Booking a holiday to combat the winter blues? You’ll be considering destinations and costs but perhaps also the carbon footprint of your getaway. If you’re stumped where to go for answers, Pawprint can help.
Unsurprisingly, the distance you travel and how you travel are key. Perhaps more surprising is the size of the difference between the options. The carbon footprint of flying first class to Hong Kong is around 140 times larger than taking the train from Glasgow to London. It’s also larger than the entire carbon footprint of the average UK person, which is 13.1 tonnes of CO2e per year.
Carbon dioxide equivalent, or CO2e, is the measure of all greenhouse gas emissions rolled into one.
We’ve analysed the carbon footprint of a typical holiday or weekend break. The train, car and plane journeys are based on a 400-mile trip, the same distance as Glasgow to London. For the flights to Europe and Asia we’ve assumed Geneva and Hong Kong. And, unless you really enjoyed your vacation, we’ve assumed all journeys will be return.
The carbon footprint of travel options:
- Train journey - 100kg CO2e
- Internal flight - 280kg CO2e
- Car journey (small efficient) - 330kg CO2e
- Car journey (thirsty SUV) - 840kg CO2e
- Economy flight to Europe - 485kg CO2e
- Economy flight to Asia - 3.7 tonnes CO2e
- First class flight to Asia - 14.6 tonnes CO2e
Of course, once at your destination you’ll be eating, drinking, and exploring. These activities will all add to your carbon footprint (or Pawprint as we like to call it) too. While it’s important to consider this along the way, it’s also important to enjoy yourself. Reducing your carbon footprint shouldn’t be a guilt trip, or it will never be sustainable!
Check out our 'Petrol vs Electric car' calculator here.
The important thing is to get back on track when you get home. If you’re looking to reduce the carbon footprint of your diet, read our blog ‘Eat Your Way to a Lower Carbon Footprint’ or…Try Pawprint.
