FLY ME TO THE MOON – BUT SWITCH OFF THE TV FIRST!

A straw poll reveals flying has perhaps a blacker reputation than it deserves.  responsibletravel.com comes up with novel – but easy – ways to ‘afford’ your flight with CO2 savings.

On discovering that the public now assumes that flying accounts for 30% of total emissions (in fact, flying accounts for nearer 5% of total emissions whereas our homes account for 25% of emissions), responsibletravel.com set out to prove that while acknowledging the impact of flying on global warming; it should not be the scapegoat for the world’s global warming crisis.

In the furore surrounding the CO2 emitted by a flight, emissions in other areas are overlooked.  While typical household emissions per person per year are around 11 tonnes , a return flight from London to Barcelona will only emit 0.26 tonnes per person.  responsibletravel.com reasons that if you want to ‘afford’ that flight in reduced CO2 emissions, you should be looking at shaving off some of that 11 tonnes .

A few simple actions allow the traveller to ‘afford’ the CO2 emissions of that flight – and the same amount again.

This much can be done at home but travellers can also reduce the carbon emissions of their holidays while they are away.  In fact, picking the right holiday could make it not just carbon neutral but carbon negative.

For example, a holiday to Peru* which includes stove building in the community (improving combustion, reducing smoke, fumes, heat loss and timber consumption) covers the carbon emissions from the flight with nearly 2 tonnes to spare.  About 65% of the cost of this holiday (excluding flights) is spent in the local economy, reducing the need to rely on natural resources and providing the local population with a viable alternative to less sustainable activities.

This provides fuel (excuse the pun!) for the argument that stopping travelling altogether will have a detrimental effect on both local economic development and conservation thereby holding back carbon reduction initiatives in destinations which need local communities to be educated about their environments, and to be able to afford to invest in low carbon technologies.

Justin Francis, Co-founder of responsibletravel.com, says: “In Kenya I visited a Maasai village with solar panels which reduced their dependence on wood and helped address severe deforestation in the area. They had been inspired by the technology in a lodge on their land – from which they earn sufficient income to be able to afford the panels.” 

UK tourists currently spend around £2bn a year in developing countries (not far short of DFID’s development budget).  Admittedly, not all of this trickles down to local people, but with more responsible tourism a good proportion does.

As Justin Francis says: “Yes, air travel contributes to global warming but if we all stopped booking flying and booking responsible holidays then we will also contribute to global warming as both local economic development and conservation would be negatively impacted.”

Following responsibletravel.com’s simple household carbon reduction suggestions, travellers can book a responsible holiday safe in the knowledge that they will be emitting less carbon than before, and that they will be supporting local conservation and development – which in turn can help local communities to reduce their own carbon emissions.

*Contact responsibletravel.com for further calculations

FURTHER INFORMATION

responsibletravel.com: www.responsibletravel.com

Climate Care: http://www.climatecare.org/

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Notes to editors

Contact: For further details please contact Justin Francis (co-founder, responsibletravel.com) on 07787 555 088 or e-mail press@responsibletravel.com