Planning a holiday? Three ways to reduce your carbon footprint

These holidays, planet Earth looks likely to be hotter than ever before. Research found that in 2024, global temperatures temporarily rose 1.5°C higher than the average from 1850 to 1900 – a pre-industrial time when the first global temperatures were recorded.

This is a huge worry because, to avert the most damaging effects of climate change, global temperatures need to be kept below that 1.5°C increase.

Corporations and governments in the global north are the main drivers of carbon emissions and climate change. The concept of a “carbon footprint” was invented by big corporations to try to put the responsibility for lowering carbon emissions onto individuals. This isn’t something we can easily control, but our own behaviours can make important small changes.

Read more: Individual action on climate was tarred as greenwashing or virtue signalling. But it still has a place

The increase in the number of floods, droughts and heatwaves caused by climate change calls for greater efforts by people to act more responsibly and reduce carbon emissions wherever they can.

I am an ecotourism specialist and human geographer who researches environmentally friendly tourism and the impact of climate change on holiday destinations. I’ve also investigated how airports can curb their carbon emissions.

Individuals can make a difference. We can all adopt a sustainable living approach and reduce our impact on the environment.

Read more: Surging global tourism emissions are driven by just 20 countries – major new study

This festive season, I recommend three areas that holidaymakers should pay close attention to if they want to reduce their carbon footprint:

• accommodation
• transport
• food consumption.

By cutting down on polluting activities and food and water wastage, and by burning less petrol, individual travellers can bring about a huge reduction in the amount of greenhouse gas being released into the atmosphere.

Accommodation

This is one of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions, given the amount of energy (for heating and cooling) and water resources consumed by travellers.

So the first consideration for holidaymakers is to ensure that their accommodation follows sustainability practices. The ultimate prize would be to book a green hotel or an eco-lodge.

The Kruger National Park in South Africa sources vegetables from this part community-owned hydroponic farming scheme in a nearby village. Gideon Mendel/Corbis/Getty Images

These are accommodation establishments that are designed to minimise water and energy wastage. For example, green accommodation must recycle and re-use waste products, and can serve mainly locally produced food.

Eco-lodges should preferably be linked to a public transport system such as shuttle transport. South Africa has several places to stay that fall within the green tourism category. Accommodation booking platforms such as TripAdvisor offer insights into what’s on offer.

Read more: How tourism towns like Victoria Falls can do better on carbon emissions

Other booking platforms such as Booking.com and Airbnb have sustainability initiatives that are globally accredited in green tourism practice. These offer travellers an opportunity to choose green lodgings in South Africa and beyond.

Travel and transport

Transport from origin to destination is a big contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

The aviation industry contributes 2.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions through the condensation trail effect. These are the white trails from aircraft exhaust pipes left in the sky, which wrap around the planet, warming it up. Dealing with emissions from the transport industry is complex but travellers do have some options if they want to reduce their carbon footprint while on holiday.

First, you can minimise the travel distance (travel local) and use shared or public transport to reduce your environmental and carbon footprint. Check the carbon footprint of the journey on platforms such as Google Travel and choose the airline that leaves the smallest carbon footprint.

Several airlines offer an opportunity for passengers to offset their carbon emissions to achieve a carbon net-zero (no greenhouse gases emitted) for their travel. Aviation has measures to reach net-zero by 2050, a date committed to by most countries in the world.

Read more: Carbon footprints are hard to understand — here’s what you need to know

If travelling by road, use electric vehicles wherever they are available. Where they aren’t yet a, people should use the most fuel-efficient vehicle available. Vehicles should be well serviced, adhere to correct tyre pressure, and drive at or below the maximum speed allowed. All these factors impact on your carbon footprint because the efficiency of a vehicle and speed determines carbon emissions burnt.

It is equally crucial that travellers carry only the baggage they really need. Travelling light reduces peoples’ carbon footprint as each kilogram of weight increases fuel usage.

Daily diet

Food is another significant contributor to our daily carbon footprint. As such, travellers should try to consume vegetables rather than meat dishes. Vegetables use less land, water and energy to grow. Tourists who cannot avoid meat dishes should aim to eat locally raised meat which has not been trucked around the country, and therefore has a lower carbon footprint.

Read more: Here's how your cup of coffee contributes to climate change

Tackling climate change is everyone’s responsibility and we all have a critical role to reduce carbon emissions that causes climate change. In that light, it is critical to think about how our actions, small as they can be, can contribute to the bigger picture of addressing climate change.

Sustainable living calls for consciousness and intentional in our daily activities to ensure that we leave a minimal environmental footprint.

Written by Kaitano Dube Faculty of Human Sciences Acting Research Professor, Vaal University of Technology