What is carbon footprint and how does it relate to human well being
You lot see it in the news, on the cyberspace, and fifty-fifty in the newspaper. Carbon is everywhere. No, we're being serious, carbon is literally everywhere. Information technology'due south in the air nosotros breathe (and exhale), the food we swallow, the products we purchase and employ… and guess what? We're fabricated upwardly of carbon, besides! Nonetheless, if yous're watching the news you're likely just hearing about carbon emissions… yikes.
Merely yous are an Earth hero, and know that with great ability comes swell responsibility! The more yous know virtually carbon, and carbon emissions, the better equipped you can be to brand a positive divergence. Past the terminate of this read, yous'll have a little more than knowledge on how to understand, and reduce your own carbon footprint.
What you lot'll learn:
- A basic understanding of what carbon dioxide (CO2) is
- Empathise why carbon dioxide is harmful
- Realize your own carbon footprint
- Observe how we tackle this upshot with our carbon commencement programs
Allow's talk most carbon.
Carbon, in its about bones form, is an element. In fact, it'south the near common element for life on Earth! From the air we exhale to the crops nosotros grow, and the chemical makeup of our own bodies, carbon is literally the basis for life.
So, why are we so concerned with carbon emissions?
When we talk about carbon emissions, we're focusing specifically on carbon dioxide, or CO2. Naturally, CO2 releases into the atmosphere in a ton of ways. The largest source of natural carbon emissions is from the exchange of carbon dioxide between the oceans and the atmosphere. Animals and plants besides emit CO2 through the process of respiration (breathe in oxygen, breathe out CO2). And, when these plants and animals decompose, organisms within the soil respire to produce energy and emit more CO2 into the atmosphere.
Nature, every bit nature tends to exercise, keeps most of these emissions in balance. Plants absorb CO2 through photosynthesis, and oceans blot just about equally much carbon dioxide as they let off. Carbon cycles through our air, water, and soil in a continuous process that supports life on earth.
Here's where it gets tricky.
Humans don't play by the same rules that nature does. When we excerpt, refine, transport, and burn fossil fuels like coal, natural gas, and oil, we release extra carbon and other greenhouse gasses into the temper. We as well cut down big expanses of CO2-absorbing trees to make way for agronomics and new developments, or collect lumber to create new products. When these trees burn or decompose, they emit even more CO2. By removing forests, nosotros also effectively remove the natural systems that absorb and shop carbon.
When nosotros add additional CO2 to the mix, nature can't ever pick upwardly the slack.
Then, why does information technology matter if in that location's more CO2 in the atmosphere?
Don't worry, we're not going to become all "Bill Nye" on yous. Long story short, CO2 is 1 of the greenhouse gases that absorbs radiation and prevents estrus from escaping our temper. This excess heat creates disrupted atmospheric condition patterns, higher global temperature averages, and other *ahem* changes… in the climate.
Now, don't exist mistaken. There are other greenhouse gases (nitrogen, methane, and even water vapor) that we could spend fourth dimension focusing on likewise, just let's simply stick to carbon right now.
What can we do?
It's no secret that lowering levels of atmospheric carbon is a *hot* topic (pun intended). Equally with nearly things in life, there are 2 principal ways to set a problem. The commencement, and safest choice, is to avoid the situations that cause it in the first place. The second is to revert what's already been done. When you apply this thinking to carbon emissions, it ways you can either lower your carbon footprint, or offset it.
Avoid CO2
On the personal level, in that location are many ways to lower your impact. Bike to work (make your commute easier hither), eat less meat, purchase less stuff, the list goes on and on. If you're interested in seeing what your carbon footprint is, and means to lower it, take a quiz using a carbon footprint calculator.
When companies get involved, the impact gets fifty-fifty bigger. Powering factories through renewable free energy, reducing transport between unlike steps of product, and sourcing materials that aren't fabricated from petroleum are all awesome means companies are making changes in their footprint. If you nerd out on companies doing absurd things (like we do), check out some of our brands and their stories here!
Offset CO2
We offset carbon through a process called sequestration–and no, this isn't just a tricky spelling bee term. Sequestration is the process of finding ways to negate the carbon that's being emitted. Both individuals and businesses can join organizations that implement energy efficiency, reforestation, and renewable energy programs to offset a portion (or all) of the carbon emissions created.
So, what does it hateful when nosotros say nosotros're carbon-neutral?
Although EarthHero works difficult to give our customers access to sustainably made products, nosotros recognize that transporting those products to you comes with its ain ready of concerns. That's why it's of import to us to starting time all of of our emissions, from the electricity used to make our java, to those that come up from aircraft a production across the US. Through Carbonfund.org's Pooled U.s.a. Forestry Projects, EarthHero has neutralized 36 metric tonnes of carbon emissions this yr lonely. That's offsetting the same amount of carbon as 34 acres of US forests! And these offsets make us a carbon-neutral company.
The Pooled The states Forestry Projects involves reforestation projects across the US, specifically in Texas and Arkansas. Since its get-go, this programme has helped to sequester over 500,000 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions (or, in human being terms, this offsets over lxxx,000 cars' emissions for a whole twelvemonth!). These reforestation projects don't simply commencement carbon. They help local ecosystems too, by preserving wild animals habitats, improving soil quality, and calculation water storage capabilities to lands beyond the US. Now, that's something nosotros can get behind.
How you can make a deviation
From turning out lights when yous go out a room to commuting via motorcoach or bike, you can reduce your footprint. Take a look at how you shop, and make a conscious effort to brand more than sustainable choices. Buy products that make you happy, but make them last. When you lot exercise shop, shop with companies that take a stand to reduce their ain footprint. By shopping with companies that intendance, you lot're sending the bulletin that y'all care, too.
The planet'due south really proficient at taking care of itself. When we overload information technology with as well much of any i thing, however, it can start to lose its balance. Past taking steps at present to reduce our own carbon footprints, we can allow the Earth to find that balance again, so we (and our children) can continue to enjoy and capeesh its beauty for years to come.
When y'all shop on EarthHero, all of your purchases are shipped carbon-neutral. Go alee, shop with your values.
Source: https://earthhero.com/carbon-emissions/
0 Response to "What is carbon footprint and how does it relate to human well being"
Post a Comment