We’re all eager to escape the winter blues and feel the sun on our faces. But before you do, take a read to better understand the environmental cost of travel and what we can do to help!
The other night I had a strange dream about being in an airport. You know, the kind of dream that almost makes sense, but also involves something strange, like packing my entire suitcase at the airport instead of at home. Let’s be real – it’s probably the whole “worldwide pandemic thing” that brings on the travel itch. I recognize that some people may still be planning on taking a spring break vacation this year, but others may not be comfortable. For me, I simply look forward to the day when it’s easier to travel again.
Traveling has been an important part of my life, helping to shape me into who I am today. But it also allows me to get from one place to another, see my family and friends who live in different places, and take in the beauty of creation all around the world. Spring in the northern hemisphere seems like a good time to talk about the environmental cost of travel. This is the time of year when many of us look at vacations to escape the cold. So, before you pack your sunscreen and jump on a plane, let’s take a closer look at the impact of travel on the environment and little ways to make our excursions more eco-friendly.
Types of Travel & Their Planet Impact
There are many ways to travel, from airplanes to walking on our own two feet. And of course, each type of travel creates different wear and tear on the environment. For most of us, travel is a meaningful part of our lives, so this isn’t about avoiding travel. Instead, I invite you on this journey of learning. I’m excited to throw on my glasses (sadly not sunglasses) and do my research, since I know very little about this topic. As my mind is clearly on vacation right now, we’ll focus on four types of travel that are most common for vacationers: cars, planes, trains, and boats.
Environmental Cost of Travel: Cars
For the average American, driving in a personal motor vehicle (car, van, or truck) is the most common form of transportation. In 2016, this is how 85.4% of Americans commuted to their workplace. Understandably so, as it is the most convenient transit option, particularly for those outside of the city. Interestingly, with the coronavirus pandemic, 44% of American drivers also took more road trips during the summer of 2020 than in previous years. It seems that Americans are currently willing to sacrifice a quicker travel time for a longer road trip since they can control the number of people they are around. Makes sense!
Cruisin’ Down the Highway
Basically, we know that a lot of people are using cars to travel. Consequently, what’s the environmental cost of travel by car? First of all, it depends on the type of car you’re driving and how many people you drive with. Electric cars aren’t going to create carbon emission problems the same way a diesel or petrol car will. So, let’s assume I’m talking about a car using petroleum from here on out. It’s not easy to calculate exactly how much carbon dioxide (Co2) releases into the environment during a road trip. And that’s because it changes depending on the conditions. But let’s look at a few facts:
- Roughly fifty-five grams of Co2 release into the air per passenger per kilometer (European Environmental Agency calculation)
- Carbon emissions change depending on air conditioning use, travel conditions, traffic, etc.
- A car stuck in a traffic jam (RIP anyone driving through Chicago) will emit 2.5 times more Co2
- The more people in the car, the fewer carbon emissions coming from the road (you go carpoolers!)
Honestly, I do love a good road trip. Give me a latte, some jamming tunes, sunshine, and an open road, and I am a happy camper. But is a road trip really better than a plane flight for the environment? Buckle your seatbelt and let’s move on to look at air travel.
Environmental Cost of Travel: Planes
In 2017, over 4 billion people flew on an airplane, which set a new record! Though air travel has decreased with the coronavirus, it is still a popular form of transportation for vacationers. And that’s because there’s no denying that air travel is most convenient for a faraway destination. Aside from the annoyance of making sure all liquids are under three ounces and there is no metal anywhere on your body, it’s the quickest way to get from point A to point B. It’s not even in question that I prefer the three hours in the air to go see my family versus the sixteen-hour drive. It means more time that I get to spend with the people I love instead of traveling!
Soaring to New Heights
But something as large as an airplane does require a lot of jet fuel per flight, creating 2% of the total greenhouse gas emissions from humanity. And as air travel continues to grow in popularity, the environmental impact worsens. As with cars, it’s difficult to break down the exact impact of air travel for each of us as individuals. But here’s a few quick facts to keep in mind before booking your next flight:
- Carbon emissions change depending on the length of flight and number of people onboard
- Researchers estimate that only approximately 5-10% of the world’s population flies
- If you do fly (particularly for frequent flyers), your air travel is probably the biggest portion of your carbon footprint
Fun fact, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has a calculator on their website that allows you to calculate the carbon emissions per passenger for a flight. For example, if I were to fly from Minneapolis (where I live) to Pittsburgh to see my family, the total of my carbon emissions for a round-trip journey would be about six hundred and nineteen pounds. Crazy!
Environmental Cost of Travel: Trains
Unless you live in the city and use public transit, you may not remember the last time you were on a train (or maybe you’ve never been!). With rising concern over the environmental impact of cars and planes, trains have experienced a popularity boost not seen since the Industrial Revolution. Taking a train for a holiday is nearly unheard of in the United States, but with activists like Greta Thunberg advocating for travel by train, Europeans are much more likely to jump on a train than before. But are trains really that much better?
Chugga Chugga
There is a lot of data that suggests that the environmental cost of travel by train is lower than that of planes and cars. For each passenger, the average train produces about half an ounce of carbon emissions per mile versus the roughly ten ounces from a plane and five and a half ounces from a car. So, it is a pretty significant difference. There are a few other things to consider though:
- Is the train is diesel-powered or electric?
- Is the train at full-capacity? (fewer people = more emissions per person)
- Is the full cost of a train journey more expensive than a low budget plane flight?
While trains are a better travel option for the environment overall, they are less accessible for most people around the world.
Environmental Cost of Travel: Boats
I’ve never been on a cruise. And in fact, I’ve never wanted to go on a cruise. I think I have what most people would call the “Titanic fear,” which is a bit ironic considering I swam competitively for many years. But since cruises are a popular type of vacation, it’s worth talking about the environmental impact of boats. First of all, a big shout out to sailboats as an eco-friendlier travel option than the other options we’ve addressed so far. But since we’re talking about vacations, let’s focus our time on cruises, which are a completely different beast. Since a cruise ship is basically a floating city, you can imagine that there are some serious environmental concerns.
The Floating City
In 2019 (before the coronavirus took its toll), roughly thirty million people enjoyed a cruise vacation. And I get it, cruises are a fantastic way to enjoy leisure and amazing amenities all in one place. But oh man, are there some issues, so let’s get into it:
- Most cruises require another form of transit (like a plane flight) to reach the cruise port
- Studies show that cruise ships often rely on the dirtiest form of fuel oil
- Cruise ship passengers generate roughly 210,000 gallons of waste in one week
- Approximately 100 million gallons of petroleum from cruise ships gets into the ocean every year
- A cruise line passenger’s carbon footprint triples when onboard
You guys, I get that cruises are fun, but it’s pretty hard to ignore the cold, hard facts. All in all, I feel more justified for not liking cruises. But, for you cruise-lovers out there, I know it might be hard to choose a different type of vacation.
A Vacation Bright Spot
Let me make your day a little brighter – unless you’re already on vacation, in which case, your day is probably pretty bright. That was a lot of nasty stuff to wade through, but there are some positive solutions to a greener vacation. I want to be clear that I am not advocating in this blog post for giving up travel altogether. It is important to see our loved ones in-person when we can. I also believe strongly that the world we live in today provides us the opportunity to expand our worldview through travel. We should take that opportunity if we have the means to do so.
So how about a few simple ideas that we can each take on to help lighten the environmental burden?
Carpool
As we learned above, the more people you pack in your car, the fewer carbon emissions we are each responsible for. Of course, if you have the option to purchase a fuel-efficient car, that’s also helpful! But the easiest road trip solution is to not take more cars than necessary.
Turn Down the AC
Sometimes the weather is blazing hot during summer road trips but turning down the AC also helps reduce carbon output. Open the windows when you can and enjoy the fresh air.
Pack Lighter
Did you know that what you pack has an impact on the environmental cost of travel? Seriously, the more you pack, the heavier your suitcase is, which means that your mode of transportation is heavier. It takes more fuel to move something heavier, which increases the amount of carbon emissions. So, make sure to write a good packing list and only pack what you need! Check out this blog post from The Urge to Discover on How to Pack Light and be an Eco-Friendly Traveler.
Sit Lighter
As someone who has spent a lot of time in economy class in airplanes, I’ve often envied the comfort of first class. However, it turns out that my plane journey was more eco-friendly than those paying more. Why? The size and weight of my seat matters. First class seats take up more space and weigh more, which means they are responsible for more of the pollution coming from the airplane. Personally, I’d rather be a bit uncomfortable on the plane and save my money for enjoying my destination.
Offset Carbon Emissions
Did you know that some airlines give you the option to pay to offset your carbon emissions? If you must fly, see if there is an airline that gives you this option. That being said, make sure you research how the airline is practically using that money to make an environmental difference. It’s always important to know where your money is going!
Alternative Travel Options
I love the idea of thinking outside the box for vacations. Do you have to fly by plane or take a car? Do you have the option to jump on a train instead? Or maybe you’re the athletic type who wants to give a bike vacation a try! Sometimes I am so eager to get to my destination that I miss the vacation that can happen along the way.
Vacation Means Slowing Down
Have we forgotten that vacation means a chance to slow down? I think I’m certainly guilty of this. While I want to see the world, there’s also so much that is close to me that I haven’t yet explored. I love the idea of a simpler world with slower travel, enjoying what’s close to home, and remembering what vacation is really about. And for me, it’s about the people I’m with, time to breathe, and time away from work.
Hopefully this hasn’t burst your vacation bubble! Instead, I hope it’s given you new vacation inspiration. It’s snowing again here, folks, so pray for me. I wish you all warm weather, a piña colada, and some reef-safe sunscreen.
Be Well. With Love.
Rae Helman says
This was really food for thought. I was thinking about trucks that carry anything and everything. I seem to always get behind one especially in the summer when my windows are down. This smell is right there in my face (nose) and exit into the other lane right away. That diesel fuel is horrid. I love that you have covered every form of travel including road travel but I would be curious to know about this diesel fuel concerning the environment. All I know is that it’s diesel fuel and wonder if there’s an alternative to it besides owners saying it’s cheaper for them. It may be safer but Maby you can set my curious mind at ease. Your the best.
Maggie says
Hi Rae!
I’m glad this was helpful. We truly are very reliant on trucks for transportation of goods. As with petrol, diesel is responsible for pollution, though the types and amounts of gases released into the air are different (it certainly isn’t a good smell!). I haven’t done much research on alternatives for diesel trucks, though I know work is being done looking into options like electric or hybrid electric. Hopefully we’ll see some better options down the line…I’ll let people smarter than myself work on that 🙂
~ Maggie
Susan moeding says
Always a good read magnificent Maggie.
Maggie says
Thank you, Susan! I love that you keep reading my posts!
~ Maggie 🙂