Crafting Truly Meaningful Travel Resolutions for 2023

This article is part of Unpacked, a series addressing key questions about responsible travel. Discover more columns on the Unpacked homepage—and don't forget to subscribe to the podcast.

Perhaps it's the refreshing chill of the New York City atmosphere or the frost forming along the edges of the windows on a chilly day. Maybe it's the festive decorations or the final page of the yearly calendar. However you notice it, the year’s end has arrived—and for many of us, this signifies a time for introspection, reevaluation, and rejuvenation. Personally, as someone who travels for both work and leisure, the travel dimension of my life is now up for reconsideration.

In several respects, I surpassed the ambitions I set for myself in 2021. I aimed to secure an international travel assignment this year, and I succeeded in landing two—Salvador, Brazil, and Yogyakarta, Indonesia—while also managing to squeeze in a personal trip to Paris. However, in other aspects, I fell short. I intended to lessen my carbon footprint, yet the articles I saved on making more eco-friendly choices remained largely unread.

Nonetheless, I believe the obstacles that hindered my progress are likely experienced by many: changing job duties and the unpredictable nature of personal circumstances. While navigating the turbulent return to “post” pandemic life, I devoted more energy to addressing immediate challenges and transitions than to my original objectives. Instead of dwelling on what I should have or could have done differently, I’m blending my past aspirations into my current goals for 2023: traveling more for myself and, yes—let’s give it another shot—reducing my carbon footprint.

These two aspirations fall under the concept of meaningful travel, which emphasizes the importance of journeys that bring happiness while minimizing harm to myself and others. While I cherish experiences like hiking Mount Prau in Indonesia's Dieng Plateau or cooking crabs outdoors with one of our generation's most revered culinary elders on Edisto Island, I find myself concluding this year feeling worn out. Despite the joy that travel offers, it can also lead to fatigue, illness, and extended time away from loved ones. Following a prolonged hiatus from travel due to the pandemic and an intense return to the road, I've come to realize that my travel priorities have evolved. I no longer feel the need to visit a new destination every other week; instead, I'd prefer to immerse myself deeply in one location rather than skim the surface of multiple places. I appreciate my job, but I believe my body, my community, and (I'm quite sure) the planet would benefit if I emphasized slower, more mindful travel.

This brings me to my next aim: becoming a more environmentally aware traveler. It's common knowledge that flying contributes significantly to environmental damage and accounts for 3-4 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.. While we recognize that air travel is often a necessity, we can reevaluate how frequently we fly and our motivations for doing so. Instead of automatically opting for flights, I am dedicated to increasing my cross-country train travel. When I do need to fly, I'm working on organizing my work schedule to combine stories based in the same city into a single trip, rather than hopping to and from New Orleans every other week. I am also prioritizing airlines that are taking measures towards sustainability, understanding that this may result in a slightly higher ticket price.

I plan to incorporate several small changes that can collectively make a difference, such as bringing my reusable water bottle and packing my own meals for the airport to reduce single-use plastic waste during my travels. I’m also contemplating how my travel resolutions intersect with other life goals: in line with my focus on improving my physical fitness, I aim to visit more U.S. national parks, which are vital for safeguarding the earth’s biodiversity and natural resources. When feasible, I’ll use these trips as opportunities to connect with tour guides, many of whom serve as cultural stewards of their regions. I will intentionally support locally owned businesses and queer entrepreneurs of color, who are often more vulnerable to environmental challenges.

There is no singular method to be an environmentally responsible traveler, but there is only one Earth. My resolution for the upcoming year is to savor my time here and to express my profound gratitude and respect for it along the journey.