To be pissed off at people who constantly say we need to fly less?

[lockdowncockdown]

I'm probably going to get flamed for this but here goes. Am I being unreasonable to be annoyed by the people who constantly say 'well, we need to fly less anyway'. Well, yes that's ok for you to say at 40/50 years old after you've spent the last 20 years flying all over the world and brandishing yourself as ' well travelled' and cultured. What about those of us in our early twenties like me who has been abroad four times in my whole life, not even to anywhere particularly exciting and I'm just about to finish university and was hoping to finally be able to travel a bit? It's ok to spout nonsense about flying less when you've been lucky and already had your experiences but I find it very hypocritical to want to deny others the same experiences that you were lucky enough to have.

Im so so sorry in advance but the environmental impact of us never hit me as much until I started seeing the difference and breathing the difference. Yes go and travel, but people do need to start taking heed of what travel is doing and personally I'll be staycationing for some time to come- there's a lot I cant wait to see again!!

OP I totally get what you are saying. I'm late 20s and have fortunately done lots of travelling and I am still gutted at the thought of not seeing the parts of the world I had planned to.

If every car is to become electric, where do you think the power extra power will come from ?

Secondly, communications, mobile phones, TV, internet also take lots of resources like people, power/energy, materials to maintain. These don't run on nothing. It's just that you can all see or imagine an aeroplane or a car

You don’t have an issue with a price increase because you can afford it . I’d prefer a rationing so that travel remains within the reach of many instead of becoming the preserve of the wealthy .

If there was a ration system then there is a ration system - not a great deal I could do but abide by it.

But there won’t be - not anytime soon.

Rwanda is one example because we went 2 years ago. It pretty much goes for any place out of of Europe.

And what harm do you think will befall these poor benighted eight year olds who can no longer go on safari, and have to go to Devon or Spain like everyone else?

It’s not really a compelling argument is it? That some incredibly privileged children will be slightly less privileged if they can’t take multiple long haul flights, or horror of horrors have to go on the Eurostar. Whereas climate change is likely to kill children in the developing world.

I’m not anti-flying, but when you are clearly spending more on your children’s little Easter mini-break than many people on here earn in a year, and everyone else is debating whether it is ok to go to Spain on EasyJet, it comes across as incredibly tone-deaf.

There might be . Never say never !

Like I’ve said many times - flying has quite literally never been cheaper.

If there is there is. That would be something we would all have to abide to.

All these hideous well-traveled old hags aren't making you do anything though are they OP. You can do what the fuck you like. And probably do. So what's your point?

The trouble with taking a cruise anywhere, like PPs have suggested, is that it takes so much longer. I was looking at an escorted holiday in America before lockdown, which would include several places in the space of a couple of weeks. Doable if you fly, but sailing there and back? I'd probably need about a month off work and that just won't get approved.

Essentially the younger generation are paying for a mess we haven't even caused and then are being preached to about needing to fly less to 'save the planet'

Agreed. The younger generation are being blamed for using plastic and tech and eating ready meals, and driving etc etc. We created the world they live in then blame them for being a part of it.

They will be the ones who have to live with what previous generations have done. It is about time we stopped preaching to them and started listening.

With all due respect - it’s nobodies business what I spend on a family holiday. And when you go to see the gorillas etc - so much money goes into conservation.

The tourism stops and they would be poached to extinction in a year or two.

Business travel needs to be reduced. DH's old company would send him abroad by plane for a 1 Hour meeting. Utter madness.

It was an American company and they use planes like busses.

Unfortunately I think the economy is going to be so fucked that the government won't dare bring in any sort of rationing if it affects people spending and we will revert. The only hope is that businesses see for themselves that is is a waste of money.

Older generation were shit and uncaring and have left the world in a bad state. YABVVVU as if everyone has your selfish attitude it’ll never improve. FWIW, I’m mid 30’s and haven’t been on a plane for over a decade. I still get holidays, they’re just not as warm

YABU

Stop being so childish and think about it. Do you accept climate change is a problem? If so, I think we are all going to have to accept that things we do now/have taken for granted need to change. Whether they will or not is a separate matter. I personally have my doubts as I think most people won’t want to make changes.... and so we will sleep walk into a problem that may be catastrophic for us.

Leaving that aside, I think very few people are saying nobody can ever fly ever again. Some people are saying fly less. Hopefully, green/renewable energy sources can be applied to aircraft at some point. Until then, i think moaning because “it’s not fair, you got to do x 20 years ago”. For a start nobody has banned you from travelling. Secondly, you will have had opportunities that some people did not get- is that fair? If not, why did you not give up those opportunities? You will also have had opportunities that previous generations have not had due to technological advances, for example. Perhaps they should deny you those opportunities because “it’s not fair”.

Which brings us back to the fact that as an adult you have to grow up and accept that sometimes life is not fair and sometimes you can’t do what you want. Of course, we can all carry on as though climate change is not an issue- or perhaps we can all expect everyone else to do their bit whilst doing very little ourselves..... and then we will reap the consequences. Or future generations will. But hey- as long as you get what you want- who cares?

I'm 32 and I haven't flown shorthaul (ie within Europe) for years. I have flown longhaul (to US and Asia) for holiday and work but only three or four times in a few years. It is possible to use trains for a two week holiday to Europe, or a one week holiday if you don't mind spending a couple of days travelling. It is more expensive than flying. It means you can't go on weekend mini breaks to European cities. My DH and I are the only people we know who have taken such a stance on flying - in my experience it's rather unusual, which is understandable given how tempting it is to fly cheaply to a European destination. Flying is really bad for the environment though....

I still don’t understand why so many people think it’s their right to inflict themselves on other areas of the planet. Like those who must go swimming with dolphins or see the pyramids. I’m really happy that they’re there and enjoy looking at photos or documentaries, I don’t need to get on a plane and go there.

The pandemic has shown just what can happen environmentally if we are no longer allowed to trample every bit of this earth. Rivers run clear, wild animals are free to roam, turtles are using beaches they’ve been unable to use for decades. It’s a beautiful thing. There should be t-shirts made telling us to stay the fuck at home and save the planet.

I really cannot see the appeal of taking a holiday in the UK. You go abroad to experience different sights, food, cultures, etc. What's the point of renting, for example, a cottage in Devon when you still go to Tesco for your food, drink beer at a local pub and speak English to everyone? That's not exciting or an adventure. You may as well stay at home.

I won't stop flying as long as I can afford it.

Yabu op, we do need to fly less. I'm 30 and would make the sacrifice of never flying anywhere ever again. I have a son.

Older people are allowed to say we all need to fly less. It's their opinion after all and maybe they're (rightly) worried for the future of younger people who they know. Also it's likely that when they were younger and flying frequently it wasn't common knowledge that it was contributing so badly to climate change. Now they are older and have more of an understanding of things, they are entitled to have their concerns.

I started seeing the difference and breathing the difference

It’s carbon emissions everyone is worried about. The air pollution is a different matter, and is definitely going to come back once everyone goes back to the office. Flights don’t make much difference here.

OP, you don’t need anyone’s permission to fly. As long as these companies survive (and most will), people will use them if the price is right.

All this pearl clutching over 3% of emissions. Won’t make one bit of difference even if these extremists go and burn down Heathrow airport.

it wasn't common knowledge that it was contributing so badly to climate change

But it is not contributing a lot to climate change. Around 2-3% of annual emissions.

Essentially the younger generation are paying for a mess we haven't even caused

But look on the bright side - at least you're not being conscripted to fight for your country in a world war

....because unless you've deliberately forgotten- that's what your grandparents/parents' generation did , to allow you the freedom to live in a democracy

Do you sound entitled? Well .... you sound like a whiny , negative child for sure

@Lanurk - Older generation were shit and uncaring and have left the world in a bad state.

Really? Us older people (I'm mid 50's) didn't spend our youth buying takeaway coffee in single use cups or buy plastic bottles of water etc and dump them. We certainly didn't buy what are effectively disposable clothes that are worn a few times and then dumped.

When I was a kid we didn’t have plastic bottles all over the place - we managed to survive without constant snacking and takeaways. We recycled bottles and cans. We didn’t buy so much cheap throwaway crap. We didn’t buy a new phone every year and need the latest car or tv. We didn’t fly.