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Hi Paul and Walter... Agreed of course the major issue is not individual behaviors but larger questions that go to the heart of modes of production, growth for growths sake, and the links between neoliberalism and environmental destruction (one of my colleagues, Scott Prudham, has written some great stuff on this w James MacCarthy), and *exclusive* focus on individual behaviours can have a disciplining effect while relentless destruction continues apace in other quarters.... and of course I fly places as well where alternate travel is difficult (AAG Hawaii is a case in point) But, that said, I don't think it needs to be an either/or, and I think (perhaps following Tarde) that there can be a synergistic effect between localized cultural shifts and the emergence of mass movements, or even links between struggles in production and consumption (think Caeser Chavez and the grape boycott) - so properly posed I don't think these things are incidental and to my mind shifts in one set of practices can have knock on effects that speak to the collective reorganization of everyday life... so although the question I posed seemed focused on individual behaviour, for me it's not about rejigging a set of individual behaviours to get into a kind of competitive "my carbon footprint is smaller than yours" but rather reshaping a whole array of cultural practices that might feed a different kind of vision and a different kind of movement... On 31-Aug-12, at 5:56 AM, Paul Routledge wrote: > Greetings all: > All good stuff on the use of trains. > Though, I have to agree with Walter on this. Environmental change > will come from organized and radical mass movements initiating > societal transformations rather than individual behaviours. I was > recently in Nepal (I flew) for a climate change meeting with La Via > Campesina (South Asia). Peasant leaders from the Bangladesh landless > people's movement argued that mass occupations (in their case, of > land) were the best way to address climate change, thus preventing > corporate/state uses and environmental abuses of said resources. > Best > Paul > > -----Original Message----- > From: A forum for critical and radical geographers [mailto:[log in to unmask] > ] On Behalf Of Nicholls, Walter > Sent: 31 August 2012 10:44 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Take the Train > > This is all fine. I prefer trains over planes any day. > > However, doesn't this focus on the behavior of individuals shift the > responsibility of saving the planet (or achieving justice) to the > virtuous acts of individuals and away from the structural forces of > capitalism? The green movement's disproportionate focus on > individual behavior can provide corporations an opportunity to get > off the hook. For example, I know a guy who works for KLM and > remarked that only 1% of customers choose the carbon offset charge. > He then said to me, 'You see, the people choose not to be green when > given the option." > > Best > > walter > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: A forum for critical and radical geographers [mailto:[log in to unmask] > ] On Behalf Of David Murakami Wood > Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2012 3:38 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Take the Train > > I recommend this site, 'The Man in Seat 61', as an essential > resource for everyone trying to book long-distance train travel all > over the world: > > http://www.seat61.com/ > > It's difficult in North America, especially from Canada, whose > trains are getting worse and worse and seem to be deliberately > disconnected from the Amtrack network too. When I was back in the > UK, I used to take the train to European conferences, especially the > excellent overnight trains that go from Paris to Madrid, Milan, > Berlin, Vienna etc. That way you don't arrive any later than if you > take the plane plus you get a good night's sleep (I like sleeping on > trains, I find it very relaxing) and overnight trains often have a > bar and restaurant car and you get to meet a whole range of > interesting people. > > David. > > David Murakami Wood > Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Surveillance Studies, > Surveillance Studies Centre, Associate Professor, Department of > Sociology, Cross-appointed in Department of Geography, Queen's > University, Kingston, Ontario. > > [log in to unmask] > > On 2012-08-30, at 9:30 AM, Susan Ruddick wrote: > >> Hi Everyone >> >> I was curious given the amount of air travel we do as geographers how >> many people have considered taking the train (which can be a working >> trip with laptop) to various conference destinations (I am thinking >> in >> particular of the upcoming AAG for geographers who live in North >> America) >> >> just curious >> >> Sue >