Editing Fly less!

[[Image:Contrail.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A C-141 Starlifter leaves vapour trails over Antarctica]]

* Planes produce enourmous quantities of [[greenhouse gas]] emissions. Reducing the number of flights you take could be the single most effective way to reduce your personal contribution to [[global warming]].  
* When looking at cheap flights consider the environmental cost as well as the financial.  Try to ration your number of flights, or avoid flying altogether.


==Tips for flying less==

* Pledge to limit or stop your flights at [http://www.flightpledge.org.uk/ www.flightpledge.org.uk]

* Try to reduce the amount of business flights taken by the organisation you work for.

* Research train and boat options at [http://www.noflytravel.com/ www.nofly.co.uk] and [http://www.seat61.com/ The man in seat 61]

* Find out how other travellers go green on [http://www.greentraveller.co.uk Green Traveller]. 

* Remember, much of Europe is within easy TGV reach. There are also a lot of coaches about, which tend to be slower but cheaper than the trains

* If you really can't avoid flying, avoid night flights and flying during winter - especially long haul: new research shows that both create more carbon dioxide emissions.

* Newer planes will be more efficient than older, so think about this when booking with an airline. 

* Landing and taking off will increase carbon emmissions, so try to fly direct, even if it costs a little more. 
==Industry Measures==
===On the operational front, airlines can:===

* employing single-engine taxi procedures during normal operations and selective engine shutdown during ground delays
* reducing and measuring more accurately onboard weight while redistributing belly cargo
* tankering extra fuel on certain flights to avoid refueling at more expensive locations - but this increases emissions
* cruising longer at higher altitudes and employing shorter, steeper approaches

===In terms of planning for fuel usage, airlines are:===

* optimizing flight planning for minimum fuel-burn routes and altitudes
* working with FAA to change en-route fuel reserve requirements to reflect state-of-the-art navigation, communication, surveillance and wind forecast systems
* employing self-imposed ground delays to reduce airborne holding
* modernizing their fleets with more fuel-efficient airplanes
* investing in winglets to reduce aircraft drag and thereby increase fuel conservation
* redesigning hubs and schedules to alleviate congestion
* advocating expanded and improved airfield capacity
* using airport power rather than onboard auxiliary power units (APUs) when at the gates
* changing paint schemes to minimize heat absorption (which requires additional cooling)
* altering the location in which fuel is purchased (i.e., to avoid higher-priced west coast)
* pooling resources to purchase fuel in bulk through alliances with other carriers

==Relevant links==

* [http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc/aviation/index.htm Iternational Panel on Climate Change -Aviation and the global atomsphere] 

* [http://www.tyndall.ac.uk/media/press_releases/tyndallrelease8dec.pdf Tyndall Centre -Government plans for sky-high aviation negate their climate change targets]

* [http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2006/12/19/preparing-for-take-off/ George Monbiot -Preparing for take off]

* [http://www.baa.co.uk/portal/controller/dispatcher.jsp?CiID=d8ac51c29fada010VgnVCM10000036821c0a____&ChID=65364896b27ba010VgnVCM10000036821c0a____&Ct=B2C_CT_GENERAL&CtID=448c6a4c7f1b0010VgnVCM200000357e120a____&ChPath=Home%5ECorporate%5ECorporate+Responsibility%5EEnvironment%5EClimate+change British Airports Authority -Climate change]

* [http://www.airlines.org/economics/energy/fuel+efficiency.htm Airlines website and info on fuel efficiency]