Winning the Eco-Argument: 'The Plane is Flying With You On It or Not, So Just Fly'

There are some eco-arguments that are easily decided by facts and stats, or for which you can at least pull them in as your allies. Even if you couldn't care less about animal welfare, but think it's important to combat climate change then hearing that not eating meat during the week cutting your carbon emissions by a ton a year is pretty convincing. But there are some arguments where stats really don't play much of part. Take this one:

You tell your family that you don't want to fly from point A to point B on the grounds that you're concerned about the carbon emissions. As it happens there isn't a viable public transportation option or ride share that works for the logistics and timing of this hypothetical trip.

They counter with "The airplane is flying and spewing out carbon whether you're on it or not. You're actions don't make a difference in this specific instance, so why don't you just fly?"

D'oh! There is some logic to that.

Just because you don't get on that flight doesn't mean it's not going to take off. And perhaps if you're using this argument at least partially because you don't want to go to see your family for insert unpleasant gathering here, you ought to suck it up just this once and go if only to please your family.

But there is a bigger picture argument to make, should you want to -- and I think you ought to, at least most of the time.

If Enough People Choose to Not Fly, Flights Will Get Cut
Whether you personally don't get on the plane doesn't mean it won't fly, but if you and your friend and their friend and theirs start flying less, seeking out alternative forms of transit, then flights will indeed get reduced.

It's simply economics and economics which we've witnessed before. Right after the 9/11 attacks tourism crumpled for a bit and airlines started cutting back on flights to try to save money.

More People on Each Flight = Lower Per Person Emissions for the Trip
Prior to that many flights were well under the 75% capacity which is now assumed in calculating the carbon emissions of a trip -- meaning that on a per passenger basis each trip was far more polluting.

Cut back on flights, increase the number of people on each plane and emissions drop in total and on a per person basis.

If these cut backs happen enough -- and a big enough stink is made about making other mass transportation options available and as convenient as flying -- then real change can occur.

That comeback might still fall on deaf ears of a nagging family, but it's the one I'd start with.

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