All Climate Opinion Travel One of the 100,000 Flight Free 2020

The inequality of aviation

Air travel is accessed by a tiny proportion of the global population – yet the negative effects are felt by us all.

11 Sep 2 minute read

The Path to Net Zero

The citizens speak! The Climate Assembly UK has published its report, 'The Path to net zero.' We take a look at what's in the report in order to answer your questions.

10 Sep 4 minute read

What makes a frequent flyer?

How many flights per year do you need to take to count as a 'frequent flyer'?

31 Aug 3 minute read

The 'New Story' Adventure

The adventure world is full of people who are passionate about the outdoors and the planet. But with exploration comes a significant impact, especially if it involves a flight. How can we change the narrative and create a New Story?

24 Aug 6 minute read

Podcast episode 8: stay-at-home travel

We speak to two travel writers about making the #flightfree2020 pledge and what lockdown has meant for our attitude towards travel

21 Aug 8 minute read

Two years of inaction

What can we as individuals do when the government doesn't act on the climate?

19 Aug 2 minute read

Podcast episode 7: behaviour change

Awareness of climate change is rising, but our behaviour doesn't always reflect that. What can we do to change this? We speak to PhD student Steve Westlake about the psychology of behaviour change.

28 Jul 10 minute read

Health and climate

How should the response to the current health crises inform our thinking on climate and flights?

27 Jul 2 minute read

Travelling through literature

Trapped at home by the pandemic? We investigate whether books can stand in for adventures abroad.

09 Jul 7 minute read

Should a domestic flight ban be applied in the UK?

Tom Smallwood asks if the French bailout condition of Air France-KLM could be viable in the UK: that the airline does not compete with rail on journeys achievable in 2.5 hours by train

07 Jul 5 minute read

Scotland by Rail

Scottish artist Leo du Feu has spent much of the past 15 years exploring Scotland by rail, and shares his experiences, motivations and favourite places with us.

06 Jul 5 minute read

Destination UK: Off the Beaten Track

There's no need to head abroad for holidays when we have so much here under our noses. Away from the crowds, delve into the hidden gems the UK has to offer, from market towns and canals, to castles and beaches.

02 Jul 3 minute read

Light in the lockdown

Lockdown has been difficult for lots of us. But has being forced to stay still – no longer able to ‘get away from it all’ – changed our outlook?

01 Jul 3 minute read

Big ticket action for the climate

Dave Hampton, the Carbon Coach, has been banging the climate drum for decades, and wonders, has the time come when we will finally stop flying?

29 Jun 3 minute read

Making the journey part of the adventure

In deciding not to fly, Athlyn Cathcart-Keays discovers how the journey can become the adventure

29 Jun 4 minute read

No more bites of the Big Apple

Anna Hughes asks, are we missing out by not travelling long haul?

23 Jun 4 minute read

Podcast series episode 6: flight-free Europe

We hear from Dr Alexandra Jellicoe about what the climate crisis and covid-19 means for travel

15 Jun 9 minute read

Sleeper train to Sicily

Peter Gilbert travels deep into the Mediterranean by rail, and finds that the two day journey is worth every minute

12 Jun 4 minute read

A story in clouds

David Armstrong from Surrey shares the lockdown skies from his back garden

09 Jun 2 minute read

Individual action vs system change

Is it up to individuals to take action or will it take system change to solve the climate crisis?

04 Jun 6 minute read

The Flight Free 2020 that wasn't

Flight Free UK Director Anna Hughes reflects on what effect the global pandemic has had on the campaign

01 Jun 3 minute read

"Dejemos los pies sobre la tierra"

Rici Lake from Flight Free Perú explains the challenges and benefits of reducing aviation in a country that relies so heavily on tourism.

27 May 5 minute read

Adventure begins at home

Renowned adventurer Alastair Humphreys' many adventures include cycling around the world, rowing the Atlantic and walking the Empty Quarter desert. But on a mission to fly less, Alastair sought adventure as close to home as he could – without leaving the borders of his home county of Yorkshire.

19 May 5 minute read

Destination: Scotland

Bonny Scotland is bursting with treasures, and being right on our doorstep it’s an obvious flight-free destination. Why holiday anywhere else?

11 May 7 minute read

Podcast series episode 5: carbon offsets and green technology

We talk to Dr Roger Tyers from the University of Southampton about the viability of carbon offsetting and green technology in reducing emissions from aviation.

07 May 8 minute read

The legacy of lockdown

An analysis of the impact of the current lockdown on people, planet and the future of the aviation industry.

29 Apr 5 minute read

Six and a half flying ideas for the future

Flight free 2020 pledger Sophia Cheng attended the ChangeNOW Summit in Paris, and shares what she learned about a sustainable future for aviation.

23 Apr 8 minute read

A world of experience

Mischa van Kesteren and his partner travelled around the world without flying, and here recounts some of the experiences they would never have had if they'd used a plane.

07 Apr 5 minute read

Podcast series episode 4: Transatlantic travel

Author and adventurer Kate Rawles shares the tale of her transatlantic cargo ship voyage and her 8000 mile bike ride through the Andes

06 Apr 9 minute read

Can technology make air travel sustainable?

We ask if techno-fixes are a viable solution to aviation's harmful emissions.

05 Apr 4 minute read

The Community Rail Network

Jools Townsend, chief executive of the Community Rail Network, looks forward to the return of sustainable, community-minded, flight-free and car-free trips

01 Apr 5 minute read

What should the government do?

The coronavirus outbreak has caused an unprecedented drop in demand for flights. What can the government do to ensure that climate targets are met once travel restrictions are lifted?

24 Mar 3 minute read

In the name of love

A global society means ‘love miles’ are common. But to avoid the emissions, Claire Wordley took a drastic approach: quitting her job and moving countries to be with her man.

17 Mar 6 minute read

Can the train beat the plane?

The eco-credentials of trains are widely known, but what about the cost and time comparison? Maggie Robertson forsakes Easyjet and takes her family from Bristol to Edinburgh by train to find out.

13 Mar 7 minute read

Flight Free UK response to the Coronavirus

Flight Free UK comments on what the current Coronavirus outbreak means for our campaign and for aviation in general

13 Mar 3 minute read

No to Airport Expansion

Emma Palmer spent 18 years living beneath the flight path at Bristol airport, and reflects on what the rejection of its expansion plan might mean for the climate and the future of aviation

05 Mar 4 minute read

Podcast series episode 3: climate science

The third episode in our 2020 podcast series features comedian Dr Matt Winning, who takes us through some climate facts as well as making us laugh

03 Mar 4 minute read

Tossing out the bucket list

Ellen Petry Leanse asks what impact our travel ambitions have on the places we visit and on the planet

03 Mar 7 minute read

What has aviation got to do with climate change?

We explore what climate change is and how aviation contributes

28 Feb 3 minute read

A flight free holiday in Mallorca

Mallorca is the ultimate package holiday, but there is another side to the island and there is no need to take to the air to discover it, says Rowena Quantrill

25 Feb 4 minute read

Big World Small Footprint

Full time traveller Steph at Big World Small Pockets has taken the #flightfree2020 pledge, meaning not only will her pockets stay small this year, so will her carbon footprint.

24 Feb 3 minute read

Destination: Spain

Our 'Destinations' series takes a look at the nation's favourite holiday destination, Spain.

24 Feb 3 minute read

Prague to Pembrokeshire in a day

How far is it possible to travel in one day? Karen Simmonds shares the story of her 1000 mile journey, crossing five borders, in a single day.

12 Feb 4 minute read

Going with children by train

Long train journeys with children don't have to be a challenge, says Susanne Treadwell, who shares her experiences of travelling by train with a family.

11 Feb 3 minute read

One of the 100,000: EmmaLucy Cole

Speaker, writer, explorer and biker EmmaLucy shares her motivation for signing the Flight Free 2020 pledge

10 Feb 5 minute read

The Global Carbon Health Emergency

The Wuhan Coronavirus has brought air traffic across China to a standstill. It's time to now see the climate crisis for what it is: a global carbon epidemic.

07 Feb 3 minute read

The Truth about Carbon Offsets

Environmental Sociologist Roger Tyers explains the thinking behind carbon offsets and asks if they can really address our rising emissions

04 Feb 4 minute read

Podcast series episode 2: skiing by train

In the second episode of our 2020 podcast series we talk to SnowCarbon founder Daniel Elkan about why travelling to the slopes by train is always better than flying

04 Feb 7 minute read

Can I really make a difference?

Cancelling one flight won’t save the planet. But what effect do our actions have, and can once person really make a difference?

27 Jan 3 minute read

Confessions of a travel writer

Hanna Lindon, freelance travel journalist, explains what taking the #flightfree2020 pledge means for her life and career.

10 Jan 3 minute read

Podcast series episode 1: New Year's Resolutions

The first episode of our new podcast series features an interview with Maja Rosén, whose New Year's Resolution two years ago to talk about flying and the climate crisis led to the creation of Flight Free campaigns around the world

06 Jan 6 minute read

One of the 100,000: Jusep Moreno

Read from some of our pledgers about why they've signed the #flightfree2020 pledge

23 Dec 2 minute read

Winter Sun

Paul Powlesland, founder of Lawyers for Nature and once-frequent winter sun-seeker, shares his experience of spending winter in the UK

23 Dec 3 minute read

Hitting the slopes by coach

Heather Mack tells us how travelling by coach to ski resorts across Europe makes for a less stressful and more scenic journey compared to flying, with the added bonus of being environmentally-friendly.

18 Dec 3 minute read

What about tourism?

We know that air travel facilitates global tourism, and if we were to stop flying, communities who rely on our visits would suffer. But is that really the full story?

14 Dec 4 minute read

Podcast interview: Iain Green

Wildlife photographer Iain Green tells us what led to his decision to stop flying 14 years ago, and how he found the wildlife experience of his career in his own back garden.

10 Dec 4 minute read

A very British adventure

Does adventure have to involve a flight? Not necessarily, says Anna Hughes, who went on the adventure of a lifetime without leaving Britain.

09 Dec 4 minute read

Behind the veil: what the aviation industry really thinks about climate change

Dr Roger Tyers of Southampton University writes about the recent Aviation Carbon conference in this Long Read.

03 Dec 8 minute read

Flying in the face of the climate emergency

Jefim Vogel, researcher at Leeds University, shows how declaring climate emergency is not compatible with airport expansion.

03 Dec 3 minute read

Be more Greta, Part II

As Greta Thunberg sails across the ocean again, we ask if new enterprise VoyageVert could be the future of transatlantic travel?

28 Nov 3 minute read

Is the rising social stigma around flying misplaced?

We take a look at the carbon footprint of flying compared to other actions and ask if, by not flying, we miss out on the benefits of travel

26 Nov 4 minute read

From eight flights to one

Christine Bell took eight flights in 2018, down to just one in 2019. Here's how she did it.

26 Nov 4 minute read

London to Leverkusen by train… in an afternoon

Does a business meeting in Europe have to mean a flight? Definitely not, says Martin Siegert, now he has discovered Europe’s high speed rail network.

06 Nov 3 minute read

Farewell Loco2, hello Rail Europe

Jamie Andrews, co-founder of train booking website Loco2, shares the story of the company and looks forward to a low-carbon future

05 Nov 5 minute read

One of the 100,000: Michael Crossland

We hear from our pledgers about why they've chosen to be #flightfree in 2020

04 Nov 2 minute read

Why I am flight free

Helena Ritter explains why she made the decision to quit flying

29 Oct 2 minute read

"I refused to fly for my university field trip"

MSc student Abi Whitefield refused to go on her University field trip, despite it being a compulsory part of her course

25 Oct 3 minute read

The elephant on the travel desk

by Gavin Haines, travel writer (BBC, Telegraph, Positive News)

16 Oct 2 minute read

Rebelling against Extinction

Flight Free UK Director Anna Hughes comments on the recent XR airport action

15 Oct 2 minute read

One of the 100,000: Sarah Nicolls

Pianist Sarah Nicolls starts her "12 years" tour next year, giving recitals around the country about the climate crisis. Here, we hear her motivations for signing up to the #flightfree2020 pledge

07 Oct 3 minute read

Overnight by coach

Sarah Clayton from AirportWatch travelled by train and coach for a walking holiday in Italy, and asks if long-distance coach travel could soon become a popular alternative to flying.

05 Oct 4 minute read

Money Talks

We all know there are some eye-catchingly cheap air fares out there, but do the alternatives really cost that much more? And is there really any such thing as a cheap flight?

02 Oct 2 minute read

Birmingham to Edinburgh: why would you fly?

Easyjet has announced that from March 2020 it will be flying twice a day from Birmingham to Edinburgh. Is there a place for short domestic routes in our transport infrastructure?

26 Sep 2 minute read

Destination: south of France

The glorious south of France is a popular holiday destination for its great weather, fantastic coastline and incredible mountains. Here are seven accounts of getting there without flying.

20 Sep 5 minute read

Independent Influencers

Maggie Robertson explores how journalists have the power to influence people's travel decisions – and why they should use it wisely

14 Sep 3 minute read

Heathrow Expansion Response

Flight Free UK responds to Heathrow expansion consultation.

13 Sep 3 minute read

How to lead your tribe

Rob Wreglesworth, host of environmental podcast 'The Disruptive Environmentalist’ explains how we can become influences within our own social circles, and how signing the flight free pledge can kick-start those conversations

13 Sep 5 minute read

An open letter to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex

The team at Flight Free UK urges Harry and Meghan to consider the climate impact of their flights

27 Aug 3 minute read

We need to talk about the climate crisis

Maria Ardley questions why we are so reluctant to face up to the reality of the climate crisis, and highlights the urgent need to take action

24 Aug 6 minute read

Wall to Wall without flying

Christine and Peter Lloyd spent thirteen months pedalling to the Great Wall of China, and were determined not to fly home

21 Aug 4 minute read

Family staycations in the west country and Wales

Elizabeth Roper lives with her family in the South Cotswolds, and shares with us the incredible holiday destinations to be found in this part of the world

20 Aug 5 minute read

One of the 100,000: Pam Lunn

We hear from our pledgers about why they've chosen to be #flightfree in 2020

19 Aug 3 minute read

Be more Greta

Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg gained worldwide recognition through starting the ‘School Strike for climate’, and is now travelling across the Atlantic by yacht for the upcoming UN Climate Summits in North and South America.

16 Aug 3 minute read

One of the 100,000: Gope Walker

Gope Walker runs an IT consultancy and has clients and staff across three continents. He is also a triathlete and British Triathlon coach, and usually flies for work or for sporting events. We caught up with Gope and asked him what led to him signing the #flightfree2020 pledge.

15 Aug 3 minute read

"I don’t have time!" – a rail and sail journey to Dublin

Flight Free UK Director Anna Hughes travels to Dublin via train and boat, a journey that prompts her to question our relationship with time

14 Aug 4 minute read

Travel tips for train first-timers

Ian Garman, travel blogger at Best Dead Ends, offers his advice for people going on their first ever European train trip. From knowing the train system to things to watch out for, he takes the guesswork out of planning for a less worrisome journey

14 Aug 4 minute read

Holidays on Mars

In a raw and honest post, Ian Edwards expresses what needs to be done in the face of environmental collapse

07 Aug 4 minute read

Addressing academia's carbon footprint

Milena Buchs, associate Professor in Sustainability, Economics and Low-Carbon Transitions at the University of Leeds, asks how the academic sector can tackle emissions from air travel, and explores the benefits not flying can bring.

07 Aug 4 minute read

Ice & imagination: flight of fancy?

Pondering the looming possibility of an ice free world, Bruce Gulland urges imagination in pursuing greener travel & adventure

01 Aug 3 minute read

A Champion for Earth

Listen to our podcast interview with Etienne Stott, gold medal-winning canoeist and environmental activist

29 Jul 6 minute read

One of the 100,000: Maria Ardley

We hear from our pledgers about why they've chosen to be #flightfree in 2020

26 Jul 3 minute read

The Carbon Tax

A proposed carbon tax has hit the headlines this week. Anna Hughes looks at what this really means.

23 Jul 3 minute read

Gran Canaria by rail and boat

Professor Trevor Dale shares his experience of an overland trip to Gran Canaria, a journey that the vast majority of people make by air

22 Jul 3 minute read

One of the 100,000: Dave Wynn

We hear from our pledgers about why they've chosen to be #flightfree in 2020

17 Jul 3 minute read

Train-setting across Europe

Arts and sustainability group Creative Carbon Scotland has a general ‘no flight’ policy – here, Director Ben Twist, a seasoned rail traveller, offers some flight-free tips.

17 Jul 5 minute read

Train travel is a gem waiting for rediscovery

Slow travel makes the whole experience far richer, as discovered by environmental scientist Alexandra Jellicoe on a recent trip to Italy.

10 Jul 4 minute read

One of the 100,000: Sophia Cheng

We hear from our pledgers about why they've chosen to be #flightfree in 2020

28 Jun 4 minute read

The footprint of flying

Is flying really worse for the planet than eating meat?

18 Jun 2 minute read

Je m'engage...

Nathalie Laplante has just launched Flight Free Canada. Here she explains her motivations to keep her and her fellow countrymen's feet firmly on the ground

10 Jun 2 minute read

The great British holiday

Flight Free campaigner Anna Hughes questions if asking people to fly less is asking for an end to foreign holidays

10 Jun 4 minute read

Podcast episode five: Roger Hallam

We speak to one of the brains behind Extinction Rebellion about civil disobedience, making a noise about the climate crisis, and why being a rebel is the best way to create change

05 Jun 4 minute read

Forsaking all flights

The honeymoon is traditionally a time to push boundaries and splash out on exotic travel. But when Rebecca Casson was planning her wedding, she wanted married life to start as she meant to go on.

31 May 3 minute read

When climate responsibility breaks the heart

Claire Thompson's sons live half a world away, in New Zealand. In over a decade she has only seen them twice. This is her moving testimonial.

29 May 4 minute read

Adventures in happiness

After travelling for eighteen months, cycling through Europe, South and North America and Asia, Christopher ended up in Bhutan. But the carbon footprint of his journey led him to question his motivations and consider giving up flying for good.

16 May 3 minute read

Podcast interview: Vipul Patel

In episode four of the Flight Free podcast we talk to Vipul Patel, an active green campaigner in Bath.

01 May 4 minute read

Let's not fly the plane!

Flight Free UK teams up with Disney for some lyrical fun

25 Apr 1 minute read

'Watt Next? All things being eco...'

Anna Hughes talks to Marlow FM DJ Dave Hampton about cycling, ska music, flight-free holidays and climate change, and chooses eight tracks.

17 Apr 8 minute read

Long Train to China

Research fellow Roger Tyers shares his plans for an upcoming no-fly field trip to China, and explains the importance of leading by example

11 Apr 4 minute read

Why we stopped carbon-offsetting our flying

Eco-designer and doctor Linda Thomas explains why carbon offsetting turned out not to be the answer in the quest for a low-carbon life

02 Apr 4 minute read

The slow boat to South America (and other stories)

A keen traveller, it was difficult for Lewis to reconcile his desire to travel with his ambition to reduce his carbon footprint. But by giving up flying Lewis realised he would gain much more.

25 Mar 3 minute read

Why 100,000?

Maja Rosén, one of the founders of the Swedish Flygfritt campaign, explains the reasoning behind having a 100,000 threshold

11 Mar 3 minute read

Podcast interview: Molly Scott Cato

The Green MEP for South-West England and Gibraltar talks to us about her political past, her anti-airport activism and why she doesn't fly.

07 Mar 6 minute read

Evelina Utterdahl: Earth Wanderess

We meet Evelina Utterdahl, Swedish climate activist and eco-warrior who gave up flying without giving up her career as a travel blogger.

04 Mar 4 minute read

'What love requires'

Children's author Sue Hampton explains how not flying is not a sacrifice, but rather is a gift to the children of the future

22 Feb 4 minute read

How to write to your MP

Having our politicians lead by example will demonstrate that they are serious about climate change. Use this draft text to write an email to your MP, asking them to take part in the #flightfree2020 campaign

15 Feb 2 minute read

One of the 100,000: John Newson

We hear from our pledgers about why they've chosen to be #flightfree in 2020

12 Feb 1 minute read

One of the 100,000 questionnaire

Share your story about signing the flight free pledge with us

31 Jan 1 minute read

The best New Year's Resolution ever

Maja Rosén, founder of Swedish campaign Flygfritt2019, tells us what motivates her, and why she is encouraging her fellow countrymen to stop flying.

31 Jan 4 minute read

Tips on talking about a socially awkward topic

It can be difficult speaking to your friends and family about a topic that challenges people’s thoughts and behaviours. It’s socially inconvenient to bring up conversations about climate change when you’re having a nice chat around the dinner table. Here are some tips that might help engage those around you.

31 Jan 2 minute read

My no-fly year

In June 2017, Viviana Jiménez took a year off flying. With family scattered across a few countries, it would mean not seeing them for more than a year. But motivated by the environment and prompted by changed circumstances at work, she took on the challenge – with surprising results.

28 Jan 6 minute read

The fear of missing out

Flight Free Director Anna Hughes explains the importance of living to our values

22 Jan 2 minute read

Does flying really benefit us?

Flight Free UK Director Anna Hughes takes a look at whether our flying habits really are beneficial to us or the world.

10 Jan 3 minute read

An experiment in No Aeroplanes

Traveller and writer David Charles explains that giving up planes doesn't mean giving up travel

07 Jan 5 minute read

The beauty of slow travel

Flight Free UK Director Anna Hughes travels from London to Copenhagen by train

05 Jan 3 minute read

Would you give up flying for a year to save the environment?

An introduction to #FlightFree2020

01 Jan 3 minute read

Make the pledge to be flight free in 2020!