Trav Lurr stepped up to the counter at Rex’s Travel Agency. “How can I help you?” Rex asked. “Now that the pandemic seems to be settling down,” Trav said, “my family is looking forward to getting out of the house this summer. But here’s the thing; we’re trying to be thoughtful about how much fossil fuel fumes we blast into the atmosphere. How can we get where we want to go in the most climate-smart way?”
“Glad you asked,” said Rex. “With Mother’s Day right around the corner, Mother (Earth) appreciates your thoughtfulness. Now, pollution-wise you’ve got a range of options - walking or biking on one end and flying first-class on the other. Something in between is likely to be the best fit for your family. Some options:
Rex gave Trav a quick lesson on Solar Renewable Energy Credits (sRECs). Wisconsin businesses and even homeowners have an additional incentive to install rooftop solar because of the opportunity to earn credit (i.e. dollars) for the clean energy they generate. Air travelers who buy sRECs for their air-miles help create that incentive. And that, in effect, partially offsets the greenhouse gas emissions from their flight.
The trick is to be sure the sRECs are legitimately helpful. Rex recommended talking to Elise at Legacy Solar Coop - elise@legacysolarcoop.org - 608-571-4992. Legacy’s sRECs support local organizations, help build Wisconsin’s own clean energy capacity, and strengthen the Midwest’s energy and grid security.
“For example,” Rex continued, “sRECs for an economy-seat, round-trip flight to the west coast would be about $30, a small fraction of the ticket cost.”
“Great! I’ll gladly pay a few extra dollars to help protect Mother Earth,” Trav exclaimed. “After all, she’s the only home we’ll ever know; we’re all forever… Earthbound.”
“Glad you asked,” said Rex. “With Mother’s Day right around the corner, Mother (Earth) appreciates your thoughtfulness. Now, pollution-wise you’ve got a range of options - walking or biking on one end and flying first-class on the other. Something in between is likely to be the best fit for your family. Some options:
- For a family of 3 or more people, driving your own car isn’t a bad choice, depending of course on how fuel-efficient your vehicle is.
- Amtrak (train) or motor coach (bus) are by far your best choices for public transportation.
- Flying, unfortunately, is not a great option environmentally-speaking. But if you do fly, squeezing into coach (I know, those seats keep shrinking.) slashes one’s individual carbon footprint about in-half as compared to business or first-class seating.
Rex gave Trav a quick lesson on Solar Renewable Energy Credits (sRECs). Wisconsin businesses and even homeowners have an additional incentive to install rooftop solar because of the opportunity to earn credit (i.e. dollars) for the clean energy they generate. Air travelers who buy sRECs for their air-miles help create that incentive. And that, in effect, partially offsets the greenhouse gas emissions from their flight.
The trick is to be sure the sRECs are legitimately helpful. Rex recommended talking to Elise at Legacy Solar Coop - elise@legacysolarcoop.org - 608-571-4992. Legacy’s sRECs support local organizations, help build Wisconsin’s own clean energy capacity, and strengthen the Midwest’s energy and grid security.
“For example,” Rex continued, “sRECs for an economy-seat, round-trip flight to the west coast would be about $30, a small fraction of the ticket cost.”
“Great! I’ll gladly pay a few extra dollars to help protect Mother Earth,” Trav exclaimed. “After all, she’s the only home we’ll ever know; we’re all forever… Earthbound.”
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