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Off the Table?

Are there aspects of your daily life that you know contribute to your carbon footprint but you are unwilling to compromise to change them? In other words, what about your life is “off the table” when it comes to carbon emissions? It's OK to admit it- we all have these cherished behaviors!




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Off the Table?

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arit   2025-07-01 06:32:46
The Future of Work in the Age of AI

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tivakc   2024-11-18 14:55:50 (Last post: 2025-05-18 22:53:24)
Flying

By far the largest impact to my carbon footprint was transportation, specifically flying. This is because I have family across the country that I visit twice a year, as well as I travelled to visit extended family across the world for the first time this year. This is a difficult decision for me, because while I care a lot about lowering my carbon footprint, I do not know if it is worth it to sacrifice seeing my family. Though my family does purchase carbon offsets to help mitigate the impact, I still feel bad about flying so much when I know it has such a huge negative impact. I think this is a difficult issue for people who live far away from their families, and I'm not sure what is the right thing to do.

TeaganCR   2024-11-18 15:15:25

Hi tivakc, I think what you are saying makes perfect sense; yes, it uses lots of carbon to fly places but it's also necessary if you want to stay in touch with your family. I also have family out of the country and in different Provences that I would not give up seeing just because of the environmental impact. There are so many other things I (and many others do) to reduce their carbon footprint. I believe it is up to the government and engineers to make flying more sustainable. The plane was a great invention at the time but now as the environment is at risk, it is time for a change, and unfortunately, as individuals, we can not make this change. However, we can write letters and campaign for a change.

LandonK   2025-05-18 15:20:16

I agree with what was said above as for me flying was the biggest part of my carbon footprint but it is off the table to change as i also have family on the other side of the country which makes them very hard to reach if not flying. I also agree with the fact that companies could find a way to make aircraft travel more carbon friendly as for lots of people not flying is impossible.

embaBOD   2025-05-18 20:26:27

This post really resonated at lot with me because transportation, and more specifically flying, is by far the aspect of my lifestyle that contributes the most to my carbon footprint. I deeply care about the environment, sustainability and my personal environmental impact, but I have family all across that country in the states of Georgia, Michigan, Alaska, Tennessee, Washington DC and Colorado and Minnesota. For reference, I live in California, and it is incredibly important for all the members of my family that we visit each other. Like tivakc, my family also purchases carbon offsets but that does not make up for environmental harm. I also think that TeaganCR has a really good point in saying that the government and engineers need to be addressing the environmental costs of flight but I also believe it is up the individuals to make other significant carbon footprint reducing changes in their lives such as eating less meat, especially if giving up flying is not an option.  Finally, I think in addition to the work that governments and those who design airplanes can do to make flight more sustainable, I strongly believe that we also need to hold the large airplane coperations accountable.

FLATBOD   2025-05-18 22:53:24

My carbon footprint was pretty average until it came to the transportation section, so I relate to this a lot! My carbon footprint escalated quickly when I put in all my flight information from the past year which made me feel a bit helpless. My family loves to travel which I am eternally grateful for, but I had no idea it was hurting our planet so much. It makes me sad to realize that experiencing different cultures, traditions, and new places comes with the price of destructive carbon emissions. I wonder if there are any other materials we could use to make planes fly but travel still safe and accessible?

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idontflush58   2024-11-19 21:33:23 (Last post: 2025-05-18 14:51:24)
Off the Table Decisions

I fly every year or two to see my family in Japan and it adds a lot to my carbon footprint. Even though it might have a big impact, it's extremely hard to skip out on seeing family I rarely ever get to see. My family and I do still try to be green whenever we can for our trip, we choose the eco friendliest routes that have the least stops, and sometimes my mom even brings home some recyclables because there is no recycling system in rural Japan.

MayaNorris72   2025-05-15 17:38:48

I agree with you as my family also lives all around the world so maintaining a average carbon footprint can be hard. It adds a lot to my footprint as my family travels at least once a month to keep in touch with loved ones. Keeping eco friendly on your trips is a smart touch and I can definitely start to incorporate that more in my travel.

CMBOD   2025-05-16 17:03:51

I relate to both of your experiences. While my extended family does live nearby, I do take some long-distance trips that add to my carbon footprint. Flying is a high environmental footprint activity, but studies say that some high impact activities, like major trips, are hard to completely stop doing (IPCC, 2022). Choosing to take non-stop flights and building green practice in travel, like you have done, are great methods of cutting that footprint down. It's more about finding a harmony between significant traveling and environmental consciousness. Both are important.

tydoBOD   2025-05-18 13:35:21

I also fly to visit my family who lives across the country, and it adds a significant amount to my carbon footprint. Unfortunately it is the only way to visit them besides driving, and I don't have the time to drive for four days to see them. I hope that the United States eventually develops an electric high speed rail system as that would help reduce air travel and carbon emissions a lot. I try to keep in mind how I can be eco-friendly while im traveling and on a trip. I always make sure to not over consume and to always bring a refillable water bottle instead of wasting plastic ones. I also think it is very interesting how rural Japan has no recycling system, yet the United States carbon emissions were almost five times Japan's carbon emissions in 2023 (2025, investopedia.com). I wonder what percent of people in Japan have access to recycling vs the United States.

DaThBOD   2025-05-18 14:51:24

Recently I have been flying out of state every year. Adding on to late my family does a lot of driving back and forth.  I the future I hope that the electric cars will help lower the carbon emissions.  I the U.S. around 28 percent of emissions come from transportation (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d.).  I wonder if in the future will scientist figure out a way to lower CO2 emissions

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Kinsey S   2023-11-02 20:05:14 (Last post: 2025-05-17 17:59:09)
Off the table

Something that I personally feel is off the table for me is getting rid of my electronic usage. While I recognize the negative effects of electronic usage, I personally feel that it is a necessity for me. Some reasons I use electronics are for schoolwork, communicating with my parents about where I need to be picked up, talking with friends, and even just for entertainment. While I do not believe in completely stop using it I do believe that cutting down my screen time would also be beneficial. Overall, I cannot promise to not use electronics, because I need them for daily tasks like homework, keeping up with friends, etc. I feel that while it may not be the best it is too big of a component of my life to completely get rid of.

abraBOD1   2025-05-15 18:49:00

I agree, it would definitely be very difficult for me to reduce my electronic usage since it is such a big aspect of my day to day life. I especially use my computer a lot for school work, and unfortunately it requires a lot of charging which takes up lots of energy. This is off the table because in modern society there is more advanced technology that has led to the manufacturing of more energy consuming devices that we all use. While my electrical usage took up a lot of my carbon footprint, it would be very difficult for me to reduce this, as its such a vital aspect of school life. I also use my devices a lot for entertainment and contacting my friends and family so it would be hard to give that up. However, I do think that I can try to reduce my screentime slightly in order to limit the amount of battery usage I have, so that way I'm not constantly using energy to charge my device.

OzscBOD   2025-05-17 17:59:09

I completely agree with this. It is so difficult to put aside electronics, especially because they are such a large part of everyday life now. Having to charge a computer, phone, and possibly other electronics take up a lot of energy, but reducing it is so hard because they are so necessary. I think for this reason getting rid of the electronics would be off the table, even though they do take up such a large part of my carbon footprint. However, I do think I can limit general phone usage and keep devices on low power mode when in use, so they won't need to be charged as often. Along with this, I can use the full extent of my device, only charging when necessary and not keeping things plugged in over night.

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zoemcqueen   2025-05-16 23:35:59
Fast Fashion Alternatives

Fast fashion is when companies make cheap clothes at a low quality to keep up with the latest trends. It contributes to waste and pollution in the environment, especially in countries where the clothing is being made. According to an article from National Geographic called "Talking to kids about fast fashion and the environment", the fashion industry is responsible for over 20% of global wastewater and 10% carbon emissions! This poses as a huge environmental justice problem because of how much harm it causes toward communities who suffer from the pollution. One way we can help combat these high emission rates is by thrifting! Thrifting helps to reduce waste as it gives clothes a second chance at being used/purchased instead of being sent to a landfill right away. I enjoy thrifting in Oakland because it's fun, cheap, and more sustainable for the planet. More teenagers should join me in thrifting instead of buying fast fashion.

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Bella43344567   2023-11-03 09:04:31 (Last post: 2025-05-15 17:29:10)
Off the table?

Personally  I don’t think i could truly live without electronics.For school work is has become such a necessary about half of my assignments are on the computer. Also for communication I use my phone to communicate with my parents when i'm away from them. When i need to talk to my teacher about something,but I don't have enough time to see them i use my computer and email them. I was raised being able to go on the internet and look up stuff if i didn't know it. Having electronics has kind of been a thing for me and I think adjusting to not having them would be almost impossible.

TeswBOD   2025-05-15 17:29:10

Hi Bella,

I completely agree with you. While it is disappointing, using electronics has become a integral part of almost everyones lives. In addition, in today's world there is really no way to get around using technology as a teenager, we use it for school work, talking to friends and family, and for so many more important things. This is why it is also an off the table for me, however I still would like to think about ways in which I could decrease the amount of screens I use per day. According to the CDC, "During July 2021 through December 2023, one-half of teenagers ages 12–17 had 4 hours or more of daily screen time (50.4%)" (Zablotsky). This statistic is so sad as using screens is not only bad for the enviorment but as well for our brains. While TV usage does not have quite as big of an environmental impact as many other activities, with about 21 million teenagers just in the US using over 4 hours a day of screen time, that energy consumption really adds up. I hope to be able to limit my screen time use going forward both for myself and for the enviorment. Is that something you would be interested in?

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Jesse Solis   2022-02-25 13:59:27 (Last post: 2025-05-15 16:51:12)
Off the table

One thing that Is "off the table" for me Is my phone I always listen to music when I'm doing my work like I am right now and I need It to find out If I am getting picked up after school or walking. I also to let my parents know where I'm at when I go hang with friends. And sometimes when I don't have my laptop for school I use my phone to turn In assignments that are due or to look something up. But I have to have to charge It a lot I also have a portable charger i keep with me because my phone die's fast but It also charges fast and It take my whole lunch brake for It to get to 40% witch is pretty good.

MaryamN   2023-11-03 11:16:35

I agree with you as I also am not willing to let go of electronics. They help me with many in my daily life in so many ways like communication with friends and family, listening to music, learning new topics, and more.

bpadulla0218   2024-02-02 10:44:11

I also agree! Using electronics can be really helpful as learning and communication tools, but I, and a lot of other people, are also very guilty of having them as our main source of entertainment.As I'm getting into sustainability and the effects of our carbon footprints, I believe this is something I need to change. So while cutting electronics out entirely is off the table, I think I should at least limit how much I use them.

santbuzz   2024-11-18 14:35:13

I for one agree that us as a population should limit our screen times so we can lower the power that goes to not life dependent appliances like showering and cooking but I also understand that using your phone can have heaps of great benefits for you like learning new things about how to be as eco-friendly as possible so there's pros and cons but I think its a good idea to be more mindful about how our screen time can affect the environment that is around us

ella223   2024-11-18 14:51:01

I mostly agree with you because i need my phone for school and communication with parents or friends. However, i think i could be on my phone less. There are times when i loose track of time watching mindless videos on TikTok or other time wasting apps. I’m not saying to never go on your phone or not go on those apps at all, i don’t think they are bad i just think as a society we don’t need to be spending as much time on them. Treat those apps as down time not an all the time thing.

PlebMasterNo6   2024-11-18 14:59:01

I agree that phone use is mostly off the table for example i need my phone to contact my parents sometimes and i think that phones are off the table for safety issues. But at the same time i think we can minimize our screen time and thus properly balance our own safety and minimizing carbon emissions. something personally off the table for me is driving, i wish i could change my driving significantly as it is a my main carbon emission source. But since my dad lives far away from my school it is necessary for me to drive a long way to get to school and other places too.

ADBOD2   2025-05-15 16:51:12

I agree because having a phone is very important if you are in an emergency or a disaster. Also, just for chilling at home, if you have nothing to do, you could learn information or build connections by texting friends. Having a phone can sometimes decrease depression or anxiety because of the number of options you have for doing stuff on your phone. Some examples of this could be watching sports games or doing the daily Wordle. Another good example of when you need your phone is if you are maybe lost in a forest, and you need to get back home, you could call someone or use GPS to find your way back. In conclusion, even though your phone is bad for the environment, it can be good to have for fun or emergencies.

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AnPiBOD   2025-05-15 13:20:16
Off the table - Transportation

For me transportation is off the table, although it was my highest contributor to carbon emission. I play for a high level soccer team that is around 45 minutes away and 30 miles away. When driving there most of the time I’m in an electric car and I carpool with one other teammate. Also, mostly the only plane rides I take are for my competitive soccer team and they are often shorter distances. Although these plane rides and travel may add up and release a lot of carbon emission, it is hard to cut this out as I already limit my vacation travel and travel to see family and it’s something I am very passionate about and find a lot of joy in. It is something that I am not willing to give up yet.

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EvBeBOD   2025-05-15 12:46:17
Off the Table - Flying

Transportation, particularly flying, was my largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. I wasn't very surprised about this because I frequently take trips to visit family out of state. However, I'm not willing to give up the opportunity to see family, so that will remain a large part of my CO2 emissions. I think that taking fewer trips to see family would drastically reduce my carbon emissions, but right now, that is not something I want to give up.

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MaMoBOD   2025-05-14 18:12:51
CO2 Contributors Often Off the Table in Modern Life - Technology

In modern life, there's lots of common behaviors that are necessary to modern everyday life. Such behaviors are difficult or even impossible to give up, despite how much they might contribute to CO2 levels around the world. For example, technology. Our cell phones and computers are vital to life today, as they are very often necessary to academic settings, social situations, and more. Everyone has one, and because of their importance to our lives and connections with others, we can't give them up. I'm not exempt from this either. I often use my devices for completing school assignments and listening to music. I need to do my assignments and I enjoy listening to music, so I can't give my devices up very easily. If people wanted to challenge the systemic integration of technology into our everyday lives or minimize the pollution caused by technology, they would need a large effort put forth by a large amount of some very determined people. It won't be easy, especially when a lot of people don't even care enough to do anything about it.

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Louisa Schwarm   2023-11-04 22:55:39 (Last post: 2024-11-18 15:13:59)
Off the table: Meat consumption

Something that I know contributes to my carbon footprint is my consumption of meat. However, I find myself unable to give it up. This is due to the valuable amounts of protein, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that the human body acquires when you eat meat. I understand that it's bad for the environment because of the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Another reason that meat consumption is bad for the environment is because land used to raise animals loses water, soil, and trees while untreated waste pollutes streams and rivers. I believe something I could do to still eat meat but reduce my carbon footprint is got only eats meat two days a week at most. I currently eat meat 4-5 days a week and while I can't give it up entirely, I think that trying to reduce the amount of meals I eat with meat in them, by eating vegetarian or plant-based alternatives to meat, could help the environment.

frhfbhadksbc   2023-11-10 15:26:38

i think what your doing is honestly super good because i know that not every one can completly cut out meat from there diet. if every one ate meat only once or twice a week the green house gases being released would decrease by alot. though i dont completly agree with your first statment because you can acquire proteins and such from many other things that dont put the welfare of an animal down.

jaydo   2023-11-10 15:44:55

I think you cutting out some of the meats is great, but you can find other sources of finding protein for your diet. You wouldn’t have to fully give up meats and just have it a few times a week instead of cutting it off and finding different sources, though keeping the meat intake down keeps the green house gasses down a lot.

santbuzz   2024-11-18 14:27:00

I think that it is very good that you are cutting on your meat consumption to help the environment but I suggest instead of just cutting out all meat and animal products you could instead start trying new forms of protein and other source of nutrients like soy based forms of protein like tofu or eat other alternative meats like beyond beef that is made of plant based ingredients so you get the sources from meat but without the methane and co2 emissions so I think its a very good ting you should try it

Kyec   2024-11-18 15:13:59

I can totally relate to you Louisa! I'm in the exact same position where I fully understand the impacts that eating meat has on the environment and my carbon footprint but I also am not able to fully get rid of it. This is because of my culture and my family for we eat meat for at least 3 meals a day, and because I have eaten meat my whole life, abruptly getting rid of it can have many different negative effects on my body. Even though it is difficult for me to completely give up eating meat, I still try my best to reduce my meat consumption by eating more vegetarian meals and reducing my meat consumption to 1-2 meals a day or every other day and even less in the near future (like how you eat meat 4-5 days a week and are trying to reduce it to 2 days a week). I'm taking it slowly because there's times like dinner where I don't really get to choose what to eat as I eat dinner with my family, but I'm slowly convincing them to eat more vegetarian/vegan meals. Other ways that I try to reduce my meat consumption is alternatives like tofu. You can find many delicious no-meat recipes to make in replacement of your usual meat meals.

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sfr4   2024-11-18 14:36:35 (Last post: 2024-11-18 15:04:54)
off the table: meat eating

one thing that is off the table for me is eating meat. Even though i do realize meat is a crucial part of a lot of people’s diets and not an easy thing to give up, and i still think a lot of people aren’t aware of the serious affects meat has on our environment. The 1st thing i have to say about meat is how much land it takes to raise meat that is fully grown, one thing i’m not sure most of you know is that feeding someone who is vegan for a year takes only 1/6th of an acre of land while someone on a meat and dairy diet for a year uses 18 times that amount of land. i think this is a very scary statistic but also a very real one, raising meat does use a lot of land and meat eaters have to realize that. the 2nd thing i have to say about meat is how much methane cows produce, cows produce this methane through there farts, burps or poop, we contribute to this by eating cows considering how many are bred because of the demand we put on them meaning more of the methane they produce is going up into the atmosphere. i think it is a really good idea for people to consider eating less meat and dairy meals each week as it is a great way to help save our planet.

nora123   2024-11-18 15:00:15

Hi i think this is a great point and is honestly very informative, i did notice you put this under the “Off the Table” category and off the table means something you wouldn’t do. I agree completely and this reality is horrifying. I’m really considering cutting off on as much meat and dairy as possible for me.

sfr4   2024-11-18 15:04:54

hi, thank you so much i just noticed this, please disregard this message as i am going to put it in the right category soon.

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