“The Carbon Conscious Traveler” podcast seeks to create new perspectives on travel by engaging in thoughtful discussions with guests from diverse backgrounds. The podcast highlights unique travel experiences, sustainable travel practices, and the personal impact of slower, more meaningful journeys.

By featuring conversations with experts, writers, and notable figures in the travel world, it aims to inspire listeners to rethink their travel habits and embrace more mindful and ecologically friendly ways of exploring the world.

Through a relaxed 45-minute chat, “The Traveler” provides insights and stories that encourage a deeper connection to the places visited and the people met along the way. We’ll try to launch one new episode per month. You can find the podcast here on Spotify.

Are you active in the travel industry? Do you have inspiring stories to share? Reach out and you might be our next guest!

How It All Started

• I was interviewing Satish Kumar, a former monk and expert on radical love and organic agricultural practices. I wanted to get his thoughts on traveling connected with our planet Earth. He shared his views and I recorded it on my phone to avoid having to write. While listening to it afterward, it sounded like a podcast so I asked permission to publish his views on traveling like a pilgrim in the very first episode.
• It is fun to engage with inspiring people in tourism and travel and share and inspire others while learning and being motivated to think differently myself, so I keep making new episodes since.

Before we dive in, are you already following this podcast on Spotify? If you enjoy the episodes, please follow, rate, and share them with fellow travelers. We want to help people make more conscious and well-considered travel choices, so reaching as many people as possible is our goal.

If you have suggestions for improvement, additional questions or stories? Engage with us commenting below, reaching out via social media channels or email! Your feedback is needed to improve step by step!

Fun fact: The idea to make the table recording with Satish Kumar made by phone a podcast, and the intro and outro of the first episode with Satish Kumar were recorded here on Mount Etna in Sicily.

Previous guests

• E1 – Satish Kumar – Travel like a pilgrim: This episode features Satish Kumar, a lifelong activist and former monk, who shares wisdom on traveling with ecological and spiritual awareness. The conversation delves into the concept of mindful travel, peace pilgrimages, and concludes with a meditation on “Gratitude for the traveler.” Satish’s message is rooted in ecological regeneration and spiritual fulfillment.
• ​E2 – Andrew Stevenson – The destination & the collective: UK-based travel psychologist Andrew Stevenson examines the psychological impact of travel destinations and ratings, as well as the divisive effects of flight shaming. The episode addresses collective versus individual responsibility in travel decisions and offers advice for those dealing with eco-anxiety. Listeners gain perspective on balancing enjoyment of travel with environmental concerns.
• E3 – Paige McClanahan – The New Tourist: Journalist and author Paige McClanahan analyzes the impact of tourism on communities, highlighting both its positive and negative effects. The conversation encourages travelers to align their actions with personal values, aiming to maximize positive contributions while recognizing collective responsibility. Paige offers guidance on becoming a more conscious and responsible traveler.
• E4 – Michael Brein – Unlocking the secrets of Travel Psychology: Michael Brein discusses the evolution from being a tourist to becoming an explorer, introducing psychological concepts to enrich travel experiences. The episode explores how travel journaling and seeing familiar places with new eyes can deepen one’s connection to the world. Michael’s insights offer practical ways to reflect, reconnect, and expand personal boundaries through travel.​
• E5 – Britt Buseyne – The importance of economic equality in travel: Britt Buseyne, an advocate for sustainability and systems thinking, expands the dialogue beyond carbon emissions to include broader ecosystem impacts. The episode debates the merits of carbon offsetting, flight shaming, and the importance of being addressed as citizens rather than just consumers. Britt emphasizes shared responsibility and personal definitions of sustainable travel.​
• E6 – Patrick Edmond – Flying with purpose: Patrick Edmond, Chief Marketing Officer at SAF aggregator Future Energy Global, discusses the shift from recreational flying to purposeful air travel. The conversation covers frequent flyer levies, adverse effects of US SAF tax incentives, and EU policies’ impact on ticket prices. Patrick reflects on aviation’s golden age, current environmental dilemmas, and the industry’s need to decarbonize for future growth.​
• E7 – Louis Lammertyn – intro episode – The journey of the traveler: Louis, the host and founder, shares his transition from business aviation to sustainability entrepreneurship. The episode explains the origins of the podcast, its focus on mindful and ecologically friendly travel, and the host’s commitment to low-impact journeys. Louis introduces BookBetter and the mission to inspire travelers to rethink habits for a more sustainable future.​
• E8 – Matt Tips – Green Erasmus & academic travel: Matt Tips, Policy Advisor at KU Leuven, presents sustainable academic and student travel initiatives such as Green Erasmus. The episode covers behavioral changes, institutional support, and practical steps for decarbonizing educational travel. Matt outlines a vision for 2050 in which travel is easier, less polluting, and embedded in academic culture.​
• E9 – Xavier Font – The S-word and certification: Xavier Font, Professor of Sustainability Marketing, analyzes how travel businesses communicate about sustainability and carbon offsets. Research findings reveal that environmental labeling rarely aligns with guest perceptions and that excessive transparency may cause information fatigue. Xavier argues for measuring real improvements rather than mere certification, advocating regulation and innovation over consumer-led change.

Share your ideas! Share the podcast! Because we want to have people make more conscious and well considered travel choices, we want to reach as many people as possible. Please follow, rate, and share with two or more fellow travelers! If you can recommend a new guest for this podcast… let me know!