Socialized Health Care in the USA

[kandrathe]

Carpool from DC to San Fran every weekend? That would take more than the whole weekend. Flying coach or first class doesn't matter a hill of beans for carbon footprint, although taking a private jet is probably more than your average Senator or Congressman needs.

I think they pack more people into coach, so doing away with luxury seating would increase the density in the plane and reduce more of the carbon footprint. They could suffer and return to their districts less, or sure, make Congress a video conference.

Also, I meant carpool (or take the train) for the ones that live close enough to drive. I drive to see my mom in Arkansas about once or twice a year, and its a 13 hour drive. It actually takes longer to fly to her house now with all the security checks and preflight crap, so driving is faster and takes less fuel. It also means I have to drive, but hoisting my families luggage around is not much fun either.

My rough calculations are that it takes about 3,337 lbs CO2 to fly there with my family and it takes about 24 gallons of gas to drive there at 25 lbs of CO2 / gallon or 600 lbs of CO2 total.