4 ways to travel greener in 2014

It’s natural to have dreams of escape in January – Christmas festivities are behind us, many of us are back to work and although the days are getting longer, the first signs of Spring are a long way off. How can you get away on a break whilst keeping your New Year’s resolution to be more environmentally conscious?

1 : Avoid air travel

Mile-for-mile, air travel is the most environmentally damaging form of transport there is  – so the simplest way to travel in a ‘green’ way is to avoid it altogether.

There are plenty of alternatives. Loco2 is a recently launched web tool which allows you to plan and book rail travel from any British station to anywhere in Europe. Taking the train may be slower, but you’ll travel guilt-free and have a rich travel experience before you even arrive at your destination (not to mention getting an early start on that holiday reading).

The much loved InterRail scheme takes the concept of train travel itself as an adventure to the next level, allowing near-unlimited rail travel across 30 European countries across a set number of days. Adults can get passes from £241 for 10 days (under 25s travel at a reduced rate) and embrace the freedom to go where they please on an unforgettable transcontinental adventure.

Rediscover the romance of a train journey or road trip (Credit: @TammiGillum)

A driving holiday is another option more environmentally sound than the plane. Using a route planner such as ViaMichelin can allow you to find the easiest route offering the best fuel economy.

Finally, the prize for ‘greenest’ sort of holiday of all must go to a cycle tour of some form or another – especially with a provider such as Bike Express making a short hop across the channel a breeze, with you and your bike tucked away in their coach-and-trailer set up.

2. Holiday closer to home

Don’t miss the wealth of fantastic opportunities on our own doorstep. Websites like VisitBritain highlight the fabulous experiences which can be had without leaving the country. Without leaving Britain you can ski, surf, trek, enjoy farm stays, city breaks, wildlife… just about anything is possible in our very own country when you expand your horizons.

Just on our doorstep… (Clock wise from top left; Erewash Canal, Derbyshire; London; Cairngorm, Moray, Scotland; New Forest, Hampshire;)

Sometimes all you need is a change of scenery to get away from it all. Instead of staying in a hotel, why not use a global service such as AirBnb that allows you to stay in an individual’s property rather than an anonymous bed & breakfast? Linking up with an independent host can help you have an authentic experience of a place from the eyes of a local. Renting out your own home to travellers whilst you’re away could even make your trip pay for itself!

3. Be smart with your spending

Spend consciously so your cash benefits local businesses and stays within the destination you’re travelling through (Photo credit: Michael of Scott )

Once you’ve decided where to go, another consideration for anyone wanting to make their break as ethical as possible is spending. Tourist pounds spent on independent businesses, markets and operators can bring benefits to people at your destination. Use a guide like the Ethical Travel Guide published by Tourism Concern to find out how to benefit your host community through your stay – and avoid the opposite.

Offset air miles and help carbon-reducing projects that have social, as well as environmental, benefits (Credit: ClimateCare)

4. If you do fly…

It might be argued by some that there are instances in which flying is just unavoidable. If you do take the plane, there are a number of things you can do to minimise your impact. These could include travelling light by packing less or investing in a carbon offset to account for your air miles whilst also enabling social and humanitarian benefits in another part of the world.

Offset your air miles now