No holidays - carbon footprint

No it doesn't contradict what you said. But the way I initially used your figures in my own head was to combine them to give that UK flights account for 1% of 1% of global emissions (which would be correct if the UK composition of emissions was the same as the global average). But in fact that would be wrong. UK flights account for 8% of 1% of global emissions. Which is almost an order of magnitude bigger!

As I said, I'm cutting down on dairy. I'm making incremental changes and have stopped eating it in circumstances where there isn't too much personal cost to me and I'm still exploring more ways to change my habits. I've not 100% cut out beef either (I'd eat it if a friend cooked it, but I don't cook it myself or choose it when eating out). To me it's logical to look for easy changes: if it's better for the environment and isn't a big deal for me, then I may as well do it. I think it is different from being vegetarian because you believe it is fundamentally wrong to eat animals. That feels like an all or nothing moral decision, in a way that cutting down on relatively harmful activities isn't.

We drive very little, have recently switched to an electric car and I buy most of my clothes second hand (despite being in the 100k+ income bracket, so it is not a money thing).

I think it's a really unhelpful response to someone raising a valid point about the environmental impact of an activity to say "Ah, but I bet you still do XYZ". Even if we make small changes on environmental grounds it is better than nothing and it makes absolute sense for everyone to choose the changes that are easiest for them personally. A change isn't any less useful because you find it relatively easy!

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jul/24/record-hottest-day-earth-temperature-july

Yet another piece of bad news about our very shaky situation. We know this is happening, we know it will be utterly catastrophic, yet, we all carry on doing what we know contributes to it being worse. I include myself. I don’t fly, but I do consume in other ways. I could do better.

“Doing a little bit is better than doing nothing.”

You are absolutely right. Small steps and small changes soon add up. One less flight a year for a frequent flyer is still better than carrying on the same. I think it’s unhelpful to get into absolutes or say ‘well I don’t do this so I can do that’. I think it’s more about direction of travel. If we all keep working on reducing our carbon footprint every little bit helps. We are heading for disaster but how much of a disaster is still in our hands.

Have you ever totted up the carbon to see? I think you’d be surprised.

I don’t think I’m a better person than you, I think I just have knowledge that you perhaps don’t. That’s not a dig or an insult, I just think unless you actively seek out information about climate change you won’t know the full situation. If you just take in what pops up in mainstream media then you get a bit of an idea but not full account. Once you know, you can’t ‘unknow’. And then the choice becomes clearer. I can’t unknow what I know so I now wouldn’t enjoy a carbon heavy holiday.

I don't believe that contradicts what I said? The 7-8% from the UK is accounted in the UKs 1% global figure.

As for you giving up beef. Great! I wasn't talking to you specifically though...
I wonder why you haven't given up dairy yet? Despite it being a large contributor to CO2? Is it perhaps because your quality of life is improved with dairy? If so, I don't judge you for that! That's the thing, people need to make personal informed choices to reduce emissions. You removing beef from your life is a great choice.
To my original point which seems to be getting skewed by some people; I don't believe reducing travel is necessarily the best thing a person can do to help. Not just because of the raw numbers but because as I said previously, I truly believe travel is beneficial in all sorts of ways. Mentally, for local economies, for worldwide diplomacy.

I highly doubt the people in this thread trying to guilt others to stop flying have all decided to 1 - not have children, 2- become vegan, 3- only buy local, 4- don't drive, 5- dont buy fast fashion...I could go on....

@Kitkat1523 we live 10 mins from Kings Cross so that does help, we can get a really early Eurostar (tbh up everyday at 6 with the kids) so can be most places by the evening the following day. With Croatia we stopped in bavaria for a few nights on the way and France in the way back so didn't feel too painful. We don't get loads of leave but we can work from the train so that makes it easier

DD's work has done this. Mind you she is a climate change researcher! But yes, if you can reach a place from London in 12 hours then you take the train, and her employer sucks up the time.

But her job and research is one of the reasons I've cut right back on flights and seek other ways to holiday. We have also stopped eating meat and cut right down on dairy.

Small changes by everyone does/would make a difference. If you don't believe this then you may as well accept we're doomed. And I won't accept that!

We have cut right down on holidays abroad for environmental reasons. Have flown once in 15 years. Holiday in the UK.

We're not perfect; eat less meat and dairy but haven't given it up, try to buy second hand/repair stuff but still buy new sometimes, drive less often but still have a petrol car etc.

I don't tend to talk about it in RL because I don't want to sound preachy. It's not all or nothing though, doing a little bit is better than doing nothing.

Aircraft and cruise ships fly/float because they are designed along scientific and engineering principles that enable them to do so. They aren’t defying the laws of the universe!

I love going on holiday. We had a long period when we couldn’t travel much because of elderly parent caring responsibilities and we also had an elderly dog we wouldn,t put in kennels or ask anyone else to look after. But since my retirement I’ve seen more of the world than I had in my whole life before. We do fly cruises which will horrify some people, but we love them. They can be combined with a city break either end. They are small ships not the hulking great resort ships which I hate. We are currently on a cottage holiday in Scotland, had a week in Wester Ross and a week in Skye, then catching a ferry to NI and spending a few days there, then driving to Dublin and a few days there, then ferry back to Holyhead and couple of nights in North Wales before driving home.

We are childless and live a modest lifestyle apart from our holidays.

Globally the UK compare well in terms of carbon emissions so unfortunately what we do is of little consequence, but of course any cuts we make are good cuts. And of course momentum is key, if we all cut SOMETHING it adds up.

I fly all the time for work and pleasure and also because my family live abroad however I don't own a car, never have, always walk, cycle and take public transport and haven't eaten meat for 25 years. My mental health would struggle too much to stay in the UK all the time and as a single parent I can't yet afford to take us all on long train journeys but would love to do this as well as flying.

I do know a couple of families that have taken train holidays to Europe for environmental reasons and enjoyed it but also found it expensive and the next year have ended up flying instead. During school holiday times it is definitely a much more expensive option.

The best thing you can do is to keep your overall carbon footprint really low

And I doubt you are doing that

Saying I could be worse isn't much to shout home about is it?

I fly 6 or 7 times a year, it's what I live for. But I only have one child which I think is probably one of the best things anyone can do for the planet. I also don't drive.

I think my biggest carbon footprint is my poorly insulated 1960s house, though. And my carniverous pet.

I know people who don't fly at all and instead use ferries and trains (easier if you live in the south of England than Northern Scotland when it's a day's travel to London nevermind the Eurostar journey). I do fly but only once every 5 - 10 years. I would never take an internal flight within the UK.

Agreed!
Everyone i know is taking trips on planes left right and centre.

I average around 20k miles a year in my daily car and a further 4-5K more in my weekend toy, same for my partner and his cars.
We holiday via plane annually and do driving holidays a lot (where we take a car each!) Plus all the miles i do in my horse lorry. The environment never even enters my thoughts, never mind stops me doing anything i love.
I will never have children though, so maybe i offset it that way, but even if i don't, i'm not going to stop.

Well, you're a better person than me! I can only afford to fly once or twice a year, but if I could afford more I would as I want to see as much of the world as I can before I die......

Very true. A new thing to ponder.

I don’t talk about it in real life because it seems to piss people off. I love take off on a plane. I don’t like long plane journeys as I find them boring and I like fresh air but I’d happily put up with that to see some of the places in the world that I’ve never seen but would love to. I can afford it. Easily. I don’t fly because I’ve made the link between my carbon out put and people dying. Now I know the facts I can’t I know them. I wish I was ignorant to it all in a way and I could just go for the trips I’d like to and have that joy. But I can’t. Not now I know. But I get joy from discovering new places closer to home too. There is so much of Europe I’m still to discover.

Holidays away from home are not a human right and despite what people here seem to think they are not essential to your well being or your development // your children's as a human

Even if your holiday is costing family abroad that's still not a right

They are a treat , great fun, they can be an easy way to have a break from work, the can be an easy to way to learn about other countries and cultures

And in many cases harmful - be it driving up housing costs for the locals , making it
Difficult for them to manage the water supply , destroying the very beauty of the place with hotels and facilities , or contributing to climate change which will kill millions in the next few years

Like the OP, I don't think I know anyone who doesn't fly because of their carbon footprint, I've only ever seen it on here! I suspect in many cases people are taking the opportunity to virtue signal while hiding the real reason they don't fly, such as they're scared of flying, can't afford it, have no-one to go with, not interested etc. I agree it's perfectly possible to go abroad without flying and I have done so (Paris by Eurostar for example - easier & more enjoyable) and I too enjoy my UK holidays as much as some of the foreign ones. However, life's too short and I won't limit myself and will go where I want and how I want for as long as I have the time, health & money. For example, Australia from the UK without flying would be a challenge to say the least!

I haven't flown for 20 years and my DH has never flown. I don't think a 'holiday' has to mean flying - that idea is as annoying as people who describe a holiday in your home country as a 'staycation'.

Can’t wait to see these policies start in the NHS.

Well you are in a very fortunate position to be able to take unpaid leave and still be able to afford your holiday…..also fortunate to be able to work part of your trip…..also fortunate that you can pick and choose when you take your leave to incorporate a bank holiday……and I image you don’t have to take big chunks of leave to care for your children in the holidays? …..unfortunately for the rest us of none of this is the case…..time is more prescious….. so we fly

But hunking hotels made of metal aren't supposed to float...!!