With the hit carbon offsetting firms are getting — how do you know they do what they claim to do? — the usefulness of offsetting carbon emissions for the UUA General Assembly is at least questionable. And even if it worked perfectly, it seems the greater energy and resource drain comes from the flying or driving to get to the meeting and to maintain a costly mode of accomodation in the form of standard hotels.
Oh, and the UCC General Synod, I include you too, even though you are biennial.
This might be a philosophical matter — the good the meetings bring being worth the energy cost, say — until energy costs start jumping. General Assemblies will continue, even as the May Meetings and General Convention met in the pre-petro era, but will it draw the thousands of participants it sees today. Such growth is very recent, and if GA begins to implode, what will take up the sociological slack?
A thought.