Planning for conference trips? Make it greener!
With this slogan we, a group of academics concerned about our carbon footprint, kicked off our Low Carbon Travel Initiative at Eindhoven University of Technology. This is a first step in making TU/e work travel more sustainable. This blog is a first attempt of providing insight in our travel behavior and how we (you included) can curb high carbon travel.
Our efforts aim to:
1. Promote a critical attitude towards travel and reduce the number of trips.
2. Identify easy to reach destinations with low carbon modes within Europe.
3. Offer a travel planning procedure that integrates low carbon travel options.
4. Promote efficiency by e.g. sending smaller delegations to conferences.
5. Create administrative and financial support to overcome barriers to use low carbon travel options via e.g. compensation for increased travel time and cost.
6. Formulate university-wide policy document on international travel and its environmental impact.
Making a success of this initiative thus requires support of both you individually and the university administration. The coming months, we will work on these solutions, practice them within our group, and reflect on our experiences. We will reflect on the opportunities and constraints of these solutions, and what issues have to be addressed within the university. Over the course of this period, we envision to find suitable ways to reduce high carbon travel and rally wide support for this initiative within our university.
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Happy academics
I fully support offering more sustainable travelling options
Lotte Meijer
TIS group
Behaviour change is about individual choices, but these need system change to come to fruition. Without universities actively facilitating reduced and low-emission research-related travel, the impact of all of our actions will remain minimal
Heleen de Coninck
TIS group
It is time for TU/e to encourage a sustainable mindset among employees when they plan research trips and conferences!
Natascha van Bommel
TIS group
It’s about making environmentally conscious choices among conferences.
SUN Qi
TIS group
Let’s balance online and real-life experiences to limit our impact on the environment
Boukje Huijben
ITEM group
Let’s aim for the full academic experience without burdening the climate
Irene Niet
TIS group
Happy to be a non-flying scientist!
Wolmet Barendregt
HTI group
Contact us
Keep in touch! If you have something to share, let us know.
Think for example about: How do you, as an academic, decide on your travel behavior? What issues do they run into when choosing alternative ways of travelling? And, will flying less affect your academic career or are there alternatives? You can fill out the form below, or mail us at: lowcarbon.travel@tue.nl