How to travel without it costing the earth: Sign up to our Climate Conversations event

Latest free event features Mark Smith, better known as The Man In Seat 61; Anna Hughes, director of Flight Free UK; and The Independent’s slow travel expert Helen Coffey

How to travel, without it costing the earth (The Independent)

Whether it’s discovering some of Scotland’s wildest and least-explored small islands on a small sailing boat or picking your way through the forests of Transylvania on foot, there’s an undeniable charm to taking things slow.

Slow travel is a growing trend that swaps whistle-stop city tours for leisurely strolls, and red-eye flights for low-key cruises.

For years, the travel industry has predicted that holidaymakers will become more aware of the environmental impacts of flying and instead opt for more sustainable ways to get around.

However, it can be hard to know when, where and how to start your own slow travel journey - and this is where our latest virtual event comes in.

Hosted by senior climate correspondent Louise Boyle, our panel includes some of the leading names in slow travel.

Director of Flight Free UK, Anna Hughes, advocates for close-to-home exploration, and a more considered pace. The author and adventurer shares her experiences of how to travel sustainably and discover authentic experiences without having to get on a plane.

Our second panellist is Mark Smith, better known as The Man In Seat 61. Mark is devoted to making train travel simple and his website, seat61.com, is a comprehensive catalogue of rail journeys across Europe and beyond. More than that, it describes the practicalities of travel – visa information, costs, how to store your bike and where to buy tickets – alongside what you can expect to experience on the journey itself.

Joining Anna and Mark for our event is The Independent’s Helen Coffey, the UK’s first travel editor to swear off flying. Helen resolved to go flight-free in 2020 and remains committed to her pledge.

This is the first event in The Independent’s new Climate Conversations series, offering practical advice for tackling your carbon footprint, while asking the big questions about the powerful forces behind the climate crisis.

From how to “climate-proof” your home to embracing planet-friendly food, tech and travel, we will be talking to the experts about their advice for a greener and more sustainable 2024.

The event will be hosted on Zoom and will last one hour. It will take place on Tuesday April 30 and will start at 6.30pm BST.

Once signed up you will be able to ask questions to the panel. You can also post questions in the comments of this article.

For more information and to sign up for a free ticket click here.