In a time of climate change and increased concern for our environment, sustainable travel has never been more important. Sustainable travel, or eco-friendly travel, is all about making mindful and responsible choices that minimise the impact of travel and tourism on the planet.
While eco-friendly travel should always be front of mind, it is especially important this month with the occurrence of two major environmental awareness days –
Zero Emissions Day (September 21) seeks to raise awareness of daily emission use and stop the use of fossil fuels for 24 hours. The aim of this day is to allow the planet to breathe by not using energy generated by fossil fuels and minimising the use of electric power that doesn’t come from renewable sources.
Car Free Day (September 22) is a global event that encourages motorists to give up their cars for a whole day and to instead use more sustainable travel options like walking, biking or public transport.
At Airtrain, we are committed to providing environmentally conscious travel. Check out our tips on how to make your travel more sustainable.
Tips for sustainable travel
Leave the car at home
Carbon emissions are the largest contribution to climate change. In fact, 90% of the world’s carbon emissions come from burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat and – you guessed it – transport. Choosing modes of transport that have a lower carbon footprint can significantly reduce emissions and benefit the environment.
Rail travel is one of the most energy efficient modes of transport. To move 1,000 people by car would take somewhere between 250 to 1,000 cars, but to move the same number of people by train would only take one train with eight carriages. Every individual who chooses to travel by train rather than by car makes a personal contribution to minimise their impact on our environment.
Go paperless
Going paperless in the pursuit of sustainable travel doesn’t sound like much, but when it all adds up it makes a big difference. With Australians consuming more than four million tonnes of paper and cardboard each year, you can directly contribute to the reduction of paper consumption. Thanks to the prevalence of smart phones and the convenience of travel apps, there’s no need to print travel tickets, bookings and itineraries.
Avoid to single-use plastic
With more alternatives to single-use plastic, it’s never been easier to help make a difference. As part of your travels, you can reduce pollution by saying “no” to single-use plastic. One of the key culprits of single-use plastic, water bottles, can easily be avoided by bringing your own reusable bottle and refilling it as needed. Even if you forget your water bottle and need to buy one while out, you can simply refill and continue to use the same bottle for the remainder of your travels.
Opt for eco-friendly accommodation
Eco-friendly tourism accommodation options have multiple perks. Fundamentally, they focus on preserving the environment with practices such as recovering and using rainwater, installing solar panels and energy saving lights, and recycling at least 80% of all waste. Many eco-friendly accommodations go a step further and use local produce, which not only supports the local community and economy but also significantly reduces carbon emissions required to transport produce from source to destination.
Our commitment to the environment
Airtrain is dedicated to providing transport that is affordable, efficient and environmentally conscious. In addition to low-CO2 train services, we also offer environmentally savvy extras like paperless ticketing and free water refill stations.
By purchasing tickets online, not only do you help reduce unnecessary paper waste but you will also have access to exclusive discounts (like return for FREE* and 15% discount for one-way journeys) – it’s a win-win!
With Airtrain, you can minimise your carbon footprint even further by riding your bike to and from the train station and bringing your bike on board for no additional charge.
Make a difference with Airtrain’s eco-friendly travel
By travelling with Airtrain, you can help make a difference. We are proud to provide sustainable travel options and be an environmentally responsible mode of passenger transport. Check out Translink’s Journey Planner to help plan your environmentally friendly travel around Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
With Airtrain, you will arrive quickly and comfortably from the airport to Brisbane City in just 20 minutes. You can disembark at your chosen city station – Airtrain runs express from the Brisbane Airport, but stops at Fortitude Valley, Central, Roma Street, and South Brisbane stations.
You can easily get around with a go card – just touch on at your station of departure and touch off when you arrive at your destination. The go card is accepted on all Translink transport throughout Greater Brisbane, Ipswich, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.
Translink’s Smart Ticketing system offers more ways to pay, for a more convenient journey. Smart Ticketing allows you to pay with your Visa, Mastercard and American Express debit and credit cards at any South East Queensland train station, including Brisbane Domestic and International Airports.
