Carbon Fund

It makes me sick to know that every flight I take makes the world a hotter place.

Today, while reading my Frommer’s for a future trip to the Yucatan, I read about Carbonfund.org

How it works is, whenever you fly you pay for your carbon. Somewhere else, that carbon is offset by investments into renewables, energy efficiency and forestation.

It’s not exactly Cap and Trade. But at least it’s a move in the right direction and gets people to realize that one must pay money to take care of the planet. Eventually, we can get to a full system of Cap and Trade, which will stabilize things. Once stabilized, we can Cap, Trade and Reduce. Eventually, it can all be done electronically through taxation.

For my flying concerns, one round trip flight of 6,000 miles only costs $6.25 in offset costs.

At the end of the year, I can add up all my flights and send a donation to the carbon fund. No, it won’t change the world and hardly anyone will do it. But it’s the message and the small actions. Action brings more action.

Offset today:
Footprint