AW: climate-neutral flights and drives!

Thu Apr 12 11:54:01 PDT 2007

This is an interesting conversation froma number of perspectives.  I am
currently looking at ways to make my business as green as we can get it and
purchasing carbon offsets is on my mind.    I travel A LOT and a lot of it
is by air, so I'm pretty aware of how much carbon is being consumed to move
my body around the world.

My current thinking is that there are more tangible and real ways of
bringing a sustainability consciousness to my work and investing money to
support that.  I agree with Monbiot that purchasing carbon credits without
also having a sustainability consciousness isn't really the shift that is
needed.  For me. it is a far more productive practice to find ways to make
Open Space meetings less dependant on non renewable resources, offering good
local or organic food where we can and minimizing the amount of paper we
use.  Doing that is tangible because it is action that proceeds from the
consciousness we are talking about AND is actually makes a difference.
Unlike Open Space meetings, planes fly anyway, and to some extent, it feels
like I am hopping a ride on an already scheduled carbon event.  If I pay
more attention to the small choices that I make in everyday practice,
ironically it has a bigger impact.  It;s about bringin presence and
mindfulness to the work.

Not to say that purchasing carbon credits is a bad idea, it's just that I'm
looking at it from the perspective of spending money.  If I am going to put
my money where my mouth is regarding climate change, I am leaning towards
investing that money in local economy, with local businesses who are
operating sustainably too.  I am a member of the Business Alliance for Local
Living Economy, which is a North America wide network of local business hubs
focussed on sustainability and thriving local economies.  Supporting other
businesses in our network is a useful and tangible step.

It's an interesting thing to be thinking about.  The challenge for me, from
an Open Space perspective, is how to marry passion and responsibility to
bring about the changes I want to see.  A vibrant local economy with
supplies purchased not from Staples and other big box office supply stores
but from my friend down the road who runs Frogfile.ca is a more tangible way
of doing it for me.

Thanks for the carbon credit links though...definitely putting it in my
mix..

Chris

On 4/12/07, cliodhna mulhern <cliodhna at flowstone.org.uk> wrote:
>
> To quote wikipedia which highlights the views of a fellow Oxford
> resident - George Monbiot:
>
> "Many environmentalists disagree with the principle of carbon offsets.
> George Monbiot , an English environmentalist and
> writer, has compared carbon offsets to the practice of purchasing
> Indulgences during the Middle Ages, whereby people
> with money could purchase forgiveness for their sins (instead of
> actually repenting and not sinning anymore). Monbiot also says that
> carbon offsets are an excuse for business as usual with regards to
> pollution. To date, no authoritative studies have been
> performed concerning offset buyers' behavior (e.g., whether they take
> other measures to reduce their CO_2 output.)"
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_offset
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Hello Jon and thank you for this posting.  I think George Monbiot's
> thoughts give us a  helpful nudge to be realistic about the limitations of
> carbon offsetting as a strategy while embracing the motivation behind
> it...it is really great that there is such a surge of self-awareness in
> travel planning and I take my hat off to everyone who is thinking twice
> about how to get from A to B...
>
> From the (unusually) sunny Faughan Valley in North West Ireland.
>
> Cliodhna Mulhern
> flowstone
> +44(0)7929 328513
>
> "All meaningful and lasting change starts first in your imagination and
> then works its way out. Imagination is more important than knowledge. "
> Albert Einstein
>
> *On Wed Apr 11 23:50 , Jon Harvey sent:
>
> *
>
> Catherine
>
> No - I did not think your posting was a hoax. My response was whimsical
> (perhaps to lighten the mood a little on this listserv at the moment...
> the website I recommended - which I parenthesised - is a real spoof
> website that is quite funny).
>
> But I do think there is a serious point here as well (which lies behind
> the spoof website too) as to whether carbon offsetting is an effective
> response to global warming.
>
> To quote wikipedia which highlights the views of a fellow Oxford
> resident - George Monbiot:
>
> "Many environmentalists disagree with the principle of carbon offsets.
> George Monbiot , an English environmentalist and
> writer, has compared carbon offsets to the practice of purchasing
> Indulgences during the Middle Ages, whereby people
> with money could purchase forgiveness for their sins (instead of
> actually repenting and not sinning anymore). Monbiot also says that
> carbon offsets are an excuse for business as usual with regards to
> pollution.^[15] <#_note-7> To date, no authoritative studies have been
> performed concerning offset buyers' behavior (e.g., whether they take
> other measures to reduce their CO_2 output.)"
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_offset<http://parse.pl?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCarbon_offset>
>
> I do have some sympathies with his point of view. And I do appreciate
> your commitment to using trains. This is a complex area of ethics and I
> am still working out my own standards.
>
> Hope this helps and keeps the space open..
>
> Regards
>
> Jon
>
>
> Catherine Pfaehler wrote:
> > Jon, my posting was serious. Did you check out the website of
> > www.myclimate.org<http://mail.uk2.net/parse.pl?redirect=http://www.myclimate.org>,
> or did you just think it was a hoax?
> >
> > I'm using it regularly when I fly (which I avoid whenever I can take a
> train
> > around Europe), and so is our company for its car. I have followed this
> > initiative from its beginning. It's now 5 years old and has become a
> serious
> > and ethical business.
> >
> > Regards - Catherine
> >
> > Catherine Pfaehler Senn
> > lic.oec.HSG
> > Open Space Begleitung
> > Kellersriedweg 8
> > CH - 2503 Biel
> > +41-(0)32 - 365 68 41
> > c.pfaehler at bluewin.ch
> >
> >
> > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> > Von: Jon Harvey [only.connect at virgin.net','','','')">
> only.connect at virgin.net]
> > Gesendet: Mittwoch, 11. April 2007 23:34
> > An: c.pfaehler at bluewin.ch
> > Cc: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> > Betreff: Re: climate-neutral flights and drives!
> >
> > Hi all
> >
> > I would also 'recommend' a website called:
> >
> > <http://mail.uk2.net/parse.pl?redirect=http://www.cheatneutral.com>
> www.cheatneutral.com
> >
> > ...where people who are committing adultery can have their behaviour
> > offset by someone else who is committed to a single life or fidelity...
> >
> > I have also resolved to drink only flat beers from now on - as I think
> > that gassy beer can only be adding to greenhouse gases...
> >
> > Happy space to everyone!
> >
> > Jon
> > Oxford
> >
> >
> >
> > Catherine Pfaehler wrote:
> >
> >> Harrison and everybody - wishing you well...
> >>
> >> Did you know that on
> <http://mail.uk2.net/parse.pl?redirect=http://www.myclimate.org>
> www.myclimate.org you can buy climate tickets along
> >> with your airline tickets to CO2-neutralize your flights, and even your
> >>
> > car
> >
> >> drives? A great initiative by swiss students which is doing a wonderful
> >>
> > job
> >
> >> in investing the money they make in neutralizing projects! You enter
> your
> >> points of departure and arrival and the system calculates how many tons
> of
> >> CO2 you emit by sitting in that plane. Then it tells you how much a
> >>
> > climate
> >
> >> ticket costs. You buy it with your credit card. Absolutely affordable!
> >>
> >> Love, Catherine
> >>
> >> Catherine Pfaehler Senn
> >> lic.oec.HSG
> >> Open Space Begleitung
> >> Kellersriedweg 8
> >> CH - 2503 Biel
> >> +41-(0)32 - 365 68 41
> >> c.pfaehler at bluewin.ch
> >>
> >> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> >> Von: Harrison Owen [hhowen at verizon.net','','','')">hhowen at verizon.net]
> >> Gesendet: Mittwoch, 11. April 2007 01:50
> >> Betreff: For My Friends in Kiev
> >>
> >> Just so you know - I think what you are doing is wonderful, and I hope
> >>
> > that
> >
> >> everybody who can - will come. For myself - I would be there except for
> a
> >> Sciatic Nerve that reminds me that I am not as young as I used to be,
> and
> >> further -- that multiple hours on planes is not a good thing at this
> >>
> > point.
> >
> >> I was amazed (depressed) to find that on United Airlines alone I had
> >>
> > clocked
> >
> >> ¾ of a million miles. Just think of the tons of CO2 (greenhouse gas) I
> >>
> > have
> >
> >> contributed!!! Anyhow, I have to stick closer to home at the moment,
> and I
> >> know you will have a grand time!
> >>
> >> Harrison
> >>
> >> Harrison Owen
> >> 7808 River Falls Drive
> >> Potomac, Maryland 20854
> >> Phone 301-365-2093
> >> Skype hhowen
> >> Open Space Training
> <http://mail.uk2.net/parse.pl?redirect=http://www.openspaceworld.com>
> www.openspaceworld.com
> >>
> > <<http://mail.uk2.net/parse.pl?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.openspaceworld.com%2F>
> http://www.openspaceworld.com/>
> >
> >> Open Space Institute
> <http://mail.uk2.net/parse.pl?redirect=http://www.openspaceworld.org>
> www.openspaceworld.org
> >> Personal website
> <http://mail.uk2.net/parse.pl?redirect=http://www.ho-image.com>
> www.ho-image.com
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-- 
CHRIS CORRIGAN
Facilitation - Training
Open Space Technology

Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
Site: http://www.chriscorrigan.com

Principal, Harvest Moon Consultants, Ltd.
http://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com

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