Traveling overseas again after over two (2) years was exciting because I get to see and feel the world outside the bubble that I was in. However, it was also unnerving with COVID-19 still around the corner.

A lot has changed over the past two (2) years, traveling now requires extra paperwork such as vaccination certificates, health declarations, travel insurance, and COVID-19 test results. There are also requirements for online registration to a mobile app or a website for contact tracing, safety pass, or declaration purposes.

Once onboard, wearing of face mask is required, bio-security measures were implemented, and I also noticed some vacant rows in the plane which I later found out would serve as an isolation area for suspected cases. Upon arrival, face masks were no longer required unless in public places. It was a common sight to see hand sanitizers and safety reminders. Most business establishments prefer contactless transactions. Physical interactions were unsettling and guarded at first, but I realized just how much connection was missed over the past years. 

Despite these physical changes, I also noticed just how much I have changed, and still changing and learning. I realized that I am now putting priority on sustainability especially when it comes to my consumption while traveling. 

It is a continuous process of shifting the mindset from over-reliance on disposables such as cutleries for food to bringing reusables no matter how physically challenging it was to bring them all the time; from consuming hotel bath products packaged in plastic bottles to bringing my own products to limiting room service to absolute necessity only; from reusing own bath towels instead of requesting for new ones to turning off the electricity when not in use; from mindful choosing and consumption of food to avoid any waste to being more aware of my carbon footprint, especially for air travel (you can see this in your boarding pass and you can check with your airline carrier if they have any carbon offset program); from actively finding ways to offset our carbon emissions (native tree planting, water conservation efforts, community outreach activities, etc.), to looking for alternative modes of transport with lesser emissions, if possible.

Access to resources and doing research is important to find the best options that will suit our every travel need.

Active and intentional effort is very critical since our goal is to sustain this behavior and action, influence our friends, families, and communities, and engage relevant sectors to make traveling sustainably more accessible to all. 

As we transition back to a world with renewed options, our day-to-day decisions and actions impact the environment. With the recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlighting the need for “systemic transformation” across transport and other sectors to reduce emissions, there is a need to reassess personal accountability and engage with relevant sectors to call for sustainability and responsibility. The time is now to make decisions not just for ourselves but for a livable world for us all.