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Open meeting on Low-Carbon Travel, 27/11/2007, St. Mary’s Church Hall, Kippington.
Present: Susan Fallmann, Ian Smith, David & Mary Bassendine, Louise Shrubsole & husband, Lisa Simmonds, Caroline Copleston, Hazel Schofield and others! (15-20 in total)
Agenda:
1. Low-carbon travel (presentation by Susan)
2. Our journeys
3. Discussion: benefits of low-carbon travel
4. Discussion: how can we wean ourselves off flying everywhere?!
1. Low-carbon travel presentation
Susan outlined the environmental impact of different forms of transport: coach and train came out the best (although Ian did point out that high-speed trains have much higher footprints; David said there’s a lack of information on ferries). The presentation is available at: ... .
2. Our journeys
TBC
3. Discussion: benefits of low-carbon travel
The positive side of slow travel, a summary of points raised as we went around the room:
- see the landscape
- take a time out from stressed, busy lifestyles
- camping has a lower impact than hotels
- your body has time to adjust to the change in climate (or time zones)
- opportunity to think and read
- the holiday starts right from the door
- if alone, you’ve the flexibility to stop whereever
but …
- not really practical for working people going to far-away destinations, as it takes up too much holiday time
4. Discussion: how to wean ourselves off flying?
- put up the price, either by: adding the carbon cost to tickets, and/or removing the subsidy on aviation fuel
- visual indication of damage on tickets (like eg. cigarettes), or government publicity campaign
- inconvenience and hassle of airports is a powerful block
- legislation against 2nd home owners
but …
- cost does not seem to deter flippant flights funded by business; teleconferencing is not yet seen as a viable alternative to face-to-face meetings