St James The Great
Old Milverton, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Geoff's Eco Tips
Geoff’s Eco Resolution for December 2025: Avoid Air Travel
Dear All, I hope this finds you all well. Hopefully your preparations for Christmas are a little more advanced than they are in our house. We have a very full house this year and so the list of things to get ready seems endless.
It still seems incredible to me to be thinking about next year’s holidays already, but these days, many people have next year’s holiday plans all organised and booked even before Christmas comes around. I guess that’s what ‘Green Living’ were thinking with their December Resolution focussed on Air Travel!
I hope you have enjoyed reading the Green Living Eco-Resolutions throughout the past year. They have certainly made me think more and helped me improve on the previous year in terms of eco-friendly practises and I hope you have found them helpful too. Here’s a brief recap of the subjects that were covered in the St James monthly Updates throughout 2025:
– ‘Walk or use a Bike’
– ‘Prevent Food Waste’
– ‘Reduce Single-use Plastics’
– ‘Eat less Meat and Dairy Products’
– ‘Adopt Sustainable Practices’
– ‘Start Recycling’
– ‘Avoid Fast Fashion’
– ‘Volunteer for the Environment’
– ‘Adopt Conscious Consumption of Energy’
– ‘Adopt Seasonally Local Food’
– ‘Avoid Air Travel’ – see below
With love, Geoff
Avoid Air Travel
Air travel is one of the most carbon-intensive activities an individual can engage in. Although it accounts for only about 2.5% of global CO2 emissions, the sector’s rapid growth and the lack of scalable green alternatives make it a pressing environmental issue. A single round-trip flight from New York to London, for instance, emits approximately 1.6 tons of CO2 per passenger, nearly the equivalent of the annual emissions of an average citizen in some developing countries.
Beyond carbon dioxide, aeroplanes release other harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxides, which contribute to ozone formation at high altitudes, amplifying their warming impact. The contrails and cirrus clouds created by flights also trap heat in the atmosphere, further exacerbating global warming.
Reducing air travel, even partially, can significantly decrease your carbon footprint and help slow the pace of climate change.
How to Start
- • Choose Alternative Modes of Transportation: For shorter distances, consider trains, buses, or carpooling. These options often emit far less CO2 per passenger than flying.
- • Plan “Staycations”: Rediscover local attractions and experiences instead of travelling far. This not only reduces emissions but also supports your local economy.
- • Opt for Virtual Meetings: If you frequently travel for work, advocate for virtual meetings instead. Advances in video conferencing technology make it easier than ever to connect without leaving home.
- • Fly Less, But Fly Better: When air travel is unavoidable, choose direct flights to minimise emissions from take-offs and landings, which are the most energy intensive phases of a flight. Additionally, consider airlines that invest in more fuel efficient aircraft or carbon offset programs.
- • Offset Your Emissions: While not a perfect solution, carbon offset programs allow you to invest in projects like reforestation, renewable energy, or community-based conservation to balance out the emissions from your flights.
Data and Impact
The environmental benefits of reducing air travel are profound. According to the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), avoiding just one long-haul flight per year can cut your carbon footprint by up to 2 tons. On a global scale, shifting even a small percentage of travellers to alternative modes of transportation could significantly slow aviation’s contribution to climate change.
In Europe, where high-speed rail networks are well-established, trains are increasingly seen as a viable alternative to short-haul flights. For example, travelling by train from Paris to Amsterdam produces 90% fewer emissions than flying the same route.
“Reducing air travel is one of the most impactful choices an individual can make for the environment,” says Dr. Jane Smith, a climate scientist. “While systemic changes are needed to address aviation’s carbon footprint, personal decisions play a crucial role in signalling demand for sustainable alternatives.”
Ali Foster © 2013