Not only since the beginning of the German political election campaign, climate protection has been on everyone's proverbial lips in Germany. For some years now, the environmental awareness of many German citizens has been growing – and so have vacationers. Nevertheless, the Germans are considered the "vacation world champions" – however, current statistics show that many vacationers from our country do not want to give up traveling and their vacation in the future, but at least want to fly less and "travel green". The resolution is one thing, the implementation is known to be another. Here you can learn the best tips and tricks to get through your recreational or even adventure vacation as climate-friendly as possible.
At last we can go on vacation again without worries about Corona – now this is almost completely possible again. But what about climate protection in the process? Photo: IvaCastro / Pixabay
Travel is and remains the German's favorite hobby
Whether it is because there is rarely reliable vacation weather in Germany or there are simply not so many picturesque vacation destinations and places of entertainment to be found in this country, is hard to answer reliably. However, it is undoubtedly true that the Germans are not only since yesterday very happy to leave their home country – at least for a short time, in order to spend their vacations in far away, dreamy places.
For a long time there was nothing objectionable about it, on the contrary, our entire travel industry benefited from it, that's no secret and perfectly legitimate. At the latest since the awareness of the "healthy" condition of our planet has grown and is still growing, one or the other is plagued by a slightly guilty conscience when going on vacation, especially if it is to go by plane, bag and baggage like many friends and relatives to far away places.
In 2019, a new record was set in Germany for vacation travel. Two years ago, before the start of the Corona pandemic, almost 55 million German holidaymakers spent at least five days on vacation. A total of more than 70 million trips were made, with just under 73.1 million euros spent; per person, vacation spending averaged 1.030 euros.
Germans want to fly in principle less into the vacation
That it is not too far-fetched with the thesis over the Germans as Reiseweltmeister, thus the numbers prove. This does not necessarily mean, however, that Germans per se do not think about climate protection or perhaps do not even feel a responsible interest in it – quite the opposite.
Although recently after the opening of the German favorite holiday island immediately numerous German travelers made themselves on the way into the vacation on Mallorca, many German holiday-makers say however at the same time that they would like to reduce in the future their vacation flights clearly – and although the offers of lucrative vacation offers rises up-to-date immensely, as alone a view of the travel Deals of the bargain portal Mein Deal proves.
However, as the results of a 2019 survey of German vacation travelers by Deutschlandtrend reveal, flying doesn't seem to be the one big defining issue among German vacationers at all. According to the study, 63 percent of all travelers from Germany either never or only rarely boarded an airplane to go on vacation, or they only rarely boarded an airplane to go on vacation. to fly. According to the concrete figures:
- Around 30 percent of Germans fly once or twice a year
- One in four Germans say they will travel by air much less often on vacation in the immediate future
- Eleven percent would like to fly more frequently on vacation in the future, and this applies in particular to 18- to 49-year-olds
- Are it in particular younger ones, better earners or academics, which undertake comparatively frequently air travel to vacation goals
Are green vacations possible? If so, how exactly?
If you count yourself among the "LOHAs," then you will certainly consider before your next vacation how you can travel climate-neutrally or at least climate-friendly on vacation, without or at least hardly having to do without comfort and vacation feeling. But is this possible at all, or will the dream of green travel remain a utopia??
If it goes after the author Harald Willenbrock of the magazine GEO more responsibility for nut/mother earth to take over must not be equivalent with having to do without recovery, fun and its personal dream vacation. However, conscious travel plays a significant role – and the topic of offsetting.
However, all this would not be enough to actually travel in a climate-neutral way, especially by air. This is arithmetically rather hardly to not at all possible; differently however the project to reduce its individual CO2-Bilanz. Everyone can do this with two de facto simple measures:
- Climate-friendly destinations plus environmentally friendly travel
Instead of taking the plane, it is particularly worthwhile from an environmental perspective to take the bus or train. Thus per person clearly less CO2 would be produced. However, this is of course not always so easy to do, which is why it is always worth considering choosing vacation destinations that are as close as possible. It is not at all uncommon for interesting and undiscovered destinations to exist relatively close to one's own place of residence. - CO2 compensation
The second pillar of climate-friendly vacation travel is the offsetting of CO2. Nowadays, private individuals can also purchase offsetting certificates on various websites, for example, in order to support climate protection projects and improve their personal CO2 balance. Obviously, however, this involves less effort and sacrifice, but some extra financial outlay.
Some might not be willing to do so – at least until he or she calculates his or her own CO2 balance, which is relatively easy to do via online calculator. This, by the way, is also what Harald Willenbrock has done, who has come to the conclusion that there is no "super-solvent benefactor" who could "miraculously compensate for our deep red balance sheet one day". But if everyone pays just a little bit more attention to green travel, this should not be necessary at all.
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