Do the Earth a Favour–Travel smarter

You pull out into traffic behind a slow-moving car and duck around to the side, zig-zagging your way through screaming horns and blurred colours whipping past. Soon, you spot your destination and quickly swerve in front of a crowded tuk-tuk, barely grazing its front wheel and sparking the ire of the driver. In one swift move, you slide into the parking spot, “lock” your moped in the Go2 app, and stow your helmet. You smile inwardly at having reached the shop quickly and (almost) safely while having left a smaller carbon footprint than if you’d taken a car. Like travellers everywhere, you’ve taken advantage of a climate-friendly way to go from point A to point B.

Here are the most climate-friendly ways to get around and six destinations where you’ll find them: 

Destination Cambodia – Electric Vehicles

 Your slightly crazy ride to the shop takes place on a busy street in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and you’re using the ride-sharing app Go2 to rent your e-moped. You could have rented an electric car but as a first-time Go2 moped renter, your first 2 hours are free!

Electric mopeds have become popular among locals and visitors because they’re convenient and cheap to use. Electric cars, while more expensive, are gaining in numbers due to improvements in battery efficiency and cost. E-buses and e-tuk-tuks (tricycle-pulled vehicles) on the horizon also form part of the government’s initiatives to meet its Long-Term Strategy for Carbon Neutrality objectives for 2050.

 Destination: Brazil – Cycling

 It’s not carnaval, but it’s definitely celebration time: today, you have a shopping date on the major thoroughfare of São Paulo, the 5^th largest megalopolis₂ in the world! You’ve decided to rent a bike and have already checked out Bike Sampa, which offers 2600 standard and electric bikes across 26 stations. Now it’s just about downloading the app, choosing the bike type, and selecting your plan (daily, 3 days, etc.)

Bike-sharing platforms such as Bike Sampa have provided an escape from rush-hour congestion for commuters in São Paulo and other major Brazilian cities like Rio de Janeiro. Cycling offers a flexible, environmentally friendly way to access the city, including parts that may be inaccessible by car. These benefits are topped only by the positive effects of physical exercise that then spill over into good mental and overall health.

 Destination: Tanzania – Public Transportation

 You’ve been waiting for ten minutes and your bus finally arrives. A warm breeze grazes the beads of sweat forming at your temples. As you file onboard, you gratefully remember that these new BRT buses have completely changed the Dar es Salaam travelling experience – your ride to the other end of the city that would have taken 3 hours in a dala dala will now be a comfortable 45 minutes.

The bus rapid transit (BRT) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania forms part of the government’s ongoing initiative to improve the commuter experience and address climate issues. Implemented over 6 phases in collaboration with the World Bank and other partners, it features dramatically reduced travel times, dedicated bus lanes, and (soon) digitized fare collection. The integrated network that will transport roughly 2 million passengers daily (half of which will be rush-hour commuters)₃ will speak volumes about the BRT’s effect on carbon emissions.

Destination: Mexico – Walking

 It’s a lot to take in, but you crane your neck to marvel just a bit longer at the majestic golden pillars stretching heavenward above magnificent staircases to a leaded-glass dome ceiling. When you relax your neck to look down, the sun’s reflection on the shiny marble floors stuns you momentarily. You’re weary from walking the city this morning but the view inside the Palacio Postal has gifted you a second wind. Moments later, you step outside and back into your journey through Mexico City’s intriguing history.

Walking is the ultimate climate-friendly way to experience a destination and like many cities around the world, Mexico City capitalizes on its historical layout. Zócalo, the main square in the city center, is a one-stop mecca for walking tourists: 620,000ft² of open space flanked by government offices, historical buildings, and Aztec ruins host everything from protests to concerts to informal hang-out sessions. Streets on the periphery feature broad sidewalks where you can satisfy hunger, shopping or sightseeing cravings all within walking distance of your hotel or hostel.

 Destination: India – ride-sharing

 Sharing isn’t normally your thing, so when your friend suggests ride-sharing for your sightseeing in Delhi, you agree hesitantly. The Togopool app she’s using seems to be pretty widely-used and respected in the country, so why not? Thirty minutes later as the car slows in front of your first hot-spot, you’re more at ease: you’ve made a few friends and what’s more, the cost is being split among you and the other riders, making the trip much cheaper than expected.

One key detail about driving for Togopool is that drivers can monitor their CO₂ emissions and constantly remind themselves of their part in cleaning up the environment, reducing traffic congestion, and decreasing road wear. These benefits are expected, but Togopool goes further by including special safety measures for female riders, thereby promoting inclusivity, increasing usership, and expanding the environmental impact.

 Destination: Cuba – Horses

 Clop clop. Clop clop. The steady rhythm transports you back to a time of distinguished gentlemen escorting eligible señoritas to high-society affairs, coat-tails and dress frills flapping lightly in the evening air. Far from that fairy tale, an equally light breeze plays at your face as you clop clop back to the hotel. This is exactly why I wanted to stay in a small city, you muse silently in the creeping dusk, to enjoy peaceful, everyday horseback transportation like a local!

Highly-polished vintage cars and quaint little coco-taxis might sum up your idea of getting around Cuba, but horse-drawn carriages are also commonly used. Locals use horses to get to work, run errands, and haul heavy loads in some smaller cities. In bigger cities, fancier carriages are available for tourist sightseeing. While horseback transportation is very necessary for some citizens, visitors to Cuba can opt for it as an environmentally safer way to discover the island’s treasures.

 Now that you’re ready for your next travel adventure, you can target some destinations knowing that the environment won’t have to pay unnecessarily for your gallivanting. What’s even better is that most of these destinations offer several of the other climate-friendly transport options. These are choices that we as travelers can make to support all aspects of sustainable tourism – not only environmental consciousness but also cultural preservation, social progress, and positive economic impact.

1. What are the most environmentally friendly modes of transportation? – https://source.colostate.edu/sustainable-transportation/

2. What is the largest city in the world? – https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2024/04/27/largest-city-in-the-world/73192882007/

3. Tanzania’s BRT Transformation Celebrated – https://irap.org/2024/02/tanzanias-brt-transformation-celebrated/