Airline CEO Says Owning 3 Dogs Is As Bad For The Environment As Flying In A Private Jet

When people think of activites that emit a lot of greenhouse gases, flying private jets is often at the top of the list. Few people would stop to consider pet ownership as having a significant impact on CO2 emissions, but the CEO of a luxury airline company may just change that.

According to the Financial Times, the chief executive of Luxaviation, a luxury airline company based in Luxembourg, said that one passenger of a private jet produces around 2.1 tons of CO2 yearly, which is about the same amount as three dogs.

The CO2 estimates for dogs came from Mike Berners-Lee’s 2010 book, “How Bad Are Bananas?” The book offers comparisons of various activities and purchases and how they contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. While hearing that three dogs could produce the same amount of CO2 as flying private might be alarming, other experts in the field are here to soothe those worries.

According to MSN, Hans Mast from Golden Rule Travel said: “Yes, pets do have a carbon footprint (but so do humans), mostly tied to the production of their food, but it’s crucial to consider that private jets emit CO2 at a significantly higher rate per passenger than commercial flights.”

In an interview with The Daily Mail, the CEO of RatePunk said, “It’s crucial to acknowledge that private jets are often associated with luxury and convenience, catering to a small segment of the population. The private jet industry, as a whole, is responsible for substantial carbon emissions due to the high fuel consumption and inefficient engines of these aircraft. Private jets are known to emit significantly more […] greenhouse gasses per passenger mile compared to commercial airlines.”

Transport & Environment released a study that backs up what the CEO of RatePunk had to say. According to the study, just 1% of people cause 50% of global aviation emissions. To put it into perspective further, private jets are five to 14 times more polluting than commercial planes (per passenger).

Without a doubt, flying private causes more environmental harm than owning a dog (or three). Adopting pets from a rescue or shelter rather than buying from a breeder is another great way to reduce the impact of pet ownership since those animals already exist and need a home.