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The Oxford Flying Less podcast

The Oxford Flying Less podcast

By Noah Birksted-Breen

The Flying Less podcast. The podcast which asks - what do you and your university stand to gain by Flying Less? Global aviation is likely to use up about one sixth of the remaining carbon budget to keep the world under 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050. Experts from a range of universities and disciplines shed light on the most challenging areas of flying and the international Higher Education sector, answering the key questions: Why Fly Less? How to Fly Less while retaining an international outlook and research & teaching practice?
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Staff profile: Dr. Michele Veldsman (Experimental psychology, University of Oxford).

The Oxford Flying Less podcastMar 03, 2022

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24:10
Staff profile: Prof. Hannah Knox (Anthropology, UCL).

Staff profile: Prof. Hannah Knox (Anthropology, UCL).

Staff profile – how to thrive as a Flying Less scholar.

Contributor: Professor Hannah Knox, Professor of Anthropology, UCL.

This episode was recorded on 22 September 2021.


Materials cited - Flying Less blogs by Professor Hannah Knox:

‘Not Flying. Steps towards a post-carbon Anthropology?’ 

‘My year without flying’ 

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Producer/presenter: Dr. Noah Birksted-Breen, Researcher, University of Oxford

Editor: Ryan Beckerleg, PhD student in the School of Physics and Astronomy based at Cardiff University's Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC).

Cover art: Ada Jušić

Music written and composed: Julian Bell.

Commissioned by the School of Geography, University of Oxford, in collaboration with University of Oxford's Environmental Sustainability Team. This podcast is funded by the Green Travel Fund.

The Flying Less podcast is a project of the Oxford Flying Less Group, an informal association of staff and students at the University of Oxford, advocating for reducing our institution's dependence upon aviation.

If you have been moved to take action by this podcast, why not:

- share this podcast with colleagues, peers, heads of department and Vice-Chancellors at your own institution

- start a Flying Less group at your own institution

- check for updates and sign the petition at Flyingless.org

- check for other resources including NoFlyClimateSci, Nearly Carbon Neutral Conferences and many more besides.

Mar 04, 202233:54
Staff profile: Dr. Michele Veldsman (Experimental psychology, University of Oxford).

Staff profile: Dr. Michele Veldsman (Experimental psychology, University of Oxford).

Staff profile – how to thrive as a Flying Less scholar.

Contributor: 

Dr. Michele Veldsman, Cognitive Neurology, University of Oxford

This episode was recorded on 13 October 2021.

Producer/presenter: Dr. Noah Birksted-Breen, Researcher, University of Oxford

Editor: Ryan Beckerleg, PhD student in the School of Physics and Astronomy based at Cardiff University's Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC).

Cover art: Ada Jušić

Music written and composed: Julian Bell.

Commissioned by the School of Geography, University of Oxford, in collaboration with University of Oxford's Environmental Sustainability Team. This podcast is funded by the Green Travel Fund.

The Flying Less podcast is a project of the Oxford Flying Less Group, an informal association of staff and students at the University of Oxford, advocating for reducing our institution's dependence upon aviation.

If you have been moved to take action by this podcast, why not:

- share this podcast with colleagues, peers, heads of department and Vice-Chancellors at your own institution

- start a Flying Less group at your own institution

- check for updates and sign the petition at Flyingless.org

- check for other resources including NoFlyClimateSci, Nearly Carbon Neutral Conferences and many more besides.

Mar 03, 202224:10
Aviation and the Case for Absolute Zero.

Aviation and the Case for Absolute Zero.

In this episode, we consider the case of Absolute Zero aviation and what it means for the Higher Education sector.

Materials cited:

UK Fires Absolute Zero website and report 

‘Technology will not solve the problem of climate change’ (paywall) Financial Times 

Contributors:

Professor Julian Allwood, Professor of Engineering and the Environment, University of Cambridge

Professor Hamish Low, James Meade Professor of Economics, University of Oxford

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Producer/presenter: Dr. Noah Birksted-Breen, Researcher, University of Oxford

Editor: Ryan Beckerleg, PhD student in the School of Physics and Astronomy based at Cardiff University's Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC).

Cover art: Ada Jušić

Music written and composed: Julian Bell.

Commissioned by the School of Geography, University of Oxford, in collaboration with University of Oxford's Environmental Sustainability Team. This podcast is funded by the Green Travel Fund.

The Flying Less podcast is a project of the Oxford Flying Less Group, an informal association of staff and students at the University of Oxford, advocating for reducing our institution's dependence upon aviation.

If you have been moved to take action by this podcast, why not:

- share this podcast with colleagues, peers, heads of department and Vice-Chancellors at your own institution

- start a Flying Less group at your own institution

- check for updates and sign the petition at Flyingless.org

- check for other resources including NoFlyClimateSci, Nearly Carbon Neutral Conferences and many more besides.

Mar 02, 202233:09
Flying Less Research – thinking ambitiously.

Flying Less Research – thinking ambitiously.

In this episode, we consider the challenge of Flying Less research.


Contributors:

Dr. Christoph Küffer, Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, and professor for urban ecology, University of Applied Sciences, Rapperswil (2m 08s)

Professor Laura Rival, Anthropology of Development, University of Oxford (24m 02s)

Dr. Matt Watson, Senior Lecturer in Human Geography, University of Sheffield (40m 48s)


Articles and materials cited:

Three blogs by Christoph Küffer :

‘No Flying for a Year’ 

‘A year without flying’ 

‘Let’s talk about system change’

Stay-Grounded profile of Christoph Küffer 

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Producer/presenter: Dr. Noah Birksted-Breen, Researcher, University of Oxford

Editor: Ryan Beckerleg, PhD student in the School of Physics and Astronomy based at Cardiff University's Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC).

Cover art: Ada Jušić

Music written and composed: Julian Bell.

Commissioned by the School of Geography, University of Oxford, in collaboration with University of Oxford's Environmental Sustainability Team. This podcast is funded by the Green Travel Fund.

The Flying Less podcast is a project of the Oxford Flying Less Group, an informal association of staff and students at the University of Oxford, advocating for reducing our institution's dependence upon aviation.

If you have been moved to take action by this podcast, why not:

- share this podcast with colleagues, peers, heads of department and Vice-Chancellors at your own institution

- start a Flying Less group at your own institution

- check for updates and sign the petition at Flyingless.org

- check for other resources including NoFlyClimateSci, Nearly Carbon Neutral Conferences and many more besides.

Mar 01, 202245:03
Decarbonising conferences – Why and How?

Decarbonising conferences – Why and How?

Part 1 – Decarbonizing conferences (1m 40s)

The first part of this episode considers how and why we should make conferences low-carbon.

Part 2 – A practical guide for conference organizers (13m 49s)

The second part of this episode considers the ‘big decisions’ for conference organizers, based on three case study events. It is intended for those who are about to organize their first virtual or hybrid event, including topics such as:

  • virtual versus hybrid?
  • which platform to use?
  • what are the biggest potential pitfalls?

Contributors:

Dr. Matt Watson, Senior Lecturer in Human Geography, University of Sheffield (1m 55)

Dr. Debbie Hopkins, Associate Professor in Human Geography, University of Oxford (2m 42s & 10m 35s)

Dr. Milan Kloewer, Climate scientist, University of Oxford (4m 38s)

Patrizia Ferrari, Gaea Events

Professor Alex Fornito, Psychology, Monash University, Australia (13m 48s)

Joël Foramitti, PhD student, Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (24m 45s)

Dr. Michele Veldsman, Cognitive Neurology, University of Oxford (37m 20s)

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Case study events:

Climate Neutrality Forum (2021)

Organization for Human Brain Mapping (annual conference)

Towards Low-Carbon Lifestyles, ICTA-UAB International Virtual conference, 2020

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Articles and materials cited:

‘An analysis of ways to Decarbonize conference travel after Covid-19’

‘The Virtues of Virtual Conferences’

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Producer/presenter: Dr. Noah Birksted-Breen, Researcher, University of Oxford

Editor: Ryan Beckerleg, PhD student in the School of Physics and Astronomy based at Cardiff University's Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC).

Cover art: Ada Jušić

Music written and composed: Julian Bell.

Commissioned by the School of Geography, University of Oxford, in collaboration with University of Oxford's Environmental Sustainability Team. This podcast is funded by the Green Travel Fund.

The Flying Less podcast is a project of the Oxford Flying Less Group, an informal association of staff and students at the University of Oxford, advocating for reducing our institution's dependence upon aviation.

Feb 28, 202241:27
Why do we fly & could we fly less? The Flying Less movement in the Higher Education Sector.

Why do we fly & could we fly less? The Flying Less movement in the Higher Education Sector.

This episode addresses the 'big picture' questions about flying and the higher education sector. Why do we fly? How much do we need to reduce flying to avoid further contributing to global warming through aviation? Is the higher education sector an 'exception to the rule'? What kinds of actions can we take and will be most effective - individual and/or institutional?

Articles and materials cited:

@Flyingless and Sustainable research? Some snapshot responses from academics.

'Quantifying aviation's contribution to global warming'. M Klöwer et al 2021 Environ. Res. Lett. 16 104027

Flying Less, Reducing Academia's Carbon Footprint

University of Edinburgh’s Climate Conscious Travel Policy

University of Oxford's Environment 

University of Sheffield’s Sustainability Strategy

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Contributors:

Dr. Milan Kloewer, Climate scientist, University of Oxford (2m 13s)

Dr. Debbie Hopkins, Associate Professor in Human Geography, University of Oxford (6m 25s) 

Professor Parke Wilde, US Nutrition Policy, Tufts University (USA) and Professor Joseph Nevins, Geography, Vassar College (USA)  (13m 03s) 

Harriet Waters, Head of Environmental Sustainability, University of Oxford, and Joanne Murraybrown, Sustainability Strategy Project Manager, University of Oxford (19m 55s)

Dr. Matt Watson, Senior Lecturer in Human Geography, University of Sheffield (27m 27s) 

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Producer/presenter: Dr. Noah Birksted-Breen, Researcher, (formerly) University of Oxford

Editor: Ryan Beckerleg, PhD student in the School of Physics and Astronomy at Cardiff University. 

Cover art: Ada Jušić

Music written and composed: Julian Bell.

Commissioned by the School of Geography, University of Oxford, in collaboration with University of Oxford's Environmental Sustainability Team. This podcast is funded by the Green Travel Fund.

The Flying Less podcast is a project of the Oxford Flying Less Group, an informal association of staff and students at the University of Oxford, advocating for reducing our institution's dependence upon aviation.

If you have been moved to take action by this podcast, why not:

- share this podcast with colleagues, peers, heads of department and Vice-Chancellors at your own institution

- start a Flying Less group at your own institution 

- check for updates and sign the petition at Flyingless.org

- check for other resources including NoFlyClimateSci, Nearly Carbon Neutral Conferences and many more besides.

Feb 01, 202237:29