Guilty of Travel

Friday, August 03, 2007

One of the things that nags my conscience when travelling is about being guilty of polluting. It is impossible to travel without polluting, no matter how clean you are. You spend fossil fuels and add to CO2 emissions. When you pass through a pristine region like the Himalayas, you definitely leave a footprint no matter how careful you are. These are inevitable, and only way to avoid it is not to travel. That is difficult to imagine. But there are ways to minimize the impact.

* Do not fly. Take the train instead. I am guilty again here. Though I don't fly within South India, I look for flights to save time when I go north.
* Do not drive, take public transport. I am guilty here too. The fact that my mobility reduces at the destination if I take public transport makes me take my car out.
* Do not spoil the pristine nature. Take your garbage back. Do not cut wood. Make sure that the impact of your travel is minimal to the local environment. This is especially important in places like National Parks and remote wilderness
* Behave yourself! Don't tempt the locals to break the law to fulfil your cravings. Any attempt to change the way of living of the locals - especially in remote regions, always has impact on the environment.

Do you have any thing to add? Are you guilty on any counts?