Most of us are putting real effort into reducing the climate changing gas emissions generated during our daily activities. And most of us have one place where we could make a bigger difference, but we don't want to give up something we enjoy.
For me, it's skiing. For you it may be wine tasting, a desire to have the latest in cell phone, or a "fast fashion" addiction.
I'll focus on skiing - a sport both I, and many of my friends are passionate about, but see if you can apply the principles of impact reduction to your personal polluting pursuit.
For my ski time, I try to stay up in the mountains for several days. That way I can do my ski patrol, recreational, or ski climbing days without traveling 150 miles for a single day of fun.
I often take the employee bus which gets 240 passenger miles per gallon, or carpool to get 80 in my plug in hybrid electric vehicle, but the lack of snow in town means skiing will always generate more emissions than a bike ride along the Willamette river.
Friends with multi-resort ski passes report to me that the Epic pass resorts appear to have a commitment to good recycling opportunities, and green energy use, while the Ikon pass resorts seem to be less sustainably run. Just the opinion of friends, but it's a reminder that you can choose where to spend your dollars, and support companies that make sustainability a priority.
When you travel, choose and recommend accommodations that prioritize resource conservation.
The front folded partial roll of toilet paper, signage that tells you how to keep unused towels from getting washed, and energy efficient heating are all attributes that can make your stay less impactful.
And you can put all your trash in one can, turn off the lights when you leave, and bring a compost container so your apple cores and other food scraps don't go into the hotel garbage and generate methane long after your vacation is over.
I'm John Fischer with KLCC's Living Less Unsustainably.