✈️Since 2009, the number of foreign flights taken by people from the U.K has increased by 57% (29 million).
✈️ 75% of flights are taken by just 15% of people.
✈️There is no single act of consumption that has a greater impact on global warming emissions.

Aviation, A THREAD...

Now, before frequent flyer vegans assail my mentions, please be aware that a) demand elasticity for food is lower than for flights; and b) a *year's* consumption of cow's milk (200ml a day) produces around 80% of the CO2 of *one* return economy flight from London to Berlin.

@theCCCuk

It's great news that the Government has accepted the recommendation of @theCCCuk on including aviation emissions in its 2035 decarbonisation targets, but worrying that it makes no reference to demand management, which is essential to achieving this goal... gov.uk/government/new…

Read 8 tweets

Jon Burke FRSA

@jonburkeUK

12 May

When people say LTNs are 'divisive', what they really mean is 'let's go back to the days when we could drive wherever they wanted without any push-back'. All LTNs do is highlight the unsustainability of doubling the number of cars on our roads to 40 million in 30 years.

It's strange the same people didn't think 40,000 premature deaths in the U.K from air pollution - to which cars make a disproportionate contribution - long before the new Low Traffic Neighbourhoods was 'divisive'. Why? Because the media wasn't interested in our concerns.

It's strange the same people didn't think the disproportionate impact of air pollution on working class and minority ethnic communities from air pollution - to which cars make a disproportionate contribution - long before the new LTNs was 'divisive'. imperial.ac.uk/news/163408/et…

Read 9 tweets

Jon Burke FRSA

@jonburkeUK

10 May

1/ Hedgerows are not only central to our sense of national identity, they're also of immense environmental value. Their loss, and potential for preservation and restoration, also tell the story of our unsustainable way of life and how we can step back from the brink.

2/ Since WWII, the U.K has lost half its hedgerows - a staggering 300,000 miles. Although rates of hedge destruction have been reduced since the high watermark of the 1980s, losses are still occurring due to removal and mismanagement, with huge environmental consequences.

@NBNTrust

3/ Not only do natural hedgerows reduce resource depletion by eliminating the need for wire and stakes sourced in unsustainable ways, they're also habitat for thousands of vulnerable species, which is why their removal is hastening the collapse of biodiversity.

Via @NBNTrust.

Read 20 tweets

Jon Burke FRSA

@jonburkeUK

15 Apr

1/ Here's a really good example of what some companies are getting right on sustainable product design; what they're getting wrong on sustainable product design; and why regulation is the - fundamental - missing piece of the excess consumption jigsaw.

@clarksshoes

2/ So, what do @clarksshoes get right? Elimination of petrochemical-based glues ✔️Efficient design of biodegradable upper, reducing material waste ✔️Minimal detailing, reducing embedded carbon from manufacturing ✔️Minimisation of dyes, reducing product's chemical footprint ✔️

@clarksshoes

3/ And what do @clarksshoes get wrong? Firstly, it's unclear what thread is used, but I suspect it's plastic-based, meaning that while the leather upper is biodegradable, the thread would need to be removed to avoid contamination. Switching to natural thread would remedy this.

Read 13 tweets

Jon Burke FRSA

@jonburkeUK

26 Mar

1/ There's a myth that home deliveries are the 'cause' of recent road congestion, so what are the facts?

Of the 360 billion miles driven on the U.K's roads in 2019:

🚗 77.2% cars/taxis
🛻 15.4% small vans
🚚 4.8% HGVs
🚲 1% bicycles
🏍️ 0.8% motorcycles
🚌 0.7% buses/coaches

2/ In my view, part of the reason for the propagation of this myth is to extend responsibility for road surface miles/injuries/emissions to a broader category of people, and therefore to delegitimise policy responses like LTNs. Data here: roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/summary

3/ Home deliveries are, of course, environmentally problematic - especially from a waste system perspective - but there is reason to believe that they also help eliminate some car journeys. The potential for delivery decarbonisation is also much greater than for private cars.

Read 7 tweets

Share this page!

Jon Burke FRSA

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

More from @jonburkeUK

Jon Burke FRSA

Jon Burke FRSA

Jon Burke FRSA

Jon Burke FRSA

Jon Burke FRSA

Jon Burke FRSA

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Like this author's thread?