With fires burning in the Amazon jungle and much talk about climate change in the news, this week I had a decided pang of conscience about our trip to Australia this year. We don't go on a regular basis, (i.e. approximately every 10 years), but it's still a long way and a lot of CO2 emitted on our behalf.
After reading a blog post about carbon offsetting, I decided to check out how much CO2 our trip would have generated. The amount was shocking and definitely made OH and I think about whether it is worth flying at all these days. We do it maybe once or twice a year at most, but even this creates a lot of CO2.
Anyway, having been shocked by our emissions, I proceeded to find out how much it would cost to offset our flights this summer. It was a very reasonable amount and although I don't believe offsetting is the answer and it doesn't absolve my conscience at all really. How could it? I do believe that doing something, as opposed to nothing is the better option.
As a consequence, I decided to go ahead and offset the flights. There were a number of options, from planting trees in the UK (which interestingly incurred VAT!!!), to helping to fund wind farms and hydroelectric plants in far flung places. Whilst the amount of carbon output that these large structures help to reduce is high, I actually chose to offset by contributing to quite small projects that would have a positive effect on individual families, mainly by way of providing efficient cooking equipment or by regenerating boreholes to supply fresh clean water.
It may have been a missed opportunity, but I felt happier with this choice, knowing that families can be provided with a better standard of living as a result of the projects. In addition, I decided to pay it over a year at approximately £10 per month. Partly, because I couldn't really afford to pay in a lump sum this month and with hindsight, this actually makes me appreciate more the consequences of long haul flights, as I pay it off each month.
I'm not altogether sure if this donation will continue each year until I cancel it, but if it does it's probably not such a bad thing, as it will help offset our annual carbon emissions, just from daily living, commuting, holidays in years to come, etc. Although we live reasonably sustainably, (save for occasional long haul holidays), contributing to improving the lives of others in this way can't be a bad thing, can it?
Feel free to be honest in your opinions on this matter, as I'm sure some people may not agree with the sentiments expressed here.
I have to admire you for taking action on your conscience. I have a feeling those rich enough to jet off all over won't think twice about it. Maybe we should all be given a personal carbon allowance to use as we wish - that would be a fair way so there is no advantage to the rich. We are vegetarian so I hope that ofsets our journeys up and down the country to see mum and family and our trips to Scotland. Ironically if we had not had the flash flood (probably caused by the weather patterns changing) we would be living there now permanently and have less journey's! The flood wiped out everything in the cottage - not just the contents like the new furniture and beds but all the floorboards, kitchen units and the bathroom - it all had to go in the skip - such a waste of resources in itself. Breaks my heart to see all the waste we have.
ReplyDeleteIt must have been heart breaking for you. I like your idea of a personal carbon allowance, that makes a lot of sense. I doubt that many people would take much notice though and would still do just as they please and there's probably not much that could be done about it. I do wonder sometimes whether travelling for work to meetings is always necessary, especially in the days of skype and conference calls, but what do I know about it.
DeleteI understand your values, having our eyes opens to our footprints on our earth is a good thing, but modern living has come so far from caring for our world, we forgot it was our dear earth which gave us life, feeds us. If we can all do our bit on many different topics, we can help to slow things enough for the goverments to wake up and do real things to save this beautiful planet.
ReplyDeleteIt's very scary how profligate people are with natural resources. I just hope that more people start to realise the serious consequences of overconsumption and lack of regard for the consequences of particular actions.
DeleteI've only been on a plane once in my whole life (too poor to travel abroad) and I have pledged to myself that I never will, so probably not the right person to comment.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that offsetting isn't the answer but it is something. Doing something is always better than doing nothing, and maybe it makes people more mindful about their consumption as a whole which is a very good thing.
I admire you for making such a commitment to not flying. Many people (myself included, I have to be honest) could never commit to taking such positive stance.
DeleteGood for you. I have been trying to make our carbon foot print as small as possible. I need to do some more work in that area.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.