Sustainability Tip of the Week - 26th August 2011: Carbon offsets for Air Travel

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In the School of Veterinary Nursing we have been talking about Carbon offsets for the airline travel we do as part of our jobs.  Running a number of distance programmes we travel to venues around the country to run block courses.  We also have staff offsite, whoa re required to travel to Dunedin from time to time for work purposes. 

Firstly we have reduced our airline travel as much as possible by optimising our number of venues from 3-9, to up depending on the programme to 1-4 depending on the programme  - which ensures good class size for quality interactions, without being too big.  We have also optimised the block courses, to enable use to cover the material in 2 block courses instead of 3.  In addition we have introduced a number of web conferences throughout the year to supplement learning without travel.  Offsite staff do have to travel to Dunedin, but on the plus side they work from home to do not incur carbon costs in travel to work each day and are based closed to our offsite block courses venues so often we do not need to fly anyone to some venues.

Presently, we cannot reduce air travel any more, so we now need to offset the costs.  The resources I checked varied in terms of how many trees are required per trip.  Sources suggesting anywhere between 1 and 8 trees per 2000km by plane so the jury is obviously out there but I decided to reference the website below becasue I thought it spoke good plain English on the subject and gave realistic advice on what can be achieved. 

From the Carbon Catchers website:

"Put simply, planting one tree and growing it for 30 years will offset a drive of about 500 kms, or a flight of about 2000 kms. Planting 16 trees and growing them for 30 years will offset the energy used in a typical house over one year.

Carboncatchers recognise that planting trees is only an interim step to assist with CO² reduction while technology solutions to global warming are found.

Reduction in energy consumption at home, in transport and through your consumption of goods and services is critically important in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and we do not promote tree planting as an alternative to reducing your energy consumption.

We actively promote reduction in your carbon footprint as the primary action for everyone to take to reduce future CO² emissions, but Carboncatchers also recognise that not all emissions can be avoided and that there is a need to address the existing CO² levels in the atmosphere.

The natural carbon cycle, including the conversion of CO² into carbon in trees through photosynthesis, is currently the best answer we have for reducing existing greenhouse gas levels."

Visit the Carbon Catchers website to read more

In October, as part of our committment to sustainability, the School of Veterinary Nursing, will as part of 3 days of planning for 2012, will take time out to plant native trees to offset the Carbon used by the school for air travel. 

Have you considered doing this at home or in your community to offset the air or road travel you do each year.  Many local communitys have planting days, where trees are planted in local reserves.  So if you property is too small, contact your local council to donate trees for planting in local parks and reserves. 

If we all take steps to reduce our carbon foot print as much as possible and plant 16 trees annually, this would be a great step towards improving our carbon footprints. 

Have a great and sustainable weekend

Francesca Matthews
Programme Manager

and

School of Veterinary Nursing at Otago Polytechnic Sustainability Champion