Transcript:
Dan Castrigano of Burlington, Vermont, is staying grounded – both literally and emotionally.
After years of flying for vacations, weddings, and other events, he pledged to stop, and since 2019, he has not set foot in an airplane.
Castrigano: “I found slowing down, particularly spending most of my transportation time walking and biking and taking the train, brings me great joy.”
Castrigano made the decision to avoid air travel after calculating his impact on the climate and learning that flying caused more than 85% of his carbon emissions.
He says global warming disproportionately harms low-income communities and people of color. As a person privileged enough to be able to afford air travel, he felt a responsibility to act.
Castrigano: “I mean, if you have enough money to fly in the first place, that puts you in the wealthiest group of people on Earth.”
Castrigano hopes that taking action on climate change sets an example for his young son.
Castrigano: “He’s not been on an airplane, we don’t eat meat as a family, we ride our bikes everywhere. … Those are our values as a family, and that’s how he’s being raised, to tread lightly and to take care of our planet.”
Reporting credit: ChavoBart Digital Media
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