How do we make travelling worldwide sustainable in the long term?

Question

I have spent a long time travelling. Like anybody who loves to travel, we want to keep travelling, we want to keep loving our planet. We want to make sure we don’t love it to death. How do we do that?

You can find more information about responsible travel at: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/responsibletravel/

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Answer 1

We should ration it. Everyone should be given an allocation of travel miles every year for travelling abroad. Flying miles would use up your allocation three times as fast as train or boat. You should be able to sell your miles to other people if you don't want to use them. You would be able to carry your travel miles forwards to next year. Long haul trips would cost you more than a year's allowance.

Answer 2

I think like anything else we just try and not suffocate it and travel responsibly. On the macro level many people now have a problem with the amount of pollution travel can entail through the emissions of aeroplanes.

I have travelled quite extensively and I always try and respect the local culture that I'm visiting and make an effort to understand it properly. I think people should perhaps also give something back if they can, although, to be honest I rarely do this in a monetary sense. I also try and 'leave no footprints' by taking rubbish etc. away from beauty spots, basically I try and treat every place as if it were my own.

Answer 3

Difficult, but the US were working on a nuclear powered Consolidated B36 Peacemaker Bomber in the 1950s so until the technology is sorted slowing down and using nuclear powered ships , using the technology from Submarines and US aircraft carriers and electric trains using nuclear power generated electricity must be the answer.
The long term answer is to stay home, working in a foreign country and going home on a regular basis must stop, unpopular with muslim quasi immigrants yes but saving the planet will upset them as it is not in Qur An. China has the right idea, only 1 child per couple as does New Labour by encouraging childlessness and the allied practice of Homosexuality.

Answer 4

Stay as close to home as possible. There's a lot in your own backyard that you may not have taken the time to see yet. If you absolutely must go abroad, set aside a long time to travel (like a year), and see what you want to see all at once. You can travel by train, bus, etc, to go across country borders instead of taking multiple flights to and from your hometown for week-long trips to exotic locales. Within city limits (or outside city limits for the adventurous) just as back home, walking, biking, and taking public transportation are excellent options (as opposed to car rentals and taxis).

It's nice to dream about environmentally friendly changes in aircraft, but that is not something the average joe has much control over, and these changes might not occur for quite some time (on that note: could you imagine disposing of the gigantic batteries a hybrid aircraft would go through? - hybrid aircraft is not going to be the answer)

It would be ideal if the prices of flights were raised, but not likely to happen with so much competition within the airline industry. There has to be some sort of international agreement forcing all airlines to raise their prices, either that or an oil crisis (which is probably more likely). Again, this isn't something the average joe has a lot of contol over.

Outside of the problem of transportation, similar rules on protecting the environment to those at home prevail. Proper waste disposal, protection of natural sites, avoiding water and electricity waste etc. Read up on the places you are going to go to and be smart about it.

Answer 5

I think there are a few responses. Since you ask about worldwide travel my first response may not be completely relevant. However, I believe it is important. One way to reduce the environmental impact of travel is to realise the different options close by. Nature, quaint villages, larger cities all vary and can offer some extraordinary opportunities for new experiences. Worldwide travel? Well first we can use technology to reduce business travel which may allow for sustainable leisure travel. For example, video conferencing. New technology will help in the future, I hope, to create more 'environmentally wise' modes of transportation when we do travel. That said, at this point in time, if you're serious about your concern for the environment it may be about your freedom to make a choice. We love to travel but, it may be that continuing with our current practises many of those unique small island states, corral reefs, snow capped mountains, Arctic ice caps etc will not be around for us to see. When you do travel go for longer periods and see a few countries using 'environmentally wise' modes of transportation such as the train. Also consider eco-tourism.

Answer 6

I have been traveling for about a year straight now. I'm currently in Hawaii. I do work exchange on organic farms through the organization: World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF). It is available in over 40 Countries. The organization is based around a compilation book of hosts that phone in their contact information, and a brief description of what they need help with on there farm or property.
We the nomadic farm hands or "WWOOFers" contact the hosts and work out arrangements. Most places provide room and board for somewhere in-between 20-35 hours a week. If you don't like the set-up you can always hop off to a new placement.
This is definitely the most cost efficient sustainable way to travel I've heard of. Travel while learning practical tactile techniques for agro permaculture and sustainability. It's a way to give back to the earth while traveling; instead of being a mere consumer. It allows the traveler to integrate into a micro and macro cultures SO much quicker; through the hosts and immediate community. It makes it so much easier to find cash paying jobs on the side through the community networking; Thus providing means to the next destination.

For more info check out www.wwoof.org
(You can find links to the available countries)

I live a humble life style with everything I need in my backpack (and even that can be replaced). Less is more I promise you.

I'm a "traveler" I will NEVER be a tourist

Answer 7

Setting aside the fossil fuel question for a second...minimize your eco-fingerprint while at your destination. Be conscientious...think about what you do as a tourist and how it may impact the environment and societies. For example, dont buy soveneirs like corals, turtles or endangered wildlife. Try to use public transport or walk if possible. Be respectful of local cultures and dont be just another ignorant foreigner. Avoid paying money to beggars or touts...it only makes the local situation worse, in most cases. Try to use your tourism dollars in ways that help local people and local economies, not just big business, but in ways that dont upset or re-define traditional structures and livelihoods. Nobody is perfect but you can do a bit...and even help set an example for others. As for planes, well..maybe this carbon credit idea might help, combined with alternative energy for the future...but realistically the former is still a drop in the bucket, the latter is still a dream, so dont pass the buck to the airline industry and/or try to shed responsibility....try to act right, locally and wherever you are. And try not to always fly...explore your province or region or local area too!

Answer 8

The technology for zero emissions excists right now. The problem is that it takes a lot of money to develop a vehicle. The other problem is making a vehicle like this means that it is very efficient. The company that would produce such "car" would not make as much money as it would if it were to just leave the technology the way it is.
Everyone should see the documentary "Who killed the electric car". Whatever prejudgment you may have towards documentaries on environmentalism, let it go and just watch it. Companies are the only entity on this plant which provide any kind of technology, be it usless junk, or very important, a company must make it, sell it, and stay behind it for it to catch on. Even if it is something the world will bennifit from.

Answer 9

When I travel, I always look at what my accommodation does to contribute to locals communities and if the establishment looks after the environment.

In South Africa, where I live, many places have good environmental and social development projects and programmes in place. Oil gets recycled for a bio diesel project, the employees get medical aid and can join HIV/Aids programmes, electricity is generated through solar power, water is being recylced, etc etc.

Apart from that I - as I always am - never through waste on the street, am careful with bottles and other disposable wrapping products and try to hire a scooter instead of a car.

Last but not least, try to contribute to one of the funds supported by your hotel, whether it may be a HIV/Aids project or Cape Leopard Fund.

Answer 10

Travel closer to home, at least some of the time. Be green when abroad. Walk and use public transport. If you want to fly, buy an empty seat that wasn't sold on a last-minute flight that's flying anyway. Lobby the airlines to adopt greener technology. Write to local representatives to regulate greener technologies. Research which airlines produce fewest emissions per flyer. Buy carbon credits to offset the damage. Plant some trees to offset the damage. Sail somewhere instead of flying. Stay in ecotourism resorts and hotels. Support local produce and industry in the places you visit. Travel through reading about places and visiting them on-line. You can learn a lot about the world that way.

Answer 11

The planet has been warming up and then getting cold over many many thousands of years.So matter what we do it will not make a difference to us.The only winners in this situation are our goverments...just look at all these green taxes that keep coming in...its all about money.They just keep pumping out all this spin to make you worried and to make it look like they are trying to save the planet.......i mean where is all this bird flu and all the other deseases that are due to wipeout mankind?

I mean £5 pp extra to travel,how the hell is this going to stop ppl from flying if they are serious then they should make it £100 pp this might stop ppl from flying.

I also have been told that cows do quite abit of damage to the climate so will the farmers also get taxed to death because of this?


Me,i do nout for the green parties because no matter what you/we do it wont make no difference and i begrudge giving anymore of my hard earnt cash to some jumped up leftie.