SizSustainable Tips when Travelling for Business

There is no way to sugarcoat that the aviation industry is one of the biggest emitters of carbon. But as borders reopen and business travel booms again, my attention quickly turns to ways we can collectively offset our carbon footprint and help protect the environment when travelling for business.

With COP26 entering its second week, climate change and climate action are at the forefront of everyone's mind. Which is exactly where it should be. In this blog, I’m going to give you some simple steps to help you take action and travel responsibly.

Refills It sounds obvious and I'm sure many of you are already using reusable plastics, but if not, purchase yourself some refillable toiletry bottles today. Refills are a perfect way to transport your favourite shampoo, conditioner and creams that you already have at home. Avoid buying mini-sized products or using the hotel's complimentary toiletries. And say no to complimentary testers at the airport, as using these mini’s, creates a staggering 980 tonnes of waste every year.

According to research carried out by Direct Line Group, an average of 15.5 million UK adults purchase travel-size toiletries every year, that's nearly a third of all British travellers. Sadly we’ve gotten into the habit of unnecessarily buying new toiletries every time we travel and we’re buying more and more minis because of the 100ml liquid restrictions. It’s time to get organised with some mini reusables.

Top Tip: Think twice about drinking from the mini-fridge, especially plastic bottles of water as these take a whopping 450 years to completely degrade.

Direct Flights Non-stop flights are not only more convenient, but they are often better for the environment because as much as 50% of carbon emissions are said to come from takeoff and landing. By flying direct you’re reducing that by half. Research carried out by Annals of Tourism Research and Go Green Travel Green, found that on average, the difference between direct and connecting routes was 100kg of carbon dioxide per person, roughly the equivalent to operating a refrigerator for an entire year. I know we’re always trying to find the cheapest flights, however knowing the cost to the environment, could this be something you or your company consider next time you’re booking your business travel?

Top Tip: Some airlines are better at filling seats than others, and newer planes can be more efficient so it’s worth taking the time to do your research.

Pack Light It’s important to pack light, as a heavier suitcase will contribute to making the aeroplane use more fuel compared to a lighter backpack. But similarly to tip #1, we’ve also gotten into a bad habit of buying new things when we travel. We have this mentality to buy new holiday clothes, a new suit for a big business meeting, or treat ourselves in the airport. But these habits must be broken. Travelling with less means you’re also more likely to walk or use public transport, therefore reducing your carbon footprint even more.

Top Tip: Pack versatile items instead of a different outfit for every occasion. You're travelling after all, so expect to re-wear items of clothing.

Eat and Shop Sustainably When travelling for work I get it can be hard to eat sustainably. First, off we’re tempted with the hotel breakfast buffet, convenient and great value for money right? According to a fascinating study by Estimation of the Scale of Food Waste in Hotel Food Services, on average, an absolutely devastating 72.55% of food is wasted from a hotel buffet including plate waste. This might be something you take into consideration when booking your accommodation. What eco-conscious actions do they take?

Try to help independent businesses and local farmers markets where you can, as this often reduces the distance that goods have to be transported. However, on a business trip, there’s likely to be a lot of eating outright? If you are out impressing a prospect or clients, why not reduce your meat intake and book a fancy vegetarian restaurant. Chances are you'll impress them with your eco-friendly approach. Take a look at happycow.net to find up and coming sustainable eateries all over the world.

Top Tip: Why not opt for the vegetarian meal on your flight?

Choose Excursions Wisely You may be travelling for business but perhaps you're entertaining or you have some time to yourself? Whatever the reason, it’s vital to take the time to research sustainable tours and be responsible tourists. Carefully research all animal experiences. Visiting a sanctuary might sound like a wholesome activity, but read the reviews and be 100% positive it’s ethical. Here’s a link to a PETA article: How to Tell if a Place Is a REAL Animal Sanctuary.

Top Tip: Visit and appreciate local parks and green buildings, which reduce CO2 emissions by 32%. Examples of green buildings: One Central Park (Sydney, Australia), Shanghai Tower (Shanghai, China), Bosco Verticale (Milan, Italy), Suzlon One Earth (Pune, India), One Angel Square (Manchester, United Kingdom).

Carbon Offset Programs Always opt into carbon reduction projects. When you book a flight, use a TMC that offsets your flight’s CO2 emissions and take the time to research eco-conscious airlines. Some of the airlines said to be investing in renewable biofuels include Qantas, American Airlines, JetBlue, Lufthansa and KLM, and Virgin Atlantic; who by 2026 aims to achieve a 15% gross reduction in CO2 by implementing a green fleet using renewable jet fuel.

Top Tip: Do you really need to print all your travel documents? Read through your airline's policies as chances are, digital copies provided on your phone are just fine.

If you want to learn about my own offset program [soon to be announced], then drop me a message. My contact details are below.

I hope you’ve found this blog useful, I'd be interested to hear if you have any eco-friendly travel hacks I can add to my list.

Thanks for reading,

Chris

?? https://tctravelmanagement.co.uk/chris.donovan ?? chris.donovan@travelcounsellors.com ?? 01737 390 066

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