Most of us love to travel. On a personal level, travel helps rejuvenate our spirits: We have “ah-ha” moments; we fall in love; we experience minor expansions. Travel is living our best lives.
On a collective level, travel can bring social and economic benefits. A local tourism industry, when managed well, can help alleviate poverty. When traveling, we often put ourselves in positions to learn more about cultures that are foreign to our own. This helps demystify others and can ultimately bring humankind together.
But global tourism is not just singing Kumbaya around a campfire.
Despite the aforementioned social and economic benefits, tourism can have a negative impact, most notably on the environment. According to a study published by international scientific journal Nature, global tourism accounts for about 8 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. This number is only forecasted to increase.
The good news, however, is that as consumers, we can make decisions that can potentially reverse this trend. We can reduce the impact of our journeys while being as respectful as possible.
Here are five ideas to help you make environmentally savvy travel choices.
Consider Your Method of Travel
When possible, opt to travel by bus, train or ship, as these forms of transport have lower emissions. A single person traveling from New York to Boston on an airplane is responsible for approximately 110 pounds of carbon emissions. The same itinerary using a train would total less than 44 pounds of carbon emissions.
If you do travel by air, one option is to offset your carbon emissions. Carbon offsetting means compensating for the carbon-dioxide (CO2) pollution emitted during your travels by supporting initiatives that reduce global carbon levels, such as planting trees or investing in renewable energy projects. This video helps explain the basic premise of carbon offsetting.
Be Souvenir Savvy
It’s only natural to want to bring home a souvenir from a memorable trip, and buying something crafted by a local artisan is a wonderful gesture. But say “no thanks” to rare and endangered wildlife products as souvenirs. Each species plays an important role in the balance of an ecosystem. When a species is lost, we all lose.
Taste the Destination
When visiting London or Vancouver, you probably don’t need to drink water from Fiji. (Yes, the bottle is pretty — we get it!) Developed cities have potable water, and that water has been passed through stringent filtration processes.
We all love to have “local experiences” while traveling, so think of drinking local water as tasting the unique flavor of a city. Carry a water bottle to avoid purchasing plastic water bottles, which might end up in a landfill (depending on the destination).
Sharing Is Caring
Private car service to the airport is a small luxury that makes travel a bit smoother. But opting for shared transit to and from the airport leaves the roads less congested and the air a bit cleaner. Often hotels offer shared transport, many ridesharing apps offer carpooling options, and most major cities offer public transit that goes directly to the airport. Ecological and economical!
Practice Sustainable Hotel Habits
International hotel brands — and especially their global-sourcing policies — play an important role in limiting carbon emissions. But the actions of hotel guests are also vital.
When staying at a hotel or resort, we can all cultivate a few simple habits that collectively have a big impact: Reuse towels, turn off lights, recycle, use less air conditioning and opt for vegetarian items when ordering room service.
Marriott is consistently exploring ways to limit their environmental impact. Learn more about Marriott sustainability and sourcing initiatives.
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