Rick Steves Wants to Save the World, One Trip at a Time
Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (pdst.fm) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
In the world of travel legends, Rick Steves is right up there at the top. Since he launched his company in 1976, he has sent millions of Americans abroad, either through his guided tours or via his many, many guidebooks. But his mission—to “curate culture shock”—comes with a cost.
Rick has long been aware of the environmental impact of encouraging so many people to travel, but he found that carbon offset programs didn’t do enough to alleviate his concerns. So Rick and his team created the Rick Steves’ Europe Climate Smart Commitment, which donates $30 for every traveler on their tours to a carefully selected set of nonprofits.
Rick came on the podcast to chat about the program, as well as his views on ethical travel. But the conversation was so wide-ranging and rich—touching on everything from dual-narrative travel to his belief in the power of crossing borders—that we decided to split it into two episodes.
This week’s episode focuses on Rick’s constantly evolving views on travel, his mission, and his belief in self-imposed carbon taxes. And next week, we’ll drill down into his Climate Smart Commitment with his chief operating officer, Craig Davidson.
Resources
- Read this week’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
- Listen to Rick’s podcast, Travel With Rick Steves.
- Learn more about the Rick Steves’ Europe Climate Smart Commitment.
- Read our story about a climate change reporter who wanted to fly less.
- Check out our primer on carbon offsets and the programs that can make a difference.
Catch up on Unpacked, season two:
- How to Make Hard Travel Funny, According to a Comedian
- The Making of a Patagonian National Park
- Are You Ready to Hand Over Travel Planning to the ChatGPT and AI Bots?
- It’s Not Too Late to Plan Your Summer Travels—Here’s How
Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Travel Tales, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices