31.1kg CO2, according to the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative. [10] Habitat and biodiversity loss are happening on a large scale in the UK, affecting hedgerows, forests, garden birds, and fish in seas. [11] Single-use plastic should be avoided to prevent the creation of microplastics that enter the food chain. [12] Choosing local food and drink reduces carbon emissions associated with 'food miles'. [13] Taking the train within the UK emits about six times less than flying, and taking the bus emits about nine times less. In Europe, rail travel can be as much as 10 times less emitting than flying.
- To minimize the impact of climate change during holidays, opt for public transportation, trains, or shared rides instead of short-haul flights and individual car travel.
- By using direct flights, economy class, and carbon offset programs, travelers can reduce emissions when flying.
- Sustainable airport transfers can be made by using low-emission vehicles or public transit.
- Packing intentionally and traveling with carry-on luggage only can help reduce fuel consumption and waste.
- Bringing refillable water bottles, reusable bags, and avoiding single-use plastics are essential packing tips for sustainable travel.
- Eco-friendly accommodations, such as those using renewable energy and emphasizing sustainable food sourcing, should be chosen for a stay.
- Lodgings with good walkability or easy access to public transport can help reduce reliance on cars during a stay.
- Traveling off-peak or to less-visited destinations can help spread tourist impact more evenly.
- Choosing operators with transparent environmental and social responsibility goals and supporting local economies through buying local goods and services contributes to sustainable travel.
- Adopting a selective approach to flying, such as traveling overland more often and only flying occasionally, can also reduce carbon emissions.
- Sustainable travel not only minimizes the carbon footprint of holidays but also protects natural environments and bolsters communities.
- Being a sustainable traveler also involves a conscious attitude towards travel, including packing less, reducing waste, and choosing sustainable modes of transport, such as train travel within the UK and Europe.
