April 2075
Dearest Granddaughter,
As you prepare to study abroad in Leeds, England, I want to share my wisdom from when I studied there in 2025, 50 years ago.
Although before your time, when I was a student, the United Nations (UN) had 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with targets for 2030. These goals guided my approach to traveling, and I think they could help you too. Since I was a civil engineering student, SDGs 11 (Sustainable Cities) and 13 (Climate Action) were huge motivators for me. Additionally, I wanted to attend an exchange school that was committed to the environment. The University of Leeds was my choice, since they signed the SDG Accord in 2018, which showed their commitment to advocate for the SDGs.
Traveling impacts the world in many ways, including noise pollution and carbon emissions from flights, extra waste generation and energy consumption, and land development in high-tourism areas. However, there are ways to travel sustainably. Here are 5 tips I learned for sustainable travel when I was 20 and went to Leeds for the first time.
1. My first tip is to take public transit. When I was a student, SDG 11, specifically Target 11.2, was about sustainable transportation systems. Taking the train or bus, rather than a taxi, is a great way to reduce your emissions. If you go to London, use the Transport for London app to plan your trip using public transportation!
2. I know you want to travel around Europe. Flights typically have harsh environmental impacts, so to counteract those, choose airlines that put sustainability at the forefront. For example, in 2025, Wizz Air was a low-budget airline that had the lowest emissions in Europe. They also won the Global Environmental Sustainability Airline Group of the Year award.
3. If you want to take organized tours, pick a company that focuses on low-carbon and sustainable travel, such as Trafalgar/Costsaver, the company I used in Europe! They partner with the not-for-profit TreadRight to support the SDGs. They provide sustainable travel checklists, plan trips around local food suppliers, include trip destinations that make global impacts, invest in decarbonization projects, and strive to become a net-zero tourism company.
4. Food will be another expense. To align with the SDG Target 12.3 of reducing global food waste, when I was traveling, I used an app called Too Good to Go. They sell leftover food at the end of the day at a reduced price.
5. My last tip is the easiest: Choose sustainable options when packing. I made many of these small changes, including packing a reusable water bottle and containers for toiletries. Alternatively, you could use shampoo or conditioner bars to reduce plastic waste. Using tote bags, eco-friendly laundry sheets, and reef-safe sunscreen are a few other sustainable choices I made. For other ideas, the University of Waterloo has a page dedicated to traveling sustainability!
I hope these tips help you travel sustainably during your exchange term in Leeds. Have fun!
Love,
Grandmother
