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?

We fly very infrequently, for environmental reasons. For us a holiday by plane twice a year would 'not be worth the carbon'. We've flown about once every four years ish for the last 20 years. We do holiday in the UK.

I don't tell people why unless they ask - then I would just give an honest answer.

I try to lead a very low energy lifestyle. Don't fly, no car, don't eat meat. I try to use very little energy. In May my home energy bill was less than £32 (combined, including standing charges). Last month it was £39. In January it was £54.

Having said all that, a lot of use is actually systemic. In 2007, a class at MIT worked out the carbon footprint of a homeless person in the US, living off the grid but relying on infrastructure that depends on fossil fuels; it was still ten times more than someone living in sub-Saharan Africa. But that shouldn't be an excuse for being complacent.

But so many places you can’t go ( well not unless you have loads and loads of leave)

I know that I shouldn't fly for environmental reasons but still do. I have cut down though. I used to fly 6 times a year (every school holiday) and have cut it down to twice a year.

Friends and family vary from those who have completely stopped flying to those who have cut down to those who continue to fly as much as they have done in the past.

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. Agree @WishIhadnotcome

I can't unknow, and I can't just pretend. I'm happy with my choices.

This is one of those things that taken in isolation means nothing. Someone’s carbon footprint is far beyond where they holiday.

Never heard it in real life. I also don't know any UPF obsessives, but that seems to be rife here too.

Probably a mix of the teeny tinies and trolls tbh.

The people who eat local in the winter. What do you eat? Potatoes, carrots, onions and swede and spring greens.
We have an allotment and swede and onions are all we have left. I like kale but nobody else does, and I won’t eat the Brussels sprouts because of the amount of insects inside

Not flying doesn't mean no holiday.
I'm sick of the narrative that it's only a holiday if you go abroad.

So you not really ‘giving up something’ …..if you not bothered anyway….I don’t need to go abroad…..but I love going…..so many countries to see…..I don’t really consider any carbon footprint if I’m honest ….I’m vegetarian and drink almond milk….but not because I want to save the planet…. We are all different I guess

Agree. Also have a large allotment and outside what we’ve pickled/jammed/chutney’d fresh fruit and veg is scarce.

This is unjustifiably dismissive.

If a person cuts their own carbon footprint by choosing not to fly, that's a cut.

So many people proclaiming to no longer fly due to environmental impact.... does that mean that there are less flights now? Because I don't think there is.
Maybe someone could have a look and do the maths on it.
The seat you are giving up is being taken by someone else.

Because if we say it people get pissed off. A very close friend of mine literally shuts me down if I try and mention it. It’s like how it used to be when I said I was vegetarian or didn’t drink alcohol - people who eat lots of meat or drink lots of alcohol would see my choice to not as a criticism of their choice to eat meat/drink. It’s not. My choice is my choice. But it often triggers guilt or shame or something which gets directed back at me.

Thats why I don’t talk about it much. Sick of triggering anger (driven by shame and guilt probably)

Industrial farming and agriculture for it causes the biggest pollution. We could start there.

But that's their choice.

I'm making my choice, I think it's the right one, I'm not going to fly just because other people do.

Wrong. It’s a cut assuming they didn’t also purchase a diesel SUV etc.

There is an organisation that is trying to get employers to sign up to give extra leave if people travel slowly rather than flying. A way of encouraging people to fly less.

its usually because they can't afford it.the only 2 families I knew who did this were't well off, one came into some cash and off they went 😂

I think if you look at the figures, flying is by far the highest form of transport.

Yeh right…..I’m nhs ….can’t even get a fecking pay rise 🤣🤣

It’s cost us more to drive to Europe than fly. Way more than a cheap fly and flop to the Canaries.

But if they need the employees to fly as part of their job, they will want them to use the fastest way possible so they can be back in the office.

I don't think my few commercial flights a year make even a tiny bit of difference when you see celebrities taking private jets daily. Ditto a cruise with 3000 people vs a private yacht

I am no Greta but I do try and do my part. I have to fly once or twice a year within Europe for work but I don't eat meat, I don't have a car, I live in a small-ish well insulated apartment, I shop second hand for all clothes except underwear/sleepwear/gymwear, I recycle etc. I cycle or use public transport wherever I go and I would absolutely never, ever set foot on a cruise ship.