In Defense of Travel: One Conservationist’s Opinion
To travel or not to travel? It’s a question on many people’s minds and a topic surrounded by guilt, shame, and debate in conservation circles. But is the issue really as simple as it seems? Or should the real question be this: Can we find a healthy balance?
Travel. Carbon. Consumption. Conservation. Ecotourism.
Carbon consumption and conservation: They seem counter-intuitive, right?News makes the rounds regularly about the vast negative impacts of air travel, highlighting the very real and very detrimental consequences of frequent flying. And yet, upon further investigation, travel is vital for many conservation initiatives and the protection of wild spaces.
So what gives? For those wanting to protect the earth in the most effective way possible, is it best to quit travelling altogether and enjoy our own backyards? Or, especially if we’re more careful to travel mindfully, can the travel pros outweigh the cons? This is a controversial conservation conversation (say that 3 times quickly!) at the best of times.
Recently, a new bout of articles has been popping up on my various news feeds. These articles are highlighting the very real and very detrimental consequences of frequent air travel. Let me get this out in the open right away: I couldn’t agree more. This needs to be talked about! However, I also feel compelled to argue that travel does a lot of good in this world, and that ceasing travelling altogether would have a tragic cascade of consequences.
As someone who dedicates much of my life to conservation and nature, and also travels on the regular, this issue hits close to home for me. I often surround myself in a shroud of guilt for travelling as frequently as I do, and for so vastly increasing my carbon footprint. People regularly shame me for travelling by air when I simultaneously advocate so fiercely for nature, questioning my integrity as a conservation scientist and an eco-activist. By speaking to others in similar lines of work, I know I am not alone in this.
Stop Travelling, Save The World?
I want to acknowledge that travelling, especially travelling often, is an immense privilege. The way the western world views conservation is also often a privileged one, not feasible or even imaginable by most people around the world. Only a select few of us are in a position where we are able to have this debate at all. Recognizing this privilege and keeping it in check is vital to understanding conservation concepts and struggles from a multitude of perspectives, as well as understanding our own world impacts. Keeping this in mind, let’s discuss.
Many anti-travel articles that make the rounds suggest that the answer is clear: Stop Travelling, Save The World. It doesn’t take much to realize that things are rarely that simple; this is a complex issue with a thousand different factors to consider. Our global rate of carbon consumption — relating to air travel and beyond — is off the charts. I agree wholeheartedly that we need to change our habits so they become much more sustainable (like, NOW!). But is the best solution, from a conservation perspective, really to stop travelling?
We know the cons of air travel, and we know them well. They shroud us in guilt and provide fuel for those looking to shame conservationists for their faults (surprise, we’re human too!). But what about the pros of travelling? While there are many, I will focus on two here that are close to my heart: The positive impacts travel has on us as human beings, and the positive impacts it has on communities and wild spaces globally.
The Power of the Positive
Firstly, there’s a big argument to be made that travel makes humans better humans. Seeing things first-hand connects you to the earth, its ecosystems, and its people in a way only this kind of direct experience can. It motivates people to help others, protect nature, and expand their minds to different cultures, ways of thinking, and ways of living.
Secondly, an influential pro of travelling is the positive power of ecotourism. Ecotourism is an incredibly vital part of protecting environments globally and generating sustainable sources of income for countless communities that otherwise only have, to be frank, shitty options.
I am currently in Madagascar, travelling the country, collecting photos and stories to share on behalf of the unique and endangered local ecosystems. Approximately 90% of species here (flora and fauna) are endemic to Madagascar — existing nowhere else on Earth. Simultaneously, the deforestation rate here is one of the highest in the world — only 10% of forests are left here, and many are degraded. This deforestation is linked strongly to the prevalent poverty here. Ecotourism is arguably the main (or in cases, the only) reason many of the forests and biodiversity in Madagascar are left at all.
In British Columbia, the place I call home, people come from around the world to view Spirit Bears and Coastal Grizzlies in the Great Bear Rainforest. Seeing a Spirit Bear, a rare all-white form of the American Black Bear, is on the bucket list of wildlife enthusiasts the world over. Ecotourism is one of the main reasons the area has been protected to the extent that it has (there’s still a long way to go, but that’s a discussion for a different time!).
Many First Nations communities in this area have few sustainable economic options; fish farms and commercial logging operations are examples of main past/present employers up and down the coast. Growing ecotourism has not only added economic diversity, but also offered these communities opportunities to celebrate their rich culture and reconnect with their traditions and territories.
Tying in to current events, the expansion of ecotourism opportunities for First Nations communities in the Great Bear Rainforest has been a main factor driving the design and implementation of an upcoming regional Grizzly hunting ban. This achievement has taken countless years of unwavering dedication, passion, and resilience from the Coastal First Nations that call the Great Bear Rainforest home, and is worthy of much celebration!
Where’s the Balance, Anyway?
It’s the sad but true state of affairs that most species, ecosystems, and wild spaces simply will not be protected for their intrinsic value (the inherent value of their existence). Simply put, money talks. Ecotourism, if operated sustainably, is a great option to create conservation incentives and also provide healthy and sustainable employment for many communities that desperately need it.
Globally renowned wildlife destinations such as Madagascar, British Columbia, and countless others rely on foreign visitors, sometimes almost exclusively. Unfortunately, with our current technology, that means lots of travel and lots of carbon (plane, cars, boats, oh my!). This IS a HUGE problem — I don’t want to downplay that. Overall, I think we can agree that many people are travelling too much for the good of the Earth. At the same time, if we stop flying completely, many natural spaces may quickly lose protection or even disappear. So, where do we draw the line? What is the threshold where the pros of travelling stop outweighing the cons?
I don’t know the answer to this. What I can say is that I don’t believe quitting all air travel is the answer, nor is it at all realistic. As a conservationist, scientist, and traveller, I can honestly say that I believe the world and the environment would be worse off if people stopped travelling. However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t change our travel habits to make them more sustainable. Additionally, it might be time to focus the critical lens more on the commercial providers of travel services rather than placing all blame on consumers (just a thought). We desperately need more eco-friendly and accessible solutions for travel.
So what can we do?
The obvious answer is that we can cut down on travelling. Even cutting down our travel by one flight a year, for those that fly frequently, can have a huge impact.
Furthermore, we can make more responsible travel decisions across the board. This not only refers to when/where/how we travel, but also how we act and consume when at our destination. Are we giving back to local communities in a positive and long-lasting way? Who are we supporting? What souvenirs are we buying? How much plastic are we using? Are we choosing the most efficient travel methods/routes? Can we spread the word, and share the stories of places and people that could benefit from this exposure?
And, of course, reducing travel frequency is not the only way we can reduce our carbon footprint. There are countless ways we can change our lives to be more green and eco-friendly. Calculating your carbon footprint and purchasing carbon offsets (funding projects that sequester carbon or otherwise reduce emissions) are good places to start, and to find out where to concentrate your efforts. Don’t shame yourself though — just use it as fuel to improve!
If we put in the effort, I believe that we can improve our travel methods and find a balance, to eventually reach a point where travel is more PRO than CON. Call me an optimist!
In Closing, A Friendly Reminder
Finally, I know this is a contentious issue. I know that it is a subject of even more complexity than I’ve stated here. As with all topics where emotions run high, let us remember to listen with respect and take other people’s opinions and feelings into consideration. Only then can we find feasible solutions!
Thanks for listening!
