Staycation

A more sustainable approach to summer holidays.

Photographs: Unsplash

Text: Natalia E.L. Madsen

Summer is officially here, and many people are on their way out of Denmark for a well-deserved holiday. Whether we travel near or far, there is no denying that our vacation habits have an environmental impact that we can’t continue to ignore. But is there a good alternative? Let’s explore how to reconcile a worthy vacation with a more sustainable future.

The problem with travelling

I get it, believe me. Travelling is amazing. New exciting places, different cultures, exotic food… who wouldn’t want to experience that?

Unfortunately, tourism is responsible for about 8% of the world’s carbon emissions, contributing to global warming and climate change. In addition to greenhouse gas emissions, tourism is often associated with the severe degradation of natural environments, resulting from pollution and the pressure that tourist hotspots, resorts, and other similar establishments place on natural resources. This includes air travel, which often takes the blame, but also other forms like cruise ships (well-known destroyers of marine ecosystems).

Travel and tourism can also have a profound impact on local communities. While it can create opportunities and boost the local economy, it can also quickly lead to overtourism, resource depletion, and a lower quality of life for locals. Just ask the citizens of any Spanish city that has been actively protesting uncontrolled tourism over the last few years.

Cool, successful people travel, right?

In our society, there is a status associated with travelling - the further, the better. You know it, I know it, the people posting 287 beachside selfies on Instagram know it.

Yes, many people enjoy immersing themselves in distant cultures. Then again, many people fly halfway around the world to spend a week by the pool of an all-inclusive hotel resort, never really experiencing the country to which they travelled.

There is “pride” and reputation to be gained by travelling. However, if you can set that aside for a moment and keep an open mind, I’d like to offer you an alternative.

"Staycations can be a beautiful opportunity for getting off the “hamster wheel”, prioritising connection more intentionally and creating some amazing memories."

A different form of summer holidays: Staycation

Imagine waking up every morning without a predetermined agenda: every day, a blank slate, a canvas to fill out. “What do we feel like, today?” - you ask.

Life is slow when there are no external expectations. No rush to optimise every minute of every day, no stressing over making the most of an expensive vacation. You allow yourself to change plans last minute, to stay home if that’s what you feel like.

You finally get to do some of the things you hope to have time for in your day-to-day life, but clearly don’t. Those small projects that never see the light of day, the pile of books you keep wanting to read, that kayaking trip you’ve been meaning to try… all perfect chances for some quality time, with others or just yourself.

You make a few plans, schedule some fun, but not every day. You explore what your surroundings have to offer, but also take time to just be, without a specific goal. Listen to your immediate needs, play it as you go and see where the tune takes you. Have pancakes for lunch. Pitch a tent in the garden and spend a night under the stars. Bring a couple of mattresses to the living room for an impromptu movie night or family sleepover.

If you need a change of scenery, there are plenty of summer houses to rent all around Denmark. The goal, however, remains the same: slowing down, prioritising connection and being intentional with how you use your time without the need to optimise every second of it.

The expat challenge: wanting to go home without guilt

I live in a constant state of cognitive dissonance—a discomfort felt when you hold two contradictory beliefs simultaneously. I want to live by my values and make the more sustainable choice, but I also want to be able to see my family, who live 2000km away.

I understand the rationalisation that, as expats, we deserve the right to travel despite its impact on our planet and our future. Unlike people travelling merely for fun, we internationals often need to travel to see our families. To be clear, every one of us has a story, and I am not judging anybody. My rule of thumb? Travel less often, stay there longer.

Embrace the joy of missing out

Staycations don’t need to be boring or only for those who can’t afford to travel. They can be a beautiful opportunity for getting off the “hamster wheel”, prioritising connection more intentionally and creating some amazing memories. In ten years, your kids might not remember that well-known landmark you visited, but that night where you had waffles and ice cream for dinner and camped in front of the TV to fall asleep watching a movie? That memory’s a keeper.