The worldwide travel sector accounts for about eight percent of global carbon emissions. There are ways to travel sustainably and help the environment, and we need to make a difference.
What is sustainable travel?
As awareness of climate change intensifies, people are becoming more informed and concerned about the negative impact of travel.
They are consequently more willing to make a change to their usual travel habits. And they tend to choose more eco-friendly options, in aid of more sustainable travel.
One approach which is gaining traction is the concept of ‘slow travel’. This means that travel should be based on a connection to the local culture, people, and food of the place you are visiting. It also advocates less frequent but longer trips.
Moreover, it also entails travelling by more sustainable means, such as trains instead of planes, for instance.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, people started looking at travel in a different way. Perhaps there is a way of travelling more responsibly in the future, while reducing our carbon footprint.
What is a carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gasses that a company or individual emits. These emissions have a detrimental effect on the environment.
They make the temperature of the planet go up, which results in various effects. These include the rising of sea levels and ice caps melting, as well as the increase of natural disasters such as floods, extreme heat, and hurricanes.
Travel sustainably by making the right choices
There are various ways that you can reduce your carbon footprint by making smarter choices and travelling more sustainably. This can be done in a number of ways, such as using public transport or walking/cycling instead of driving.
- When travelling short distances, try to avoid using air travel. Trains and ferries have a smaller carbon footprint than planes.
- Walk when at all possible, especially short distances.
- Use public transport if possible.
- Try to use multimodality options such as bicycles, taxi services, electric scooters, e-bikes and even ferries.
- When booking a ride-hailing or taxi service, choose the ‘green‘ or ‘Eco‘ option.
Reduce your carbon footprint when travelling by air
If you have no choice but to travel by air, it’s important to consider the environmental impact of your flights. One way to do this is to choose airlines that are committed to reducing their carbon emissions.
Many airlines now offer ‘carbon offset programmes’, where passengers can pay a fee to offset the emissions generated by their flight.
This money is then used to fund projects that help reduce carbon emissions, such as reforestation or renewable energy projects.
Apart from airlines, other companies offer carbon offset programmes, which help to fund projects that help reduce carbon emissions.
These projects can include reforestation or renewable energy projects, for instance. This is another relatively ‘easy’ way to help mitigate the environmental impact of your travel.
Choose sustainable accommodation
When choosing where to stay, try eco-friendly hotels or guesthouses. These kinds of establishments are designed to minimise their environmental impact, for example, by using renewable energy sources, reducing water usage, recycling and energy efficient lighting measures.
Choosing to stay in smaller, locally-owned accommodations can have a positive impact on the local economy.
Another way to be more eco-friendly is to limit the use of air conditioning in your accommodation, as well as to be mindful about the amount of water you use when abroad. It might be a small thing to you but the energy savings can be quite substantial.
Reduce waste when travelling
Reducing waste is an important part of sustainable travel. When travelling, try to avoid using single-use plastics and instead take a reusable water bottle, coffee cup, and shopping bag.
Additionally, try to choose products with minimal packaging and dispose of waste properly, using recycling facilities where possible.
Give your support to local communities and businesses
Supporting local businesses and communities can have a positive impact on the environment and the local economy. Try to eat at local restaurants that use local and seasonal produce, and buy souvenirs from local artisans.
Go for sustainable activities
When planning your travel, choose activities that have a minimal environmental impact, such as hiking and cycling.
These are great ways to enjoy the natural environment while lessening your impact on it. You could also choose to visit places such as national parks and protected areas.
These kinds of locations often have strong commitment to sustainable tourism.
By following these tips for travelling sustainably, you can help reduce your carbon footprint while still enjoying all that travel has to offer.
How to travel sustainably with us
Through its cutting-edge tech solutions, eCabs Technologies has given incentives to its drivers to opt for more environmentally-friendly vehicles by charging them a lower commission rate on the rides they perform, to encourage them to move to a more more eco-friendly solution.
To determine the commercial and operational feasibility of an all-electric fleet, it launched a pilot research project that involved testing various all-electric car brands in a 24/7 operational context.
The aim was to collect data that would shed light on the viability of using electric vehicles in such an environment.
When booking a taxi with eCabs, one can request the Eco category. This category is made up of 100 percent electric or hybrid vehicles, ensuring a ‘cleaner’ journey. Eco ride prices on the platform are at par with the lowest rides among all available options.
eCabs’ own fleet is also leading the way into a more eco-friendly future by setting into motion an ambitious project for more sustainable travel which will see it run completely on green vehicles in the near future.
