Considering the huge carbon footprint international air travel causes globally each year, some experts are wondering if the new environmentally conscious Air New Zealand safety video isn't a bit ironic.
University of Auckland physics Professor Shaun Hendy is someone who appreciates that destructive impact of jet air travel, which accounts for 2.5 per cent of annual green house gas emissions globally - equal to the emissions of Germany.
And Professor Hendy has decided to do something about it, vowing to go without air travel for an entire year in an effort to reduce his own carbon footprint.
"I spend a lot of time as a science communicator, talking about climate change and I was concerned i have a pretty large carbon footprint," Professor Hendy told Breakfast today.
"I travel to conferences, I work with people overseas, and so I spend quite a bit of my work life on planes and I wanted to make a bit of a difference to my carbon footprint this year."
The new Air New Zealand safety video released today publicises the environmental initiatives the company funds and supports in Antarctica.
But considering the dire impact climate change is having on the arctic continent, Professor Hendy admits people may view the video as hypocritical.
"Yeah, I mean you could think of it a little bit, if you're a cynic, that it's a bit of greenwashing," Professor Hendy said.
But actually it's not that different to me as a scientist, flying around the world, telling people to reduce their carbon footprint.
I think it's all something we're trying to grapple with at the moment; how do we change what we do, how do we change our businesses, our lifestyles in order to be friendlier to the climate?"
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