'Climate scientists should cut back on air travel'
Bob Berwyn
March 7, 2018
Researchers and their institutions should set a good low-carbon example to their communities, says Katharine Hayhoe, director of climate science at Texas Tech University.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/O. Berg
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Texas Tech University Climate Science director Katharine Hayhoe thinks about her professional and personal carbon footprint all the time, and like many other scientists, she's come to the conclusion that flying less is the best way to reduce it.
As a prominent climate science communicator, she is asked to speak at numerous events each year — ranging from discussions with community groups to taking part in workshops and academic seminars. Her first response is always to ask if she can appear virtually.
"I often get the response, 'well, we've never done that, but we're willing to try!,'" Hayhoe told DW. "Many of my colleagues aren't sure about this approach but I am doing what I can to change the culture."
Hayhoe waits until she has several events to attend in any one area before planning travel.
"When I went to the UK in November, I'd been collecting invitations for nearly two years. I stayed near a centrally located train station in London and spent each day at a different university or organization," she said.
She also offsets her travel-related emissions with a certified program called Climate Stewards that invests in local economies in Kenya, Ghana and Mexico. "They are ultra-careful in ensuring that the carbon offsets they invest in are sustained," she said.
Researchers and institutes have to set a good example when it comes to reducing CO2 levels, says Katharine Hayhoe (pictured) Image: Ashley Rodgers
Hayhoe has made numerous other changes to her life. She's bought a plug-in hybrid car — such vehicles combine a petrol or diesel engine with an electric motor and a rechargeable battery. Hayhoe also invests in high-efficiency appliances and has installed a hanging laundry rack on her ceiling to dry clothes, so she doesn't have to use a tumble dryer.
"We eat lower down the food chain, prioritizing free-range dairy, eggs and meat: but still enjoy the occasional brisket (I live in Texas after all!)," added Hayhoe. "We get our power from a local co-op that includes wind energy, and are saving up for 'solar shingles' on our next home."
Going low-carbon isn't all work, she says: "We have a network of off-road trails near our house but instead of noisy four-wheelers, we ride electric trail bikes."
She believes universities and research institutions — including her own — could do much more to cut their carbon footprint.
"My own university has zero wind or solar energy on campus and, as far as I know, no plans to install any, even though it's located in an area with more than 250 sunny days per year, and where wind and solar energy prices are some of the lowest in the country," she said.
8 green-tech innovations you need to know about
From plant-based plastic bottles to dresses made of milk — green pioneers around the world are coming up with clean technologies to protect our environment, reduce waste and limit global warming.
Image: Rod Crimshaw/Solarkiosk
Energy-generating soccer field
With every kick and pass, soccer players in Lagos, Nigeria, are powering the flood lights on their own pitch. Special tiles capture kinetic energy, which is transformed into off-grid electricity. UK-based company Pavegen, the mastermind behind the Lagos soccer field, has also installed power-generating walkways in London airports and public squares in Washington D.C.
Image: Pavegen
Dressed in milk
Milk is coming out of the fridge and into the wardrobe. In Germany alone, up to 1.9 million tons of milk is wasted each year. Anke Domaske and her company QMilk are turning that waste into 100-percent natural fibers that only require 2 liters of water per kilogram, Domaske says. For comparison, producing one cotton t-shirt uses up to 2,700 liters of water.
Image: Jannes Frubel Fotografie
Organic solar film
What if every building and car produced its own green energy? German company Heliatek has developed solar panels that are almost as light, thin and flexible as a sheet of paper. These "solar films" can be combined with other materials, for example glass or concrete, to create functional facades of houses or vehicles. The material can also be recycled.
Image: Tim Deussen/Heliatek
'Sea horses' generate power off Japan's coast
In Japan, concrete wave breakers line beaches to protect the shore from erosion. The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology wants to replace them with turbines that generate renewable power, at the same time as protecting the coast. If these small, five-blade "sea horse" turbines covered just 1% of Japan’s coast, they could generate as much power as 10 nuclear plants.
Image: OIST
Swapping petroleum for sugar
Hundreds of millions of plastic bottles are thrown away every day. Besides creating an enormous amount of waste, their production relies on chemicals derived from fossil fuels. Dutch chemist Gert-Jan Gruter has developed an environmentally friendly alternative: a sugar-based bioplastic that requires no petrochemicals, is completely recyclable and cuts associated CO2 emissions by up to 70 percent.
Image: Heinz Troll/EPO
End of the road for waste plastic
Speaking of plastic, a British company is turning plastic waste into an asphalt mix for roads. Plastic makes the roads stronger and longer-lasting. Governments save on maintenance, and millions of tons of waste plastic is given a second life. The plastic asphalt mix already covers several roads in the UK in Bahrain.
Image: MacRebur
Cargo sailing in the wind
French firm Zephyr & Borée has combined traditional sailing with wind energy technology for 21st century eco-friendly transport. "Nowadays we can consume products that are organic, recyclable … yet there [are] barely any companies that offer a green supply chain," say the pioneers, adding that their sailing vessels produce 70 percent less CO2 than fuel-powered ones.
Image: zephy & boree
Solar shops
Two out three people in sub-Saharan Africa don't have access to electricity, particularly in rural areas. A German start-up has developed modular shops powered by the sun. This example in Kenya provides internet access, water purification and fridges for medication. Locals can also scan and print documents and recharge their cellphones.
