about terrorists and climate...

Terrorist activity can have a positive impact on the environment. Studies, if they were politically not unimaginably, would probably show, that terrorist attacks on planes can reduce flying and comparatively make train jurneys more attractive.

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Train jurneys have high opportunity costs in form of the amount of time one needs. Secondly the costs are very high especially since the emergence of cheap airlines like Virgin, Easy Jet, Rude Air or Air Berlin (I am talking Europe here).

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Air planes are known for reducing travelling times within Europe to 30 min to 1.5 hours and tickets can be purchased from 20 euros onwards (including taxes).

On the other hand espcially short distance travelling by plane has a destructive impact on our climate. Because of the hight in 9-13 km the emissions of kerosene have a two times to four times bigger impact than similar emissions at ground level (Bund, 2003:1). My latest flight produced 0.08 tonees of CO2, but luckily emissions in europe are cheap and it only cost 15 euros in CO2 emissions, my flight from Hong Kong though was only 12.24 euros and produced 1.09 tonnes of CO2 (British Airways provides a nice emission calculator).

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I have probably clearly stated that flying is bad, but its time efficient and cheap.

Since governments seem able to restrict smoking but not yet the fun of flying, terrorists have stepped on the stage.

Terrorists have changed some of the advantges of plane jurneys, making train jurneys wise to be reconsidered.

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• Flying has become considered with a certain fear of finalizing the flight in somebody's office instead of the airport. Threatening airport announcements remind you that unattentded luggage will be pulverised and that their is a bag without the passenger underneath your a** in the plane which needs to be searched before it could explode.

• Flying has become time consuming, humilating and annoying. The European Union regulation only allows you a very limited number of fluids in your hand luggage which makes the handluggage-only flights rather difficult. If you managed nevertheless to fit everything in the tiny 20x20 cm bag AND they did not throw away your perfume nevertheless as being potential explosives, THAN you can pack out your laptop, your MP3, your digital camera, get rid of your belt and can have close peronal contact with a security officer nervertheless. Than you can hopp with all your things in your arms on one legg, take off your shoes and run on socks to catch your flight in the last minute.

• Security procedures take you so much time that instead of 1 you should definetely consider 1.5-2 hours waiting before beginning your flight.

If I can I take the train, you don't even need to be on time because they are always late. Taking trains is better for our climate and its opportunity cost is significantly lower now!

Upcomming blog: How terrorist activity increases emissions from tornado jets