Letters to the Editor

Letter: Practice carbon offsets

There is a lot of talk these days about climate change. In Alaska, we have begun to experience direct and indirect impacts from a warming climate. With less skepticism about the reality of climate change, there is an increasing debate about what can be done about it.

Each of us face choices every day that determine how much carbon our lifestyle contributes to the environment. To have the best chance of avoiding a two-degree rise in global temperatures, the average individual global carbon footprint per year needs to drop under two tons by 2050. Individual choices alone will not solve the climate crisis. Systemic changes are needed, but individual action is important.

For Alaskans, travel within and outside the state requires a great deal of time in airplanes. Most of us travel often and are happy to earn frequent flyer miles. I don’t want to give up my lifestyle, but I have become aware of the size of my own carbon footprint. What can one do other than not travel?

Carbon offsets are “financial contributions to projects that help reduce CO2 emissions in various industries, or encourage new sustainable energy projects in an effort to balance out the damage your flight does to the planet.” While these projects do not entirely counteract the CO2 emitted, they are a means of contributing to conservation efforts and green research. Carbon offsets are not ideal, but for now, they are an imperfect solution to an enormous and complicated problem.

— Cami Dalton

Anchorage

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