So. . the big question is, will any real change occur or will we have to wait for an environmental crash to force change upon us in a rather ugly way?

The “saving energy” part is a perfect example. Do people who use carbon offsets truly conserve for later like managing the cash in our pocket, or like managing the limit on our credit card? Are we as scrupulous as “$1.43 is enough for a coffee but not a latte” or as general as “there’s always been enough room on this card for anything I might need at Target today.”

Not suggesting that I or anyone live so locally that we sacrifice all passion & extravagance. Instead, noting that it’s a very human tendency to give myself credit for going without an air conditioner or a new car and then being a tiny bit complacent about examining my other choices.

Of course you are right that we must examine these things for ourselves. I dare say it’s fairly easy to offset that trip to the apostle islands. Similar to a savings account, we can “save” our energy consumption year around, in all different aspects of our lives to compensate for our little adventures. In fact it’s not really reasonable to to suggest that people should not travel to paddle. If we live light enough in our daily lives, our trips would still not push us into the use of an average consumer. In the end it comes down to our complete lifestyle, of which paddling is only a small part. Well, at least to my mind.

Do the pluses of a green and silent sport really balance out my 500-mile round trip to float a sea kayak at the Apostle Islands? If I were coldly honest with myself I would acknowledge that they do not, especially if I aspire to make that trip 3-4 times in a season. In the endless queue of vehicles streaming back down to the Twin Cities on a Sunday evening, it doesn’t matter so much that my car transports a kayak instead of a jet ski. I’m still one of the cars.

Would I be content to spend that whole summer in rivers and lakes around the Twin Cities, knowing it was better for the planet? Again, cold honesty makes me admit that I wouldn’t. But I’m not at all uncomfortable about that answer unless I first ask myself the question.

“those planes are going to fly whether we are on them or not” –> After a certain point, fewer passengers means fewer flights. One has to start somewere.