The Basics of Sustainable Travel

Summer is coming soon and we have to come up with holiday planning! Sightseeing in London for a weekend, enjoying the sun on short holidays in Mallorca or should it rather be Sydney with the family for two weeks? But wait – are there perhaps more sustainable options?

Nearby or far away – active or relaxed – beach, mountains or party mile, nowadays our range of options is almost endless. We can fly within a very short time from one side of the globe to the other; low-cost airlines make that more and more affordable. Great, right?

Unfortunately tourism and unlimited mobility have also their dark sides. Emissions, environmental pollution, poverty and resource conflicts – air traffic is responsible for up to 10% of climate change. Unspoilt alpine landscapes vanish in consequence of mass tourism; cruise ships release vast amounts of harmful substances into the oceans. But how can we do better? How is conscious, environmentally friendly travel possible? In the following passages you will find crucial tips, the basics of sustainable travel so to say!

Stay on the ground

Most emissions arise on the outward and return journeys. As soon as you stay on the ground with your means of transport, the greenhouse-gas emissions decrease to ¼ compared to flying. Obviously, the longer the distance, the more difficult it gets not to fly; but nearby destinations within Europe usually can be reached easily by car, or even better by bus or train. However, there is one exception: cruise ships – even though they do not fly, their impact on the environment is enormous.

After your arrival, public transport and bicycle should be your first choice as well. By travelling with public transport you will also get to know the country and the everyday life of locals much better.

“Why seek far afield when the good is close by?” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Mountains, forests, lakes, sea, castles, palaces and gorgeous old towns – Germany and Europe have so much more to offer than most of us think. Too often, we know the country we live in and the neighbouring countries much less than far off travel destinations. There is something going wrong, isn’t it? How about outdoor holidays in Thuringia? Hiking and mountain biking in beautiful forests, swimming in lakes surrounded by mountains and a visit of the magical dripstone cave in Saalfeld. The Elbe Sandstone Mountain, which is one of Germany´s most beautiful natural wonders, also receives too little consideration. More ideas on underestimated travel destinations within Germany you can find here.

If, nevertheless, you decide to travel to a destination further away, distance and travel duration should fit together. Flying to another continent should be worth it. The trip to the States can by all means last some weeks or months so that you can fully enjoy it.

Respect nature

While considering which activities to choose, options should be critically examined. Are fun sports in fragile landscapes really necessary? Is the activity reasonable for this climate and landscape? Does the activity fit with the culture of that particular country? Playing golf in the desert and jet skiing through mangrove forests is not a good idea for sure.

That you should not leave waste in the landscape as a tourist (just like at home) goes without saying. If you want to go a step further, buy a water filter for camping. In many countries you cannot drink tab water like in Germany; that is why a water filter is a solution not to rely on buying plastic bottles.

Water is scarce?

As a tourist you might easily enter into resource conflicts with locals. Where resources are rare already, locals can suffer due to the consumption of, for example, fresh water by the powerful tourist industry. Taking long showers and having your towels and linen washed every day are not appropriate then. When it comes to housing, the interests of tourists and locals might be contradictory as well. By renting holiday apartments through online platforms, landlords can potentially earn more money than by renting them permanently, which in some areas has led to former tenants being driven away and affordable housing becoming scarce. But not everything is negative – tourism can bring advantages for the host country as well. It can be an important source of income if we actively counteract the disadvantages of tourism. So how can we manage to visit a country in a way that makes the locals benefit and at the same time allows us to have an amazing holiday with great experiences?

Local offers instead of all-inclusive

Booking the whole trip in an all-round carefree package is easy, but often boring and the ones who benefit from it are usually large providers instead of locals. To simplify the decision for the conscious traveler, attempts are made to label accommodations and offers as ecological and fair. So rather than choosing the next best hotel chain, try to find private hotels and hostels, which have these labels. Often you can find much more country-specific aspects in small accommodations and it may happen that you get insider tips from the owners about where to have dinner. Apropos Dinner: Try country- or region-specific food and enjoy eating regional food in small local restaurants.

However, exceptions confirm the rule. Not everything that is traditional can be recommended and helps the locals and the environment. For example, you should not enjoy your holidays on the back of elephants. If you would like to discover more about these fascinating animals, you can spend time with them in a nature conservation center.

You would like to know more?

Phew… these were quite a lot of aspects to consider. The good news is that a critical view at the existing offers can already help. If you are still not fed up and would like to increase your knowledge in some points, check out fairunterwegs.org. The platform brings light into the jungle of providers and information.

If you are particularly interested into the topic of mobility and would like to use more sustainable transportation in your everyday life and in your holidays, have a look at the booklet „Nachhaltig bewegen und reisen“ of the Baden-Württemberg sustainability strategy. You can download it here for free (it is only available in German).

If you feel like discovering your hometown first, we can recommend stattreisen to you. You can also find a group in Karlsruhe with diverse offers.

Wherever your next journey will go to – we wish you a lot of fun and great experiences!