The last few years have seen a significant increase in individuals taking personal responsibility for their carbon footprint. But sometimes, traveling, whether it’s for business or pleasure, is an inevitability. 

While it’s a given that the less we travel, the less impact we have on the planet, sustainable travel is a very real possibility for the modern and eco-aware person. And for good reason, too. Before the pandemic significantly reduced travel, global aviation was responsible for 915 million tons of carbon emissions (as of 2019). 

Within a year of the pandemic, emissions declined by approximately 5.8%, the highest ever decrease in CO2 emissions. 

So, how are businesses and individuals going to maintain this in a post-COVID world? Let’s look at some of the ways to reduce carbon footprints in travel and embrace sustainability. 

What Is Travel Sustainability? 

Travel sustainability is the practice of ensuring that tourism, commutability, and global aviation get people to their desired destinations with minimal impact on the environment. 

Eco-friendly travel takes into consideration an area’s natural resources and focuses on reducing pollution and disturbances to wildlife. This type of travel also considers the effects of tourism and travel on local cultures and businesses. 

Eco-Friendly Travel and the Three Pillars of Sustainability

To  ensure that you’re traveling sustainably, follow three main rules (or pillars). 

1.    The Social Pillar

The social pillar of sustainability refers to movement and travel’s impact on local businesses and individuals living in those areas. Sustainable travel practices include supporting native businesses and local tourism endeavors. 

2.    The Environmental Pillar

The environmental pillar focuses on the larger effects that travel inflicts on the overall environment. Environmental concerns range from managing a large carbon footprint to the amount of waste that travelers generate through packaging and plastics. 

With the environmental pillar for guidance, sustainable travelers can better comprehend the damage mass tourism can cause to areas and adjust their own behaviors to reduce the impact.. 

3.    The Economic Pillar

It goes without saying that a business needs to make a profit to maintain its sustainability. But on a much smaller scale, this pillar can be used to remind individuals of their ability to give back financially to the areas they visit. 

The economy is a local issue as well as a global one. Therefore, tourists can choose to spend their money wisely by helping to contribute to any local economy that they visit. This can be as simple as picking a local eatery or family-run hospitality business. Either way, this extra awareness of where disposable income goes can bolster the local economy. 

Embracing Sustainable Travel Products 

With these pillars and an emphasis on reducing global emissions for sustainable travel comes innovative ways of reducing waste. This couldn’t come at a better time, as the following tourism statistics predict a rather tumultuous decade ahead. 

•    Emissions from tourism are predicted to increase by 25% by the year 2030
•    International and domestic arrivals are predicted to rise to 37 billion in this timeframe
•    By 2030, transport emissions from tourism will make up 5.3% of all man-made emissions 

By embracing sustainable travel products, we can shrink these statistics on a global scale while keeping the world traveling freely. 

When it comes to an environmentally friendly travel plan, packing sustainable items to take with you saves space, reduces waste, and can even lower costs. Below are just a few of the more popular eco-friendly travel products on the market. 

•    Reusable water bottles
•    Organic sunscreen 
•    Non-plastic sanitary travel products 
•    Solar-powered chargers and other accessories
•    Bamboo toothbrushes and other bathroom items 

Sustainable Travel: Small Changes with Big Results 

By incorporating these sustainable travel products into your plans, you can make minor personal changes that have a dramatic effect on the planet as a whole. So to ensure that you’re always traveling sustainably, take some of these tips and make them a part of your next trip.

Consider Your Mode of Transportation

If you’re determined to explore a new part of the world, can you find a more eco-friendly way to get there? For example, exploring the world by train lets you enjoy the views and experiences of travel while using a viable and less harmful mode of transportation than aviation. While it’s quite possible to travel more quickly by plane or boat, these are two of the biggest travel pollutants on the planet.

Support Local Businesses 

If you have to travel big, shop small. Find family restaurants and shops that rely on that income to feed their own families. If you’re buying products, ask about the item’s history. Get an idea of the item’s materials, the working conditions in which it was made, and whether or not it was created locally.

Traveling in a Different Country 

Once you’ve arrived at your destination, consider the way you move around the area daily. For example, take a bike ride instead of a bus or walk and enjoy the surroundings. Try car sharing and look into social activities based around eco-friendly events. 

How TransPerfect Can Help

Are you looking for ways to communicate across the world without leaving a large carbon footprint? Do you need simple and sustainable methods of communication that are effective? 

TransPerfect can help you to fully digitize, optimize, and localize your content. If you need sensitive or large-scale content translations, we can help you master your language services to reach a global audience. 

Our efficient global network of over 10,000 native-speaking linguists can assist your brand in  170+ languages. Contact us if you’d like to discuss how TransPerfect can help you with your sustainability, travel, or marketing plans..