Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
www.cyclehire.co.nz/links.htm
(independent cycle tours in New Zealand and worldwide
links.)
Sustainable travel
Global warming, climate change and the world's depleting energy resources continue to
be a serious concern, regardless of the economic climate, and increasingly people want to
know how to be environmentally friendly on their gap travels. Nowhere is this likely to be
more of an issue than in the types of transport you choose.
If you're hoping to travel to several destinations, time is inevitably an issue, so it may not
be practical to avoid air travel altogether, but there are ways you can minimise your carbon
footprint.
If you're concerned about global warming, and want to do your bit, you can pay a small
'carbon offset' charge on your flight. If you want to know more try:
The site has a calculator so you can work out how much to pay for journeys by car, train or
air. It also has some simpler options - for example £50 will offset one long-haul one-way
flight from London to Australia. Your money goes towards sustainable development pro-
jects around the world and there's a complete list of all current projects on the website.
They are all managed by co2balance, but are also all independently validated and verified
by international standards organisations. Projects include providing energy efficient wood-
stoves in east Africa, wind power in India and renewable energy projects in China.
The UK's Green Traveller website includes a list of the top ten fair trade holidays world-
wide and lots more advice if you want your travel to be as environmentally friendly as pos-
sible:
www.greentraveller.co.uk
To find out more about sustainable and responsible travel you could also look at the website
of the International Ecotourism Society, which has a lot of tips for responsible travel both
en route and in-country:
www.ecotourism.org
Another option for responsible travellers is to make the journey part of your gap, if you
have time; for example, plan a rail route with stops along the way allowing you time to
explore.
