馃實 I often get asked if we should offset our air flights. As I’ve been working closely on the tech behind StandForTrees.org, I want to share some insights on reducing our carbon footprint. Note that while I mostly refer to Stand for Trees below, there are lots of great alternatives, the key is just to do it.
鉁堬笍 Air travel significantly impacts our carbon footprint, so my first advice is – travel less or switch to electric vehicles when possible, but it’s crucial that we don’t see carbon offsets as a free pass to maintain our current habits.
Here’s my personal list for reducing your personal carbon footprint:
- Measure Your Impact: Use Stand For Trees Personal Carbon Footprint Calculator or that of other credible websites to measure your carbon footprint.
- Change Your Bank: Consider switching to eco-friendly banking Atmos Bank. I’ve not done this yet, it’s not easy, honestly, but I’m committed to doing it in 2024.
Also, Read about the banking industries impact on carbon emissions here: Carbon Bankroll - Green Your Investments: Ensure your portfolio is free from oil and gas stocks.
- Recycle Wisely: Focus on recycling aluminum, food scraps, and glass.
- Choose Renewable Energy: Switch to a renewable electricity provider.
- VOTE, Vote, Vote for Green Policies!!: Engage with local politicians about renewable energy sources in your town. Ask national politicians what they support to move us to renewable energy sources and off fossil fuels as quickly as possible.
Measure the footprint of your flights:
馃搳 Stand for Trees offers you a calculator to measure your flight’s carbon footprint here. Economy class has a significantly lower footprint than business class which is 3.5x higher in emissions (ask me why…)
馃尡 When choosing carbon offsets, consider the project’s impact and location. The projects at StandForTrees focus on habitat protection and sustainable development goals. Check out our projects, like the Kasigau project in Kenya.
馃挌 Consider a carbon offset subscription. On StandForTrees, it’s $20/tonne – a small price for a significant impact.
Let’s work together to reduce our carbon footprint and make a positive change!
Feel free to reach out if you need more information.
Cheers,
Tom (Tom@meta-carbon.com)
