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Carbon emissions refer to the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These emissions primarily result from human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas.
The issue with these emissions is that they contribute to the disruption of the greenhouse effect, a natural process that allows the Earth to retain heat from the sun and maintain a habitable climate. Because of the excessive build up of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere, it leads to an enhanced greenhouse effect, causing global warming and climate change.
Below, I’ve grouped together a quick explanation of the reasons why carbon emissions are harmful to the environment:
CLIMATE CHANGE
Excess carbon emissions are the primary driver of climate change. Increased levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to a rise in global temperatures. This causes a wide range of adverse effects such as rising sea levels, altered weather patterns: heatwaves, hurricanes, cyclones, drought, and extreme weather-related events, such as forest fires, warming oceans, melting ice, rising sea levels and ocean acidification and disruptions to ecosystems.
Ocean Acidification
When carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, a significant portion of it is absorbed by the oceans. This absorption leads to a process called ocean acidification, where the pH level of seawater decreases, posing a threat to marine life, particularly coral reefs, shellfish, and other organisms that rely on calcium carbonate to build their shells or skeletons.
Air Pollution
The burning of fossil fuels not only releases carbon dioxide but also other pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. These contaminants contribute to air pollution, which has detrimental effects on human health, causing respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases, and other illnesses.
Deforestation
Carbon emissions are also linked to deforestation. Forests act as carbon sinks by absorbing carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. However, when forests are cleared for agriculture, logging, or urbanization, the stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change.
THE CAUSES
Carbon emissions come from a variety of sources, including natural and human-made processes but as we all know by now, it’s the human-made processes that are impacting our planet the most. If these weren’t in place, nature would have its own way of offsetting them.
- Energy Production: The burning of fossil fuels for electricity and heat generation is a major contributor to carbon emissions. Power plants, including those that use coal, oil and natural gases, release significant amounts of carbon dioxide.
- Transportation: The combustion of gasoline and diesel fuels in vehicles releases carbon emissions so cars, trucks, aeroplanes, ships, and trains contribute to the transportation sector’s carbon footprint.
- Industrial Processes: Industries such as cement production, steel manufacturing, and chemical production release substantial carbon emissions due to the use of fossil fuels in their operations and the chemical reactions involved in their processes.
- Residential and Commercial Energy Use: The consumption of electricity and heating fuels in homes and commercial buildings contributes to carbon emissions. This includes the use of fossil fuel-based heating systems, appliances, and lighting.
- Deforestation and Land Use Changes: As mentioned earlier, deforestation releases stored carbon from forests into the atmosphere. Additionally, land-use changes such as converting forests into agricultural land or urban areas contribute to carbon emissions.
Needless to say, reducing carbon emissions is crucial to mitigate the impact of climate change.
Although major changes need to come from governments and businesses, scientists agree that even small changes in our lives can limit our impact on the climate.
Transitioning to cleaner and renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency, promoting sustainable transportation, protecting forests, and adopting greener industrial practices are among the strategies aimed at reducing carbon emissions and promoting a more sustainable future.
WHAT IS CARBON OFFSETTING?
Carbon offsetting is a method used to compensate for carbon emissions by investing in projects or activities that reduce or remove existing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Contrary to the ways I mentioned above in which we can reduce our carbon footprint, offsetting tries to counterbalance the footprint already disrupting the environment. The goal is to balance out the emissions generated by one source by offsetting it with an equivalent reduction elsewhere. This approach helps individuals, organisations and businesses take responsibility for their carbon footprint and contribute to global efforts to combat the impact it has on the planet.
Carbon offsetting can be achieved in various human-made processes by following these steps:
- Calculate the carbon footprint: The first step is to assess and measure the carbon emissions produced by a particular process or individual. This involves calculating the amount of greenhouse gases released, usually measured in metric tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2e). WWF has a great online calculator that will help you understand your footprint as an individual. Check this out here.
- Identify offset opportunities: Once the emissions are measured, it’s essential to identify suitable offset opportunities. These opportunities can involve projects or activities that either reduce emissions such as renewable energy projects, or remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere such as reforestation projects.
- Invest in carbon offsets: After selecting the appropriate offset projects, individuals or organizations can invest in them by purchasing carbon offsets. These are typically available for sale from certified entities that develop and manage the projects. The funds generated from purchasing carbon offsets are used to finance the implementation and operation of these projects.
CARBON OFFSET PROJECTS
Carbon offset projects can take various forms. Some common examples include renewable energy projects (such as wind farms or solar installations) that replace fossil fuel-based energy sources; afforestation or reforestation projects that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; methane capture projects in landfills or agricultural operations, and energy efficiency initiatives that reduce energy consumption and associated emissions.
Related – Great Big Green Week – The UK’s Biggest Climate And Nature Event
Reforestation projects
Environmental organisations worldwide are campaigning for the planting of more woodlands and forests to help restore wildlife habitats and mitigate the effects of climate change by absorbing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2).
According to the documentary Wild Isles (Narrated by David Attenborough) the UK has only 13% of woodland remaining – which is the lowest percentage in Europe.
Reforestation projects play a crucial role in carbon offsetting by actively removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in trees and vegetation. By planting and growing trees in deforested areas or degraded lands, these organisations enable the sequestration of significant amounts of carbon, effectively reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
In some cases, reforestation projects also focus on preventing deforestation in vulnerable areas.
By protecting existing forests from clearing or logging activities, these projects preserve the carbon stored in the trees and prevent the release of stored carbon back into the atmosphere. Additionally, trees also help prevent soil erosion, improve water quality, promote biodiversity by providing habitats for various species and support local ecosystems.
For more information about how planting trees can help biodiversity click on the Click a Tree link below, who will tell you more; their B’n’Tree is for Travelers. The concept of B’n’Tree is as simple as it is powerful: Whenever you book a bed via one of their partner links, they plant a tree. For Free! Your booking costs exactly the same. The tree is paid for from the marketing budget of the travel platform, instead of being invested into TV spots or Google Ads:
How Trees Capture Carbon
Trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide to make food through a process known as photosynthesis. During this process, plant cells convert the carbon from CO2 into sugars, which they store in their leaves, roots, and stems and use as fuel for growth.
At the same time, as a by-product of photosynthesis, plants release oxygen back into the atmosphere, thereby creating the carbon cycle that all life depends upon.
Due to their size, trees absorb relatively more CO2 than other plants, which is why they play such an important role in the fight against climate change. The deconstruction of forests worldwide and our dependence on fossil fuels have contributed to an excess of carbon, which acts like a greenhouse, trapping heat and raising global temperatures.
Local Temperatures
As well as absorbing carbon, trees help to reduce temperature levels indirectly through their ability to moderate localized conditions. Their canopies cast shade, which has a marked effect on temperature. Trees also draw up large volumes of water through their roots and release most of it as water vapour through their leaves and stems, a process known as evapotranspiration, which further cools the air.
Companies such as Ecologi, Mossy Earth, Tree Nation, Eden Reforestation Projects, Carbon Neutral Britain and One Tree Planted are all certified projects giving businesses and individuals a chance to make a change, plant trees and look after local and rural areas around the globe. You can also click on the link below for more information:
Plant A Tree in your garden
Even if each of us were to plant just one tree in our garden (or through a plant a tree scheme if you don’t have one), this would make a huge contribution to the fight against global warming.
In fact, some studies suggest that it may be more effective than the planting of dense forest, which current research shows may not be as useful in reducing temperatures as smaller deciduous woodlands, particularly in cool and temperate regions. The benefits increase if we add shrubs and flowering plants, which in some cases can trap other air-borne pollutants too.
Choosing a tree for your garden
The first step to planting a tree is to match your site and soil with a tree that will be happy in your garden. Also check the final height and spread to make sure there is enough space for it to grow.
All trees, however small, will cast shade. Consider where and when the sun hits your garden and place a ladder or other tall structure where you plan to site the tree to see exactly where the shade will fall throughout the day. Beware of planting close to your property, as the root system of most trees is usually equal to the width of the canopy. Leave a gap between your tree and your boundary too as the soil close to walls and fences tends to be in a rain shadow and very dry, which will hinder that plant’s growth. The canopy will also spread over your neighbour’s garden, which may cause problems as it matures. Also make sure that the tree does not block the sun from your neighbour’s garden, Planting it closer to your seating areas may actually provide more privacy from their windows.
A Guide to planting a Tree in your garden
Leave the tree in its pot in a bucket of water for about an hour to soak the rootball. Meanwhile dig a hole three times as wide as the pot and the same depth. Use a fork to loosen the soil around the sides of the hole.
Place the tree in the hole and using a cane laid across the top check that the point where the roots meet the stem will be level with or slightly proud of the surface.
Remove the tree from its pot and use your fingers to gently loosen the roots coiled around the side of the rootball. Place in the hole.
Fill in with soil around the rootball and use your toe to gently press it down to remove any air pockets. Water well – apply a 5-7cm (2-3 inches) layer of organic material, such as bark chips or well-rotted compost, as a mulch over the rootball, leaving 10cm (4 inch) gap around the stem.
Large trees will need staking, hammer in a sturdy stake at a 45 degree angle on the side of the tree opposite to the prevailing wind direction. Attach with a tree tie.
Water trees regularly during dry spells for 3-5 years after planting to ensure good root growth, Drench the area once or twice a week so that the water reaches the roots at lower levels rather than giving small quantities more often, as this can encourage roots to grow towards the surface where the soil is dryer.
Renewable energy projects
Renewable energy projects are instrumental in offsetting carbon emissions by providing clean and sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel-based energy generation. Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal and biomass do not release carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases during electricity generation.
When renewable energy sources are integrated into the grid and utilized for electricity generation, there is a corresponding reduction in the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas, leading to significant carbon emission reductions. By transitioning from fossil fuel-based power plants to renewable energy sources, we can significantly reduce carbon emissions associated with electricity production.
Projects such as Hornsea One’s wind farm in the UK, Three Gorges’s hydroelectric power plant in China and The Sweihan Photovoltaic Independent Power Project in Abu Dhabi are just a few of the world’s largest renewable energy projects working towards the same carbon offsetting goal.
Methane capture projects
Methane capture projects contribute significantly to offsetting carbon emissions by reducing the release of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere.
Methane has a much higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide over shorter time frames, making it crucial to address its emissions. It is emitted from various sources, including landfills, wastewater treatment plants, agricultural operations (such as livestock farming and manure management) and energy production facilities (such as coal mines and oil and gas operations).
These projects focus on capturing methane gas, that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere, and converting them into usable energy, such as electricity or heat.
Energy efficiency initiatives
Energy efficiency initiatives are also crucial in offsetting carbon emissions as they reduce the amount of energy consumed to deliver a specific service or meet a particular need. By optimising energy use and minimising wasteful practices, energy efficiency helps lower the demand for energy generation, resulting in reduced carbon emissions overall.
By implementing energy efficiency initiatives across sectors, we can achieve significant carbon emissions reductions while also realizing cost savings, improving energy security, and promoting sustainable development.
Before investing in any offsetting project, you need to really ensure their credibility and transparency. Usually, these projects will have some sort of independent third-party organisations’ certification. These organizations verify that the projects adhere to established standards and that the carbon reductions or removals are accurately measured and reported. No matter which approach you choose, offsetting your carbon emissions is a great way to take action on climate change and do your part to create a more sustainable future.
It’s important to note that carbon offsetting should not be considered a substitute for reducing emissions at the source. The primary focus should always be on implementing measures to minimize emissions through energy efficiency, transitioning to renewable energy sources, adopting sustainable practices, and making changes in consumption patterns. Carbon offsetting should be seen as a complementary strategy to achieve carbon neutrality while efforts are made to reduce emissions directly. To find out what you can do to reduce your own carbon footprint, check out this helpful guide from the Energy Saving Trust Organisation.
getting started
If you’re looking to offset your carbon emissions, or want more information about energy saving devices and how to save money and the planet, check out my previous article with suggestions about how to get started:
Related – COP26: WHAT IS IT AND HOW CAN YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
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