If we all had an individual carbon quota, just what would you have to give up to afford the carbon credits for your two weeks away in Spain, or that stag weekend to Prague?
A handy new website called ThinkBeforeYouFly gives you an idea of just how much carbon you are burning and what that equates to in your daily life.
It is sobering stuff. According to the site, to offset the carbon dioxide created during a couple's return trip to Mallorca you would have to stop driving for two and a half months or switch off your electricity for nearly half a year. And a retrun trip to Sydney for two is equivalent to nearly 3 years of central heating or 8 years of electricity in carbon terms.
The website was set up by Peter Riding, who is also involved in the campaign to stop the expansion of Stanstead Airport.
"Three and a half years ago I flew from London to Sydney for my nephew's wedding. I felt vaguely guilty that this might not be good for the environment but could not relate it to my day-to-day living," he said. "When I looked into this I was shocked by what I found...the only environmentally sound answer must be not to fly again such a long distance. In order to help others appreciate their CO2 footprint aviation choices, I set up the website ThinkBeforeYouFly and would appreciate feedback, particularly for alternative transport options links."
Well here's one of my favourites. It is the internet Bible for tips on train travel all over the world.
