Nomad Cabin Fever

SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL
AGE OF THE
CONSCIOUS
TRAVELER
When people travel, it’s easy to engage in what may
seem to be great ‘photo op’ moments without thinking of
the real life consequences on things like the environment.
Conversations around sustainable travel have therefore
never been more vital, writes Wanjiku Kinuthia.
Many were appalled
when Kim Kardashian
recently shared a
throwback photograph
of herself posing next
to an elephant, with
a rider straddling it,
in Indonesia. Kardashian insisted that the
elephant was photographed in a ‘sanctuary’,
but many were quick to point out that
elephant sanctuaries do not share in some of
the practices visible in the photograph. All
over the world, when people travel, it’s easy
to engage in what may seem to be great
‘photo op’ moments without thinking of the
real life consequences.
I'm certainly not an expert in sustainability
models across tourism industries, however
I have learned lessons from working on a
conservation landscape for over seven years
where sustainable practices are key, and
interactions with highly conscious travellers
and friends have ignited conversations over
many sundowners as to how we can all see
the world and not ruin it while at it.
MINIMISE YOUR TRAVEL FOOTPRINT
One of my dearest friends, Abagi, is a
vegetarian. When I first found out about
this, I automatically thought that it was
for the benefit of animal welfare. But she
said, "Ciku, I fly too much for work. I'm a
vegetarian to minimise my negative impacts
on this world." This brief conversation ignited
my thinking around how we travel, what
we do during these trips, how we can take
ownership of our impacts and try to do
better.
According to a study published by
Nature Climate Change in 2018, the carbon
footprint of global tourism is four times
more than previously estimated, accounting
for about 8% of global greenhouse gas
emissions. Transport, shopping and food
are significant contributors. While travelling,
how often do you consider, alongside cost
and convenience, the most sustainable
form of transportation to get to your
destination? In many cases, aeroplane
travel is unavoidable. But with regional and
in-country travel, choosing a train, bus or
car over an aeroplane is a better option.
According to a study on green travel by the
Union of Concerned Scientists, this can mean
55% to 75% fewer emissions than flying.
PICK DESTINATIONS THAT ARE
GENUINELY DOING GOOD
I often joke, working in conservation in
Kenya, that most tourism properties are
quick to declare how their models promote
development and livelihoods in local
communities. Usually, there are claims of
sustainable practices, but the reality on
the ground is different. Greenwashing, as
it is called, is the practice of making an
unsubstantiated or misleading claim about
the environmental benefits.
Another dear friend, Kasmira, only travels
to places where she can effectively research
and substantiate their green practices and
social impact. "I usually choose to stay
on properties that are locally owned or
managed. Popular tourism sites become
less impactful for the country and residents
because they become commercialised and
focus less on an authentic product. This
means that they offer little or no real benefit
to local people."
One of the quickest ways we check
for this is to look at the management of
24 DISCOVER EXPLORE EXPERIENCE