Today I finally sit down and start looking up the various possibility of transport for my upcoming trip which I decided to start in Italy, will then head east before heading north again and eventually make it to Russia. I told myself that I will avoid flying because after my recent road trip, I am sure that I had left so much carbon footprint then I had wished to, and I was hoping to stick to buses and train this time. I am not calling myself environmentalist, just thinking that I would love to help contribute to the well-being of the world as much as I can.
All these said, I started looking up for the buses and trains that will take me from London to Milan where I plan to start my tour of Italy. Due to the distance, the coach will takes at least 24hours and the train 19hours, and the prices shown is not really great. Out of curiousity, my room mate suggested that I had a look at the flight choices, and that must have been the worst thing I could have done, the flight search shown available flights that takes only one sixth of the time and half of the price compared to the bus!
First, I was screaming at the screen and then I was speechless, really do not know what to say or make of it. Ironically, the flight even offers the possibility to offset the carbon footprint! Now I'm torn between leaving as little carbon footprint as possible and saving my time and money! Is it a such a difficult decision?Yes, it is for me.
Aren't you suppose to get a better deal when you pay more??In this case, it seems unlikely. At the moment going by train is not a possibility as it costs a whooping £250! Going by bus means paying 50% more, spending 24hours on the road with a stranger strapped right next to me, arriving at my destination exhausted and possibly stinking, knowing that I put up with all these just so that I clocked 0.96 tonnes less CO2 then flying. Tossing carbon footprint issue aside, going by plane means I will save some money for good food and also arriving in my destination fresh and ready. At a glance, it seems like a such simple equation. Part of me is saying that I should just be selfish and forgo all the concern about the carbon footprint, the plane is flying even without me, save the money for some good pizzas in Naples and some extra time to look around ; another part of me is thinking that if I do really care about the carbon footprint, how can I be so easily swing???
At the moment, I still do not know. However, I have a strong feeling that I will finally be flying. Sad, isn't it?? I can't help but wonder why is it so hard for me to be less selfish? Why am I so weak? Where is my determination? Deep down, do I really care like I think I do? After all, I had always left a buffer in this issue, I always tell myself that I am doing every bit I can, trying is the word. This actually do not sounds like a committment. This certainly got me thinking...
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