Lost University Student Turned Sustainable Travel Advocate

WHERE IT STEMS FROM

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to travel. To travel the world and experience remarkable things, while creating lasting bonds with beautiful people. 

I remember watching movies like Indiana Jones and the Lord of the Rings growing up. I was captivated by them. They left me longing for something I couldn’t yet comprehend – a desire to see new things, meet new people, and learn about our planet and all its inhabitants. This led to lifelong wanderlust and a desire to experience the world, in all its unfiltered glory.

And although I’ve grown older, that desire has never faded. Travel is my one true passion, and I don’t think that will ever change. It’s important and I think it’s good for people. It keeps you on your toes, keeps you learning, and prevents you from becoming complacent. It feeds the soul, changes perspectives and challenges beliefs. Through travel, you discover profound truths about yourself, those around you, and the world, that’ll change your life forever.

TRAVEL & BLOGGING

From a very young age, travel became my goal. I didn’t want to work a traditional nine-to-five job and be stuck in the same place. I didn’t want a nice house, a nice car, or anything else that would tie me down. I wanted to travel and was hell-bent on finding a way to do so. And through a mixture of luck and persistence, I found a way. Blogging. 

I love it not only because it gives me the freedom to work anywhere, but because it gives me purpose. Through my blogs, I am able to share my thoughts and experiences, whilst at the same time learn others’ thoughts and experiences. It’s a medium in which I can provide others with the knowledge they’re seeking, making their lives easier, safer, and sometimes happier. (which makes me happier!)

So at twenty-one, after spending the last few years aimlessly traversing school life, I quit university and began investing my time fully in my blog. And as everything started to fall into place, and my childhood dream began to turn into reality, I realized something. An uncomfortable, somber truth – that travel may be good for the individual, but it’s not for the whole.

THE UGLY SIDE OF TRAVEL

The ice sheets are melting, the sea level is rising, the coral reefs are dying, and entire environments are being destroyed by climate change. Now more than ever, people are rushing to see the world before the world we know now disappears. But we have to stop and ask ourselves – if seeing the world is helping destroy it, should we be traveling at all? 

Travel today is no longer as seemingly pure as it once was. We now know just how much of a negative impact travel – particularly long distance travel – has on the environment. Going somewhere far away is literally the single biggest action an individual can take to worsen climate change. 

Modern day unsustainable travel wreaks havoc on entire populations and environments, leaving destruction in its wake. It greatly contributes to climate change, has negative impacts on communities, causes damage to delicate ecosystems, and as a whole, is not good for our planet. 

As a traveler, the best way for you to help is to simply not travel at all. But as I’ve come to realize, that will not happen. If people want to travel, they’re going to travel. We as humans have difficulty seeing our actions as impactful and instead believe that our own behaviors are too small to have a real effect on our surroundings. People are going to continue to travel, and the rate at which they do so is increasing every year.

MY MISSION

Instead of complaining or forcing people to act a certain way, I’ve made it my personal mission to educate my fellow travelers on sustainable travel. 

Not all travel is created equal, and certain types are much better for the environment than others. There are ways that you can see the world without a heavy carbon footprint, and my goal is to show you all how. Instead of feeling guilty for your journeys, I want you to feel happy knowing that your travels did something good for a community or environment. There are ways that you can offset your negative impact, and I hope that I can convince more people to travel this way, so that future generations will have the freedom to travel just as we did. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. I hope your story is being filled with adventure, joy, and love. Happy travels!

Hi, I'm Ash!

I’m a travel blogger who loves experiencing new things and deeply connecting with people. My missions are to help others around the world realize their travel dreams, and to spread the word about sustainable travel. Feel free to send me a message here.