Up in the Air

Summer vacation is coming up. Good times for airline companies.
Travelling by plane has never been more popular. But flying contributes to climate change.
Now what?

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• a significant number - very many; so many that it really makes a difference
• carbon footprint - a measurement of the amount of carbon dioxide that your activities produce
• fuel - a material (such as coal, oil, or gas) that is burned to produce heat or power
• via another airport - by departing from another airport
• to offset - to cancel or reduce the effect of something
• online calculators - websites that do the math for you
• to tackle a problem - to deal with a problem
• to reduce the impact of flying - to make the (negative) effect of flying smaller

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. When you think of flying, what is the best thing you can do to help our climate?


2. Laura Foster explains what you can do to reduce the carbon footprint of your flight.
   How many things does she name?


3. Name three or more of these things you could do yourself.


4. How does “Offset your flight” work?


5. Do all these things really reduce the impact of flying on climate change?