Living : Transportation :

Is "sustainable travel" an oxymoron?

06.23.2005

Submitted by idealbite on Thu, 06/23/2005 - 5:00pm.
The Bite:
Air and auto travel are big contributors to climate change. However, by using "carbon offsets," you can travel in good conscience.
The Benefits: 
  • Carbon offsetting is a way to neutralize the carbon emissions you emit when you drive or fly. You can buy a certain amount of "offset units" equivalent to the carbon the activity creates, and hence become "carbon neutral."
  • Offsetting is performed by organizations that channel funds directly to carbon-reducing projects, such as - installing solar panels in African villages - Investing in wind power on Native American reservations - Simply planting trees.
  • You can keep your SUV.
Personally Speaking: 

First, we promise that we will never recommend "biking to work." Second, we drive small cars (when we drive at all) and feel pretty good about that. However, we do fly a lot, and each flight contributes a ton (really, an actual ton) of carbon dioxide pollution on average per person.

There are travel agencies that allow you to tack the cost of these offsets (sometimes known as "green tags") onto the ticket price. But we usually use frequent flyer miles or book online, so we just buy offsets for one-way of our total trip (ex: Bozeman, MT to NYC is $14) through one of the providers below.

Wanna Try: 
  • Consumers' Guide to Retail Carbon Offsets (.pdf) - report on how the different carbon offsetting companies measure up.
  • Better World Club offers free carbon offsets on two domestic and one international flight each year to members who book plane tickets through its in-house travel agency. (Nonmembers worldwide can purchase offsets -- $11 for a domestic flight and $22 for an international flight).
  • If you want to just buy offsets independent of your air ticket, visit Sustainable Travel International.
  • Organizations such as NativeEnergy allow customers to calculate and purchase air and auto offsets through wind certificates.

Cocktail Fact

If you want to be in-the-know, refer to "global warming" as "climate change," because some places will get cooler, not warmer.

Bang For The Bite

The positive environmental impact is huge, but the cost of "offsets" does not buy you much beyond the ability to travel with a clear conscience.

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