What to do about “Flight Shaming”? Fly or Never Fly?
Can We Reduce the Carbon Footprint of our Travels?
I love traveling, but I also care about climate change. Are there wise trade-offs to make⁉️
✈️ 🌏 Flights have a significant impact on the climate due to high emissions released high in the atmosphere.
🔴 A return trip from London to New York generates 986kg of CO2 per passenger, more than the average person's yearly emissions in 56 countries. A trip to Rome generates 234kg of CO2 per passenger, more than the average person's yearly emissions in 17 countries.
13 Ways to Reduce the Carbon Footprint of our Travels?
🌟 1. Avoid flying to nearby destinations
🌟 2. Book non-stop flights
Non-stops take the most direct route to the destination, they require less fuel than itineraries with multiple legs.
🌟 3. Fly economy
An air passenger’s emissions are determined by the amount of space they take up on the plane. On average, business class seats are two times larger than those in economy.
🌟 4. Pack light
The heavier your luggage, the more fuel it takes to transport it by plane, bus, car, or train.
🌟 5. Choose efficient transportation to explore your destination
🌟 6. Turn down the AC and heat, switch off electronics
On vacation it’s the hotels that shoulder the cost. This can lead people to be less conscientious about their energy use during their travels than when they are at home. But regardless of who’s footing the bill, our planet will pay the price.
🌟 7. Use the “Do Not Disturb” sign
To reduce energy consumption
🌟 8. Eat the local cuisine
By eating local foods instead of imported ones, you’ll reduce the carbon footprint of your meal while also supporting the local economy.
🌟 9. Reduce food waste
With all the delicious and exotic food dishes to try, it’s hard not to over indulge while on vacation. But did you know that food production is responsible for roughly one-quarter of the world’s emissions? As forests are cleared to graze cows and grow crops, the carbon they store is released into the air. Food also produces carbon when it’s processed, packaged, transported, and refrigerated; and when we throw our uneaten food away, it creates harmful methane emissions as it rots in a landfill.
🌟 10. Buy meaningful souvenirs that you will actually use
Invest in high quality products instead of poorly made items that you’ll have to trash after one use.
🌟 11. Stay at eco-friendly hotels
🌟 12. Offset your carbon footprint
🌟 13. Support sustainable tourism projects and initiatives
References:
[1]https://sustainabletravel.org/how-to-reduce-travel-carbon-footprint/
[2]https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200218-climate-change-how-to-cut-your-carbon-emissions-when-flying
[3]https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2019/jul/19/carbon-calculator-how-taking-one-flight-emits-as-much-as-many-people-do-in-a-year
