Anty Murray: Welcome back to the Ant Broadcasting Network. While our regularly scheduled programming focusses on the stories of Ant-kind, for our bipedal special we will turn to the weird and wonderful world of human travel to our hometown of Bristol. Stay tuned to see what they might be able to learn from us folks down here with legs on the ground.
Collant Powell: That’s right Anty, unfortunately we’ve got to begin where most human travel starts: the airport. For those coming from Australia (where I’m told their ants are a feisty bunch) the flight can release as much as 2.8T of CO2 as per myclimate (https://co2.myclimate.org/en/flight_calculators/new). This release of greenhouse gasses will directly contribute to the trapping of heat in our atmosphere, consequently leading to climate instability. And for critters big and small, this can see serious impacts on an island nation like England where rising sea levels could decimate coastal infrastructure. When looking to further understand climate changes impact on the planet, have a peek at the regularly updated United Nations Climate Fact Sheet (https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/climate-fast-facts).
Anty Murray: But of course, there’s no shortage of crafty ways we can alter our plans to help the planet. Rather than catching a lift, ask yourself if you can take a little inspiration from us crafty crawlers by taking a walk instead or using a bike, we sure would like to be able to! For greater distances, trains take the cake. If you are struggling to find ways to make your trip sustainable, check out the Tour Carbon Footprint Data Template (https://sustainabletravel.org/resources/tour-carbon-footprint-data-template/l) to find ways to minimise your impact.
Collant Powell: However, the biggest lesson you can learn from us ants are leaning on your nest. True sustainability relies on a community of people as per Sustainable Development Goal 12 from the UN. If you are travelling before your exchange in hostels, communal meals can be a great way to minimize food waste and packaging. When settling down in Bristol, searching for others who share a passion of sustainability is also important. Community gardens like Redcatch and composting initiatives like Generational Soil are also great ways to meet likeminded individuals while contributing to a cleaner environment. As my grandma used to say, it takes a thousand ants to make an anthill.
Anty Murray: Now as academic ants ourselves, we understand that being a student requires tight budgeting, but luckily sustainable practices are often cheaper. Apps like Too Good to Go reduce food waste by posting meals at discounted rates which would otherwise be disposed. Perfect for students!
Collant Powell: At the end of the day, some aspects of travel like necessary flying will be unavoidably problematic for the environment, but what will truly determine your impact for creatures great and small will be the decisions you choose to make when on the
