How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint on Your Next Flight Carbon offsetting isn’t a perfect solution, but it is an easy way to give back. One of the most pressing issues we’ll face in our lifetime, the whole topic of climate change is extremely doom-and-gloom. That sense of dread and overwhelming helplessness is fully warranted—no matter how vigilant you are about recycling and turning off the lights when you leave a room, it begs the question: What can one person do? If you like to travel, and often do so by plane, prepare yourself for more grim news: Air travel is one of the biggest perpetrators of climate change. According to the EPA, aircrafts contribute 12% of US transportation emissions, approximately 3% of the country’s total greenhouse gas production. Every time you hop on a plane, you contribute to that rising statistic.