Choose Your Own Carbon-Neutral Day

17 Jun 2025

5 Min Read

Nellie Chan (Editor)

IN THIS ARTICLE

From your wheels to your meals, discover how easy it is to shrink your footprint. Dive into an interactive story where small actions make a big-planet impact!

Welcome to your carbon-neutral adventure.

You’re about to spend a full day travelling—without leaving a carbon footprint. Sounds impossible? Think again. With some smart planning and mindful choices, it’s totally achievable. Whether you’re exploring your own city or wandering abroad, this choose-your-own-path journey shows how everyday travel decisions can reduce (or even eliminate) your impact on the planet.

Ready? Let’s go!

Morning – How Do You Start Your Day?

Two cups of coffee and pastries sitting on a café table overlooking Place Giuseppe Garibaldi in Nice, France

You wake up in a stylish eco-hotel. It’s made of recycled materials, runs on solar and wind energy, and uses rainwater for its landscaping. Even the shampoo comes in refillable dispensers, not single-use bottles. Your first choice of the day: how will you get your caffeine fix?

Option A: Grab a Quick Ride to the Café

You’re itching for coffee, and the café is a bit far. But instead of calling a petrol-powered ride, you hop on a solar-powered electric scooter. Not only do these scooters emit zero tailpipe emissions, but they’re also charged with renewable energy. By avoiding petrol, you reduce emissions associated with fuel extraction, transport, and combustion.

Option B: Take a Walk to the Café

You choose the slow route. Walking, the ultimate zero-carbon transport, produces no emissions at all. It doesn’t require electricity, batteries, or infrastructure beyond a footpath. Plus, walking helps reduce urban congestion, improves air quality, and gives you a moment to enjoy your surroundings—something fast transport can’t offer.

Transport – How Are You Getting Around Today?

Energised by your morning stop, it’s time to head to your main destination—a charming town just an hour away. Your transport choice will shape your footprint for the rest of the day.

Option A: Take the Electric Train

You board a high-speed electric train powered by a national grid that increasingly uses renewable sources like hydro, wind, and solar. Trains are one of the most efficient mass transport options—especially when compared to individual cars or planes. Per passenger, they emit far less carbon dioxide, especially when they’re electric and supported by green infrastructure.

Option B: Rent a Zero-Emissions Electric Car

You want some flexibility, so you opt for an electric car rental. It’s charged at a station that sources power from renewables. While it’s a private vehicle, it emits no tailpipe emissions, unlike petrol or diesel cars. When paired with clean energy, electric cars become an excellent way to decarbonise road travel. Just remember: driving solo still uses more resources than public transport, but in rural or remote areas, it can be a smart, sustainable choice.

Sightseeing – How Do You Explore the Area?

Historic buildings lining a street in Basel’s Old Town, Switzerland

You’ve arrived. The city is full of history, culture, and stunning green spaces. Now, it’s time to explore.

Option A: Bike Around Town

You rent a bicycle from a local co-op. Biking is fast, fun, and completely emission-free. No fuel, no electricity—just pedal power. It also requires far less space than cars, helping reduce traffic and wear on infrastructure. By supporting a community-run rental, you’re also promoting circular, local economies.

Option B: Take a Walking Tour

You join a walking tour led by a guide who supports eco-conscious tourism. Walking produces zero emissions, and the small group size keeps your impact low. You also learn about the city’s sustainability efforts and hidden green spaces. Eco-guides often work to educate visitors and reinvest in the local community—another layer of impact beyond just carbon.

Lunch – What’s on Your Plate?

All that exploring has worked up an appetite. Where and what you eat matters—food systems are a major source of global emissions.

Option A: Dine at a Farm-to-Table Restaurant

You sit down at a restaurant that sources seasonal produce from nearby farms. Local food travels shorter distances, which cuts down transportation emissions. Organic and regenerative farming practices also avoid synthetic fertilisers and pesticides that release greenhouse gases. By supporting local farmers, you’re investing in low-carbon food systems and boosting regional resilience.

Option B: Grab a Plant-Based Meal from a Local Market

You pick up a plant-based lunch from a bustling market. Eating plant-based—especially whole foods like grains, legumes, and vegetables—is one of the most effective ways to shrink your dietary footprint. Compared to meat and dairy, plant-based foods require far less land, water, and energy to produce, and they emit significantly fewer greenhouse gases.

Afternoon – How Do You Spend Your Free Time?

With a few hours to spare, you can choose how to unwind and engage.

Option A: Visit a Local Eco-Museum

You visit a museum that showcases environmental science, local conservation efforts, and climate innovation. It’s powered by solar panels and built with reclaimed materials. Educational spaces like this promote environmental awareness and often invest profits into community sustainability projects.

Option B: Go for a Sustainable Nature Hike

You head out on an eco-certified trail maintained by local volunteers. Your guide teaches you how biodiversity protects ecosystems from collapse and how eco-tourism can generate income that preserves natural areas. Walking softly on marked trails keeps ecosystems intact and leaves no trace behind.

Evening – How Do You End the Day?

A softly lit restaurant table set for two

As the sun sets, your carbon-conscious journey is nearly complete.

Option A: Enjoy a Sustainable Dinner at Your Hotel

Back at your eco-hotel, dinner is served with local ingredients, plant-based dishes, and zero-waste practices. Food scraps are composted, packaging is minimal, and the meal is cooked using energy-efficient equipment. Every element of the experience supports a closed-loop system designed to reduce waste and emissions.

Option B: Check Out a Local Eco-Friendly Bistro

You venture out for one last treat at a restaurant that’s serious about sustainability—think upcycled furniture, composting bins, and reusable everything. The menu labels the carbon footprint of each dish, empowering diners to make better choices. By supporting places like this, you help grow a culture of conscious consumption in the hospitality industry.

Your Carbon-Neutral Day Is Complete!

Congratulations—you’ve just travelled through an entire day without adding to the planet’s carbon load! Every choice—from eco-conscious transportation to sustainable dining—was a deliberate step towards reducing emissions.

Of course, not every trip will be completely carbon-neutral. But by rethinking how we move, what we support, and how we engage, we can dramatically lower our footprint. The real impact begins with our daily decisions.

So next time you plan a trip, ask yourself: What would your carbon-neutral day look like?

Want to master carbon-neutral choices in real life? Start with our Foundation in Arts, then level up with our programmes at the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Events to create planet-impactful experiences!

BACK TO NEWS & ARTICLES

{{ firstlevel.title }}

{{ firstlevel.title ? firstlevel.title : vm.computedTitle(firstlevel.path) }}

{{ secondlevel.title }}

{{ secondlevel.title }}

{{ secondlevel.title }}

{{ secondlevel.title }}

{{ thirdLevel.title }}