Should we stop flying on vacation?

Karl Steininger explains how to have sustainable holidays and what other measures need to be taken to protect the climate. Photo: Uni Graz/Tzivanopoulos

Climate researcher Karl Steininger explains how to spend the holidays in a sustainable way.

It takes everybody's effort to stop climate change: "We need human change," urges economist Karl Steininger. Bying regional and seasonal food and separating the waste are helpful first steps. But how about seeing foreign countries? Can we still go on holiday without remorse? "Yes, of course! It depends on how we spend our time," says the researcher. Travelling is essential for getting to know different cultures. "I for one love it. But I try to stick to train and bike." Apart from the means of transport the accomodation plays a crucial role. Small guesthouses should be preferred to large holiday resorts. What usually does not work though, is keeping the individual carbon footprint small with a vegetarian lifestyle. "I cannot refrain from eating meat in exchange for getting on a plane three times a year." A one-way flight from Vienna to Berlin causes roughly the same emissions as eating 65 steaks. "You have to keep these dimensions in mind," warns Steininger.

Read the Unizeit to learn more about measures to halt climate change (German only).

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