Inviting reflections on the wider costs of walking a Camino

[Rodney Kent]

Hola,
Each time I’ve walked a Camino and read posts about gear and clothing, I’ve wondered about the wider costs of walking, not just to me if I buy new gear, but to the environment. This is a question that I find going through my mind more and more. I’m curious if other people reflect on this as they prepare for a Camino and how they find some sort of resolution to this dilemma. I suppose what I’m asking myself and you is “How do you tread as lightly as possible as you walk a Camino?”.

A pilgrimage invites self-reflection and for me that includes about the impact I have by doing this. For example, I live just about as far from Spain as it’s possible to be on a permanent basis. How do I minimise the impact of air travel? Can I?
Also, there’s the constant refrain, keep the weight down. Well, the only ways I can see to do that are to carry fewer things (my choices) and to have lighter weight items. And there arises a serious dilemma for me as lighter weight in general means man-made fabrics and plastics. These two things intersect then, keep down the weight, so should replace what I’ve got with lighter items? What do I do with what I’ve already got? Can I justify my purchase of lighter weight items with the environmental cost of plastics and man-made fibres?

Ultimately, I’ve found some resolution for myself by still flying and considering how I can reduce the environmental cost by things like staying longer. And justifying to myself that at least I’m doing lots of walking as transport. I also made the decision that I would not replace items for lighter weight one unless what I already had had worn out. I also consider natural fibres as much as I can, however the final decision had to be that the item suited my needs, not just what it was made from.

I’m curious about what other people reflect on in order to ‘tread lightly’ as they walk.

 

[peregrina2000]

We have had threads like this in the past, so before I take the time to think about how to answer your questions from my own vantage point, I would just like to post a “preemptive strike.” If you are not concerned about these issues, please just refrain from posting. This thread is not an invitation to debate any of the political issues or scientific facts surrounding the underlying premises of the post, so please keep that in mind.

 

[Anamiri]

I just accept that I will have to fly a really long distance to get there. I do reuse items, clothes, sleeping bag, pack etc - but I do need new shoes. Apart from shoes my gear lasts me a long time. I am taking stuff on my next one, that I bought for my first. I buy or make, only as I need.
At least whilst I'm there I'm walking, and not adding to any carbon emissions for my transport.

At home I can and do live a reasonably sustainable life, but the act of getting from NZ to Spain doesn't fit that category. I'm so addicted to walking the Camino that I do it anyway.

 

[MesaWalker]

These are very good thoughts, and it is a conundrum. On the one hand, my wife and I have gone on two long caminos (roughly 5 weeks and 9 weeks), and we believe that our environmental impact while walking the Camino is significantly less than our environmental impact at home, when taking into account driving cars, etc. But probably the long flights from the western US to Madrid and back more than counter-balance that benefit.

One thought I've had and not yet acted on is to take one of the repositioning cruises one way or the other across the Atlantic. My understanding is that approximately every six months a lot of cruise lines send their ships from the Carribean to the Mediterranean, or vice versa. If you assume those ships will cross the Atlantic with or without our presence, then our presence wouldn't be additive to the environmental harm. But I don't know whether a ship is inherently less damaging to the environment than an airplane over the distance of an ocean.

Like Anamiri, we love the Camino, and there's really nothing comparable anywhere else in the world. At some point that probably biases our decisions on whether to return to the Camino.

On materials, I do think light weight trekking gear is relatively small, specialized and mostly long-lasting. Even if they are from man-made materials, they shouldn't have a major impact on the environment - certainly a lot less than ubiquitous styrofoam containers we so often still see with carry-out food in our city. At least that's how I justify it - we can't have no environmental impact at all (breathing out carbon dioxide, disposing of human waste, etc. all have environmental impacts), and trying to minimize our impact is all we can try to do. And sometimes in weighing a slight environmental impact against the benefits of manmade materials, the materials may win. And hopefully as time goes on, more of those manmade materials will become recyclable.

 

[C clearly]

I think that the only wider cost of doing the Camino instead of walking around your neighbourhood is the travel to Spain. Everything else is minor, or an artificial distinction - I still carry stuff in a backpack, carefully select good shoes, layer up to suit the weather, wash my clothes and bedding, etc. How is the Camino different, except for the travel?

Whether we can or should justify our activities wirh trade-offs is a complicated matter.

 

[peregrina2000]

I think that there are so many different ways to think about our footprints, and it is a very personal decision you make between you and your conscience. What I have settled on is the realization that I want to do my best to offset my plane travel with making adjustments in other parts of my life. And I do that on a daily basis, with all sorts of decisions. I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed about it, but I have found that I now instinctively gravitate to the less-damaging option when it comes to local travel and overall level of consumption. Not always, but I try. And no doubt the offset is not at all perfectly achieved, because I know that air travel is a huge contributor to carbon emissions.

Has anyone donated to one of the many carbon offset non-profit organizations? I would love to hear some opinions on that. I’ve read a bit about them and know there are arguments on both sides. Rather than do that, up until now anyway, I have made a conscious effort to give more to nonprofits whose environmental track records have been vetted by reputable sources.

I think the important thing is not to give in to the despair provoked by those who think we’re all just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola @Rodney Kent,
First thanks for an in-depth analysis of the expanded camino.
Second - we from down under know that anytime we head for Western Europe, Nth America and just about anywhere else it involves 20+ flying hours.
I once tried to estimate the value of 100,000 (or more) non-Spanish pilgrims to the economy. But received so much adverse flack I deleted the post.
On my second camino I tended to let my mind drift back to some happy moments in my life, or how I could use the "challenge" of the Camino to make a real change. Not sure I have really succeeded, but I do wish to return to walk the Porto Coastal camino (maybe this September). Thanks again for challenging me to make use of my Camino time. Cheers.

 

[henrythedog]

Minimising your environmental impact having made the entirely avoidable decision to fly halfway round the world does seem to be attempting to shut the stable door after the horse has bolted.

Staying as long as one can so as to average out the impact of the flight is mathematically sensible.

Personally, I’ve chosen not to have children - and whilst I’ll not claim that it was even a consideration in my decision; my environmental impact ends with me.

 

[davejsy]

Has anyone donated to one of the many carbon offset non-profit organizations?

I have a monthly direct debit for Carbon Neutral Britain to help offset my car. It would still be better to not drive my car, but at least it's a more practical compromise. There are a lot of people who say these things are a waste of time etc, but for me it's infinitely better than just doing nothing.

In a wider term of the topic, I caught a ferry and trains to get to StJPdP and very rarely fly at all now. The problem is though that getting the ferry and train there and back probably cost me nearly 10 times what the cheapest flights would have done - this needs to change. We shouldn't be subsidising aviation fuel and not train travel - it should be the other way around.

In terms of gear, my biggest investment was my rucksack, and I paid a bit extra for a brand that's got very good green credentials and is built to last a lifetime. Everything else I tried to be as ethical as possible, but there is always going to be trade offs, however, pretty much everything is reusable for things other than Caminos.

 

[Tincatinker]

An interesting topic but with a split as wide as the oceans. Those of us from Europe don’t carry that flight related carbon burden. As with @C clearly I don’t buy stuff just for Camino the clothes, boots, backpacks and the rest are stuff I use every week. I’ve never given much thought to my environmental impact on Camino. If I did I think I’d conclude it was no different to the impact of my daily existence.

I grow, forage, hunt my food as much as I can. Some of my clothing is older than my dog. I pick up the shite that others discard and dispose of it properly.

Perhaps it’s about what we do in the rest of our life rather than that which we do on Camino that deserves the sort of deep thought that 5 or 6 days on the Meseta can provide room for

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Like fellow Kiwis this is something that I think about because our air travel impact is the greatest on average.

I have not purchased anything that I don't also use when I am tramping in Aotearoa New Zealand and I try to get out tramping as often as I can.

When I travel to Spain I always stay as close to 90 days as I can. While in Europe I try to catch up with friends in Europe and the UK so that my trip is multi-purpose.

For me, the wider costs include not only environmental factors but also life choices. A 90+ day trip to Spain and Europe costs me around NZ$10,000 per trip once I have factored everything in and discounted what I would be spending if I stayed in ANZ.

This is $10k that I could be using for something else.

When considering how I can influence global change I remind myself about a conversation that I had with a fellow tramper one day when after I had made some comment about environmental changes. He said that it all seemed hopeless to him and how could he as an individual make a meaningful difference.

Given that he was a similar age to me I reminded him two major challenges that had been turned around by individual attitudinal change.

When I was a teenager everyone seemed to smoke cigarettes and drove after drinking alcohol. It was accepted in the society that I lived in at that time.

In the case of both issues, at least in my country, society's expectations are now the polar opposite. If you smoke then that behaviour is frowned upon and you are excluded from most public spaces and if you are foolish enough to drive after drinking then almost universally your behaviour will be condemned.

I keep this in mind when I sometimes feel down about attitudes to environmental changes.

 

[witsendwv]

An interesting topic but with a split as wide as the oceans. Those of us from Europe don’t carry that flight related carbon burden. As with @C clearly I don’t buy stuff just for Camino the clothes, boots, backpacks and the rest are stuff I use every week. I’ve never given much thought to my environmental impact on Camino. If I did I think I’d conclude it was no different to the impact of my daily existence.

I grow, forage, hunt my food as much as I can. Some of my clothing is older than my dog. I pick up the shite that others discard and dispose of it properly.

Perhaps it’s about what we do in the rest of our life rather than that which we do on Camino that deserves the sort of deep thought that 5 or 6 days on the Meseta can provide room for

I agree- what we do in the rest of our lives matter rather than what we do to go on Camino. We too, grow, forage and hunt. We feed the birds so they pollinate our plants. We buy locally the best we can- it is much easier in the Spring and Summer months than the Winter. We purchase clothes when needed not just because a new season has arrived. So, the occasional trip across the Atlantic in a large metal tube with 300-500 other people (which is going to fly whether or not we are inside) is less of a consideration than how we live our daily lives. We live on a farm- we consider the environment everyday!

 

[David]

Rodney, Hola! I love your post .. it is caring, it covers a lot of territory (as will you by the time you get to Spain ).
Where to start? I don't fly (except once from Melbourne to Sydney in 1966 when I was at a rather good party and my ship sailed away without me) but I live in the UK and the whole of Europe is merely a train or car or walking journey away so no larger ethics involved.
It is true that to be properly earth conscious one shouldn't fly, or even leave one's own country (or have a car) but none of us will do that .. an awful truth that we all ignore is that no one can be 'green' and fly from far overseas to go on Camino ... no matter how lightly we try to make our Camino when in Spain, that doesn't even begin to counter the long distance travelling effects - but hey! we all know this .. and we all still come (absolutely no judgement here, I take train, boat, buses, to get to Camino from the UK and don't even wonder at what carbon cost).

I actually don't know how flights work .. a few hundred people on each aeroplane? Surely that cuts down individual carbon costs? I don't know.

Re gear on Camino - I do understand but we have had some twenty or more years of marketing indoctrination. I am old enough to remember when outdoor hobbies didn't come with expensive specific costumes and kit.
I fished when young - had one rod and some hooks and floats, took bait and off I went, that was all I needed, unlike today .. same with cycling, I would just wear clothing I already had and went off on my bike.
Same with hiking - I just chose what seemed the most appropriate clothing from what I had and wore that.

If we strip away the needing to dress in 'outdoor' costumes from outdoor shops, that indoctrinating marketing hype, well, why not just do what has been pretty normal behaviour until relatively recently. Just wear what is comfortable .. either things you already have or start looking in charity shops.
Here an example - in any big supermarket that also sells their own clothing line there will be shorts and shirts and underwear and sweaters, and waterproofs, and footwear, that are perfectly fine to wear but cost maybe one fifth or even one tenth of "hiking" gear - buy that.

You are concerned about weight in your rucksack? Spain is a modern civilised country and has those clothes selling supermarkets in every big town and city - so just pack this way - wear one, carry one - that is all you need - trust me, all you need. Wear one, carry one. Something goes wrong? When you get into a big enough town (a few days apart on Camino really) go into one of those shops and buy fresh at ridiculously cheap prices - forget fashion, forget costumes, just buy and wear comfortable things.
note: all big supermarkets now have ethical clothes policies.

I think it is great that you care but, well, be objective, none of us have changed our lifestyles .. we carry on as we have always done ....

 

[Joynz]

Many airlines - including Air NZ - offer the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions. Perhaps explore that to balance up the emissions you will be using to get to Spain by air.

 

[LTfit]

What a thoughtful post, something important to consider not just on but more importantly off the Camino as others have mentioned.

As a repeat offender and given my personal situation, this issue has rarely concerned me although there is always room for improvement. Why?

- I'm using the same kit for many, many years. The gear I use on the Camino I also wear at home. I do buy new trail runners regularly but they're also for home use so I would buy them anyway as I wear them daily.

- I've been a vegan for 5 years and before that a vegetarian

- I have a vegetable garden and buy local products

- I bike and walk pretty much everywhere I can.

- I live in Europe. I do fly to Spain in 2 hours (doing Le Puy I took the train) so there is room for improvement here although to be honest I probably won't.

- My footprint on the Camino is even less than at home as I walk everywhere!

Food for thought. Thank you for bringing up the topic.

 

[Paladina]

I signed the renewable ‘Flight Free’ pledge a few years ago, committing myself to the avoidance of flying other than in an emergency. If I can’t travel by boat, bus or train, I’m resolved not to go. (One infraction so far!) I’m a lifelong non-driver, a committed walker, cyclist and user of public transport. I’ve been a vegetarian for over 50 years, now a non-dogmatic vegan, producing much of what I eat. I don’t waste food or water. For all that, I’m still a climate offender, being unable to afford to install a sustainable heating system in my hundred-year-old farmhouse, and I still buy more stuff than I really need, albeit mostly secondhand. Like most of us in the western world, I could and should do better. I may never undertake another continental Camino, but there is nothing other than infirmity to prevent me from making more pilgrimages in my own country. (I’m not convinced by carbon offsets: they’re better at salving one’s conscience than saving the planet.) Not being without environmental sin, however, I will not throw stones at greater or lesser spotted delinquents.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

We are all different...I do not fret over what I am doing to the environment by flying to enjoy my numerous various travels, including Caminos over the years and have no guilt.
I live in a small town outside a city in the US, so when using my car, I make it count when I go to the city by combining errands. There are no bus or train options where I live and apart from larger cities the US is sorely lacking.
Other than travel, most areas of my life have been steeped in frugality by choice and not need. I am a huge fan of thrift store shopping and is a hobby of mine. I much prefer it to retail or Amazon shopping and get lots more satisfaction as l consider it the recycling of goods already put in motion by others.
I buy no special Camino clothes, apart from shoes, backpack, and my Tilley hat, which I have yet to use and regret the purchase which I made on a whim.

 

[NorthfaceJohn]

Hola,
Each time I’ve walked a Camino and read posts about gear and clothing, I’ve wondered about the wider costs of walking, not just to me if I buy new gear, but to the environment. This is a question that I find going through my mind more and more. I’m curious if other people reflect on this as they prepare for a Camino and how they find some sort of resolution to this dilemma. I suppose what I’m asking myself and you is “How do you tread as lightly as possible as you walk a Camino?”.

A pilgrimage invites self-reflection and for me that includes about the impact I have by doing this. For example, I live just about as far from Spain as it’s possible to be on a permanent basis. How do I minimise the impact of air travel? Can I?
Also, there’s the constant refrain, keep the weight down. Well, the only ways I can see to do that are to carry fewer things (my choices) and to have lighter weight items. And there arises a serious dilemma for me as lighter weight in general means man-made fabrics and plastics. These two things intersect then, keep down the weight, so should replace what I’ve got with lighter items? What do I do with what I’ve already got? Can I justify my purchase of lighter weight items with the environmental cost of plastics and man-made fibres?

Ultimately, I’ve found some resolution for myself by still flying and considering how I can reduce the environmental cost by things like staying longer. And justifying to myself that at least I’m doing lots of walking as transport. I also made the decision that I would not replace items for lighter weight one unless what I already had had worn out. I also consider natural fibres as much as I can, however the final decision had to be that the item suited my needs, not just what it was made from.

I’m curious about what other people reflect on in order to ‘tread lightly’ as they walk.

I have found that the first time I walked the Camino was a minimalist reset. By carrying everything on my back, I realised how little that I need and how to multipurpose each item. Looking in a shop window thinking "Oh that would be nice", but then realising that I would have to carry it even when the novelty wore off was a a realisation that hads continued after the Camino. In fact that is one of the reasons for me doing the Camino again to reaffirm how little one really needs and as a kind of immunisation against the overt marketing of consumerism . I think if walking the Camino encourages you to alter you're lifestyle to consume less then that mitigates some of the environmental impact of travel.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

These two things intersect then, keep down the weight, so should replace what I’ve got with lighter items? What do I do with what I’ve already got? Can I justify my purchase of lighter weight items with the environmental cost of plastics and man-made fibres?

Good points. I certainly understand the desire to go lighter, my gear nowadays is considerably lighter than it used to be 30 years ago - materials are better, stronger and lighter than ever before. But too many people get taken in with the whole ultra light trend. Yes being lighter is better to a point but when it comes at a higher environmental cost then I refuse.

Buying the 'new, better' version of an item you already own just doesn't work for me. My car in New Zealand was 30 years old and still ran really well. When I mentioned that to somebody here in Germany they pointed out that the cost to the environment was high and I should have replaced it years ago. My response was that the environmental cost to produce a new car was far, far higher than the difference in running costs would ever amount to. I try to consider that philosophy prior to all my purchases.

My Merino clothing is worn in my daily life, not just on trail. It's replaced when it's worn out, not before. Ditto my shoes. In fact, the only thing that is not is my camino backpack.

think it is great that you care but, well, be objective, none of us have changed our lifestyles .. we carry on as we have always done ....

To an extent yes, in that I still drive a car - although far less than I used to - and still occasionally fly. I'm also selfish enough to travel for pleasure, again, far less than I used to. Purely and simply because I have become aware of the effects to the environment.

I've always bought secondhand when possible, partly because of the cost but more because I simply don't see the need to buy new. I grew out of 'fashion' in my early/mid twenties, probably around the same time frame as I stopped drinking to stupid excess. And once I stopped travelling the world I started growing my own produce, or at least a good proportion thereof. I've also learned to hunt and fish in my teens. (Simply because I believe that if you want to eat flesh you should be prepared to kill it).

In other elements of my life, no. For example:
I now limit my use of plastic as much as possible.
When I cannot reuse, I recycle.

Supposedly the animal flesh industry produces more environmentally damaging gases then the entirety of the transport industry. Beef being by far the highest. Since I became aware of that my eating habits have changed drastically. I'm a New Zealander, I dearly love my beef and lamb. I would love to sink my teeth into a decent steak, but have not done so for several years now. If and when I next do it will be locally sourced, grass fed, and Bio. So yes it will cost a bloody fortune and I probably won't get one here in Europe.
The environmental cost of the beef in a single quarter-pounder burger is absolutely massive - I haven't eaten a burger in years.

And I apply similar principles to other purchases that I make.

I walked 8 kilometers today for a few groceries. Home in New Zealand I seldom walked more than a few hundred meters unless less out hiking. Yes, fitness pays a part, but I had the time and I'd rather spare the environmental impact.

My generation and the generation prior - so, most of us on here - made uninformed errors in our lifestyle choices that many of us would not have made had we been aware of the consequences. My next major trip - home to New Zealand - will, all going well, be my last. I would dearly love to visit or revisit many corners of the world; to walk the PCT would be my dream. But it is unlikely to happen unless I include the trip to the USA on my journey home. From then on, my walking will be on the trails of Aotearoa.

I am older and I hope a little wiser than when I first started 40 years ago. And I want my son to at least have the chance to live on this earth of ours, that we have so badly damaged.

And yes, I will miss the Camino

 

[MarkBauman]

This is a great topic! I've also sometimes struggled with the environmental impact of travel. I do attempt to live in a way that has a light environmental footprint, but I know air travel, in particular, is a heavy burden on the environment. I've tried to come to terms with it by being more conscious here at home with using my bike & walking or using the city bus when that is an option. Also, living with less needs. It turns out my natural frugality is a good thing. It means I have fewer needs, when I do need something, I'm more likely to first consider borrowing the object or buying second hand - in the ethic of 'recycle, reuse'. Some communities (including the church I attend) have a sharing directory, which includes household items, lawn mowers, camping equipment, tools, canoes, etc. Consider starting a sharing directory in your community if you don't already have one.

 

[Rodney Kent]

Thank you. Such interesting, thoughtful replies. I really appreciate the time you all have taken with responses. What strikes me most is the idea of treading lightly wherever we are, doing whatever we are doing. It’s about making thoughtful, considered decisions at each moment. I suppose that’s what I’m doing already and I’ll keep doing it. And sit on my wallet the next time I see that gadget that will be really useful.
Buen Camino, Everyone.

 

[David Tallan]

Hola,
Each time I’ve walked a Camino and read posts about gear and clothing, I’ve wondered about the wider costs of walking, not just to me if I buy new gear, but to the environment. This is a question that I find going through my mind more and more. I’m curious if other people reflect on this as they prepare for a Camino and how they find some sort of resolution to this dilemma. I suppose what I’m asking myself and you is “How do you tread as lightly as possible as you walk a Camino?”.

A pilgrimage invites self-reflection and for me that includes about the impact I have by doing this. For example, I live just about as far from Spain as it’s possible to be on a permanent basis. How do I minimise the impact of air travel? Can I?
Also, there’s the constant refrain, keep the weight down. Well, the only ways I can see to do that are to carry fewer things (my choices) and to have lighter weight items. And there arises a serious dilemma for me as lighter weight in general means man-made fabrics and plastics. These two things intersect then, keep down the weight, so should replace what I’ve got with lighter items? What do I do with what I’ve already got? Can I justify my purchase of lighter weight items with the environmental cost of plastics and man-made fibres?

Ultimately, I’ve found some resolution for myself by still flying and considering how I can reduce the environmental cost by things like staying longer. And justifying to myself that at least I’m doing lots of walking as transport. I also made the decision that I would not replace items for lighter weight one unless what I already had had worn out. I also consider natural fibres as much as I can, however the final decision had to be that the item suited my needs, not just what it was made from.

I’m curious about what other people reflect on in order to ‘tread lightly’ as they walk.

One of the things I do is invest in carbon offsets when purchasing my flight tickets to a Camino.

 

[Bob P]

I have found that the first time I walked the Camino was a minimalist reset. By carrying everything on my back, I realised how little that I need and how to multipurpose each item. Looking in a shop window thinking "Oh that would be nice", but then realising that I would have to carry it even when the novelty wore off was a a realisation that hads continued after the Camino. In fact that is one of the reasons for me doing the Camino again to reaffirm how little one really needs and as a kind of immunisation against the overt marketing of consumerism . I think if walking the Camino encourages you to alter you're lifestyle to consume less then that mitigates some of the environmental impact of travel.

Super True! My first Camino changed much of how I look at "things". My first trip I started with 17# on my back and finished with 13#. I'm starting this year with 12#. On the Camino and the Appalachian Trail, I see all the things people drop along the way. Some expensive stuff! I look at them and think "Nope, I don't need it". This has been one of the more significant things (not the biggest) that I learned on Camino. Less is More.

 

[witsendwv]

One of the things I do is invest in carbon offsets when purchasing my flight tickets to a Camino.

Can you explain how you verify the environmental benefits of your purchase? How do you know that the emissions that you cause by flying are actually offset- by whom and how?

 

[sjdaotearoa]

A late entry and not much to add to everything everyone has said above @Rodney Kent. 'Am guessing you are in Aotearoa since you appear to have just woken up! A group of friends and I were discussing the best way to get to the South Island for a hike, and an aeronautical engineer for our national carrier who was in the group mentioned that in fact, the bulk of any flight - the 'cruising' part is very low carbon footprint. It's the take off and landing that is not. So you could also consider the duration of those flights. We ended up driving/Cook Straight ferry/driving and calculated it was about the same. The benefit was having a car at the other end.

As others have said, the bigger picture of how you choose to live is of significance, and it sounds like you are already making sound decisions in that area. Outside of shoes, I've taken the same kit on two camino's 5 years apart including 2nd hand icebreaker merino t-shirts and an Osprey pack bought on Trade Me. I even wore the same 2 pairs of Injinji Nuwool socks on both camino's and they are still in great nick and linking up for a third camino next year.

Buen Camino

 

[David Tallan]

Can you explain how you verify the environmental benefits of your purchase? How do you know that the emissions that you cause by flying are actually offset- by whom and how?

I've only done this once so far, for my last Camino. I admit I based my choice on the research of someone I know whose research I trusted much more than my own, with my lack of expertise in this area. I am very aware that the benefits are in the future and the cost is in the present. For that reason, I doubled the amount that the calculator suggested. Still not perfect and I'm open to other suggestions.

 

[witsendwv]

I've only done this once so far, for my last Camino. I admit I based my choice on the research of someone I know whose research I trusted much more than my own, with my lack of expertise in this area. I am very aware that the benefits are in the future and the cost is in the present. For that reason, I doubled the amount that the calculator suggested. Still not perfect and I'm open to other suggestions.

It appears that you are relying on someone else to lower their emissions so you can increase yours to fly. Seems to me to be a lot of room for scams. From the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Climate Portal: Although carbon offsets have appealing benefits, it is important to keep in mind the challenges and costs of using them, including the difficulty of verifying their environmental benefits. Several studies of offset markets have found evidence of “over-crediting,” or selling offsets that promise more emissions reductions than they actually achieve. Another concern is whether companies and countries are using carbon offsets as a “get out of jail free card” to avoid lowering their own carbon emissions. Nonetheless, if used appropriately, offsets can be a useful tool in the fight against global warming.
I think if I had to assuage guilt from flying- rather than invest in something so iffy I would just make a donation to a local charity or food bank. It may not reduce emissions either, but someone may just not go hungry.

 

[David Tallan]

Several studies of offset markets have found evidence of “over-crediting,” or selling offsets that promise more emissions reductions than they actually achieve. Another concern is whether companies and countries are using carbon offsets as a “get out of jail free card” to avoid lowering their own carbon emissions. Nonetheless, if used appropriately, offsets can be a useful tool in the fight against global warming.

You mention three challenges:
1. Scams. I did my best to address this by relying on the advice of a trusted person. Yes, it is true it would probably best for me to do a forensic audit myself. But I trust this person and their expertise in the area enough to rely on their advice as to where to take my money.
2. Over-crediting. I think the doubling I referenced above addresses this to a certain extent, as does not just sending my money to the first place that shows up in a Google search.
3. Get out of jail free. I am not a company or country. I'm not sure what the suggestion is in regard to this. Never do another Camino?

I think it is worth noting that the overall conclusion is that "offsets can be a useful tool in the fight against global warming". I am doing my best to use them appropriately. I'm not sure that donating to a local charity like the United Way counts as appropriate use of offsets or will at all reduce the impact of my flights.

 

[witsendwv]

I think it is worth noting that the overall conclusion is that "offsets can be a useful tool in the fight against global warming". I am doing my best to use them appropriately. I'm not sure that donating to a local charity like the United Way counts as appropriate use of offsets or will at all reduce the impact of my flights.

I still think this scheme is like buying indulgences- or throwing money into a fire. Unless I can absolutely verify that my hard earned dollar is actually going to help offset emissions I will stick helping people locally with immediate needs.

 

[David Tallan]

I still think this scheme is like buying indulgences- or throwing money into a fire. Unless I can absolutely verify that my hard earned dollar is actually going to help offset emissions I will stick helping people locally with immediate needs.

Had this been a thread asking how I support local charities, I might have talked about this. This is a thread asking us to consider the environmental impact of our Caminos and what we might do about them. Posting about my support of local charities didn't seem on topic. YMMV, of course. No one is saying that you have to or should buy offsets.

 

[jwcurry]

Given that many of us are going to travel and travel great distances anyway, I think traversing a Camino route is probably about the least environmentally impactful travel possible.

I'm looking into freighter/cargo/container ship booking to reduce the impact of flying. Well that......and I like being out in open water. I think it's a great way to travel if you have the time. Not cheap at 100-150 Euros a day.

 

[alexwalker]

A timely thread.

Here at home, we recycle everything: Paper, plastic, organics, waste (goes to burning and generating hydro power), empty bottles/cans, cardboard, etc. It is all reused.

I live in a country powered entirely by renewable hydro (water) power. We even reuse the water by resending it back into the reservoires (lifting it back is energy-effective).

And to expand our power needs, we build windmills and solar panels. We are as green as we can be.

I participate in yearly cleanups of our beaches, removing plastic, fishing gear (all plastic) and general garbage, delivered to our coastline from countries/boats far away.

I take 4 short air flights (within Europe) each year: To and from the Camino(s) and 2 for our holiday in a warmer place than Norway. These trips are a necessity for me.

I use the train if I can: 2 times I have returned from my Camino and back home by train (5 days).

When I arrive in Spain, I use train to reach my starting place.

My backpack and most other items for the Camino, except shoes, are the same as 16 years ago.

And then I kind of feel like it's of no use: My contributions to saving the planet is nullified by the power needs and pollution released by the world's largest countries. It seems they don't care. See attached pictures.

Not to mention all the climate (and other) conferences taking place in distant fancy destinations, attended by dignitaries and politicians from all over the world, going in and out in their private jets, bringing their own transport vehicles by separate transport jets.

And as it goes on, ordinary people are blamed for destroying our world. Go figure...

Sorry to say: We, ordinary people, are doing all we can to help our planet, but we are even made feeling guilty for not doing more, but our efforts are not helping even as much as a drop in the ocean, compared to the economic interests at stake for some.

Edit I: I use my 27 year old BMW car 3 times per week for a short drive to stock up on food in our fridge so we can survive the next few days. I hope it's fairly OK.

Edit II: In our house, we have supplies to survive on our own for quite some time; 3 loaded fridges, (where we live, it's freezing cold outside as well), reserve food, alternatives for heating & cooking, etc. should our society/world break down, in these times.

These attached images will show some of the problems:

 

[K_Lynn]

I am aware that by travelling across North America and then across an ocean (it usually takes 3 flights) to get to my Camino starting point that I am contributing to a greater, global problem. I do try to minimize my damage by never having had a driver's license so I walk or take public transit 90% of the time, the other 10% would be when my partner drives us to the grocery store or I need to take a taxi somewhere. I do not grow my own food but I do not purchase heavily processed foods and about a third to half our meals are vegetarian or vegan - I am aware that all the food that I eat at home has been flown and trucked thousands of kilometers to get to me. We do not have children and that limits future damage, but we do have a dog and there is an impact to having pets whether we like to admit it or not.

I love shopping. Or rather, I love the idea of shopping, I'm not a fan of buying. lol I've chosen my gear for Camino pretty carefully, and it gets worn on Camino and at home. I don't see the point in owning clothing that I am only going to wear only every couple of years. The upside to wearing my hiking pants daily at home means that I know how they wear over time, the downside of course is that they may need to be replaced, but then any article of clothing would face the same conundrum. Buying less is really the goal.

On Camino and on any other holidays I take, I try to be cognizant of how my visiting somewhere for my amusement, personal enrichment or spiritual purposes affects the people that live in that location. To that end I stay in hotels or registered posadas and pensiones and not apartments or houses that remove available housing from the people of that town or city.

It is a difficult balancing to travel responsibly. To visit and experience places while not damaging them. To be able to enrich ourselves without impoverishing others.

 

[RRat]

If I stay home, I'll be driving my speed boat at unreasonable high speeds, guzzling gallons of gas, or going through the desert kicking up tons of dust in my 4X4. So the Camino is a better choice.

 

[DBC]

Hola,
Each time I’ve walked a Camino and read posts about gear and clothing, I’ve wondered about the wider costs of walking, not just to me if I buy new gear, but to the environment. This is a question that I find going through my mind more and more. I’m curious if other people reflect on this as they prepare for a Camino and how they find some sort of resolution to this dilemma. I suppose what I’m asking myself and you is “How do you tread as lightly as possible as you walk a Camino?”.

A pilgrimage invites self-reflection and for me that includes about the impact I have by doing this. For example, I live just about as far from Spain as it’s possible to be on a permanent basis. How do I minimise the impact of air travel? Can I?
Also, there’s the constant refrain, keep the weight down. Well, the only ways I can see to do that are to carry fewer things (my choices) and to have lighter weight items. And there arises a serious dilemma for me as lighter weight in general means man-made fabrics and plastics. These two things intersect then, keep down the weight, so should replace what I’ve got with lighter items? What do I do with what I’ve already got? Can I justify my purchase of lighter weight items with the environmental cost of plastics and man-made fibres?

Ultimately, I’ve found some resolution for myself by still flying and considering how I can reduce the environmental cost by things like staying longer. And justifying to myself that at least I’m doing lots of walking as transport. I also made the decision that I would not replace items for lighter weight one unless what I already had had worn out. I also consider natural fibres as much as I can, however the final decision had to be that the item suited my needs, not just what it was made from.

I’m curious about what other people reflect on in order to ‘tread lightly’ as they walk.

The only “new” kit I had were my boots and socks. Everything else was kit or clothing I have had and used on day hikes for at least 10 years.

 

[witsendwv]

Had this been a thread asking how I support local charities, I might have talked about this. This is a thread asking us to consider the environmental impact of our Caminos and what we might do about them. Posting about my support of local charities didn't seem on topic. YMMV, of course. No one is saying that you have to or should buy offsets.

Nonetheless, if used appropriately, offsets can be a useful tool in the fight against global warming. Note that the website said that offsets can be a useful tool- not that they state that offsets are actually a useful tool to truly offset emissions. Until someone can show me that sending money to a website that tells me that sometime in the future someone will do something to counteract your or my emissions will I send $$$.

 

[Old Kiwi]

Fortunately New Zealand is surrounded by water and a long way from the rest of the world. That is just the way that us Kiwis like it. As a consequence, if we want to go anywhere else we must use the big metal bird in the sky. I don't like the emissions from aircraft any more than anyone else but I have no choice. When I go to a Camino I always go direct to London and spend some time with family there before flying down to the start of the Camino. This helps me justify the flight. I try not to feel so guilty by saying that the plane will fly with or without me. It works to some extent. I have owned my car for 25 years and it has just reached 100,000 kilometres because I only use it for long trips or when I have a large load to carry. I will walk whenever the trip is less than 5 kilometres, but I have a bicycle with a large box on the back for longer distances. I fool myself into thinking that I have produced so little pollution that my share of pollution on the odd plane trip to a Camino is not that bad.
For my first Camino I took clothes out of my drawers that I already had. Two marino shirts, two pairs of cotton shorts, three pairs of cotton underpants, a sweat shirt and a very light windbreaker jacket.. I have used these same clothes on every Camino. Upon returning home everything gets washed and then goes back in the pack ready for the next one. My pack weighs 4.5 kilos. The only new things I buy are a pair of trail runners and a pair of Ivebreaker socks and two pair of toe socks. Overall, other that my share of the pollution from the air flight, my affect on the planet is almost nil.

 

[lalaone]

Oh man, alexwalker – those photos. Reminds me of a niche American movie, First Reformed, one of the saddest and darkest films I’ve seen. (Maybe even more so because the recommendations were high among clergy members.) Just palpable despair, perhaps understandably so. A major moment revolves around a slideshow of environmental catastrophe, much like these photos. I do not have personal answers except trying to live minimally, simply, and consciously in everyday life, as so many have described very well! While also trying to keep hope and stave against panic or despair

 

[PeteD]

Flying from Australia to Europe is always going to be the highest environmental impact through carbon emissions on any Camino and I do struggle at times with the apparent selfish nature of that action. Once in Europe we try to travel by train wherever possible. Might even consider traveling home via cruise ship as a couple we met on the CF last year were planning. Not sure how the carbon emissions would compare though?
As others have noted, most other decisions are minor in comparison, however I try to make as many changes in our non-Camino life as possible to at least start from a lower carbon baseline.
And perhaps the great unknown is the potential benefits walking a pilgrimage produces in the world through walking as a form of meditation and prayer?

 

[Kirkie]

"I’m curious about what other people reflect on in order to ‘tread lightly’ as they walk"
Thanks for the thread.
In my life, which is almost 77 years long, I have come to pay attention to the circle created by the bulk of me, the shadow I cause by my presence, simply by standing up.
In my everyday life, I walk where I can. I have free travel in the country where I live, public transport. If I were to seriously adopt a carbon saving attitude, I would never again turn the key in the car ignition. I would never again get on a bus, or a train. I would never again...
Fill in the blank yourself.
I would like to say to those who have vast distances to travel, to reach a Camino: do it, or don't.
No amount of soul searching will reduce the carbon cost. No amount of compensation will offset the price.
Maybe what I keep unsaid is best kept silent.
The Camino is a magnet!
Why?
There are so many rabbit holes to go down - Thanks, Alice! - but please, travellers from far off places - don't feel guilty. The Camino is something your heart and soul needs.
Buen Camino.

 

[Roland49]

“How do you tread as lightly as possible as you walk a Camino?”.

Most equipment that I brought to my Camino in '19 I owned already. Only bought a bumpack and new boots.
On booking airfares I include the CO2 compensation (a few Euros extra) and use airlines that offers informations about their environmental impact.
The only parts of my equipment renewed were 2 (too) cheap Merino T-Shirts. All other parts are sustainable and still in use.
I try to reduce my personal impact on the global system. Uses smart systems for controlling my flat (lights, heating, appliances). Use car only, if necessary (commuting to work, weekly shopping run). Buy and sell used goods, if possible. Recycle most of my trash (mandantory by law in Germany).

 

[Paladina]

Many returned pilgrims, after the experience of travelling light, are convinced that we could, and indeed should, live quite happily without an accretion of consumer goods. While we pride ourselves on our attempts to reduce our material footprint, we tend to ignore our increasing digital footprint. Data centres, on which all members of this forum depend, allegedly use as much energy as the aviation sector. 'If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.' How can we purge ourselves of this postmillennial eco-sin?

 

[Kirkie]

Many returned pilgrims, after the experience of travelling light, are convinced that we could, and indeed should, live quite happily without an accretion of consumer goods. While we pride ourselves on our attempts to reduce our material footprint, we tend to ignore our increasing digital footprint. Data centres, on which all members of this forum depend, allegedly use as much energy as the aviation sector. 'If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.' How can we purge ourselves of this postmillennial eco-sin?

I did try to quote, but my previous copy of a banana recipe interfered!!!
Purge?
I know. Nothing can be sealed and sorted, actually. Eco-sin? Any sin. any sin.

 

[Roland49]

Many returned pilgrims, after the experience of travelling light, are convinced that we could, and indeed should, live quite happily without an accretion of consumer goods. While we pride ourselves on our attempts to reduce our material footprint, we tend to ignore our increasing digital footprint. Data centres, on which all members of this forum depend, allegedly use as much energy as the aviation sector. 'If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.' How can we purge ourselves of this postmillennial eco-sin?

That's why I don't use any streaming-service. As I read last year, 2/3 of all digital traffic through Europes largest central main-node in Frankfurt is videostream.
All datacenters in Frankfurt (especially banking and finance) could heat the central parts of Frankfurt (business district included) with their waste heat.

 

[Paladina]

That's why I don't use any streaming-service.

Me neither, but that’s because I’m not so much illiterate as e-literate!

 

[David]

Recycling is good but it wasn't voluntary, it became law, with fines for not doing it. The same with the move to less polluting cars .. expensive clean air zones and so on, not voluntary, not choice. So there is no virtue in it.

I do see a lot of virtue signalling amongst my friends, as if recycling or similar can 'save the world' but that actually isn't the problem. The world doesn't even have a real energy problem - we have the technology already to fully sort that (we just need the will).

The problem is that everything we use in our lives and have in our homes ... cutlery, furniture, curtains, pots and pans, clothes, lightbulbs, cookers, etc, etc .. everything! has been manufactured by obtaining raw items from the earth, then foundries, then factories and each step involves vast amounts of transport ... then everything we have has been delivered from that long process by lorry, often after global journeys.
We all use computers and mobile phones and smart TVs ... and every single item in them is rare in some way. The batteries are made from rare-earth ores (the clue is in the name), those hugely polluting ores mined almost exclusively by slaves or the poorest living in slave conditions.

Hiking clothes and footwear are nearly all polyesters and nylons ... oil and coal sourced and industrially processed ...

We cannot get away from this and still maintain our standard of living - no one is 'green' as no one can be, not and keep our living standards. So when we see photos of smoking chimneys and sprawls of foundries and factories 'over there' - remember that it is you who are the consumer of that process, they are there because you are there.
The same with plastics - plastic in all forms is a wonderful product with countless beneficial uses that has vastly improved our lives - the problem there is using it for one-use products and humans littering it, discarding it - the problem isn't the plastic, it is the humans.

The real calculation is never done and it is really simple. Even with modern eco processes brought in to everything we do, at nearly 8 billion people we will still need 2.5 planets to live on and we only have one - so the calculation the world should be making is this -
"once we have introduced modern non-polluting processes to all parts of society how many humans can our planet support long term if all are brought up to first world standards?"
(It is about 2 billion max).
Then introduce benign global policies to reduce our population to that figure over, say, 100 years.

So - we live our lives as part of this .. the thoughtful amongst us tread lightly but let us not fool ourselves, we are the problem, each one of us, and I am yet to hear of one pilgrim who decided not to go on Camino because of the crisis that Earth is under (and that includes me, I am off in a few weeks )

Buen Camino.

 

[Robo]

So - we live our lives as part of this .. the thoughtful amongst us tread lightly but let us not fool ourselves, we are the problem, each one of us, and I am yet to hear of one pilgrim who decided not to go on Camino because of the crisis that Earth is under (and that includes me, I am off in a few weeks )

Buen Camino.

Indeed @David

“We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us”

 

[LizziM]

It's often been said that the Camino, as well as everything around it, can be a reflection of one's inner habits and philosophies on life as a whole. I've been reflecting on this myself for the last few weeks, as I expended an unbalanced amount of energy in preparing to begin my Camino tomorrow.

I was looking forward to the peace, simplicity and camaraderie of the experience, but the amount of shopping and planning I needed to do became exhausting. My life felt out of balance as I planned, and there was something neurotic about obsessing over finding the 'right' equipment.

I found myself in endless internet shopping rabbitholes, buying and returning 30 different pairs of shoes, reading the camino forum, watching youtube packing list videos, comparing lightweight quilts and sleeping bags, as well as so many other accessories I probably don't really need) I think I spent almost as much money on gear as the trip itself.

I did this, all the while knowing deep down that none of it would matter much once I was on the Camino. Somehow everything, including the camino, turns into some kind of consumer focused activity. We can't seem to get away from it. I wondered if the obsession with shopping for gear was a neurosis sort of unique to me, or whether it's common for pilgrims to become pathologically preoccupied with planning for simplicity, yet achieving the opposite.

I'm sure that historically, pilgrims just brought what they had. I met a group years ago who walked in jeans and cotton canvas backpacks. Other pilgrims initially judged them, saying that they were silly for their lack of preparation, silly for wearing such 'heavy' clothing. But as I got to know them, I could see how peaceful and at ease they were. Looking back, their lack of concern about the 'right' gear was truly a reflection of the spirit of the way.

It seems incredibly wasteful and expensive to spend so much time and money finding gear that may not be used after the Camino. I wish there was a solid, central camino buy and sell app, with physical locations, where we could buy, sell or donate things like poles, packs, sleeping bags, or other gear we may no longer need nor be able to take with us afterward.

Today I arrived in Burgos, and will begin walking tomorrow. In spite of my efforts, my bag is too heavy. I'm already reevaluating my packing choices, and contemplating which items to send ahead or give away. I'm looking forward to lightening my load, both literally and metaphorically.

And it's a reflection of a larger pattern in our lives. How many of us are truly minimalists? How many of us would like to be, yet find ourselves with houses full of stuff we no longer need or use? How wasteful are we in our lives as a whole? How much is enough?

 

[BarbaraW]

I've often considered this, but never had the courage to start a thread. There are many thoughtful responses. About 20 years ago colleagues and I calculated our carbon footprints and I found that I could reduce mine most by not flying. It helped that I never liked getting on aeroplanes, but as a keen traveller thought I would find it hard not being able to go to places that I had long wanted to visit. It has been surprisingly easy.

I'm fortunate to live in Europe and have the time to travel by train (but my tickets cost £200: a flight on the same day is 30 euros.) But there is still an environmental impact, and I wonder how much I am being self-indulgent in walking for the third time. Why do I not seek the joy and the insights which the camino gives me, closer to home?

Like many here I also think about the money I am spending, and whether that is right. The only way I can cope with those moral conflicts is to focus on doing "what I can, where I can".

Has anyone made a conscious decision not to walk another Camino for such reasons?

 

[David]

In reply to BarbaraW - first of many I think as a lovely post - further up I suppose I wrote about the rather bleak "cost calculation" to so many careless humans living on this planet but there is so much more to being human than a balance sheet, whether it is funds or carbon emissions ...

.. what is Camino and why are we drawn to it? Called to it? I don't know, it doesn't even make sense, it is expensive, difficult, strenuous, uncomfortable, true, there are joys but also tears, people even die on it ... but whatever it is it can feed us, renew us, at a deep deep level, an ancestors connection level that is so profoundly ancient that I find it impossible to verbalise it .. for many of us Camino is when we become 'real' amongst other humans and across a foreign landscape, a realness that can make our actual 'real' lives at home faint, colourless, and false (is so why we need to cut ties with home and modern gadgets when we are out there) ..

this cannot be added to our logic cold balance sheets - how would one write it? - so I go .. and would suggest that we don't allow the imp on our shoulder to chatter guilt and 'reasons not to' into our unwary ear .. we are the image bearers of the divine, each of us with that light, and to me? we burn brighter on Camino.
Buen Camino all xx

 

[Bob P]

Interesting numbers, took a while to find them. Carbon footprint by mode of transport.

Train 177grams per passenger mile
Air 191 grams per passenger mile
Bus 299 grams per passenger mile
Car 371 grams per passenger mile

Ship 471 KG per passenger day, couldn't find per passenger mile statistic. But it would be UGLY.

And, A new pair of shoes, 14KG cradle to grave.

 

[KariannNor]

A timely thread.

Here at home, we recycle everything: Paper, plastic, organics, waste (goes to burning and generating hydro power), empty bottles/cans, cardboard, etc. It is all reused.

I live in a country powered entirely by renewable hydro (water) power. We even reuse the water by resending it back into the reservoires (lifting it back is energy-effective).

And to expand our power needs, we build windmills and solar panels. We are as green as we can be.

I participate in yearly cleanups of our beaches, removing plastic, fishing gear (all plastic) and general garbage, delivered to our coastline from countries/boats far away.

I take 4 short air flights (within Europe) each year: To and from the Camino(s) and 2 for our holiday in a warmer place than Norway. These trips are a necessity for me.

I use the train if I can: 2 times I have returned from my Camino and back home by train (5 days).

When I arrive in Spain, I use train to reach my starting place.

My backpack and most other items for the Camino, except shoes, are the same as 16 years ago.

And then I kind of feel like it's of no use: My contributions to saving the planet is nullified by the power needs and pollution released by the world's largest countries. It seems they don't care. See attached pictures.

Not to mention all the climate (and other) conferences taking place in distant fancy destinations, attended by dignitaries and politicians from all over the world, going in and out in their private jets, bringing their own transport vehicles by separate transport jets.

And as it goes on, ordinary people are blamed for destroying our world. Go figure...

Sorry to say: We, ordinary people, are doing all we can to help our planet, but we are even made feeling guilty for not doing more, but our efforts are not helping even as much as a drop in the ocean, compared to the economic interests at stake for some.

Edit I: I use my 27 year old BMW car 3 times per week for a short drive to stock up on food in our fridge so we can survive the next few days. I hope it's fairly OK.

Edit II: In our house, we have supplies to survive on our own for quite some time; 3 loaded fridges, (where we live, it's freezing cold outside as well), reserve food, alternatives for heating & cooking, etc. should our society/world break down, in these times.

These attached images will show some of the problems:

View attachment 165992View attachment 165993View attachment 165994

True, but the "best in class" does not have railway for the top 1000km when traveling north. Plane or car are the only options, and tourism in north is increasing. A paradox..

 

[KariannNor]

Interesting numbers, took a while to find them. Carbon footprint by mode of transport.

Train 177grams per passenger mile
Air 191 grams per passenger mile
Bus 299 grams per passenger mile
Car 371 grams per passenger mile

Ship 471 KG per passenger day, couldn't find per passenger mile statistic. But it would be UGLY.

And, A new pair of shoes, 14KG cradle to grave.

May I ask, which source did you use?

 

[Marc S.]

Interesting numbers, took a while to find them. Carbon footprint by mode of transport.

Train 177grams per passenger mile
Air 191 grams per passenger mile
Bus 299 grams per passenger mile
Car 371 grams per passenger mile

No wonder these numbers (which are relatively favorable about the carbon footprint of travelling by plane) were hard to find. They are not in line with other sources that are based on scientific research, and which are very easy to find actually.

Please - and as was made clear in post #2 - if you are not interested in this thread, stay away from it, instead of presenting these kind of "alternative facts".

 

[Bob P]

If you want to side-string I'll discuss.

 

[Barbara]

My car is twenty years old. I fly a tiny aircraft that is also twenty years old and uses the same amount of fuel per km as the car, which I need to use for essential travel that can't be done by bike. Short journeys and holidays I go by bike, and some train travel will also be involved. Once a year I travel to Thailand to see my grandchildren and get some sun. I did once go by train, which took three weeks one way. You will stop me flying only by force. I can't justify a need other than my mental health. I won't even try, not even to myself. I'm sure you are are all far more virtuous than I am. I eat meat. I drink wine. I eat out of season fruit. I use a chainsaw to cut the wood that keeps the house warm. I don't have special clothes for going for a walk, not that my knees would let me anyway. I cycle Caminos. Thank you for your thoughts but I have no intention of changing my way of life.

 

[dick bird]

Interesting numbers, took a while to find them. Carbon footprint by mode of transport.

Train 177grams per passenger mile
Air 191 grams per passenger mile
Bus 299 grams per passenger mile
Car 371 grams per passenger mile

Ship 471 KG per passenger day, couldn't find per passenger mile statistic. But it would be UGLY.

And, A new pair of shoes, 14KG cradle to grave.

You really need to cite your sources when you provide data.

 

[Robo]

My car is twenty years old. I fly a tiny aircraft that is also twenty years old and uses the same amount of fuel per km as the car, which I need to use for essential travel that can't be done by bike. Short journeys and holidays I go by bike, and some train travel will also be involved. Once a year I travel to Thailand to see my grandchildren and get some sun. I did once go by train, which took three weeks one way. You will stop me flying only by force. I can't justify a need other than my mental health. I won't even try, not even to myself. I'm sure you are are all far more virtuous than I am. I eat meat. I drink wine. I eat out of season fruit. I use a chainsaw to cut the wood that keeps the house warm. I don't have special clothes for going for a walk, not that my knees would let me anyway. I cycle Caminos. Thank you for your thoughts but I have no intention of changing my way of life.

Love it.......
My car is 24 this year.
Why would I get a new one?
This one works fine......

 

[Bristle Boy]

My car is twenty years old. I fly a tiny aircraft that is also twenty years old and uses the same amount of fuel per km as the car, which I need to use for essential travel that can't be done by bike. Short journeys and holidays I go by bike, and some train travel will also be involved. Once a year I travel to Thailand to see my grandchildren and get some sun. I did once go by train, which took three weeks one way. You will stop me flying only by force. I can't justify a need other than my mental health. I won't even try, not even to myself. I'm sure you are are all far more virtuous than I am. I eat meat. I drink wine. I eat out of season fruit. I use a chainsaw to cut the wood that keeps the house warm. I don't have special clothes for going for a walk, not that my knees would let me anyway. I cycle Caminos. Thank you for your thoughts but I have no intention of changing my way of life.

More than loved it....so refreshing.
Not a hint of virtual signalling, nor singing from a hymnsheet or playing to the audience just straight forward honesty.
I do my bit but living close to a medium sized airport which has just been granted permission to expand from 10 million passengers per annum to 12 and produces the same Carbon emmisions as Malawi, I will not be guilt shamed by some of my choices.
My car was tested last week and had travelled just over 900 miles (two full tanks of petrol last year) since last years test.
Every scheduled means of transport allows me to make choices and feel virtuous in myself but makes no difference as the eschewed heavy emitter of carbon still operates whether I am using it or not.

 

[David]

Love it.......
My car is 24 this year.
Why would I get a new one?
This one works fine......

Mine is 20 years this May, works very well indeed - low footprint and the carbon cost of building it was paid off ten years ago.
We could start an old car club!

 

[chinacat]

Mine is 20 years this May, works very well indeed - low footprint and the carbon cost of building it was paid off ten years ago.
We could start an old car club!

Can I join, please?

I hang onto cars until they die.
I ran my last one for 10 years; it was 24 years old when it ‘went home’.
My current one is only 13 years old but DV I’ll still be driving it in 10 years time.
I searched long and hard for this one, three months, the first time I’d been without a car since I took my test. It was an eye-opener. This one only costs me about £35 pa road tax, which is a relief.

I do live in a rural location, with no bus service.

 

[chinacat]

buying and returning 30 different pairs of shoes,

Almost everything I took on camino was stuff I already had.

But I can beat you on the number of shoes I’ve returned in the last year!
And I still haven’t found any that fit

My lovely walking boots eventually perished a year ago, they were 37+ years old and finally beyond repair (that’s a bell tolling)
(I had two pairs of them, that I swapped about, because I had found something that felt made to a last for my own foot.)

It’s obviously my feet that have the highest carbon footprint …

 

[Pilgrim9]

My foot-pilgrimage journeys are about as environmentally low-impact as it is possible to be, without entirely removing myself from the living world.

I use no fuel for transportation (because I walk everywhere), I do not need to amuse myself by going shopping for stuff that I don't need (because my thoughts are elsewhere and anyway I cannot, and do not want to, carry more stuff), and ... well, camino life is so simple that there is not much more to say.

I have a backpack and boots and other camino gear that I love and that will last for another several pilgrimages.

I did buy a spare backpack that is identical to the one I love, but I bought it used on eBay, so I argue that that purchase incurred zero environmental impact. BTW the used one I bought is in near-perfect condition. eBay provides some very good condition used backpacks being sold by folks who apparently tried backpacking once and decided they do not enjoy it.

At home I walk a lot for errands and because I enjoy it, or I take public transit.

In a broader view, the peace of mind that I have found on pilgrimage has, at home, vastly reduced my perceived need to acquire new material possessions. Perhaps that offsets some of the fuel costs incurred in getting myself to Spain.

 

[chinacat]

But I don't know whether a ship is inherently less damaging to the environment than an airplane over the distance of an ocean.

These statistics (@ 2.40.) are horrifying:
(from The Guardian, UK)

*****

@David

Your point about moving subsidy away from air travel and towards rail travel is a really important one. Rail can use renewable energy, though fuel cells seem to require minerals that carry their own environmental impacts.

I remember that in the 70s and 80s travellers could travel on some merchant ships.
Is this still the case, do you know?

*****

And @Paladina

Thank you for posting that info about the amount of power used by data centres.
The irony was one of the first things that occurred to me when reading this thread.
(I thought I’d wait until I’d read through all the messages to post about it. Just as well!)

 

[Kasee]

I think that there are so many different ways to think about our footprints, and it is a very personal decision you make between you and your conscience. What I have settled on is the realization that I want to do my best to offset my plane travel with making adjustments in other parts of my life. And I do that on a daily basis, with all sorts of decisions. I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed about it, but I have found that I now instinctively gravitate to the less-damaging option when it comes to local travel and overall level of consumption. Not always, but I try. And no doubt the offset is not at all perfectly achieved, because I know that air travel is a huge contributor to carbon emissions.

Has anyone donated to one of the many carbon offset non-profit organizations? I would love to hear some opinions on that. I’ve read a bit about them and know there are arguments on both sides. Rather than do that, up until now anyway, I have made a conscious effort to give more to nonprofits whose environmental track records have been vetted by reputable sources.

I think the important thing is not to give in to the despair provoked by those who think we’re all just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

I buy carbon offsets for all flights that I make. And I research the companies snd the projects that my offset dollars are invested in. There are some carbon offset companies that aren’t as “useful” as others, so checking reputations is important.

 

[Quahaug]

I buy carbon offsets for all flights that I make. And I research the companies snd the projects that my offset dollars are invested in. There are some carbon offset companies that aren’t as “useful” as others, so checking reputations is important.

I’ll keep this short. For a 78 year old walking for the first time, I spent about $3500 to walk the Camino for two weeks staying in private rooms, eating well in the evenings, using baggage transfer and covering all transportation costs flying from the US and in country transfers. Gifts and donations not included.
WORTH MANY TIMES THE COST.

 

[C clearly]

I spent about $3500... WORTH MANY TIMES THE COST.

But you are comparing the financial cost with the non-financial benefits.

This thread is discussing the non-financial costs.

 

[JohnLutz]

Hola,
Each time I’ve walked a Camino and read posts about gear and clothing, I’ve wondered about the wider costs of walking, not just to me if I buy new gear, but to the environment. This is a question that I find going through my mind more and more. I’m curious if other people reflect on this as they prepare for a Camino and how they find some sort of resolution to this dilemma. I suppose what I’m asking myself and you is “How do you tread as lightly as possible as you walk a Camino?”.

A pilgrimage invites self-reflection and for me that includes about the impact I have by doing this. For example, I live just about as far from Spain as it’s possible to be on a permanent basis. How do I minimise the impact of air travel? Can I?
Also, there’s the constant refrain, keep the weight down. Well, the only ways I can see to do that are to carry fewer things (my choices) and to have lighter weight items. And there arises a serious dilemma for me as lighter weight in general means man-made fabrics and plastics. These two things intersect then, keep down the weight, so should replace what I’ve got with lighter items? What do I do with what I’ve already got? Can I justify my purchase of lighter weight items with the environmental cost of plastics and man-made fibres?

Ultimately, I’ve found some resolution for myself by still flying and considering how I can reduce the environmental cost by things like staying longer. And justifying to myself that at least I’m doing lots of walking as transport. I also made the decision that I would not replace items for lighter weight one unless what I already had had worn out. I also consider natural fibres as much as I can, however the final decision had to be that the item suited my needs, not just what it was made from.

I’m curious about what other people reflect on in order to ‘tread lightly’ as they walk.

Thank you for your compassion for our impact on the earth. I join you in your efforts.

 

[antepacem]

I struggle with this as well, and not just in relation to the Camino, but with all the travelling that I do. My immediate family is large and spread out across the four corners of North America. I'm Canadian and half of my best friends live on the west coast, while I'm on the east coast. Our country is too damn big. My job as an academic has taken and will continue to take me to the Mediterranean for research, conferences, etc. This has weighed heavily on me for years, but I also don't see another way around it - we live in a global culture and I come from an extremely globalized immigrant family. I can't see my way to living without the people I love.

As others have said, I focus on reducing my environmental impact in my daily life. I vote for environmental activists in elections. I live in a small town and walk everywhere, or take the bus when I need to go further afield (I don't own a car). I do not have children. I eat meat no more than once a week, and I purchase it from local farmers. I have a veggie/food box from local purveyors that I get once a week, so that I almost never go to the big box grocery store anymore. I try to avoid purchasing items sold in plastic containers and I cook 90% of my meals. I do all of this because I can afford to, which I know many cannot, and so my decisions are based on my own values and ideologies, and not on judgment of others - just to be clear.

I don't think it is possible to exist inside late capitalism without some degree of hypocrisy. The best we can do is mitigate it where we can and how we can, whether that's through throwing money at it, teaching and modelling environmentally-sustainable values, and cutting back on goods in order to justify travel experiences. Also, remember that putting the burden of climate change on individuals and throwing us all into guilt-induced self-loathing and cognitive dissonance is a classic way that governments and corporations abrogate responsibility. We don't use straws anymore, but corporations continue to not be taxed for all of the harmful stuff they belch into the atmosphere. There's only so much as individuals that we can do without going bonkers.

 

[Antnix1]

I find people walking the camino on some of the thriftiest I've ever met.

People who buy travel gear usually take pride in it and don't swap out things that work for new things. While some people buy synthetic, many invest in wool and don't replace it regularly.

Sleeping 6-12 to a room, in a sleeping bag, also isn't too taxing on the environment. Obviously, best to avoid using those disposable bedsheets where possible.

As for air travel .. well, too bad. I could say i travel economy because it's more fuel efficient but that would be a lie. Most people won't carry anywhere near 10kg because they know they'll have to carry it hundreds of kilometers.

I don't subscribe to the anti-human view environmentalists push that fuel should not be affordable, people shouldn't use air travel, people shouldn't eat meat, etc. all resources on earth are there to be exploited and that can be done in a way that is respectful to earth and its inhabitants - cut down on consumerism, sure. But, air travel aside i reckon many consume less on the camino than at home.

 

[Bristle Boy]

Some very interesting points have been made on this thread (and on similar threads). A subject of major importance as it affects us all.
As @antepacem has highlighted upthread I suffer from cognitive dissonance when it comes to public, scheduled transport. I am also fully aware that, for many, there is no viable choice to opt for cleaner alternatives.
I am not a lover of air transport (one of the heavy polluters of CO2 emissions) but am fully aware that by opting for an alternative I have personally neither added one gramme of CO2 nor subtracted one gramme from the atmosphere given my options. A schedule will operate whether I sit at home or utilise what is availlable. It exists and operates therefore i will opt for the cheapest and most efficient method. To choose an option for travel that will take me 10 or 20 times as long and cost me about the same ratio is something I would choose not to do to avoid wearing a hair shirt.
What I do in my own personal life is totally different. I am aware of the issues and make decisions accordingly. This I have been doing for many years.
I recycle and reuse, I have insulated. I have reduced my consumption, I generate my own electricity and contribute to the national grid. I shop locally when I can and try to purchase local produce. I have reduced my personal transport use by over 90% (although my circumstances have changed so cannot take total credit for that) In short, i do my bit.
I am far from perfect and accept my failings but when it comes to public transport (whatever it is) I feel change will only come about through technical innovation and a Political will.

 

[Rodney Kent]

I struggle with this as well, and not just in relation to the Camino, but with all the travelling that I do. My immediate family is large and spread out across the four corners of North America. I'm Canadian and half of my best friends live on the west coast, while I'm on the east coast. Our country is too damn big. My job as an academic has taken and will continue to take me to the Mediterranean for research, conferences, etc. This has weighed heavily on me for years, but I also don't see another way around it - we live in a global culture and I come from an extremely globalized immigrant family. I can't see my way to living without the people I love.

As others have said, I focus on reducing my environmental impact in my daily life. I vote for environmental activists in elections. I live in a small town and walk everywhere, or take the bus when I need to go further afield (I don't own a car). I do not have children. I eat meat no more than once a week, and I purchase it from local farmers. I have a veggie/food box from local purveyors that I get once a week, so that I almost never go to the big box grocery store anymore. I try to avoid purchasing items sold in plastic containers and I cook 90% of my meals. I do all of this because I can afford to, which I know many cannot, and so my decisions are based on my own values and ideologies, and not on judgment of others - just to be clear.

I don't think it is possible to exist inside late capitalism without some degree of hypocrisy. The best we can do is mitigate it where we can and how we can, whether that's through throwing money at it, teaching and modelling environmentally-sustainable values, and cutting back on goods in order to justify travel experiences. Also, remember that putting the burden of climate change on individuals and throwing us all into guilt-induced self-loathing and cognitive dissonance is a classic way that governments and corporations abrogate responsibility. We don't use straws anymore, but corporations continue to not be taxed for all of the harmful stuff they belch into the atmosphere. There's only so much as individuals that we can do without going bonkers.

Thank you for these comments. Your point about doing what we can as individuals, while also not taking on more responsibility than is valid as individuals is an important one.

I’ve felt very affirmed by the way that people have responded to my post here. It’s been a great read. I’ll keep doing what I’m doing and continuing to be as informed as I can be about the choices I make. One huge theme I’ll take away is that I’m part of a variety of communities and the Camino community is a very rewarding one to belong to.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I find value in just about every post on this thread. To me, there are many ways to "cut the pie" and it looks like many of us who ascribe to this forum are doing a pretty good job, both at home and abroad, to be conscientious of the bigger global picture and the choices we personally make, varied as they may be...big or small.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Your point about moving subsidy away from air travel and towards rail travel is a really important one. Rail can use renewable energy, though fuel cells seem to require minerals that carry their own environmental impacts.

This is nearly a moot point for me as I have almost no options for rail travel.

 

[Trekker One]

As a relatively infrequent air traveler I don't have a big impact on the environment.
I do all the reduce/reuse/ recycle stuff as part of my day to day life. I use a 125cc scooter or my bicycle versus my car. I drive less than 5000 k per year.
I always look for cues as to what others do, certainly those with very large carbon footprints
I don't see much effort among the private jet/yacht class to be more carbon neutral so it is frustrating that while doing my best to minimize my small carbon foot print those that could make a really measurable change in habits and reduce carbon output don't seem to.
I'll continue to do my bit regardless though and will not feel guilty when I fly overseas every two to three years.

 

[Bedspring]

Hola,
Each time I’ve walked a Camino and read posts about gear and clothing, I’ve wondered about the wider costs of walking, not just to me if I buy new gear, but to the environment. This is a question that I find going through my mind more and more. I’m curious if other people reflect on this as they prepare for a Camino and how they find some sort of resolution to this dilemma. I suppose what I’m asking myself and you is “How do you tread as lightly as possible as you walk a Camino?”.

A pilgrimage invites self-reflection and for me that includes about the impact I have by doing this. For example, I live just about as far from Spain as it’s possible to be on a permanent basis. How do I minimise the impact of air travel? Can I?
Also, there’s the constant refrain, keep the weight down. Well, the only ways I can see to do that are to carry fewer things (my choices) and to have lighter weight items. And there arises a serious dilemma for me as lighter weight in general means man-made fabrics and plastics. These two things intersect then, keep down the weight, so should replace what I’ve got with lighter items? What do I do with what I’ve already got? Can I justify my purchase of lighter weight items with the environmental cost of plastics and man-made fibres?

Ultimately, I’ve found some resolution for myself by still flying and considering how I can reduce the environmental cost by things like staying longer. And justifying to myself that at least I’m doing lots of walking as transport. I also made the decision that I would not replace items for lighter weight one unless what I already had had worn out. I also consider natural fibres as much as I can, however the final decision had to be that the item suited my needs, not just what it was made from.

I’m curious about what other people reflect on in order to ‘tread lightly’ as they walk.

I think it possible, that people in 30, 40 or 50 years time, people will look at our actions of flying from Northern Europe or the Antipodes or Asia, for a walk, when many of us believe that man made climate change is a reality, as totally selfish and reprehensible. Maybe in the same way we look at people who beat children or kept slaves, and think how could you.
Something I have noticed is that the Camino is almost exclusively the preserve of people from rich countries and the people from the countries that suffer the impacts of climate change are not present. I met one person from Morrison and a few white South Africans, and no one else from Africa.
Of course who do not believe climate change is man made, crack on,

 

[David]

I think it possible, that people in 30, 40 or 50 years time, people will look at our actions of flying from Northern Europe or the Antipodes or Asia, for a walk, when many of us believe that man made climate change is a reality, as totally selfish and reprehensible. Maybe in the same way we look at people who beat children or kept slaves, and think how could you.
Something I have noticed is that the Camino is almost exclusively the preserve of people from rich countries and the people from the countries that suffer the impacts of climate change are not present. I met one person from Morrison and a few white South Africans, and no one else from Africa.
Of course who do not believe climate change is man made, crack on,

30, 40, or 50 years? I am like that now and have been for a few decades - I have only flown once, in 1966 and that was because I had to, not leisure.

I have had many conversations and the thing is - people don't seem to care .. they really don't. They say they care, play lip service to caring about the planet problem, but it is all virtue signalling - I know not one person in the UK who has changed their life one tiny bit - though they are often very vocal about "those people/companies over there" - they have the same diesel cars, fly on holidays, eat exotic foods flown in from far away ... etc ..etc ...
recycling doesn't count as it was brought in as law, not choice.

But - I have a laptop, tablet, mobile phone - all with rare earth batteries, the ore ripped out of the earth by slaves really .. I have a small petrol car ... though I do only eat UK food, no flown in imports .. I am no angel ..

We are the wealthy first worlders ... inheritors of the wealth of the empires ... we do crocodile tears and carry on as we have always done ...

Though - I cannot do the calculations but .. if one is five weeks away from home, simply walking all day, sharing facilities at night and not at home, driving the car, doing Google searches (uses lots of energy), not using heating or air-conditioning, not eating the imported foods, etc ... is there a balance there? does the simpler much less CO2 lifestyle of Camino over those weeks cancel out the CO2 cost of flying?