of oil stays where it is, Finns would no longer fly to
other Asian Countries for warmth during their holidays. People would not be
able to afford it, as airlines pass the increased fuel costs directly to the
customer. Another factor pushing ticket prices up would be reduced competition.
Finnair deputy CEO Henrik Arle says that many airlines would go bankrupt.
Planes would also be less comfortable than
before. They would have simpler seats and less entertainment, as equipment and
electric cables bring add weight.
Last winter
90,000 return trips were made from
to
alone. Finnair calculates that each one of those trips put nearly 1,200 kilos
of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is equivalent to the amount of
emissions generated in one year by someone who drives his or her car to work
every day.
If the reduction in emissions from flying,
the reduction in driving, the decreased use of fertilisers, more ecological
heating methods, more efficient transport, and everything else which
contributes to decreased energy consumption prompted by 250-dollar-a-barrel oil
are all added together, the sum would be considerable.
It may sound naive, but all of this begs
the question, whether or not oil should be so very cheap.
