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.

Just what have I read?
Op it is your choice not to fly and to do whatever, but by the same we also have choice .
Do you want to ban flying completely? How? And what is wrong with people over 60? ( I am not) but they have a right to live. Do you want to cull them ?
And what else? No cars , electricity or internet?

I hope you write this to the mps, royals and celebs who tend to be the worst offenders .

I haven't flown for 20 years so fine by me.
I hate flying though.

I haven't flown in 15 years (because I can't afford to) but the tone of this OP makes me want to go and hop on a plane right now! It's unbearably smug and preachy. If you actually care about the environment, OP, rather than just judging people, then you need to rethink your strategy.

We have drastically cut down our family's carbon emissions by flying very sparingly (one two hour return flight in five years), adults stopping red meat, cutting down dairy, eating seasonally and not buying food flown in, switching to green energy, buying second hand whenever possible, not buying crap we don't need, not buying frozen food.

We have also paid to carbon offset far more carbon than we have produced. Most of those changes are doable by most people.

Yes climate change is happening regardless, but I'd find it hard to justify to my kids why we continued merrily as though nothing is happening. Everyone will be substantially impacted by climate change in the next 20 years, and it seems perverse to carry on as before.

So are you pregnant with superfluous number 3 or not? This determines my answer, so please tell me.

which is exactly the problem scaryteacher. Going to the local tip gives me anxiety when I look into the skips and see all the things that could have had another life, if someone could just take the time and effort to spruce them up. I have a favourite chair. I wanted it reupholstered. It cost £600 to do 15 years ago. The man thought I was mad. £600 would have bought a very nice new chair.
The government just needs to bring in some draconian laws to make us change. No reusable coffee cup? then you buy a new pottery one at £10 or no coffee. People would remember their coffee cups PDQ.

I haven't been on a plane for 22 years and hope I'll never have to again!! That's not really realistic unfortunately and I'm embarrassed to say not because of climate issues! I am trying to change as many things as I can in everyday life, no plastic buying local produce when possible etc but I know I will not be able to avoid flying forever because of family circumstances but I don't plan on it being a regular thing by any means. I do have to wonder how many places there will be left to fly to in a few decades!

The comments about children are totally valid. You've done something (twice) with a massive carbon footprint but are getting annoyed some people won't give up something with a much smaller carbon footprint. Why are you not asking people to have less kids, which would make a far bigger difference than not flying. Why are you annoyed at the people who have chosen to fly but who have also chosen not to have children. They are doing much more for the planet that you are, so why are you having a go at them?

I totally agree with you OP. Although I love travelling. But it has to be radically reduced if we are to safeguard our grandchildren's future.
I'm going to take only one flight a year from now on and do carbon offset.
I know it's a change of lifestyle but I'll manage! We all have to do our bit

Vegetarian here, no car, walk or cycle everywhere or trains for longer journeys, never been on a plane in my life, my carbon footprint must be smaller than my size 5 footprint from my actual shoe!
I win the prize🏆

I have immediate family in Canada, China and Australia. Should I never see them again?

@Walkingthere, are you a vegan?

sugar have you heard of skype?

Stop using your car. Don’t let used water go down the drain. Recycle everything (including used coffee grounds / oil) and then you can tell me to reduce my flying.

I have the Flightradar24 app. It's absolutely fascinating that every one of these little yellow dots is a live plane, right now. There are over a million people airbourne at any one moment. -geek-

It IS a lot, for sure....but I agree that environmental change needs to be implemented from the top down, and OP's stance and delivery leaves a lot to be desired.

It's the large corporations that need to change: there isn't much impact from individuals' actions. But that won't stop people whining at others to enjoy life less by any means possible - the type of person who used to harass others about their imaginary friends often moves on to stamping and bellowing at individuals to Change Their Evil Ways.

I haven't been on a plane in about 20 years, don't drive, have only one child. These are, however, decisions that suit me for other reasons.

Predominantly, the people who are doing the most harm to the planet are also the ones doing the most harm to other people: a lot of the billionaires whose wealth is based, ultimately, on the consumption of fossil fuels, are also the ones pushing for more institutionalised misogyny, racism and enslavement of the poor. Check this out...

Flights are cheap because we don't pay the true cost ....the true cost would include some monetary equivalent of the damage to the environment

Lol no

It's the large corporations that need to change: there isn't much impact from individuals' actions.

Remind me again who the large corporations make stuff for?

I haven’t flown in 4 years and most of my friends haven’t in the last two years either. Maybe wealthy pensioners should be taxed more..

I do go abroad to sunnier weather for health reasons .
I have dreadful psoriasis and the sun helps and I am not alone in that . Or should those with illness be culled ? So that global warming will not affect the future of others.
Life is about choice .

My parents have recently flown abroad for my step dad's dad's funeral. He passed away suddenly and they had little time to get sorted and go as funerals are soon after death there.

I agree it's really the billionaires and the large corporations who need to be brought into line

Skype?!

Skyping does not in any way at all compare to a hug from your sibling, holding your grandchild, being present at your son’s funeral, holding your dying gran’s hand and saying goodbye when she’s on her death bed etc.