Where years ago you might not have hesitated for a minute and took the plane to your destinations, something has changed in your head: flight shame. In recent years it has been a growing phenomenon and for a logical reason: climate change.
Flying is still one of the most polluting means of transport we know. It accounts for 2-3 percent of global CO2 emissions annually . Furthermore, a journey by plane is usually about 7 to 11 times more polluting than by train. In this blog we look at the solutions and dive into avoiding flies. This way you can now go through life without flying shame!
What to do about flight shame?
It is important to look for alternatives where possible. Remember the train! The first thing you can do about flight embarrassment is to avoid short flights. Destinations such as Paris, Berlin and London are easily accessible from the Netherlands by train. In some cases, the train is even faster than the plane. This is especially the case if you factor in the long check-in time. Another advantage of the train are the prices. Train tickets fluctuate less in price than airline tickets, which can be advantageous if you want to go somewhere around the holidays. It is usually cheaper to buy your train tickets a while in advance.
Compensating for CO2 emissions
Not everyone can stop flying completely overnight. You may also feel ashamed of flying because of all the miles you’ve flown in the past. Fortunately, it is not yet too late. There are various tools online that calculate how many kilometers you have flown in total, how much CO2 you have emitted with your flights and how many trees are needed to compensate for this.
Providers such as Greentripper offer the option of first calculating the emissions and then immediately compensating your emissions. Many companies can be found for offsetting CO2. For example, at Trees for All you can invest in various certified forest projects. Another option is to take out a monthly subscription to offset carbon emissions through various sustainability projects at Regreener .
Are you going to your destination by plane?
Make sure that the shame of flying does not turn into complete emission shame. It is important that you pay attention to your emissions during your stay. Try to buy your food locally and choose a destination where mass tourism has not yet prevailed. It can be said with certainty that your vacation will be much more surprising that way if you avoid well-known tourist spots and choose to visit small local places.
You can also make a positive impact when choosing a place to stay. Choose sustainable accommodation with, for example, solar panels and a heat pump. Prefer to stay in a hotel? Choose a hotel where sustainability is on the agenda. If you do take the plane, it is also important to book a direct flight. Multiple stops can be a few tens cheaper, but is also a lot more polluting because of the large amount of fuel that is needed during take-off and landing.
Flight Shame: Conclusion
Hopefully after reading this blog you are more aware of the concept of flight shame. Awareness is the first step to change, and yes, the flight behavior of many will have to be changed. Fortunately, this can be a lot of fun! Enjoy a long train journey and make this part of your holiday! Play games on the go or relax while watching a movie. This makes sustainable travel very easy and offers a chance to spend more quality time on the road!
