Friday, April 20, 2007

Flying Green

Booked a domestic flight and after it was all done I saw a little thing saying 'offset your carbon emissions'. $5 on my credit card and I received this::

Confirmation
Thank you for joining with us at Virgin Blue, and with many other concerned people around the world, to help make a positive difference to the level of greenhouse gas emissions on our planet.
By taking the time to offset the emissions relating to your flight, your investment is helping to ensure we all have a future.
Your tax invoice will be emailed to the nominated email address. You can download your tax invoice clicking here.
Sincerely, The Teams at Virgin Blue, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue.

What happens with my $5? Does it really make a difference? How big is my footprint?

8 comments:

Steve Chatelier said...

Hey Bonnie -- I read someone else recently who was saying that Singapore Airlines in-flight mag had a piece about being a "green traveller".

I was on an Air Astana flight a couple of weeks ago and the president of the airline's piece in the mag was all about what they were doing to help curb greenhouse gas emissions.

I think this is evidence that airlines have picked up on the recently changed attitudes of the general public towards climate change.

In terms of your 5 bucks, assuming it was Virgin Blue, here is what happens to it.

By the way, have you checked to see the size of your footprint?

Bonnie Conquest said...

If everyone lived like me, we'd need 3.5 planets. I think.

Steve Chatelier said...

yep, me too...and I'm a veg!

Bonnie Conquest said...

Milk in my protein shakes in the morning... And the drive out to Eltham... those are my weaknesses.

j. ethan duran said...

we share the same footprint. hmmm...

mskp said...

where are you going on this flight?

Bonnie Conquest said...

Next week.
Will I see you this Friday?

Anonymous said...

where does the money go?

it goes to very shrewd business people who spend tons of cash on marketing executives to figue out how to taking advantage of innocent earth saverers.