We are two environmental engineering students at Cornell. We love our major, the earth, and we do everything we can to live sustainably and reduce our environmental impact, as vegans and passionate environmentalists. We embarked on a roadtrip across the country this past summer, traveling 5,000 miles through 16 states and 6 national parks, all the way from Ithaca to San Diego. We experienced so much in such a short amount of time, and saw so many beautiful places throughout the United States. Our roadtrip reinforced and grew our love for nature, the environment and our planet. We believe it is important to take trips and not feel guilty about exploring nature and beautiful places, because these experiences fuel our own bodies and minds in the fight for a clean, sustainable future.

We wanted to not only buy a carbon offset, but also share our story so that others can do the same. We want to encourage others to reduce their personal carbon footprints where possible, but also buy carbon offsets to help offset areas in their life where they cannot. “If you love a place, you have a duty to protect it. And in order to love a place, you must first know it.” – Yvon Choinnard (Patagonia)”

— Cynthia Chu and Anya Sherman