Regardless of the validity of the science behind (a) the idea that man has made a significant contribution to global warming, and (b) the idea that man can do much to reverse any such warming, there’s no doubt that much of the inspiration behind this whole frenzy is either that ancient (and to me, utterly incomprehensible) urge to don the hairshirt or, something no less unfamiliar, the urge to tell others to do so. Here’s Max Hastings in the Guardian with a classic of the genre, light on statistics, heavy on preacher talk (“binge-flying”) and complete with one assumption so absurd as to make one regret the minute or two spent reading his article:

Ellingham urges us all to impose some discipline on our own travel, refusing to succumb to “binge flying”. Only a minority of thoughtful people, the same kind who buy organic products, are likely to heed him.

I’ve added the italics. It should be obvious why.