The Future of Sustainable Travel
By +SocialGood Connector, Priyanka Jaisinghani
Since the beginning of 2020, we have experienced wildfires across Australia, widespread flooding across the United Kingdom, China, and India, and the United States, is experiencing the second-worst drought in the west within the past few centuries.
Did you know, one of the fastest-growing sources of global emission that is causing our new reality is contributed by the transportation sector? You may be wondering, how does transportation contribute to this global issue? And how is COVID-19 changing or not changing things?
People and goods are moving faster and further than ever before. However, all of this movement has come at a climate cost, especially with a growing global population. As the world got smaller, our global emissions went through the roof. Seventy-two percent of global emissions come from road vehicles, showing how damaging our transportation habits have been to our environment.
Through Mashable’s Social Good 2020 Series, we virtually sat down with sustainability experts to learn more about the issues at hand and how we can do better, as cities and as individuals. As transportation accounts for a large percent towards global warming, we can start by becoming more eco-conscious travelers and build better habits now and in the future, post-pandemic.
The Carbon Challenge: Cities, Climate & Transportation
COVID-19 (and the current backdrop of the social justice moment) has given individuals, cities, and countries a moment to pause and use this as an opportunity to build back sustainably. The current infrastructure setup of many cities has been built around cars. While cars may bring us convenience, their energy source is a detrimental cause to the environment.
However, in the past few months, we’ve already started seeing how cities are bolding creating a greener future. As outlined in the Secretary-General’s most recent report on COVID-19 and Cities,“several cities have encouraged biking and walking as safe alternatives to public transport during the COVID-19 outbreak, enabling new user groups to take advantage of the affordability and health benefits of these forms of transport. The success of these initiatives may encourage city governments to convert more roads for similar purposes, further improving mobility and safety.” As a leading example, Paris has revitalized its streets for pedestrians, and turned parking spaces into cycle lanes, squeezing motorists out of public spaces. They have also created an online app for local businesses. Each week, local businesses apply to reclaim parking spaces and the streets to set up their outdoor restaurants (as indoor dining remains prohibitive). This has helped the vibrancy of the street, limited traffic, and shown us how people can support a green economic recovery within cities.
Our Individual Responsibility:
As cities play their part (through new initiatives and policy), individuals will also need to step up and play a larger role. Our individual actions can make a lasting impact on the environment and the first place we can begin is by looking at our travel habits (and not just with transportation). Some of the ways that we can start include:
- Shift towards a reusable mindset: While disposables can be a convenience when we’re on the go, we have to let go of convenient habits and think about the long-term effects. Start small by making one switch — swap the disposable coffee cup with a travel mug/flask/glass bottle. This swap is also essential when you’re travelling to a new destination. Tourism is a major trash generator for local communities, in which some do not have a recycling infrastructure.
- Do your research: If you happen to be traveling, consider booking with aviation companies that are rolling out new climate solutions. For example, on Earth Day, United Airlines rolled out their eco-skies, a new initiative that switched traditional jet fuel with biofuel. This switch plays a key role in reducing carbon emissions. Currently, there are only five airports with regular biofuel distribution today (Norway; Australia; Los Angeles; and Sweden), with others offering occasional supply.
- Align your values with company values: Support companies that believe and act sustainably. When you invest your dollars with companies that prioritize sustainable solutions, you are sending a message to the competition about consumer values and needs. This larger message drives a larger conversation about shifting consumer needs and wants, and puts pressure on companies to operate more sustainably.
- Invest in the local economy: When traveling to any new region, invest in the local economy. Instead of spending your money on big-brand names, spendwith smaller businesses and experience the destination like a local — eat,shop and explore locally. This will allow money to be put back in their local economy, which improves their local systems.
- Travel by public transport or travel actively: This is a global challenge affecting everyone, and cities across the globe face similar challenges. This is the most efficient way to move people and goods throughout the city, support economic activity, and help improve society.
- We all need to become more active participants in creating a greener future. One act can make a difference, and when we all take action, we can collectively create change. However, this is the first step to combating the climate crisis, as these actions will need to go hand-in-hand with policy. As stated by Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres, “now is the time to rethink and reshape the urban world. Now is the moment to adapt to the reality of this and future pandemics. And now is our chance to recover better, by building more resilient, inclusive and sustainable cities.”
