Going on vacation is dreamy, and good for your brainwhatever your budget.
Fly less
The big one.
Added up, these small tweaks to your itinerary can have a significant impact on your vacations emissions.
Ready for a more dramatic change?
So its keeping life recognizable…
I have to be delicate around these conversations and confirm people understand that Im not judging.
I was there myself not too long ago.
While some have been using train trips to replace flights, shes planned entire vacations around specific train routes.
Theres plenty of spaceyou can spread out a Monopoly board on the floor and sit cross legged.
It also has an ensuite toilet.
I think about eight cabins share one shower, but its got hot water all the time.
Its one of the bucket list Canadian journeys.
Admittedly, small cabins arent the only drawback to train travel in the US and Canada.
Weve been waiting for a bullet train between the Bay Area and Los Angeles.
But for the hardcore ethical traveler, Greyhound is best.
(Weve got a full guide to offsets, including options on where to buy them, here.)
Oh, and take a backpack rather than pounds of luggage.
A good rule of thumb is to pack what you think you need, and halve it.
Responsible Travelcame out against offsettingten years ago.
Roe explains: We cant offset our way out of the climate crisis.
Reduction is our only option.
When we fly, the impacts are immediate: offsets arent.
Take tree planting: saplings that even reach maturity can take decades to do sotime we dont have.
Were not anti-flying, she adds, but we have to fly much, much less.
Jetting off on regular [weekend trips] isnt sustainable.
Make your holiday count.
Couple it perhaps with shorter flight-free breaks close to home.
Consider your motivation for visiting a particular place.
Some areas are being overwhelmed by tourists and influencers arriving en masse and contributing little, she says.
Spend your money locally.
Make an effort to connect with the local communitydont just view it through a lens.
If youre taking tours, confirm yours is a responsible operator, or seek advice before you commit.
And of course, venture to choose environmentally-friendly accommodationan increasing number are using renewable energy and actively encouraging biodiversity.
In the long run, greener travel means radically different (and longer!)
vacations, often ones that are longer, and fewer and farther between.
Done well, tourism is a powerful force for good, says Roe.
The surest way is to hire local, hire Indigenous, Kiona says.
Anything else, I would be wary of.
The landscapes are jaw-dropping.
