No holidays - carbon footprint

[Teacherbee85]

I've noticed recently whenever anyone posts about flying to go on holiday they tend to get jumped on by people saying it's bad for the environment.

I don't think I know any of these people in real life - everyone I know goes on holiday at least twice a year.

But on mumsnet a lot of people seem to have stopped due to environmental reasons.

If this is you, when did you make the decision? How do you deal with family and friends who so still choose to fly regularly?

I don’t know anyone who has done this or even contemplated doing it….don’t think it happens in RL unless you are Greta

Come on, do people really stop going on holiday because of the environment? Or are they just paying lip service? If they do they are absolutely mad, missing out on all those opportunities just to stay in rainy Britain for evermore!

Holiday threads on here are often dominated by people claiming they don't due it for environmental reasons. But I don't know anyone either!

Oh I agree! But it seems rife on here.

Nope nothing seen it.

I've never heard anyone in real life say it

Hi <waves>

Don't fly for environmental reasons. Wouldn't go on a cruise either.

We haven't flown for 5 years, mainly for environmental reasons. We are going to France this year, on the ferry. However we will definitely fly again in there future. I want to take them kids to New Zealand to stay with my dad before they finish primary school and while he's still got his health. We will look into offsetting, although I'm not convinced about how great it is. Some things I've read about one planet living factor in a short haul flight every 5yrs, interestingly.

Are your partner/friends like minded?

I have family/friends who have cut back on flights (to the point where they fly about once every 2-3 years). We went on holiday last year to Europe via train. I loved it. I think some people equate "not flying" with "never leaving the country" for some reason.

We holiday

But we don't fly every year

Flying every few years or less
And

Aim to keep total family's car mileage under 10k a year
Eat red meat no more than twice a month
Vegetarian meals during the week using local veg as a preference
Limit dairy
Very well insulated house - very low bills and very low gas footprint
Solar panels
Low spend - nothing new unless something has completely died

Aiming for low carbon footprint not zero - to get to zero is quite tricky by yourself but to get well below the uk typical carbon footprint is well possible

I might say it, just as an alternative to the truth that I'm afraid to fly.

I trust nothing that defies gravity.

My partner doesn't fly for green reasons, and hasn't done since the 90s. I probably fly about once every three years. We also don't own a car although there is very good public transport where we live. I've never learned how to drive.

We’re on holiday in Europe at the moment- have taken trains all the way. Partly because we like trains; partly avoiding planes for environmental reasons.

Good effort to all trying to reduce their carbon footprint.

I wouldn’t do a cruise either-.

I’m not ‘Greta’ but I think she’s got a point.

Haven’t been abroad since 2008. Last flew in 2006. Mostly lack of money.

Partner yes.
Friends - total spectrum from the same as me to fairly regular flights. I'm not going to lecture anyone but neither do I cover up why I don't fly, everyone knows.

I haven’t had a holiday abroad in years because of the environmental coats of flying. There is so much to see and do in the UK I don’t feel like I am missing out.

Family and friends still fly - that’s up to them.

I also have an electric car, solar panels and MVWH in the house.

But I am in the increasingly fortunate position that I have enough money to make this an easier choice. Plus we lived around the world and even though we kept flights to a minimum we still go to see some amazing places.

We don't fly and don't intend to. If more people did the same then perhaps we could make a difference. The future of the planet is more important to me than holidays. Plus, I'm not one for "needing" to go somewhere abroad. It doesn't really interest me.

Same ,
In fact we didn't have a holiday anywhere in six years ,untoll a few weeks ago and we had a week in Norfolk.

We very rarely fly for holiday for environmental reasons. We went away via a flight last year, and it was the first time we had flown for holiday since 2016. No current plans to fly again, but I won’t say we never will. To answer about how we deal with other people who fly - I just don’t say anything to them about it. I think most people think we don’t fly because we don’t want to spend the money! If it ever comes up in conversation I just say something somewhat lighthearted about how I can’t cope with the guilt about my carbon footprint, or that I think my carbon footprint is big enough without adding extra flights.

It makes me feel a hypocrite but I’ll add it for transparency… At some points throughout that period I have flown quite a lot for work, and felt hugely guilty about it, and adding flights for pleasure just felt like too much. I have mentioned to work colleagues sometimes that the reason I don’t fly for pleasure is bcs my carbon footprint for work travel is big enough already, and some people have been quite shocked about it!

Ditto. Have flown twice in the past 12 years. Once for a funeral as there was no alternative and once for a holiday before we had given up completely.

We drive to Europe and stop along the way at different places. Or stay in UK - still so much to see. Considering train in Europe next year. I know people who have given up unnecessary flying too. One family did a train holiday through Europe with the kids last year and loved it. Another trained it to Croatia last year and doing Scandinavia this year. Such an adventure.

We have family in Australia so we will go there at some point to see them as they are getting older and there is no alternative to flying then.

Now I know the facts, I can’t just waste loads of carbon just for my fun. It just feels wrong and I wouldn’t enjoy it.

Well then it's hardly a hardship or forgoing it 'for the planet' then is it ..

A flight every three or four years. We travel locally and own one electric car (family of four). Our friends and family don't travel a lot except my brother who flights a least once a month for worko or holiday. I think it's not good for the planet but I don't say anything as I'm not perfect myself.

Similarly to you, I don’t mention it unless asked and people are often surprised that I even consider our carbon footprint.

It amazes me sometimes that friends of ours that are intelligent, well informed, caring and will do things like buy fair trade goods, don’t consider the impact of their carbon footprint. Especially as those they are trying to support and be fair to in buying fair trade are more likely to be hit first and worst by the climate emergency.

We try not to fly and will usually take the ferry and drive. But I definitely don't judge anyone who does. There are so many ways to reduce your carbon footprint so you just have to choose where you can make an impact.