As finals arise and the stress of the end of the academic year culminates, students look toward the light at the end of the tunnel: summer break. The motivation to lie on a beach with friends or family gets many people through their exams. However, this excitement may cloud your judgment and cause you to forget about the environmental impacts of travel. By implementing conscious habits and planning, students can have a sustainable vacation, save money and enjoy the local area better.
According to a 2025 travel forecast by the U.S. Travel Association, travel spending is projected to grow 3.9% nationwide. However, practicing sustainability can help reduce those costs. For example, public transportation reduces carbon emissions and saves money on rental cars.
“One of the good habits is … to opt for public transportation as much as possible,” said Brenda Boonabaana, an assistant geography and environment professor. “Can we walk short distances without needing an Uber? … Take public transportation as much as possible, which reduces pollution and our carbon footprint.”
Another critical aspect of sustainability is conscious consumerism. Supporting the local community on vacation helps stimulate the local economy and enhances the travel experience. Instead of going to a large chain corporation for your accommodation, food or souvenirs, purchase from local businesses to better understand the culture and the area.
Additionally, if the items are homemade rather than mass-produced, you are more likely to get a unique piece from these places. A significant aspect of travel is having experiences that you could not find anywhere else.
“Students should explore the unfamiliar,” Boonabaana said. “If we move out of our comfort zones in our community … that adds some value in terms of traveling, but also values and respects (local communities) in terms of spending and boosting business.”
Tourism is integral to the global and domestic economy, so being aware of your spending is vital for traveling ethically. Lack of awareness of the business you support is the main issue regarding sustainability while traveling.
“Tourism is one of the first growing sectors in the world, and offers great opportunities,” Boonabaa said. “People want to spend their time exploring new places, and at the end of the day, this excitement is coming with limited knowledge about the negative implications that it can promote.”
Choosing where you travel and how you spend your time can also be an important factor in environmentally-conscious vacationing. Selecting more nature-focused activities could help fund organizations that support sustainable practices or restoration.
“If you’re not really a hiking person or a nature person, (you can look) to see if your resort is more sustainable than the others,” environmental science freshman Meg Novosad said. “Or, if you are a nature person, state parks and local and national parks are a great way to promote sustainability.”
One way for students to get involved with sustainable traveling is through programs on campus like Texas GIVE, a UT chapter of a national organization that promotes sustainable volunteer efforts and provides community engagement opportunities in Austin. Kaira Joseph, the co-founder of Texas GIVE and a biology sophomore, elaborates on their mission.
“A main principle of (Texas GIVE) is to leave handprints and not footprints, and that basically means offsetting your carbon footprint by leaving a positive impact instead of just coming to the community and taking advantage by traveling,” Joseph said.
While summer vacation is meant to be a period of relaxation, it is still essential to prioritize living sustainably despite where you are.
Xu is a government freshman from Fort Worth, Texas.
