Think travel is bad for the environment? Think again.

Disclaimer: This is a controversial paper that I wrote with dramatics in mind. Yes, traveling is bad for the environment but I wanted put a different spin on this topic for my AP Language and Composition class. Enjoy!

If I told you that traveling could help the environment, you probably wouldn’t believe me. Chances are, you would think back to frightening news articles about emissions and the environment, to stories of activists and “tree-huggers” refusing to commute by plane, and maybe even to the black smoke billowing out of the truck you passed yesterday on the interstate. All of these references support the idea that transportation harms the environment. Does it really seem sensible for environmentalists, those who care most about the beautiful planet, to be restrained from exploring the world through travel? While the action of excursion does have the ability to harm ecosystems and landscapes, the travel industry has the potential to benefit the environment; tourists who care about the planet lead to global awareness, set a good example of how to wander environmentally, and can spark change for the future of our globe.

Traveling opens our minds to what is at risk, from delicate ecosystems and dissipating wildlife, to rising oceans and people struggling; travel inspires us to fight for the world. Living as an inveterate homebody, the “instinct is to curl up in a safe nook unobserved, and start prowling again in the morning, without purpose and without profit” (Source F). Staying in one place inhibits your exposure to breathtaking environments and landscapes. Opposed to staying at home and being submerged in sameness, sightseeing inspires “a heightened state of awareness, in which we are mindful, receptive, undimmed by familiarity and ready to be transformed” (Source C). A tourist is more inclined to notice the beauty of our planet and feel the desire to preserve it. Travel essayist, Pico Iyer, asserts that we tour to lose ourselves and then to find ourselves; there is a childlike innocence found when voyaging to foreign places. Traveling “shake[s] up our complacencies” (Source C) and allows for a new perspective by coming face to face with “all the moral and political urgencies, the life-and-death dilemmas, that we seldom have to face at home” (Source C). Simply put, a traveler sees the world through a different lens, leading to appreciation. Gazing across the ocean, studying the details of a rock formation, or staring up at thousand-year-old trees invokes a feeling of love for the planet that is nonexistent at home. Movement is crucial in fostering imagination and creativity in humanity. Philosopher Santayana believes traveling is beneficial for the mind, body, and spirit: “It keeps the mind nimble, it kills prejudice, and it fosters humour” (Source F). In-person experiences can cause people to enact more serious change than any article or statistic has inspired.

Just because someone considers themself to be a naturalist does not mean they are banned from commuting altogether. Society and the media have set a standard that if something is not environmentally friendly, it should be off limits to environmentalists. Schlossberg refutes this idea by providing ways to make flying better for the planet and claims that “the most effective way to reduce your carbon footprint is to fly less often” (Source H). When it is acknowledged that people should be flying less, it is heard that they should be exploring less. But in fact, travel doesn’t imply flying; there are countless alternate methods of transportation such as biking, using public transportation, taking a hybrid vehicle, or car-pooling. In the case that an environmentalist must take a flight, travel companies have introduced the ability to purchase carbon offsets that take earth-warming carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere in exchange for greenhouse gases. United Airlines’ customers are able to offset their flight’s carbon emissions by making tax-deductible charitable contributions to natural projects directed towards forest conservation, renewable energy, and avoiding deforestation. On their website, United encourages their fliers to “donate the corresponding amount necessary to completely offset those emissions to one of Conservation International’s carbon reduction projects” (Source A). Purchasing carbon offsets is a positive thing to do before a trip, but once in transit, tourists are faced with hundreds of decisions. Environmentalists can travel in an informed way that sets an example for the general public. They can demonstrate how to responsibly see the world without harm. “Tree-huggers” in voyage can redefine what it means to explore and have the potential to define the future of tourism.

Traveling spreads ideas across the planet and sparks change. If people stay home, whether they care about the environment or not, the green movement risks losing a global perspective. The movement of people, along with their ideas, is an important catalyst for change. Popular destinations relying on a natural feature are compelled to protect the environment for the sake of tourism. For instance, Vail Resorts, who owns Vail Mountain and Beaver Creek, has made about $127.9 million on tourism in 2021 (Source F). Colorado’s environment, as opposed to a service, is generating revenue and fueling Vail’s travel industry. Because of this, it has been recognized that the mountain needs to be protected and preserved. Vail Resorts has used EpicPromise, a foundation that enforces conservation of the natural environment and community surrounding Vail Resorts’ mountains. When an area of land makes earnings, a company is more likely to protect it and enact green regulations.

Though the idea is unpopular and often refuted, traveling has the possibility to solve today’s environmental problems. Not only does global exploration remind people how special the world is, but it can also trigger corporations to institute standards that protect natural resources. One who cares about the environment should not stay home and refrain from exploring. Instead, they should go out into the world and set a good example. Travelers can have a greater impact on the earth if they take advantage of the precious experience exploration can provide while maintaining an environmentally conscious mindset. Due to the various influences travelers have, environmentalists should travel if they want to invoke a positive change on the planet.

Works Cited:

1. (Source A) Carbonchoice Carbon Offset Program - United Airlines. (n.d.). 8 December

2021. https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/company/global-citizenship/environment/carbon-offset-program.html.

1. (Source B) Guardian News and Media. Why more environmentalists should fly. 5

November 2012.

1. (Source C) Iyer, Pico. Why We Travel. 18 March 2000.

2. (Source D) Santayana, George. The Philosophy of Travel. 12 February 2012.

3. (Source E) Schlossberg, Tatiana. Flying is bad for the planet. you can help make it better.

27 July 2017.

1. (Source F) Vail Resorts, Inc. Fourth Quarter and Full Year Results. 23 September 2021.

https://investors.vailresorts.com/news-releases/news-release-details/vail-resorts-reports-fiscal-2021-fourth-quarter-and-full-year.