I went without flying at all in 2007. It was a good plan, after 18 months of flying back and forth between London and Geneva every month or so.
I feel that I need to take steps to help stop climate change and not flying is a deliberate statement.
I have never owned a car or a TV, I don't put lights on my house at Christmas, I buy energy saver lightbulbs and I eat as a vegetarian.
So, I do some things.
Anyway, now that it is 2008 I am one of the Britain Yearly Meeting (ie Religious Society of Friends in Britain/Quakers) representatives to the Friends World Committee for Consultation (an international body of the Religious Society of Friends).
So I have to go to Vienna in March for a meeting. It is in Europe and there are easy options with the train, so I hope to use that transport and I have a friend to go with, so we will probably find some wifi and do some computer stuff. Or play backgammon and pray.
But then there is Quakers United in Publishing, in North Carolina in the US in April. It looks like being a really interesting meeting and I've never been to the US before...
so...
I thought about it a lot and eventually I decided that if they'll have me, I will go. I can't register yet, but there is no harm in being prepared.
My journal is so pro-environmental solutions that it has a green editor, so I feel hypocritical in my decision, but I knew that I would feel that way anyhow.
I think that where I am going with this is that there are things that I find myself being called to do. This work for God means that at the moment the only realistic physical way to cross continents to go by plane. And if the plane is there for the taking, I'll take it.
I was going to write some secondary reasons in here but I think that for now, I'll leave it at that, otherwise it will feel like excuses, but it isn't.
So, if it all goes ahead, I'll be in the US in late April.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
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5 comments:
If you have to fly it would be great if your plane could land in Philadelphia to or from. We could have a much more interesting conversation about Quakers and blogs around a nice home-cooked vegan meal at my place than you'll be able to get at QUIP (I was involved for many years; nice enough people by and large, but not exactly a cutting edge or visionary bunch I'm afraid and they've been content to passively watch Quaker publishing shrink without organizing).
I have also accepted an invitation to come to North Carolina for the QUIP conference. I haven't written about it yet on my blog, but I will. I am also looking into traveling an extra day or two among Friends in North Carolina, as long as I'm getting on an airplane and going that far. Would you be interested?
I'm looking forward to seeing you at the QUIP conference. I know the flying issue is a serious one but I think that making contact with Friends in the US in all their variety is also vitally important. I'm glad too that you will have a chance to assess QUIP for yourself.
I have pulled out of this. Compared to the rich vein of blogging knowhow in the US I cannot see any good reason to attend. Add the costs to QUIP, the Friend and the environment and it is a lose-lose scenario.
I am so disappointed that you have allowed yourself to be persuaded to pull out. Certainly blogging is one way to counter the insularity of both British and American Quakers but so is travelling to meet with one another and exchange views. Who knows - QUIP might have learned something from you and you might even have learned something from QUIP! I hope you will consider coming to the conference when it is next in the UK.
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