The importance on being carbon neutral
We hear this term a lot. Here’s what it means and how we can be more aware of being carbon neutral.
Why should you be carbon neutral?
We produce carbon dioxide everyday, from driving your car to powering your home, A person, company or country is carbon neutral if they balance the carbon dioxide they release into the atmosphere through their everyday activities with the amount they absorb or remove from the atmosphere. This is also called net zero carbon emissions or net zero carbon, because overall no carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere.
If we continue to let emissions rise, temperature levels will rise which can threaten the lives & livelihoods of people all around the globe, it is important to take action before it is too late.
A new study published in Nature Climate Change Monday found that temperatures would still have a 42 percent chance of overshooting the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
There are ways we can reduce carbon dioxide levels. Through technology that can actively take in carbon dioxide which removes it from the atmosphere, or natural methods such as planting trees as well as clearing the air from natural fumes. For example, the UK is the first major nation to formally back a pledge to cut carbon emissions to practically zero in just over 30 years. As well as clearing the air of harmful fumes, the scheme – according to one expert in climate change – will also have surprising knock-on effects for the population as a whole.
There are alternatives can turn to such as using solar panels & wind energy which result in zero carbon, trains & trams use electric to run therefore less toxins would be pumped into the atmosphere.
Another example would to be to eat low on the food chain, as other harmful emissions aren’t only caused from fossil fuels but from methane that is produced by livestock. This is why plant- based meats are now in demand at popular food chain restaurants.
Other nature based solutions involve forests, peatbogs, soil or underground seaweed forests are very effective with absorbing carbon dioxide. This is why we should be big on saving forests and planting more trees.