I live about an hour’s train ride from Oslo, Norway. I never fly for holiday or pleasure, but I have a daughter living in London. My biggest challenge right now is how to visit her when she gives birth next month – I have researched train routes and it will still take me two days on each side when I have only a week’s leave. I may fly this time to be there more days, but train and ferry in the summer.
I believe it is important, when we know the adverse affects, to act on it even when no one else is, and to talk about it. I was shocked when I learned how much more carbon a flight took than trains and ferries. The truth is, we do not have any carbon budget left (never did have, really) and the industry will not change unless we make them do so with our choices.
I teach high school and started a small initiative to train teachers in eco-literacy and nature appreciation called ‘The Small Earth Institute’. I give workshops, talks, school training and write on my blog- REAP: regenerative ecology as pedagogy. I presented at the IB (International Baccalaureate) world schools conference in October in Vienna on ‘Regenerative Design for Emergent Schools’ (and yes, I flew- ouch). From that has come an initiative with students and schools called HATCH: hubs for action toward climate health.