to go to Australia for the weekend?!

[HufflepuffHarpy]

My best friend (male if relevant) is getting married in the autumn. I'm in the UK (where we both grew up) he now lives in Australia.

I desperately want to go to the wedding.

It will cost £1000 for the flight plus accomodation etc over there which is in no way small money.

I have 4DC so would be asking my parents (very hands on babysitters, have had them for me and DH to go on holiday etc) to have the DC (all under 10) while DH is at work.

I would leave on a thursday AM flight and get back tuesday pm. SO literally fly in for the wedding, the day after and then back home.

Am I being totally crazy to consider this?! (Haven't actually asked DH yet!!)

*Flying is the most damaging thing you can do environmentally. The planet is fucked anyway so why not go for it? Your kids (and mine) and our don't have much of a future because most of us don't care enough to make that happen. I know lots of deliberate non flyers (and non breeders) but I take one return flight a year.

I couldn't go so far for such a short trip for any reason but ultimately it's a personal choice. Offsetting is a nonsense on a planet that is being poisoned. Perhaps do some research on what it will add to your carbon footprint.*

ClaireScot have I misread this post or are you really a fucking hypocrite?

How can you justify your numerous sanctimonious posts while still taking one return flight every year?

Having children is the most damaging thing you can do, not flying.

Also from the POV of the planet it doesn’t matter a jot whether she goes for 2 days or 2 months.

Having children is the most damaging thing you can do, not flying.

You can't point that out - it's apparently completely irrelevant.

Might be on a sticky wicket if no one has them

And another straw man shouting "hypocrite" enters the room.....

Yes the whole “other people are bad too” argument. It’ll be China next and a comment that “they” (big companies? Government?) should “do” something

Might be on a sticky wicket if no one has them

I don't think the planet will mind too much.

I think it - and the entire animal and sealife population - will heave a massive sigh of relief if we were to stop procreating.

Yep but I’m up for prolonging life overall in harmony without destruction, others may not be

Might be on a sticky wicket if no one has them

If the population stopped dead yes, but that’s not going to happen. The best thing you can do for the environment is not have children. The second best thing you can do is limit the number of children you have to replacement level (no more than 2).

And another straw man shouting "hypocrite" enters the room.....

But it IS hypocritical for one poster to have numerous posts criticising people for flying and the damage to the environment whilst stating they still take one return flight a year themselves. This isn't someone who previously taken flights and has now stopped. Why is it ok for that poster to continue with annual return flights but for OP not to take one?

Two sounds reasonable

Or replacement rather

The only 'sticky wicket' will be for us humans.

Categorically not for the planet, which seems to be everyone's priority on this thread.

In any case, a widespread agreement to have no more children seems ... unlikely.

Priority is keeping going in harmony for me - like I said others may welcome extinction

I’d put having shed loads of children in same camp as quick long haul flights - to be rethought

Highly irresponsible from an environmental point of view. And not the smartest thing to do with limited savings.

@LittleKitty1985

When people move that far away I think they can't really be considered current best friends anymore - you'll barely see him and you'll drift further apart every year

You can fuck off with deciding who is/isn’t a best friend. How rude

My Best Friend lives in NZ (I’m in the UK) we miss each other a lot but are very very close. She’s no less my best friend because I now live in the UK Than MY mum is my Mum because I live here. Stupid comment

I think a fair solution would be to ration flights so you have a fixed number per year then you can choose how to use them. I have friends that use planes like buses and fly all the time due to their work not their fault but their companies need to be smarter about it

Under that system MrsT, the OP would easily comply.

I think a better solution would be an overall environmental credit system. With flights as one part of that, so if you want to prioritise them you could.

The jet lag when you arrive will wipeout any wedding so it won't be worth it. You need Tim when you land in Oz to recover from that.

The best thing you can do for the environment is not have children.

As pointed out there's no issue (ha!) if there are no children. This is an argument dreamed up by those who wish to ignore the damage they are willingly inflicting on the planet.

What does Tim bring to the party @decormad38 - the thread has moved on a bit, OP has booked tickets

VU. It's simply not worth it. I'd have 101 better things to d9 with the money. You will feel ghastly with the jet lag