Friday, August 3, 2007

Carbon Footprint

These thoughts are written on Friday August 3. Numerologically the date is a 2, the ultimate feminine day on which we should think of the Mother, especially Mother Earth.
On our mind today is the idea becoming known as your carbon footprint, and its counterpart, carbon offsets. Your carbon footprint is the amount of CO2 (carbon dioxide) that you and your actions release in a year; in other words, the amount that each of us individuallly contributes to global warming. It is up to all of us to reduce our carbon footprint.
On average, each adult person and each child in the United States produces twenty (20) U.S. tons of CO2 each year of our life.
Most of us can do many small things to reduce our own personal carbon footprint painlessly, such as changing light bulbs from incandescent to fluorescent; planting trees; turning the air conditioner to a warmer setting; using less ice or no ice in our beverages. AND RECYCLING
At a meeting of the morning council at Sirius Rising, Gavin raised the question: How about the famous Sirius bonfires? Yes, they consume only logs that the lumbermills have rejected, but the amount of CO2 is no less for that fact. He pointed out that firms such as offsetters.org will sell you carbon credits and use the money you thus spend on credits to buy such things as windmills, photoelectric panels, insulation, and, yes, to plant trees, to try to balance out some of the CO2 that you produce.
In that council meeting Elspeth of Haven too expressed concern, pointing out that the bonfires were something none of us would like to give up because of the community spirit and happiness they generate; but that we should find a way of paying for offsets to compensate for the bonfires, which after all are just for fun.
When we Frosts got home from Sirius (coming down with a bump, as always), I did a rough calculation. A bonfire like the one at Sirius or Starwood emits something like 100 U.S. tons of CO2. offsetters.org charges $20 a U.S. ton for offsets. This means that for a Starwood / Sirius bonfire a payment of $2,000 in offsets would be appropriate; that is, $2 per attendee. If we pay that, and even if $2 is only a sop to our conscience and a Band-Aid on the planet's total problem, still it would increase the awareness of all who enjoy the bonfire.
For your information, if you do a web search for carbon footprint, your first search will turn up over four million sites. So the world is aware of the problem. The site at carbon footprint.com has a calculator so that you can work out what you and your family actually contribute to global warming. A family of three members will average something like 60 tons a year; an offset of this amount will cost you $1,200.
That sounds a lot? It is. But it really doesn't cost the earth to save the planet. Every little bit helps.
Surprising as it may seem, it may not be your SUV that's the worst offender in your personal carbon footprint. Air conditioning a three-bedroom house in summer produces 300 pounds of CO2 per day. Turning it to a setting warmer by 5 degrees will reduce that by 100 pounds a day. 300 pounds a day works out to 4.5 tons a month.

12 comments:

Carol Maltby said...

Gavin and Yvonne,

You seem to have missed my questions in the comments section of your last blog posting: https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=7357027421761048480&postID=2912751888741037416

Anyone who claims credentials must be prepared to have them verified.

You both have claimed Doctor of Divinity (DD) degrees for over 30 years. A DD is the highest academic degree available in the UK, though in the US it is customarily only given as an honorary degree.

When were those Doctor of Divinity degrees issued to you, and by what educational institution?

Gavin, in biographical material posted on the web by George Knowles and Raymond Buckland it is claimed that you have a B.Sc. and Ph.D from Kings College London.

Is this correct?
Under what name were these issued? What is the exact title of your doctoral dissertation?

Corban Macpherson said...

Hello Frosts,

"If it harms none, do what you will." This is more then just a tenant of the craft, but a way of life. If any wiccan who truely follows the faith were to harm the planet, ether through action or inaction, that would be a harm to the Godess. And I would hope that those wiccans that do not care for their Godess, do not cast spells of any kind. To ask the Godess for her loving care and for her help in any spell one casts, and then drive home in a fuel inefficient vehical, turn on air conditioning, eat at a fast food restaurant, is as the christains say "sinful".

I would not ever tell some one how to get from point A to point B, or how to keep cool, or what their diet should be, but if you harm the earth/geia/mother/godess, one should not ask her for anything. Do not even approach her.

Suffering for her sake, walking, being to hot, eating food that maybe long to prepar or not tasty, is apart of being a witch. Carbon offsetting is only a band-aid to the harm. The harm is still being done. If your bonfires are truely causing so much carbon as to cause concern, you really should find another way, even if you suffer (not having so much fun?) for it.

Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Up, and Down. May all the directions bestow favor on you, and may you always have the blessings of God and Godess.

Corban, Hedge Witch.

The Voice of Reason said...

Well written Corban.

We are the stewards of our Mother and if we are going to talk the talk, should we not walk the walk?

Would you care to share with us some of the things you have done to help preserve our Mother?

Also, Carol Maltby...I'm not sure what your obsession with the DD degree is, but as you said, it is given as an honorary degree here in the US.

In fact, they can be purchased online from numerous Churches, Temples, Groups, etc. I purchased one once from the Temple of Wicca located in Joplin MO for $25.00. I never used it for anything, just though it was a nice piece of artwork.

I'm sure if you feel the need to have a DD Degree bestowed on yourself the Temple of Wicca would print one for you too.

Love and light,

Debra Ravenswood

Corban Macpherson said...

"Would you care to share with us some of the things you have done to help preserve our Mother?"

I am an Eco-warrior of sorts:
- I recycle everything I can, somethings are not acepted by my local waste management, so I limit their use/purchase.
- I compact my nonrecyclables so as to use as little land fill space as possible.
- I clean up street trash in my neigborhood. I would like to do more on this but it would conflict with parenting time.(they come first)
- My house has no incandescent light bulbs, and all appliances are 'energy star' rated.
- I own no car, nor will I ever own a carbon fueled vehical.
- I own no air conditioner, I accept what ever tempature I'm given.
- I never eat at 'fast food' resturants. (unhealthy as well)
- I never kill the Godesses workers. (bugs, birds, nor any wild animal)
- I restrict the meat purchases for my householed. (the childern like chicken/hotdogs, so I allow it, but I don't like it)
- When living natural, in the woods camping, (done when casting spells)I never burn live wood. All fires are kept small, and only for cooking.
- I never hurt trees, they are all my friends and I love everyone of them.
- no garbage is ever left in the woods, and I clean up any trash I happen to find left by others.
- I am an avid green-thumb, and garden where ever, when ever I can.

I always look for more to do, and someday hope to move out of the city so I can live natural all the time. I take the concept of magic, karma, chi, 'the force' very seriously. You get, what you give.

The Godess knows me very well, and when I'm in her embrace I feel nothing but love. I would never willingly hurt her, ever!

These words are not typed with anger, I'm just very passionate about this subject. :-D

Love and light,
Corban.

The Voice of Reason said...

Again Corban I applaud your work and convictions. Were there more Eco-Warriors such as yourself Mother would indeed be in much better shape than she is.

Thank you for what you do in leaving as small a print as possible on the face of our Mother.

Do you by chance have a website or blog where you can post your ideas? This might help others who feel that "living green" is only for the rich who can afford solar panels and wind generators.

Love and Light,

Debra Ravenswood

Corban Macpherson said...

'Do you by chance have a website or blog where you can post your ideas?'

To Debra:

Thank you for your kind words.. I like bloging, but the ranting (you know to whom I refer) is a bit much for my gental spirit. Its nice to read something that isn't arguments.

I'm new to the web. Which is why my comments are just recent. I will get it all going soon.. But thank you for saying that what I say is important enough for others to hear. The web is a nice place to vent my thoughts.

Earth, Air, Fire, Water.
May the powers guide you.

Corban.

The Voice of Reason said...

Corban,

I have to agree with you about the ranting and raving. At first I was annoyed with it, now I'm just weary of the same old song and dance over and over and over.

Sigh...

I hope you get a eco-blog up, you have some great ideas. When you do please send me the link.

Love and light,

Debra Ravenswood
dravenswood@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

My choice to stop driving my Chevy Blazer, and sign title over to my son(work use)was difficult to make. Our town has excellent transit service with clean airconditioned vans, so for a dollarfifty one way I save money and do not buy gasoline. Now, how do I get my dad to follow my fossil fuel saving example?

Appreciate the Positive Energy and Works you guys continue to Live for all to observe and learn from!

A.J. Drew said...

Funny, I do not see that the service you are using for your blog; Blogger.com, has a statement about a zero or negative carbon foot print.

Other hosts, such as my favorite; Dreamhost.com have taken such action. Not that that action alone is enough to save the earth, but it does help when folk do not run their mouths but do nothing to actually change a thing in their own lives.

The Voice of Reason said...

Drew?

Were we supposed make a statement on our blogs? I didn't see that in the Terms of Service? Is that something I overlooked or are you just snipe hunting again?

Deb

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