Tag Archives: sustainable travel

Exploring Sustainable Practices in Student Travel 

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Student travel is a transformative experience, offering opportunities for learning and personal growth. At Forum, we are proud to be able to provide these experiences to enrich the lives of young musicians everywhere. However, amidst the excitement of exploration, it’s essential to consider the environmental impacts of travel choices. We’re happy to work with you to explore small steps in sustainable practices and ensure a brighter, greener future!  

Reducing Paper Waste 

One step we can take in travel planning is reducing paper waste. Instead of printing itineraries, would they be more effective over email? Can permission slips be emailed rather than printed? At Forum, we are very happy to offer DocuSign to collect Participant Release forms and other need paperwork. In 2024 alone, this switch helped save 412 gallons of water and reduced 328 pounds of carbon emissions!  

Minimizing Waste and Consumption 

Being mindful of consumption habits and waste management practices can greatly contribute to sustainable travel: 

  1. Pack Thoughtfully: Encourage your group to minimize single-use plastics and opt for reusable water bottles, utensils, and shopping bags during your travel. 
  1. Reduce Energy Consumption: Conserve energy by turning off lights, air conditioning, and unplugging electronics when not in use.  
  1. Embrace sustainable accommodations: We are happy to partner with several hotels making greener choices by donating unused toiletries to Clean the World  or by reducing the number of times housekeeping will switch out sheets and towels during your stay. 

Educational Opportunities and Advocacy 

Student travelers have the power to influence positive change through education and advocacy: 

  1. Promote Sustainability Awareness: Share your experiences and knowledge about sustainable travel practices with students and peers alike to inspire others to travel responsibly. 
  1. Leave No Trace: We’ve all heard the saying, “leave a place better than you found it.” The same is true for travel!  Minimize your impact by encouraging students to dispose of waste properly,  
  1. Advocate for Change: Support organizations and initiatives that advocate for sustainable tourism policies, environmental conservation, and social responsibility in travel. 

By embracing sustainable practices, students can learn and contribute to a more responsible tourism industry. Together, we can make a positive impact on our planet through mindful and sustainable travel practices. 

Traveling Green

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10 Ideas for Sustainable Student Travel

As we wait for a green light to student travel, let’s consider the impact our travel has on our students, the destination, and the planet. Our teens live in a world where reducing their footprint on our planet is incredibly critical.    To promote sustainable travel, meet your students’ ideas with your own tips.  Together, you can incorporate these ideas into the fun of planning your next trip.

Go lightly! 

Ask students to assemble a packing list that includes only the essentials.  By packing light, you avoid burning resources with heavy baggage.

Explore public transportation. 

Feel adventurous?  If your group is small enough, you can do it!  Trust that your entire group can fit on one bus, subway, or train, but chat up a Plan B if your group gets split.  Until the next bus or subway comes along, a couple of chaperones can stay with students. Then you can all meet up at the next stop.  Is public transpo the answer for the entire trip? Maybe not, but in many destinations, it’s an easier way to get around.

Walk On!

If your hotel is near your sites, walking saves money, is healthy, and makes the planet greener.  Before you go, decide whether your group can handle short walking trips. Talk to your travel planner about the proximity of sites to your hotel.

BYOWB

That is, bring your own water bottles. Clearly, buying disposable beverage bottles is a problem for a green-loving group. Ponder other ways to reduce plastic use.

  • Bring reusable bags for shopping and laundry.
  • Sidestep one-use straws when eating out.
  • Avoid plastic utensils, if possible. 
  • Leave recyclable trash in the proper container. 

Note: Plastic takes between 100 and 400 years to break down in a landfill. 

RIP Hotel Toiletries

Once considered a luxury, these cute little bottles often go half-used before being tossed and ultimately living in a landfill.  Bring soap and shampoo in reusable bottles.  To avoid plastic waste, bring your own.  Many hotel brands are cutting these items to reduce their clutter footprint. 

Tip:  If you must use the hotel toiletries, take the balance to finish off the shampoo and to re-use the container for your next trip.

Power Down

Turn off lights, TV, and electronics to conserve energy.  Close the drapes to keep out the heat or insulate from the cold.

Go paperless. 

Technology, (with which your students are quite familiar), is an obvious starting place.  Encourage electronic notetaking.  When corresponding with parents, use email or text message – far more effective than the bottom of the backpack notice. 

Re-use towels and bedding! 

Most hotels encourage this – hang the Do Not Disturb sign on your hotel door or use the folded sign the hotel provides.  For just a few nights, this is a no-brainer and minimizes water and energy used to launder towels and sheets. Easy, but key way to promote sustainable travel.

Enlist your travel planner! 

At Forum Festivals, we can suggest many green travel ideas.  We’re happy to inquire about the hotel’s recycling policies.  We can book local eateries that are walkable from the hotel.  As we design your itinerary, we’ll explore transportation options that can save you money AND save the planet.  

Enjoy the green journey! 

Students will likely be one step ahead of you, but when you incorporate sustainable travel in your planning as a challenge as well as a fun, educational experience, it will add to the journey.  We’d love to help!

Bon voyages!