Hi there, it has been a while! For the first time in over a year, I took a break from weekly blogging- for three months to be exact. A summer break helps everyone who can afford it. This summer, I had my first backpacking experience in the post-pandemic era. Travelling across Andalusia, exploring Islamic mysticism and meeting amazing people definitely helped me identify what matters in life and what doesn’t. Of course, running a start up meant that I had to carry my laptop wherever I went.
The summer also came with peaks and troughs of the pandemic, wildfires, floods and droughts. For the climate reality check, I would highly recommend XR Muslims weekly news section (we have been on a bit of a holiday this month haha). I have had a bit of a Carbon guilt ever since my friend talked to me about my Carbon footprint as a traveller. Barring work and essential family trips, I have decided to turn to a climate positive backpacker moving forward.
What does a Climate positive backpacker look like? This would mean that I would make sure that each backpacking trip of mine is Carbon negative before I set out on it. Is it possible to be truly Carbon negative? No, of course not. Even if you are a homeless person, you will emit 8.5 tonne Carbon emissions annually! This means that as ordinary citizens, we are restricted to a limited impact on our own Carbon footprint. What is the solution? We fight against the companies that are still looking for and investing in oil fields, mines while we reduce our own impact on the environments. This is why I will join Extinction Rebellion down in the city of London in the next weekend!
I am very well aware that British Petroleum (BP) introduced the term Carbon footprinting simply to shift the onus onto us. However, I believe in making every drop count and reducing my impact on the planet as much as possible. A major aspect of being a Climate positive nomad would be to plant the seedlings and grow trees before a trip in order to create a Carbon budget for my own endeavours. Please understand that the world of Carbon offsetting is mostly there to let you continue doing the things you do without the guilt. You would need to plant and ensure the survival of a tree for over 100 years for it to offset your Carbon footprint from just this month!
What will my Climate positive journey up ahead entail? It will definitely include getting down and dirty with the Earth. I will have to buy a piece of land (I am not a guerrilla gardener unfortunately) and set about planting saplings and nurturing it. This means putting my money where my mouth is. I am looking forward to the future me grinding down on farmlands, insha’allah (If god wills)! I might be embarking on a grand mission but in today’s world, I believe that it is a necessity.