Diversity Thursday: Sustainable travel and adventure

The summer semester is heading towards a particularly beautiful phase: the lecture and exam-free period 😉 and also the summer holidays in NRW are starting.

A good opportunity to pause for a moment, gather new impressions or simply take a deep breath. Whether it's a trip to a faraway place, an excursion into the countryside or a little micro-adventure on your own doorstep: there are many ways to change your perspective and recharge your batteries.

In this Diversity Thursday, we would like to give you some ideas and practical tips on how you can organise sustainable travel and trips while respecting the environment as well as the local culture and population.

Why travel sustainably at all?

Tourism is growing very rapidly worldwide: over 300 million people travelled internationally in the first quarter of 2025 alone, which is more than in the same period last year and even more than before the pandemic (source: UN Tourism, May 2025). This can bring opportunities such as more jobs, improved infrastructure and more dialogue, understanding, tolerance and education.

However, tourism and travel also pose major challenges for the environment, society and the economy

Sustainable travel is more than just CO₂ compensation or taking the train instead of flying. It is a holistic view of travelling and can be a great enrichment. Ultimately, it is a conscious decision for the planet, for local people and for future generations.

Or as the National Geographic describes it: "Being a sustainable traveller is [...] a state of mind, an ongoing attitude to conscious adventure [...]".

Tips for more sustainable travelling

1. Less is more

Pack according to the sustainability motto "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle". Reusable drinking bottles, cups and snack containers, solid soap, travel cutlery, etc. save on waste. Conscious use of resources is also worthwhile at your destination, for example in regions where water or energy may be scarce.

2. Watch your CO₂ footprint

You can use the Federal Environment Agency's CO₂ calculator to calculate emissions for planned trips yourself. If greenhouse gas emissions cannot be avoided or reduced, they can be offset by climate protection projects. Certified providers can help to offset these emissions.

3. Choose your means of transport carefully

Transport is often responsible for over 70% of the emissions from a leave (source: National Geographic). Have you already travelled to your own region or discovered other destinations over shorter distances? It can be exciting to make the journey your destination and use the train, bus, bike or simply your own feet for the journey. The atmosfair Smart Travel Tool also allows you to plan your journey from door to door, taking into account factors such as travelling time, travel costs and CO2 emissions.

💡 With "Green Travel", all Erasmus+ participants (students and university staff) are entitled to travel allowances if they travel by low-emission means of transport such as bus, train, bike or carpooling.

4. Find accommodation with an attitude

There are also differences in the level of commitment when it comes to accommodation. For example, there are accommodations that consciously focus on sustainable measures and use resources more sparingly (such as not changing towels every day or using refillable containers for shampoo and shower gel) or predominantly use local materials and services. Many booking portals offer filters for "green hotels".

5. Take social responsibility

A look at the culture, history and nature of your destination in advance can help you to approach the country and its people with openness, appreciation and respect. And if you support small, local suppliers and shops or try out regional products, you are not only doing something good for yourself, but also for the environment, the economy and the local people.

6. Opening doors with language

A friendly "hello" or "thank you" can often go a long way. Are you travelling to a country whose language you don't know? Perhaps you would like to learn a few basic words and phrases before travelling, such as "hello", "goodbye", "please", "thank you" or "enjoy your meal". These small gestures show interest and respect, build trust, facilitate communication with local people and often make encounters even more cordial.

Sustainable travel and adventure can be easy, enriching and surprisingly diverse. With a little curiosity and preparation, it enables exciting experiences, genuine exchange and a world that is still worth discovering tomorrow.

Sources

• Voluntary carbon offsetting | Federal Environment Agency
• How to travel better: a beginner's guide to sustainable travel | National Geographic
• International tourist arrivals grew 5% in Q1 2025 | UN Tourism
• Sustainable development | UN Tourism
• Sustainable tourism | United Nations
• Tips for climate-friendly travel | atmosfair
• United Nations Environment Programme and World Tourism Organization (2005): Making Tourism More Sustainable - A Guide for Policy Makers, https://www.unep.org/resources/report/making-tourism-more-sustainable-guide-policy-makers (as of 12 June 2025)

Contact

Do you have any questions, comments or requests? Feel free to contact us at respekt@h-brs.de.