Cutting the Carbon and Enjoying the Scenery
As reported in last week's New York Times:
Eurostar, which runs the high-speed train service linking London to Paris and Brussels via the Channel Tunnel, has started running ads in travel trade publications asserting that a journey produces only one-tenth the carbon dioxide emissions of a comparable flight. Some of the ads include a drawing of an airplane in the form of a burning cigarette.
Eurostar Chief Executive Richard Brown says:
The research shows that travelling by Eurostar is less environmentally damaging than flying by a factor of ten. A Eurostar passenger generates enough CO2 to fill a Mini, while an airline passenger generates enough to fill a double-decker bus.
The Eurostar website now includes details about their research.
The campaign may be working. Ridership is up 9.9% in the third quarter of 2006. A Eurostar spokesman tells the BBC:
We have been surprised and pleased at the increasing number of passengers who say that the environment is a growing reason for switching to Eurostar, and who are prepared to make Eurostar part of longer, connecting rail journeys than in the past.
The media is on the bandwagon as well. This weekend the London Sunday Mirror urged holiday travelers to ride the train, cut the carbon and enjoy the scenery.
Meanwhile, back here in the good ol' USA substantive discussion about climate change, apparently, was not cleared for take-off this election season. As we wait in line removing our shoes for airport security, our nation's leaders gut America's rail system.
Photo: John D. McHugh/Agence France-Presse-Getty Images
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog New York City
Gotcha-Heimer! Anti-Congestion Pricing Jersey Rep. With a City Speeding Ticket Drove to Manhattan on Wednesday
New Jersey's most vociferous opponent of congestion pricing parked illegally and once got a speeding ticket.
Under Threat of Federal Suit (Again!), City Hall Promises Action on ‘Unacceptable’ Illegal Police Parking
A deputy mayor made a flat-out promise to eliminate illegal police parking that violates the Americans With Disabilities Act. But when? How? We don't know.
Wednesday’s Headlines: Four for Fifth Edition
The good news? There's a new operator for the Fifth Avenue open street. The bad news? It's four blocks, down from 15 last year. Plus other news.
MTA Plan to Run Brooklyn-Queens Train on City Streets a ‘Grave’ Mistake: Advocates
A 515-foot tunnel beneath All Faiths Cemetery would slightly increase the cost of the project in exchange for "enormous" service benefits, a new report argues.
Full Court Press by Mayor for Congestion Pricing Foe Randy Mastro
Pay no attention to that lawyer behind the curtain fighting for New Jersey, the mayor's team said on Tuesday, channeling the Wizard of Oz.
