The guilty I’ve felt mainly for carbon emission we’ve produced during flight in the past two years. If the
carbon footprint measurement put together that’s might be more than 100hours in long haul flight overall. And the worse from that I felt no obligation to replace the carbon that been spilled into our atmosphere with something, say money. On that day, we know the quantities but as inner denial told us that we’ve have to travel with flight. No other choices.
We saw skeptically about Carbon offset run by Airlines (
British Airways &
Virgin Atlantic). I study their program, and the deeper I know the more I feel been exploited by this ‘guilty’. The money that we paid for carbon emission in barter with trees program in somewhere in South America seemed the only way to compensate our life style.
A study run by
Manchester Metropolitan University called Omega showed that most of respondent know about carbon offsetting but only tenth had done anything about it. The reason mainly because people look that climate impact of flight has to be the airlines and the government responsibility. Also lacked of transparency among the carbon offset provider, how to calculate, where the money raised and how it’s been invested.
My concern mainly about controlling the projects which been paid by passenger carbon monies should be having influence into distribution of green environment. Since most of airlines using third party or organization there should be a clear system to maintain such fund. I am probably demand sort of half annual report from overall performance. We -as passenger not just toss out this guilt, but wonder how this scheme can actually work and contribute better world.
Recently I watched BBC program
Should I Really Give Up Flying which give me in-depth view about our passion being in the plane. It’s fast, convenient with our life style that moving one place to another in such rocket pace. But I am beginning to think about using other type of transport such as train. I began missed what I called slow travel (yes, that came from
slow food movement) done by explorer many years ago. Last year I even launch the program of “Green Travel” at
Indobackpacker, a community based in Indonesia by challenge anyone to take train ride from Singapore to London in less than 30 days.
The only activity I have been proud for being sustainable is producing my own food. I am keen vegetable gardener back few years ago while living in Midlands United Kingdom. We have a small plot what it called
allotment or community gardening which run by council/city. It’s only cost about £20 for a year membership including access to seeds bank (sort of seeds to distribute to gardener prior launching to the open market).
It’s been great experience for me to understand what mean being “sustainable” . It’s not only green or organic but to get to close to the earth, air, water and plants. But mainly understand how the food chain started from scratch to reach our table. The process related with human as part of the nature itself. The natural resources should be used to the level that can be reproduced naturally.
I am also knew what the impact of imbalance use of lands. I have got plot that being neglected for couple years. It became culprit as full of weeds, spreading across neighborhood. The evil chain makes the whole community garden even worse. When I came along, my neighbors were pleased. Finally someone will fix the cause, they said.
Indeed, I worked hard to clear out the weeds, built greenhouse from second hand, made little pond to create better environment –by introducing
natural enemies. I choose not using any pesticide or herbicide. I’ve relay on my muscle. I’ve need exercise anyway.
The plant cycle sometimes ended up in compost heap. As gardener, we saw ourselves as part of this cycle. We actually boost the compost process by using it as toilet. I learned that we, as human can create nature to act slow, faster or even stop. We are having control, but those ability only limited.
Since move to US few months ago, I did not have this opportunity anymore. We’ve living in townhouse with nicely pedicure lawn –but not allowed to maintain ourselves. The side plot have less sun exposure, with clayish soil, make it difficult to plant vegetables. At the moment there are tomatoes and pepper, including few herbs. Although there are not such abundant harvests, but I have good yield.
But it did not stop me at all to keep gardening. I am joining
One Brick Volunteer a day for landscaping program in East Palo Alto School. Those area such in state that have no supermarket chain, no shop to sell fresh vegetables. What the school done is to create community garden run by students, locals and parents. They spent one two hours in a week to help maintain whole plot. The school also has a scheme to sell their yield on Sunday along with church community market during summer this year.
I believe I can make a change. Even though that’s only small one.
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