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!!)

[MsTSwift]

Ineed me too. I only cottoned on recently am in NO position to judge anyone as I have travelled a lot more than most. We home exchange so can travel v cheaply. It got to the point we were flying most half terms as well as the summer. So zero brownie points for me. As a family we need to change our behaviour.

[BlueSkiesLies]

You don’t have to be an ‘eco-warrior’ to think long haul trips for weekends should be in the firing line, just aware of what’s going on.

What is worse about 1 person fling long haul for one weekend in the year.. or flying long haul for two weeks?

Two flights (or four to Australia) each. Same distance. Only difference is the length of time they are away which has zero impact on the carbon emissions.

I agree with PP there number of people virtue signalling on here is a bit lame. I hope none of the 'think of the environment' posters are flying anywhere at all every again..

[MarshaBradyo]

I’d put it top of the list to be reduced so demand would go down - business and non business

This is the most frivolous way to travel and easy to change

Wouldn’t you?

[MarshaBradyo]

Are you happy for people to not make the slightest change, companies to invest in alternatives, people to alter at least the most frivolous jollies

[paap1975]

My cousin has done this a couple of times for special family occasions. Go for it!

[Catwaving]

I haven't flown for over a decade, and have no plans to now (this is directly due to what I've recently learned about the environmental impact), AND I don't judge people that do fly

HOWEVER, If I WAS to fly anywhere, I'd be very careful about booking anything now given Extinction Rebellion's plan to shut down Heathrow in the Autumn sometime

They have been pretty quiet since the London shut down, so I believe them when they say they're going to do something big soon

[tenredthings]

If you care about there being a future for you children we are all need to seriously look at our life style choices starting right now ! Warming effect: Long-haul flights account for a significant amount of carbon emissions. A return flight from Melbourne to London creates a warming effect equivalent to 16.8 tonnes of CO2 per passenger.

[BottleBeach]

If we want to survive, as a species, we MUST change. I think in our lifetimes, and definitely in our children’s, awful and horrifying things are going to happen if we don’t. We won’t be able to hide or protect ourselves from the consequences of climate change. It will be terrifying and horrific.

...

I guess we always knew it really, but so many of us were not thinking about it. We’ve been indoctrinated to carry on, keep travelling, keep flying, keep buying, keep consuming, keep spending, keep posting on social media. By the corporations who benefit from this mess. We were sleepwalking before. Now we have woken up to the irrefutable facts, and we must all do what we can to change.

I agree wholeheartedly @Feelingquitewarm. Thank you to you, @MarshaBradyo, @Catwaving, @MsTSwift and others who have made such important contributions to this thread.

[BottleBeach]

@Outsomnia - please could you say a bit more about what you mean by I think the whole climate change issue is aspirational?

[CecilyP]

What is worse about 1 person fling long haul for one weekend in the year.. or flying long haul for two weeks?

Not specifically about OP, but flying long haul for a weekend presupposes that that will not be your only holiday flight that year whereas using up all your annual leave for a long haul holiday generally means that’s the only flight you’ll take.

[MsTSwift]

That’s how I feel bottle. I have woken up. I can’t put the genie back in the bottle. I hope I am not a virtue signalling eco warrior and believe me I wish it wasn’t true.

It’s abit like thinking society is equal for women then having kids and getting older and realising how wrong you had it. Uncomfortable.

[BottleBeach]

OP- I’m pleased that you are going to look into this more. Your flight is booked now and I hope you have a great time at your friend’s wedding. Thank you for posting this thread- it has been a really important opportunity to talk through how the climate emergency is affecting us all.

I’m not sure what links have already been posted, but if you are looking for scientific research about the issue, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change, and their report can be found here: www.ipcc.ch/sr15/. The summary for policy makers is very accessible.

This BBC article has some good graphical illustrations of what is happening: www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-5aceb360-8bc3-4741-99f0-2e4f76ca02bb

Finally, here are 15 ways we can all reduce our carbon footprint: www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jan/19/how-to-reduce-carbon-footprint

[MarshaBradyo]

Thanks Bottle

Behaviour change is bloody hard, even before you get to mass level

But our default response to I’m flying to the other side of the world for a weekend can’t afford to be ‘yay go’ anymore. If we stand a chance


Also this idea that anyone that talks about climate is an ‘eco warrior’ who should be hiding in ethical living and not the norm - got to go.

[Catwaving]

@MarshaBradyo very well put

[dragonfruitshoot]

I think this thread has been bloody great! Never would have got this level of discussion on the other boards mentioned. I am sorry it's such a derail OP, and I genuinely hope you have a lovely time.

Another thing I have recently done is change bank accounts to an eco friendly bank. I have shut down my HSBC and Santander accounts due to their investment choices and have told them that this was the reason.

[dragonfruitshoot]

Sorry I can't do links but this is from an article in the independent...
Then there’s HSBC, which RAN says increased its total fossil fuel financing in the years after the Paris Agreement from more than $17.4bn in 2016 to more than $21.5 in 2017 and invested almost $18.8bn in 2018.

[paap1975]

7 people travelled from Oz and NZ to my wedding. 6 worked a holiday round it and 1 just came for a couple of days. Maybe nuts, but very very special!

[BIWI]

@dragonfruitshoots

Never would have got this level of discussion on the other boards mentioned

How would you know? You're not on those boards! There are posts/threads where people are asking for help and advice - here's one that's at the top of the list of threads today:

here

[Catwaving]

Yes, great @BIWI and it has generated less messages (and therefore interest) in over a year and a half than this thread has in a couple of days. Another indicator of the apathy on Mumsnet in general when it comes to the environment

What IS your beef with people introducing environmental considerations into every day life conversations?

Why ARE you trying to control what everyone is saying and where they say it?

I'm genuinely intrigued.....

[BIWI]

I've stated my beef very clearly. People coming on here and sniping at the OP.

I have no problem with discussing environmental issues - I think this is the third time I've said this.

But I'm also interested why those of you who are so concerned about it don't have a presence on the boards on Mumsnet where you have the scope to really help and advise other people.

I'm not trying to control where people post at all. But I'm intrigued that so many environmentally-concerned people have turned up on this thread when they have no presence on threads that are also highly relevant.

It's a self-fulfilling prophecy that threads will be quiet if no-one posts one them but continues to post in other places.

[MarshaBradyo]

It’s great that climate is discussed on a thread like this. Tfft. Something at least. I’d rather it in the mainstream where it’s not just people into it.

If climate or being environmentally concerned puts people off switch it to ‘your children’s happiness’ or next generation’s if you have none.

[Catwaving]

So the BIWI rules if you are going to bring up "environmental" (really should just say "Relevant" but never mind) issues are:

It's okay for environmental issues to be discussed, but ONLY within a designated "environmental" thread

UNLESS, you have previously contributed to an "environmental" thread, in which case you are allowed to

....is this what you're saying? (I wouldn't want to put words into your mouth, I leave that for others to do)

[BIWI]

But you are putting words into my mouth

I never said any of that!

[Catwaving]

okay, @BIWI I'll try again

You have a problem if anyone questions the OPs motivations/situation (which was something I did)?

BUT,
You have no problem with relevant/environmental issues in general being raised during a discussion about anything on any thread (if relevant obviously) - is that right?

[LikeDolphinsCanSwin]

Not specifically about OP, but flying long haul for a weekend presupposes that that will not be your only holiday flight that year whereas using up all your annual leave for a long haul holiday generally means that’s the only flight you’ll take.

If the OP was going for longer she would likely be taking her DH and 4 DC, ie 12 flights not 2.