Planning for Conference Trips?
Make it Greener!

Let's think together about low carbon policies.

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.

Latest Blogs

See news about our initiative and blog posts of colleagues and guests who share their personal low carbon travel experiences.
low carbon travel logo

It’s okay to fly to a conference, but why not take the train?

In March, the Low Carbon Travel Initiative was interviewed by the TU/e’s University newspaper Cursor. We talked about the growing pressure to avoid flying, train experiences and university travel policies.[…]

Read more
Train in rainy station

Ok, but how? Tips & tricks for international train travel for TUe staff (and others interested!)

Whether you do it for environmental reasons, comfortable seating options, the convenience of having your luggage at arm’s reach, or perhaps a secret fear of flying, taking the train is[…]

Read more
Dutch universities

Low carbon travel: all universities in action?

In this blog series, we explored how Dutch Universities approach low-carbon travel. In this final instalment, we focus on the remaining six universities: the University of Amsterdam, the Vrije Universiteit[…]

Read more

From our colleagues

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
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