Flight continued

June 5th, 2019

Today I have submitted some responses to the Department for Transport’s ‘Aviation Strategy’ consultation document.

One thing I noticed about the document is that there is such a sweet photo illustrating it, of a little boy holding a toy plane gazing with fascination at a huge aeroplane – this is so ironic….I wanted to show you the pic here, but copyright problems of course..!

I’m finding it very difficult to conform to these kind of clinical, matter-of-fact situations.

All I really want is to ask that people with power and influence get on with the job of changing our world structures for the better!

(and what do they say to their grandchildren? – haven’t actually had an answer yet)

I remember hearing George Monbiot (on Frankie Boyle’s TV show) say that for improvement to happen GDP has got to cease being the way that a country/the world’s success is measured….

I’m having to play the conventional game, however, if I’m going to be listened to by these leaders of industry and politics…

Anyway, I made three practical suggestions to the Department for Transport:

1. (this idea is courtesy of a friend..)  Airlines should have to issue vouchers/tokens to travelling individuals and businesses each time they fly – there will be a limit of a certain number of flights permitted a year.

2. All airport expansions should end.

3. An advertising campaign should encourage people/businesses to think responsibly about their journeys, suggesting carbon footprint offsetting measures (counter-intuitive for the industry, of course, but information is key; and legislation worked with lead-free petrol and smoking bans….).

It would be brilliant, if any of you have the energy/inclination, for you to respond to the Aviation Strategy too (easy to find online) – you have until June 20th and although a lot of it is heavy-going and geared to ‘aviators’ (?!), there is an option for individuals.

I remember that offsetting idea a while ago, but it seemed to soon get lost…

My second suggestion was particularly because I heard about Bristol Airport’s current expansion (personally difficult, as Bristol is generally such a green-conscious area).

I’ve written an email to them (Dave Lees and Simon Earles, current CEO and ‘planning & sustainability director’ I think..)

I’m turning my attention next week to Magid Magid, in Sheffield, who was elected last week as MEP for the Green Party – Ann Widdecombe doesn’t seem interested in representing my concerns in Europe!

Still waiting to hear from Damian Hinds and Mike Coupe – I got a detailed response from someone else at Sainsbury’s about their plastic reduction plans, all very good moves in the right direction at least….