Pre-pandemic, I was already feeling conflicted about my personal carbon emissions. No amount of EV driving, recycling, or reduced consumption could possibly compensate for the inordinate amount of commercial air line travel I engaged in. Our technological shifts during the pandemic cemented my certainty that I could still have a fulfilling life and career without flying.

Will my life ever be the quite the same? Absolutely not. There will be sacrifices. There will be unfulfilled desires. There will be missed opportunities. But I am committed to making hard decisions about the best ways to spend my carbon. It’s a pretty simple question that I ask myself: Is this trip helping my fellow humans to survive, or is it only helping me? My intention is that by sharing my rationale and story, others will join me. With critical mass, we will hear more birds than planes in our neighborhoods and wilderness areas.