the rising greenhouse gas emissions of the airline skam is the social pressure not to fly because of that sounds like a word from that hilarious You-Tube video of the seal making human noises like “L’egg!” and “Fibsh!,” but it’s a real thing—flyg-you and your friends give me h, Greta Thunberg, I am in awe of you. You are so pure! You upcycle. You inspired your mom’s decision to give up her international opera career toreduce carbon emissions. And flygskam! I know
meat-eating, nonrecycling, SUV-driving, inter-world—I recently decided to make a pact with national-flight-flying slob. I am my own personal atmospheric Armageddon.without cheeseburgers.) This could be relatively ing voices of other young activists around the industry. Compared to you, Greta, I am a sloppy, myself. I would leave (or attempt to leave) a neu-tral carbon footprint for one month. (I did not include my family in this test. Measy under certain circumstances—let’s say I lived Influenced by Greta—and by the galvaniz-y sons can’t live
on a farm somewhere that is always warm—but I live in the ski town of Ketchum, Idaho. of factors come into play: approximately how many miles you travel by car, bus, train, or air-plane; the energy usage in your home; how much you spend on shopping; and what you eat. (Go to carbonfootprint.com for fun and flygskam.) What exactly is a carbon footprint? A number
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Can a self-described creator to Aof “atmsustainably? FREEMrmYlive m Cageddon” learn AR^ LIFEospheric ore BONAlex -
Kuczynski straps on her skis and tries to her environmfootprintreduce. ental
In order to leave no carbon footprint for a month, I have to tackle several a challenge. Going carless for a year could eliminate about 2.6 tons of carbon problems. First, no car. I have a Chevy Tahoe, and while I don’t drive long distances—from home to school to drop off my children; from home to the mountain to ski or to the grocery store; the occasional trip to Boise, Idaho, to pilot gas-powered miniature race cars with my boys—I knew this would be They look at me dumbfounded. “You’re not going to drive us to school?” they dioxide, according to a 2017 study from researchers at Lund University and the University of British Columbia. So, in a month, I could save the world about a quarter of a ton of carbon dioxide. I wake the boys and tell them they need to carpool or snowshoe to school. DAY 1
my carbon-footprint inner polar bear roars: “Your flying will kill me!” And it’s Christmas lights on it if I go to the movies at night. too!” Mtional flights each year, about five domestic, and at least one lucky ride on—oh, says, deadpan. Undeterred, I rent a snow bike for the month. Wshameful how much I have flown in the last two years—more than six interna-textured wheels, I can get pretty much anywhere I want in town. I plan to put ask. “WI am offered a plum assignment to fly to Los Angeles and research a story. But Greta, you’re going to hate me even more than you already do!—a private jet, e can walk,” I say cheerfully, “and we can walk to church every Sunday, y 11-year-old isn’t having it. “I’m calling Child Protective Services,” he DAY 5 ith its giant
COLLAGE BY LISA RYAN. which is enough to send me straight to hell. (Private jets cause considerably more environmental damage than commercial airlines do.)