Your checklist for carbon-smart travel
Make your adventure fun, meaningful, and planet-friendly by reducing and offsetting carbon emissions
Travel can be a great way to experience new places, learn about different cultures and have fun.
It can also give girls the opportunity to volunteer in new communities, or get involved in an exciting environmental project that has a positive impact on the planet.
However, we know that a majority of girls in guiding feel it's important to play their part in doing something about climate change, so it’s important to consider the carbon impact of travel alongside the many benefits it offers. There are several things we might like to consider when planning an adventure so we can minimise our impact on the planet and be as carbon-efficient as possible.
Reducing your carbon emissions directly is always the most effective approach. This includes things like choosing greener travel, reusing and recycling. However, if you’re not able to do this, or you want to reduce your carbon footprint even further, you can also look at carbon offsetting. This involves buying carbon credits which you can then put towards supporting projects that reduce or capture CO2 emissions elsewhere in the world - but it does have some challenges.
This checklist is here to help you find ways to reduce the carbon impact of your travel. The action you take will depend on the type of trip you’re planning and what is realistic and relevant for you.
Reduce emissions directly
Pick greener travel. Choose trains or coaches for short trips. Fly direct if you need to fly. |
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Pack smart. Bring only what you need. Reuse and recycle to cut waste and your carbon footprint. Consider the waste hierarchy of prevention, re-use, recycling, recovery and disposal when buying items. | |
Make it count. Stay longer and plan as many activities as you can to get the most value from your trip’s carbon impact. | |
Stay green. Choose eco-friendly hotels or accommodations that talk about their sustainability practices. | |
Eat local. Buy food from local providers to reduce food miles and experience the local culture. | |
Skip single-use items. Bring reusable water bottles, cutlery, and bags to avoid waste. | |
Support locals. Donate to local charities or projects to make a lasting impact in the community. | |
Book sustainably. Look for guides, tours, accommodation and activities with certifications like Travelife or B Corp. |
Offset emissions with carbon credits
Use airline offsets. If you’re travelling by plane, many airlines allow you to choose carbon offsets at the booking stage. Let them calculate your flight’s impact for you. | |
Check credentials. Only use your carbon credits to support certified carbon offsetting projects, which are approved by one or more standard. A good one to look out for globally is Gold Standard. For projects in the UK, look for the Woodland Carbon Code and Peatland Code. |
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Avoid questionable projects. If you’re researching which carbon offsetting projects to support, steer clear of projects tied to monoculture plantations (where only 1 species of crop or plant is cultivated at a time), or projects without accountability. Check resources like Gold Standard’s Project Registry to find verified initiatives that make a positive impact. | |
Think of the big picture. Put your credits towards projects that help both the planet and people (like improving health or nature conservation). Since the impact of offsets can be uncertain, this means you’ll be making a positive difference beyond reducing carbon emissions. |
Whatever options you choose, think about how your trip can teach you something new or make a difference to the planet and the people you meet. Plan to share what you’ve learned when you return!