Should I let Easyjet off-set my carbon emissions?

I was just coming to the end of my flight booking process with easyjet (off to the UK later in the month), when I was presented with the following message, in Spanish, offering to off-set my carbon emissions for me:

So, for 4.18 Euros per person Marina and I can stop feeling guilty about the 217 kilos of carbon we will each produce on our retrun trip to the UK, by helping to build an energy efficient power station in Ecuador. (I wonder if that figure takes into account the 50 or so kilos the plane must use taxiing half way round the planet to the new runway on the far side of Madrid’s Barajas airport?)

I think this kind of initiative is wonderful and am increasingly convinced that we are screwing up elements of the planet with our reckless use of energy resources. Yet something just feels weird about putting this in the hands of easyjet, and this time I didn’t tick the box. What would you do? Does it make perfect sense to pay off our carbon crimes the moment we buy a plane, boat or bus ticket? Should this just be included in the ticket price anyway?

7 thoughts on “Should I let Easyjet off-set my carbon emissions?”

  1. Graeme

    Yes, it should be included in the ticket price, and fuel for planes should be taxed properly whilst we’re on the subject. I think it’s like being offered the same thing directly by an oil or coal mining company – those responsible for promoting air travel shouldn’t be allowed to posture as defenders of the environment. A few weeks ago when they announced the open skies agreement between Europe and the States I waited to see if anyone in the press on Spain would pick up on the fact that this could undo, almost on its own, the little progress that has been made so far on cutting emissions. I fly – with Easyjet usually, but if I pay extra money I will give it to someone who doesn’t need to make a much bigger contribution themselves. When I saw this afternoon that they are planning to charge 3 euros per bag checked in on environmental grounds I laughed. Cheeky people.

  2. Beckett

    This amounts to nothing more than an additional tax on the customer. If Easyjet wants to build an electrical power station in Ecuador, I would like to know how much money is needed and how much money has been raised to date. Without that info, Easyjet, in my opinion, is just using a worthy cause to tug at the conscience of its clientele. I think the primary beneficiary will be Easyjet, not some environmental project.

    I believe that society has to do something to stop the harmful effects that mankind is having on the environment, but I can’t help but feel that iniatives such as these are only being used for marketing purposes, to help differentiate EasyJet from the competition. Also, I despise this mentality that money is the only way to solve a problem. Solving the environmental crisis is going to require initiative AND sacrifice, something that capitalist societies are loath to do.

  3. Ben Post author

    “those responsible for promoting air travel shouldn’t be allowed to posture as defenders of the environment” – Graeme

    “Easyjet, in my opinion, is just using a worthy cause to tug at the conscience of its clientele.” – Beckett

    You are both quite right on these points, and I think this is what was making me feel weird about the whole thing…. a bit like when I went to bp.com to take the carbon emissions test… They’re all just jumping on the bandwagon to try to keep the critics at bay.

  4. Graeme

    Just a follow up thought – I haven’t looked into it – but I wonder how difficult it is to set up a carbon offset project, either by supporting an existing project (preferably somewhere you don’t need to fly to) or by starting something from scratch? A significant group of Madrid residents who fly to their home countries, and an even more significant group who fly from other countries to visit Spain would then have a genuine project they could support without having the problems of it being sold to them by an airline. Otherwise, we reject the exploitation of the issue by companies like Easyjet but still carry on flying regardless. I might invvestigate a bit more.

  6. greytop

    So if they are so concerned why not stop carrying all that junk they sell at inflated prices from trolleys? With video conferencing readily available business travel should be a thing of the past as well. I’m afraid I refuse to feel guilty about it all. Concerned and willing to reduce consumption, but guilty no way!

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