Travel is essential for inspiration, innovation and inclusion, but it’s not without its environmental impact. Coronavirus is a chance to reshape how we travel in the future.

Tourism was one of the hardest hit industries during the Covid-19 crisis. Now that countries are opening borders, many have their sights set on faraway places for the first time since 2019. Is travel set to become more sustainable in a post pandemic world?

Covid19 has changed the way people view travel

2020 was the year many of us spent indoors—or at the very least, close to home. With the world at a virtual standstill for over eighteen months, international aviation passengers dropped by 60% during 2020. Locked down and home bound, traffic congestion in the US dropped by 73%, while in the UK traffic levels fell to those not seen since 1955. With the pandemic cleaning the air, causing pollution levels to plummet, many are now turning their attention to how we can keep the these environmental benefits pushing forward through sustainable travel.

Consumer interest in sustainability is increasing, with 2020 a distinct turning point. And travel is at the forefront of how we are set to change our habits. We’ve spent over a year exploring our own hometowns and cities and we’ve gravitated to outdoor spaces as much as possible, becoming mindful of how unlimited travel doesn’t have to mean hopping on a plane.

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) presented Transforming Tourism for a resilient and sustainable post-COVID world outlining a six point plan to ensure we take advantage of the reset to choose greener, low-carbon measures which simultaneously protect biodiversity and help to rebuild the tourism industry upon which so many local communities depend.

Travel is set to become about quality not quantity

From out-of-stock products to the things we just couldn’t do and places we couldn’t go, all of us have had to adopt a simpler, slower pace of life. This includes recognizing the privileges of travel that so many of us had begun to take for granted. However, the pandemic has altered our perspectives on what matters most.

For some of us, that will mean travelling closer to home. The magic of our own neighbourhoods is abundant, and no one has explored every part of their own home state. With the shift to a simpler mindset, how we view travel has also changed. A walk along a never-before visited beach can feel like a distant getaway

But for others, the focus will become on enjoying the bucket list locations, and finding the joy in planning trips that are truly a dream come true over many so-so weekends away throughout the year. Sustainable travel is a necessity to a world with a love of exploration.

Greener travel is better than less travel

Travel is, after all, an essential human activity. It’s about more than an occasional vacation. Without the option of, ‘let’s go somewhere,’ we felt trapped, sedentary—and alone. Humans are naturally nomadic, and travel represents knowledge, experience, and hope. Restricting global mobility would be dire. The experience of travelling broadens our horizons, and new experiences in new places is integral to our societal growth.

No one needs to commit to never getting on a plane or taking a road trip again. Instead, when planning a trip, factor sustainability into your decision making. This can mean everything from the carbon footprint of your journey, to ensuring you do not undertake tourist trips that exploit wild animals (hint: if you want to see them, see them in the wild).

Travel is responsible for around 8% of the world’s carbon emissions. But telling people to reduce their vacation time is not the answer. Like all things sustainable, it’s about education and taking the right steps so that we don’t miss out, but our actions don’t cost the earth.

How you can travel more sustainably

Stay Local

When the travel bug hits, or we’re anxious to try a new experience, it can be easy to think we need to hop on a plane. Yet how many of us truly know the region where we live? Search for similar experiences in your local area and you’ll be sure to discover something that limits the distance you need to discover a whole new world.

Respect and Embrace Culture and Customs

In pre-pandemic times, tourism accounted for 10.4% of global GDP, with many areas reliant on it. However, that doesn’t mean tourists should expect a home from home. Travel is always more enriching when we take time to research local culture and customs before we go, and immerse ourselves in the lived experience of where we find ourselves.

Check the Footprint Before You Book

Research every available option to get to your destination and go to an online Carbon Calculator, like this one from World Land Trust who will not only give you the total CO2 emitted but also tell you the amount to offset it. When you do choose to offset, it’s best to also do your research. It’s a contentious subject, but options that go towards full conservation over tree planting generally offer better long-term (and in many cases indefinite) results.

Consider the eco-impact of your activities

Swimming with turtles may seem fun and harmless, but it’s always good to know exactly what impact such activities have before you book your trip. In many cases, the potential for littering alone can have a huge impact, while animal welfare is often neglected on trips into the wilderness. Exploiting the natural world is what got us into this mess in the first place but there are plenty of considered options that will still satiate human curiosity while removing potential threats and long term damage.

It’s About Every Day too

Walk, cycle, car share; if you can choose an option that isn’t one person in one car, do it. Your everyday transportation adds up. If you’re thinking about sustainable travel, start with how you get to work, the grocery store, and appointments in your daily schedule.

photo by Sacha Verheij

Feeling stressed, anxious or depressed about the climate crisis? You’re not alone. There have been increasing reports of people who identify as experiencing eco-anxiety.

What is eco-anxiety?

Eco-anxiety is a relatively new phrase that captures the experience of those who are alarmed by the climate crisis, and is often twinned with an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. It’s important to know, however, that it isn’t a recognised mental health disorder. In fact, eco-anxiety is a natural, rational response for those with an awareness and understanding of the environmental issues our beautiful planet is facing. The good news is that there are many ways to counter the effects and fear associated with eco-anxiety and, instead of focusing on the way we feel, can turn your concern into positive action for Earth, and yourself.

5 ways to manage eco-anxiety

applaud yourself for your climate positive actions

When we experience eco-anxiety, it can be easy to put pressure on ourselves as individuals to do more. Instead, why not take a step back and list all the ways that you are contributing to reversing climate change? Individual actions will not solve climate change, and the best hope we have is to find a true balance between Earth’s needs and our modern lives.

change where you get your news

Climate change is a difficult subject for many newsrooms—it’s so easy (and buzz-worthy) to fall into the doom and gloom narrative. However, every day new stories emerge that highlight how hopeful we should be. Positive News and Goodgoodgoodco both focus on good news and Mongabay offers inspirational stories from the frontline of conservation, with a detailed look at the events and innovations that are making a difference.

Some recent happy headlines include:

Daintree Forest, an Australian rainforest that covers almost 400,000 acres and borders the Great Barrier Reef was returned to the Eastern Kuku Yalanji, the original Aboriginal custodians of this land. Alongside the obvious positive of Aboriginal land being returned to rightful ownership, indigenous rights are vital to land conservation and allows for sustainable management of sites. via Nation of Change

More cities are beginning to build their own version of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor’s Mr Trash Wheel. Entirely solar and hydro-powered, this trash interceptor collects waste that flows to him, funnelling the trash into the large ‘mouth’ where it can be sorted for recycling or incinerated to generate electricity. via Good News Network

There was a huge win for the many opposed to the Keystone XL Pipeline as President Biden revoked the US permit that its developers needed this summer, marking one of the first major victories for climate activists against the fossil fuel industry. via The Guardian

enjoy green spaces

Green spaces create positive mental health effects, naturally influencing anxiety levels, including those caused by eco-anxiety. Spending time outdoors gives us time to connect with ourselves and the wider world, and areas given over to a nature are a great way of reminding ourselves that all is not lost.

rethink the way you travel

From holidays to commutes, the way we travel is one of the most tangible changes we can make to improve our carbon footprint. It’s a simple, affordable, and achievable way to make a difference—and feeling a sense of accomplishment can help combat anxiety. For shorter, daily trips, choose walking or cycling. And when you need to go further afield, consider whether the distance would be better travelled by car sharing or train than by flying. When flying is the only option, opt for direct flights as these require less fuel than multi-leg journeys.

find a community that shares your values

With the right support, conversation and shared experiences, your feelings surrounding climate change will be validated and alleviated. From your own loved ones to climate action groups, who better to talk about all the good things you’re doing to lead a more sustainable life? Sharing is caring, and you’ll learn lots more tips on how to ensure your lifestyle is green, manageable, and eco-anxiety-free.

Obviously, community is huge for us content creators, and we hope eco club is a place to become more inspired and hopeful about living sustainably. Sign up for the eco club newsletter to get involved!

Brands worldwide are taking significant steps to become more environmentally friendly, but there are still plenty using greenwashing techniques to boost sales. Here’s our guide to understanding what greenwashing is, why it happens—and how you can spot it in the future.  

So, what is greenwashing? Greenwashing is a marketing ploy that companies use to appear that they are doing more for the environment than they are. Greenwashing purposely deceives and misleads customers into believing their products are eco-friendly. It makes companies seem environmentally aware, their products conscious, and choices ethical. But scratch a little deeper below the surface, and you’ll discover that their green claims are unfounded.

In some instances, businesses do have environmentally sound policies and practices. But greenwashing uses grandiose claims and gross exaggerations to give the impression brands are greener than they are. They may promote their fully recyclable packaging but fail to mention the toxic, single-use plastic product inside. Greenwashing directs funds to a marketing campaign rather than funding systematic change. It distracts from a company’s unethical and unsustainable practices.

Using natural images like greenery and leaves is a subliminal signal that a product is clean, earth-friendly, and derived from nature. Although packaging might not explicitly state that it’s eco, its packaging is intended to deceive. Using buzzwords such as ‘organic,’ ‘ethical,’ and ‘eco-friendly’ are also misleading as they create an image in the consumer’s mind but carry no legal weight; companies can self-declare they are ethical even when they aren’t.

Unfortunately, most major corporations are guilty of greenwashing. Break Free from Plastic produced a damning report in 2020, listing the worst brands for greenwashing, of which Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Nestle came out on top.

photo by Nefeli Kavvada.

some examples:

• Marketed as pure, natural, untouched by man, Fiji Water was sued in 2011 for greenwashing. They willfully mislead customers into believing they were a carbon-negative company when their carbon footprint was huge: their water comes from a Fijian aquifer, their bottles from China, and their products shipped to 60 countries worldwide.
• To appear like they were eliminating single-use plastics from their restaurants, McDonalds’ switched to paper-straws. However, the new ‘eco’ straws weren’t recyclable, while the cups were still made from plastic—an ineffective marketing ruse to distract from the detrimental impact of their single-use plastic pollution.

why is it so easy to fall for greenwashing claims?

As conscious consumers who want to make ethical purchases, it is hard to believe that brands don’t hold the same values in high regard. And yet, all too many put profit over the planet, jumping on the rise in demand for eco-friendly products.

A lot of these so-called ethical products come with a higher price tag. We equate the higher expense with responsible practices, sustainable sourcing, and a fair wage for workers. Consumers are happy to pay more for an ethical product. And here’s where greenwashing brands turn a profit: they charge conscious consumers a premium price to fund their unsustainable practices. Greenwashing also plays into our climate anxiety, convincing us to make purchases that we think are the answer to the environmental crisis but which go on to devastate and destroy our planet.

three ways to avoid greenwashing

Greenwashing is not always immediately apparent, but when you know the signs, you’ll be able to spot it in the future.

Don’t be fooled by green, ‘eco’ packaging. Make sure to check the ingredients list and research any ethical claims companies make.

Avoid ambiguous statements and buzzwords. Genuinely ethical brands are specific on details. (These can usually be found on their websites.) If in doubt, reach out to the companies and see what they say.

Look for industry-standard certifications such as Fair Trade, The Vegan Society, and Organic Content Standards.

Although greenwashing misleads conscious consumers and exploits the planet further—we don’t need to despair just yet! The fact that companies are greenwashing indicates the enormous global demand for sustainable, earth-friendly alternatives. Many companies are stepping up, making ethical changes, putting the planet and people at the heart of their work. Let’s hope that more brands answer the call.

What examples of greenwashing have you come across lately?