Plane Shame?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

My ...

I am proud of you, and honoured to have stayed with you pre-Covid when I had a meeting in your home Town. You are admirably meagre with your resources, but your hospitality was and is substantial - thank you.  That was a very interesting evening - of which the meeting itself was just a part.

[TaplowGreen]

My meat consumption varies but WAS several times a week and is now less than once a week on average.
Almost always locally produced so negligible carbon emissions from transport. Always free range so negligible carbon emissions from feed production. In summer I eat largely cold food to minimise use of electric cooker. Hot food more in the winter as use of cooker less of a concern in cold weather.
I recycle all that I can.
Don't drive, don't fly. I do use taxis a little, the last few cab journeys have been in an electric cab.

I shop largely on line, which involves carbon dioxide emissions from delivery vehicles, but suspect that these are less than driving to a supermarket.

I replace clothing and bedding only when worn out, never for fashion or to keep "on trend" I use primarily natural fibers, mainly  for comfort in use, but also to avoid adding "microplastic particles" to the sea via the use and laundering of synthetic materials.
Washing machine used only at night when electricity is cheaper and greener
I heat with logs and off peak electricity, greenish though not perfectly. Logs are presumably cut with a petrol chainsaw and are delivered in a diesel truck.

I keep reserves of anthracite, of propane, of candles, and of petrol, for emergencies but actual consumption of these fossil fuels  is minute.
I keep a stock of paraffin and use perhaps 15 liters a year, primarily to stop the plumbing from freezing. In very cold weather  I might use a Tilley infra red heater in the bathroom, regrettably.

In a heat wave I use a portable air conditioner, use this summer has been for about 25 hours, or about 25 kwh. Use last summer was zero. Carbon cost unknown but hopefully low as use is limited and is at times of maximum solar input to the grid.

No mains gas, no heating oil. Electricity bill is under £400 a year.

You are Greta and I claim my £5! 

[broadgage]

I rather admire Greta, but in my view, actual government policies, and actual actions by individuals are of greater importance than a currently popular figurehead.

The large climate change protests in London, Bristol, and elsewhere certainly increased public awareness of the issues.

[TonyK]

I would not object to aircraft powered by synthetic fuel produced from wind energy, provided that the following conditions were met.

1) That the electricity used was 100% renewable AFTER meeting other electricity demand. NO running the synthetic fuel works on wind power whilst still burning natural gas for "general use" electricity.

2) Provided that the synthetic fuel is used FIRSTLY for essential purposes such as fire engines, ambulances, and life saving aviation, and THEN for holiday flights. No carrying on burning fossil fuel for food production, and emergency vehicles whilst using limited synthetic fuel for holiday flights.

You are going to love the governments plans for hydrogen then. Looks like we'll be making it by electrolysis and steam reforming using renewable electricity, then pumping it to houses to burn in boilers, while burning gas to make the rest of the electricity to keep the tellies on and Bitcoin satisfied. It's nearly as bad as Germany's green agenda.

And getting his goose all the way from Canada is just plain indulgence! 

I don't think they have the same Canada geese over there. When in Vancouver, I saw some that looked very similar, but when I asked, I was told that they are just called "geese".

[broadgage]

Government plans for hydrogen are daft for the reasons given.

Canada geese in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) are the same species as found in Canada and in many other places. AFAIK^▸ (as far as I know) they did not migrate from Canada but were imported as ornamental waterfowl by Victorian land owners.

Edited to add that a respected member has stated that Canada geese were introduced well before the Victorian era, see a few posts down for details

[JayMac]

Electric passenger aircraft are coming. Just the the issue of range to be sorted.

It's really difficult to manufacture a 2000 mile long extension lead.

[grahame]

It's really difficult to manufacture a 2000 mile long extension lead.

But 2000 miles of catenary has been done before, right?

[broadgage]

Electric passenger aircraft are coming. Just the the issue of range to be sorted.

It's really difficult to manufacture a 2000 mile long extension lead.

Electric aircraft are already available, but only with a very limited range. SOME improvement is no doubt possible but I doubt that we will ever see electric planes crossing the Atlantic. The energy density of any available or foreseeable battery is much less than jet fuel.
I expect wider use of electric aircraft, in particular for short hops to islands.  The solar charged electric light aircraft is a distinct possibility for connecting remote communities in the Australian outback and similar places.

Electric trains have a virtually unlimited range as fuel can be supplied as needed, not carried on board.

[IndustryInsider]

In a heat wave I use a portable air conditioner, use this summer has been for about 25 hours, or about 25 kwh. Use last summer was zero. Carbon cost unknown but hopefully low as use is limited and is at times of maximum solar input to the grid.

Well, apart from that one unnecessary luxury you’re ‘doing your bit’ I think it’s fair to say.

[TonyK]

In a heat wave I use a portable air conditioner, use this summer has been for about 25 hours, or about 25 kwh. Use last summer was zero. Carbon cost unknown but hopefully low as use is limited and is at times of maximum solar input to the grid.

Well, apart from that one unnecessary luxury you’re ‘doing your bit’ I think it’s fair to say.

I sit in the shade in the garden, and fan myself with a copy of "Aviation News".

[broadgage]

I also sat in the shade in the garden, though with an electric fan, when conditions permitted, but on a few days it was too hot outdoors in the shade.

[PrestburyRoad]

I sat inside with the curtains drawn and gradually reduced my clothing as the temperature rose.  On the very hottest days in previous years I found that the only way to be comfortable was to leave nothing to the imagination.

[eightonedee]

Canada geese in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) are the same species as found in Canada and in many other places. AFAIK^▸ (as far as I know)▸ they did not migrate from Canada but were imported as ornamental waterfowl by Victorian land owners.

In the spirit of the search for truth and accuracy in this forum, Canada Geese were first introduced long before the Victorians, possibly as early as Jacobean times. You can make at least one out in John Constable' s 1816 painting of Wivenhoe Park. It was however the spread of flooded ex-gravel workings in the mid 20th century that led to a population explosion.

...which is a long way from the shame of travelling by plane! 

[TonyK]

In the spirit of the search for truth and accuracy in this forum, Canada Geese were first introduced long before the Victorians, possibly as early as Jacobean times. You can make at least one out in John Constable' s 1816 painting of Wivenhoe Park. It was however the spread of flooded ex-gravel workings in the mid 20th century that led to a population explosion.

...which is a long way from the shame of travelling by plane! 

Then I shall try to put the topic back on course!

I am very recently returned from my first "overseas" trip since time began, or at least since Covid. It was a week in Jersey, very pleasant indeed, and Mrs T and myself flew there. It was an Airbus A320-214 in both directions from Bristol. Flying time was about 40 minutes each way, consisting of a climb to 23,000 or 25,000 feet going (we weren't told) and 24,000 coming back*, confirmed by the pilot. Probably 25 minutes was in a slow descent both ways, with a lot of reverse thrust on landing in Jersey because of the short runway. I feel no need to justify my extravagance, but I doubt that there was much of a carbon difference between my flying (with the bus from Bristol) and my driving to wherever the Jersey ferries go from and taking the car with me.

I recommend the Grouville Bay oysters, followed by scallops and monkfish in a marsala sauce.

(*The semi-circular rule. Aircraft heading 0° to 179° magnetic fly at odd-numbered flight levels, 180° to 359° fly even numbered. That way, in the worst possible case of a head-on conflict, you will miss by 1000'.)

[MVR S&T]

Well, Greta is here, by electric train, don't expect 'Amtrack Joe' (is he coming?) took the train or ship option!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-59102422