Holidays

Choices about where to go on holiday, how to get there and what to do while there can either benefit or harm the environment.

Travel choices

A significant part of our carbon emissions are from transport. Air travel makes a growing contribution to CO2 emissions (currently accounting for around six per cent of the UK total). The further you travel, particularly by air, the more you contribute to climate change. If you want to take a greener holiday, here are some things to consider:

choosing a destination closer to home, or taking fewer longer breaks rather than several short ones, will help reduce the climate change impact of your holidays
there is often an alternative to flying or driving, especially when you are going away for longer - on average, travelling by rail will result in about a third of the CO2 emissions of the equivalent domestic or short-haul flight in Europe
if you are driving to your destination, using efficient driving techniques can help reduce your fuel consumption, saving you money and reducing your environmental impact
if you are hiring a car while on holiday, choosing a more efficient model will help reduce your climate change impact
if you have to fly, one choice is to offset the carbon emissions your trip generates by paying for projects which reduce emissions elsewhere
Greener travel and leisure
World-wide train travel information - National Rail
Greener cars and driving

While on holiday

Many of the things you can do to be greener on holiday will be the same things you can do at home - but there are also some extra things too, like avoiding gifts made from endangered species. Here are some suggestions:

making the most of locally produced food and drink, and local activities and attractions will support people in the area you are visiting and reduce the need for further environmental impact from transport
switching off any air conditioning, heating and lights when you’re not using your accommodation will help reduce climate change effects
try not to waste water – some countries suffer from water shortages and saving water can help avoid damage to natural habitats

Some gifts and foods available in some countries can be made from endangered plants or animals, for example, animal skins, ivory, orchids, caviar, or coral. It may be hard to tell the difference between permitted and non-permitted goods, or to find out when you buy something whether it came from an endangered source.

Endangered species abroad - your responsibilities

Making a positive contribution to the place you are visiting

There are ways in which your holiday can help support local people and the environment:

some organisations and companies offer holidays which aim to minimise impacts on the environment - they can help find accommodation with low energy needs and activities that benefit local communities
there are reliable accreditation schemes for green accommodation, such as the European Ecolabel and the Green Tourism Business Scheme
there are many opportunities to volunteer and help with projects that conserve and improve habitats and nature reserves
when you are away, or if you are looking for somewhere to visit in the UK, you can support projects or attractions which protect wildlife, such as nature reserves and conservation projects
Find out more about the Ecolabel
Green Tourism Business Scheme
Northern Ireland: find a national nature reserve
Find an RSPB bird reserve
Find a wetland visitor centre

The wider issue

Transport is the source of a quarter of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions, and a high proportion of this relates to leisure - for example five out of six flights made from the UK are for holidays.