We are well into the planning and preparation stages of our 2025 Japan trip. I am looking forwards to the adventures, and for the photographic opportunities that await in abundance.

But just as in our last trip, there is an uneasy dissonance.
There is this annoyingly intrusive feeling that my consumer and carbon footprints generated by this trip are not in alignment with my desire to have an appropriate impact on the planet.

My actions do not match my deep belief in the need for society to adopt a strategy of Degrowth if this planet is going to survive.

As Vlad Bunea writes:

Some may ask: What do you mean degrowth? You don’t want personal development? You don’t want progress and abundance? You want poverty? Again, degrowth is about a reduction in production and consumption with a specific goal: to bring back economies within planetary boundaries. It is the opposite of austerity. This reduction will affect some standards of living of high-consuming humans (read: rich) but not towards poverty but towards a higher quality of living that is compatible with the regeneration capacity of the environment. Yes, this means eliminating material excesses of both consumption and production. 

I am the opposite of deGrowth.

For example. I currently have an iPhone 12. This is an ancient model in the technosphere, but it works beautifully for my needs and the plan was not to upgrade until it bricked out. I even wrote a post about this.

Now we are about to travel, I note it does not have the capabilities for an eSim. And travelling in Japan is exponentially more convenient when your phone is online. A new model will also allow me to load a Suica card (used to travel on the train system) right on the phone. Tap and pay. Tap and go.

So. I have ordered a new iPhone 17. I didn’t want to. I didn’t need to. Yet I internally justified it, then I ordered it. 

Likewise. My current travel suitcase is a little small. I could probably manage with it (I did last time). But after scrolling online, the ‘add to basket’ was just too easy (by design)….and I purchased a new hard-shell case.

Oh, while Im shopping on line….I need a new travel backpack. For my camera and travel EDC¹ essentials. I already have way too many satchels, backpacks and slingbags (I think I have issues)…wait, this Crumpler backpack would be perfect for my needs.
One click on Amazon and it’s on its way.

That’s a lot of unnecessary collateral consumerism that I definitely did not need to engage in. Add to this the CO2 emissions that I will incur flying overseas, and the bags of plastic I will single-use and discard (the Japanese love their plastic packaging).

One wolf in me says, dont overthink it…the world is going to hell in a handbasket anyways, may as well get out and see shit before its all goes down.

The other wolf in me says, just a sec… you have an obligation to future generations and a moral imperative to do your best no matter how insignificant you feel it might be. Small actions have ripple effects.

Both those wolves will have to go hungry right now, ‘cuz I just spent 300 bucks on a backpack.

Sigh. This might be the last big trip away.

---

1. Every Day Carry ↩︎