Human activities emit vast amounts of carbon every single day, and that carbon gets trapped in the atmosphere like a “blanket” that covers the earth. That traps heat from the sun within our environment, which causes global warming. Global warming is an issue because it changes the surface of our earth in the worst ways. One of the most prominent examples is the melting of the ice caps. As the ice caps melt, species that call these home will slowly go extinct (i.e., seals, polar bears, penguins, etc.), and if they go extinct, this affects the entire food chain and ecosystem. We need to start exploring ways to be carbon negative to help reduce the negative impacts of climate change.
But this is only one small portion of global warming. The long-term effects are much worse. For example, freshwater will become scarce, natural habitats impacted, resulting in more species becoming extinct, an increase in natural disasters, and rising sea levels that can displace millions of people. Everyone will be impacted by global warming, and that’s why it is so crucial to start cutting down our carbon emissions. Carbon offsets are a great way to start but cutting back on our actual emissions is even better.
Well, it’s physically impossible to cut all carbon emissions. We emit carbon in our daily lives through transportation, purchasing food and products, and even breathing! So clearly, we can’t just cut all carbon emissions. However, to be carbon negative means to offset more carbon than you produce.
The easiest way to offset more carbon than you produce without disrupting your daily life would be to invest in carbon offsets. Carbon offsets are any product that offsets carbon emissions, like planting trees, using hydropower, solar power, or wind power. Purchasing a carbon offset means you are investing in these eco-friendly systems that will help save our earth.
But taking it a step further, you can begin cutting out carbon as much as possible in your daily life. Here are examples of how to reduce carbon in your daily life.
We know that fossil fuels are the number one producer of carbon, and that means our gas-powered vehicles are a big contributing factor. Though it may not be possible for everyone to bike, walk, or ride the bus, it is an excellent way to reduce our emissions. Recently, more affordable electric vehicles have been coming into the market. This is another excellent way to reduce emissions. An electric vehicle can be charged at home, and the average person only travels 25 miles per day. EV’s are usually equipped to go at least 300 miles before needing a charge, which is plenty for a daily commuting vehicle.
It isn’t obvious, but the fruits and vegetables at the supermarket that aren’t in season have to travel a long way to get to us. That means emissions are tied to the food we consume by plane, boat, or vehicle. If we choose to eat locally grown food, this is food that’s in the area and didn’t require a massive amount of carbon emissions to get to our tables. This is a great way to help the environment. (And it’s usually fresher and tastier too!)
Much like the food we buy, our clothing takes gallons of water (about 20% of wastewater worldwide comes from clothing), and 87% of the fiber used to create that clothing ends up in a landfill where it releases methane which is as dangerous as carbon. Our clothing leaves a huge carbon footprint, and the best way to reduce it is to purchase clothing you’ll be keeping. And if you need to get rid of it, send it to a thrift store so it can be reused. If you need new clothes, try thrifting. At an amazingly low price, you can find top brands like Nike, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, and more at a thrift store. Give it a try.
Many electricity companies now offer completely green plans. That means the energy you use is generated using eco-friendly ways. Like solar power, wind power, and hydropower. Power Wizard is an affiliate of the NextEra Energy Resources organization, which is a world leader in clean energy. This is a great way to move away from fossil fuels and lower your carbon footprint.
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