After Covid, would you give up flying to combat climate change?

[Aprilrainbow]

After a horrid year we all want a holiday but would you be prepared to give up flying to combat climate change or is that a pre covid thing now? No axe to grind, just interested in peoples views.

No but I would agree to flying every other year if everyone else did.

I love travelling and would hate to completely give it up.

mind you I guess there are other options such as trains to the rest of Europe.

We do have to make changes, the sixth mass extinction is happening right now. We can’t go back, after this pandemic, to doing exactly what we were doing before

@NoZoomAtTheInn

We do have to make changes, the sixth mass extinction is happening right now. We can’t go back, after this pandemic, to doing exactly what we were doing before

How many different types of slugs etc do we really need?

@Aprilrainbow as much as I'm not for banning air travel and keen traveller myself, that's a pretty ignorant comment completely lacking an understanding of biodiversity.

April your comment displays ignorance about our natural world.

Humanity relies on biodiversity for its health and wellbeing, with the coronavirus pandemic an extreme example of the dangers of ravaging the natural world. Rising human population, destruction of habitats, the wildlife trade, pollution and the climate crisis must all be urgently tackled.

“When humanity exterminates other creatures, it is sawing off the limb on which it is sitting, destroying working parts of our own life-support system,” said Prof Paul Ehrlich, of Stanford University

I can only hope that April was not serious and was trying to be sarcastic ?

No.

There are bigger and more impactful changes (cutting out meat or at least eating a smaller amount of organic meat from a local supplier, using green energy, using electric cars, buying less clothes and ideally recycled ones, improving our home insulation etc),

While I’ve not read the whole thread and if this has already been mentioned upstream then apologies but there’s also the big environmental impact of NOT travelling. The tourist dollar protects ecosystems and wildlife - take that away and not only will there be a huge impact on wildlife, natural habitats and their fauna will be destroyed as poorer economies will need to exploit their natural resources.

My husband works in Animal Welfare - there have been huge problems this year for some of the animal sanctuaries his organisation work with that rely on a stream of ethical tourists. We’re talking about it being as dire as sanctuaries being unable to feed the animals or afford medication.

I used to work for a large environmental action group (with a colour in their title!). Even the most dedicated of individuals finds it hard to live a completely environmentally friendly existence. We all need to do more but there are more impactful changes people can make to their lives than flying.

Even the most dedicated of individuals finds it hard to live a completely environmentally friendly existence. We all need to do more but there are more impactful changes people can make to their lives than flying.

Heres the problem, ive had a hard life and have NO intention of making it harder by choice. Making stuff i like more expensive, denying lifes pleasures cos they dont meet some eco standard is not something i want to do.
Do more? i have enough to do in my life in general, i dont have the effort or mental space to care if my flight is eco or where a new pair of shoes is from

@squeekums

*Even the most dedicated of individuals finds it hard to live a completely environmentally friendly existence. We all need to do more but there are more impactful changes people can make to their lives than flying.*

Heres the problem, ive had a hard life and have NO intention of making it harder by choice. Making stuff i like more expensive, denying lifes pleasures cos they dont meet some eco standard is not something i want to do.
Do more? i have enough to do in my life in general, i dont have the effort or mental space to care if my flight is eco or where a new pair of shoes is from

I have pressures in my life too but I was willing to make changes.

We've made all the changes people cite on this type of thread and it has made life better not worse - probably because I waste less money now so have more to spend on other things. I personally feel better in myself for trying.

I think time pressures could be the biggest barrier to making eco friendly changes for many. There are only so many hours in a day for walking/busses instead of driving to the eco friendly shop to refill jars of all your household products (which you'd presumably need a car to take home ).

Thats not even considering the extra mental energy to source eco friendly options rather than just going to the supermarket.

And yes flying is almost always going to be quicker than any other form of transport. I had a really nice get together with family one Christmas when a family member only had 3 days off work. It wouldn't have been feasible with anything other than flying.

*here are only so many hours in a day for walking/busses instead of driving to the eco friendly shop to refill jars of all your household products (which you'd presumably need a car to take home hmm).

Thats not even considering the extra mental energy to source eco friendly options rather than just going to the supermarket.*

This! this whole worrying about the packaging on your food etc is a sign of such privilege! people are worrying about feeding their kids and heating their homes -they don't have the privilege of worrying about the sustainability of everything!

I don't have a driving license, nor does DH, if we go on holiday it's normally by train or coach, or short haul to. Europe. Last year and this year we have had no plans to go on holiday at all. We might use the money saved over the two years to go somewhere further away, but as I go everywhere day to day by bike or public transport I have no qualms on this.

I get that time and cost are factors but they really shouldn’t be excuses for doing nothing. If buying organic meat is too expensive on a day to day basis, buy less of it, flex with more vegetarian options - it’s not going to cost you more and is better for the planet. Get your supermarket shop delivered, get a smart meter fitted, stick old clothes on freecycle, turn the lights off when you leave a room, when you buy a new car get one that’s more environmentally friendly, order eco friendly toiletries and refills in bulk online , stick another jumper on rather than banging the heating up -these are not costly or hugely time consuming changes.

When it comes to holidays, we can have a big beneficial effect. Money from certain tourism helps to protect landscapes and natural habitats and helps local communities manage their lands and resources in more sustainable ways. I think we need to change the way we fly to help limit the environmental impact but I do personally believe we should fly.

Buy less organic meat😂

You really haven't got a clue about people's lives have you?

@SJaneS49

I get that time and cost are factors but they really shouldn’t be excuses for doing nothing. If buying organic meat is too expensive on a day to day basis, buy less of it, flex with more vegetarian options - it’s not going to cost you more and is better for the planet. Get your supermarket shop delivered, get a smart meter fitted, stick old clothes on freecycle, turn the lights off when you leave a room, when you buy a new car get one that’s more environmentally friendly, order eco friendly toiletries and refills in bulk online , stick another jumper on rather than banging the heating up -these are not costly or hugely time consuming changes.

When it comes to holidays, we can have a big beneficial effect. Money from certain tourism helps to protect landscapes and natural habitats and helps local communities manage their lands and resources in more sustainable ways. I think we need to change the way we fly to help limit the environmental impact but I do personally believe we should fly.

When I was in my early twenties my entire food budget was £12 per week.

No. Absolutely not. In fact I will book something as soon as I can.
But my travel is so small, once a year trip Krakow or Dubrovnik, that I'm fine with this morally.

I walk to work, recycle. I'm more concerned with huge companies and the oil and gas industries and how they are the main culprits, rather than my 1 flight.

@lockedownloretta - you sound a charmer, are you always this polite or am I seeing something a bit special here. Instead of buying cheap low welfare factory farmed meat, buy the higher welfare meat in your supermarket and mix that up with vegetarian options the next day. Basically buy less but better. It’s not exactly a difficult concept to grasp or going to cost you more.

I don't want to give up seeing family who live 4000 miles away.

Nope

No. Four of us fly together once a year, I don’t think that’s excessive.

@NoZoomAtTheInn

April your comment displays ignorance about our natural world.

Humanity relies on biodiversity for its health and wellbeing, with the coronavirus pandemic an extreme example of the dangers of ravaging the natural world. Rising human population, destruction of habitats, the wildlife trade, pollution and the climate crisis must all be urgently tackled.

“When humanity exterminates other creatures, it is sawing off the limb on which it is sitting, destroying working parts of our own life-support system,” said Prof Paul Ehrlich, of Stanford University

This guy is so discredited. The ‘population bomb’ guy who predicted massive famines in the 70s because of overpopulation .... when actually we’ve been increasingly able to feed more of humanity than at any other point in history.

It didn’t happen then and it won’t happen now

No, I wouldn’t be prepared to make such a big sacrifice while others can still freely make other choices that are more damaging like having as many children as they want and eating as much meat as they want.

We've made all the changes people cite on this type of thread and it has made life better not worse - probably because I waste less money now so have more to spend on other things. I personally feel better in myself for trying

Glad you feel good. It’s going to be helpful when China fires up all those coal plants. More coal plants are set to come online in China over the next few years than currently exist in the EU.

Literally nothing you do will make any sort of difference—and literally nothing the UK does will make any sort of difference. Look up UK emissions and compare to China to get a massive reality check (and don’t even water it down with per capita rates ... the environment doesn’t care about such distinctions)

So if it makes you happy, keep doing it. Because it’s not making any difference to the environment.

Well, yes it is. It’s making a difference in our part of the world. Your view is a bit bleak - not that I don’t agree with a lot of it though. There have been positive signs from China both in terms of emission commitments and on animal welfare in 2020. I’d agree these don’t go far enough and China needs to be held to them.

Thinking ‘we’re f*cked anyway’ is a bit passive as well. Only so much we are individuals can do obviously but whether it’s pressuring our politicians, supporting campaigning activities, not buying clothes made in China (their textile industry is a big pollutant) or not visiting the place then we do have some (admittedly small!) leverage.

No.

I've had very little opportunity to travel in my life so far due toa combination of finances, controlling XH and now caring responsibilities for elderly parents.

When Covid is over, personal commitments notwithstanding, I have very intention of making up for lost time, and that will probably involve maybe half a dozen long haul flights into the rest of my lifetime and hopefully several shorter ones.

I assess my carbon footprint annually and it's pretty good so I've no intention of relinquishing the opportunity to experience other countries and cultures once I'm able to again.