How changing our travel habits can combat climate change

What if we could positively impact on our planet, our Island and the people and places we visit and travel to by changing the transport method we use?

Closing the Island’s borders during the Covid crisis brought travel to a halt for many residents, however there is another crisis that brings with it more significant consequences for us and the places we love to travel to. Climate change is having an impact here and now, and more gravely so in other countries around the world.

Since restrictions have long been lifted, the number of people travelling by air is vastly increasing and cultures and communities being squeezed out of over-crowded, popular tourist hotspots they used to call home.

Currently, the average Island resident produces about seven and a half tonnes of carbon every year. However, this figure can vary considerably from person to person, with factors like wealth and lifestyle choices playing a huge part. Travel therefore plays a big factor in those emissions.

Here's how travelling on a return trip to the UK from the Isle of Man compares in emissions. Think about how many emissions you and your family or business could save by travelling differently;

TRAVEL CALCULATIONS

Travelling by car is in most cases less carbon intensive than flying but provided you have multiple people in the car. Driving alone in a medium-sized petrol car produces about 192g of CO2 for every kilometre you travel, but with passengers that can be shared.

2023 conversion factors from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero for business travel (sea) from were used to calculate travel emissions for the average passenger from the Isle of Man to the destination. Specifically, foot passenger (0.01871 kg CO2e) and car passenger (0.12933 kg CO2e) factors. Business travel factors were used instead of the factors for freighting goods (RoRo-Ferry and Large RoPax) as the travel factors were deemed more relevant for passenger travel than freight. The conversion factors were then used to create a rough estimate by multiplying the conversion factor by km travelled (e.g. 150km x 0.01871).  

SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL TIPS

There are a few things we can consider when travelling that we make a big difference, without stopping travel altogether;

• choosing boat and rail for off-Island travel emits far less carbon than travelling by plane or in long journeys by car
• contain air travel to only those destinations that are further away. 
• consider taking a longer holiday less frequently instead of multiple shorter trips.
• bring the whole family along in a car journey is better than  driving solo - so if travelling alone can you take a train or bus?
• taking the ‘slow travel’ choice can be more enjoyable, exploring a destination on foot or on bike helps us see places more and soak up the more authentic culture of a place.
• whether at home or away, the more energy we use, the more carbon emissions we generate. You may be less likely to consider energy efficiency on holiday as your hotel foots the energy bill and but this is all contributing to our warming climate. 

BUSINESS TRAVEL

Businesses also have a part to play, by reducing the requirements on their staff to fly to essential trips only. Prioritising the use of conference or video calls, allowing staff to combine business trips with holidays, or allowing them additional leave to go by train can all help reduce our impact when it comes to travel.