Flying on an occasional basis can add up to more CO2 emissions than the rest of your personal life combined. Even if your conscience has been overcome and you still need to board that flight to a meeting in an exotic and far-flung location, there are a few measures you can take to help reduce the impact.

Tip #1. Check the alternatives again
Technologies like video Skype are easy and cost effective ways to be part of a meeting without actually physically attending. If you have to travel short-haul, can you take another mode of passenger transport or ride-share with colleagues?  Rather than being cooped up in cattle class, you can take calls and work remotely while travelling. If your connection is fast enough you may be able to use Skype or similar software to video chat for some virtual face time. It won't work in every situation, but video conferencing, internet access and a cell phone seriously start to negate the advantage of speed that an airplane has over a train.

Tip #2. Fly Direct Whenever Possible
Not only is flying direct way more pleasant than a 3 hour stop-over in an out of the way place, it will cut down on the amount of fuel used on the journey. The amount used at cruising altitude is far less than when taking off. The largest amount of fuel per kilometre is used during take-off and climb. This is why short-haul flights are usually more carbon intensive per kilometre than long-haul. More take-offs mean more fuel used to get you to your destination.

Tip #3. Combine Trips if Possible
While you may not always have control over this, try to combine trips whenever possible. If at first this seems contradictory to the first tip, when faced with making a choice between several return journeys back and forth, and less flights which combine multiple meetings, the latter option is most likely going to win out.

Tip #4. Choose Your Airline Wisely
Different airlines use different equipment on similar routes. This can yield surprising variability in emissions on the same trip. Using figures from Terra Pass for to compare a return flight from New York to Los Angeles emits 651kg of CO2 (this may be a low figure due to the method in which Terra Pass calculates radiative forcing but we'll leave that aside...). When entering in specific airlines’ yields the following results for the same journey are as follows:
• American Airlines = 733kg of CO2
• Delta = 580kg;
• Qantas = 607
• United Airlines = 896kg
• Virgin America = 639kg
Depending on the route, so many differing results don’t always eventuate, but it is worth examining and choosing your airline based on CO2 calculations. 

Tip #5. Choose Your Aircraft Wisely
This follows on from tip number 4. This might sound a bit dull if you don't own an anorack and notebook but get to know your aircraft types. Try to choose airlines which operate the newest equipment. Online booking sites and airline timetables will tell you the type of aircraft the airline typically uses on any given route. The most up-to-date aircraft such as the Airbus A320 & A380 (pictured below) and Boeing 737-800 & Boeing 777 are significantly more fuel efficient than their older counterparts. Turboprop aircraft might fly lower and slower but they are more fuel efficient. Look out for aircraft that are soon to enter service such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Tip #6. Buy and Deduct Your Carbon Offset
There's probably an accountant out there who will say that you can't do this. Many airlines offer this service and Sustainable Business Networks Carbon4Good programme can also help you calculate how many trees you need to offset that flight. It may not add up to much in the grand scheme of things (not to mention the fact that the whole idea of purchasing carbon offsets for flying can sometimes feel like assuaging guilt felt for committing eco-sins!) but if you choose your offset program wisely it’s worthwhile undertaking. Try planting your own trees to offset your trip. The ACE carbon calculator (click here to download) will help you to work out emissions related to your trip.

Tip #7. Avoid the temptation of business class.
Extra legroom means less seats. Less seats means more fuel burned per passenger mile. All the extras provided in business class come at a price in additional fuel burned and waste.

Tip #8. Take less stuff.
Every kilo of luggage means additional fuel burned to get it to its destination. Try to stick to your weight limit and avoid excess baggage. With some airlines you can reduce the fare by taking no check-in baggage.

Tip #9. Take a shuttle or ride-share to the airport.
Every little bit helps and sharing a ride with a shuttle or with your colleagues is a commonsense way to save fuel and emissions as well as the cost of airport parking.

Tip #10. Try taking the vegitarian meal option.
OK, so food served up at 35,000 feet isn't always the most appetising but having a few more vegetarian meals is a good way to reduce your environmental footprint. Those specially requested vegitarian meals are often served up by the cabin crew first so they will be just that much fresher as well. Having a vegitarian meal personally delivered to your seat instead of taken out of a cart with the others makes you feel kind of special too!

Tip#11. When is it better to fly than drive?
- If you are driving ridiculously long distances.
- If you would otherwise have to drive at times that have a high risk of fatigue. This is generally late at night but fatigue can also occur during daytime.
- If there is a risk of encountering severe weather. Air travel is very safe and in this instance it is probably still safer to fly.
- If you are sure the advice in tip number 1 won't work in this instance.

Mark Roberts, GreenFleet Programme Manager, Sustainable Business Network.

As well as containing original material, this article has drawn on and quoted the following sources:
Have to Fly for Business? - Matt McDermott 
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tech-transport/fly-business-green-trip.html

Pack Less, Fly Direct, Stick with Economy - Sami Grover
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/11/pack_less_fly_green.php

How Green is the Airline Industry, Really? - Sarah Novak
ttp://planetgreen.discovery.com/travel-outdoors/green-airline-industry.html?campaign=daylife-article