I could not agree with you more -- so much of the damage is beyond our control. I'm hoping with the increased awareness of our own impact, we'll call for more accountability from politicians and the corporations who keep them in power. Not a fan of deregulation here.
As I was with you when one of the photos accompanying this piece was taken, I read your words raptly! I love the thoughtful comments that already have been posted. I actually hate to fly, but there are certain places I've really wanted to go in the past (from my bucket-list trip with you to Austria, to visiting a dear college friend in Maine I hadn't seen for 25 years) and want to go in the future (more Italy, please) where a plane is the only realistic option to get there. I love the ideas brought up here about traveling with intention -- not checking off boxes to see how many countries you can visit, but exploring the places calling your heart, and immersing yourself in those places. If we travel thoughtfully, we are better people for it. I've often wished that every American could visit another country (not Canada!) to become a little more humble and get out of our ego-centric belief that the U.S. way of life is "best." I do realize travel's personal fulfillment comes at a cost. Maybe we all should devote as much time as we do traveling for pleasure to serving in the Peace Corps in places that needs more hands and hearts. Thank you, once again, for being so thought provoking.
Wow. Shirley -- as usual you provided a beautiful and perfect lens through which to approach travel. Looking forward to our next trip together (and, yes....I think there will be some planes involved).
Thank you for writing this post, Kaarin. I also think a lot about this. One the one hand, travel is an important way to expand your world, challenge biases, become more cultural competent and aware, and increase your knowledge. It can also be very important for the community to which you're traveling - I'll never forget my tour guide in Bosnia and Herzegovina, who begged us to encourage other people to travel to B&H. "Tourism is our only industry here," she told us. "My son is 16. If tourism doesn't pick up, he'll have to emigrate. He's my world. Help me keep him here." Tourism can be a very important part of a region's economy.
But then there's the problems you identify, particularly air travel. What really gets me, though, is how people using public transportation (a shared airplane, for example) get dragged, but the people in private jets don't. A former CEO of GE apparently used to travel in GE's jet, but also required a second jet to travel behind him "just in case" the first jet broke down. Let's talk about how much the super rich are contributing to that 4%. I agree that we should temper ourselves, think hard about what we're doing and how, learn about and practice ecotoursim, and vote. But let's also not allow ourselves to be the scapegoats and whipping boys for the people who are doing the most damage - and who have the most power.
Chloe, Thanks for your thoughtful response. I so agree on the importance of traveling as a way to create connection and understanding -- as well as your anger at people behind the "velvet rope," who take up a lot more space in the world (its not just private jets, but multiple houses, cars, etc.) than the rest of us.
Yikes… like you I love to travel. I do try to pay for carbon offsets when I fly, drive an electric car, and after living in Mexico… very, very frugal about water consumption. But you speak the truth. Tourism is often “bad” for locals as they try to accommodate the needs of tourists. Ugh. I know I'm guilty.
So yes, we can try to be more accountable for our role in creating climate change. We can do better. So I’m going to try more road trips in lieu of air travel.
But keep in mind THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR with the highest carbon footprint and greatest use of water is industry… data centers … etc. As individuals we can move the dial a bit…. But perhaps voting for those who advocate policies to curtail the industries that further global warming and penalize those who fail to reduce their carbon footprint is also an important action individuals can take
Thank you for mentioning my post! I'm honored to be mentioned in such a thoughtful essay. Although I do love staying home, I also love to take an occasional trip for all the reasons you and my fellow commenters mention here. I think everything in moderation, yes? For me, that might mean a trip a year, with the idea that you will stay awhile. But then that brings up what all those Airbnbs are doing to the real estate markets in popular locations, pricing locals out of owning property! Ugh! Maybe the answer to that is finding friends all over the world to trade houses with? The first step in solving problems is brainstorming together-thank you for providing the space for us to do that.
Yes, I do wrestle with this—a lot! Travel for learning, exploring and adventuring just seems like an intrinsically good thing. But lately I admit to biting my tongue when friends and acquaintances announce plans for very long flights—for very short trips—in order to indulge in a concert or a spa or a 2-day winter sun break. Do we need to think of travel as a resource? Yes. Do we need to make the most of our adventures. YES, definitely! I know you will. Hug your family and hike with gusto!
Thanks for your thoughtful response -- I like the lens with which you approach travel -- don't give it up altogether, but use discretion and intention when planning those adventures.
I could not agree with you more -- so much of the damage is beyond our control. I'm hoping with the increased awareness of our own impact, we'll call for more accountability from politicians and the corporations who keep them in power. Not a fan of deregulation here.
As I was with you when one of the photos accompanying this piece was taken, I read your words raptly! I love the thoughtful comments that already have been posted. I actually hate to fly, but there are certain places I've really wanted to go in the past (from my bucket-list trip with you to Austria, to visiting a dear college friend in Maine I hadn't seen for 25 years) and want to go in the future (more Italy, please) where a plane is the only realistic option to get there. I love the ideas brought up here about traveling with intention -- not checking off boxes to see how many countries you can visit, but exploring the places calling your heart, and immersing yourself in those places. If we travel thoughtfully, we are better people for it. I've often wished that every American could visit another country (not Canada!) to become a little more humble and get out of our ego-centric belief that the U.S. way of life is "best." I do realize travel's personal fulfillment comes at a cost. Maybe we all should devote as much time as we do traveling for pleasure to serving in the Peace Corps in places that needs more hands and hearts. Thank you, once again, for being so thought provoking.
Wow. Shirley -- as usual you provided a beautiful and perfect lens through which to approach travel. Looking forward to our next trip together (and, yes....I think there will be some planes involved).
Thank you for writing this post, Kaarin. I also think a lot about this. One the one hand, travel is an important way to expand your world, challenge biases, become more cultural competent and aware, and increase your knowledge. It can also be very important for the community to which you're traveling - I'll never forget my tour guide in Bosnia and Herzegovina, who begged us to encourage other people to travel to B&H. "Tourism is our only industry here," she told us. "My son is 16. If tourism doesn't pick up, he'll have to emigrate. He's my world. Help me keep him here." Tourism can be a very important part of a region's economy.
But then there's the problems you identify, particularly air travel. What really gets me, though, is how people using public transportation (a shared airplane, for example) get dragged, but the people in private jets don't. A former CEO of GE apparently used to travel in GE's jet, but also required a second jet to travel behind him "just in case" the first jet broke down. Let's talk about how much the super rich are contributing to that 4%. I agree that we should temper ourselves, think hard about what we're doing and how, learn about and practice ecotoursim, and vote. But let's also not allow ourselves to be the scapegoats and whipping boys for the people who are doing the most damage - and who have the most power.
Chloe, Thanks for your thoughtful response. I so agree on the importance of traveling as a way to create connection and understanding -- as well as your anger at people behind the "velvet rope," who take up a lot more space in the world (its not just private jets, but multiple houses, cars, etc.) than the rest of us.
Yikes… like you I love to travel. I do try to pay for carbon offsets when I fly, drive an electric car, and after living in Mexico… very, very frugal about water consumption. But you speak the truth. Tourism is often “bad” for locals as they try to accommodate the needs of tourists. Ugh. I know I'm guilty.
So yes, we can try to be more accountable for our role in creating climate change. We can do better. So I’m going to try more road trips in lieu of air travel.
But keep in mind THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR with the highest carbon footprint and greatest use of water is industry… data centers … etc. As individuals we can move the dial a bit…. But perhaps voting for those who advocate policies to curtail the industries that further global warming and penalize those who fail to reduce their carbon footprint is also an important action individuals can take
Thank you for mentioning my post! I'm honored to be mentioned in such a thoughtful essay. Although I do love staying home, I also love to take an occasional trip for all the reasons you and my fellow commenters mention here. I think everything in moderation, yes? For me, that might mean a trip a year, with the idea that you will stay awhile. But then that brings up what all those Airbnbs are doing to the real estate markets in popular locations, pricing locals out of owning property! Ugh! Maybe the answer to that is finding friends all over the world to trade houses with? The first step in solving problems is brainstorming together-thank you for providing the space for us to do that.
Yes, I do wrestle with this—a lot! Travel for learning, exploring and adventuring just seems like an intrinsically good thing. But lately I admit to biting my tongue when friends and acquaintances announce plans for very long flights—for very short trips—in order to indulge in a concert or a spa or a 2-day winter sun break. Do we need to think of travel as a resource? Yes. Do we need to make the most of our adventures. YES, definitely! I know you will. Hug your family and hike with gusto!
Thanks for your thoughtful response -- I like the lens with which you approach travel -- don't give it up altogether, but use discretion and intention when planning those adventures.