Consumption '08

As the year comes to a close, let's look back at my personal consumption. This blog has served as an accurate archive of the books I've read (most of which I've purchased...though I've bought others that are still sitting on my shelf) but what about other "culture" and "experience"? I'll do my best to recount the movies, music (live and recorded), plays that have entertained and taught me, as well as the trips I've taken for both work and pleasure.

Let's start with air travel since it is one of the popular luxuries to which we've grown accustomed.

1 trip to Honolulu (work), 5400 miles
2 trips to Berkeley (work), 2800 miles
3 trips to Tucson (work), 5000 miles
1 trip to Denver (personal), 2000 miles
1 trip to Albuquerque (personal), 2600 miles
2 trips to Texas (personal), 3500 miles

For a grand total of about 21,500 miles, just a few thousand miles short of the circumference of the Earth (24,900 miles at the Equator). At an average of about 0.21 kg of carbon dioxide per mile that makes my output 4515 kgs (9933 pounds). Through the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, I could offset this using seven wind and solar green tags, which would cost me $189.

Though I hardly ever drive, we did take two trips by car this summer. One from Seattle to Denver and the other down to the Oregon Coast. Call the first round trip about 3000 miles and the second 400 miles for a total of 3400 miles, half of which were moving me, so 1700 miles. To get to an even number, let's say I drove another 300 miles throughout the year (around Seattle, Denver, and on work-related trips) for a total of 2000 miles. According the BEF calculator, this is only about 800 lbs of carbon (we have a Prius) so one more green tag would take care of that.

So the grand total to offset my transportation costs is $216. Not too bad. Maybe that will be my birthday gift to myself in a few weeks. And, of course, while the whole idea of offsetting -- one of capitalism's solutions to excessive consumption -- can be seen as a license to galavant around the globe freely, it is at least a step in the right direction. A real step would be if my office would pay to offset my work-related travel miles (which are about 60% of my total) and I would take care of my own personal carbon emissions. It could be a great marketing tool but I don't think that's enough to convince 'em. How about a law?

Socialist!

While this seems like quite a bit of traveling, I can take some solace in the fact that it is less than in the last two years, where I managed to go to Hawaii a few more times, Chicago, Spain, Mexico, Japan, Florida, as well as Texas multiple times. I guess it's no coincidence that we have drastically reduced our credit card debt in '08.

But, I digress. I've been a very good consumer. Up next, culture in general (music, movies, theater).