How to Not Feel Guilty About the Flights You Take
A conflicted traveller explores more eco-friendly flying
Our ancestors could only dream of the freedom and opportunities of taking a plane trip. Nowadays, as money and time permit, we can reach the furthest corners of the globe whilst mostly sitting on our bums.
On the other hand, flying has a deeply concerning effect on the environment. The aviation industry emits 2% of our carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions globally. This means in 2019, 915 million tonnes of CO2 were produced by flights. And that doesn’t account for the other greenhouse gases planes expel, which all trap further heat in the atmosphere.
Airplane manufacturers are already working on newer and more fuel-efficient planes, with lower emissions. Some newer aircraft use fewer than 3 litres of jet fuel for each passenger per 100km, which matches most modern compact cars.
Related Link: Geek out over the possibility of electric planes in the future here.
But under 20% of the world’s population has ever flown. And this is projected to change dramatically, with the growth of the economy and middle-class in China, India and other countries. The IATA forecast in late 2018 that passenger numbers could double to 8.2 billion by 2037.
More sustainable methods of air travel must remain a priority.
I recently made a return journey from London to Boston to see my partner. My carbon footprint from those flights was around 864 kg CO2 — more than an average person in 53 of the world’s countries produces in a year.
I’m not prepared to just cancel seeing my person. And to not ever explore all of the beauty and diversity that the earth has to offer feels devastating. Beyond this, how many people would be confident to tell their boss they refuse to take a business flight abroad?
But it’s deeply uncomfortable sitting back and recklessly destroying the ozone layer. I don’t want to turn a blind eye and just accept how not eco-friendly flying is.
So I investigated what I can do to prevent or mitigate some of the environmental damage that flying causes.
Pick an airline with a carbon offsetting scheme
Carbon offsetting is, in short, the concept of ‘neutralising’ the carbon dioxide you cause to be released into the atmosphere. Hey presto, you can do this by supporting initiatives that reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air.
Delta Airlines have been offering a scheme for their customers to carbon offset their flights since 2007. Unfortunately, fewer than half of major airlines have followed suit. And less than 1% of passengers then choose to take these airlines up on it. Having this as a voluntary option could be the reason for the lack of participation.
Having this as a voluntary option could be the reason for the lack of participation. Either way, airlines are starting to take the lead. In late 2019, easyJet became the first major airline to offset all flights across their network (they operate within Europe) on behalf of its customers. JetBlue, Air France and British Airways have confirmed they’ll be doing the same for all of their domestic flights starting from different dates in 2020.
I know choosing a specific airline isn’t straight-forward when you want to pinch pennies on flight bookings. I’m always working combinations of dates and times on Skyscanner to get the cheapest flights humanly possible.
But carbon offsetting via your airline is a more efficient way than going it alone, as airlines are able to invest more time and resource into choosing the most effective cause.
A quick Google search before booking a flight should let me know whether that airline can boast impressive carbon offset credentials versus its competitors.
Carbon offset if my airline isn’t
If I can’t bag a flight with an airline that offsets, it’s time for Plan B.
I can carbon offset after flying with a host of organisations out there, but not all are created equal. Ethical Consumer recommends some approaches when choosing a carbon offsetter:
- ✔ Invest in renewables — thought to be the best form of official offset, as they directly address our reliance on using fossil fuels for energy
- ✔ Invest in DIY offset projects — unofficial, often working towards political or educational change to benefit the environment in the long-term
- ✔ Look for Gold Standard-approved projects — set up by WWF and other non-profits, they manage best practice standards
- ❌ Avoid tree planting, any forestry offsets or retiring carbon credits. The reasons for this are complex but important — more info is here
Essentially, it’s about having the greatest impact with my money, and not stumbling into the first scheme that implies I must fund planting 20 trees ASAP to feel like an okay person again.
In 2019, Gold Standard and Climate Stewards (another non-profit) witnessed a sharp increase in individuals and small businesses who choose to offset 100% of the carbon emissions they produce. In 2020, I wouldn’t be alone if I did this too.
Fly direct
Planes emit roughly 25% of the total emissions for a flight whilst taking off and landing, according to NASA. Cruising uses a lot less fuel.
If I can plan a journey with only one landing-takeoff cycle, by avoiding any stopovers, then I’ll significantly reduce the negative impact I make by flying.
Travelling on only one plane to a destination also usually means the route there travels in more of a straight line — an extra bonus for reducing emissions.
Fly Economy
Putting it simply, the less space my seat takes up on a flight, the lower emissions it takes to get me as an individual through the air. If everyone rejected Business class, planes would soon need a redesign to fill them with more passengers and increase fuel efficiency.
In fact, on long haul flights (between 6 and 12 hours), carbon emissions can reach three times higher in Business class, and four times in First class, than in Economy.
With a 100% record of flying Economy, I can’t say I’m too sorry about the money I’ll continue to save here.
Stay somewhere for longer
Slow travel really is the one! I stay somewhere for a few months at a time when I can. It’s then easier to:
- Discover the freshest and cheapest marketplaces
- Take part in activities and social events beyond the obvious tourist offering
- Immerse myself in the nightlife more times than I can count on one hand
- Experience the highs and lows of normal life in a foreign place
- Not just rush from one location to the next
When I take a holiday to somewhere for longer, I’ll also take fewer flights that year than I would have otherwise.
Refuse plastic, where possible
I can’t only think about the plane’s design and its emissions when considering my environmental impact from flying.
I get surprised looks and offhand comments from flight attendants when I decline a plastic cup for my canned drink.
But what’s odd about being offered a piece of plastic that would take upward of 400 years to decompose and asking, “is that really going to add anything to my life?”?
Amenity kits and pre-packaged set meals on long-haul flights are also largely unnecessary and wasteful. I’m going to pack a blanket and more food to keep my journey comfortable and ensure I’m fed. To refuse an onboard meal, go onto your airline’s website after booking and choose the Special Meal option ‘No meal’.
My suspicions have been confirmed — most packaging on airlines does not get recycled. This is largely due to legislative restrictions on how in-cabin waste is treated once it comes back to land.
We need to put pressure on airlines to reduce their plastic consumption. They could replace our cutlery and food packaging for biodegradable alternatives, like starch or sugarcane. And let’s completely ditch snacks in tiny portions which are individually wrapped in plastic.
I can feel my blood pressure rising!
Pack less
It might not seem like it would make much of a difference, but can you imagine if everyone on your flight only packed what they really needed to take with them?
I tend to plan trips where I’ll have access to a washing machine regularly. This helps me keep the clothing I pack down to a bare minimum. Beyond that, I make a mental note of anything I’ve packed and not used on a trip. I won’t then pack it for the next holiday.
The environmental responsibility isn’t only on us though, and airlines need to keep finding ways to lighten their loads too.
How to just stop flying as much
Reduce short-haul flights
Not many shorter journeys, e.g. across the US or Europe, absolutely must be made by plane.
Domestic flights can send out around 133g of CO2 per passenger per km and 121g of other pollutants.
A diesel train emits only around 90g of CO2 per passenger per km. And these emissions get cut in half if I were to take an electric train instead (roughly 45g of CO2).
Even better is coach travel (approx. 27g per passenger per km), and then even even more eco-friendly is ferry transport as a foot passenger (18g). However, taking a car with me onto the boat would bump this up to the equivalent of a long-haul flight (128g).
Working out the carbon footprint of driving can be complicated, as it takes factors such as distance and type of car into account. Driving can even come out worse than flying. However, if I were to bring a hypothetical 1.5 kids with me, I could rest assured I was curbing emissions by travelling by car.
Financially speaking and on a global scale, it’s difficult to compare the different methods of transport and their emissions. But in the UK, despite what we often hear, it turns out that plane and train journeys can be totally comparable on price. It just takes a little work sometimes to find the right combination of route and journey time.
Stay local
A lot can be said for appreciating the country you live in. There’s inspiration to be taken from the US population; a first world country where 13% of its citizens have never flown on a plane.
Here in Britain, cheap flights + all-inclusive package deals to Spain or Greece are available for a lot less £s than petrol + a week at a hotel in Wales. This brings the issue of class and wealth into the conversation of what people should be doing.
But I can still apply mindfulness to enjoying my immediate environment more before leaving it.
Related Link: If you’re looking to cut down on flights and reduce your carbon footprint, be inspired by some of the people who pledge not to travel by plane here.
Editor’s Note: Since the publishing of this article, several airlines have pledged to offset carbon emissions on behalf of customers, so text has been changed to reflect this. The article has also been updated with more recent statistics.
Originally published at https://carolineisawriter.com.
