For Small Group Travel, the Future of Travel is Carbon Neutral

Travel is a trillion-dollar industry, and with the shift in younger people opting for experiences over big ticket items like houses and cars, there will only be an increase in tourism. We at Collette believe this is a good thing. Travel can be a force for good. It has the power to change our perspective of the world. It gives us a chance to be immersed in cultures we’ve always yearned to explore. And it reminds us of just how connected we really all are.

We also are aware that travel does come at a cost. Did you know that global travel makes up about 8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions? Every time you take a flight, eat at a restaurant, drive a car, or use your laptop, you’re using energy from fossil fuels, which emit carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide makes its way into the atmosphere, polluting the air and contributing to global climate change. When you add all of those travel-related activities up, the carbon footprint we leave behind as travelers is significant. That’s why we decided to do something about it.

Starting in 2020 all Explorations tours will be carbon neutral. To achieve this goal, we’ll start off by measuring the amount of carbon we emit on each Explorations tour. From there, we’ll be offsetting that same amount of carbon by investing in different environmental projects like a wind energy farm or reforestation.

Even if you aren’t planning to travel on an Explorations tour, there are plenty of small, easy ways to live, work and travel more sustainably. Here are five eco-friendly travel tips to help get you started:

5 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint:

1. Ditch Single Use Products: Use reusable water bottles and straws at home or on the road.
2. Turn the Lights Off: When not in use, turn unnecessary lights off and use LED bulbs – they’re 80% more efficient than traditional lighting.
3. Print Less, Waste Less: 50% of waste produced by business is comprised of paper. Send documents electronically if you can.
4. Always Recycle: Don’t contribute to your local landfill! Recycle plastic and glass bottles, aluminum cans and paper products.
5. Love Thy Farmer and Eat Local: It’s estimated that 13% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are caused by the production and transportation of food.