The Sustainable Tourist: London
As we’re coming out of our respective lockdowns, freedom is washing over us, as is the realisation that normality is returning. People are getting swept away with the excitement of a post- COVID life; pubs are overflowing, friends and families are reuniting and masks are even occasionally coming off. And what could be a more post-COVID experience than going on holiday?
Illustrated by Alicia Hayden.
As exciting as it is to be able to travel outside of your area again (or even outside of your house), it’s important that we consider our responsibilities as tourists. What impact does your holiday have? Over the last year and a half there have been a number of collective lessons learned. One of the biggest is that we have come to realise the importance of appreciating and protecting our natural world. Coming out of lockdown, let’s bear some of these significant realisations in mind so that the world we return to is better than the one before. Our planet, and our connection to it, does not have to be sacrificed for the sake of excessive human activity. The rate of consumerism does not have to return to its pre-COVID levels. Our priorities must be realigned with our appreciation and protection of the natural world. As our local, national and international restrictions ease, we have the opportunity to put what we’ve learned into practise, even when it comes to being a tourist. There are changes you can make that can allow you to travel with a happy conscience!
So, what does it mean to be a sustainable tourist? Essentially, leave as little impact as possible! If you love a part of the world enough to travel there, then make the effort to respect it and its environment. Being a tourist can be costly in terms of greenhouse gases, plastic pollution and general overconsumption and waste. Being a sustainable tourist means trying to cut out these unnecessary costs at every possibility.
Living in London throughout the many lockdowns, I have seen the stark difference between the ominous empty streets and the city, post-lockdown. London is starting to open up again and welcome in tourists from around the UK and beyond. There’s a feeling that the city is coming back to life. But how can one be a sustainable tourist to the city of London? The main theme of sustainable tourist, is to consume less! Simply put, the less you consume, the less environmental impact you have on that place. Consumption of energy or resources is hidden in everything we do. The first place to start is travel.
Travel
When travelling to London, find the most ethical method of travel. Obviously planes are problematic; a flight from Glasgow to London will cost an individual passenger 0.18 tonnes of CO2 alone (one way)! That’s the CO2e emissions equivalent to 3,353 cups of coffee. On top of that, realistically planes are no fun. Instead, opt, if you can, for a train. Taking the train can cut your travel emissions by up to 90%. Save the environment whilst enjoying a view of the environment. UK trains will carry you through the beautiful landscape, while you read a book or dreamily stare out the window while you process the crazy holiday-void year you’ve had. Your holiday, truly, begins when you step aboard the train.
Once you’ve arrived in London, make sure to use public transport only. Not only because you would have to be certifiably insane to hire a car in London (with the crazed drivers and immovable traffic?), the public transport in London is a fundamental part of the London experience. The “Mind the Gap” trains, the tunnels upon tunnels of underground, the mad characters that you would only ever see on London public transportation. It’s madness, it’s chaos, it’s also endlessly fascinating and environmentally preferable to hiring a car. And when, the tube gets too much, walk! There is no better way to see the city than by foot. Tiny cobbled streets with hidden pubs, which can only be stumbled upon by accident. Ubers and Black Cabs can’t allow for such spontaneity. London is a city that has a secret double life. If you want to find out what the locals do, you must walk and explore as much as possible.
Now, when you’re in London you are obviously going to consume something. Be it from shops, pubs or restaurants. There are ways to be a sustainable and ethical consumer, you just need to know where to go.
Food and Drinks
As far as food goes there’s no shortage of restaurants trying to do their part, whilst serving delicious goodness. If you’re hanging around central, take a stroll over to Jikoni to delve into their super fusion of South Asian, Middle Eastern, East African and British dishes. Jikoni is set to be the first independent carbon neutral restaurant in the UK. Eat great food without a guilty conscience! If you’re looking for something a little more trendy and for “Londoners”, then head out of central and over to Silo in Hackney Wick. The Australian-born restaurant began with the artist Joost Bakker who, focusing on closing the loop on restaurant waste, proposed the idea of “not having a bin”. Titled the world’s first zero waste restaurant, Silo cuts out waste at every step. From the seasonally changing ingredients, production, packaging or composting, this restaurant attempts to be ethical at every stage of the business. Even the interior design of the restaurants is upcycled! If instead, you’re in the mood for ‘pub-grub’, then check out The Duke of Cambridge in Islington, Britain’s first organic pub. Not only using seasonal fresh products for their menu but also providing transparency of their suppliers with a map of their food suppliers just outside the pub!
Shopping
If you’re the kind of tourist who shops on holiday, then skip the franchise stores that sell the same old stuff in every city. London is home to some of the most varied and outrageous fashion in the world. There’s a style for everyone, be it punk, chic or glamour. And these colourful styles are reflected in the hidden vintage stores across the city. Find one of a kind leather jackets or retro boots buried deep in the basement of some bizarre store. Guaranteed you’ll find something you’ll fall in love with. In the UK alone, we throw away 11 million items of clothing into landfill every week. The fashion industry is one of the most destructive to our environment. Fast fashion encourages a disposable culture which is at the heart of the environmental problem. Research by the United Nations Environment Programme showed that it takes “3,781 litres of water to make a pair of jeans, from the production of the cotton to the delivery of the final product to the store. That equates to the emission of around 33.4 kilograms of carbon equivalent”. The Industry itself is currently responsible for 10% of our global emissions and is expected to account for 50% by 2030. Vintage stores and second hand shops are a quick and easy way around this. Plus, you simply get much cooler clothes when they aren’t found in mass produced cheap stores. Good quality, individual style, ethical, sustainable and reasonable prices. What is there to complain about? And as far as vintage and second hand stores go? London’s got the gold.
Culture and Entertainment
But there are so many things to do in London other than shopping. Home to world-renowned museums and art galleries, many of which are free, London is the perfect place to reintroduce yourself to some culture after a year of Netflix on the couch. Or, better yet, go for a summer picnic in one of London’s many parks. Check out the innovative community gardens like that of Dalston Eastern Curve Garden, which aims to keep cities wild. If, however, you’re more in the mood for something cultural like a show, then stay in Dalston to check out the Arcola Theatre. This theatre not only hosts a variety of art and performances, it also aims to be the world’s first carbon neutral theatre. Whatever activities you do in London, make sure to save on waste by bringing a reusable water bottle or coffee cup. One less thing to waste whilst on your trip!
There are so many ways to explore a city like London in a respectful and sustainable way. You can do a bit of research to support stores and hospitality that pulls its environmental weight or by investing in greener transportation. You can even book through specific sites that will help you book the most ethical holiday possible, such as Bookdifferent or Lokal. So bring the lessons we learned from the last year and a half with you as we return to the ‘new normal’. Let’s prioritise our planet this summer.
Georgie Power
Georgie Power recently completed an MSc in Climate Change in Dublin City University, studying the environmental, economic, political and social implications of climate change. In working with the Carbon Disclosure Project, helping companies around the world manage and report their carbon emissions, she learned of the role that corporations have in the transition to a sustainable and ethical economy. Now, she works as a climate change author, focusing on her passions for sharing solution-based information for environmental issues and the social, political and economic influences they have on our world.
You can find her on Instagram @easy.beinggreen.