AIBU?
To think flying off on holidays is immoral?
RedTriangle · 01/11/2018 11:13
Anyone planning to fly off on holidays?
“Every round-trip ticket on flights from New York to London, keep in mind, costs the Arctic three more square meters of ice”
nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/07/climate-change-earth-too-hot-for-humans.html
I live near an airport and there is a steady stream of planes landing and taking off. It feels ominous now in light of the recent WWF report talking about life on earth being wiped out.
There are posts on mumsnet on the section about long haul travel where people are talking about flying off with their families to Thailand or Mexico etc not thinking or not caring about the impact! Future generations won’t be jetting off and living lives like this as we will have destroyed the planet and they will be scrambling to survive.
My parents have booked a weekend in Spain! They regularly do this and they will be long gone while future people pay a terrible price.
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 01/11/2018 11:18
I am and I'm not going to apologise for my one holiday a year at most. You need to direct your moral crusade at businesses who could use Skype etc rather than sending people to meetings.
InfantaSybilla · 01/11/2018 11:19
Do you eat meat?
Do you eat dairy?
Do you eat exotic fruits from abroad/out of season in the UK?
Do you buy clothes from high Street retailers?
Do you buy products made in other countries?
Do you use plastic?
Do you buy wrapping paper for gifts?
Do you use chemicals to clean?
Lots of things are destroying the planet, maybe those who fly don't do the above??
Leafyhouse · 01/11/2018 11:20
Problem is, you can't put the genie back in the bottle now. People want to fly and explore the planet. And it's good for community and world peace if they do so - the more you explore, the more commonality with your fellow human you find. Besides, what do we do, un-invent the jet engine? Better instead to re-invent it, and find other ways to get around that aren't environmentally damaging.
We're a long way away from that however. We went Inter-Railing around Europe this summer to have a low-carbon exploration of Europe. However, Budapest to Rotterdam took 2 days - 9 hours to Munich, overnight hostel, 7 hours Munich to Rotterdam.
Budapest to Stansted would have been 2.5 hours flying.
We've a long way to go.
Satsumaeater · 01/11/2018 11:20
I can see your point OP but agree with Cat.
It's the same with making individuals guilty for not recycling enough. We can all do more but only about 7% of waste is from consumers, the rest comes from industry. Industry needs to get its house in order - the impact would be far greater.
Kittykat93 · 01/11/2018 11:20
There are so so many things we do every day that are destroying the planet. This is something most of us do maybe once a year (or like me maybe once every few years!)
Blanchedupetitpois · 01/11/2018 11:21
I see where you’re coming from, but it’s not just about flying - it’s also about your overall environmental impact and how you mitigate it. So while I fly abroad at least once a year I also:
Don’t consume meat or much dairy
Rarely drive anywhere
Have solar panels powering my house
Recycle and minimise waste religiously
Grow most of my own veg
Avoid single use plastic
Eat seasonally and local produce
I do think we have a moral duty to protect the environment but it’s nowhere near as simple as just saying ‘flying is immoral’
MrsGideon · 01/11/2018 11:23
My DP moved to the UK for work opportunities because he couldn't get work back home. Would you deny him the right to visit his family and friends once a year?
Dlux · 01/11/2018 11:23
@Leafyhouse Problem is, you can't put the genie back in the bottle now.
Brilliantly said. So true.
OP I think the impact is actually made worse by short flies (Manchester - London...)
I do take trains for those. But Leafyhouse has summarised perfectly
ButchyRestingFace · 01/11/2018 11:26
You’re right, OP, but everything what @Leafyhouse said.
RedTriangle · 01/11/2018 11:26
Yes, i do loads of those things but i’m looking at everything now and trying to change. I feel like a helpless tiny ant. It feels too little to late. I have flown on airplanes and now i feel a bit sick about it. I was deaf to the impact. I have children too who I love but my decision to have them will have another negative effect on the earth.
Just feeling very anxious about the future and very few people in real life seem to realise what is ahead. Everyone is shopping and flying off but if you read about what is ahead for us it is terrifying.
BiologyMatters · 01/11/2018 11:28
I do have to roll my eyes when a local travel agent friend of mine is continually posting about how she is trying to reduce her plastic use to "do her bit" but her job involves sending people all around the world.
nornironrock · 01/11/2018 11:29
How do you know people don't care about the impact? There could be any number of things that people are doing/have done in other parts of their lives to lessen their contribution to environmental issues.
The educational value of travel for many children is often underestimated - especially long-hail where people tend to get a greater does of culture - rather than 2 weeks in Benidorm!
Are you also critical of people who haven't yet bought an electric car, or still eat meat?
PollyFlinderz · 01/11/2018 11:29
Op, I’d be concerned about your reactions if you were one of my loved ones. Are you generally feeling well?
TenForward82 · 01/11/2018 11:30
I think you should go to your gp, op. This kind of anxiety is not helpful.
claraschu · 01/11/2018 11:32
You are right, OP, and I agree with you that the everyone is burying their heads in the sand.
puzzledlady · 01/11/2018 11:32
Don’t be so silly, so we don’t go anywhere then??? My family live in a different continent - do I never see them then?? My brother is a pilot - he sometimes flies cars for royalty - should he stop, then he had no job and can’t feed his family??? Youre being ridiculous and naive.
PanGalaticGargleBlaster · 01/11/2018 11:32
I assume that the laptop/phone you are using to post this sanctimonious bollocks you collecting in person from the factory in China having travelled there on foot.
Firesuit · 01/11/2018 11:32
If the problem is just the use of fossil fuels, there is a technological solution in the pipeline. We could use solar-powered plants to manufacture fuel from air. (We could also similarly manufacture liquid fuels for land vehicles and shipping.)
www.solarpaces.org/how-desert-solar-can-fuel-centuries-of-air-travel/
thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 01/11/2018 11:35
My mate is in the green party and very worthy - always banging on about how she's got rid of her car etc.
However, she's been on like three holidays this year that involve flying and is going on another mini break abroad this month.
LaurieMarlow · 01/11/2018 11:35
By your logic, having children (particularly if you have more than 2) is the most 'immoral' thing you can do.
79andnotout · 01/11/2018 11:37
YANBU, We are totally screwing the planet up, no doubt about it. I agree we should all be flying less. We should all be eating local and seasonal produce, using less plastic, taking public transport. But I can't help feeling it's too little, too late, and life as we know it will change soon, maybe not in our generation, but the next.
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