Government research has concluded that 8% of the UK’s greenhouse emissions are a direct result of the aviation industry, with 97% of this coming from passenger flights.
The Guardian, citing data collected from Atmosfair, suggest that the CO2 generated from flying from London to New York and back, per person, equates to 986 kg; in 56 countries, this equates to more CO2 than the average person emits in a year.
Carbon Footprint
If you want to know the carbon footprint of your proposed flight, then the ICAO has created a carbon emissions calculator which you can use, and is the tool used by the UN to calculate flight emissions.
Staycations
One option for reducing air travel is to consider holidaying in the UK.
The Man in Seat Sixty-One is a website which seats to promote holidaying by train. Trips are not just restricted to the UK, but also extend into Europe, and website won the ‘Best Low Carbon Transport and Technology Initiative’ award in 2010.
The Goodness Project is another good resource, providing 5 top tips for a sustainable staycation.
Fly More Sustainably
If you have to travel by airplane, then Green Baggage provides information on how you can help to make this as sustainable as possible.
Their advice suggests flying as directly as possible, choosing the most energy efficient airlines and planes, packing as little as possible to reduce the weight of your luggage, and going paperless with your documentation.
Ultimately, you can also look to offset the carbon of your journey.
