Hello,
How's your transition into fall, la rentrée, going? Can I still say that in mid-October? We've had COVID (first time), an Instagram hack (reminder that two-factor authentication is crucial), and I turned in a draft of my manuscript to my publisher (now there are edits).
We've not yet found our routine, the day-to-day feels like it's still being shaken, and we're waiting to see how things land. Still, the weeks seem to be rapidly going by, and the pressure feels on to find a summer 2024 destination.
Typically, we pack up our house for the summer, pick a place on a map, and spend a month. I've been trying to alternate between flying and driving in an effort, however small, to lower our carbon footprint. 2024 would be a flying year, and I've had New Zealand in mind for several reasons. Still, I'm not sure an entire month is feasible and maybe I should just lean into this season of life as a dear friend often says and only go for two weeks, or not go at all, or pick a destination within driving range that would make the month away more doable. I can't seem to make a decision. As I internally debate my options, I've been thinking back on the interviews on traveling I did with Gen Z members earlier this year with the help of The Climate Initiative, an organization helping to empower youth voices for climate action. Here are some of their thoughts in their own words:
"I visit South Korea to spend time with my family, indulge in the culture, and learn more about the Korean language. To minimize my carbon footprint, I travel occasionally during the summer every 3 years. Instead of spending time in the bustling city of Seoul, my family and I stay in rural Damyang-gun. Transportation in Damyang-gun involves travel on foot or on a bike. I love to be out in nature while taking care of the family garden. In the future, I plan to continue to travel sustainably." - Alexandra Powers, 17 Chicagoland, Illinois.
"I worry about how healthy the environment of the destination itself is and if it is able to withstand the ongoing pollution and waste from folks who visit." - Stephanie Rivas, 23, San Diego, California.
"I bring with me a shampoo/conditioner bar and bar of soap when I travel. (I like Ethique!) I up-cycled a small pesto jar and filled it with toothpaste tablets instead of a bottle of paste. I bring a reusable bag with me! Usually a fabric one that can fold up small. I bring a silicone water bottle with me that is collapsible, a must when you have limited space.” - Ariel Maldonado, 27, Los Angeles.
"I'm not afraid of flying in a plane due to climate change, but I try to drive whenever possible. If a drive is less than 7 hours, I will complete that rather than flying. There are numerous ways to offset carbon emissions produced by flying. However, I've reconsidered many trips." - Kate Wexell, 18, St. Louis, Missouri.
"I am an advocate for using better fuel sources for small private planes. Although this may seem like a smaller cause, I personally enjoy flying. I am a training pilot and often go flying as co-pilot for short-distance 2-4 seater planes. However, the fuel used for these small planes (often called AvGas) is often worse than those used for commercial airplanes. I am going to research different biofuel options to maybe one day help advance the field." Charlotte Christman, 15, Los Angeles California.
"The big issue when it comes to traveling is carbon emissions and what we can do to reduce them. Especially in today's world, where there's an increasing number of people traveling by cars, private jets, and other modes of transportation that create an abundance of carbon emissions, it seems as if people are becoming accustomed to the worsening climate and even allowing it to become normalized. We should push for emission-free travel methods, like public flights and biking, to reduce the number of carbon emissions produced. Not only this, but climate education must become accessible for people of all ages to see how humans are destroying the planet and that we must act now before it's too late.” - Irene Lee, 16, Paramus, New Jersey.
"I do not place the largest blame for traveling on average citizens, but on the elite and the influencer world. Watching YouTubers, models, celebrities, or anyone disregarding the moral imperative to reduce travel emissions only deepens my frustration and anxiety.
We understand how beautiful and vast the world is. We cannot wait to explore the places we see on social media. And we know that we only live once and must fulfill our sightseeing dreams. However, for us to enjoy our trips and worry less about the impact we make on our happiness, we need climate-friendly travel solutions." - Siyeon Joo, 15, Lafayette, Louisiana.
"I enjoy hiking, but I don't want to go to extremely popular areas due to the stress it puts on local ecosystems. For example, Yosemite National Park is really popular during the summer. I refuse to go there during that time because I don't want to overwhelm the animals and plants that call the park home. I also make it a point to pick up trash wherever I go. I always carry my reusable water bottle and cutlery to reduce single-use plastics. I want to leave the area cleaner than when I arrived." - Tania Roa, 26, Los Angeles, California,
"As an individual who often travels a lot, I take different initiatives to minimize the impact of traveling on the environment. Instead of taking a plane to travel domestically, me and my family only use a car, even if it means extending our travel duration by a significant number of hours and having to spend the night in a number of hotels.
I've always been fascinated by visiting the mountains in Italy, but I've reconsidered due to climate change. However, my parents informed me that we have similar beautiful mountains right here in Pakistan. Additionally, since Lahore is very close to the northern areas of Pakistan which contain all the mountains, we could travel there using a car. I believe that doing our very best in reducing and changing the ways we travel can massively help the planet."- Yumna Sohail, 17 Lahore, Pakistan.
"As a person who is an avid traveler, I believe that there is always something I can do to lessen the impact of my travel by helping out the environment. The first way would be, of course, traveling less, however, sometimes that cannot work. I do try to make my everyday travel as environmentally friendly by using the bus to reduce emissions, bicycling to close by places, and carpooling to and from places with friends. I also try to maintain my emission in other sectors such as electricity and gas to accommodate my travel emissions."- Panav Mhatre, 16, Dallas, Texas.
"I'd love to travel to Hawaii, but commercial tourism isn't healthy, and I would rather be the solution than the problem. Over 75% of the biodiversity in the United States belongs to Hawaii. The short-term pleasure of being in Hawaii for maybe three days and contributing to the tourism problem is not my goal." - Joan Lolita-Rose D'Aguilar, 15, Atlanta, Georgia.
"When I am traveling, I tend to stay in one place for a long period of time, to make sure that I am reducing harm as much as possible, and actually having a positive role in the communities I go to. I think of the waste I am bringing to an area, water availability, the economy of where I am going, the amount of GHG emissions of traveling, how to locally travel as sustainably as possible, food availability, noise pollution, and the reasoning behind going to the travel destination." - Suzanna Schofield, 22, Boston, Massachusetts.
~ Bridget
P.S. Here are a few things that I've up to:
Published: From Jane to the Octonauts, children’s TV is taking on the climate crisis for Grist.
Working: On a winter getaway guide to Hampton Bays for Edible East End and a story on chickpeas for Martha Stewart.
Reading: Holding a champagne glass at a family member’s wedding this past weekend I couldn’t help but whisper Mari Andrew’s words to myself: “Someone has always clinked a cocktail glass in one hemisphere as someone loses a home in another while someone falls in love in the same apartment building where someone grieves. The fact that suffering, mundanity, and beauty coincide is unbearable and remarkable.” What is there really to say about the horrors unfolding in the Middle East except this: The killing of innocent Jews is evil. The killing of innocent Palestinians is evil. We need a solution that centers humanity. You can read Mari’s piece which she wrote about wildfires in Australia in 2020, here.
Question-slightly unrelated. I am searching for a good app or web-site for a comprehensive list of acceptable items to add to my backyard composting (for example are citrus peels a go or a no-go). I am having trouble. Do you have any suggestions?