Should I Quit Travelling?

We quiz Rachel Dodds, sustainable-travel consultant

- Courtney Shea

Given the negative impacts of travel on the environment and on communities visited-should we give it up?

I don't think that's the answer. Travel is a wonderful way to become less ignorant about the world around us. It can give us empathy toward people from different cultures, and it can be an opportunity to put money into the economies we visit. The focus needs to be on how we can travel better. If you're flying to Amsterdam from Canada for a weekend and then back to Paris two weeks later, that might be worth reconsidering in terms of environmental impact, which is one of the key problems we talk about with modern travel.

Just how bad is air travel?

It's bad. Aviation is responsible for as much as 12 per cent of global carbon emissions and a little more than three per cent of emissions in Canada. Avoiding a single flight is the equivalent of going car-free for a year. If you have to fly, try to fly direct since most emissions happen at takeoff and landing.

What else should we consider before booking a ticket?