Articles tagged with: Carbon Emission
Posted in Earth, Global warming on 17 July 2008
Until now most of us used to think that the way we travel affects our environment the most. This view is now kicked out by a 408-page report prepared by none other than.
United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It raises concerns over people’s eating habits that (as is found out by FAO researchers) contribute more to global warming than the whole of US Transport sector taken as one single unit! It is disturbing to note that animal husbandry-meat and dairy, used in making burgers (and the way burgers are being made generally) has so far contributed in rising temperatures and resultant climate change as according to the FAO report, the greenhouse gas emission accounted by this industry and burger making per se is about 18%. The report also said that “the Earth, and all who reside here, are in grave peril like never before”. Another said news from the non-veg camp. Concerns over Salmonella and E.coli attacks and other dangerously fatal diseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (a human variant of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy commonly known as Mad Cow Disease) have always loomed large enough to promote healthy eating habits among people. But never before has been the need to convert into a green diet (vegan diet/eco-friendly diet) more than now, when our Planet’s well-being is at stake!
The report advocates the moral and ethical responsibility that we all have towards our Mother Earth and our existence on it (as such). The need of the hour is definitely to change our eating habits. Predictions by this report say that we can eradicate about 20% of global warming by simply switching to a plant based diet. Not only this, the small change will also take care of other environmental issues like top soil erosion, deforestation and even the ever-worsening problem of water pollution besides being health for our arteries. So, next time u crave for a burger go for the veggie one and save your lungs besides your heart. In doing so you will also ensure a much smaller carbon footprint than one left by eating fatty non-veg burgers!
Via EconomicsTimes
Posted in Earth, Ocean, Pollution on 4 July 2008
Rising CO2 levels is just not a nuisance for those living above the seas but for those dwelling underneath oceans as well. So far, the focus is shifted more towards the implication of increased levels of this gas in atmosphere; concerns on Global Warming thus being voiced by Governments and Public alike every other day. But oceanographers have warned that there’s another reason to check our carbon emissions as more carbon dioxide in the air means more of it in our oceans and seas. Most of us don’t realize that oceans are the absorbing-pits of this green house gas. As per an estimate, the world’s oceans have absorbed 40 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions produced by humans in the industrial age. And more and more CO2 in oceans is becoming a threat to Coral reefs - nature’s most lively and intricate architecture. Since the time Earth’s landscape comprised of nothing more than huge primordial soup in hot water bodies, these corals are being formed and today they are important for the healthy survival of other marine flora and fauna.
Some might say that, since oceans are there to suck up all that CO2 why should we bother about cutting back our emissions? The reason being ocean waters originally basic in nature (pH wise) are becoming highly acidic day by day, rendering it unfit for the creatures like corals. Already the acidity of ocean waters has shifted about 0.1 on the pH scale, or 10 percent, since pre-industrial times, and could get far more acidic by mid-century. So, besides aggravating global warming, increasing CO2 level is contributing towards ocean acidification. Scientists predict that if we continue to burn fossil fuels at this rate, the acidification process will acquire dangerous proportions. If the current carbon emission rate is not checked over the next decade, marine life including coral reefs will face extinction threat. Think about a scenario where the Great Barrier Reef (Australia) and other famous coral reefs get destroyed. Not only the loss would be incurred upon tourism industry but the ecological impact would far reaching and very drastic.
Already the situation is pretty serious with WWF clearly stating that G8 countries are unable to check their emissions. To overcome this problem measures taken by only G8 countries aren’t enough. People all over the world should unite and work synergistically to protect our natural assets for coming generations.
Via BlogWired
Posted in Eco-Friendly, Efficiency, Energy, Environment, Fuel, Global warming, Green, Infrastructure, Pollution, public transport on 21 June 2008
All you nature lovers out there you ought to do this if you haven’t done this so far!
Well, I am talking about calculating your carbon footprint. The latter is an exercise done to find out one’s current fuel emissions. That is to say, if you say you are an eco-friendly dude then take this test and prove it that you are!! You don’t have to face brain teasers. Just fill a questionnaire comprising simple Q’s on basics, transportation, home energy, waste. Honestly answers the questions and the rest job will be done by the carbon calculator. The latter is courtesy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
A spreadsheet version (Microsoft Excel, 63kb) of the calculator is also available; it includes descriptions of the formulas used in each step of the calculator. If your score comes out to be high then there’s help at hand as well. Ways to reduce the size of your footprint on road and at home are also suggested. I wont write any more now…because am I going to find out what’s my footprint….right away!!!
Via NewsDay