Here at e-photoframes, UK photo frame retailer with an ethical twist, we recently produced a shocking report on the response of the worlds airlines to climate change.

They have a penchant for big boys’ toys jammed packed with high tech gadgets; They’re a by-word for safe travel and their concern for your well being is so sincere that they’ll even get a pretty girl to show you how to secure your belt. Why do you think so many guys like to take the plane rather than use the conference phone? And despite the heavy conscience and wizzy technology, they’re helping to fly us to
oblivion.

Airlines are responsible for 3% of global C02 emissions (per the European Commission) and yet of 374 listed airlines in the English speaking world, only 24 offer passengers the opportunity to buy carbon offsets. Self service cleaning (i.e. being responsible for your own CO2 emissions) would be a start but most airlines are happy to clean the gangway and indeed the toilet, so how about the air we breath? Only one single airline in the English speaking world has taken the plunge: A seaplane operator from Canada.

The survey looked at the carbon offset policies published on each airline’s websites in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and India. In total 374 websites were reviewed. All airlines without a policy were e-mailed to verify that the data was correct. Only a handful responded. The most amusing of which, gave a full list of duty free products available in flight! Take the US with 175 listed airlines (with websites). Now make sure your seat is upright and you’re strapped in: Only 2 of those airlines sell carbon offsets! The UK is currently top of the class with 16% of airlines offering offsets (including all the big ones) but still fails to attain the pass mark, which should be set at 100%. India has 18 airlines listed without a single offset policy among them. Frightening when you consider the growth in air travel that is now taking place in the developing world.

So what to do? Consider the response to cigarettes, another luxury good that pollutes the air and can have a long term impact on your health. Perhaps labelling aeroplanes with images of pending catastrophe is going too far, and “no flying” signs would pose practical problems, but taxing luxury goods is standard fare for governments. Can it really be that that difficult?

Follow this link to read the full Airline & Carbon Offset report

Hi there.

I’m Joel and I’m excited to be part of the Green Guys Global team. I usually blog over at Life Goggles where we also write about green stuff, but mix it up with music and videos.

For those that know me know that I have just recently (last week!) emigrated to the West coast of the US. On the way though I spent 2.5 weeks in New Zealand and a short while in Australia and thought I’d pass on some thoughts regarding our trip.

We travelled on a coach tour in order not to pollute more with our own vehicle. There were many optional excursions that were to organic farms, or eco tours, in fact a member of our group had just spent two weeks volunteering on community projects and there were others on offer. New Zealand feels very eco friendly, however I’m not always so sure it is. The huge number of tourists prevent it from being so in many ways. The numerous hotels we visited for just one night made be appreciate Charles’s tip of bringing your own sleeping bag, and whilst they were (quite rightfully in some ways) proud of their jetboat rides and helicopter trips that were offered almost every day, the environmental cost of these trips must be huge.

Lake Tekapo and The Church of the Good Shepherd - New Zealand © Joel Williams

I did find a lot of information about handling waste. There they seem to have the 5 R’s:
- Reduce,
- Re-use,
- Recycle,
- Recover and,
- Residual Management.

The Christchurch museum had an excellent section for children and adults alike on this topic, including an example cross section of landfill over the last 50 years.

Now, like Southern California, most of Australia has been undergoing a drought for many years. I therefore expected to find a lot of messages about water conservation, yet this wasn’t the case. I wasn’t actively looking for it of course, but I didn’t think I’d need to.

They do have Eco Tourism Australia which certifies accommodation and tours if they are “environmentally sustainable, economically viable, and socially and culturally responsible”, which is a great thing, however I expected to see more for some reason.

There are whole University degrees devoted to the subject of sustainable tourism (and Green Girls Global has a great article), and whilst I highly recommend New Zealand and Australia for some many reasons, sustainable tourism wouldn’t be one of them. Yet.

For the past few weekends I’ve slept in one Motel and one Bed and Breakfast. Which is my great grandpa’s barn that he had built. It was quite something to experience for me and learned quite a bit about the barn and what to bring when travelling.

After spending two nights at the motel and bed and breakfast I have learned something. When travelling always bring a sleeping bag to sleep in and to bring some towels. Most Motel you stay in usually uses so many chemicals in cleaning their sheets and towels and not to mention all the water needed to wash them. The sheets and towels at our Motel last week smelt pretty bad and decided next time when we go travelling to pack some towels.

Many Motels in the morning have breakfast and they usually serve you with styrofoam plates and cups and plastic silverware. I suggest that next time bring your own plates, mug for your liquid, silverware and cloth napkins (or you could reuse napkins from restaurants and fast food that you have eaten from.), etc.

Many of these things you may need when travelling but when I had stayed the night at the Bed and Breakfast it was different. They had used real plates, silverware, glasses the whole bit. even the sheets and towels didn’t smell at all. This was the first bed and breakfast I had stayed in so there may be other Bed and Breakfast that use non-renewable items such as silver wear and plates so packing a mug, silverware and cloth napkins wouldn’t hurt much.