Sustainable Travel: 4 Tips to Travel More Sustainably

Your flights are booked, your bags are packed, and your out-of-office message is set. Headed on vacation this summer? Or maybe a business trip? You might want to think twice about splurging for that first class seat or luxury suite.

Greenhouse gas emissions are at a historic high, and our unrelenting business needs and personal desires to travel aren’t helping. Clean air and water are commons, or public goods that anyone can use and are, unfortunately, often taken for granted. When you travel, it’s inevitable that you’ll participate in some type of activity that threatens public goods.

For example, driving or flying across the country releases harmful levels of greenhouse gases into the air and the cleaning service for your hotel room uses an enormous amount of water every day. Fortunately, there are ways you can reduce your impact and enjoy your trip guilt-free.

What Does It Mean to Travel Sustainably?

Sustainability refers to a person or business’s impact on the environment and its local or global society. To travel sustainably means to travel in a way that minimizes your environmental impact.

Sustainable travelers consider the different ways their tourism might affect local communities, societies, and the environment as a whole when planning their itineraries.

Imagine you’re traveling from Boston to New York City for a business trip. How can you enjoy your trip while also prioritizing sustainability? Here are four tips to consider when planning your trip.

4 Tips to Travel Sustainably

1. Choose Your Method of Transportation Wisely

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the US, accounting for 29 percent. So, how can you limit the emissions you create while getting to where you need to go?

Carbon Footprint’s carbon calculator shows that taking the Amtrak train from Boston to New York roundtrip results in the least amount of carbon emissions at 0.01 metric tons, followed closely by taking a coach bus at 0.02 metric tons.

Not surprisingly, flying and driving result in the most carbon emissions. Flights, especially high-traffic routes, like between Boston and New York, continue to decline in price. While this option might be easier on your wallet and in some ways more convenient than the other options discussed, it comes at a higher cost to the environment.

Taking an economy class flight releases five times more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than taking the train. Upgrade to first class, and your carbon footprint increases threefold. All that extra legroom, while undeniably more comfortable, isn’t the most sustainable travel option.

Driving a large car or SUV from Boston to New York roundtrip releases 0.20 metric tons of carbon pollution into the atmosphere, which is 20 times the equivalent of taking the train. If you must drive, you can reduce your emissions by traveling at off-peak times or by traveling in a fuel-efficient or electric vehicle.

2. Participate in Carbon Offset Programs

If you must fly from one city to another, there are still ways you can reduce the environmental impact of your flight.

As a consumer, you have the option to purchase carbon offsets. Carbon offsets are programs in which an individual or organization pays someone else to eliminate a certain amount of greenhouse gases to offset the amount they produce by traveling. The offsets typically occur either in the form of forestry or energy projects.

Many airlines and hotels allow you to purchase offsets at checkout as an additional charge. Alternatively, you can calculate your travel footprint and purchase offsets yourself using a tool such as Native Energy.

3. Consider Alternatives to Traditional Hotels

In addition to transportation, where you stay can have a significant impact on the environment. Consider alternatives to traditional hotels that are more eco-friendly.

Home-sharing platform Airbnb is on the rise, and for good reason. Not only does it offer cheaper options than hotels, but Airbnb properties also use less water and energy than hotels. A study conducted by Cleantech Group found that Airbnb properties produce 61% less greenhouse gas emissions than hotels.

Adapting to the growing concern for the environment, the hospitality industry is beginning to adopt more sustainable practices. EarthCheck, for example, offers a certification that provides hotel companies a framework to become more sustainable. Taj Hotels, Hard Rock Hotels, and Sandals Resorts are among some of the certified hotels.

You can still limit your carbon footprint, even if you’re not staying at an Airbnb or EarthCheck-certified hotel. Consider reusing your towels and sheets rather than having them changed every day. This simple step cuts down on water use and the amount of chemicals sent into the sewer system. Some hotels are even incentivizing this behavior by offering perks to guests who forgo daily housekeeping.

4. Participate in Eco-Friendly Activities

As a traveler, how you get to your destination and where you stay will likely have an impact on the environment, but what you do once you arrive also matters.

For recreation and leisure, participate in eco-friendly outdoor activities that produce little to no emissions, such as hiking, cycling, or kayaking. When dining, look for establishments that serve locally-sourced foods. Food that’s locally-grown has a much smaller impact on the environment because it doesn't have to travel thousands of miles to your plate.

Making Sustainability a Priority

Wherever you’re traveling to, it doesn’t have to come at a cost to the environment. Being mindful about how you travel goes a long way to promoting sustainability in your own life and preserving the public goods the world shares.

Whether you’re embracing sustainability in your personal or professional life, it’s crucial to understand how individual and organizational decisions impact the environment. To boost your sustainability skills and educate yourself about sustainable practices, consider an online course like Sustainable Business Strategy offered by Harvard Business School Online.

Are you interested in learning how you can make more sustainable decisions in your life and organization? Explore our three-week online course Sustainable Business Strategy and our other Business in Society courses. Not sure which is right for you? Download our free flowchart.

This post was updated on October 20, 2021. It was originally published on June 26, 2018.