For once, I'm not talking about environmental regulations, though I very well could be, given the multitude of boundaries lurking on the map, but not visible in the landscape, but that's another story... No, today I stepped over a fear and re-arranged my own values in doing so. To most people it would look like an ordinary tourist trip out on a snow scooter though, and in some ways it was... In the past the cost of a snow scooter trip was a good excuse not to consider it an option, and it was very easy to convince myself I wouldn't want to be going on a snow scooter in any case - noisy, smelly, environmentally damaging, for speed junkies with more money than sense. No problem, decision made. No need to face my fear of driving either, bonus. However, this time round more and more things feel like 'it's now or never'. I started to think that given snow scooter trips ARE such a popular activity for both tourists and residents and a very key way of getting about the place here for everyone (so scientists and students too) at this time of year, I really ought to at least try it. To get a sense for what it is like and the kinds of places you can get to if you use a snowmobile, and follow the countless pieces of advice I've been given to do so. I guess I was also spurred on over the fear line witnessing fellow guest house lodgers come and go, survive and enjoy trips out. It also made my extremely small and silent act of avoiding the environmental damage seem fairly insignificant, though I am usually a great believer of doing that kind of thing in any case. So, for better or for worse, I decided to get over myself and take the opportunity of a very kindly offered discount. For my internal and external eco-police, I at least was driving an efficient 4-stroke model, I tried not to rev it too much and maybe I get some co-incidental brownie points for wearing the more retro version of the scooter suit, can't be looking too cool when crossing your own boundary lines, right?! So now I have to own up and admit it was fun. I wasn't freezing, we went through a couple of valleys and I saw a beautiful mountain and fjord I hadn't seem before, and I wasn't even too bad at driving. Maybe I can make up for it by going vegan for a while...
4 Comments
So I was curious and did a very quick comparison. Return flight there is aprox 900kg of CO2. Av. 4 stroke snowmobiles seem to emit 28 grams per mile/person.
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Bongo
19/2/2015 01:56:56 am
Not that it is an either or... I guess most people get a flight and the do a load of scooter trips...
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Sam
19/2/2015 03:54:06 am
true, I have already committed the worst eco-crime getting here. I paid my carbon offsetting for it, for what good it might do. It always seems far too cheap. Still, it's not just about the CO2, there's perma-frost damage, disturbing wildlife/ habitat, general local air quality and noise pollution. I am not off the hook yet, but it was a very short trip, 50km.
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Alyson
19/2/2015 04:36:04 am
I understand your quandry, and your reasonings. As possibly one of your external eco-police, I admit I would LOVE to have done this, and I am glad for you. I'm sure there's worse you could have done, and maybe something else you do or write may influnce someone to change their daily habits for the better. Like the return of the blue pics. X
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