Aviation impacts the environment because aircraft engines emit noise, particulates, gases, contribute to climate change. Despite emission reductions from automobiles and more fuel-efficient and less polluting turbofan and turboprop engines, the rapid growth of air travel in recent years contributes to an increase in total pollution attributable to aviation.

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Aircraft currently produce approximately 4% of European Union's CO2 emissions. They also emit nitrogen oxides which lead to the formation of another greenhouse gas, ozone, as well as condensation trails. Research by Jeff Gazzard (www.greenskies.org) indicates that aircraft emissions have 2.7 times of a greater impact at altitude than the same emissions at ground level due to the sensitive nature of the upper atmosphere in which airliners fly.

If the increased impacts of emissions at altitude are taken into account then aircraft emissions already account for approximately 11% of European Union's CO2 emissions. If that was not enough aviation is the fastest-growing contributor to CO2 emissions. As an example, Britain's CO2 emissions from aviation doubled between 1990 and 2000 and are expected to double again by 2030. So rather than being part of the problem why not be part of the solution and make your next trip a flightless one?

The airline industry state that their large commercial airliners are getting more fuel efficient and they are. Airbus states that their Airbus A380 has a fuel efficiency of 3 L/100km per passenger. (We are not sure how accurate this is as we worked it out as 3.9L/100km but let's take them at their word) Some airline industry professionals have been quick to point out that this is more fuel efficient than the new Toyota Prius which has a fuel efficiency of 3.9 L/100km . But hold on, be wary of their cleaver marketing, don't forget a Prius can carry 5 adults giving it a fuel efficiency of 0.78L/100km per passenger.

It is also important to remember the emissions at altitude so if we take Gazzard's 2.7 principle on escalated impact, the damage equates to a single person driving a car with a fuel efficiency of 8.1 litres/100km and if the flight is not full then this can easily equate to an even worse fuel efficiency.

Don't forget it's not just about planes vs. cars, if you take other forms of transport into consideration such as trains and boats, it makes it almost impossible to argue in favour of aeroplanes on fuel efficiency grounds. For example Eurostar recently completed some research which indicated that travelling from London to Paris via train released 90% less carbon emissions than a flight from London to Paris.