We need to fly a lot less if we want to save the world
By John Welford
@indexer (4852)
Leicester, England
September 25, 2015 3:24am CST
One of the most destructive means by which mankind is harming the environment is by flying jet aircraft all over the place. The emissions from aircraft are enormous, and they are delivered where they will do most harm, namely high in the atmosphere.
However, air travel is on the increase, with cut-price flights encouraging more people to take to the air and governments seeking to build more airport capacity.
So much air travel is completely unnecessary. We need to fly a lot a less, not more.
3 people like this
5 responses
@Kchitij2007 (445)
• Pune, India
25 Sep 15
Well that is true but air travel can no longer be substituted by anything. However, with research and experimentation- much like the Solar Impulse 2 project, we can really hope to make this popular mode of transport much more eco-friendly!
1 person likes this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
26 Sep 15
@Kchitij2007 If more people took their vacations at shorter distances from their home, a lot of air travel would be eliminated. We now have the strange situation of people who know places on other continents better than they do their own locality!
1 person likes this
@Kchitij2007 (445)
• Pune, India
25 Sep 15
@indexer Yes that is true and these methods are already very popular, however lot of people going for vacations, for family gatherings or some work that requires physical presence ( which i believe form the majority of air travelers ) will choose air travel over other means simply because its convenient or time-saving. Higher taxes or air-fare would just cause resentment so the ideal solution would be working towards a better technology that could really cut down on those emissions.
1 person likes this
@gregario888 (1276)
• Aurangabad, India
25 Sep 15
It is also time to explore alternative modes of long distance travel.
1 person likes this
@gregario888 (1276)
• Aurangabad, India
25 Sep 15
If one takes a closer look at the high speed trains China has put up, with speeds upwards of 300 kph . One may find an answer to this problem. Such trains carry far more people, than any airline can. That is their USP.
1 person likes this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
26 Sep 15
@gregario888 That is a very good point. Technology that improves rail links should definitely be encouraged.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
25 Sep 15
That would be the ideal scenario but I'm not sure if it's likely to happen. Many people have no choice but to travel frequently for work purposes.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
26 Sep 15
@indexer I personally think most are not, since technology allows most meetings to be held online. I do believe however, that some jobs in fields like technology and journalism would require a lot of (necessary) flying.
@boiboing (13147)
• Northampton, England
25 Sep 15
Travel broadens the mind and helps people to understand other people and other perspectives on life. It can be an intense force for good.
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
25 Sep 15
But travel does not have to be by air. If people user slower travel methods - such as train and ship - the journey would be as mind-broadening as what happened on arrival!
