The Responsible Traveller by Karen Edwards || a practical guide to reducing your environmental and social impact // BOOK REVIEW

HI Everyone!

Our January monthly post was a zero-waste challenge, but as we explained in our 2023 wrap up, this year we will be alternating a monthly challenge with a book review, of course related to the environment. This week, I'm going to share a recommendation for a fantastic book, all about how you can travel more sustainably and responsibly. I absolutely love travelling, but I'm also very aware of the impact it has on the world, and I am very keen to learn more about how I can further reduce my impact. That's why I bought this book around a year ago, and I've really enjoyed reading it and learning from it.

This is a practical, small-format guide, sharing both basic information about the climate crisis and the impact of various travel activities, and how you can do your bit.

It shares specific journeys that are more environmentally friendly options, for example long distance train journeys such as The Alaskan Railroad with its stunning alpine forests and wide array of wildlife. This can be a fantastic way to avoid relatively small distance flights.

It also suggests homestays or volunteering on local farms as more sustainable, especially in comparison to massive holiday resorts. A great way you can do this is also through the Workaway website, where individuals put up their homes or charity projects and often offer free bed and board in exchange for a helping hand, be it on a farm, in the garden, looking after children or even a language exchange! This way of travelling is not only better environmentally but you also get to experience a real culture and get to know real people.

The book also suggests responsible travel operators, and how you can volunteer ethically within a community, as well as how you can keep your carbon footprint low while abroad. Additionally, there is a great page about carbon offsetting - both the good and the bad.

Overall, this is a really comprehensive book, which is a definite win for anyone looking to reduce their impact while travelling. Highly recommended!

We hope this has been an interesting post, and most of all that you'll pick this book up and take into account the messages it is spreading. If we all do our bit to both reduce the environmental impact of our travels and the social effects of our time abroad, we can help to create meaningful change and revolutionise the travel industry.

If you're interested in general book reviews, I write a book review blog, which you can view here! Thank you so much for reading and we'll be back next week!

Your Green World Blog Team💚

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