Plane or train?
Keeping CO₂ - and ourselves - out of the sky
I watched the clouds out the window of the Boeing 737 taking us across the country last week. So many shapes! So many shades! So much CO₂! The jet engines a few feet from me were emitting about half a pound of carbon dioxide per passenger per mile. Short flights can throw off almost twice that.
Would I feel better driving across? We did it two years ago this week. Driving usually puts out more emissions than flying, but less per passenger if there are two or more of us, of course. With Buddy, we were three.
Taking the bus, I was surprised to learn, is actually more emissive than two in a car. But driving an EV in some areas cuts emissions hugely.
How to reduce emissions when flying
There aren’t many ways to do this:
Choose non-stop flights to reduce takeoffs and landings, when emissions are at their highest.
Choose airlines with more modern, fuel-efficient fleets. It takes a bit of research, but we can discover that Alaska Airlines consistently burns about 10% less fuel than the average non-budget airline.
Not all advice makes sense:
Choose economy class over business class, which produces almost double the emissions.
Reduce our luggage weight to cut emissions significantly.
Buy carbon offsets. (see ClimateDog’s Fooling ourselves - the big one.)
How about going by train?
As I watched the mountains and fields pass under us, I imagined myself taking the same journey by rail. Per-passenger emissions are much lower on a train (and maybe someday America will have Europe’s Eurostar which somehow has almost no emissions!)
The total fare on a Seattle-Boston AMTRAK train isn’t much more than the price of an air ticket. And, since the airlines now tell passengers to bring food to supplement the apple juice and pretzels, packing food for the train ride isn’t very different. And there’s the possibility of some good meals in the dining car or café.
Yes, train is not for everyone. To cross the country, the airplane takes five hours and the train takes seventy-two. But I could easily think of the trip as a sort of vacation - like spending a few days on the beach, but with more interesting views. My train journey from Seattle to New York with my family back when I was in high school remains one of the highlights of my life. With the Cascades, the high prairie, the Rockies, and finally the Hudson River spread across my big window, I was in heaven. And when I wasn’t mesmerized by the view, I read two books.
“Don’t fly, take the train” is a completely inconvenient idea these days. But as the planet warms there’s a whole lot of far more inconvenient developments about to enter our lives.
A long-term solution - for some
Move closer to loved ones. To get some hugs, we can simply drive a short distance or take the bus or train. Maybe even walk or bike.
Given the growing tendency of concerned families to locate in the climate-safer or politically-comfortable areas of the country, over time Americans could find they wind up nearer to loved ones and close friends.
Another way to reduce the need for flying: make video calls. For me, such calls need more interesting visual elements, and I’m going to try puppets someday soon. But maybe not the Jack Russell puppet.
We can compare the carbon footprint of transportation options
Advice on reducing our carbon footprint on a plane
Climate risks house by house and, more usefully, town-by-town
Thank you! Good info when making travel decisions. Generally we are not flying. Taking train when we can. Hybrid car is helpful, and only one car for our family of two!
Ouch! I’m not doing well transportation-wise. But my solo trips to Seattle are on the train. 😀Our two-person trips to same are via ICE auto. ☹️ Several cross-country flights a year for family. 😳
However, We did raise 3 girls; they all have EVs. 😀