Last week I wrote about the expansion of Luton Airport and the vast increase in emissions that would come with it. This week I thought I’d post something more solutions-focused about aviation. The government is will do anything for economic growth and won’t stand in the way of growth in flying. That puts the attention back on consumer choice to reduce flying demand.
All individual action risks being small and tokenistic, so we should always ask how we can push our ethical choices up a level. Choosing not to fly is great, but it’s even better if we can influence our workplace, school or community group to reduce flying. The impact is much greater when we take collective action, and that’s why Flight Free Schools is a really useful campaign.
Flight Free Schools invites schools to think through their policies around flying on school trips, and make deliberate choices. You can aim for the gold level commitment and not fly at all, but there are silver and bronze pledges that allow for some flying or help to manage a transition away from flying.
As well as directly reducing emissions from school trips, a Flight Free Schools commitment raises the issue with staff and students. It holds the practice of flying up to scrutiny, and might well influence a few people and families to think about their own holiday habits. It makes it normal to ask questions about alternatives to flying, and it gives students an experience of them.
I won’t name the school, but to give a specific example, there’s a high school near me that is offering a skiing trip to students. This is quite common in high schools, and there are lots of skiing destinations in Europe that are accessible by train or coach. This school has chosen to take its skiing trip to Canada this year, and has Japan booked in for 2028. Those are entirely unnecessary long-haul flights. The latter trip costs £3,490 per student, immediately putting it beyond most Luton families, so choosing a closer resort would make it more inclusive as well as more sustainable.
Here’s what one sixth form college have done, proving that sustainable travel does not mean inferior school trips. And this isn’t just for schools – Flight Free Schools is a campaign from the wider Flight Free charity, so you can take part as an individual as well.
The Earthbound Report 