Tourism is already responsible for roughly 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, a huge reminder that every kilometre counts. To combat this, trips to visit family and friends while at university are by train, bought through TrainPal. The app’s PalGreen tracker shows I have totalled 273.5kg of “green energy”, and with this, planted seven real trees, ranking me 73% higher than other users. This is personally important to me because it makes me feel responsible for taking my own steps to reduce climate change.
Here in Nottingham, I default to walking, but when the distance becomes too far, riding a Lime e-bike is what I utilise. Lime state that an e-bike ride releases 75% less CO₂ compared to its car ride equivalent. Having logged 50km already, making use of sustainable travel is a regular occurrence for me. Together, these two habits ensure SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action) are already woven into my daily routines.
Booking my flights for Korea University’s International Summer School not only involved the financial cost, but the climate cost, too. Using the ICAO Carbon Emissions Calculator, it is estimated that my journey (Gatwick to Beijing to Incheon, and back) will emit 958kg of CO₂ for my seat alone. With no reasonable alternative, I am reducing the cost of other variables in my control. I plan to pack light, and use my spare remaining kilos for thrift finds in Seoul, instead of using up my kilo allowance on fast-fashion. This means the reduced mass on the way to Korea will burn less fuel, and re-wearing pre-loved clothing slots directly under SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). Additionally, using Google Maps’ “eco-friendly routes” option, will allow me to compare the metro, walking, and cycling by the grams of CO₂, as well as minutes. These steps won’t erase the 958kg, but keep it below one tonne and show that every conscious decision: suitcase weight, methods of travel, pre-owned clothing, moves the dial backwards.
Korea University, my host university, has pledged to reach carbon neutrality by 2045, and the on-campus dorms already operate strict recycling measures, such as separators for paper, plastic, metals, glass, and food-waste. Additionally, I plan on my travel in Seoul being as sustainable as possible; making use of a rechargeable T-Money card will allow me to use public transport such as the metro, hydrogen-powered buses, and Ddareungi bikes. Seoul is already among the largest public bike schemes in Asia, with around 30,000 public bikes. Alongside this, they aim to reach a target of 21,200 hydrogen buses, both addressing SDG 11 and SDG 13. Not only is their public transport convenient to travel, but is also much more sustainable than travelling by taxi/Uber, whilst also allowing me to experience the ways locals in Korea travel themselves.
An international exchange should expand opportunities and horizons, not footprints, and this awareness of sustainability is what will keep my travels light on the planet.
References:
https://sdgs.un.org/goals
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0141-x
https://ecologi.com/trainpal
https://www.li.me/why/sustainability
https://www.icao.int/environmental-protection/Carbonoffset/Pages/default.aspx
https://fuelcellsworks.com/2024/09/20/h2/south-korea-sets-ambitious-goal-21-200-hydrogen-buses-in-operation-by-2030
https://english.visitseoul.net/editorspicks/Explore-Seoul-on-a-Seoul-Bike_/18469
