A lifetime’s supply of beer to deliver a keynote?!  I’ve loved my times in New Zealand and will miss not being ‘at’ the Transportation Group’s annual conference this week. But could anyone now justify 25,000 cans of Black Mass ale just to be there in person?

The image above was the IT check I did with the organisers last night at 9.15pm UK time, not long before the conference got underway. This is the view I’ll have (hopefully with the seats occupied) when I deliver my invited presentation on Triple Access Planning this evening.

I know that in NZ they really know how to put on a good conference and I have fond memories of when I burned carbon to enjoy being at such events. I managed to look the other way when it came to my emissions.

I thought I’d return to my comparison I made recently with drinking beer to illustrate what’s going on when long-haul flying takes place.

Flying return London-Auckland would make my share of emissions in economy class around 10 tonnes of CO2. IN A CLIMATE EMERGENCY!!!

One can of ale has CO2 emissions of around 400g.

By not flying to NZ for the annual Transportation Group conference that’s the equivalent of me not drinking 25,000 cans of ale. Ordinarily five cans a week would suffice for me. That means one return flight to NZ would keep me in beer for nearly 100 years. In other words a lifetime of beer for going all that way ‘just’ to deliver a keynote.

Oh, and by the way. A return flight to Auckland if I tried to go tomorrow and come back a week later – £1401. What a bargain. Yes – burning carbon flying to NZ is 60 times cheaper than the carbon used in drinking (I could only afford 420 cans of beer for £1401).

I’m very grateful to the organisers for being willing therefore to allow me to take part remotely. I’ll be in my slippers sat at home. Rather fitting since I’ll be talking about Triple Access Planning and the roles of spatial proximity and digital connectivity alongside physical mobility in supporting society.

Looking forward to taking part!