Written by Mackenzie Chen

Hawaii’s crystal-clear waters, mountainous islands, and sunny beaches have frequently been exploited by tourists annually. From summer vacations to extravagant weddings, non-Hawaiians have consistently taken advantage of Hawaii’s once-plentiful resources to fulfill their own needs. Since the annexation of Hawaii in 1898, tourism has introduced a series of issues, ranging from plastic pollution to the destruction of natural landscapes, such as native plants. Because of the extensive damage, Hawaii has implemented many initiatives to reduce the harm from less environmentally-conscious travelers and encourage future tourists to be more mindful. Their actions as individuals, as well as efforts made globally to take better care of the environment, have led to the coinage of a new term, “sustainable travel.”

Sustainable travel is defined simply as traveling in a way that’s conscious of global climate issues while ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the communities being visited. It is about maintaining a balance between maximizing the excitement of traveling to a foreign destination while protecting its culture, wildlife, and people. 

The use of the phrase “sustainable travel” rose in popularity due to the gradually warming temperatures and the slow destruction of natural environments in the world. Currently, the concentration of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, accumulated in the atmosphere is over 400 parts per million higher than any other time in the last 800,000 years of Earth’s history. The buildup of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere traps heat, ultimately resulting in climate change, extreme weather events, like tornadoes and hurricanes, and rising sea levels. Thus, the fate of Earth’s existence depends on the actions of everyday people in being more tactful of these environmental changes. 

While some might believe the action of the individual would have no effect on the entire globe, small steps must be taken to reverse public perspective on the urgency of the climate change crisis. The mindset of wanting to protect the surrounding communities would be enough to save the millions of animal and plant species that are threatened with extinction due to climate change. Looking back on Hawaii, islands such as Maui have tried to integrate “regenerative tourism,” which can allow tourists to contribute to the destination’s culture, wildlife, and community. 

The main disadvantages of sustainable travel are the costs and effort it would take to transform tourists’ traveling habits to fit the needs of their destination. For example, National Geographic suggests packing lighter and choosing more fuel-efficient transportation, such as biking or taking public transport. However, many people are accustomed to indulging themselves on vacation, so they might be reluctant to live a more minimalist lifestyle. Additionally, many facilities might impose user fees on those traveling, creating another potential disincentive. 

The world is already changing its perspective on sustainable travel and environmentally-conscious behaviors. According to Booking.com’s 2023 Sustainable Travel Report, more than 75% of its respondents are interested in making their travel more sustainable and environment-friendly. Some of the habits they are interested in adopting include reusing linens and turning off the AC in their hotels or other accommodations, but once again, their main barrier is that the cost of sustainable traveling is too high, especially because of the rising living costs. 

Overall, Earth is in far worse shape than it was thousands of years ago. Cities are getting hotter, especially looking at the tragic Los Angeles wildfires at the beginning of the year, sea levels are rising, and people are feeling the effects of this dangerous shift in climate. However, what is gratifying to know is that people are willing to take steps to alter their habits to play their part in the fight for Earth’s future. Sustainable travel is one of the many aspects of the revolutionary movement to reverse climate change, even if it is the smallest action of packing reusable water bottles when traveling. It will take everyone to put in the effort to protect our planet for future generations.