According to a 2022 study carried out by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, over 80% of people now believe that travelling in a greener, more sustainable way is important . Whether it’s waving goodbye to carbon-heavy air travel in favour of eco friendly options, taking our breaks closer to home or choosing eco-resorts for summer holidays that care for our environment, there are plenty of ways to reduce our carbon footprint when travelling. But in reality how sustainable are some of the choices we make? Sadly, many eco-schemes might have less of an impact than we’d hope. Just one example is found in carbon offsetting schemes, which some commentators argue allow for airlines and other travel providers to ‘greenwash’ their offering .
But all is not lost. We recognise that risks posed to our environment by travel are a genuine threat and so have made significant moves to improve the sustainability of their operations. Not only do they ask travellers to act in a more responsible manner through making sensible, eco-aware choices, we are also putting its money where its mouth is, making impactful changes to hostels around England and Wales to help visitors enjoy guilt-free holidays closer to home.
YHA: committed to sustainability
Our mission is as simple as it is noble; ‘to enrich the lives of all, especially young people, by providing brilliant hostel stays and experiences that improve physical health, mental wellbeing and life skills’. We think that commitment to the health and wellbeing of young people has to include taking responsibility for maintaining the health of the environment, keeping green spaces green and minimising the impact of everything we do, from heating hostels to preparing dinners for our guests.
Renewing a long-held commitment to sustainability in 2022, we promise to ‘apply our resources to supporting sustainability in all aspects of our own work’. This not only means using a connection with young people and travellers to spread the word when it comes to sustainable behaviour at home and on the move, but ensuring that we adapt our own practices too.
So just how does YHA ensure sustainable, eco-friendly operations?
• A commitment to the UN’s sustainable development goals. Our ten year strategy, launched in 2020, aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs. These were developed as a worldwide call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and promote peace and prosperity across the globe, all by 2030.
• Commitment to Hostelling International’s policy on sustainable travel. Part of Hostelling International, we align with their green travel policies. This broad collection of policies includes promises to protect destinations, the promotion of diversity and inclusion and a commitment to sustainable consumption.
• Commitment to net zero. We have committed to achieving Net Zero by 2050 at the latest and has a comprehensive plan in place to reach this goal.
• Investing in eco friendly improvements. We are fortunate to be the keepers of some of Britain’s most beautiful and historic buildings. Not only do we sympathetically maintain these recycled properties but do so in a sustainable way, reducing the environmental impact of challenging premises.
• Investing in green initiatives. Our volunteering initiatives encourage visitors to connect with nature and recognise the importance of sustainability. This might include volunteering holidays helping to improve properties, litter picking days or school trips to plant trees.
• Minimising the impact of our National Office. Our hostels aren’t the only places getting greener. National Office in Matlock, Derbyshire is also working to minimise its carbon footprint with renewable energy sources and EV charging already in place.
• Providing staff with greener options. We are embracing hybrid working wherever possible and as such have reduced emissions significantly by minimising staff travel. We’re also committed to greener IT solutions.
Sustainable sleeps at YHA
So just how eco friendly is your night at one of our hostels? Wherever you’re staying, whether it’s a newly built property or a historic monument, you’ll experience first-hand the changes that we’ve been making to help create a greener world.
Where possible we use renewable energy sources. This means that you might see photovoltaic solar panels sucking up that sunlight outside of your hostel or you might enjoy cosy heating run by a biomass boiler or an air source heat pump. But we don’t make needless changes to properties where improvement isn’t required – that’s just wasteful. Instead, wherever electricity is used, whether it’s to light up your bedroom or to wash your bunk’s bedding, it’s all run on a green tariff. Energy efficient LED lightbulbs are used inside hostels and in glamping areas too, helping to minimise waste.
Across our hostels we’re reducing our carbon impact significantly year on year, keeping you warm and comfortable in simply smart ways that won’t negate convenience. Through our use of renewables we’re improving our electricity and natural gas consumption with every year that passes. We’ve also reduced waste by gradually getting rid of single use plastics and putting recycling systems in place in all hostels, helping to make life that little bit easier and a whole lot greener for our guests. Going forward, we’re continuing to work tactically to replace greedy gas boilers with efficient natural alternatives. We’re also making small but impactful changes like turning out lights that aren’t in use and checking you in using computer stations that are less power-hungry.
Finalists in the Global Youth Travel Awards, taking 3rd place in their Green Accommodation Initiative Award, we are recognised worldwide for its sustainable approach to overnight stays. It’s also part of TripAdvisor’s GreenLeaders programme. This relies on a commitment to seven green practices relating to water, waste, energy, purchasing and site, as well as to innovation and education. From YHA London Oxford Street to YHA Port Eynon on the Welsh coast, our GreenLeader properties are identified by a green badge that lets you know that you’re in for a sustainable snooze.
Cleaner eating at YHA
Food and drink can be an environmental minefield. That’s why so many of us are trying harder than ever to consume more mindfully, reducing our use of meat when cooking, choosing organic produce and opting for products that produce less waste. It isn’t easy but it makes a big difference.
Whether you’re self-catering or dining in one of our restaurants, ordering a packed lunch for your hike or grabbing a snack from one of our vending machines, you can rest assured that eating and drinking with YHA aligns with your personal green policy. Our commitment to recycling 100% of our waste is just the beginning. At every YHA property you’ll always be offered ethically sourced food, with British produce used wherever possible, helping to minimise the catastrophic air miles attached to internationally grown fruit and veg. All coffee is fairtrade and most meat carries the Red Tractor symbol, so you can also know that whatever you consume on-site is kinder to people, animals and the environment.
Zero waste is more than just a buzz word around our catering facilities. We’re saying au revoir to single use plastics across all of our sites with even our vending machines stocked with reduced-waste snacks. We’ve even replaced bought-in yoghurts with homemade stuff. Not only is it yummier, it also saves around 220,000 pots a year from landfill. You’ll also find canned water on offer instead of bottled and, even better, in many hostels guests have access to water refill stations. Once these are in place in every property, we predict we’ll be using 500,000 fewer plastic bottles nationwide.
Not only are we working with suppliers to reduce waste, we’re also encouraging guests to get involved. Plentiful vegan and vegetarian options, plus Meat Free Mondays help reduce your consumption of meat products while QR code menus mean less paper waste. Well-equipped self-catering facilities also make it easy to whip up your own waste-free meal using the delicious local produce you’ll pick up on your travels.
Keeping clean and staying green at YHA
You’re just getting in from a long, muddy walk through the damp Peak District or the boggy North York Moors, what’s first on your agenda? We’re willing to bet it’s getting those caked-in-mud boots off and jumping under a long, hot shower. Lucky for you, at our hostels bathrooms are plentiful, clean, spacious and well-equipped, meaning that you can do just that, no queuing.
However, the convenience of on-demand hot water, hands full of frothy soap and warm, dry towels (you may have to bring your own towel depending on the property you’re staying in but feel free to give it a pre-shower warm up next to one of our radiators) can come at a high environmental price.
Fortunately we’re always one step ahead of your eco concerns at any YHA hostel and so even the process of getting clean and dry is considered when it comes to our green initiatives. You’ve heard about our renewable energy supplies – solar, biomass, water turbines and air source heat pumps all help to keep bathrooms at YHA hostels cosy and reliably supplied with hot water with minimal impact. But we’re keeping that momentum up with bathroom-specific initiatives. For example, we’ve installed hand driers in every property, which has seen a massive 85% reduction in the use of wasteful paper towels.
During the COVID-19 pandemic the regular cleaning of properties shot to the very top of our hostels’ priority lists. We used this event as an opportunity to improve our sustainability in yet another way – by bettering the environmental impact of our cleaning regime. Now floors are cleaned using mops designed to reduce water waste while environmentally friendly cleaning products are chosen for their effectiveness and reduced risk of environmental damage. In all hostels you’ll find surfaces and fittings cleaned using the Tersano system, meaning that bleach is out of business and that single use plastics are reduced.
How to minimise the impact of your YHA stay
Spending your holiday hostelling? There are loads of ways to reduce your environmental impact beyond simply choosing to stay with YHA. Here are our top tips:
1. Choose greener travel
If there’s one big change we should all make to how we holiday it’s opting for low carbon travel wherever possible. Obviously this means aeroplanes are out unless you have no other choice but also consider taking public transport rather than driving to reduce your environmental impact. Many YHA hostels are situated close to public transport, making it easier for you to arrive by train or bus.
2. Walk or cycle when you can
Choosing personal power to get you from A-to-B once you’re reached your destination isn’t just a great way to reduce carbon emissions, it also makes exploring that much more fun while also helping you to get healthy. Consider a hostel-to-hostel walk or cycle route to really make the most of all a local area has to offer.
3. Reduce, reuse, recycle
Your chosen YHA will have recycling facilities for your waste so if you can’t see the right bin for that cereal bar wrapper just ask! Take advantage of our water refill stations too by bringing your own reusable water bottle. You can also help by minimising water and energy use – turn off taps while you brush your teeth, turn off lights when you leave a room and use electricals sparingly when you use self-catering facilities.
4. Lend a hand
YHA volunteering breaks help to make your trip impactful in all the right ways. You might be planting trees, painting dormitories or helping to clean bathrooms – whatever you do it’s supporting the YHA to do good for people who might not otherwise be able to access Britain’s green spaces. Join a YHA working party and you’ll enjoy free accommodation as well as getting plenty of off-time for exploring.
YHA’s most sustainable stays
Looking for that perfect eco break in England or Wales? Here are our top eco-friendly stays:
YHA National Forest
The jewel in our eco crown, YHA National Forest was built with sustainable family stays in mind. Located within the borders of the National Forest itself, this hostel is ideally situated for those keen to explore this underrated neck of the woods and offers eco features that are better than most. These include solar powered energy for guilt-free phone charging and the use of technology that can help reduce water waste, which means that much needed end of day shower won’t run reservoirs dry. Hungry? YHA National Forest proudly dishes up delicious local food as well as ales from the immediate area plus organic wines.
YHA Eskdale
With its significantly reduced carbon footprint, YHA Eskdale is the perfect example of our commitment to recycling older buildings while using modern technology to keep our environment healthy. This Lake District hostel uses renewable energy to minimise your carbon footprint while you explore some of the UK’s most stunning wilderness, using both solar power and biomass boilers to provide cosy heat and convenient power. With 15 acres of private grounds – landpods are available on site for green glampers – YHA Eskdale also helps to ensure the existence of local wildlife with trees, a trickling stream and a birdwatching hide all here to enjoy.
YHA Dalby Forest
Situated close to Pickering in the beautiful North Yorkshire Moors, home to great locally produced food plus acre upon acre of stunning countryside just made for those all day hikes and long bike rides, YHA Dalby Forest is one of our esteemed GreenLeaders. Suitable for private hire only, this hostel is ideal for large groups and has bicycle storage for the whole crew as well as plenty of parking should you choose to car pool to get here. YHA Dalby Forest makes going zero waste easy with an in-hostel water refill station for your reusable canteen as well as a fully equipped self-catering kitchen, giving you everything you need to whip up something full of North Yorks flavour.
YHA Snowdon Pen-Y-Pass
This hostel might just be one of the UK’s most famous. One of our GreenLeaders, YHA Snowdon Pen-y-Pass nestles against the very foot of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), making it a popular spot for those keen to get an early start tackling a hike to the summit. Here committed walkers will find everything they need, not just for a good night’s sleep but for a hearty feed and for pre- and post-climb comfort too. Refill your water bottle at our refill station, dry wet boots in our shared drying room and enjoy a good meal, and maybe a local beer or two, in our licensed café bar. And though paid car parking is available at Pen-y-Pass you’re also just a few steps from the local bus stop, making it possible to get here without a huge carbon payoff.
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