@theleafandnotthetree
Genuine question and I'm trying not to be goady, but those of you who do multiple holidays abroad per year, including several long-haul, do you think about or worry about the environnental cost of this level of travel (not just the flights, but all of it)? Do you anything to offset it? If I won or acquired an amount of money in the morning and could do this level of travel, I genuinely think I would wrestle with my conscience.
In normal times it’s usual for me to take 50-60 flights a year (for work). I do think about the environmental impact, yes. On the other hand, my footprint is very similar to an average family with 4 members, a house and cars.
I don’t have children.
I don’t drive or own a car, always walk or use public transport. I think I get into a taxi twice per year max.
I’m vegetarian - never eaten meat or fish in my entire life, and I try and eat as little dairy as possible too.
I have about 5 changes of clothes at any given time, which only get replaced when they’re so full of holes it’d be embarrassing to go out on the street dressed in them.
I have a small flat and only heat 1 room during the winter, so very low electric and gas usage overall.
I try and consume as little plastic as possible (foodstuffs, cleaning and hygiene, etc).
Now, how many people don’t take a flight for environmental reasons, but have multiple children and expect no judgment for that (they have a right to it, of course, and I’d personally never judge them for it), have one or two cars per household and use them to do the shopping or get to the train station instead of walking 45 mins each way (which is of course more uncomfortable and less time-efficient, but not always necessary), go visit family instead of taking a bus, even if it takes 2h..., long list of etc? How many people go shopping at least twice a year for new clothes?
So I do think about it but don’t feel guilty about being on a plane so often. I have made my choices on how to contaminate this planet, same as everyone else around me. I sometimes donate to a carbon offset initiative, and I do get quite angry when the quickest way of getting somewhere involves multiple 1 hour flights, when a good rail infrastructure would mean I could make the journey by train and be greener in the process.
By the time summer comes and I have the option of getting an extra couple of flights to go see my family, I don’t even consider not going. I’ve already done enough harm during the year. Completely changing careers is not even an option, so I try compensate as much as I can in other aspects of my life. Without feeling guilty about it at all.