The 2007 Flight. It looks better from the outside.
We’re working on reducing the crud our lifestyle pumps out into the environment: we use a car about twice a year, and in between we travel long distance by rail, and locally by bus or bike. We’re sourcing more food locally and trying to avoid things that require lots of transport, and we’re looking at possibilities for eco-friendly housing (of which more anon). We’ve two areas that we can’t reduce much at the moment: the flat we live in is an environmental disaster (we’re looking for another) and that at some point we have to go to the UK and Japan to visit our families, or they have to come to visit us, so we have to make a long haul flight to Japan every two to three years, with all the pollution it causes.
It’s one thing to eschew the cheap airlines and go to the UK by train, but Japan is a bit more difficult to find an alternative. We know this because we’ve looked at every other possibility we can find. Travelling by cargo ship is one option, but it takes several weeks to get to Japan via the Indian Ocean. Going west may be quicker if we travel overland across the US or Canada, but cargo shipping lines won’t take children under 6, so that will have to wait at least another four years. The man on seat 61 advises the Trans-Siberian Express is a possibility, but again this looks impossible with a large family if the experiences this traveller are anything to go by. Getting almost left behind by the train is a potential adventure for single backpackers, but could be terrifying with small children.
So, unless we find some other way we haven’t thought of, it looks like it’s back to the government subsidised, polluting aircraft, and about 14 hours in a sardine tin. And I won’t be able to join the bike tour that’s being planned for August.
On the other hand, if a long-haul flight makes roughly the same impact as driving for a year then we are still pretty low overall on the crudometer, as we don’t drive for most of the rest of the time. On top of that (and I know this is pretty selfish thinking) we get to travel about in Japan in August, and I get to see my two nieces, and eat my mother-in-laws cooking. You’ll probably get me rambling about both…
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January 20, 2009 at 10:50 am
louise rouse
You pinged?
Well, first, getting almost left behind was as terrifying for me as it probably would be for your family…! Having said that, its not very good business practice and I don’t imagine it happens too often. Moreover, getting your luggage sent to Milan, or missing a connection in Minsk and having your luggage sent to Milan is an everyday nightmare when using Air transport.
Although I respect that there are considerations to be made if you are a family, remember that Russian families are on the railway all the time, I made friends with an 13 year old called Polina in the next door carriage. Younger children were also on the train – a journey of 5 days. They spent their time picnicking, looking out the window, interacting with other passengers and playing nintendo. Perhaps its not workable this time, but what about the next visit in 3 years / the one after that, 6 years?
Also on the train were women in their 80s, and a Dutch couple (who were mid 80s) that I met in Mongolia – turned out to have been on the same trains as me as far back as St. Petersburg, and stayed on the same course as far as Tokyo to visit their Nephew.
When I’m asked by people who risk losing their jobs if they take the time off necessary to do the journey, I feel a lost for an answer because it requires an understanding of sustainable (slower) transport at a cultural level rarely represented by today’s employers, but if one has the time to do the journey without planes, the other obstacles can be overcome, and in doing so, you not only make a huge saving on your own carbon footprint, but also raise the profile of these alternatives within your friends, family and blogosphere.
One last non-air route to Japan you may not have considered – takes more time and money than the trans-siberian but doesn’t require changing trains – peaceboat are a Japanese NGO that does once a year, round the world boat tour with workshops in environmental / humanitarian issues while onboard. They’ve recently introduced a way to pay for just part of a journey instead of the whole tour. If you or your wife speak fluent Japanese as well as English (or as well as spanish), there is a chance to pay your way as an interpreter, or if you have teaching experience, teach English.
Cheers,
Louise
January 20, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Andy in Germany
Hello Louise, and thanks for the ideas. Time is also an issue for us- German schools are pretty strict about children taking extra time off, and we’re right on the edges of the holidays as it is- I’m not sure what family in Japan would say if we told them we’re staying less time because we’re going on the train.
I can see what you mean about Russian children. Thing is, they speak Russian and can know what’s happening at a given time, and we can’t… I’m not sure how we’d fare if something went wrong. I’ll keep looking for other information from people who have tried this with families. Peaceboat seems to be down at the moment but I’ll look again.
January 20, 2009 at 3:49 pm
2whls3spds
Airlines are dying. Unfortunately that is the industry my wife works in and has for over 25 years. We have looked at alternatives but they aren’t very attractive at this point in time. My job is only marginally better. We do what we can with mass transit in the US but it quite often doesn’t go where we are required to go. I was fortunate over the last couple of years in being able to utilize Amtrak to the tune of over 6,000 miles (9600km). That is 6,000 miles that were not traveled in single occupant low mileage truck. Current project is over 450 miles(725km) from home, with no real mass transit options available. But I try to only make a trip home once a month, and usually end up flying due to schedule constraints
But when on site, the truck quite often sits unused for the entire time, I ride my bike to work, to the grocery store, the bar, etc. The town is small and ultimately very easy to get around by bike.
All any of us can do is make the best choices we can and strive to do better to make a difference.
Aaron
January 21, 2009 at 10:42 am
Nick
The idea of taking the trans-Siberian express is really appealing, but it would have to wait ’til I retire – and then, of course, I won’t have the money.
I admire your limited car use. We don’t manage to match you by a long way – partly because my wife is a freelance interpreter and has to reach quite a few clients who live in (as far as transport is concerned) awkward places. And partly, it has to be said, because we’re not dedicated enough to the conservation cause – no excuses!
January 21, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Andy in Germany
Thanks for the kind words once again…
@Aaron: I see your dilemma, it’s similar to people here who depend on the airline industry and don’t know if they should support the second runway or not. And the small company making airport tractors that has a bleak future at the moment. That’s the problem isn’t it? The Execs will be fine, but the ‘normal’ people suffer if the industry goes up or down. What a crazy world.
@Nick: I hear you. My dad drives a lot working with people in the Yorkshire Dales and has the same dilemma. I realise I’m fortunate that I work near home -although that’s partly because we chose a lifestyle that avoids car use. Ironically I’m driving this weekend. I’ll blog about it next week if I have time…