Summer Travel Sustainability Tips

The start of summer is just around the corner, making it the perfect time of year to be planning a getaway vacation. Everyone deserves time off for rest and relaxation, however, recent studies have shown that tourism accounts for about 8% of the world’s carbon emissions. From transportation to destination to hotel stays, there’s a lot of carbon emissions adding up. The travel industry has roared back to life since the pandemic, and is projected to grow significantly in the years to come. Building a sustainable and responsible tourism industry is key to reducing our carbon footprint. We’d like to share a few tips on how to travel more sustainably this summer!

1. Transportation

Aviation accounts for 52% of tourism’s direct carbon emissions. It is the largest contributor to tourism’s carbon emissions. Consider the distance of your destination when choosing a vacation, but no matter where you go, here are a few recommendations regarding your flights:

• Take Less Flights: For example, if you were to visit multiple destinations this summer, consider consolidating the trips to spend less time in the air. 
• Choose Direct Flights: When booking, choose direct flights when possible as layovers add more carbon emissions to your travel.
• Use Alternative Transport: If you plan on covering shorter distances, use alternative transportation such as trains or cars to cut down emissions. 
• Walk When Possible: Once arriving at your destination, plan to walk wherever possible and take public transportation for longer distances instead of renting a car or calling an uber.
• Pack Light: Heavier bags require more fuel to transport and can be more expensive and cumbersome for your journey.

2. Accommodations 

Lodgings is another large contributor to the tourism industry. Choosing where to stay can greatly impact your trips' carbon emissions. 34% of tourism’s indirect emissions comes from utilities such as the electricity in your room. Here are a few tips to reducing your emissions while at your accommodation:

• Choose Your Stay: Consider booking with sustainably certified or eco-conscious accommodations that are looking to make a difference.
• Turn Off Utilities: Turn off electricity or air conditioning when not in use. Many hotels are beginning to require a key card to put the services in use which can help remind you.
• Conserve Water: Take shorter showers and reuse towels or linens. Laundry services for a short stay should be avoided unless there is an emergency.
• Bring Your Own Toiletries: when possible, bring your own products to avoid single use plastics from hotel amenities, and use only what you need to reduce waste.
• Consider Location: Choose accommodations near your planned tourist attractions to lower transportation emissions.

3. Food & Beverages

Your meals are the second biggest contributor, at around 10%, to the tourism industry’s carbon footprint. Overproduction, food waste, and imports all play large factors into this. A few ways to stay conscious of your meal habits are as follows: 

• Choose Local and Seasonal Foods: Not only are you more likely to indulge in regional delicacies, your meal’s emissions will be cut down from transportation and import costs.
• Take Only What You Need: Order only what you will eat to reduce waste. For example, many hotels offer breakfast buffets which can lead to large amounts of waste. It can be fun sampling a little bit of everything, but make sure to only take what you need.
• Plant-based Meals: Opt for plant-based meals when applicable. Cutting down on meat, particularly red-meat, can cut down carbon emissions. If you’re in a region that specializes in plant-based dishes, be sure to try it!
• Refuse Single Waste: Items like straws and cutlery should be avoided when unnecessary. When purchasing food on the go or for takeout, there are usually offerings of excess plastic utensils and napkins. If you don’t need them, don’t take them.
• Bring A Reusable Bottle: Avoid plastic bottled water. If it’s possible to find refill stations, use your own bottle from home.
• Choose Low-Packaging Items: Avoid unnecessary waste when choosing a one-time meal or drink. No-packaging is best where possible. You don’t need a fancy box or plastic bag if you plan on consuming the product and tossing the packaging right after.

4. Recreational Activities

The types of activities you choose to participate in can also have a strong impact on your carbon footprint. While these can vary from location to location, we urge you to think on the following when making your choices:

1. Limit Transportation: Choose excursions that are closer to your destination to limit transportation or consider choosing an accommodation closer to the activity.
2. Public Transport: If taking day trips is inevitable, consider how you’re getting there. Taking public transportation or carpooling with other tourists would be a more sustainable option.
3. Renewable Energy Transport: If you need to rent a car, choose an electric vehicle. If you’re engaging with boating activities, choose electric vessels or sailboats instead.
4. Choose Low-Emissions Activities: Activities that involve low infrastructure and emissions such as hiking or kayaking are better for the environment than energy intensive activities such as motorized sports and ziplining.
5. Go Digital: Use digital guides, maps, and tickets to limit paper waste while traveling, especially if you are unlikely to keep it as a souvenir of your trip. 

5. Retail 

Lastly, we recommend contemplating your purchases while on vacation. It’s a lot of fun picking our souvenirs or gifts for friends and family back home. Here are a few tips to consider while browsing your options:

• Support Local Artists: Not only are you supporting the local economy, you are lowering emissions by choosing non-imported products that require far transportation. Many areas have a unique speciality you can purchase such as Murano glass in Venice, matcha in Kyoto, or Alpaca wool clothing from Lima.
• Choose Secondhand: There are many local thrift-stores or flea markets with unique items at a lower price. It is a much more sustainable option.
• Opt for Minimal Packaging: Packaging waste is a large contributor to retail. If unnecessary, opt out of it. Bring a reusable bag to carry your purchases too.
• Avoid Fast Fashion: Choose long-lasting and quality products you will want to keep instead of throwing out down the line. Invest in purchasing custom or handmade pieces for longer wear.‍
• Limit Souvenirs: Abandon the mentality of buying things simply because you cannot have access to them again or you traveled all the way to the destination and should purchase something. If you won’t cherish it or have a use for it, leave the souvenir behind. If the item cannot fit in your suitcase, you probably shouldn’t take it home.