A Climate-clobbering Turkey trot: Thanksgiving travel is a major polluter
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, America could well be the emissions capital of the world.
The AAA reports that over 80 million Americans will travel between the Tuesday before and Monday after Thanksgiving, with the main forms of transport, cars and commercial airplanes, being among the largest polluters in the U.S.
READ MORE ABOUT THANKSGIVING AND CLIMATE CHANGE
‘We’re going to be Late, grandma’: Thanksgiving Flight delays set to Cost airlines dearly
A Thanksgiving hurricane? Forecasters say the holiday could be a Turkey-tosser
Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, commented, “Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday for travel, and this year we’re expecting to set new records across the board, from driving to flying and cruising.”
Of the 80 million, 73 million will travel by car and almost seven million by air, with the figure for 2024 expected to be a record. Lower gas prices, driven by record oil production, will also drive auto travel.
The EPA reports that greenhouse gas emissions from road traffic, including commercial vehicles, are 28% of the U.S. total, which makes it the largest sector among all polluters. Fuel-efficient engines are expected to decrease this over time, but at present most research shows that gas engines are not much more efficient than five years ago. Meanwhile, electric vehicles sales have flattened.
As for airplanes, newer aircraft engines, installed to save airlines fuel costs, are about 16% more efficient than older ones. However, air travel increased in the years immediately before the COVID-19 pandemic and has grown back since.
From the standpoint of the environment, it is good that Thanksgiving is only one weekend of 52 a year.
More from ClimateCrisis 247
- This ain’t easy-Breezy: Wind Energy Giant Vestas Fires workers as challenges mount
- Sunny side of the Atlantic: U.S. solar investment crashes as Europe leads way
- Got the Climate change Blues? Mental Health Increasingly Affected By Global warming
- Musk’s Mighty Market Dominance: Tesla Model Y Leads Q3 EV Sales Report
