Sustainability is something I try to put in my everyday practices. I believe in the importance of doing the small things like recycling and not mowing the lawn for pollinators, to protect our planet. However, I believe real change is systemic change like the UN development goals. This is why I have previously campaigned to my MP at the Houses of Parliament through a mass climate lobby and spoken about sustainability on a youth board for the local council. I am passionate about our planet and want to do the best I can to protect it, but I also have a great love for travel. Since I was young, I have heard stories of my mum, who spent her 20’s working across the world, travelling to various places and have always wanted this for myself. Therefore, this summer I will be travelling to Canada for a summer school to learn more about psychopharmacology. This was something that I jumped at the chance to do, however, I know the impact that over tourism can have on local communities and how the emissions produced by travel affect our climate. This is something that I have had to reckon with, but it means that I have decided to focus on making my time in Canada as sustainable as possible.
I cannot avoid the high emissions cause by the length of my flight from London to Vancouver and this is something that I have had to accept. I have instead decided to focus on what I can influence while I am there. I will do this in four ways.
Firstly, there will be no new wardrobe. When you look online, it is easy to believe that every trip or event needs a new outfit, but our huge amounts of textile waste prove otherwise. For this trip, I am trying to buy as little material items as possible and am opting for second hand items first and then ethically sourced items.
Secondly, I want to see the stuff that matters. I will be visiting both Vancouver Island and hiking in the nearby mountains while I am in Vancouver. I will be sharing these sights on a blog I am sharing to show the natural habitats that we want to protect to show people what really matters, and I will be litter picking along the way.
Thirdly, I will rely on public transport for my entire trip. Why waste petrol on a car when I can explore a new cities transport system and prevent more carbon emissions from travel.
Finally, I will be shopping local. Where I can, I will be shopping locally sourced products to cut down on my food miles. I’ve come a long way so my food and souvenirs don’t need to as well.
I hope these actions will lower my carbon footprint during this trip as much as much as I can despite my transport emissions. Then, at home, I can continue to advocate for better options for travel through systemic change.
