In order to encourage more people living in and visiting the UK to opt for train travel, which is a more environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to car (or plane), a new train ticketing startup is offering an extra incentive.
1. How it works
Trainhugger pledges that for every journey booked through the company, they will plant one tree. In addition to this, Treehugger invests a third of its revenue into tree planting, to benefit the planet and everyone on it. Booking through Trainhugger requires zero extra cost to the passenger as their fares are the same as their competitors, and you can see how many trees you’ve planted and how much carbon you’ve saved. Tickets currently have to be booked via the Trainhugger website, however the firm says an app is coming soon.
According to their website, the company aims to plant millions of healthy, resilient trees all around the UK and at the same time support sustainable travel and tourism. They work in partnership with the Royal Forestry Society and the Royal Scottish Forestry Society to create a network of diverse, climate resilient woodlands which will protect wildlife, clean the air and support a local, sustainable timber industry that provides green jobs and valuable skills. They also have some ambitious goals; to double UK woodland cover from 13% to 26% by planting 10 million trees by 2025, and making UK rail 100% carbon neutral.
2. Why use treehugger?
If you’re still not convinced, Treehugger lists 5 great reasons which might win you over and decide to help them support sustainable travel & tourism in the UK:
- Travel makes up 1/3rd of the country’s carbon footprint.
- Road traffic alone makes up 25%.
- But train travel only accounts for 1%! It’s one of the most sustainable travel choices you can make.
- Train travel helps boost a sustainable tourism sector, linking holiday hotspots and popular destinations by rail.
- Trains are getting greener! Electrifying rail (and making it more energy efficient with innovative smart tech) is all part of the UK’s plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
