Super Eco

Photo credit: Shane Halloran, Flickr

It's December 24th and the sun has set.

I've been following the NORAD/Google Earth tracking reports of Santa's progress tonight. NORAD says that Santa flies 91,000 miles overnight behind those eight reindeer (nine if you count the one with the crimson spotlight nose mutation).  Santa's carbon impact is limited to the methane that a herd of reindeer produces, not trivial, but small when compared to the CO2 cost of 91,000 airline miles.

Over at Slate Magazine Jacob Leibenluft answers the question regarding ways to offset the carbon impact of holiday travel. Should we buy "carbon offsets?" My answer? Sure, if you can ease your conscience regarding the consequence of your actions by paying someone else to undo the harm, go for it. But I agree with Leibenluft—there are probably better places for most of us to put our money. Rather than buy offsets, how about improving your house's insulation? Or you could consider minor lifestyle changes that would add up. Drive fewer miles. Eat less meat.

Of course, maybe you have your carbon act so totally together, you have buffed your carbon neutral life-style until it shines, and offsets are the only way you can conceive of rationalizing the CO2 orgy of cross country flight. If that's the case, you might want to check out the commercial offset projects listed by "The Gold Standard," or you might want to go straight to the non-profit sector to find an offset. For example, the Nature Conservancy has a great rainforest restoration project that restores habitat while reducing carbon by growing trees and forests. A forty dollar contribution offsets a couple of tons of CO2 and it makes you feel good.

I think I'll wrap this up now and check the environmental defense fund's carbon impact calculator regarding a long flight in a sleigh drawn by a bunch of reindeer. Then a final check of the NORAD site and we'll all settle down here for a good night's sleep.