Why? Because where we choose to go and how we get there can massively affect our planetary impact.
PROGRESSIVE FACT
24% of US travellers are worried enough to have actively changed their flying habits.
There’s no getting away from it. Air travel, particularly long-haul, tramps all over our personal carbon footprint. We all know that, but let’s look at exactly why that’s so. Although aviation contributes a relatively small 2% of the world's global carbon emissions, individually in terms of our own personal impact it swings the scales wildly. The ideal UK carbon target for 2020, for example, is 10 tonnes per person…here’s how flights devour that:
Round-trip, economy
The figures vary significantly depending on things like the plane model, occupancy, fuel used and altitude, to name just a few, but here’s a ready-reckoner to give you an approximate idea:
London to Madrid = 0.9 tonnes
London to New York = 2.8 tonnes
London to Sydney = 8.2 tonnes
So one long-haul a year, and we’ve practically blown our budget, with not much left over for life at home. Naturally, it’s not easy or even feasible sometimes to achieve, at least not without total commitment, but it’s worth reminding ourselves at this point that carbon budgets aren’t a fiction. They’re real, just as the climate emergency is real - this is not a drill.
Ok got it. So how do I take action?
With business and families now global, and far-flung travel that was once reserved for the likes of Christopher Columbus now common place - the world is simply not going to and can’t stop flying. That’s quite different though from us jetting off without thinking twice. And while some airlines are making good strides to be more energy efficient, super-cheap flights and passenger numbers are predicted to double to 8.2 billion by 2037, so the aviation emission scale still tips dangerously the other way.
Put simply then, one of the most high impact ways we can personally and immediately affect escalating emissions is to fly less.
Let’s start with doing a quick flight audit for 2019, how often did you fly? Short hops, long-haul?
If you can, set yourself a challenge to a 50% flight reduction this year. If that’s not do-able (emergencies, family overseas, weddings, etc.), take ONE less flight this year.
When you do fly:
Try to stay closer to home, long-hauls are the killer
Travel economy and fly direct (take-offs are carbon hungry)
Go for longer and less often, and do things you really couldn’t do at home
Pay for a carbon offset with your airline when you book (lots more on this in a later action)
Shifting more towards stay-cations is a great way to go - no jet lag, no queues, no baggage allowance, less time travelling and, if the weather’s good (!), unbeatable. Trains are romantic and can take us to exciting places. Is flying just a luxury we’ve gotten used to? Shall we rethink?
But will it cost me more money?
Hard to say on this one.
We…
Aimee: I used to live abroad and many of my best mates are all over the world. As we were busy setting up Let’s Do This Together I didn’t travel much last year, but in 2018, I had 3 long-haul flights (Texas, Argentina, NYC) + 3 short-hauls while in Argentina! So my target for 2020, is no more than 1 long-haul + 1 short-haul flight.
Sonia: It’s really tricky for our family as we are on 4 continents (!!). That’s not as glamorous as it might sound, we’re close and just don’t see enough of each other. Flight-wise that’s 2 long-hauls minimum. This year we’re thinking of renting a place for a few weeks in Europe, meeting up mid-way in one hit there. That’s only possible as we all work location-independent, very aware that’s a luxury. Frankly, I’d rather we all lived down the road.
“We’re all staying for a summer holiday!
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Photo: Emanuela Picone