And life just gets better. Explored every nook and cranny of Europe? Tired of early mornings in remote airports in obscure Scandinavian towns? Try exploring your own country instead – budget airlines now link together London, Newcastle, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow and many others. Cheap airlines can even get you from London to Newquay for a spot of surfing, if you fancy it.

Now you can explore Britain without the hassles of coaches, motorways or changing trains. Like I said, modern life is wonderful, right?

Wrong.

I’m not going to criticise you for flying budget airlines – I know they’re irresistible. But while you’re enjoying that £39.99 flight to Prague for a weekend of fun and frolics, have you considered the cost of your holiday – the real cost?

I’m not talking about the £7.50 ham and cheese sandwiches (stale) or the £4.75 bottle of soft drink (flat). No, I’m talking about the cost to the planet. The planet you’re paying very little to explore.

Here comes the science bit: Air travel is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gases. All the world’s commercial aircraft are producing a staggering 700 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every single year. And if we continue to fly at the drop of a hat, it’s just going to get worse.

Big numbers, but what does it all mean? Well, consider this: one person flying from London to New York produces about the same amount of carbon dioxide as one household does in a whole year. And you haven’t even flown home yet.

Alright, that’s enough of all the dull science. What does it all mean to you, the intrepid explorer of the world? You want to save this planet of ours, but you want to see it all too, right?

Well, no one’s saying you can’t fly anywhere. And no one is blaming budget airlines, either. Someone flying first class on a fancy scheduled airline is producing just as much carbon dioxide as anyone enduring a tightly packed budget flight. But we don’t fly that way, do we?

Instead we’re jumping on a no-frills flight every time we have a spare weekend. But do you need to really have to take three city breaks – six flights – every year?

You don’t.

How about – and you’re going to love this – taking longer holidays? You’ll get fewer breaks a year, sure, but you’ll enjoy them more. Instead of flying to Amsterdam, Berlin and Prague in three separate weekends, why not take a couple of weeks off and fly into Amsterdam and out of Prague?

 In between, hop on some of those lovely and efficient (and cheap) European trains and enjoy three grand city breaks in one. You’ve not only enjoyed a holiday to remember – instead of one of these all-to-brief throw-away weekend breaks – you’ve taken two flights instead of six. Congratulations, you’ve just reduced your carbon footprint by two-thirds. You’ve seen more of the world, too. And I guarantee you’ve saved yourself some money.

What else? Well, you don’t really have to see the whole world at breakneck speed – 15 countries in just a few years, do you? After all, help save the planet and it will be around longer for you to enjoy it – all of it.

So see a little of your own country. And for God’s sake, not on a plane.

Plan ahead just a little, and you’ll find trains as cheap or even cheaper than even the most inexpensive no-frills domestic flight. Especially when you factor in all those little extras: the expensive and tedious shuttle trip to an airport deep in the middle of nowhere, and the exorbitant in-flight snacks – just to name a few.

And what’s so great about the capital of Slojakitaniova? If you live in London, why not take the train out to the relaxing scenery of the Chilterns or the Cotswolds for a few days? If you live in Manchester, enjoy a weekend in the blissful idyll of the Lakes District. If you live in Newcastle… well, you get the idea.

Tourists come from all over the world to see these amazing places. You can too, all without burning up the precious environment. I admit it – you’re not going to get to boast about your jetsetting ways to your mates, but is that really so important? You’ll still be traveling, you’ll still be seeing sights you’ll never forget. But you’ll be helping us all to save the globe.

And isn’t that worth more than a dozen brief city breaks you’ll never remember?