For many of us, travel creates a major part of our “carbon footprint.” The largest sources of travel emissions are airline travel and driving. The sections below provide guidance to help donors calculate donation amounts sufficient to offset their travel emissions. These amounts are merely guidelines, of course. Travelers may decide to contribute more or less, at their own discretion.
Donations may be made to any organization with a track record of addressing climate change, from the Blue Heron Green Fund to the Nature Conservancy. Activities supported might be: planting trees, purchasing land for wildlife conservation and habitat, assisting low income populations with weatherizing their homes to reduce energy use, and so forth. Let your interests be your guide for where to direct your donations!
Air Travel
Suggested carbon-offset donations for airline round trips in an economy cabin, per person:
short domestic -- $20
long domestic -- $40
international -- $50
Donors who have not offset carbon emissions for trips taken in the past may wish to make a list of trips and compute a total donation based on all of those trips.
Travel by Car
Suggested carbon-offset donations for a vehicle owned and used by one household:
mid-sized, hybrid car that travels 2000 miles per year -- $30/year
mid-sized, gas-fueled car that travels 2000 miles per year -- $40/year
large, gas-fueled van that travels 2000 miles per year -- $60/year
Double these amounts if the vehicle travels 5000 miles per year and triple them if it travels 8000 miles per year.
Note: These dollar amounts were estimated by a retired scientist on the Green Team to simplify the guidance. Additionally, it should be noted that carbon offsets are meant to mitigate the effects of carbon emitted during travel. Another, obvious, way to mitigate the effects of carbon emissions would be to reduce travel in the first place!
as of 2/2023