ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ

As increasing amounts of carbon dioxide contribute to global warming, dreams of a white Christmas will become more and more far-fetched. In the interest of protecting snowy, white, and cold winter holidays along with limiting air traffic, the Green Office's mobility committee has some inspiration for your well-deserved winter trip.

The winter holidays are just around the corner, and so is your time to relax, spend the day wrapped up in a cozy blanket on a cold night, watch movies, and be with your family and friends. You might even be thinking of going on a trip.

Unfortunately, plane tickets can be very expensive around the holidays, but even worse; airplanes contribute to high amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In fact, calculating your carbon emissions may make you realize that on an individual level, your flying habits can make or break your carbon footprint.

Luckily, there are alternatives out there which are easily accessible without a flight.

Christmas Markets: Brussels

In the centre of Brussels there is a lovely Christmas market, where you can enjoy great food & glühwein. Besides that, Brussels is a great town to visit in itself, if only for the great diversity of special Belgian beers. A few days in Brussels will sure give you that holiday satisfaction, and it only takes 2.5 hours and around 20 euros for a one-way trip. Like Brussels, there are many other Christmas markets that you could visit in Germany (Düsseldorf, Aachen), Belgium (Antwerp) or the Netherlands (Maastricht, Drijvende Kerstmarkt Leiden) which are only one bus or train ride away.

Camping

If you are not that big a fan of all the Christmas madness and crowds of people, then another option is to go to a campside that is open during winter. While camping in a tent during winter does not sound very convenient, some camping sites also provide little chalets or mobile homes. Imagine yourself with your best friends in a small chalet playing card games, watching movies that make you nostalgic, going for walks and drinking a lot of wine in order to stay warm. Can't find a nice camping site? You could get a short-term rental or go to a holiday park instead.

This news item is part of a wider calendar of Green Office holiday tips, written by Green Office volunteers and staff.

The Green Office is where fresh hearts and minds come together to support Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ's sustainable development.