As a way to offset carbon emissions, animal rights group PETA has proposed Singapore Airlines serve vegan meals aboard the flights to “nowhere” it is considering.
PETA Asia’s proposal comes as the national carrier is weighing whether to jump on the desperate trend of selling flights that land where they begin. While the airline is looking to offset deep losses that have led it to axe thousands of jobs, a concerned public is urging it to consider alternative, less polluting ways to make a buck.
PETA’s solution is that the airline serve plant-based meals aboard those flights, as meat production and consumption has a higher carbon cost for the planet.
“Since your airline is committed to exploring opportunities for staff and customers to get involved in environmental protection, serving exclusively vegan meals to flyers on ‘flights to nowhere’ represents an opportunity to advance your proactive policies,” the nonprofit’s senior vice president Jason Baker wrote yesterday in a letter to airline CEO Goh Choon Phong.
The airline has committed to cutting its carbon emissions in half by 2050.
According to the Worldwatch Institute, animal agriculture makes up 51% of worldwide greenhouse-gas emissions. If a majority of people subscribes to a vegan diet, it would cut emissions by 70% by 2050, according to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.
“These flights may be going nowhere fast, but serving vegan food would elevate Singapore Airlines’ meals to new heights while shedding some of its environmental baggage,” Baker added. “Vegan eating is taking off worldwide, and as passengers are increasingly looking to shrink their carbon footprint, Singapore Airlines should waste no time in getting on board.”
If it moves forward, the airline could start selling tickets for three-hour flights beginning and ending at Changi Airport from the end of next month.
In response to the airline’s plan, members of the public have launched a crowdsourcing initiative to gather environmentally friendly ideas for Singapore Airlines to continue operating amid the pandemic.
The crowdsourcing initiative had gathered more than 1,300 submissions, including educational tours in the cockpit or behind the scenes and flight simulator sessions. The ideas have been submitted to the airline.
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