Hi, I’m Oscar, currently studying abroad in Taiwan and having the time of my life. Sustainability has always been important to me, and it’s safe to say it’s been difficult, as I’m always torn between my desire to travel and my worries for the environment and sustainability. Travel offers me vast cultural experiences and grows me as a person but have found ways to align my travel with sustainability. I have done this through taking direct flights to reduce emission linked with take-offs and landings. Also, most flights now you can pay a little extra to offset your emissions which I tend to do, yet I’m aware that planting trees for every flight I take is not an effective approach. I usually only use public transportation, biking or walking, I limit my meat consumptions, and I bring reuseable items like my water bottle wherever I go. These smaller things add up in the long term and altogether make my travel as eco-friendly as travel can be.
These align with some of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably 13,12,11,6 and 15. 13 is climate action, lower carbon footprint through conscious travel choices and carbon offsetting, so in my case choosing my direct flights and avoiding taxis shows my alignment to this goal. 12 is responsible consumption and production, so reducing waste and choosing sustainable products and services. Whilst I do use a reusable water bottle and shopping bags, I feel as if there are other ways I could be better, as especially in Taiwan, they give you a lot of packaging for almost everything you buy, and often I am too shy to say no so there’s room for improvement. 11 is sustainable cities and communities, so engaging in responsible tourism that supports local communities. I align closely with SDG 11, it is so important to exercise responsible tourism, as there are many small communities within Taiwan, and I often stay in locally owned accommodations, and I really try to respect local culture and heritage to protect these communities. SDG 6 refers to clean water and sanitation, and I try to avoid water waste by taking short showers and turning of taps when not using them, and SDG 15 refers to life on land, so for example this weekend I’m climbing the tallest mountain in Taiwan, so I will be following the ‘leave no trace’ policy, and I will be respecting the environment as much as possible.
I do all of these things to contribute to a much cleaner environment, and especially within East Asia, this is not hard to do as Taiwan is incredibly clean already, and I have also educated my friends on sustainable practices and whilst it’s hard to balance travel and sustainability, I try to do as much as I can, as everyone else in the world should.
