Before you pack the bags for this year’s holidays, it’s worth considering how you’re going to get there – and how much of a problem that might create for the world’s climate. Turns out there’s some unconventional wisdom from scientists – and if you can stand a little company, a road trip might be greener than you think….
What’s the climate friendly way to go on holiday this year?
Turns out the answer is much the same whether you live in London, Los Angeles or Lagos – and it doesn’t necessarily mean leaving your car at home.
New research by the Centre for International Climate and Environmental Research in Norway and the Austria-basedInternational Institute for Applied Systems Analysis tracked the climate impacts of various ways of taking trips of 500 to 1,000 kilometres (300 to 600 miles).
Turns out that car trips aren’t too bad – as long as you share the car with two or three other people and opt for a small vehicle rather than a big one.
“Traveling alone in a large car can be as bad for the climate as flying, but driving with three in a small car could have an equally low impact as a train ride,” said Jens Borken-Kleefeld, one of the study’s lead researchers from the Austrian institute.
