A friend in Park City wrote to tell me how much she enjoys my blog. She also mentioned that her two middle school-aged boys are especially interested in the topic of global warming and are studying it at school. She wondered if I were interested in speaking to school groups.

As I've said all along: I'm not an expert on how to solve the problem of global warming and, thus, hadn't thought much about the opportunity to speak to school groups. I'm also not inclined to make the 600 mile round trip to Salt Lake City for just an hour's talk. Even though I've pre-purchased the carbon offsets for a year's driving, I really am trying to cut down on the driving I do.

Without giving it much thought, here's my response to my friend's email:

Yes, my goal is to develop public awareness (not so much for what I’m doing, but what’s going on in general)…traveling to get the word out would seem to negate some of my efforts to become carbon neutral. I certainly wouldn’t fly somewhere to speak, and I’d prefer to have a road trip tie in with other activities (like driving to Palm Desert to visit my mom).

My wife disagrees. She thinks I shouldn't pass up the chance to speak to any group of kids and should schedule this trip as soon as possible.

I wouldn't have thought the comment tool of my blog would provide the means to resolve a disagreement, but what the heck, let's give it a try.

What should I do? Schedule the trip to ASAP and feel good about this particular use of fossil fuels, or schedule the trip for later this spring, when I can tie it into a visit to my mom?

As they say life is full of choices.

Carbon Neutral Journal's choices are brought to you by Jorgensen Associates.

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