Cheap plane tickets and more people flying can only be bad news for the environment. ROSE YASMIN KARIM looks at what individual travellers can do to minimise the negative impact of their trip. This is the fifth installment in our series of 'Rethink Travel' articles in collaboration with The Star newspaper.

Written by The Star on 2 Oct 2008 with 0 comments. Be the first!

I enjoy riding planes. What I especially love is the little television screen and the map channel that shows you the location, speed and altitude of the plane. It's an exciting and convenient way to travel, though not the eco-friendliest.

Environmental campaigner George Monbiot said, "If we want to stop the planet from cooking, we will simply have to stop travelling at the kind of speeds that planes permit."

The airlines snapped back in defence, insisting that aviation accounts for just 2% of global carbon dioxide emissions (source: International Air Transport Association (IATA)).

Still, when you jet-set, you belch tonnes of CO2 into the air. A vacation from Kuala Lumpur to Bali on an Airbus A320, for instance, means flights that add up to 3,926km, 13,600kg of fuel and 40.8 tonnes of CO2 (source: AirAsia).

So how do you balance your carbon guilt?

By offsetting your air travel. Carbon offsets are basically donations to support projects that reduce greenhouse gases. An online calculator works out the passenger's share of emissions and recommends purchasing an offset.

"Passengers flying with MAS, Firefly, and MASwings have the option of paying a surcharge to offset the carbon emissions resulting directly from their travels," says Captain Dr Ooi Teong Siew, MAS general manager (corporate safety, security, health and environment).

For example, a round trip on Firefly's latest fleet, the ATR 72-500 from Subang to Langkawi costs RM4.46, while a flight from KL to Denpasar and back on MAS will have a surcharge of RM13.28.

"All the proceeds from this voluntary carbon offset programme will be channelled into a trust fund managed by Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (Frim), on behalf of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Based on the best options available, these funds will be used to rehabilitate or conserve forests that form natural carbon sinks," says Captain Dr Ooi.

"We are currently considering the peat swamp forests of Malaysia as an option, as these can hold substantial amounts of CO2. First up is the Pahang Peat Swamp Forests, which was previously supported by UNDP/GEF. Other sites in Sabah and Sarawak will also be given serious consideration," he adds.

While you cannot buy your way out of the mess you create, this is one way to take responsibility for pollution that we can't avoid, says Dr Reza Azmi, founder of Wild Asia, a KL-based conservation group.

"While it does not absolve your carbon guilt, it is worth investing in after you've made every effort to understand what makes your carbon footprint in the first place, and then plan to monitor and reduce," he explains.

"However, before I volunteer to offset my carbons, I want to be 100% confident in the projects the organisation supports and whether it's really promoting sustainable practices."

Non-emotional baggage

There are two types of people: those who waltz through customs with a single trunk, and those who wish they did. Travelling light, you see, is a very eco-savvy thing to do.

"Packing light helps to reduce fuel consumption as a lighter aircraft burns less fuel. Every additional 1,000kg of takeoff weight requires an additional 30 gallons of jet fuel," says AirAsia's media relations executive Nazatul Ekma Mokhtar.

"This is why we encourage guests to travel light, which will minimise check-in luggage on flights," he adds.

But you can't exactly set sail with just a sarong and swiss army knife, now can you?

The trick, says Leong Dee Lu, managing director of outdoor and camping gear shop, Corezone, is to take only what counts.

"While a part of you may want to stuff every single suitcase pocket, try to resolve to pack it all into one carry on luggage," says Leong.

"You'll get the peace of mind knowing it won't go missing, and you won't have to wait for your luggage at the carousel. It also means you'll be able to move faster and take public transportation, and even walk rather than take taxis. You use less energy hauling stuff and you'll save time because there are fewer things to pack," she argues.

So how do you fit a whole trip's worth of belongings into a small suitcase or backpack? Easy. Trim the fat.

"The bulk of your luggage is clothing. Minimise by bringing fewer pieces and doing your laundry more often. Stuff everything in a compression sack to save space," she says.

The backpack, adds Leong, should weigh no more than a quarter of your weight.

"If you're 50kg, than your pack should be 12.5kg or less."

Leong's packing list for a week long travel?

"A headlamp to find my way around the hostel room after lights out, a small roll of medical tape to repair bags and seal cuts, a compressible pillow, a rain jacket, a fleece jacket, a combination of fast-drying short and long-sleeve shirts, a pair of lightweight pants, a set of undergarments, a biodegradable camp soap that's good for all surfaces (hair, clothes, skin), a dry bag to stash my documents, a water bottle, two pairs of socks, a pair of sandals, hot hands warmer to keep me toasty during unforgiving weather, a whistle to draw attention in times of danger, water purification tablets, a sleep liner, a mosquito repellent, some snacks and anti-histamine pills," she says.

Sounds like a mouthful, but everything fits nicely into a 30-litre pack and weighs merely 5kg. There's plenty of room left over for food and souvenirs!

Pee before you board

Compared to regular toilets, aeroplane toilet systems are way more water efficient. The Airbus A320, says Nazatul, uses only 8cc-10cc of water per flush, and on Firefly's new fleet, the ATR 72-500, the water gets treated and recycled after every flush.

But - and this is a big but - according to Captain Liu Zhiyaun from China Southern Airline, the energy used per flush in flight is enough for an economical car to run at least 10km!

"As a kid I had a phobia of airplane toilets," relates Nurshahira Abdul Ghani, 29, a dealer.

"I would rather hold it in until landing than sit on the creepy silver bowl. The loud suction noise, the tight space and the blue water scared the lights out of me. I'm fine with using it now, but when I fly I'll definitely be relieving myself beforehand so as to minimise the in-flight flushing."

Hurry up

The IATA website states that on average airlines spend US$100 (RM342) per flight per minute in total operating costs.

"Our planes have a turnaround of 25 minutes, the fastest in the region, which means less time spent idling on the ground. This reduces unnecessary fuel consumption and lowers harmful emissions," says Nazatul.

While airlines are doing their part to cut down on fuel and emissions, it makes a difference if passengers don't linger.

"We maintain our turnaround at 20 minutes. Should passengers assemble at the gate on time, we can take off sooner," says Firefly chief engineer Ismail Mohd Taib, 46 .

Fly direct

Why are non-stop flights better for the environment than flights with a stopover?

"Point-to-point service produces lower emissions than two flights via a hub," says Nazatul.

It's not just because you're travelling fewer miles, planes burn more fuel in take-off and landing than they do by flying at a constant altitude!

"Take direct flights whenever possible. The more connections you have, the higher your emissions. For example, flying direct from Los Angeles to Boston reduces your CO2 by 20% compared to the same route with a stop in Dallas," Nazatul adds.

Also, turbo-prop planes are better than jet planes, which consume a lot more fuel.

"The ATR 72-500 turbo propeller operates at low altitude. Because there's less airspace restrictions at lower altitudes, we are able to take shorter routes. The take-off and landing is also quicker as less runway space is needed," says Ismail.

Stay longer

When you do fly, stay long enough to make it worthwhile. Why not visit once a year, but stay twice as long? In the end, quality, not quantity, is probably more important.

"I plan my vacations. Instead of going on short vacations four times a year, I take a month's leave and hang around longer," says one traveller, Andrew Ong, 31, an accounts manager.

"The last time, I flew to Europe and travelled by land across the continent."

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