Sustainable living has become customary in the 21st century. An environmental scientist first coined the concept of ‘sustainable development’ in the 1970’s identifying that the future would muddle up if resources are not used sustainably. And today, in 2024 the youth is finding ways to save Mother Earth. One of the many ways to be sustainable is knowing how to be an eco-conscious traveler as a student abroad. So hang in there and keep reading.

Green travel tips for students on study abroad programs -

Being eco-conscious while traveling can reduce the carbon footprint, one of 17 goals of the United Nations sustainable development. Plan your next trip with these tips for sustainable travel for eco-minded students studying overseas:

1. Conscious travel methods -

• Do you know that the aviation industry accounts for 2.5% of the carbon emissions in the world? The fastest way to travel yet harmful to the environment. Instead, choose local transportation for a shorter-distance destination may be a local bus, cab, or train.
• If your schedule includes long-distance travel, opt for direct flights rather than connecting ones. This will help in reducing carbon emitted from the departure and landing of flights.
• Research and choose the airlines that actively invest in biofuels. Biofuels come under technological advancement focused on reducing carbon footprint by producing fuel organically rather than fossil fuels. So in this era, companies investing in biofuel are the ones investing for the earth, our future.

2. Packing the essentials-

• How packaging can affect the environment? We have a lot of essentials in our home made up of plastic and 3% of the carbon emissions come from plastic production and disposal. Look around, the shampoo bottle, luggage bag, etc. are certainly discarded, usually contaminating the rivers and oceans. You must have seen it, right? Pack less, and know what is essential and what can be left.
• Use recyclable travel bags and bottles. Invest in a good quality eco-friendly luggage bag, a durable luggage bag that can be used for a long period. Apart from this, reusable or recyclable bottles reduce the amount of discarded plastic. Carry a stainless steel water bottle, choose a shampoo brand that makes eco-friendly bottles, or instead go for shampoo and soap bars.
• Other sustainable travel hacks for students on study abroad trips would include carrying a cloth bag, not using straws or buying a reusable steel straw, avoiding chemical sunscreen, and using reef-safe sunscreen as it would not harm the ocean body's inhabitants and most importantly tip is to turn off the electrical appliance as you leave the room. Don’t be forgetful and turn off the taps properly.

3. A sustainable accommodation-

• Reviewing your stay as a tourist is a crucial aspect. The curiosity in finding the best hotel in our budget is what we all do. But accommodation accounts for almost 1% of carbon emissions. Choosing an eco-friendly stay is equally important.
• Now the question arises, how to know if the hotel is eco-friendly or not? One simple way is to be aware of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certificate. Ask the hotel staff if they are certified or not. GSTC has certain specified standards for gaining this certificate. You can stay in a hotel that complies with the GSTC standard.
• Being an eco-conscious student studying abroad can come with a lot of tasks so there are chances you might not get time to find a GSTC-certified hotel. In such cases pick a hostel, hostels are often good choices because of their social nature. Room sharing reduces the use of electricity, water, and other facilities.
• Another green travel advice would be to look for hotels/hostels that use renewable energy for energy generation. Solar panels, wind energy, solar water pumps, battery storage systems, etc. These are sustainable methods for energy production having less impact on the environment.
• Some more eco-friendly student travel tips for studying overseas would be to take back the soap, shampoo, toothbrush, and oil the hotels provide during your stay. Yes! You read it right, take them because once you vacant the room these essentials aren’t used and thrown out. So you can pack and keep using them.

Green travel advice for students in study abroad programs -

We briefly discussed various eco-conscious travel tips for international students, and how you can travel and not leave a carbon footprint. But we know that being eco-friendly is not handy and comes up with lots of additional tasks because of our long-learned habits. Considering that, here are some contemplating hacks for you as a student abroad:

1. Turn off your AC at night. It's a bad idea to leave your AC on while you sleep. It not only torments the environment but also your health in the long run.
2. Cover your windows with curtains and reduce the heat inside your room.
3. For traveling, use public transport like the metro or bus. You can also use a cycle for short distances.
4. Carry a cloth bag to grocery stores. No, do not take that plastic bag.
5. Be conscious while taking a bath and use less water. That doesn't mean save water, don't bathe! But be conscious about the usage.

Conclusion -

If you are eco-conscious, living a sustainable life then you are a responsible human being. We must save what we have today for future generations. From UNSDG to NGOs, various policies revolve around sustainable living. So you can do your bit by traveling sustainably. Our Study Abroad Sustainably: travel tips for eco-conscious students would only be helpful if you implement them practically. Lastly, sustainability is survival for us.