I’ve just been to see The Age of Stupid, a very hard hitting film about climate change. It’s left me wondering, yet again, how we manage to change attitudes, and fast. I want people to read our blog here and be inspired to not fly and to go for that big train ride adventure once in a while. To show people that train journeys are not only possible, but can be even more exciting than getting the plane.
But I also want to tell the true story. Here’s my dilemma: travel by train is more expensive, takes longer, is sometimes less comfortable, and can be more complicated to organise — so how can we “sell” that to people? We are culturally conditioned to go for the cheaper, easier, more comfortable options whilst the effects of our actions are kept hidden. Our consumer culture depends on this. This is the nub of the shift we need to make: we do need to use less energy, changing our habits, our expectations and our lifestyles. And in exchange we get stronger, more resilient communities and a healthy and beautiful planet to live in. It’s not only worth it, but totally necessary.
So I’m urging you to get on board that Freedom train and ditch the plane!
(P.S. My other dilemma is that we don’t need to be doing this journey, so should we be making it at all?! More on that later…)
Maybe you need to stress that cultural change is possible, and can even happen rather easily when the will is there — an example would be how rapidly the change in attitudes to smoking has occurred. Even 20 years ago, it was the norm to have people smoking on buses, in meetings and so on.
Eurig and I did the journey from Scotland to Spain last year and we loved it. So nice to stop in the middle of Paris for a glass of wine outside instead of the ghastly ambience of airports. We hope one day to do a train trip around the Baltic!
I am going to the Pyrenees from Aberdeen; this is the second time I will have done it by train rather than air for much the same reasons as you. I don’t mind the discomfort (sleeping on floors and very early starts to get the cheapest tickets) and extra time (part of the ‘experience’ ;)as much as the extra expense — it doesn’t seem right that I could get a cheap flight to Toulouse for £25! This time I will have an 11 year old with me as well as another adult — so we may need to consult Callum’s list!
Do let us know how you get on. And encourage your 11 year old to add to the list!
I agree with everything you say, BUT at the age of 74, I find even trying to book a train ticket stressful, let alone the hassle of travelling on a full train. On a limited budget, the cost is a big consideration too.
I would love to use trains more, and used to really enjoy train travel.
Yes, will do! Unfortunately I may have to take the work laptop with me, and try and persuade Gillean not to add ‘playing games on mum’s work laptop’ to her list.….