Must we quit flying to save the planet?

The Seattle Times ^ | 18 August 2007 | Mark Rice-Oxley, Christin Science Monitor

[Jim Noble]

Do these people realize what air travel means for World commerce, and for human mobility?

The "human mobility" you speak of produces arguably bad consequences.

And the effect of air travel on commerce is not an argument for damaging the stratosphere, IF that were shown to be the case.

[cake_crumb]

"How can 15,000 worthless bureaucrats travel the globe to discuss ways to tax Americans in an fraudulent effort to save the planet from global warming if they stop traveling?"

Says it all, really.

[6ppc]

You can get a complete rig for about $22K at Bass Pro Shop.

Not being a bass fisherman, I don't really know the market. I was assuming that $40K would buy a really nice rig. $100K might buy a really, really cheap airplane.

[Ditter]

I have been on quite a few flights to Europe and once to New Zealand, many US flights but my favorite mode of travel is behind the wheel of my SUV. That’s the ticket!

[sono]

We could start by demanding Global Warriors such as Al Gore to fly commercial instead of using private jets.

[MrB]

That’s what “liberalism” is all about - it might as well be called “elitism” straight up.

Environmentalists are all about restricting “the public’s” use of natural resources, with the intent that the elite will be able to use them at will.

Examples:
Al Gore’s “reduce your carbon footprint” speeches and movie, while consuming 12 times avg at his home, and flying all over the planet.

Celebs with redwood decks.

[cubreporter]

How ‘bout we save the world by having all the windbags stop talking? I’m sure that would stop “global warming” although with all the windbags out there on TV, hollywood, it would toss us into the throes of an “Ice Age.”

[oh8eleven]

At their core, they hate mankind.
At their core, they hate mankind themselves.

[nuke rocketeer]

You must have flown ATA recently!!!

[Kirkwood]

Flying is for the rich? I don’t think so. There are cut rate airlines flying out of the UK these days selling tickets to various airports on the continent for only 8 or 10 pounds.

[az_gila]

“Flying is for the rich? I don’t think so. There are cut rate airlines flying out of the UK these days selling tickets to various airports on the continent for only 8 or 10 pounds”

---

This summer, it was cheaper to get an EasyJet ticket from Liverpool to Switzerland than a train ticket from Liverpool to York across the Pennines...:^) {for the geography impaired, across the island at the narrow bit...:^)...}

The travel economics in England have really changed in the last few years...

[Old Professer]

Seems like only yesterday that CO2 was officially labeled an air pollutant and already we have lifelong opponents to it.

[Slick91]

I agree, we should go back to the old ways of travel to save the Earth:

[subterfuge]

Bring back the Horse and Buggie!!

Oh, wait. Horses produce methane. Kill all the horses!!

[null and void]

why dont we just crawl into caves???? ~ Vaquero

Because

We are using up the last of the ancient winds just like we have almost used up the last of the ancient sunlight. ~ OpusatFR

Would have to become:

We are using up the last of the ancient caves just like we have almost used up the last of the ancient sunlight and winds...

[null and void]

IF there is any manmade role in disturbing the atmosphere in a negative way, it has always seemed to me that jet air travel, pumping billions of tons of heated hydrocarbons into the stratosphere, would be the number one suspect.

Odd that it's taken so long to come up.

For God's sake, don't mention that Chlorofluorosulfonic acid is used as a fuel additive to suppress contrail formation on spy planes...

[Shots]

What a bunch of dolts they want to curtail air flights which then would have to be moved the old fashion way i.e. cruise ships whose mileage is calculated in feet per gallons rather then as an aircraft where you get miles per gallon. Now I certainly am no rocket scientist but using their way we would have worse conditions then we do with aircraft DUH. For the record the QE II is said to have only gotten 39 feet feet per gallon (est}

[Chances Are]

Yes.

Stop. Global. Whining.

End of problem, end of story.

Won’t happen in our lifetimes, however!

CA....

[GingisK]

Must we quit flying to save the planet?

I quit flying because I didn't want to ever become separated from my Swiss Army Knife.

[libstripper]

I have been on quite a few flights to Europe and once to New Zealand, many US flights but my favorite mode of travel is behind the wheel of my SUV. That’s the ticket!

Try driving from Davis, CA to Knoxville, TN in early January with a miserable cold and an upset stomach caused by cold medicine when you could fly in one day of misery instead of drive for five, even in a Navigator. This year I'm flying first class and it will cost me about $600 less than driving did last year.