Did you know that 100,000 flights take off and land each day around the world? Air travel has shrunk our world, allowing people to travel from any corner of the world to another.

However, we know now that aviation is responsible for three to four percent of greenhouse gas emissions. The United Nations expects this number to multiply three times by 2050 due to the increasing demand. 

For this reason, Innes FitzGerald, a long-distance runner from the UK, has taken a stand. Her next race was scheduled to be in Australia, but Innes declined, stating, “The reality of the travel fills me with deep concern.” FitzGerald recently placed fourth in the Euro Cross Country Championships and has been in headlines revealing that she took a train from Devon to Italy to attend the competition. That’s above 1,000 miles(1600 km)!

Through her actions, FitzGerald is raising awareness about the rising global emissions just in her lifetime. She was 9 years old when the Paris COP21 agreement was signed and but still carbon emissions continue to be on an upward trend. Although airlines are actively researching more efficient models, the solution is far from carbon neutral.

The next time you are traveling with family or friends, consider other modes of transportation such as train, bus or even biking in some situations.

Sources: BBC, NY Times, Runners World