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The need for flying
Read more about: Climate Change, Environment, Transport 
I am sure that much will be written about Michael O’Leary announcing €10 flights to
Looking at existing technologies air travel is about the only thing we cannot do renewable. We can have power from windmills and wave power backed up with flow batteries. We can burn wood pellets and geothermal for home heating etc. Trains for transports. But planes are not likely to replaced anytime soon. Indeed if we really really wanted to I am not sure we could. The power needed to lift a 747 off the ground is probably not deliverable by anything but kerosene.
Despite being probably the only use of fossil fuels that does not have a decent replacement Air travel seems to be one of the main focus of climate change emissions lobby. While only accounting for 3% of global emissions (might be more damaging as higher up but still but lower down the scale).
- It is deemed elitist
- It is deemed unnecessary
The elitist attitude is a left over of the days when a flight to
The second idea is that it is unnecessary. In the ever globalised world it is very much necessary for business to be conducted on a worldwide scale. For people to be able to move and integrate with the world, for people to learn about the world. For simple tourism jobs. It is vital. I doubt we would be where we are without it.
Michael O’Leary offering flights for €10 to
Cars and power stations, Cars and power stations, Cars and power stations, Cars and power stations. I have written about those some time ago.
Reading this post brought a tear to my eye because the days when people talk with this much common sense are coming to an end.
You know, I sometimes think that the Green movement isn’t so much interested in saving the planet as it is in making us all feel guilty and miserable. They are a miserable pessimistic bunch and what does misery love?
As you have correctly pointed out air travel, once the passtime of the elite, is now for everbody (the modern elite don’t like this however and are trying to paint it as the big bad). And aside from the benefits you have outline Simon I would have thought that the ability to travel, for cheap, to different parts of the world is something to be applauded. It is said that the best way to learn a language is to live in a country that speaks it. Likewise, I can’t think of a single better way to increase understanding and good relationships between the different peoples and cultures of the world than encouraging people to travel more. Affordable air travel is a fundamentally important component in achieving this.
Broaden your horizons and your mind people.
There is something that will give you more power than kerosene, and not emit any carbon gases. Nuclear.
Well if you want to fly in one of these. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Orion_%28nuclear_propulsion%29
Be my guest
If you really want to save the world, give up meat.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=20772&Cr=global&Cr1=warming
“As you have correctly pointed out air travel, once the passtime of the elite, is now for everbody (the modern elite don’t like this however and are trying to paint it as the big bad).”
Actually air travel is still the preserve of the elite – the majority of the world’s population still can’t afford to fly.
It is more important to maintain cheap air travel than control global warming!!!! Time to get a grip.
Jackie If we stop all flying we stop 3% emissions and damage the world economy.
We stop fossil fuel burning power station and replace with renewable energy we stop something like 35% of emissions and make the economy more stable to world energy price fluctuations, limit the power of Russia and OPEC. Which should we concentrate our efforts on?