Trainspotters can be green too, so pack your clipboard for a ride on a Pendolino train that actually puts energy back into the grid. They tilt to go faster around corners and can carry about 440 passengers in nine carriages. The trains were designed by Fiat Ferroviaria – taken over by French giant Alstom in 2000 (check out their sustainability policy on alstom.com if you’ve got THAT much time on your hands).

About 10 train operators in Finland, the UK, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Switzerland use these high speed trains. They’re not the full answer but figures thrown about in geek world show that a London to Edinburgh train ride produces about 24 kg of C02. The same trip by air produces 193kg of that nasty carbon stuff.

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A Pendolino travels up to 270 kph, revs up from zero to 96kph in 60 seconds. The train weighs 471 tonnes, more if the on-board catering is up to scratch.