How to use AI for eco-friendly travel (and still talk to humans)

Artificial Intelligence might seem spooky and unknown to some, but the technology is here and developing rapidly. I, myself, am a pretty devoted pre-2000 technology Luddite, so reading about AI’s environmental impact, for instance, inspired abundant side-eye as well as tremendous caution to promote its benefits. So it came as a pleasant surprise to me when I dug deeper and learned that AI can actually be a beneficial tool for eco-minded travel planning. 

Think of Artificial Intelligence as one tool in your personal Travel Toolbox–along with travel blogs, hostel staff recommendations and just plain wingin’ it—for researching and experiencing an authentic vacation. Authenticity means having a balanced adventure, where one passionately immerses themselves into an unfamiliar culture. This requires mindfulness, deep respect for new geography and customs, as well as a desire to see ourselves–and the world–in a new context. I believe strongly that we can integrate AI into mindful travel experiences, while still holding space for those life-changing tips and recommendations that come from consulting with fellow humans for local treasures. 

Using AI to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Yes, running AI requires actual physical server farms, and that takes a lot of energy. Yes, it often makes objectively bad art. Does that mean we should abandon the technology altogether? Hell no! There are plenty of folks out there cautiously dipping their toes into the pool here, like the Indigenous led research team working to ensure AI is inclusive to indigenous knowledge, and there are a coupla apps out there that use AI to help you reduce your environmental footprint wherever you choose to adventure.  

CityMapper: Founded in London in 2011, CityMapper is a free journey-planning app that integrates all transport options–walking, driving, cycling and public transport–with an exceptional twist: environmental stats for all journeys. Each route chosen by users provides three forms of GoTrip Stats: calories burned, trees saved and money saved. Use CityMapper to compare your transport habits to those of the city you are visiting, and research the best options for eco and wallet friendly routes during your stay.

BikeMap: For all those who worship at the Temple of Two Wheels, BikeMap is your go-to spot for community sourced cycling routes worldwide. The app allows users to personalize their paths, locate water refill stations, choose between road and mountain paths (or both), as well as the duration, elevation and distance of your trips. BikeMap can get you across the South of France with minimal hills or the countryside of Quebec with only scenic paths. A blend of AI and user-generated recommendations ensures you still get that personal touch

How to Use AI prompts

Got a hyper-specific request for your travels but only see local’s eyes glaze over when you gather the courage to ask? AI tools like ChatGPT thrive on detailed prompts! For example: don’t be afraid to be specific and say something like “Can you give me a top 5 list of the best beaches that are dog friendly and open in the late summer near the Ottawa Jail Hostel?” Or what about “Do you know the best spots for medieval fantasy cosplay in public parks in Montreal?” Asking this one for a friend . . .   

Because AI scrubs the entire Internet, detailed questions will bring even more specific recommendations, elevating your trip experience to one tailor-made for your interests.

Travel Blogs!

A bona fide classic route for hints and tips! Travel blogs have existed since Web 1.0 and continue to thrive alongside emerging tech. It was a little-known personal travel blog that showed me where to find the secret swimming spot outside the walls of Dubrovnik, Croatia, a famously fortressed city on the shores of the Adriatic Sea (“look for the tattered Coca-Cola sign and listen for Norah Jones’ “Come Away With Me” on repeat). 

Blending utility with story, travel blogs offer extra niche recommendations from locals and travelers like How to Explore Montreal’s Underground City or a Foodie’s Guide to Boulevard Saint Laurent. In an era where loneliness is regarded as an epidemic, personal narratives help us connect to the voices and experiences of strangers from around the world. 

Local (Saintlo) Staff Recommendations

Remember the prompts we showed you earlier for talking to a computer? Now it’s time to cross-check the information that you gathered with a local human! A datafarm sourcing the entire Internet will give plenty of awesome tips (and great maps!), but as Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise trilogy has taught us: there’s a special magic about meeting a local with a story to tell.  

Saintlo staff are renowned not only for their local knowledge, but for their passion for bringing culturally rich experiences to any traveler open to their insights about the Quebec/Ottawa region. And I can say from experience: staff picks do not disappoint.

At Riviere Du Loup hostel, my partner and I received hand-written directions to a secret local’s beach nestled in a cove along the Saint Lawrence. We passed by it multiples times before recognizing the practically unmarked blacktop leading down to the water. Arriving during a receding low tide, we let our feet sink into wet sand for a moment, read novels and ate local strawberries we purchased that morning. A few locals walked by–sipping beers along the black shale cliffs, wordlessly gazing at the horizon, while others walked their dogs or splashed in the water. All of this because we took our time to ask a staff member: “Do you know a beach where locals go to relax?”

Putting All Your Tools to Use

Now you, dear reader and fellow traveler, are ready to take off your training wheels and ride this bike on your own. All the tried-and-true sources for backpackers, jetsetters and day trippers are still available to you to plan your adventures–except now there’s also AI to help with some extra fun. Even after arriving home, use AI to create an original song in the style of the Dad Rock icon Steve Miller about the bar crawl you did in Montreal that ended with you doing karaoke of Space Cowboy? Or ask AI to compose a poem for you in the style of ee cummings about watching the sunrise from the peak of Mont Royal. And most importantly: to create a photo album of your adventures.