IMPEGNO A NON VOLARE

Sembra che ci sia non poca gente che ha preso l'impegno solenne di NON volare più o di volare il meno possibile. Tanti fattori contribuiscono a questo impegno, il costo, la consapevolezza di fare grossi danni all'ambiente, la procedura umiliante di "profiling" e di perquisizione personale a cui si è sottoposti all'imbarco.

Molti si rendono conto che con l'attuale situazione petrolifera, le linee aeree non hanno la possibilità di mantenere i prezzi attuali e questo le porterà in tempi non lunghi a una spirale distruttiva in cui i prezzi alti porteranno a meno passeggeri, la diminuzione dei passeggeri ridurrà i profitti e porterà a prezzi ancora più alti. Via via, il traffico aereo di massa, come lo conosciamo oggi, potrebbe scomparire completamente. Allora, tanto vale abituarsi subito all'idea.

Uno degli ultimi in ordine di tempo ad aver fatto il voto solenne di non volare più è Rob Hopkins sul suo sito "transitionculture" Fatto sta che esiste anche un sito internet dove si può prendere l'impegno ufficiale - oro o argento - a non volare più eccetto in emergenze (oro) o non fare più di due voli l'anno (argento). Il sito si trova a "flightpledge.org" Segue il testo della pagina introduttiva

UB

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Flight Pledge Union

Welcome to the Flight Pledge Union website

The problem

Air travel is the fastest growing contributor to climate change - over the period 2002 - 2050, the overall contribution of air travel to climate change is expected to increase from 3.5 per cent to between 6 and 10 per cent. Forecasts from the UK government indicate that almost 500 million passengers annually will pass through British airports by 2030, one billion by 2050 and one and a half billion ten years later – up from 32 million in 1970, and 190 million in 2002. These forecasts imply that at least five new airport runways will be built.

Despite these trends, the government continues to do nothing to constrain air travel. Airport owners are encouraged to expand their operations; international air travel is exempt from the Kyoto protocol; aircraft fuel continues to be free of all fuel duties or VAT.

The Pledge

The single most effective decision you can take to reduce your impact on the climate is not to fly. In the absence of any leadership from government, we offer you the chance to pledge to limit the number of flights you take each year.

There are two pledges – gold and silver. If you sign the gold pledge, you promise to take no flights in the coming year, except in a personal or family emergency. If you sign the silver pledge, you promise not to take more than two return short-haul flights, or one return long-haul flight, in the coming year – again, except for an emergency.

Our objectives

We are especially trying to target frequent, casual, short distance, short break, leisure flights - flights that are only possible because they are cheap; flights that are disproportionately polluting because most of the fuel is used getting to cruising height and then almost immediately landing; journeys that can easily be made by rail. Our objective is to sign up as many people as possible, firstly to reduce the number of aircraft movements, and secondly to show the government that there is a large number of people who are willing to voluntarily limit their flying and make an individual gesture to reduce their personal impact on the environment.

Please sign the pledge

In return we will send a certificate showing your promise. Please print and display it so as to encourage others to sign too. And finally, we’d be grateful if you could contribute a small amount towards the costs of designing and hosting this site, and publicity and support costs, by sending a cheque made out and addressed to Flight Pledge Union, 8 Longstone Road, London SW17 9BN. Please include your postal address if you need a receipt.

Please send your comments and suggestions to admin@flightpledge.org.uk" title="email to Flight Pledge Union">admin@flightpledge.org.uk.

Thank you.