By now just about everyone knows that flying is simply not sustainable. But sometimes you have no other choice than hop on a plane, be it for work, moving around the globe or an emergency situation. This is your guide on how to make your plane journey more sustainable.
Just as a reminder, if there is ANY way that you can avoid going by plane, please do that instead. There are Trains, Busses, Boats ( sailing, cargo ships etc.), Carpooling, Cycling (if you have the time ;) or walking (if you really have the time lol)
1. Direct flight Wherever possible get on a Direct flight or the flight with the least stops. A plane uses more fuel during takeoff and landing than while cruising. Therefore if you can reduce the amounts of takeoffs and landings you can significantly lower the fuel used. Direct flights also tend to be shorter distance as you fly direct instead of making a little detour, thereby you also reduce the total cruising distance and again save fuel and reduce co2.
2. Pack Light Less weight on a plane, just like in a car, means less fuel is needed. So pack light...or well.. lighter ;)
3. Eat Vegan or Vegetarian Traditionally farmed Meat and Fish have a long, long list of negative impacts on the environment and use way more Co2 than a vegan diet. So when choosing your meal, opt for the vegan or vegetarian option instead.
4. Offset your flight While offsetting does not stop your flight from creating the CO2, it does at least help reduce it later on. You can find and compare different offsetting companies on https://www.thejungledog.eco ;)
5. Choose a more sustainable airline Just like other companies, Airlines too have differences between themselves when it comes to sustainability practices. Before booking check which of the airlines available for your journey does the most and has the best sustainable practices like reducing plastic or using Biofuels.
6. Bring reuseables A reuseable water bottle can be taken (if empty) through the security check. Most airports have drinking fountains where you can fill up your bottle and you can also ask the crew to top up your water bottle during the flight. This saves you from using a single use cup or bottle not only on the plane but also at your destination. Same goes for cutlery, however here you might want to be careful to be on the safe side with the knife. So check what length of knife is allowed to be taken on the plane with you. A reuseable silicone lunchbag bag or a lunchbox can be great to not only bring your own plastic free treats but also to pack potential leftovers from your plane meal. (and again later on during your journey you can pack yourself a lunch and take leftovers with you)
So there you have it! While we cannot (yet) make flying sustainable we can improve the sustainability by taking these steps. Now you can be free of worries at your destination, knowing you did your best at reducing your impact on the environment. Enjoy your stay :)
