For the travellers who care
Written by Sustainability Editor at Large Ketti Wilhelm
When we think realistically about what sustainable travel is, it’s often helpful to consider first what it’s not. Sustainable travel is not about sailing across an ocean instead of flying, for example. Sure, the carbon emissions of a sailing boat pale into insignificance compared with those of a plane – but will a sailing boat change the travel industry? I’m afraid that, available to no more than a handful of people, it will not.
That’s why this second annual Travel Green List is not an exercise in daydreaming of reducing travel emissions to zero. Instead, it’s about recognising the need for serious changes to dozens of seemingly small practices across dozens of business types, and dozens of personal choices. And it’s about celebrating those who are saying “yes” to the challenge with enthusiasm – even those who are starting from a low level.
As editors, we dug through our travel notes to find stand-out examples from around the world. And we were heartened to see hundreds of proposals flood our inbox relating to all seven continents. To assess these places, organisations and projects, we recruited six expert judges – including university professors, entrepreneurs, and award-winning journalists and authors – to help review and investigate entries. These entries highlight carbon reduction and removal, meaningful employment and education for local people, and innovative ways to support biodiversity – from coral reef restoration and firefly conservation to big-game photo safaris – to cite just a few factors.
Note that while all entries have been examined by our experienced panel of judges, we do rely to some degree on information provided by the nominated organisations, so can’t take responsibility for any outside inaccuracies. However, we are here to celebrate their well-deserved achievements in pushing sustainability forwards.
After a rigorous selection process, our hope is that this year’s Travel Green List will be an inspiration to us all in terms of both the powerful choices we can make on our travels and the changes that we might be able to make in our communities, too.
Words Ketti Wilhelm, Gareth Clark, Karen Edwards, Lyn Hughes
For the travellers who care
Written by Sustainability Editor at Large Ketti Wilhelm
When we think realistically about what sustainable travel is, it’s often helpful to consider first what it’s not. Sustainable travel is not about sailing across an ocean instead of flying, for example. Sure, the carbon emissions of a sailing boat pale into insignificance compared with those of a plane – but will a sailing boat change the travel industry? I’m afraid that, available to no more than a handful of people, it will not.
That’s why this second annual Travel Green List is not an exercise in daydreaming of reducing travel emissions to zero. Instead, it’s about recognising the need for serious changes to dozens of seemingly small practices across dozens of business types, and dozens of personal choices. And it’s about celebrating those who are saying “yes” to the challenge with enthusiasm – even those who are starting from a low level.
As editors, we dug through our travel notes to find stand-out examples from around the world. And we were heartened to see hundreds of proposals flood our inbox relating to all seven continents. To assess these places, organisations and projects, we recruited six expert judges – including university professors, entrepreneurs, and award-winning journalists and authors – to help review and investigate entries. These entries highlight carbon reduction and removal, meaningful employment and education for local people, and innovative ways to support biodiversity – from coral reef restoration and firefly conservation to big-game photo safaris – to cite just a few factors.
Note that while all entries have been examined by our experienced panel of judges, we do rely to some degree on information provided by the nominated organisations, so can’t take responsibility for any outside inaccuracies. However, we are here to celebrate their well-deserved achievements in pushing sustainability forwards.
After a rigorous selection process, our hope is that this year’s Travel Green List will be an inspiration to us all in terms of both the powerful choices we can make on our travels and the changes that we might be able to make in our communities, too.
Words Ketti Wilhelm, Gareth Clark, Karen Edwards, Lyn Hughes
Understanding the terms
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