What’s Going On Here?
No this isn’t a typo, the Swedes who have a word for everything, have coined a new one…‘Flygskam’. It means ‘flight shame’ and its intentions to discourage air travel seem to be working.
How Do You Pronounce Flygskam?
Pronounced ‘Fleeg-skaam’ the word has become popular in raising awareness of the large carbon footprint that air travel has, compared to rail and road travel.
Passenger numbers in Sweden’s airports have fallen by 8% this year already and the national rail operator has reported a 21% rise in train travel. They have had to introduce more trains to cater for the increased demand.
In France, a new tax proposed by the government could be levied on plane fuel or ticket prices or by changing the EU Emissions Trading Scheme for European flights. If agreed, this could play a part in reducing air travel even further!
Why Should We Care?
Air travel is the most polluting type of transport, emitting around 300g of CO2 per person for every km we fly. UN data scientists predict that within 30 years, aviation might become the single biggest emitter of carbon dioxide.We might not get the Cersei treatment a la GoT when we board a flight (Shame! Shame!) but the movement is definitely gaining traction. More people are thinking twice before hopping on a plane and considering more environmentally friendly options, like trains and buses.
For example:
Plane from London to Nice = 340kg/CO2
Train London to Nice = 36kg/CO2
(2 Curious heroes chose the train option for a wedding in September)
Be Curious!
- Make an adventure out of getting to your destination- take a look at some of the most scenic train journeys in Europe and in Britain and then you can use #tågskry (train brag!)
- If you do travel, calculate your carbon footprint and have the option of offsetting it here.
- Follow the #flygskam Instagram account
p.s. Remember Flygskam is pronounced ‘Fleeg-skaam’
