There was a time when it was socially acceptable to do many things that now are deemed inappropriate. People use to openly light up in restaurants and even airplanes before cigarettes were put on the list of things it was socially unacceptable to do. Environmental issues have become the new social taboos as people look down their nose that those people who do not recycle and do their part to help the environment. Just a few years back it was not frowned upon to throw rubbish out of your car window, or drive a car that spewed black smoke into the air. As people’s awareness about environmental issues continues to increase a growing number of activities may become social taboos.
Could you imagine living in a world in which flying in an airplane or driving a car would be looked down upon by your peers? This world may soon become a reality as a recent report showed that there could be dramatic drops in air travel as people become more aware of its effects on the environment. Leading engineers have said that there could be only half as many air passengers over the next thirty years as air travel becomes increasingly less socially accepted.
The Institution of Civil Engineers offered this scenario as one possibility of what could be in store for future air travel. They predicted that air travel in the future will mostly be for the wealthy and that short flights will be seen as a social taboo. They predict that the number of people using British airports will drop by nearly half by the year 2040.
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