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• Published: 07 May 2018

The carbon footprint of global tourism

• Manfred Lenzen   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0828-5288 1 ,
• Ya-Yen Sun 2 , 3 ,
• Futu Faturay   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5636-1794 1 , 4 ,
• Yuan-Peng Ting 2 ,
• Arne Geschke   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9193-5829 1 &
• Arunima Malik   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4630-9869 1 , 5  

Nature Climate Change volume  8 ,  pages 522–528 ( 2018 ) Cite this article

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Tourism contributes significantly to global gross domestic product, and is forecast to grow at an annual 4%, thus outpacing many other economic sectors. However, global carbon emissions related to tourism are currently not well quantified. Here, we quantify tourism-related global carbon flows between 160 countries, and their carbon footprints under origin and destination accounting perspectives. We find that, between 2009 and 2013, tourism’s global carbon footprint has increased from 3.9 to 4.5 GtCO 2 e, four times more than previously estimated, accounting for about 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Transport, shopping and food are significant contributors. The majority of this footprint is exerted by and in high-income countries. The rapid increase in tourism demand is effectively outstripping the decarbonization of tourism-related technology. We project that, due to its high carbon intensity and continuing growth, tourism will constitute a growing part of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

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Change history, 23 may 2018.

In the version of this Article originally published, in the penultimate paragraph of the section “Gas species and supply chains”, in the sentence “In this assessment, the contribution of air travel emissions amounts to 20% (0.9 GtCO2e) of tourism’s global carbon footprint...” the values should have read “12% (0.55 GtCO2e)”; this error has now been corrected, and Supplementary Table 9 has been amended to clarify this change.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the Australian Research Council through its Discovery Projects DP0985522 and DP130101293, the National eResearch Collaboration Tools and Resources project (NeCTAR) through its Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory, and the Taiwan Ministry of Science and Technology (no. 105-2410-H-006-055-MY3). The authors thank S. Juraszek for expertly managing the Global IELab’s advanced computation requirements, and C. Jarabak for help with collecting data.

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Manfred Lenzen, Futu Faturay, Arne Geschke & Arunima Malik

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Ya-Yen Sun & Yuan-Peng Ting

UQ Business School, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

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Y.-Y.S. and M.L. conceived and designed the experiments. M.L., Y.-Y.S., F.F., Y.-P.T., A.G. and A.M. performed the experiments. F.F., Y.-P.T., M.L. and Y.-Y.S. analysed the data. Y.-P.T., A.G., Y.-Y.S. and M.L. contributed materials/analysis tools. M.L., Y.-Y.S. and A.M. wrote the paper.

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Lenzen, M., Sun, YY., Faturay, F. et al. The carbon footprint of global tourism. Nature Clim Change 8 , 522–528 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-018-0141-x

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The carbon footprint of tourism revealed (it’s bigger than we thought)

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Dr Ya-Yen Sun receives funding from the Taiwan Ministry Science and Technology.

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The carbon footprint of tourism is about four times larger than previously thought, according to a world-first study published today in Nature Climate Change .

Researchers from the University of Sydney, University of Queensland and National Cheng Kung University – including ourselves – worked together to assess the entire supply chain of tourism. This includes transportation, accommodation, food and beverages, souvenirs, clothing, cosmetics and other goods.

Put together, global tourism produces about 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, much more than previous estimates .

Adding it all up

Tourism is a trillion-dollar industry , and is growing faster than international trade.

To determine the true emissions produced by tourism, we scanned over a billion supply chains of a range of commodities consumed by tourists. By combining a detailed international trade database with accounts tracking what goods and services tourists bought, we identified carbon flows between 160 countries from 2009 to 2013.

Our results show that tourism-related emissions increased by around 15% over that period, from 3.9 gigatonnes (Gt) of carbon-dioxide equivalent (CO₂-e) to 4.5Gt. This rise primarily came from tourist spending on transport, shopping and food.

We estimate that our growing appetite for travel and a business-as-usual scenario would increase carbon emissions from global tourism to about 6.5Gt by 2025. This increase is largely driven by rising incomes, making tourism highly income-elastic and carbon-intensive.

Whose responsibility is it?

In the study, we compared two perspectives for allocating responsibility for these emissions: residence-based accounting and destination-based accounting. The former perspective allocates emissions to the country of residence of tourists, the latter to the country of destination. Put simply, are tourism-related carbon emissions the responsibility of travellers or tourist destinations?

If responsibility lies with the travellers, then we should identify the countries that send the most tourists out into the world, and find ways to reduce the carbon footprint of their travel.

Read more: Can you be a sustainable tourist without giving up flying?

On the other hand, destination-based accounting can offer insights into tourism spots (like popular islands) that would benefit most from technology improvements and regulations for reducing the carbon footprint of tourism.

Tracking emissions under destination-based accounting over a specific period could help researchers and policymakers to answer questions about the success of incentive schemes and regulations, and to assess the speed of decarbonisation of tourism-related sectors.

Read more: Sustainable shopping: is it possible to fly sustainably?

So how do countries rank under the two accounting perspectives? The United States is responsible for the majority of tourism-related emissions under both perspectives – many people travel both from and to the US – followed by China, Germany and India.

But on a per-capita basis, the situation looks rather different. Small island destinations have the highest per-capita destination-based footprints. Maldives tops the list – 95% of the island’s tourism-related emissions come from international visitors.

Tourists are responsible for 30-80% of the national emissions of island economies. These findings bring up the question of the impact of tourism on small island states.

Islands as tourist destinations

Small islands depend on income from tourists . At the same time, these very tourists threaten the native biodiversity of the islands .

Small island states typically do not have the capacity to embrace technology improvements due to their small economies of scale and isolated locations.

Can we lend a helping hand? Directing financial and technical support to these islands could potentially help with efforts to decarbonise their infrastructure. This support would be a reflection of the share of consumer responsibility, especially from developed nations that are “ net travellers ”.

Maldives , Mauritius and other small islands are actively exploring ways of building their renewable energy capacity to reduce the carbon intensity of local hotels, transport and recreational spots.

Creating awareness at multiple levels

We hope that our study provides a starting point for conversations between the public, companies and policymakers about sustainable tourism .

Read more: 'Sustainable tourism' is not working – here's how we can change that

Ultimately real change will come from implementing regulations and incentives together to encourage low-carbon operations. At a personal level, though, it’s worth looking at the carbon-cost of your flights , choosing to offset your emissions where possible and supporting tourism companies that aim to operate sustainably.

• Carbon offsets
• Carbon emissions
• Global perspectives

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How to actually make your travel better for the planet

Four climate experts weigh in on how we can change our travel carbon footprint in a meaningful way

The world’s natural disasters of late may be filling you with climate change dread. How could it not? Fires, hurricanes, floods and earthquakes have overtaken headlines recently.

While we tend to think of cars, SUVs and coal burning power plants as major climate change contributors, we can’t forget that travel is another significant part of the problem.

For example, we know that the U.S. economy’s biggest source of greenhouse gases is transportation , and the U.S. is the second biggest source of greenhouse gases in the world . As The Washington Post’s climate reporter Sarah Kaplan wrote in 2019, canceling a single round-trip ticket on a trans-Atlantic flight saves the equivalent carbon dioxide emission as the average citizen of India emits all year, according to a 2017 study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

Does that mean we need to stop traveling if we want to save the planet from further demise? Fortunately, some climate experts say no. We spoke to four about how to change our behaviors to lessen our travel-carbon footprint in a meaningful way.

6 questions about carbon offsets for flights, answered

Start with where you’re going

As Kaplan wrote, most travel is going to have a negative impact on the environment, unfortunately. One way of reducing your carbon footprint is to plan trips closer to home.

The farther from home you go, the more fuel you need to get there (unless you’re going by bike, on foot or via renewable energy, of course), says Katharine Hayhoe , chief scientist for the Nature Conservancy, professor at Texas Tech University and author of the forthcoming book “ Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World. ” Her advice for travelers is to explore your own backyard and opt for more domestic trips.

“There are so many riches where we live, no matter where we live,” Hayhoe said. “Let’s think of different ways that we can take vacations and travel, be creative and enjoy the place where we are.”

Another very clear way of reducing your carbon footprint is to reduce travel, particularly by air, overall.

Milan Klöwer , a PhD student of climate computing at the University of Oxford, who also has side projects researching aviation’s contribution to global warming, says that to have the world’s flights stop contributing to global warming, everyone needs to fly less than we used to before the pandemic.

“If we were to fly 2 to 3 percent less every year, then we basically have stopped aviation from contributing further to global warming,” Klöwer said. “It sounds like a little, but the problem really is that the whole aviation industry is thinking that could be different direction.”

Air travel was down significantly this year. Climate activists hope it stays this way.

Rethink how you get there

Often, the ways to get to a destination as quickly and cheaply as possible don’t translate to the most energy-efficient. As you plan your trip, can you find a way to get there that has less of an impact?

If a plane is your only option, Hayhoe suggests looking for airlines that choose more sustainable jet fuel . But most climate experts will tell you to find alternatives to flying, like taking the train when possible. This is going to be an easier ask depending on where you are in the world, like Europe and Asia where train systems are more abundant. In the United States, unless you’re near an Amtrak route that fits your travel needs, taking the train instead of flying is a bigger challenge.

Lewis Fulton, a global transport expert at the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California at Davis, recommends travelers look for ways to take energy-efficient vehicles on their trips. Maybe that’s your family investing in an electric or hybrid vehicle or finding one to rent for your road trip .

For long distance trips, this is still a challenge because of distance limitations for cleaner vehicles (if you’re doing a big trip in an electric car, you need to be cognizant of where you can find charging stations). The more people support the technology now, the better the infrastructure supporting it will be in the future.

“I hope that within five to 10 years, we’re going to have a system in place where it’s just a lot easier for people to own an electric car and drive it long distances,” Fulton said.

The CDC’s do not travel list, explained

Consider your accommodation options

Chris Woodford , a science and technology writer for adults and children and author of the new book “ Breathless: Why Air Pollution Matters — And How it Affects You ,” says that overall, the calculations can get too complicated to establish whether staying at a hotel is better or worse for the environment than renting a house on Airbnb. But you can still try to spend your travel dollars supporting accommodations that are investing in greener practices, e.g., a hotel in a LEED certified building, one that uses biodegradable key cards, mobile check-in or solar power.

Then there are the little efforts, which Woodford calls “feel-good” endeavors because they’re minuscule on a larger scale but better than nothing. They’re the basics: not asking for housekeeping on a daily basis; not getting new towels or bedding during your stay; skipping the disposable cups in your room.

Look for local food

As our food production is a major impact on the environment, how you eat on the road matters just like it does at home.

Klöwer says travelers can rely on the “rule of thumb: It doesn’t really matter where your food comes from. It’s much more important what you eat.” Try eating less of foods that require a lot of resources to produce, namely beef and lamb, Klöwer says.

Woodford recommends travelers look for local food whenever possible, as it can have a smaller carbon footprint than ingredients imported from farther away.

Hayhoe agreed. “When we travel, we can shop at local farmers markets, eat lower down the food chain, not take our vacations as an opportunity to have giant steaks every night,” she said. “Almost every restaurant now offers plant-based options or seafood options. There’s so much that we can do.”

Airlines commit to reducing carbon emissions, but challenges stand in the way

Travelers can also be aware of their food waste — an issue which globally accounts for a greater carbon footprint than that of the airline industry.

“Often when we travel, we eat out a lot and there’s a lot of food waste,” Hayhoe said. “We waste about 50 percent of the food that we produce so often when we go to restaurants.”

Hayhoe encourages travelers to take any restaurant leftovers home to eat later or to cook for yourself if you have a kitchen available on your trip.

The Airbnb refund fine print you might not be reading

Buy less, do more

Climate experts will tell you that a large part of our environmental footprint is consumption. Buying stuff — whether it is clothing, furniture, holiday decorations, among many, many other goods — isn’t great for the planet.

Travelers can keep that in mind on vacation, and be more mindful about what they buy during a trip.

Is the souvenir you’re eyeing something that’s going to end up in a landfill in a couple of months or years? Does your aunt really need another plastic Disneyland cup? Are you going to toss that neon visor when you get back from your beach weekend? Can you bring a reusable water bottle so you don’t have to spend $4 on a Dasani at the airport? Do your best to limit buying items you really need, or look for items that will last.

As you know, shopping and eating aren’t the only activities you do on vacation. Hayhoe encourages travelers to seek out low carbon pastimes.

“Instead of instead of taking a bus tour, go hiking, or go the beach, or go fishing or walking,” she said.

Additionally, you can support companies that are attempting to better serve the environment, from eco-tourism organizations, zero-emission cruises or those working to offset their impact .

The moral of the story

Travel is no different than the carbon footprint actions you take when you’re at home. Woodford recommends people start their efforts to become more environmentally-minded by using a carbon footprint calculator ( such as this one ) to see where you can make changes in your everyday life, not just your travel behavior.

“What we have to understand is that climate change is everyone’s problem and we’re all going to suffer its effects — we’ve all got to play a part in sorting it out,” Woodford said. “We have to identify where we each individually are doing damage and try to put that right as best we can … and that applies whether you are traveling or whether you’re at home.”

More travel news

How we travel now: More people are taking booze-free trips — and airlines and hotels are taking note. Some couples are ditching the traditional honeymoon for a “buddymoon” with their pals. Interested? Here are the best tools for making a group trip work.

Bad behavior: Entitled tourists are running amok, defacing the Colosseum , getting rowdy in Bali and messing with wild animals in national parks. Some destinations are fighting back with public awareness campaigns — or just by telling out-of-control visitors to stay away .

Safety concerns: A door blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jet, leaving passengers traumatized — but without serious injuries. The ordeal led to widespread flight cancellations after the jet was grounded, and some travelers have taken steps to avoid the plane in the future. The incident has also sparked a fresh discussion about whether it’s safe to fly with a baby on your lap .

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‘Worse Than Anyone Expected’: Air Travel Emissions Vastly Outpace Predictions

The findings put pressure on airline regulators to take stronger action to fight climate change as they prepare for a summit next week.

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By Hiroko Tabuchi

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Greenhouse gas emissions from commercial air travel are growing at a faster clip than predicted in previous, already dire, projections , according to new research — putting pressure on airline regulators to take stronger action as they prepare for a summit next week.

The United Nations aviation body forecasts that airplane emissions of carbon dioxide , a major greenhouse gas, will reach just over 900 million metric tons in 2018, and then triple by 2050.

But the new research, from the International Council on Clean Transportation , found that emissions from global air travel may be increasing more than 1.5 times as fast as the U.N. estimate. The researchers analyzed nearly 40 million flights around the world last year.

“Airlines, for all intents and purposes, are becoming more fuel efficient. But we’re seeing demand outstrip any of that,” said Brandon Graver , who led the new study. “The climate challenge for aviation is worse than anyone expected.”

Airlines in recent years have invested in lighter, more fuel-efficient aircraft, and have explored powering their planes with biofuel.

Over all, air travel accounts for about 2.5 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions — a far smaller share than emissions from passenger cars or power plants. Still, one study found that the rapid growth in plane emissions could mean that by 2050, aviation could take up a quarter of the world’s “carbon budget ,” or the amount of carbon dioxide emissions permitted to keep global temperature rise to within 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.

The decision by Greta Thunberg, a young climate activist, to sail across the Atlantic rather than travel by air ahead of her speech at the United Nations next week, has refocused attention on aviation’s role in causing climate change and its consequences, including sea-level rise and more intense heat waves, hurricanes, flooding and drought.

Climate protesters have said they plan to gather in Montreal next week, where airline regulators are set to hold their own summit.

William Raillant-Clark , a spokesman for the U.N. aviation body, stood by its emissions projection , which he said was “the most up-to-date” and provided “a clear picture on the future environmental trends.” He added that the group “endorses and welcomes wholeheartedly” calls for the aviation industry to address climate change with greater urgency.

Underlying the growth in aviation emissions is the rapid expansion of air travel worldwide, propelled by a proliferation of low-cost airlines and a booming tourism industry catering to a growing middle class.

A separate study released this week by the industry group Airports Council International found that the world’s fastest-growing airports were in emerging economies; 12 of the top 30 were in either China or India.

Still, the new data from the clean transportation council found that flights from airports in the United States were responsible for almost one quarter of global passenger flight-related carbon dioxide emissions. China was the next biggest source of passenger aviation emissions, followed by the United Kingdom, Japan and Germany ; the lowest-income countries that contain half the world’s population accounted for only 10 percent of all emissions.

The study underscored the heavy carbon-dioxide footprint of domestic flights, often left out of negotiations over global emissions-reduction targets. Domestic travel accounted for a large majority of departures in countries including the United States, China, Indonesia, Brazil and Australia.

Governments have pledged to take major steps to improve fuel economy in their routes and fleets. Under a plan adopted by the U.N. body, the International Civil Aviation Organization , three years ago, airlines will start to voluntarily offset most of the growth in their carbon dioxide emissions beginning in 2020. Carbon offsets compensate for emissions by canceling out greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere in the world. (For example, the offset may involve paying for renewable energy or other programs designed to reduce emissions.)

Some governments have suggested going further. In Germany, the Green Party has suggested banning domestic air travel altogether to force Germans to travel by train, which pollutes less.

“At a time when students are going on climate strikes around the world, this will really put pressure on the aviation industry to be much more ambitious,” said Annie Petsonk, international counsel for the Environmental Defense Fund. “They’re beginning to understand that for most people who fly, aviation is the biggest part of their personal carbon footprint.”

For more news on climate and the environment, follow @NYTClimate on Twitter .

An earlier version of this article misstated the nature of a global aviation summit meeting in Montreal next week. While industry representatives will be present as observers, the meeting is for airline regulators and diplomatic delegations, not executives.

How we handle corrections

Hiroko Tabuchi is a climate reporter. She joined The Times in 2008, and was part of the team awarded the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting. She previously wrote about Japanese economics, business and technology from Tokyo. More about Hiroko Tabuchi

Our Coverage of Climate and the Environment

News and Analysis

With the planet in the grips of its highest temperatures in more than 100,000 years, scientists with the U.N. weather agency have crunched the numbers and come to a stark conclusion: More record-hot years are all but inevitable .

Leaders in Alameda, Calif., voted to stop scientists from testing a cloud-brightening device that might one day be used to artificially cool the planet , overruling city staff members who had found the experiment posed no danger.

Human-caused warming has doubled the chances that southern Brazil will experience extreme, multiday downpours  like the ones that recently caused disastrous flooding there, a team of scientists said.

Adopting Orphaned Oil Wells:  Students, nonprofit groups and others are fund-raising to cap highly polluting oil and gas wells  abandoned by industry.

Struggling N.Y.C. Neighborhoods:  New data projects are linking social issues with global warming. Here’s what that means for five communities in New York .

Biden Environmental Rules:  The Biden administration has rushed to finalize 10 major environmental regulations  to meet its self-imposed spring deadline.

F.A.Q.:  Have questions about climate change? We’ve got answers .

The new order of business travel

It is possible to reduce your carbon footprint when flying. Image:  Unsplash/Anete Lūsiņa

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Stay up to date:, pandemic preparedness and response.

• Business travel was one of the biggest casualties of the pandemic, and remote and hybrid work are bringing its future into question.
• Travel remains an important way for people to connect, but aviation accounts for 2-3% of global emissions.
• Travelling economy class has half the CO2 footprint of business class, because passengers take up half the space.
• Sustainable aviation fuel made from 100% renewable waste and residue raw materials, such as used cooking oil, is another option for reducing aviation emissions.

Among many casualties of the pandemic, business travel was one of the biggest. In 2020, the total amount of business travel expenses dropped 52% , according to McKinsey. Today, as we are learning to live with the Coronavirus and what feels like normality largely resuming, the dilemma around what that means for travel and face-to-face meetings is real.

It is clear that the old ways of working are no more – and that includes business travel. Remote and hybrid work are now the new normal, leaving business travel in an interesting position. “Business travel has reduced a lot,” says Katharina Riederer, co-founder of eco.mio, a consultancy that helps businesses choose sustainable travel solutions. “And we have these new opportunities: we’re meeting on Zoom.”

It’s a significant shift that may have come from expediency, rather than a desire to save the environment - but can the sustainability agenda make the need and want to think twice about travel last? From the necessity brought on by lockdowns we now have far better and widely adopted alternatives to choose from to help us do business remotely instead of making the trip.

It seems however, that those new opportunities are not always being taken up - or at least, cannot fully replace business travel. “In the new normal, travel remains an important way we connect, but aviation accounts for two to three percent of global emissions - and the number of flights are expected to grow significantly,” says Susanne Bouma, Head of Partnerships and Programs, Renewable Aviation at Neste , the world’s leading producer of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made from 100% renewable waste and residue raw materials, such as used cooking oil.

To meet or not to meet

Riederer admits that considering whether or not to make a trip is a business-driven decision. “Oftentimes, you can’t really control how much travel is in the company,” she says. “Take consulting: some customers really want you to be there.”

It’s also often cultural. “Two years ago, it was felt people would never need to meet again,” says Clive Wratten, chief executive of the British Travel Association. “But conversely, the reverse happened culturally: in Asia, it was seen as very important to get back out and meet people in the room, so you can understand all the nuances that come with doing business in a totally different culture.”

Yet if you can choose to not take the trip, what should you consider when deciding whether or not to book a flight, hop on a train, or rent a car to make your next meeting?

“The big consultancy firms and finance firms are very much getting back out and seeing customers, making sure they're in front of them,” says Wratten. “And that is really important. But do we really need to go and have an internal meeting in New York, where we meet our colleagues?”

For important meetings where you’re trying to close a key business deal, where it’s important to see the whites in your counterpart’s eyes, that flight may be necessary. But when you’re already well-established with partners, any meetings could well be via a video call.

What is the most sustainable way of traveling?

As well as questioning what the purpose of any trip is, it’s also worth considering what methods of transport are available to you.

Riederer points to Germany, where many people will choose to travel on trains rather than fly because of great connectivity. Another country that does well when it comes to internal land connections is Japan, whose high-speed train system means that the time taken for trips is often equal to or less than a corresponding flight.

“You can’t do that in the US,” Riederer says, conceding that this is not going to be an option for everyone. Helpfully, sites like Chronotrains tell would-be travelers how far they can travel from each train station across Europe in five hours – which is roughly the amount of time it’d take even the most seasoned business traveler to traverse check-in queues, security lines, and travel to and from airports even on the shortest of short-haul flights.

But even if you can’t change the mode of transport, you can take action to reduce your carbon footprint if you have to fly. “Economy class emits half the CO2 footprint of business class, because you take up half the space,” points out Riederer.

Individual companies can also take steps to ensure they’re helping, rather than harming, the planet. Whenever Bouma or any of her colleagues at Neste have to travel on planes, they fully compensate the carbon footprint equivalent of their flights with the equivalent of sustainable aviation fuel. “We’re walking the talk, and showing how it’s done,” she says. “That gives us a massive platform to be able to make and drive change.”

Acting now while innovating for the future

While the future of business travel and travel at large is possibly more unpredictable now than it has been for a long time, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) the number of air passengers is set to exceed pre-Covid-19 levels in 2024. This means that the need for alternatives to fossil fuels in aviation is urgent and sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, is widely acknowledged as a key solution here. SAF is already commercially available as a direct replacement for fossil-based jet fuel cutting greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional fuel used in planes*.

For now, SAF is the only viable and direct option for reducing aviation emissions but there are more innovations in the pipeline for the longer term, says Bouma. “Sustainable aviation fuel alone will not be the silver bullet. Hydrogen and electric flying will all be part of the equation - but not available at commercial scale in the short-term.”

Until those innovations arrive and are deployed, we all have to play our part in upholding the new order of business travel. Of course it’s not simple to travel more sustainably. It’s easier said than done, the experts admit.

“There are no shortcuts to heaven,” says Bouma. “It’s important to acknowledge that, but at the same time we should choose the most sustainable options for travel where we can.”

The Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2023 report showed that after a decade of progress, the global energy transition has plateaued amid the global energy crisis and geopolitical volatilities.

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• Clean energy in emerging economies: We are advancing country-specific renewable energy finance solutions for four of the biggest emerging and developing economies : India, Brazil, Nigeria and Indonesia. In the latter, a new solar and battery initiative is bringing 15MW of clean energy to the East Sumba region – enough to power 4,000 homes and avoid 5.5KtCO₂ yearly emissions.
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Warming Trends

Calculating your vacation’s carbon footprint, one travel mode at a time, a new tool says trains are almost always greener than planes. also, climate anxiety in the u.k., the environmental destruction of guam, and smaller, slower, less pollinating butterflies..

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A Calculator To Plan Climate Friendly Travel

Planning a vacation? A new tool lets you calculate the carbon cost of your trip, taking into consideration distance traveled, mode of transportation and accommodation type. 

Created by researchers at Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, the Travel and Climate tool lets a user put in where they are, where they’re going, how many are traveling and for how long. The tool tells users the carbon impact of each of their options, whether they travel by train, bus, gas-powered car, electric car or plane, and whether they stay in a tent, hostel or hotel.

Flying tends to be the least climate friendly way to reach a destination because of the significant carbon emitted by airplanes. Driving a car is often less carbon intensive than flying, especially if the car is electric. Trains are often the best choice, according to the tool, especially in Europe where they are powered by electricity. 

Jörgen Larsson , who is a researcher in sustainable consumption at Chalmers and one of the researchers who helped create the tool, said one way he likes to travel sustainably is train-bike tourism. This summer, he took a night train from his home in Gothenburg to northern Norway, where he biked 30 to 40 miles every day on a foldable bike to see the sights.

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Although the tool is backed with European data, users can insert destinations from around the world, but Larsson cautions that calculations in places like the United States may be less accurate. He hopes to improve the tool with data from the U.S. and Canada. 

Larsson hopes that people who use this tool will consider why they want to travel. Is it because they want to do a certain activity or see a certain place? Or is it more about spending time with friends and family away from your normal environment? 

“If that is your deeper goal with your vacation, then you can find lots of climate friendly options,” Larsson said. “You don’t have to fly long distances in order to be with your friends and family. You can take public transportation on your way to some place and get that fulfillment.”

The Motivating Power of Climate Anxiety

Only a small percentage of people in the United Kingdom experience climate anxiety, a new study found, but the condition can be a motivator for people to take action on global warming.

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Bath, surveyed about 1,300 adults in the U.K. in 2020 and again in 2022. About 80 percent of respondents reported they worry about climate change, but most did not elevate that worry to anxiety, where the concern affects their emotions and daily functioning. 

But, researchers found that those who do experience climate anxiety are more likely to take action in their lives to reduce their carbon footprint, like cutting waste and consumption.

“Maybe there’s a certain level of climate anxiety which is quite an adaptive response,” said Lorraine Whitmarsh, the study’s lead author and an environmental psychologist at the University of Bath. “Because it does seem to actually promote positive action on climate change.”

The survey also found climate anxiety is predicted more by a respondents’ media consumption than by whether they had first-hand experience with a climate disaster. Whitmarsh suspects this is because media coverage tends to highlight the most dramatic effects of climate change.

She said that the best way to communicate the gravity of climate change is not just to discuss its terrible effects, but also “to show that there are things you can do to tackle that risk, to increase that sense of efficacy to reduce harm,” Whitmarsh said. “So I think there is an important role for media in not just telling people about climate change, but also telling people there are solutions.”

‘Outsource the Suffering’

A new collection of essays, speeches, eulogies and poems tell a story of heartbreak and grief on Guam, in the Pacific, bearing witness to loss in the natural world. 

Julian Aguon, a writer and human rights lawyer, delves into the climate and justice issues arising from the militarization of Guam, while reflecting on his own coming of age experience as an Indigenous Chamorro person growing up on the U.S. island territory in his new book, “No Country for Eight Spot Butterflies” out this month. Guam—about 4,000 miles west of Hawaii—is strategically located for the U.S. military and is home to two, soon to be three, bases and thousands of military personnel. Much military development is underway on the island, including a new machine gun practice range in the heart of an ecologically sensitive forest that supports many native species found nowhere else in the world, including the Mariana eight-spot butterfly.

Inside Climate News recently discussed the book with Aguon. This conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity. 

Tell me about this new book, and why did you want to write it?

It’s sort of many things at once. It sort of breaks the rules when it comes to form for sure. It’s like essays that were inspired by old notes collected from old journals that I have done since even my teenage years, but also commencement speeches, eulogies and shorter vignettes, sort of ala Sandra Cisneros’ “House on Mango Street.” It’s just a total hodge podge, I think a lovely mess, but honestly, I just thought that I had really specific things to say, and they didn’t lend themselves to one neat categorizable thing. So I was lucky enough to find a publisher who was willing to crash every party at once.

What does the title of your book mean, “No Country for Eight-Spot Butterflies”?

The Mariana eight-spot butterfly is one of several endemic endangered species that are being directly threatened because the U.S. military is building a massive, multipurpose 59-acre machine gun range, because they need this machine gun range. So because of that claimed need, they have already begun to destroy limestone forest and these are forests that took thousands of years to evolve. These are really specific environments, and they are home to the eight-spot butterfly. And so when I wrote “No Country for Eight-Spot Butterflies,” I’m trying to point out the just incredible beauty of a species being smashed and obliterated by the U.S. war machine. It is like bearing witness to this smashing. 

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How is your perspective informed and shaped by being a native of Guam, and what should mainland Americans know about this Pacific island? 

The sort of spreading canopy of militarization is not only here, but it’s palpable, it’s felt in the air that we breathe. 

Americans think that they’re gearing up for a war. There’s always the rhetorical sort of going to war, sort of like “rallying the troops” rhetoric that we’re seeing, even at the congressional level, sometimes at the executive branch. But there’s actually already a war that is happening in real time if you are part of a frontline community. As America is increasingly concerned with China’s rising influence in the Asia-Pacific Theater, what’s happening on the ground is they are expanding their military footprint. They are building a brand new Marine Corps base, the first one built since the ‘50s anywhere in this country. You can see the military transport vehicles both on the ground and in the waters. You see, the war is already here. 

It’s like climate change. This is not a future crisis. It’s a current crisis. It’s happening now. That’s what happens sometimes in America. This country likes to go to war, but it likes to outsource the suffering. The suffering is happening on the ground in communities so far away. 

Smaller, Slower and Less Effective

Warmer temperatures can lead to smaller body sizes for insects. A new study on a common butterfly species shows that smaller sized individuals also carry less pollen, which could be a problem for food crops that rely on pollinators. 

Researchers from the University of British Columbia raised cabbage white butterflies in a laboratory setting and found that those raised in warmer temperatures were smaller than those in colder temperatures. They also found the smaller butterflies with their smaller wings could not fly as far or as fast as larger butterflies. 

Then, the researchers looked at cabbage whites in the wild and found that individuals similar in size to the small, warm-raised butterflies carried less pollen from fewer different species of plants than larger individuals. 

Pollinators like butterflies play an important role in spreading pollen to about 35 percent of the world’s agricultural crops. The researchers argue that warming temperatures driven by climate change could make pollinators smaller, slower and less effective at transporting pollen.  

“There’s a bit of a concern that maybe plants will be not able to get as much pollen as they need to make all their fruits,” said study co-author Michelle Tseng, an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia. “But we don’t know for sure yet if that is the case.” Further study is needed to understand if this phenomenon is widespread enough to cause issues for agriculture, she said. 

Katelyn Weisbrod

Audience director.

Katelyn Weisbrod is the former Audience Director at Inside Climate News based in Minnesota. She previously wrote ICN’s weekly Warming Trends column highlighting climate-related studies, innovations, books, cultural events and other developments from the global warming frontier. She joined the team in January 2020 after graduating from the University of Iowa with Bachelor’s degrees in journalism and environmental science. Katelyn previously reported from Kerala, India, as a Pulitzer Center student fellow, and worked for over four years at the University of Iowa’s student newspaper, The Daily Iowan.

• @katelyn_eliz

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Is your travel ‘green’ enough? 5 ways to help reduce your travel carbon footprint.

This article is reprinted by permission from  NextAvenue.org .

Several years ago, I booked what I thought was an “ecodestination” family trip to Costa Rica. What I had hoped would be a transformational experience among the rainforests, cloud forests, volcanoes and endangered habitats was an eye-opener and great experience.

Yet it wasn’t earth-friendly when I totaled up the carbon dioxide produced by our flights there and back and the transportation getting to exotic parks.

As the summer travel season accelerates and COVID concerns fade, a  growing number  of Americans want to “green” their travel plans. While that usually means shrinking one’s carbon footprint, many travelers are misled by “eco-tourism” trips designed to make well-meaning tourists feel less guilty about their journey.

Also see: What to know before you book a flight on one of those low-cost international airlines

Burdened by Flygscam?

As world travelers seek to satisfy their wanderlust, many are also becoming more aware of the environmental impact of their travels. Some, like me, may even feel guilty about it. The Swedes have a new word for this carbon-intensive regret:  Flygscam ,  meaning guilt associated with air travel.

Jet planes belch tons of carbon dioxide and particulate matter into the atmosphere. The longest flights are the worst: Flying from New York to Toyko can produce up to two tons of carbon dioxide per passenger. Even medium to short-haul flights can inject up to 1.5 tons of this greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, according to the  United Nations.

“A lot of people are starting to look at this,” says Heather Magnussen, who is in charge of responsible travel and sustainability for Audley Travel in Boston. “They are looking to reduce CO emissions from their travels.”

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Be skeptical of offsets

Although there are a host of companies offering “carbon offsets,” which attempt to mitigate your carbon impact through buying third-party carbon credits or planting trees, the practice is controversial and may not reduce the impact of your travel. It would be worthwhile to explore third-party services like  Climate Impact Partners , which vets these offerings.

Carbon offset providers have many drawbacks; they may not be directly pulling carbon out of the atmosphere. According to one study by  the Guardian , “90% of rainforest carbon offsets by biggest certifier are worthless.” The study questioned the company’s impact in reducing rainforest depletion.  Verra , a Washington-based nonprofit that verifies carbon-offset claims, disputed the Guardian’s assertions.

In recent years, airlines have taken steps to reduce their carbon emissions. Some have committed to “science-based targets” for reducing their carbon emissions, says Michelle Li, founder of  Clever Carbon , a company that helps everyday individuals learn about their carbon footprint.

“Traveling can never be ‘green,’ ” Li says, “but there are ways to lower your carbon footprint and your impact on the planet.” Learning how to do so will require you to do a little homework and use third-party services, such as  Science Based Targets , that monitor companies’ commitments to reducing emissions.

Related : Are airlines doing anything for the planet? Not so much

You can, of course, drill down even more on your own and customize your own trip or find a travel agency that can book a “green trip.” When Magnussen advises on a trip, she looks for eco-friendly hotels that use renewable energy and buy food from local sources, among other environmentally friendly factors.

The simplest option is to travel locally or take lower-impact trips on trains, which is best accomplished in Europe, Japan and China, which have extensive high-speed rail systems. Of course, planning your own green trip requires some homework. Here are some essential points to consider.

5 ways to lower your travel carbon footprint

• Do the math on carbon emissions.  An online  calculator  can estimate the amount of carbon a trip will generate; Google Flights does the same for travel it books. Some answers are unsurprising: Long flights generate a lot of carbon dioxide while local or nonstop flights are not as bad.
• Consider options.  If you choose to run some numbers, find the least carbon-intensive way to reach your destination. If the numbers alarm you, downscale your trip — make it shorter — or buy offsets to counter the impact of your sojourn. As noted above, offsets are a dubious device. Keep in mind you can also plant (or pay a large organization to plant) a lot of trees, restore wetlands, prairies and savannas. The United Nations has some  useful guidelines .
• Try an eco-working trip.  Most large, active environmental groups sponsor  programs  that restore wilderness areas and parks. You can also volunteer to do the same at a local park,  forest  or conservation district. That’s the lowest carbon footprint of all.
• Choose eco-friendly lodging.  This is a broadly defined category that ranges from treehouses to resorts that commit to shrinking their carbon footprint. Choose lodging that employs sustainability practices: Does the property run on renewable energy? What is it doing to reduce its waste stream? How is it minimizing its effect on the local environment? An organization called  Travelife Partners  does third-party certification of lodging companies.
• Take a staycation.  That’s right. Explore your metropolitan area using public transportation to get to local museums, parks, forest preserves and hotels. Just about every mid- to large city has great science, natural history and nature museums accessible by public transit.

Read next: This ‘Fitbit’ for tree health saves homeowners money and helps fight climate change

John F. Wasik is the author of 19 books, including “ The Cul-de-Sac Syndrome: Turning Around America’s Unsustainable American Dream ” (Wiley, 2009). He’s working a new book titled “A Natural Neighborhood,” which focuses on hyperlocal climate action. 

This article is reprinted by permission from  NextAvenue.org , ©2023 Twin Cities Public Television, Inc. All rights reserved.

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How Toyota’s Beyond Zero Vision Makes It Easy to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Toyota’s line of electrified vehicles gives you more low- and zero-emissions choices than any other automaker, with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery EV, and fuel-cell EV options.

When it comes to reducing carbon emissions, Toyota is committed to the power of personal choice. Their lineup of electrified vehicles offers the widest range of choices, from hybrids to plug-in hybrids to battery-electric vehicles and even fuel-cell EVs. And the brand’s Beyond Zero vision — to reach carbon neutrality with its products, services and operations, and go beyond as it finds new ways to create a better world — extends to every part of the vehicle spectrum, so whether you need a spacious family hauler, a work-ready pickup truck or a stylish and sporty sedan, there’s an electrified Toyota vehicle for you.

ELECTRIFIED, DIVERSIFIED

Toyota has led the way on electrified automobiles. The 1997 Prius was the world’s first mass-produced hybrid passenger vehicle, combining gasoline and battery power to travel farther on less fuel. With the Prius, Toyota demonstrated that the future of automobiles would be built on hybrid technology. More than 25 years later, Toyota is still the leader in hybrid vehicles that reduce emissions and fuel costs, without any need to worry about how far you can drive.

But it didn’t stop with hybrids. Since the early 1990s, Toyota has been the leading innovator in fuel-cell vehicles. In 2014, Toyota introduced the Mirai — the world’s first car designed specifically to use fuel-cell technology. Available only in California, this fuel-cell EV generates electricity by combining hydrogen with oxygen from the outside air, and emits nothing but water vapor, resulting in the best of both worlds: an electric-powered vehicle that you never need to plug in. And as hydrogen fuel stations continue to proliferate around the country, filling the tank on one will be as convenient and quick as stopping at a traditional gas station — in and out in five minutes.

Electrified driving without plugging in. A hybrid intelligently blends electric and gasoline power to find the most efficient way to drive. More power, less fuel.

Plug-In Hybrid EV

Charge up the battery for zero-emissions all-electric driving. Fill the gas tank for convenient efficiency. Or do both—the choice is yours with a plug-in hybrid.

True gasoline-free driving. Charge the battery at home or at a charging station and enjoy zero tailpipe emissions with the comfort of quiet electric power.

Fuel Cell EV

All-electric driving with no waiting to charge. Fill up in five minutes at a hydrogen refueling station. The car generates its own electricity and emits only water.

And when it comes to battery-electric vehicles, Toyota engineers have been perfecting the technology for decades. The EVs available today drive farther and recharge faster than ever before. As more and more new charging locations appear across the country, more and more drivers can make the switch to battery-electric cars.

Picking a cleaner, greener vehicle doesn’t have to come with compromise. Toyota has spent decades researching and engineering solutions for greater efficiency and reduced emissions — and that means plenty of electrified choices for every lifestyle.

SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE

Toyota’s low-emissions, high-efficiency lineup demonstrates that “electrified” means more than merely “plug-ified” — there’s a whole series of options and variables to consider when choosing which type of EV is right for you. And the company’s robust collection means that whether you’re ready for a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, fuel-cell or battery-electric vehicle, there’s an electrified Toyota vehicle for you today.

The hybrid that started it all, now in its fifth generation. Efficiency, excitement and convenience, all in one stylish package.

• Up to 57 mpg, with no charging
• The confidence of available all-wheel-drive
• Sporty driving: 0–60 in 7.2 seconds
• Toyota dependability and comfort

Toyota RAV4 Prime

Plug-in capability plus efficiency means zero-emissions driving without compromise, plus gasoline power when you need it.

• Up to 42 miles of pure EV driving
• Exhilarating performance: 0–60 in 5.7 seconds
• RAV4 efficiency, with or without charging

Toyota bZ4X

The first zero-emission all-electric crossover SUV with everything you love about a Toyota. Plug in, charge up and go.

• Up to 252 miles of driving range
• Spacious comfort for the whole family
• 8.1-inch ground clearance for rough roads
• Charge up in 30 minutes with DC fast charging

Toyota Mirai

Pure electric driving without any waiting: Fill up at a hydrogen refueling station (where available) and get going in under five minutes.

• Up to 402 miles of driving range
• Rear-wheel-drive sporty dynamics
• Near-silent electric power on demand
• Zero carbon emissions, only water vapor

A Toyota hybrid gives you all the ease of a regular gas-powered car — with better fuel efficiency and fewer carbon emissions. Driving one, such as the stylish Prius, is as easy as with any other car: Just get in and go. The new Prius has 194 horsepower and sports-car 0-to-60 acceleration in just over seven seconds. Sure-footed handling helps you carve the corners of your favorite twisty road, and available all-wheel-drive gives you confidence no matter the weather. Inside the fourth-generation Prius, Toyota’s latest Hybrid Synergy Drive system seamlessly adapts to the way you drive, blending a battery-powered electric motor and a 2.0-liter gasoline engine for up to 57 mpg. And when it’s time to refuel, the Prius again works exactly like any other car: You just go to your regular gas station and fill up the tank. It’s the easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint without changing how you drive.

Toyota’s Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) give you even more efficiency. The RAV4 Prime, for example, takes everything great about the RAV4 and adds plug-in capability. Charge its battery up at home or on the go, and you’ll get up to 42 miles of zero-emissions all-electric driving. When the battery gets low, your Toyota PHEV automatically switches to gasoline power, intelligently optimizing for the best driving range. The RAV4 Prime leaves the choice up to you: Plug in for pure electric power, fill up the gas tank for go-anywhere convenience or do both—with a plug-in hybrid, the choice is always yours.

If you’re ready to embrace all-electric driving, Toyota’s battery-electric vehicle (BEV) offers pure zero-emission mobility at all times. With the bZ4X, you get the ease and convenience of a family crossover SUV with the guilt-free driving of an all-electric vehicle. If you have access to an AC Level 2 home charger, you can plug it in overnight for an estimated driving range of up to 252 miles. And with its DC fast charging, you can also plug into any high-speed EV charging station and go from a low battery to 80 percent in as little as 30 minutes. With bZ4X, you get the quiet, smooth, effortless power of a BEV with the style, comfort, safety and dependability you’ve come to expect from Toyota.

If you have hydrogen refueling available near you, the Toyota Mirai gives you the striking styling and athletic performance of a rear-wheel-drive sport sedan with the clean, convenient power of a fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV). With Mirai, you never have to plug in: The car uses clean hydrogen power to generate its own electricity. Filling up an FCEV is as easy and convenient as filling up your hydrogen tank: Just pump and go, and you’ll get up to 402 miles of driving range. But unlike a gas-powered car, the Mirai doesn’t emit any carbon while you’re driving—the only thing that comes out of the tailpipe is water vapor.

FORGING A PATH TO THE FUTURE

Toyota knows that innovation never sleeps. That’s why Toyota scientists have never stopped improving. Today’s Prius harnesses a quarter-century of advances in hybrid-vehicle technology, and that’s just the beginning. Every day, around the world, Toyota engineers and designers are working to bring forth the next generation of efficient, environmentally friendly vehicles. Right now, Toyota laboratories are working on battery technology that will make tomorrow’s electric cars recharge as quickly as you can fill up your gas tank. They’re working on future energy technology to take you even farther than you can go today, all while ensuring a cleaner, greener tomorrow.

You can find intelligent, efficient engineering everywhere in Toyota’s electrified lineup, from the family-friendly Sienna hybrid minivan to the tough Tundra iForce Max full-size pickup truck and the adventure-ready Sequoia hybrid three-row SUV. You can even find electrified technology in Toyota vehicles you already know and love, like Camry, Corolla, Highlander, and RAV4. The 2024 Toyota lineup gives you more ways to electrify your drive without having to compromise your lifestyle. And when you buy an electrified Toyota, you’re also supporting a commitment to protecting the environment by decreasing plastic waste and supporting water conservation.

No matter where you live or what kind of driving you do, there’s an electrified Toyota that can help you reduce your carbon footprint. Discover a world of electrified, diversified.

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Green RVing Sustainable Practices for EcoConscious

• June 7, 2024

Are you an eco-conscious traveler looking to reduce environmental impact on the road?

We explore the concept of Green RVing and discuss its benefits for the environment and personal well-being.

From tips on reducing energy consumption and minimizing waste to choosing eco-friendly campsites, we provide information to make your RV adventures more sustainable.

We discuss eco-friendly RV upgrades and accessories and challenges and solutions for implementing green practices on the road.

Whether you’re a seasoned RVer or just getting started, this article is a must-read for anyone looking to explore the world in a more sustainable way.

Defining Sustainable Travel and RVing

Defining Sustainable Travel and RVing encompasses adopting eco-conscious practices by travelers and RV enthusiasts to minimize their environmental impact and promote sustainable tourism. It involves making eco-friendly choices and embracing green initiatives throughout their journey.

This includes selecting accommodations and activities that align with sustainable principles, supporting local communities, and respecting the natural settings they visit. By reducing waste, conserving resources, and supporting ethical businesses, individuals can contribute to preserving the planet’s beauty and diversity.

Sustainable travel and RVing encourage a mindful way of exploring the world, promoting responsible behavior and environmental stewardship to benefit current and future generations.

Benefits of Green RVing

Embracing Green RVing offers a myriad of benefits, not only for the environment but also for individuals seeking a sustainable lifestyle. By incorporating eco-conscious practices and green principles into their RV journey, travelers can make a positive, sustainable impact while aligning with their green commitments.

Environmental and Personal Benefits

Green RVing offers environmental and personal benefits, including reduced carbon footprint through renewable resources and green energy. By practicing conservation and embracing sustainable solutions, RV enthusiasts can adopt green living principles and utilize innovative green technology to minimize their impact.

This eco-friendly approach helps preserve natural resources and contributes to a healthier planet for future generations. Green RVers often opt for solar panels to harness the sun’s power, reducing reliance on traditional fuel sources. By using energy-efficient appliances and eco-friendly materials in their RVs, individuals can create more sustainable living spaces on wheels. This conscious lifestyle choice encourages a deeper connection with nature and fosters a sense of responsibility towards environmental stewardship.

Practical Tips for Green RVing

Implementing Practical Tips for Green RVing enhances the overall eco-friendliness of the journey and contributes to a more sustainable travel experience. By making eco-conscious choices, utilizing eco-friendly transportation, and opting for green camping practices, RV enthusiasts can reduce their environmental impact and enjoy eco-conscious accommodations.

Reducing Energy Consumption

Reducing Energy Consumption while RVing involves adopting green energy practices and implementing sustainable solutions to minimize the environmental impact.

• RV travelers can significantly decrease their energy consumption by incorporating green options such as solar panels, energy-efficient appliances, and LED lighting.
• Practicing simple habits like turning off lights when not in use, properly insulating the RV, and utilizing natural light whenever possible can reduce energy usage.
• Embracing eco-friendly solutions like composting toilets and rainwater harvesting systems can contribute to a more sustainable RV lifestyle.

These green strategies not only benefit the environment but can also lead to long-term cost savings for travelers.

Minimizing Waste and Pollution

Minimizing Waste and Pollution while RVing is essential for promoting environmentally friendly practices and engaging in green camping. By adopting low-impact travel strategies , implementing green initiatives, and practicing eco-conscious habits, RV enthusiasts can minimize waste generation and reduce pollution levels during their journey.

Reducing the carbon footprint in RVing is crucial for preserving the beauty of natural landscapes and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come. RV travelers can significantly impact the environment by utilizing solar power for energy needs, reducing water consumption through mindful usage, and properly disposing of waste at designated recycling centers. Embracing green practices such as composting organic waste and using biodegradable products can further enhance the eco-friendly aspect of RV travel, making it a responsible and environmentally conscious choice.

Choosing Eco-Friendly Campsites

Choosing Eco-Friendly Campgrounds is a key aspect of Green RVing, as it promotes sustainable tourism and ethical travel practices. By selecting eco-friendly campgrounds that align with green principles and support environmentally sustainable initiatives, RV travelers can contribute positively to preserving natural resources.

Opting for eco-conscious accommodations further enhances the overall eco-friendly camping experience. These accommodations are designed to minimize environmental impact, with features such as energy-efficient lighting, water conservation systems, and waste recycling programs. Sustainable tourism practices at such campsites encourage responsible travel behavior and foster a deeper connection with nature. Embracing ethical tourism practices benefits the environment, supports local communities, and promotes a more mindful approach to travel.

Eco-Friendly RV Upgrades and Accessories

Exploring Eco-Friendly RV Upgrades and Accessories can significantly enhance the sustainability of the RV lifestyle by incorporating green innovations and eco-friendly solutions. From sustainable mobility options to green design elements, these upgrades promote eco-conscious choices and align with sustainable travel tips and green initiatives.

Solar Panels and Energy-Efficient Appliances

Installing Solar Panels and Energy-Efficient Appliances in an RV is a sustainable choice that can significantly reduce energy consumption and promote eco-friendly practices. By harnessing green energy and adopting sustainable solutions, RV enthusiasts can embrace green living principles and contribute to sustainable development while on the road.

Solar panels provide a renewable energy source that taps into the sun’s abundant power, reducing reliance on non-renewable resources. Energy-efficient appliances enhance this eco-friendly approach by minimizing electricity usage, ensuring a smaller carbon footprint. This benefits the environment and leads to cost savings for RV owners in the long run.

With advancements in technology, these sustainable solutions are becoming more accessible and affordable, making it easier for individuals to transition to greener living practices both at home and on the go.

Composting Toilets and Water Conservation Systems

Utilizing Composting Toilets and Water Conservation Systems in an RV promotes off-grid living and encourages eco-friendly habits among travelers. By incorporating sustainable habits, cultivating an eco-conscious mindset, and investing in green infrastructure like water conservation systems, RV enthusiasts can reduce their environmental impact and practice eco-conscious behavior.

This approach not only lessens the reliance on traditional water sources but also minimizes blackwater waste disposal , making it a sustainable choice for those exploring the great outdoors. Embracing such practices fosters a deeper connection with nature and encourages responsible consumption. Incorporating eco-friendly technologies like composting toilets reduces the carbon footprint associated with typical RV travel. It allows individuals to adopt greener alternatives while still enjoying the freedom and flexibility of life on the road.

Challenges and Solutions for Green RVing

Navigating Challenges and Solutions for Green RVing involves a deep-rooted green commitment and a willingness to embrace eco-friendly choices and sustainable practices. By fostering a sustainable culture and making eco-conscious decisions, RV travelers can address obstacles effectively and promote an environmentally responsible RVing experience.

Overcoming Obstacles on the Road

Overcoming Obstacles on the Road during Green RVing requires a sustainable living mindset and a sense of green responsibility.

This sustainable mindset entails being conscious of energy consumption, water usage, and waste management on the road. RV enthusiasts can opt for eco-friendly campground facilities, such as those offering recycling bins and renewable energy sources.

Making sustainable choices involves selecting biodegradable products, minimizing plastic waste, and investing in solar panels or energy-efficient appliances for the RV. By embracing green commitments, such as offsetting carbon emissions from travel, supporting eco-friendly businesses, and practicing Leave No Trace principles, individuals can truly embody the essence of Green RVing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is green rving, and why is it important for eco-conscious travelers.

Green RVing refers to adopting sustainable and environmentally friendly practices while traveling in a recreational vehicle (RV). It is important for eco-conscious travelers because it minimizes the negative impact of RV travel on the environment and promotes responsible tourism.

What are some sustainable practices that can be implemented while RVing?

Some sustainable practices for eco-conscious travelers include using renewable energy sources like solar panels, reducing waste using reusable containers and bags, conserving water by taking shorter showers using low-flow fixtures, and choosing eco-friendly campgrounds.

How can I reduce my carbon footprint while RVing?

You can reduce your carbon footprint by choosing a fuel-efficient RV, driving at a moderate speed to decrease fuel consumption, and investing in carbon offset programs to offset the emissions from your travels. Properly maintaining your RV is also important to ensure it is running efficiently.

Are there any eco-friendly RV options available?

Yes, eco-friendly RV options are available, such as electric or hybrid RVs, which use alternative energy sources instead of traditional fuel. Companies that offer eco-friendly RV rentals use sustainable materials and practices in their vehicles.

What are some ways to minimize waste while RVing?

To minimize waste, you can bring reusable containers and utensils for meals, use refillable water bottles instead of plastic ones, and properly dispose of trash or recycling at designated facilities. Properly disposing of any waste from your RV, such as gray water and sewage, is also important.

How can I support local communities and businesses while RVing?

You can support local communities and businesses by staying at locally-owned campgrounds, purchasing goods and services from local businesses, and participating in local activities and events. This helps to stimulate the local economy and creates a more authentic and sustainable travel experience.

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Taylor Swift catches a lot of heat over jet travel. Here's her actual impact

How did Taylor Swift become a lightning rod in the debate over carbon dioxide emissions, and just how much does her private jet contribute to global warming?

The Eras Tour superstar is known for boosting economies, being taught at universities like Harvard , rerecording her music and breaking records with new album releases including "The Tortured Poets Department." She has also gained attention for flying her private jet (she sold her second one) around the world for concert stops, to do business and meet with friends in New York, rehearse in Los Angeles, see her family in Nashville and visit her boyfriend Travis Kelce in Kansas City, Missouri.

Conversation began in 2022

In the summer of 2022, Kylie Jenner posted a photo (that's since been deleted) of her and Travis Scott's private planes with the caption, “You wanna take mine or yours?” The backlash led the Yard , a content and public relations firm, to publish a study of which celebrities produced the most private jet emissions that year. The publication put Miss Americana at the top of the list.

The Yard has added a disclaimer to the top of the study that reads in part: "Following the release of our data, Rolling Stone contacted each of the celebrities' representatives for comment. Taylor Swift's representative said the following: 'Taylor’s jet is loaned out regularly to other individuals. To attribute most or all of these trips to her is blatantly incorrect.'"

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

The jet tracking student

Amid the hype in 2022, a student studying information technology at University of Central Florida (UCF) started to track Swift's two jets. Jack Sweeney set up an automated system that posted updates when the billionaire's private planes departed and landed. His account took off during Swift's trips to NFL games as fans checked to see if she would attend to root on the Kansas City Chiefs .

The increased attention outraged Swifties who said Sweeney invaded the tortured poet's privacy and posed a security threat .

"It's all public record, you have this information at your fingertips," he says over Zoom. "There's an interest by fans, but others are upset. They think I'm stalking (Swift) when I'm just sharing public information."

His fascination with tracking planes began during the coronavirus pandemic in 2021. Sweeney looked into Elon Musk's planes and posted information about his jets. At one point, he says, Musk offered him $5,000 to shut down the X/Twitter account. The UCF student talked to a journalist instead, and the deal was off the table.

Musk, the owner of X/Twitter, banned Sweeney's accounts. With his Instagram account garnering close to 100,000 followers last winter, Meta also pulled the plug.

Swift's team sent Sweeney two cease-and-desist letters saying the tracking was endangering the singer and a "life-or-death matter." The student hired a lawyer and after releasing a public letter and doing some interviews , the back-and-forth grew cold.

When asked about security, the Sweeney says, "Other people have done a similar type of thing where they're posting about her planes. When she flew to Brazil, the news was livestreaming at the airport. If my tracking goes away, there's still going to be stuff like that, and she travels with a security team. The airport is one of the most secure places."

Swift sold one of her two private jets at the beginning of the year. An animation shows the 2023 trips of Swift's two jets that added up to 178,000 miles, emitting 1,200 tons of carbon dioxide. The majority of those flights were to Los Angles, New York, Nashville and concert stops for the 2023 Eras Tour .

If you search for lists of top carbon-emitting celebrities, there are conflicting reports. MyClimate ranked a list of celebrities in 2023 by their carbon emissions and didn't put the Eras Tour singer in the top 20 , giving Travis Scott, Kim Kardashian and Elon Musk the highest ratings.

Swift's impact on the environment

Payless Power did a conservative prediction of Swift's jet travel for 2024 including her 86 shows in 27 Asian, Australian, European and North American cities.

"The goal of the study was to look into renewable energy," says Adi Sachdeva, a project manager with Payless Power. "Her tour is one of the biggest tours that have ever existed."

Using data from the Myclimate Carbon Tracker, the Texas-based company created a report projecting the jet's carbon emissions, not including any detours the singer may make between stops.

They noted Swift will fly an estimated 43,688 kilometers and emit 511,154 kilograms of CO2 for the Eras Tour. To put this into perspective, it's the equivalent of driving 1,307,311 miles in a gasoline-powered passenger vehicle. It's also equivalent to the emissions made from 67 households in an entire year.

Although this may seem like a lot for the singer conducting a record-breaking tour across the world, the report states her 2024 travel still doesn't come close to the top celebrity emitters of 2023: Travis Scott (6.06 million kilograms of CO2), Kim Kardashian (5.86 million) and Elon Musk (4.56 million).

"We wanted to make comparisons to individuals, in general," Sachdeva says. "A lot of times you'll see these large numbers online of a private jet but without seeing what that means, people will go with the numbers that seem very large without knowing their own emissions."

An environmentalist weighs in

Nick Loris, the vice president of public policy for C3 Solutions , a conservative climate coalition looking to improve energy abundance and energy affordability, helps to put Swift's jet-setting impact into perspective.

"While aviation is important and private aviation is a pretty high contributor to the industry, it's still a relatively small percentage of overall global greenhouse gas emissions," he says. "Some of the top emissions are caused by the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat and transportation, so coal, oil and to a lesser extent natural gas. Buildings use a lot of energy, and we primarily use gasoline and diesel to get around. Industry and agriculture are other fairly big contributors.”

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, aircraft accounts for 9% of carbon-related emissions in the United States. Private jets produce at least 10 times more emissions than commercial flights per passenger.

Loris notes the reality is Swift can't fly commercial. It would lead to a surfeit of issues with logistics and security; consider the circle of security guards that surround her on red carpets.

So what are the solutions?

Loris says Swift's overall impact to emissions, in 2022, was about 0.000000225% after dividing her emissions, 8,300 metric tons, by global greenhouse gas emissions of 36.8 gigatons. Her percentage for 2023 and 2024 may be slightly higher with her tour travel.

Tree Paine, Swift's publicist, told Bloomberg News in 2023 the singer-songwriter purchased more than double the credits needed to offset all her travel .

"There are a few challenges with carbon credits," Loris says. "There are a lot of good activities that result from carbon offset projects, things like reforestation projects, different types of direct air capture technologies or investments in renewable power. The challenge is there are also a lot of junk carbon offsets where the project may have been built anyway and therefore there was no additional reduction in emissions. It's also important that carbon offset projects are measurable and durable. Let's say you purchased carbon offsets for a reforestation project in California, and then all of those burn up in a forest wildfire. That would release pollution and CO2 into the atmosphere and undo the carbon offset."

Loris says with all the increased attention, the singer could become a vocal advocate for jet-setting solutions and an investor in new and innovative technology such as sustainable aviation fuels or direct air capture (essentially a carbon-sucking vacuum).

Swift is on the European leg of the Eras Tour . She has shows in 15 more cities across the continent before heading to North America in the fall.

Don't miss any Taylor Swift news; sign up for the  free, weekly newsletter This Swift Beat.

Follow Taylor Swift reporter Bryan West on  Instagram ,  TikTok  and  X as @BryanWestTV

University of Helsinki Achieves Carbon Footprint Reduction in 2023

In 2023 the University reduced its carbon footprint from the previous year to 49,992 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e).

Emissions were successfully reduced particularly in facilities, the area accounting for a large (38.5%) share of the University’s carbon footprint.

The reduction of emissions is largely due to the purchase of carbon-neutral electricity, for which the University bought guarantees of origin for nuclear power.

In addition to facilities, emissions were generated by procurement (40% of the University’s total emissions) and travel and transport (17%). Food accounted for 4.5% of the total emissions. Small reductions were made in 2023 to emissions from procurement and food, but those from travel and transport increased.

To promote its goal of carbon neutrality, the University published in spring 2023 the Carbon-neutral University of Helsinki 2030 roadmap, with emissions reduction goals for the four areas with the highest emissions. The primary goal is to lower the carbon footprint by reducing emissions.

All purchased electricity was carbon neutral

In 2023 all the electricity purchased by the University was carbon neutral, as it bought guarantees of origin for nuclear power.

The goal for 2030 is that all purchased electricity and district heating in the University facilities will be carbon neutral, while 10% of energy consumption will be covered by independently produced renewable energy. At the same time, fossil heating fuels will be abandoned.

The University is unable to influence the goal of carbon neutrality for district heating, as it depends on the energy company Helen and its operational targets.

The amount of waste produced in facilities increased by 5% from the previous year. The recycling rate was 56%.

Impact through market dialogue

As a major organisation, the University successfully used tendering to reach its goal of making purchases by prioritising suppliers committed to low-carbon activities. However, the University does not yet have access to comprehensive information on the production chains of all the goods and services it purchases. The goal is to track reliably the carbon footprint of purchased goods and services.

Further goals are to introduce efficient recycling and circular economy models, and nurture a strong culture of shared use. The University will invest in these goals by enhancing market dialogue and internal circular economy models.

New travel guidelines to reduce emissions

Travel emissions increased due to the rebound in travel volume following the pandemic.

In 2023 the University prepared new travel guidelines. Monitoring compliance with them in the coming years will show how the guidelines affect travel emissions. The University will examine both commuting and work-related travel, whose greatest respective sources of emissions are private car usage and air travel.

Measures taken in the next few years include developing bicycle parking on the campuses.

Towards more sustainable meals

Most food emissions are generated by the lunch cafeterias operating on the University premises, which are expected to prepare transparent low-carbon and sustainability programmes.

The cafeteria operators have made efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of lunches and catering and to offer sustainable options.

At UniCafe cafeterias, for example, vegan and vegetarian options accounted for 48% of all lunches sold in 2023. Vegan options are always cheaper than non-vegan ones, and plant-based alternatives are placed first on the counter.

The University will continue to engage in active dialogue with cafeteria operators and incorporate sustainability goals more closely into the associated tendering processes.

The University’s new catering recommendations support its goal of prioritising plant-based food in catering services by 2030.

More emissions reductions needed

Although the downward trend in emissions is encouraging, more action is needed.

“We now have guidelines for emissions reduction goals, but all members of the University community are responsible for achieving them,” says Vice-Rector Anne Portaankorva, who leads the University’s sustainability work.

Although reducing emissions is the primary target, the University will also examine broader developments in climate work, the promotion of biodiversity and the steps taken to offset emissions at the University and in the wider community.

“For example, we are monitoring actively how the regulations being prepared in the EU affect companies and organisations in defining responsibility goals and offsetting climate emissions,” notes Senior Specialist in Sustainable Development and Responsibility Riina Koivuranta.

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What to Know About Biden’s Trip to France

The international trek offers the president a chance to commemorate D-Day and to contrast with his predecessor.

What to Know: Biden’s Trip to France

Evan Vucci | AP

President Joe Biden is welcomed by French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, left, after arriving at Orly Airport south of Paris on Wednesday, June 5.

Key Takeaways

• The trip marks Biden’s first state visit to France.
• The president will deliver remarks commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
• Along with French President Emmanuel Macron, Biden is also expected to talk with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

President Joe Biden arrived in France on Wednesday for a visit during which he will commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, when Allied forces landed in Normandy and paved the way for the liberation of Europe in World War II. The trip also marks Biden’s first state visit to France.

The historic D-Day operation included nearly 160,000 troops from Britain , the U.S. , Canada and other nations, and helped lead to the defeat of Nazi Germany. On Thursday, Biden is expected to deliver remarks at a ceremony in Normandy commemorating the event, and to participate in a wreath-laying. At least 25 heads of state are expected to be in France to mark the occasion.

Did You Know?

The anniversary provides the perfect opportunity for Biden to weave together symbolism with policy and politics. Along with falling in the midst of his reelection campaign – and offering him opportunities to contrast with his opponent, former President Donald Trump – the visit to America's oldest ally comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is in its second year, the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East continues to escalate and China looms large over Taiwan, threatening its independence.

World War II “showed the world the value of strong alliances and partnerships, which is a lesson that continues to resonate strongly today, both in Europe and, quite frankly, well beyond Europe,” John Kirby, White House national security communications advisor, told reporters earlier this week during a preview of Biden’s trip.

“President Biden has made revitalizing our relationships a key priority, recognizing that we are stronger when we act together and that today’s challenges require global perspectives, global approaches, global responses, and multilateral effort and cooperation,” Kirby said. “France is our oldest ally, and this visit will underscore continued U.S.-French leadership on a range of consequential global issues.”

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Biden, who will be in France for five days, is also scheduled to deliver remarks Friday at Pointe Du Hoc – where American soldiers on D-Day scaled cliffs to seize German artillery. He’s expected to focus on the importance of fighting for democracy.

“You can point to real lives that were impacted at Pointe du Hoc,” Kirby said. “You can point to real blood that was spilt in pursuit of that loftier goal. And you can tell stories about real men who climbed real cliffs and faced real bullets and real danger in the pursuit of something a whole hell of a lot bigger than themselves.”

Following the anniversary commemorations, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, will host Biden and First Lady Jill Biden for the state visit. During a bilateral meeting between Biden and Macron, the two presidents will discuss continuing to support Ukraine, the war in Gaza and efforts to combat climate change, Kirby said.

Macron is reportedly weighing sending French military trainers to Ukraine – a potential move that’s sparked concern among some allies as it could lead to increased tensions with Russia. Notably, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be in France this week as well, and is expected to meet with both Macron and Biden.

Biden follows a long line of U.S. presidents who have visited France to commemorate D-Day. His trip comes 40 years after former President Ronald Reagan’s famous speech at Pointe du Hoc, where he stressed the importance of allies.

"We in America have learned bitter lessons from two World Wars: It is better to be here ready to protect the peace, than to take blind shelter across the sea, rushing to respond only after freedom is lost. We’ve learned that isolationism never was and never will be an acceptable response to tyrannical governments with an expansionist intent," Reagan said during remarks on the 40th anniversary of D-Day.

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In the background of Biden’s trip, of course, is the 2024 presidential election – the outcome of which could impact the relationship between the U.S., France and other NATO allies. Trump, for example, has repeatedly called out NATO members for not devoting enough money to defense, and has threatened not to come to the aid of those who don’t meet the alliance’s defense spending target – something he’s also sought to frame as a negotiating tactic.

While in France, Biden also plans to speak with U.S. and international veterans who served in World War II, and to visit a cemetery honoring fallen American soldiers during World War I. During a Trump trip to France in 2018, the former president did not visit the WWI Aisne-Marne American Cemetery due to what the White House at the time said was poor weather. Later reporting from The Atlantic said Trump criticized the dead buried there as “losers,” which Trump denied.

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• ENVIRONMENT

What is a carbon footprint—and how to measure yours

Determining a carbon footprint is easier said than done, and it’s not clear how much weight we should put on it.

As awareness of climate change   grows, so does the desire to do something about it . But the scale of the problems it causes—from wildfires to melting glaciers to droughts—can seem utterly overwhelming . It can be hard to make a connection between our everyday lives and the survival of polar bears, let alone how we as individuals can help turn the situation around.

One way to gain a quantifiable understanding of the impacts of our actions, for good and bad, is through what is known as a carbon footprint. But while the concept is gaining traction—Googling “How do I reduce my carbon footprint?” yields almost 27 million responses—it is not always fully understood .

What is a carbon footprint?

So, what exactly is a carbon footprint? According to Mike Berners-Lee , a professor at Lancaster University in the UK and author of The Carbon Footprint of Everything , it is “the sum total of all the greenhouse gas emissions that had to take place in order for a product to be produced or for an activity to take place.”

For most consumers in developed countries, these products and activities tend to fall into four principal categories: household energy use, transport, food, and everything else, which is mostly the products we buy, from utensils to clothes to cars to television sets.

Each of these activities and products has its own footprint; a person’s carbon footprint is the combined total of the products they buy and use, the activities they undertake, and so on. A person who regularly consumes beef will have a   larger food footprint than his vegan neighbor, but that neighbor’s overall footprint may be larger if she drives an hour to work and back in an SUV each day while our meat-eater bicycles to his office nearby. Both their footprints may pale in comparison to the businesswoman across the street, who flies first-class cross-country twice a month.

Unsurprisingly, in general terms the size of a person’s carbon footprint tends to increase with wealth. In his book, Berners-Lee writes that the average global citizen has a carbon footprint that is equivalent to the emission of seven tons of carbon dioxide per year. However, that figure is approximately 13 tons for the average Briton and roughly 21 tons per person in the United States.; The “average American takes just a couple of days to match the annual footprint of the average Nigerian or Malian,” he writes.

How is a carbon footprint calculated?

It isn’t easy to calculate a carbon footprint; indeed, Berners-Lee calls it the “essential but impossible” measurement.

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Consider, for example, the personal carbon cost of taking a commercial flight. On the one hand, the calculation is straightforward: take how much fuel a plane burns and how many greenhouse gases are emitted during the course of a flight and divide by the number of passengers. But the footprint is larger for first-and-business-class passengers, because they take up more space and because their higher cost creates an extra incentive for the flight to actually take place. Other considerations include how much cargo the plane is carrying, and the altitude at which the plane flies .

Even so, it is a relatively simple calculation compared to assessing the emissions involved in every step of, say, the manufacture of a car: the emissions that take place at the assembly plant, the generation of electricity to power that plant, the transport of all the component items, the factories at which the components were made, the creation of the machinery used at those factories and at the assembly plant and so on, all the way back to the extraction of the minerals that are the car’s building blocks.

Because of the complexity involved in such calculations, Berners-Lee concedes that in such cases it is “never possible to be completely accurate.” The good news, he argues, is that for most individuals, that doesn’t matter. “Usually, it’s good enough just to have a broad idea,” he says.

What steps a person can take to reduce their personal footprint the most of course depends on the kind of lifestyle they presently live, and the same actions are not equally effective for everyone. For example, switching to an electric car is far more impactful in Vermont , where more than half the state’s electricity is generated by hydropower, than in West Virginia, where it is almost entirely generated by coal. Berners-Lee notes that, “for some people, flying may be 10 percent of their footprint, for some people it’s zero, and for some it’s such a huge number that it should be the only thing they should be thinking about.”

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A cornucopia of calculators.

To that end, in recent years, a veritable cornucopia of personal carbon footprint calculators has emerged online. By entering information about your household energy use, food consumption, and travel habits, for example, these calculators aim to provide you with an approximation of the amount of greenhouse gases being emitted to support your way of life. This one from the Nature Conservancy focuses on home energy use, transportation, diet, and shopping; this, from the United States Environmental Protection Agency , also considers transportation and energy use but adds in waste—specifically, how much you recycle. It also enables you to calculate how much your footprint could be reduced by taking steps such as insulating your home, driving less, or procuring a more fuel-efficient vehicle. This one shows just how much of an idealized personal carbon budget is taken up by consuming two large cheeseburgers a month or spending two nights in a hotel.

Are carbon footprints just fossil fuel propaganda?

It has been claimed that the earliest such calculator appeared in 2004 as part of the “ Beyond Petroleum” campaign of oil giant BP —a fact that causes some observers to criticize the pressure to reduce personal carbon footprints as a “sham” to “promote the slant that climate change is not the fault of an oil giant, but that of individuals.”

“A few years ago, Shell promoted a tweet into my thread that asked, ‘What are you doing to reduce your carbon footprint?’” recalls Katharine Hayhoe , chief scientist for The Nature Conservancy and a professor at Texas Tech University. “So, I replied with something along the lines of, ‘You are responsible for 2 percent of global emissions, equivalent to the entire country of Canada; when you have a plan to get rid of those, I’d be happy to talk to you about my personal carbon footprint.’ And they hid my reply.”

“It’s really important that all of us think about what we’re consuming, whether it’s fish or furniture or air conditioning: where it came from, what impact it had,” says Kert Davies, director of the Climate Investigations Center . “But industry then turned it around and made it: ‘It’s not our fault, you’re using our product. You deal with it.’”

That is all the more egregious, he argues, given that the fossil fuel industry has directly fought to limit some of the measures that are often cited as ways for people to reduce their personal carbon footprints: more fuel-efficient vehicle standards, or clean energy technology , for example.

“If not for fossil fuel companies, you would already be driving an EV, your house would be more efficient to run if industry hadn’t blocked solutions and obscured the truth about the urgency of addressing climate change ,” Davies adds.

Do carbon footprint calculators have a role?

Hayhoe argues that there are other problems with the concept of personal carbon footprints, not least the fact that many of the proposed means to reduce those footprints are unavailable to those who, for example, don’t have access to public transport, or can’t afford the upfront cost of an electric car or a heat pump, or who live in food deserts , where healthier, lower-impact foods such as vegetables and grains are harder to come by.

“There’s a role for the personal carbon footprint concept in high income countries among middle-to-high income people,” she explains. “There’s a very big role for the personal carbon footprint among the very richest people in the world . But we have to realize it is a limited concept—it does not apply to everyone.”

In addition, she argues, acting by ourselves is just one small part of what is required to affect change in a system that, despite the best individual efforts, remains dominated by the production and use of fossil fuels.

“I would say personal carbon footprint calculators are a useful tool to assess the impact of your immediate actions: where you live, where you travel, what you eat,” she says. “But what’s much more important than your personal carbon footprint is your climate shadow . Where do you keep your money? How do you vote? What about the businesses you work with, or the university you’re a part of, or the Rotary Club of which you’re a member—what are they doing, and how could you advocate for change?

“So, in a nutshell, when people ask me what they should do, I say: Do something, anything, but then talk about it. The only way to bring the carbon footprint of everybody in rich countries to where it needs to be for a sustainable planet is to change the system, and to change the system we have to use our voice.”

Related Topics

• CARBON FOOTPRINT
• CLIMATE CHANGE

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