To ask you to stop flying

[Walkingthere]

We are facing a climate disaster. Our children will have to live through it. And yet I overheard two women today discussing how many holidays abroad they had been on this year. Both over 60 years of age. Obviously it will not directly impact on them.
This is also very common in my social group, people jetting off 4-5 times a year. Mini-breaks, weekends away, European trips, long haul, hen do's, weddings, birthdays. It's unbelievable how much people are burying their heads in the sand.

We need to stop flying. Urgently. Now. My family have not flown in over 5 years. We used to travel a lot, before we realised the consequences. I am putting this here, to make people think, we all need to urgently reduce (ideally stop) flying now.

There will need to be many difficult decisions over the next few decades and a significant change of lifestyle. The OP is not NBU. Flying is one area we need to cut down, as well as other transport, consumption and how we generate power. It's going to mean sacrifice for all of us in some way. The reactions on this thread are astounding

No, Sweetpea we don’t have to stop flying because of OP, we have to reduce flying and live sustainably because we are damaging the environment and it will have severe consequences to all of us.

I fly business class about 20 times a year long haul. I still offset your babies. This MN hysteria just shows why it's important to have a job and a life.

Oh ok then I’ll stop flying because you asked me too.

I fly business class about 20 times a year long haul. I still offset your babies.

#quoteoftheday 😁

I never fly anywhere and only have one child who has no children.
People only care about themselves and what they want.
Nobody will care about the planet until it's actually on fire. Nobody wwill ever change because humans are basically selfish and self serving.

@madcatladyforever Not everyone thinks like that. Many people care about the planet and are taking steps to help.

This planet is absolutely fucked judging by the entitlement on this thread! People think its ok to fly because they “recycle” (ie ship to China) a few bottles of Evian every week. I’ll just post my diagram again. Concentrate efforts on the big things.

Yes if we all stopped flying and buying so many imports fewer planes would eventually fly. And to the poster who said we should limit all of those things to one. Absolutely that’s what we do and have a great life

I think we all need to make changes.

But the OP telling people ot to fly because she has chosen not to for 5 years seems a bit off.

Firstly, I am sure everyone who flys driving to Europe, for example, wouldnt actually help the environment. Unless she is suggesting no one ever leaves their own country. I think that would be a real shame and the world did fate very well when we all just kept ourselves to ourselves.

Also the OP, chose to stop flying 5 years ago. But in the time had 2 young kids and is contemplating a 3rd. If she was so aware of the environment 5 years ago. Why has she had 2 kids in that time? Why would she even be considering a third?

Why would she have moved or uproot her life so they didnt need 2 cars?

I moved offices recently. One of the reasons being it's closer to me house and I can bike in. Reducing the need for my car. I cant get rid of it completely as the school my son was given is 2 buses, which would take an hour each way and I wouldnt be able to work if I used buses.

Myself and dp also try and eat sustainably. We have reduced meat consumption to 1/2 per week. Grow most of our own veg and any meat we eat is bought from local sources. We dont use the car at weekends unless theres no way around it. We live near his family and my friends so use the bikes at weekends. Walk into town if we want to go etc.

I also havent flown for years. But out of choice. I am hoping to fly in the next year.

People are talking about 'needing' to fly and 'needing'to visit family. But I can bet those people do not only live by only having stuff they 'need'.

If everyone reduced the things we do it would help. But that would also mean not having 2 kids, not having 2 cars, not contemplating a 3rd child etc.

I have one child. No one would I start a thread begging people to only have 1 child. And telling people who had 2 or more selfish and that they will be the death of the planet despite the children being the biggest impactor.

With the ops attitude we would be heading into a society where, the number of children we have is heavily controlled. And I bet many of the people moaning about people flying, wouldnt be happy about that either.

Old unit: I don't have a TV so no I haven't watched Brian Cox.

Irony alert... Spends half of every day posting on Mumsnet

So we all should avoid flying because op has concience epiphany...

Except she hasnt. Because 2 days ago she was contemplating having a 3rd child. 5 years after she stopped flying for environment reasons.

^^ what holdthedamndoor said. Common sense and realistic without hysteria.

YABVVU. Nuff said.

Your bbqs you write about probably cause more local pollution than my flights.

The other thing people can do to reduce flying, is stop eating imported food.

It means you wont get certain foods, wont get certain fruit and veg out of season. But if we all stopped or limited buying food that's imported, that would also reduce lots of flights and travel.

I wonder how many self righteous people on this thread eat lots of imported food that they dont 'need'.

I have not flown anywhere for about 13 years and passport has expired. But I would consider flying again to visit family abroad. I dont like flying because I get nervous but sometimes it is necessary. Of course six holidays abroad is not necessary, but you cant stop people from how they spend their time or money.

Some people just dont give it a second thought. However if you are saying dont fly, perhaps also we should not be driving either. Of which I have to on a daily basis.

Fair enough alexashutup. We all consume so none of us are in a position to judge I suppose.

I don’t judge people flying, or 3 children, or cars, or eating red meat etc. Those things make a difference to people’s lives.

I am more inclined to judge the needless and senseless waste that makes no difference to someone’s life. Loads of examples but eg using two baby wipes changing a wet nappy and putting said nappy in a plastic bag to go in the bin. I get wanting to use disposable nappies - they’re convenient. I don’t get what people get out of wasting wipes and bags in that totally senseless way. Or leaving the shower running for 5 minutes before getting in like an old flat mate of mine. Not bothering to switch lights off when going out. That kind of thing doesn’t enhance lives in most cases, and I don’t see why people can’t just be more careful.

But something like flying - people get a lot of enjoyment from travel. It’s good for people to consider flying less where possible but we all do things which are bad for the planet because we enjoy them so I agree that judging others for it is not on. But as I said, given the crisis we are facing, I think it’s fair enough for people to make posts like the OPs and have an opinion on how best to rectify the situation. I guess maybe it’s about the tone used in expressing the opinion.

What are the reasons for climate change?
What % is caused by oil and gas production? By aeroplanes? Is a family's annual holiday the real problem?

I read yesterday that the plastics problem: 0.03% is caused by straws. 50% is fisherman's nets. Is that true?

I'd like to see a list. Of what causes the most destruction/damage. And address all of the issues, but the big ones most.

We try to buy British as much as we can. But we need a massive change to how the economy works. We need to massively tax imports, massively tax flights. See having one child (ir none) as the ideal to reduce pressure or the planet. To subsidise the mandatory insulation of houses.

There’s very little we need. Food, water, shelter and a form of heat. Everything else is a want. Needs are non-negotiable wants are always a balancing act. People are used to balancing wants with their bank accounts they need to start balancing it with their environment account. I still think rationing is the only way to make people do this. Is your desire to go on a long haul holiday every year more than your desire to have a second child? Would you rather get on the train than drive if it meant you could buy some imported goods? Or turn your heating up? People obviously aren’t going to make these decisions themselves judging by this thread

olbomov

Totally agree the family holiday isn’t the be all and end all of climate change. However as individuals we can’t change it but we can make it slightly better or make it slightly worse and where possible we should try to make it slightly better.

I would also be interested to know that when people say “oh but China”, what percentage of Chinese emissions come from making stuff for the west that we buy. I don’t actually know the answer but I reckon it is quite a bit.

Oblomov yes that’s true re fishing waste. We don’t eat fish in this house (due to allergies tbh) but this is an area that often escapes notice. We need to start pushing suppliers for environmentally friendly fishing nets.

People are used to balancing wants with their bank accounts they need to start balancing it with their environment account

Great way of putting it

I think the government should ration flights so everyone has an allowance. We are trying to cut down but love travel. Trying to switch to train.

Numerous friends have jobs where they treat planes like buses. Not their fault but the companies. At least 2 friends fly fortnightly. That’s ridiculous companies need to be taxed so that nonsense stops. We have skype so a team flying to Copenhagen every fortnight is unnecessary

I don't have a car or drive. Do your annual car emissions equal more than one flight a year for me?

Business trips are the killer I imagine, I've worked in companies where colleagues fly every two weeks... they take around 20 trips a year. I'm fairly sure they wouldn't be amenable to other modes of transport.

I remember reading about a couple who had a weekend flying somewhere every week.

They were presented as something aspirational. Madness.