For many people, traveling is about jumping on a plane to explore a foreign destination. Flying itself is seen as part of the adventure – the excitement you get when you’re at the airport, board a plane and eventually miraculously take off into the sky.
At the same time, flying is considered the worst mode of transport when it comes to harming our environment. Through the release of huge amounts of carbon emissions (CO2), they contribute to global warming – that’s for sure.

With increasing discussions about minimizing your carbon footprints and flying making up a large part of it, you may wonder: Is plane travel as bad as we think it is? And should I stop flying completely?

Is flying as bad as we think it is?

Well, any kind of transport has an impact on the climate, except walking or riding a bicycle. So what’s the true impact of flying on the environment? Around 2% of the world’s carbon emissions come from flights. That might sound very little, but it’s growing every year and its impact is tremendous. In 2019 there were already 3.9 billion passengers on airplanes every year. And current predictions of the IATA (International Air Transport Association) expect the number of yearly passengers to double within the next 20 years up to 8 billion. This means 8 billion people on airplanes every single year! That is a hell of a lot.
Picture this example: One return flight from Berlin to Buenos Aires in Argentina causes more than 7 tonnes of CO2 emissions which is the equivalent to
  • more than 3 years of driving a car (driving 12.000 km per year)
  • more than 70% of the average German person’s activities over the course of a whole year (which is 9.5 tonnes of CO2 per year)
  • 12x more than the average yearly emissions of an Ethopian (which is only 560 kg of CO2 per year)
  • almost 5x of the climate compatible annual emissions budget for one person (which is 1.500 kg per year)
And this is with only one return flight. So, one holiday or one business trip.
I know, these numbers suck. But it’s the reality we have to face. By keeping on living as we do right now, every German person emits six times of what our planet is able to cope with. Every single year.
So the answer is: Yes, flying is as bad as we think it is! Maybe even worse.
Stop flying to protect nature

Should I stop flying for the sake of the climate?

So if I want to protect the environment it’s a fair question to ask, if I should stop flying completely? Some experts advise us to do so. It’s the first place you can cut your carbon footprint with a high impact.
Yet, to stop flying altogether may not be easily done for everyone, as some of us have families on the other side of the world or a job that makes it difficult to stop flying straight away.
Still, there are many steps you can take in order to cut down flying.

Ways to fly less

Try to minimize flying

The first step is to consider your mode of transport and find the occasions where you can easily avoid taking a plane. Try alternate means of transport as often as possible. Especially for people living in Europe, the are so many options to reach your destination without flying and still explore other cultures and places. There is an amazing network of train and bus connections within European countries that makes it quite easy to stop flying within Europe. Additionally, you can use BlaBlaCar to share a ride with others.
Also within Asia and South America, I have often been surprised by comfortable buses and trains and incredibly well-developed networks.

Don’t take domestic flights

Traveling within your own country is the best opportunity where you can easily stop flying. Once you try means of transport on the ground, you’ll be surprised that in many cases it doesn’t even take much longer than taking a plane. Consider going to the airport, arriving there at least one hour before the flight to check in your bags and pass security checks. Even if the flight itself may take just one hour, in many cases it takes you almost another hour to leave the airport. And eventually, you need to reach the city center or your actual destination from the airport. Comparing a flight from Stuttgart to Berlin will add up to around 5 hours until I’m in the center of Berlin, compared to around the same time by train or a 6 hours ride in a shared car.

Fall in love with the advantages of other means of transport

On trains and buses, you can use your time way more efficiently. You can work, listen to a podcast or read this blog :) And honestly, they are more comfortable than planes anyway. Many trains and buses offer wifi and you can see so much during your journey. It might be cheaper as well, so it’s a double win.
With overnight buses and -trains you may even save a night in a hotel. And there’s something really special about the feeling when you wake up in a different place.
Stopy flying and take the bus

Compare the emissions of your desired route

Basically any kind of transport is better for the environment than flying. Yep, even taking the car, especially when you share it with more people. So in case you have a car, take other travelers with you. If you’ve ever tried carpooling before, you know how easily you meet great people.
Comparing my ride from Stuttgart to Berlin will end up in 110 kg of carbon dioxide by plane, compared to 67 by car and 22 kg by train. If I share a ride with 3 other people, my share of CO2 emissions is only 17 kg.
Moreover, CO2 is not the only parameter. In any other matter (energy resource consumption like gasoline, human toxicity, nitrogen oxides, and nonmethane hydrocarbons) plane travel is the most harmful mode of transport. You can check those metrics for any distance you consider taking by using Ecopassenger.
I know, it’s easier said than done. But even if to completely stop flying isn’t an option, try to avoid flying whenever you can, even if it means bit by bit. As you see, taking the plane is the worst culprit of emissions, when you compared different kinds of transport. At the same time, flying is a privilege only a few percent of the world’s population is able to enjoy. And we, who are able to do so, should handle this precious privilege with care.

If I stop flying – can I inspire others through flight shame?

The term “flygskam” – flight shame – came up in Sweden some years ago, with a movement of activists persuading more and more people to stop flying. It means the sinking feeling and bad conscience caused by realizing the harmful effects of flying. The amazon burning down, polar bears losing their habitat, and corals dying. And with every flight we take, we play our part.
For every single ton of CO2 we churn out into the air, about 3 square meters of Arctic ice melt. Hence, the link between our lifestyle and our planet slowly dying becomes harder to overlook for many people.
Yet, flight shaming is not the right way. We can open a positive dialogue and transport our message, but in the end people need to make the decision on their own. Shaming someone for their actions or forcing an idea down someone’s throat won’t work.
Even with all the evident facts and knowing that flying is bad for the environment, it’s not realistic that everyone will stop flying completely. So it’s about being more conscious and flying as little as possible. We need to take small steps together. The best thing to impact others is to set a good example and inspire others through your actions instead of fingerpointing.

How can we be more environmentally conscious when flying?

There are those among us who simply can’t take the step and stop flying completely due to our family being split by thousands of kilometers.
Besides, it’s understandable that, when you’re passionate about traveling and exploring foreign cultures, there are some destinations which are hard to reach without a plane. As with other “bad habits” it may be the more sustainable approach to not just stop, but to find alternatives. It takes time, to slowly fall in love with traveling by coach.
So, if you do fly, there are ways to minimize the impact.

Fly economy class

I don’t know if I’ll ever have the money to fly first class. But if you do, please think twice before booking your next flight. The more space we take up in the cabin, the larger is our share of the plane’s emissions. Besides, first-class or business class passengers usually consume more onboard, causing more trash.

If you do fly – go direct

Did you know that take-off and landing cause most of a plane’s emissions? So try to avoid stop-overs and book direct flights. This can already reduce the carbon footprint of your trip.

Pack light

The more luggage you pack, the heavier the plane will be. More weight means the plane uses more fuel and thus releases more CO2 into the atmosphere. I’ve talked about the benefits of packing light many times. Yet, it can’t be repeated often enough that your back, your wallet, and the environment will be happy about less luggage.

Fly with airlines that use renewable biofuels

Who would have thought that fuel can be produced using renewable feedstock, like agricultural waste and plant oils? That’s exactly the way biofuels are produced. So if you fly with an airline using renewable biofuels, emissions can be lessened.

Fly with budget airlines

When a flight costs less than a meal, it is hard to imagine that this can be sustainable. Sustainability is not only about the environment but also the employees. So it’s a fair point to choose the airline wisely. However, if you focus on the carbon emissions of a flight, budget airlines are often the better choice. The reason is that they pack more people into one plane and thus each individual passenger’s carbon footprint is lower. Also, food onboard and carry-on bags are not included at most budget airlines, reducing the weight of the planes.

Stay longer, especially if you take a long-distance flight

Make the most out of your vacation and stay longer at your destination. Make a big trip out of it, travel slower, and experience the place deeply. Maybe you can even connect it with working remotely for some time, if that’s possible with your job.
This makes even more sense when you travel somewhere far away. Only one long-distance flight can easily drive up your carbon footprint higher than an average person’s emissions over the course of a whole year. So extending your trip will be a more sustainable way of travel.
Stop flying stay longer

Reduce your waste

Even before your flight, you can easily save a lot of paper waste by using mobile tickets instead of printing your boarding pass and hotel reservations. Just download your boarding pass and store them on your phone.
Moreover, bring your own in-cabin items such as earphones, a pillow, or a thin blanket. All those items provided by the airline are packed in unnecessary plastic bags.
And have you ever wondered, if airplane trash is separated or recycled? The answer for most airlines is quick and dirty: Nope. After the crew walks through the aisle at the end of a flight, collecting all kinds of garbage in a large plastic bag, they simply ditch it at the next airport. No waste separation. No recycling. As most major airports have a recycling program, you’re better off keeping your airplane trash until you’re at the terminal. There you can easily find a proper trash bin where you can dispose of your waste separately.
Another quite effective tip is to bring your own food and a plastic-free travel kit on the flight to save money and a lot of single-use plastic.
This may sound like a drop in the ocean, but imagine 4 billion people boarding planes every single year – all of them leaving behind waste.

Choose a vegetarian or vegan in-flight meal

As meat production and thus eating meat is one of the worst culprits of carbon emissions, this easy choice can make a huge difference. Just opt for the vegetarian or even vegan meal, in case an in-flight meal is already included. Bringing your own sandwich or snacks in eco-friendly packaging will be even better, as you can save a hell lot of plastic.

Is carbon offsetting the solution?

In case you haven’t come across carbon offsetting before, it may sound like a magic loophole for those who don’t want to, or for whatever reason, can’t stop flying. For very little extra money your emissions will be compensated by funding an environmental project, such as tree planting, conservation, or renewable energy. Some airlines and booking platforms have already included it in their booking forms, so passengers only have to tick the little carbon offset box when booking a flight.
The amount of carbon caused by taking that flight is calculated and it shows you the money you need to invest in order to compensate for those carbon emissions.
However, there are so many different carbon-offsetting schemes, that vary remarkably in their quality and way of calculation. Also, the projects supported differ largely. Some argue that tree planting programs won’t counteract any carbon now, as trees need years to grow. Also, it’s hard to say that they’ll live long enough to actually reabsorb the emissions from your flight. Eventually, your carbon offset will never “wipe out” the emissions your flight releases.

How can I choose the right carbon offsetting program?

While carbon offsetting is not a regulated system, it is a way to support a change until sustainable transport options will be technically more advanced. By supporting some high-quality carbon-reducing projects, such as WWF’s Gold Standard or Germany’s Atmosfair you can help to do some good somewhere in the world. There is a huge variety of projects you can support.
For a return flight from Berlin to Madrid, it will only cost me 17 Euros in order to compensate for the 728 kg of CO2 that I’ll cause by taking that flight.

Is carbon capture a more sustainable option?

Carbon capture is a new technology that is said to be more sustainable than classic carbon offset. Simply put, this technology sucks CO2 from the atmosphere and permanently stores it in the ground. Sounds like magic, right? It could be a more concrete solution, as Direct Air Capture has an immediate effect. So you can offset your emissions by supporting carbon capture with Tomorrow’s Air.
Yet, whichever way you choose, offsetting is not about clearing your conscience! It’s not done by ticking the box and paying a few Euros for some project. We still need to question and change our behavior.
Neither can carbon offsetting be a long-term solution, as it simply doesn’t solve the origin of the problem. The solution would be less carbon emissions in the first place instead of emitting more and permanently trying to compensate for it.

Should I stop flying completely to travel more sustainably?

What efforts is the industry making to be more eco-friendly?

Some people say the responsibility shouldn’t lie with the consumer but the airlines to find a solution and bear the costs. We can all take a step, but a large change is only possible if the government reacts and the industry changes.

Airlines

Some airlines have biofuel programs and invest in carbon offsetting and sustainability programs.
Hence, with the choice of the airline you fly with, you can make an impact as well. So let’s have a look at what the industry is doing. Here are just a few examples:
  • KLM has reduced weight on their planes through investments, such as a digital reading app, and lightweight trolleys for the crew. This way, they were able to reduce their carbon emissions. Besides, they have a corporate biofuel program.
  • United Airlines have committed to reducing their CO2 emissions by 50% until 2050. Also, they launched a carbon-neutral flight in 2019 without any cabin waste, using sustainable biofuel, and offsetting the plane’s complete fuel consumption. The plan is to learn from this flight for future policies.
  • Easyjet invests in projects that help to keep the environmental impact of their flights at a minimum. Also, they plan to reduce carbon emissions by investing in new planes, lightweight seats, and paperless cockpits.
  • The first airline that has announced to be plastic-free by 2023, is Ryanair. Also, they plan to be more sustainable by investing in new aircraft, operational efficiency, and running their planes with only one engine between terminal and runway.
Moreover, did you know that Skyscanner also shows greener flight choices, based on their carbon emissions? It displays how much less CO2 a flight causes in comparison to the average for that route. The calculation is based on aspects such as the age of the planes, or amount of passengers carried.

CORSIA – a global offsetting scheme for airlines

Meanwhile, the UN has taken a huge step by developing its own global offsetting scheme for aviation emissions. It’s commonly known as CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation). As part of this climate protection strategy, the growth of international aviation aims to be CO2-neutral from 2020. Through this offsetting scheme, airlines have to finance CO2-reducing climate protection projects. It applies to all international flights connecting two participating countries. At the same time, investments are made in further reduction measures, such as sustainable fuel and modern climate-optimized flight technology. But it won’t shrink the carbon emissions of airlines anytime soon.
Stop flying jillonjourney

What else needs to be done?

As we see, some change is already happening. But let’s face it. Flying will not be sustainable anytime soon.
While Ryanair invests in modern, fuel-efficient planes, filled to the brim with passengers, they are one of the most carbon-efficient airlines out there. At the same time, they constantly increase their number of planes in operation. And all those planes (more than 450 planes in 2019 in comparison to 250 in 2010) burn a vast amount of fuel every single day. This is why they were named among Europe’s ten biggest polluters in 2019.
The solution is not to leave the responsibility with the consumers. There are just too many people who aren’t aware of the severity of the flight they’re jumping on. As Air Asia puts it: With budget airlines like them, nowadays “everyone can fly”.  While only 20% of the world’s population have boarded a plane, this is going to change rapidly with the middle class growing bigger and bigger.

Do flights need to be more expensive?

Eventually, most people still choose their mode of transport by price. In many cases, taking the train is more expensive than flying, which is why so many consumers end up taking the plane.
To make people stop flying or fly less, you may wonder if flights need to be more expensive. Perhaps higher flight prices could increase the pressure on the industry to invest more in the research and development of more eco-friendly options, such as sustainable fuel. That’s a key component in avoiding emissions in the future.
In my opinion, it shouldn’t be about the consumer paying more, but about the right transport options being subsidized. The choice should be made simple for the average consumer. In other words: taking the train has to be cheaper. As we’ve seen in our calculations, traveling by train can have as much as 90 % fewer emissions than flights for the same route. That’s where the change should happen!

What else can I do besides cutting down on flying?

Just sitting there and waiting for more eco-friendly technologies and politics won’t do the job. New technologies, such as solar-powered planes aren’t around the corner yet. In my opinion, we all have a responsibility. Being among the small percentage of people who are able to fly, we are extremely privileged. Yet, urging everyone to stop flying is not going to work. I’m sure, without my experiences in foreign countries and cultures, I might have never realized the importance of sustainable travel. Traveling opens your eyes to how people live in other parts of the world. If you’ve never seen the true beauty of this planet – how can you understand the importance of its protection?
Therefore, we should all take the steps we can. Flying less and trying to minimize the impact of your flight are already some steps in the right direction.
This way we can minimize our carbon footprint, while also reducing our waste and respecting the environment while traveling.
Besides, there are many ways to make your way of travel greener, such as the right choice of accommodation, eating responsibly, and supporting locals. Check out these ultimate 12 tips to make your travel more sustainable while you’re on the road.

Stop flying wrap up

Wrap up – Should I stop flying?

Flying is indeed one of the worst CO2 culprits. To stop flying completely would be the best for the environment. Yet, some reasons such as having family abroad often makes it almost impossible to stop flying. Still, there are ways you can take to minimize flying.

How to minimize flying

  • Find the occasions where you can easily avoid taking a plane in order to cut down flying.
  • Try other means of transport, such as taking the train or bus to reach another country within Europe. Even in many Asian and South American countries there are amazing train and coach networks.
  • Don’t take domestic flights, as in many cases it doesn’t take much longer to reach your destination by train. Consider the whole journey including reaching the airport and getting into the city center at your destination.
  • Fall in love with the advantages of ground transport, such as using your time more efficiently on a train in comparison to at the airport.
  • Compare the emissions of your desired route. In many cases even sharing a car is also more climate-friendly than flying.

Don’t use flight shaming to force your point of view on others

  • Try to inspire others by setting a good example instead of finger-pointing and flight shaming

How to be more eco-friendly when flying

  • Fly economy class to take up less space on the plane
  • Take direct flights instead of stop-overs, as take-off and landing cause most of the flight’s emissions
  • Pack light, so the plane will use less fuel
  • Fly with airlines that use renewable biofuels to lessen the emissions
  • Fly with budget airlines as each passenger’s carbon footprint is lower
  • Stay longer at your destination and embrace slow travel
  • Reduce your waste on the flight
  • Choose a vegetarian or vegan in-flight meal
  • Carbon offset your flight and support carbon-reducing projects
  • Donate for carbon capture

The air travel industry is also investing in new technologies, biofuel, and carbon offsetting programs. Yet, we all have the responsibility to make our way of travel more sustainable in order to protect this beautiful planet.

I hope that through reading this article, you’ll consider skipping the plane and take the overland route more often. Take the steps you can. Every measure is a step in the right direction. Do you also have some thoughts about this article or trying to reduce flying? I’m happy to read your point of view, so leave a comment below!

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