Had a week of terrible air quality and it changed my mind about carbon offsets

Last May in Boise we had seven straight days where the AQI hit over 150 from wildfire smoke. I couldn't go outside without feeling it in my chest. I've always bought carbon offsets for my flights thinking that was enough, but that week made me realize those offsets are just a bandaid. They don't stop the actual smoke from getting in your lungs. Does anyone else think offsets are just a way for companies to make us feel better without actually cutting emissions?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenixw111mo ago

Gotta admit, I used to think my little $10 offset purchase on a flight somehow gave me a free pass to ignore the bigger problem. That smoke week you're talking about? I had a similar one in Portland last summer and spent three days convincing myself my air purifier was just as good as actually cutting emissions. It's like me buying a gym membership and thinking that makes up for the six donuts I ate that morning. Offsets make you feel virtuous but they don't stop the actual fire from burning, you know?

tessa_murray1mo ago

Is it though? Feels like a lot of hand-wringing over nothing lol.

tarabell1mo ago

Wait, did you end up actually changing anything after that Portland smoke cleared, or did you just go back to buying offsets like nothing happened?