What is CO2?
CO2 is the chemical symbol for carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases are the gases present in the Earth’s atmosphere that stop heat escaping into space, keeping the planet warm enough for life. CO2 is probably the most significant of the greenhouse gases as it accounts for the largest proportion of the 'trace gases' in the atmosphere. It is thought that it's been in the atmosphere for over 4 billion of the Earth's 4.6 billion year geological history.
How is it created?
Atmospheric CO2 comes from a number of natural sources, mainly the decay of plants, volcanic eruptions and as a waste product of animal respiration.
It is removed from the atmosphere by dissolving in water (especially the surface of oceans) and through photosynthesis in plants. This is when plants use light energy, CO2, and H2O to make sugar.
The amount of CO2 taken out of the atmosphere is almost perfectly balanced with the amount put back into the atmosphere by respiration and decay. Small changes as a result of human activities can have a large impact on this delicate balance.
Why have CO2 levels increased over the last two hundred years?
Nobody knows for certain, but it is generally believed that an increase in the use of fossil fuels is responsible. Since the Industrial Revolution we have burnt fossil fuels to provide our light, heat and to run our cars. The trouble is that when we burn fossil fuels, we release CO2 into the atmosphere.
This has resulted in the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere increasing by more than 30%.
The best case scenario for the increase in CO2 emissions predicts that the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere will reach double the level of before the Industrial Revolution, in 2100. The worst case scenario brings this forward to 2045.
What happens if there is too much carbon in the atmosphere?
If there is too much CO2 in the atmosphere it increases the "greenhouse effect", trapping heat that would normally escape into the atmosphere. This causes the planet to heat up, which is believed to be the cause of climate change. Climate change is widely predicted to have a devastating impact upon the planet and people around the world.
What is your carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases we produce. It is measured in units of CO2.
The average person’s carbon footprint in the UK is 9,400 kg, that's nearly nine and half tonnes!
Roshan Seebundhun, Architect
Reference http://www.co2now.org/
385.92ppm Atmospheric CO2 recorded for August 2009.
ReplyDeleteReducing CO2 Emission is a facing challenge towards sustainability.
What would be the necessary steps towards a 350 ppm mark?
(10 marks)
We need to stop taking carbon out of the ground and putting it into the air. Above all, that means we need to stop burning so much coal—and start using solar and wind energy and other such sources of renewable energy –while ensuring the Global South a fair chance to develop. If we do, then the earth’s soils and forests will slowly cycle some of that extra carbon out of the atmosphere, and eventually CO2 concentrations will return to a safe level. By decreasing use of other fossil fuels, and improving agricultural and forestry practices around the world, scientists believe we could get back to 350 by mid-century. But the longer we remain in the danger zone—above 350—the more likely that we will see disastrous and irreversible climate impacts. [solutions images]
ReplyDeleteIn the early 1990's, the CO2 emission exceeded the 350ppm mark.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the main cause and how can it be remedied?
what is the 350ppm mark?????
ReplyDeleteThe upper safety limit for atmospheric CO2 is 350 parts per million (ppm). Atmospheric CO2 levels have stayed higher than 350 ppm since early 1988.
ReplyDeleteIn a December 2007 paper by NASA scientist Jim Hansen (and others), which identifies 350 ppm as the concentration at which carbon levels would have to stabilize in order to minimize climate-change impacts.
ReplyDelete350: That is the level to which Hansen believes we need to reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide (and by implication, other greenhouse gases) in the atmosphere if we want to avoid a series of catastrophic climate tipping points.
There are many simple things you can do in your daily life to prevent carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere — what you eat, what you drive, how you build your home — that can have an effect on your immediate surrounding. Here is a list of few things that you can do to make a difference.
Use Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
Replace 3 frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.
Inflate Your Tires
Keep the tires on your car adequately inflated. Check them monthly. Save 250 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.
Change Your Air Filter
Check your car's air filter monthly. Save 800 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.
Fill the Dishwasher
Run your dishwasher only with a full load. Save 100 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.
Use Recycled Paper
Make sure your printer paper is 100% post consumer recycled paper. Save 5 lbs. of carbon dioxide per ream of paper.
Check Your Waterheater
Keep your water heater thermostat no higher than 120°F. Save 550 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.
Change the AC Filter
Clean or replace dirty air conditioner filters as recommended. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.
Take Shorter Showers
Showers account for 2/3 of all water heating costs. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.
Buy Products Locally
Buy locally and reduce the amount of energy required to drive your products to your store.
Buy Minimally Packaged Goods
Less packaging could reduce your garbage by about 10%. Save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.
Buy a Hybrid Car
The average driver could save 16,000 lbs. of CO2 per year driving a hybrid car.
Buy a Fuel Efficient Car
Getting a few extra miles per gallon makes a big difference. Save thousands of lbs. of CO2 and a lot of money per year.
Don't Idle in Your Car
Idling wastes money and gas, and generates pollution and global warming causing emissions. Except when in traffic, turn your engine off if you must wait for more than 30 seconds.
Reduce Garbage
Buy products with less packaging and recycle paper, plastic and glass. Save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.
Plant a Tree
Trees suck up carbon dioxide and make clean air for us to breathe. Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.
Replace Old Appliances
Inefficient appliances waste energy. Save hundreds of lbs. of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars per year.
Use a Push Mower
Use your muscles instead of fossil fuels and get some exercise. Save 80 lbs of carbon dioxide per year.
Unplug Un-Used Electronics
Even when electronic devices are turned off, they use energy. Save over 1,000 lbs of carbon dioxide.
Buy Organic Food
The chemicals used in modern agriculture pollute the water supply, and require energy to produce.
Bring Cloth Bags to the Market
Using your own cloth bag instead of plastic or paper bags reduces waste and requires no additional energy.
We all know the effects and impacts of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.It is a major contributing factor in global warmings and climate degradation which results in natural calamities and other abonormalities in the functions of the world.
ReplyDeleteThe emergency in reducing carbon dioxide emissions has never been that alarming as it is today. The need to make a change now,is extremely important.
The Benefits of Reducing Greenhouse-Gas Emissions:
Human activities—industry, transportation, power generation, and land use—
produce large quantities of greenhouse gases. Those gases are accumulating in the
atmosphere more rapidly than natural processes can remove them. Atmospheric
concentrations of CO2, for example, have risen from 280 parts per million in the
preindustrial era to about 380 parts per million today. The result of that and other
greenhouse-gas accumulation has been a gradual warming of the global climate:
Average temperatures have already increased by about 0.8°C (1.4°F).
Incentive-Based Approaches to Reducing Emissions
ReplyDeleteAny effort to limit CO2 emissions would have two principal effects: It would produce
long-term economic benefits by avoiding some future climate-related damage,
and it would impose immediate economic costs by reducing the use of fossilfuels.
The two main incentive-based approaches to reducing CO2 emissions are to tax
such emissions or to establish a cap-and-trade program for them. Under a tax, a
levy would be imposed on CO2 emissions or on the carbon content of goods
(which is ultimately released in the form of CO2). Under a cap-and-trade program,
policymakers would set a limit (the cap) on total emissions during some period
and would require regulated entities to hold rights, or allowances, to the emissions
permitted under that cap. After allowances were initially distributed, entities
would be free to buy and sell them (the trade part of the program). Reducing emissions
to the level required by the cap would be accomplished mainly by stemming
demand for carbon-based energy through increasing its price.2 The size of the
required price increase would depend on the extent to which emissions had to be
reduced—larger reductions would require larger price increases to reduce demand
sufficiently.
ways to reduce carbon emissions:
ReplyDelete1. Buy organic and local. Yes, there's a reason to buy organic other than pleasing your really granola mother-in-law: The chemicals used in much of modern agriculture pollute the water supply and require energy to produce. Local foods also reduce the amount of energy required to drive your products to the store. Oh, and while you're at it, bring cloth bags to the market to help reduce waste.
2. Air dry your clothes. Line-drying clothes during the non-rainy months instead of using a dryer can save 700 pounds
Advertisementof carbon dioxide, and, as a bonus, $75 a year.
3. Change light bulbs. "Compact fluorescent bulbs have such a terrible name, but they use 66 percent less energy," says David. Replacing just three frequently used bulbs in your home can save 300 pounds of carbon dioxide and $60 a year.
4. Go hybrid, or at least think about MPG. "Look, we're all car owners — you have to consider these hybrid cars," says David. And for good reason: the average hybrid driver could save 16,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Off-setting their higher sticker price is the fact that they can also save $3,750 in gas money. "Short of that, another big thing is to ask, when you buy a car, (think) about its mileage. That's number one in my book," adds David.
5. Inflate car tires and change the air filter. Improperly inflated tires can waste as much as 250 pounds of carbon dioxide a year and $840 in gas money. A tired air filter can also waste 800 pounds of carbon dioxide and $130 a year. Check both monthly.
6. Check the water heater or go tankless. Keeping a water heater thermostat at no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit saves money and reduces emissions. Insulating the water heater adds additional savings. Switching to a tankless water heater is even better, saving 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year and $390.
7. Consider the shower. With showers accounting for two-thirds of all water heating costs, shorter time sudsing it up can save up to 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Installing a low-flow showerhead saves another 350 pounds of carbon dioxide.
8. Unplug appliances. Even when a plugged-in electronic appliance is turned off, it can use energy. Play it safe and unplug them, and save more than 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide and $256 a year.
9. Adjust the thermostat. Just two degrees up in summer and two degrees down in winter can save a whopping 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide and $98 a year.
10. Plant a tree. What better way to go green than by planting a tree? Trees help suck up the carbon dioxide, provide cleaner air, and save 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
so a small action from everyone towards reducing CO2 emissions is a huge step in saving the planet and our civilisation.
ReplyDeleteTAKE CARE OF THE PLANET AND IT WILL TAKE CARE OF US!!!
Building solar arrays instead of coal world .It means planting trees instead of clear cutting rainforests, it means increasing effeciency and decreasing our waste .
ReplyDeleteFurther we need a movement of people who care enough about our shared global future to get involved and make their voices heard
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ReplyDeleteHow do we create the political change to steer towards 350?
We need an international agreement to reduce carbon emissions fast, and 2009 might be our best shot.
The United Nations is working on a global climate treaty, which is supposed to be completed in December of 2009 at a conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. But the current plans for the treaty are much too weak to get us back to safety. This treaty needs to put a high enough price on carbon that we stop using so much. It also needs to ensure poor countries a fair chance to develop.
This year, we can create a grassroots movement connected by the web and active all over the world.
We can hold our decision-makers accountable to producing a treaty that is strong, equitable, and grounded in the latest science. On 24 October, we're holding a Global Day of Climate Action to do just this.
If this global movement succeeds, we can get the world on track to get back to 350 and back to climate safety. It won't be easy, that's why we need all the help we can get.
*
How do we get the world on track to get to 350?
We need an international agreement to reduce carbon emissions fast. The United Nations is working on a treaty, which is supposed to be completed in December of 2009 at a conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. But the current plans for the treaty are much too weak to get us back to safety. This treaty needs to put a high enough price on carbon that we stop using so much. It also needs to make sure that poor countries are ensured a fair chance to develop.
*
How do we actually reduce carbon emissions to get to 350?
Make no mistake—getting back to 350 means transforming our world. It means building solar arrays instead of coal plants, it means planting trees instead of clear-cutting rainforests, it means increasing efficiency and decreasing our waste. Getting to 350 means developing a thousand different solutions—all of which will become much easier if we have a global treaty grounded in the latest science and built around the principles of equity and justice. To get this kind of treaty, we need a movement of people who care enough about our shared global future to get involved and make their voices heard.
*
Will this thing work? Will world leaders listen?
Only if we're loud enough.
If we can make this number known across the planet, that mere fact will exert some real pressure on negotiators. We need people to understand that 350 marks either success or failure for these climate negotiations. It's not an easy fight—the other side has the power of the fossil fuel industry. But we think the voice of ordinary people will be heard, if it's loud enough. That's all of our job—to make enough noise that we can't be easily ignored.
350ppm: NASA's Maximum Carbon Dioxide Level for the Earth - Where Do We Stand?
ReplyDeleteA few years ago, scientists in the Arctic made a startling discovery. They noticed that the Arctic ice was melting. This alone wasn't surprising. The scientists expected the Arctic ice to be melting, as they were well aware of rising global temperatures. However, it was the speed at which the ice was melting that was so surprising.
The Arctic ice was melting at a rate that far exceeded even the most pessimistic climate models at the time. It was clear that the models of climate change at the time were already obsolete. Some kind of threshold had been passed and climate change was progressing at a rate far faster than expected. This was evident not only in the melting Arctic ice, but it was echoed in many other aspects of the world climate. For instance, at the same time the ice was melting, methane levels in the atmosphere were skyrocketing (as the result of the Arctic tundra thawing).
Around this time, scientists at NASA released information they had been compiling and announced a figure that has been described as "the most important number in the world." According to NASA's figures, the maximum amount of carbon dioxide (the primary greenhouse gas) that can be supported safely by the earth's atmosphere is 350ppm (parts per million). As long as the amount of carbon dioxide doesn't exceed 350ppm, the earth will be able to sustain life as it has for thousands of years.
So, how close are we to reaching the maximum of 350ppm? We've already left it in our dust. Currently, carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere sit at 390ppm. The rapidly melting ice was a sign that the global climate is changing far faster than anyone expected. The implications of this are frightening. We no longer need to change our ways with the goal of preventing catastrophic climate change from happening in the future. We're well past that point. Global warming is a reality and we now need to find ways to not only prevent it from getting worse, but also to fix the extensive damage that has already been done to the planet.
Unfortunately, our politicians are lagging behind when it comes to making any real change a reality. At the G8 summit earlier this year, the leaders of the G8 nations (including Barack Obama) worked on a deal that would limit the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to 450ppm. That won't be good enough.
We're already above NASA's limit of 350ppm, but that doesn't mean we are all doomed. Think of it this way -- it isn't healthy to eat to much that you weigh 400 pounds, but it's not necessarily a death sentence. It's possible to start to eat healthy foods, start exercising and get your weight back under control. That's what we need to do with our planet. Unfortunately, our leaders only seem interested in half-heartedly starting a fad diet.
We’ve been there: atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) of 350 parts per million (ppm). On this day twenty years ago, when Dr. James Hansen of NASAs Goddard Institute of Space Studies warned the US Congress of global warming forced by greenhouse gases emitted through human activities, CO2 stood at 350 ppm. That was then. Today it is up to 385 ppm. Sixteen years after the UN Convention on Climate Change was agreed upon to stabilize greenhouse gases at a level preventing dangerous human interference with the climate system, global carbon emissions are still increasing – more rapidly than ever. We are well on our way to 450 ppm and beyond.
ReplyDeleteWhat does the best science tell us?
Until recently, scientific consensus set the safe zone to avoid the worst effects of climate change at 450 ppm. But today, the latest science tells us the danger zone may already begin at 350 ppm. Catastrophic effects cannot be ruled out if levels above 350 ppm are maintained for a long time.
What does this mean?
We’ve gone too far – in a dangerous direction. Now we know enough. To act now. To foresee and forestall any risk of massive and irreversible damage to the earth and all its inhabitants for generations to come, we must reduce atmospheric CO2 to levels below 350 ppm. Scientific insights bring political responsibilities. We need leadership that respects the planetary boundaries of life. We, the signatories of this message from all continents, call upon all nations in the ongoing climate negotiations to adopt 350 as the target to be reached peacefully and deliberately, with all possible speed. 350 is one of our planet’s boundary conditions. It should not have been transgressed. We must go back for a future:
<350
Essential to maintain human and planetary well-being
Remember this number for the rest of your life.
****< 350****
What is being done locally and how can us contribute to keep the 350ppm, in the local context ?
ReplyDeleteAtmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) have increased steadily since the beginning of the industrial revolution
ReplyDeleteand these levels are projected to increase even more rapidly as the global economy grows. Significant climate
changes are very likely associated with increased atmospheric concentrations of certain gases, most
significantly CO2.Given the complexity of a carbon-constrained energy
portfolio and its associated economic issues, integrated governmental, industrial, technological, and societal
approaches are required to control and reduce CO2 emissions.
How do we actually reduce carbon emissions to get to 350?
Make no mistake—getting back to 350 means transforming our world. It means building solar arrays instead of coal plants, it means planting trees instead of clear-cutting rainforests, it means increasing efficiency and decreasing our waste. Getting to 350 means developing a thousand different solutions—all of which will become much easier if we have a global treaty grounded in the latest science and built around the principles of equity and justice. To get this kind of treaty, we need a movement of people who care enough about our shared global future to get involved and make their voices heard.
Definitely, the level of emission of carbon dioxide is a threat to not only local environment but also internationally. So, there are many ways of reducing the emission to the level of 350ppm but people must do it to achieve the required level. This can be done individuals and also by the government. Below are some measures to be able to achieve it:
ReplyDeletei personally think that there should be more awareness campaign to sensitize people about the bad effects of CO2 in a first stage. people who already know about the bad effects of CO2 should transmit this to their children. secondly, i think people should be encouraged to plant trees in their yard. but it can be seen that in some places in Mauritius there are not enough spaces to plant trees. and i think people involed in giving permit for construction are to be blamed. however, this can still be changed now. Sparing a certain percentage for green areas should be mandatory for anyone going for construction and this should be CLOSELY monitored. there should also be responsible people to do regular site visits to ensure that the percentage dedicated for green areas is being respected. in addition, in compact areas such as Port Louis, there should be lanes dedicated only for bicycle or pedestrians. this will tend to make people walk or cycle for short distances. we can also make drivers pay for specific accesses in the country thus discouraging them using their vehicles. moreover, proper and more frequent servicing should be done to vehicles so as to reduce CO2 emissions. i also believe that the governement should make vehicles running with either electric or any other non pulluting fuel, more accessible to people. this can be done by decreasing the charges on road tax and registration. Governement should make non polluting vehicles more reachable to people. people from the Ministry of Environment should be more vigilant with respect to factories emitting harmful gases and proper actions should be taken against them irrespective of who owns the factory. there should also be other alternatives to plastic bags. recycled paper can be used. instead of increasing prices of plastic bags, it should completely be taken out of the market and introduce paper bags. in mauritius we are just monitoring the level of CO2, but nothing is "really" being done to decrease the level. we, students we are being informed of it, but do the people outside know about this? when was the last time that we saw something about this on the publicity board??? however, we only see proud advertisement of the latest cars which unfortunately still run with polluting fuel. During this year we saw the Toyota Prius, but we only need our hands to count how many of them we have on our roads. They are too expensive. so what is the use of saying the "Environment Friendly" car has come, but still we have "Environment Enemy" cars everywhere. i strongly believe that the governement should set the examples. People must now be more conscious about thier environment and this can be achieved by informing them regularly through the media.
ReplyDeleteEnergy Production with less CO2 production
ReplyDeleteThe very essence of energy release from fossil fuels is the exothermic chemical reaction of Carbon and Oxygen to form Carbon dioxide. CO2 is an inevitable outcome of the process. So if we have to reduce CO2 we have to either stop burning Carbon or burn Carbon more efficiently.
The immediate recourse is to operate power plants at the best efficiency to reduce fuel input per unit of energy.
The next is to invest in technologies that improve the level of efficiency in coal fired thermal power plants from the current 35% level to the 50% level. Use of the combined cycle in coal fired power plants by coal gasification is one technology that is promising to improve power plant efficiencies.
Converting gas turbines in the open cycle mode to the combined cycle mode increases plant efficiency.
The real reduction in emissions can come only by drastically changing the energy generation mix. From the predominantly fossil fuelled energy mix today we have to go to a nuclear and renewable energy mix. More of wind and solar powered plants together with nuclear plants are the only reasonable and cheaper solutions for energy with reduced emissions.
Considerable investments in plant and technology together with social and political will are essential for this changeover.
Absorption of post combustion CO2-Carbon Capture and Storage
One method is to capture the CO2 before it reaches the atmosphere. This is easier said than done. The method involves the separation of CO2 from the flue gases, piping and storing them in underground or under sea cavities. Many pilot projects of this Carbon Capture and Storage Systems (CCS) are on the anvil.
This is the reverse of what we are doing today. In this system we store the CO2 deep under earth from where we took the fossil fuels.
This Carbon sequestration is a costly process, and we have to wait and see how much society will be willing to pay extra for it.
Global absorption of CO2- Carbon Credits
The other method is to offset higher CO2 emission with lower CO2 emissions in other projects locally or in other countries. This is piggy back riding on those producing less CO2.
The method tries to take into account the global concentration of CO2 instead of individual or localized emission concentrations. The Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol allows countries with an emission-reduction or emission-limitation commitment to implement emission reduction projects in developing countries. These projects should have additional reductions in CO2 emissions than would have been normally possible.
The Certified Emission reductions from these projects are saleable as Carbon Credits. These Carbon credits are used to offset the increased emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases produced in the developed countries.
Buying and selling of Carbon credits have evolved as a billion dollar market.
By these and other methods we hope to see much reduced CO2 emissions by the year 2012 and beyond.
Carbon dioxide emission from building services:-
ReplyDeleteHVAC system
Solution:
Instead of using AC for cool air that emits a large amount of Co2 gas, we can use “Absorption chillers”.
Absorption chillers produce chilled water using heat instead of electricity as the main energy source; they provide an efficient solution in cases where there is surplus heat available and there is a requirement for cooling or air conditioning. Absorption chillers are, therefore, a key technology in district energy and some cogeneration systems as they utilize thermal energy (hot water or steam) that would otherwise be wasted, to produce cooling. Their other advantage is that they operate without the use of environmentally harmful refrigerants such as CFCs and HCFCs. Instead they use a refrigerant/absorbent pairing, typically water and lithium bromide, or ammonia and water. Ammonia has zero global warming impact and has no effect on the ozone layer, making it the most environmentally acceptable refrigerant.
reduction of CO2 in Mauritius
ReplyDeleteMauritius is one of the few countries in the world that can boast of a relatively high share of renewable energy sources in its electricity mix. In a typical year, around 21-23% of the country’s electricity is generated from renewable energy, with hydro-electricity and bagasse contributing roughly 2-4% and 19-21%, respectively.
This have had significant positive impacts on the reduction of greenhouse gases, as well as other pollutants.
The trend in bagasse cogeneration in Mauritius is for co-firing with coal. Since bagasse is not stored, all of it is burned during the crop season, and the difference in electricity generation commitment to the public utility is met by burning coal. Outside of the harvest season, all electricity from cogeneration plants is generated from coal. Over the course of a year, bagasse and coal would typically represent about 35% and 65%, respectively, of electricity production.20 In order to meet demand for electricity, the trend in Mauritius has been a switch in favour of coal, and away from heavy fuel oil.21 For the purposes of calculating the CO2 emission reduction arising from burning bagasse to generate electricity, the grid emission factor of Mauritius has been calculated using the ‘CDM tool to calculate the emission factor for an electricity system’.22 For 2007, the grid emission factor for Mauritius was 1.1773 tCO2/MWh. Using existing technology in Mauritius, avoided CO2 emissions in 2007 were around 408,300 tonnes.23 If all bagasse were burned at the average efficiencies of 374.6 kWh per tonne of bagasse (kWh/TB), avoided emissions in 2007 would have been around 630,705 tonnes of CO2.
Also there is the project of Maurice Ile durable where the country expects to get its energy demands mostly from renewable resources for example wind energy, solar energy or even wave energy.
On a smaller scale, more emphasis is being put upon using catalytic converters in new vehicles and contraventions are being issued to heavily-polluting vehicles.
1. Drive better:
ReplyDeleteAccelerating slowly and smoothly,
Driving the speed limit,
Maintaining a steady speed,
Anticipating your stops and starts.
Run your car efficiently; replace your air, oil and fuel filters according to schedule; keep your tires properly inflated. Use super cars and fuel efficient.
If it done, then more than a ton of CO2 can be reduced.
2. Use bike; work from home; save trip or combine with another later; avoid trip if possible; walk if distance is 1 or 2 km and use internet to communicate instead of moving.
3. Reduce air travel.
4. At home:
Use programmable thermostat,
Use weathersripping caulking,
Lighting – Use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) which are carbonfree and more efficient. It has a long lifetime also.
Heating and Cooling - Keep your heating and cooling system tuned. When it’s time to replace, do your research and ask for changing.
Insulation – Weatherstripping, caulking and insulation work together to save you energy, improve the comfort of your home, make it quieter and help you save money.
Showerheads – These little guys keep the pressure firm while reducing your hot water bill.
Appliances – Always pay attention to the total lifetime cost, including energy—not just the price tag.
Bigger isn’t always better - Just get the size you need and use for a long time.
Electronics – Use them when necessary to minimize energy and CO2 emissions.
Windows – These can be expensive, but when it’s time to replace them, make sure they are well and carbon rated.
Solar – We love solar, but make sure you reduce your energy load first to keep your costs down.
New Home – Make sure you have an energy efficient HOME.
5. In the office:
Turn off lights when you are using your computer.
Turn off lights in unused rooms and install occupancy sensors.
Enable your power management - So your computer and monitor shut down (do this at home, too).
Push the button - Push the power button on your computer monitor. Even while on standby, it still uses energy, so it is useless.
Don’t print - Just mail it if arrangements can be made.
Double-side print - Saves paper, too.
Open up - If you have windows you can open, use them to intelligently save energy.
Bring your lunch - Or walk to the local eatery instead of driving.
6. In your life:
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Donate old electronics to charity.
Donate your old cell phone, PDA, digital camera, or iPod to Recycling for Charities and benefit the charity of your choice!
Stop your junk mail , a nonprofit service that contacts dozens of direct mail companies to remove your name from their lists.
Buy local. Shipping burns fuel.
Eat less meat. If you’re already a vegetarian, you’re saving at least 3,000 pounds of CO2 per year compared to meat eaters. Good going! If you’re not ready to take that step, just increase the number of vegetarian meals you eat each week by one or two. Also, poultry is less greenhouse gas intensive than beef.
“Desiccant cooling systems” are also heat-driven and thus may be powered by gas, solar energy or waste heat such as that from a cogeneration plant. In these systems a desiccant removes moisture from the air, which is then cooled using conventional cooling technologies (evaporative cooling, normal compression type cooling or even an absorption chiller). Heat is then required to dry out (regenerate) the desiccant.
ReplyDeleteDesiccant systems that include evaporative coolers do not use CFCs or HCFCs and reduce peak demand for electricity as they are driven by other heat sources. Desiccant systems can also supplement conventional air conditioning by displacing the humidity load from the main system, reducing energy requirements and allowing the use of smaller plant. Controlling humidity in buildings is a key function.
Under the Desiccant Cooling Program it is estimated that the use of these systems could produce reductions of up to 24 million tonnes of CO2 per annum by 2010 as well improving indoor air quality in buildings.
In order to reduce C02 emission, we don't need to return to the primitive age. Technology has been our evolution,using the appropriate technologies should fit our present context.
To claim global warming stopped in 1998 overlooks one simple physical reality - the land and atmosphere are just a small fraction of the Earth's climate. The entire planet is accumulating heat due to an energy imbalance. The atmosphere is warming. Oceans are accumulating energy. Land absorbs energy and ice absorbs heat to melt.
ReplyDeleteAnalysis performed in An observationally based energy balance for the Earth since 1950, adds up heat content from the ocean, atmosphere, land and ice. To calculate the Earth's total heat content, the authors used data of ocean heat content from the upper 700 meters. They included heat content from deeper waters down to 3000 meters depth. They computed atmospheric heat content using the surface temperature record and the heat capacity of the troposphere. Land and ice heat content (e.g. - the energy required to melt ice) were also included.
A look at the Earth's total heat content clearly shows global warming has continued past 1998. The planet is still accumulating heat. So why do surface temperature records show 1998 as the hottest year on record? The heat capacity of the land and atmosphere is small compared to the ocean. Hence, relatively small exchanges of heat between the atmosphere and ocean can cause significant changes in surface temperature.
In 1998, an abnormally strong El Nino caused heat transfer from the Pacific Ocean to the atmosphere. Consequently, we experienced above average surface temperatures. Conversely, the last few years have seen moderate La Nina conditions which had a cooling effect on global temperatures. And the last few months have swung back to warmer El Nino conditions. This internal variation where heat is shuffled around our climate is the reason why surface temperature is such a noisy signal.
7. Plant trees which will absorb carbon dioxide.
ReplyDelete8. Reduce garbage and use recycling at a maximum.
9. Tax on the vehicles exhausting high level of carbon dioxide.
10. Use renewable resources (solar panels).
11. Stop pollution.
12. Government initiatives and amend new legal system to reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions.
IT BEGINS WITH YOU.
By all means, swap out your regular light bulbs for compact fluorescents, take the bus, weatherize your home and install solar panels on your roof. Tell your government to give the nuclear industry everything it wants so it starts building reactors again. But while doing all that to reduce the world's energy use and cut emissions of greenhouse gases, keep in mind: even if we scale up existing technologies to mind-bending levels, such as finishing one nuclear plant every other day for the next 40 years, we'll still fall short of how much low-carbon energy will be needed to keep atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide below what scientists now recognize as the point of no return.
ReplyDeleteAs the world gets closer to a consensus that we need to slash CO2 emissions, a debate is raging over whether we can achieve the required cuts by scaling up existing technologies or whether we need "transformational" scientific breakthroughs. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which assesses the causes, magnitude and impacts of global warming, said in 2007 that "currently available" technologies and those on the cusp of commercialization can bring enough zero-carbon energy online to avoid catastrophic climate change. In the opposite corner is the Department of Energy, which later, in December concluded that we need breakthroughs in physics and chemistry that are "beyond our present reach" in order to triple the efficiency of solar panels.
The above mentioned, is also the view of energy chemist Nate Lewis of the California Institute of Technology. Lewis states that “most scientists are working on energy, but they are not anywhere close to where they need to be. Most of us are too focused on cutting emissions 20 percent by 2020—but we can always shave 20 percent off" through, efficiency and conservation. By focusing on easy, near-term cuts, we may miss the boat on what's needed by 2050, when CO2 emissions will have to be 80 percent below today's to keep atmospheric levels no higher than 450 parts per million.
ReplyDeleteLewis's numbers show the enormous challenge we face. The world used 14 trillion watts of power in 2006. Assuming minimal population growth (to 9 billion people), slow economic growth (1.6 percent a year, practically recession level) and—this is key—unprecedented energy efficiency (improvements of 500 percent relative to current U.S. levels, worldwide), it will use 28 terawatts in 2050. (In a business-as-usual scenario, we would need 45 terawatts.) Simple physics shows that in order to keep CO2 to 450 ppm, 26.5 of those terawatts must be zero-carbon. That's a lot of solar, wind, hydro, biofuels and nuclear, especially since renewable kicked in a measly 0.2 terawatts in 2006 and nuclear provided 0.9 terawatts.
Hence the need for Nobel-caliber discoveries. Lewis's research is on artificial photosynthesis, in which a material (to be determined, thus the research) absorbs sunlight and water and produces hydrogen for fuel but zero CO2. "If we could figure out how to make and deploy such a system, the capacity would be essentially infinite," he says. Another need is for transmission lines that don't leak 80 percent of what they carry, says physicist David Pines of the University of California, Davis. "The technology is not remotely there," he says. "We're going to have to discover yet another family of superconductors [which do not lose current] that are easily made into wires" and that work at the temperature of liquid nitrogen, a coolant.
Carbon dioxide (chemical formula CO2) is a chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom. It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure and exists in Earth's atmosphere in this state. CO2 is a trace gas being only 0.038% of the atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteCarbon dioxide is used by plants during photosynthesis to make sugars, which may either be consumed in respiration or used as the raw material to produce other organic compounds needed for plant growth and development. It is produced during respiration by plants, and by all animals, fungi and microorganisms that depend either directly or indirectly on plants for food. It is thus a major component of the carbon cycle. Carbon dioxide is generated as a by-product of the combustion of fossil fuels or the burning of vegetable matter, among other chemical processes. Small amounts of carbon dioxide are emitted from volcanoes and other geothermal processes such as hot springs and geysers and by the dissolution of carbonates in crustal rocks. While millions of people tap into Google without a thought for the environment, a typical search generates about 7g of carbon dioxide. Boiling a kettle generates about 15g.
As of March 2009, carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere is at a concentration of 387 ppm by volume. Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide fluctuate slightly with the change of the seasons, driven primarily by seasonal plant growth in the Northern Hemisphere. Concentrations of carbon dioxide fall during the northern spring and summer as plants consume the gas, and rise during the northern autumn and winter as plants go dormant, die and decay. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas as it transmits visible light but absorbs strongly in the infrared and near-infrared.
Currently, our atmosphere carries over 387 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide – the leading cause of global climate change. Our top climate scientists have indicated that a safe climate future rests at 350 ppm (or less).
A way to reduce the carbon dioxide emission is to plant trees and create green buildings so that the carbon dioxide the building in releasing is absorb by the trees. Also encourage people to have some plants in their yard at home as well in office. We should introduce a more efficient ways of transport to reduce the number of vehicles on road emitting CO2 so this would help a lot to reduce the carbon dioxide of 387 ppm to 350 ppm.
As mentioned earlier, fossil fuels since human era has been the greatest source of co2 emission. It has been continuously exploited and is being currently continued.
ReplyDeleteSince last few decades, we seen that our non renewable sources of energy is being exploited at a very high rate. It has been predicted by experts if it continues like this then in near time, all these would disappear.
So bearing all these mind, it’s high time to turn towards the renewable sources of energy that is being gifted to us freely. There many sources which can be exploited. These are:-
• Wind energy
• Solar energy
• Tidal
• Hydropower
• Geothermal
• Biomass
Wind power is renewable and produces no greenhouse gases during operation, such as carbon dioxide and methane.
ReplyDeleteSolar power is the result of converting sunlight into electricity. Sunlight can be converted directly into electricity using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly with concentrating solar power (CSP), which normally focuses the sun's energy to boil water which is then used to provide power. The solar power gained from photovoltaics can be used to eliminate the need for purchased electricity (usually electricity gained from burning fossil fuels) or, if energy gained from photovoltaics exceeds the home's requirements, the extra electricity can be sold back to the home's supplier of energy, typically for credit.[1] The largest solar power plants, like the 354 MW SEGS, are concentrating solar thermal plants, but recently multi-megawatt photovoltaic plants have been built. Completed in 2008, the 46 MW Moura photovoltaic power station in Portugal and the 40 MW Waldpolenz Solar Park in Germany are characteristic of the trend toward larger photovoltaic power stations. Much larger ones are proposed, such as the 550 MW Topaz Solar Farm, and the 600 MW Rancho Cielo Solar Farm. Solar power is a predictably intermittent energy source, meaning that whilst solar power is not available at all times, we can predict with a very good degree of accuracy when it will and will not be available. Some technologies, such as solar thermal concentrators have an element of thermal storage, such as molten salts. These store spare solar energy in the form of heat which is made available overnight or during periods that solar power is not available to produce electricity.
ReplyDelete1. Saves you money
ReplyDeleteAfter the initial investment has been recovered, the energy from the sun is practically FREE.
The recovery/ payback period for this investment can be very short depending on how much electricity your household uses.
Financial incentives are available form the government that will reduce your cost.
If your system produce more energy than you use, your utility company can buy it from you, building up a credit on your account! This is called net metering.
It will save you money on your electricity bill if you have one at all.
Solar energy does not require any fuel.
It's not affected by the supply and demand of fuel and is therefore not subjected to the ever-increasing price of gasoline.
The savings are immediate and for many years to come.
The use of solar energy indirectly reduces health costs.
2. Environmentally friendly
Solar Energy is clean, renewable (unlike gas, oil and coal) and sustainable, helping to protect our environment.
It does not pollute our air by releasing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide or mercury into the atmosphere like many traditional forms of electrical generations does.
Therefore Solar Energy does not contribute to global warming, acid rain or smog.
It actively contributes to the decrease of harmful green house gas emissions.
It's generated where it is needed.
By not using any fuel, Solar Energy does not contribute to the cost and problems of the recovery and transportation of fuel or the storage of radioactive waste.
3. Independent/ semi-independent
Solar Energy can be utilized to offset utility-supplied energy consumption. It does not only reduce your electricity bill, but will also continue to supply your home/ business with electricity in the event of a power outage.
A Solar Energy system can operate entirely independent, not requiring a connection to a power or gas grid at all. Systems can therefore be installed in remote locations (like holiday log cabins), making it more practical and cost-effective than the supply of utility electricity to a new site.
The use of Solar Energy reduces our dependence on foreign and/or centralized sources of energy, influenced by natural disasters or international events and so contributes to a sustainable future.
Solar Energy supports local job and wealth creation, fuelling local economies.
4. Low/ no maintenance
Solar Energy systems are virtually maintenance free and will last for decades.
Once installed, there are no recurring costs.
They operate silently, have no moving parts, do not release offensive smells and do not require you to add any fuel.
More solar panels can easily be added in the future when your family's needs grow.
Tidal power, sometimes called tidal energy, is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides into electricity or other useful forms of power.
ReplyDeleteStrictly, tidal power comes from the movement of the tides, and wave power comes from the movement of the waves. There are two kinds of tidal power stations:
Tidal stream systems, which use turbines turned by the moving water to generate electricity. Very like wind power.
Barrage systems. These are like dams built across rivers. After the tide comes in, the gates are closed. When the tide is low enough on the downstream side, the water flows through turbines rather like a hydro-electric dam.
Wave power consists of harnessing the movement of the waves. There are various pilot schemes of this at the moment.
Advantages
The advantages for using tidal and wave energy over different fossil fuels are plentiful, below there are several impressive benefits of using tidal and wave energy, including the factor of replacing a percentage of fossil fuel use.
It reduces the dependence upon fossil fuels
Tidal and wave energy is free, renewable, and clean source of energy
It produces clean electricity, with no production of greenhouse gas or pollution.
Tidal and wave energy generation and consumption creates no liquid or solid pollution
Highly efficient resource (compared with coal and oil at 30%, tidal power efficiency is about 80%)
Energy capturing and conversion mechanism may help protect the shoreline
Energy capturing and conversion mechanism has little visual impact
About 60 billion watts of energy from tides can be used for electricity generation
Tides are active 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
Tidal power is a renewable source of energy.
It produces energy for free, once the initial costs are recovered.
We can generate geothermal energy by drilling deep holes into the earths crust pumping cold water through one end and then by the time it rises back to the surface the water can be hundreds of degrees Celsius which we then use as steam to drive a turbine which drives a generator creating power. Geothermal energy is one of the best natural energies around.
ReplyDeleteSo the first advantage of using geothermal heat to power a power station is that, unlike most power stations, a geothermal system does not create any pollution. It may once in a while release some gases from deep down inside the earth, that may be slightly harmful, but these can be contained quite easily.
The cost of the land to build a geothermal power plant on, is usually less expensive than if you were planning to construct an; oil, gas, coal, or nuclear power plant. The main reason for this is land space, as geothermal plants take up very little room, so you don't need to purchase a larger area of land. Another factor that comes into this is that because geothermal energy is very clean, you may receive tax cuts, and/or no environmental bills or quotas to comply with the countries carbon emission scheme (if they have one).
No fuel is used to generate the power, which in return, means the running costs for the plants are very low as there are no costs for purchasing, transporting, or cleaning up of fuels you may consider purchasing to generate the power.
The overall financial aspect of these plants is outstanding, you only need to provide power to the water pumps, which can be generated by the power plant itself anyway.
So if geothermal power stations are able to provide an excellent source of clean, cheap, simple, renewable power, why isn't every power plant in the world using geothermal energy?
Biofuel
ReplyDeletePlants use photosynthesis to grow and produce biomass. Also known as biomatter, biomass can be used directly as fuel or to produce biofuels. Agriculturally produced biomass fuels, such as biodiesel, ethanol and bagasse (often a by-product of sugar cane cultivation) can be burned in internal combustion engines or boilers. Typically biofuel is burned to release its stored chemical energy. Research into more efficient methods of converting biofuels and other fuels into electricity utilizing fuel cells is an area of very active work.
Liquid biofuel
Information on pump, California.Liquid biofuel is usually either a bioalcohol such as ethanol fuel or an oil such as biodiesel or straight vegetable oil. Biodiesel can be used in modern diesel vehicles with little or no modification to the engine. It can be made from waste and virgin vegetable and animal oils and fats (lipids). Virgin vegetable oils can be used in modified diesel engines. In fact the diesel engine was originally designed to run on vegetable oil rather than fossil fuel. A major benefit of biodiesel use is the reduction in net CO2 emissions, since all the carbon emitted was recently captured during the growing phase of the biomass. The use of biodiesel also reduces emission of carbon monoxide and other pollutants by 20 to 40%.[citation needed]
In some areas corn, cornstalks, sugar beets, sugar cane, and switchgrasses are grown specifically to produce ethanol (also known as grain alcohol) a liquid which can be used in internal combustion engines and fuel cells. Ethanol is being phased into the current energy infrastructure. E85 is a fuel composed of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline that is sold to consumers. Biobutanol is being developed as an alternative to bioethanol.
Another source of biofuel is sweet sorghum. It produces both food and fuel from the same crop. Some studies have shown that the crop is net energy positive is. it produces more energy than is consumed in its production and utilization.[citation needed]
Solid biomass
ReplyDeleteSugar cane residue can be used as a biofuel Solid biomass is most commonly used directly as a combustible fuel, producing 10-20 MJ/kg of heat. Its forms and sources include wood fuel, the biogenic portion of municipal solid waste, or the unused portion of field crops. Field crops may or may not be grown intentionally as an energy crop, and the remaining plant byproduct used as a fuel. Most types of biomass contain energy. Even cow manure still contains two-thirds of the original energy consumed by the cow. Energy harvesting via a bioreactor is a cost-effective solution to the waste disposal issues faced by the dairy farmer, and can produce enough biogas to run a farm.
With current technology, it is not ideally suited for use as a transportation fuel. Most transportation vehicles require power sources with high power density, such as that provided by internal combustion engines. These engines generally require clean burning fuels, which are generally in liquid form, and to a lesser extent, compressed gaseous phase. Liquids are more portable because they can have a high energy density, and they can be pumped, which makes handling easier.
Non-transportation applications can usually tolerate the low power-density of external combustion engines, that can run directly on less-expensive solid biomass fuel, for combined heat and power. One type of biomass is wood, which has been used for millennia. Two billion people currently cook every day, and heat their homes in the winter by burning biomass, which is a major contributor to man-made climate change global warming.[citation needed] The black soot that is being carried from Asia to polar ice caps is causing them to melt faster in the summer.[citation needed] In the 19th century, wood-fired steam engines were common, contributing significantly to industrial revolution unhealthy air pollution.[citation needed] Coal is a form of biomass that has been compressed over millennia to produce a non-renewable, highly-polluting fossil fuel.
Wood and its byproducts can now be converted through processes such as gasification into biofuels such as wood gas, biomass, methanol or ethanol fuel; although further development may be required to make these methods affordable and practical. Sugar cane residue, wheat chaff, corn cobs and other plant matter can be, and are, burned quite successfully. The net carbon dioxide emissions that are added to the atmosphere by this process are only from the fossil fuel that was consumed to plant, fertilize, harvest and transport the biomass.
Processes to harvest biomass from short-rotation trees like poplars and willows and perennial grasses such as switchgrass, phalaris, and miscanthus, require less frequent cultivation and less nitrogen than do typical annual crops. Pelletizing miscanthus and burning it to generate electricity is being studied and may be economically viable.[23]
Biogas
ReplyDeleteBiogas can easily be produced from current waste streams, such as paper production, sugar production, sewage, animal waste and so forth. These various waste streams have to be slurried together and allowed to naturally ferment, producing methane gas. This can be done by converting current sewage plants into biogas plants. When a biogas plant has extracted all the methane it can, the remains are sometimes more suitable as fertilizer than the original biomass.
Alternatively biogas can be produced via advanced waste processing systems such as mechanical biological treatment. These systems recover the recyclable elements of household waste and process the biodegradable fraction in anaerobic digesters.
Renewable natural gas is a biogas which has been upgraded to a quality similar to natural gas. By upgrading the quality to that of natural gas, it becomes possible to distribute the gas to the mass market via the existing gas grid.
As we just seen there many renewable sources of energy that can be exploited thus decreasing our dependence upon fossil fuels..if so happens then the co2 emission we'll decrease considerably....then i think if we go in this path...then the 350 ppm mark would be reached without any doubt.
Earlier i just mentioned all the renewable sources of enerdy that can be exploited to reduce co2 and also the dependancy on fossil fuels.
ReplyDeleteAny aspect that we should look into is GREEN transport.
Everyday we all use our vehicles or public transport for our movement. But one thing we should bear in mind in that these vehicles are using our fuels but also releasing co2.
It's high time for us to look upon new way for us to move around. We should try to adopt the new type of transport,i.e, GREEN tranport.
Green Transport refers to any means of sustainable transport with low impact to the environment.
Green transport include:
Walking and bicycles
Solar vehicles
Electric vehicles
Hybrid vehicles
How to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide locally and save energy???
ReplyDeleteIt is noticeable that there are many cars that are utilized by the staff so as to travel to and from work. Most of these cars run on fuel, which produce hydrocarbon and other gases including carbon dioxide.
In case owners of such cars switch to the utilization of gas and bio-fuel, the reduction, the reduction of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will be a starting point.
The light and the lighting system can be changed to the utilization of low energy bulbs thereby reducing the amount of electricity. A further cut in the electricity consumption can be achieved by switching off all stand-by electrical equipments during idle time, for example, photocopiers, computer screens, and printers.
Further reduction in the consumption of electricity can be achieved by wearing approximate clothing and thereby switching off the air conditioner equipment once the cooling temperature has been attained. Proper insulation of the rooms will prevent the cool air from escaping from the rooms.
In case we can inculcate these habits in the first instance then we would have laid the foundation of green society. Other habits that will prevent the release of large quantities of carbon dioxide can be promoted. It has been often quoted that when actions are initiated within the Réduit and Moka campuses, then the multiplying effect is experienced throughout the island.
Some suggestion to reduce carbon dioxide emission ‘is a low carbon dependent citizen rather than a high carbon dependent citizen’. Use a bicycle or simply walk whenever you have to reach a very short distance. You can avoid using your car at least once a week. Can you share your travel with others? Can you setup a green travel club? In case the weather is mild, then open your windows and let fresh air circulate within your house and office.
Turn off the air conditioner and cooler. Grow palms and other seedlings. Use energy efficient light bulbs and lighting devices. Reduce your heater by at least 3 degrees during the winter months. Increase the thermostat by 5 degrees once you have cooled your room.
Insulate your room properly in order to avoid any loss of energy. Use solar powered lights in your garden and driveway. Design your house and office in order to allow the maximum light. Switch off any electrical appliances and equipment which otherwise are left on stand-by-mode. Switch off photocopiers, printers, and computers when not in use.
Organize your printing and photocopying jobs at a particular time. Send emails through networks rather than paper memos. As for your regular food, consume more fresh food rather than processed and frozen foods. Use water efficiently and repair leakage. Tell your friends and family to join in the commitment to save the environment.
Does Air Conditioning will lead to a global warming?
ReplyDeleteMeaning that AC is making the world hotter!!!
In in a way AC, refrigerators and other equipments using chloroflurocarbons (CFC)can be to be contributing in making the world 'hotter'.
ReplyDeleteThis is because the CFC gas in those man-made products, are released into the atmosphere which causes the depletion of the ozone layer. The ozone layer is a protective layer which deviates the radiation and cosmic rays from the Sun and repel them into the outer space. So the depletion of that layer will result in the entry of these radiations into the atmosphere. As we all know we humans have an average temperature of 37 degree celcius and due to this, we all emmits radiation in the form of heat energy. So now imagine, the Sun, where the photosphere i.e. the outer visible layer has a temperature of 6000 degree celcius, do we still think that the radiations coming from there is small, insignificant or dangerous and alarming? We are only the third planet in the solar system, that is why we must be concious about what we are doing.
When these rays penetrate the atmosphere, it cannot reflect back like other rays ( for example light reflects back). This is due to a high level of carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere. Therefore the rays are trapped and hence the planet gets 'hotter'
So it is a chain reaction like in a nuclear reactor. It start with the CFC, which we, humans have included in the AC, refrigerators etc then it goes to depletion of ozone layer, which allows the penetration of radiations from the sun which in turns causes global warming and finally, its every single creatures that suffer from our activities.
TAKE CARE OF THE PLANET AND IT WILL TAKE CARE OF US!!
1. Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl)
ReplyDeleteCFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. If every family in the U.S. made the switch, we’d reduce carbon dioxide by more than 90 billion pounds!
2. Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment.
3.Turn off electronic devices you’re not using
Simply turning off your television, DVD player, stereo, and computer when you’re not using them will save you thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Buy electronics that don't use standby mode, which can consume power at a rate of 40% of regular use.
If your electronics have standby mode, unplug them or buy a Smart Strip surge protector which will automatically cut the electricity to your sleeping devices.
4.Buy locally grown and produced foods
The average meal in the United States travels 1,200 miles from the farm to your plate. Buying locally will save fuel and keep money in your community.
5.Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances to choose the most efficient models. We will eliminate 175 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year!
6.Use less hot water
It takes a lot of energy to heat water. You can use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of carbon dioxide saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year) instead of hot.
7.Unplug electronics from the wall when you’re not using them
Even when turned off, things like hairdryers, cell phone chargers and televisions use energy. In fact, the energy used to keep display clocks lit and memory chips working accounts for 5 percent of total domestic energy consumption and spews 18 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year!
8. Be sure you’re recycling at home
You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your household generates.
9.Buy recycled paper products
It takes less 70 to 90% less energy to make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide.
10. Plant one tree a month
A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%.
11.Switch to green power
In many areas, you can switch to energy generated by clean, renewable sources such as wind and solar.
12.Buy fresh foods instead of frozen
Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce.
13.Buy organic foods as much as possible
Organic soils capture and store carbon dioxide at much higher levels than soils from conventional farms. If we grew all of our corn and soybeans organically, we’d remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere!
14.Avoid heavily packaged products
You can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide if you cut down your garbage by 10%.
15.Eat less meat
Methane is the second most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters. Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale with every breath.
16.Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible
ReplyDeleteAvoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year!
17.Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates
Sharing a ride with someone just 2 days a week will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1,590 pounds a year.
18.Keep your car tuned up
Regular maintenance helps improve fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. When just 1% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds of carbon dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere.
19.Check your tyres weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated
Proper inflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Since every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, every increase in fuel efficiency makes a difference!
20. When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel efficient vehicle
You can save 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year if your new car gets only 3 miles per gallon more than your current one. You can get up to 60 miles per gallon with a hybrid! You can find information on fuel efficiency here and here.
21.Try telecommuting from home
Telecommuting can help you drastically reduce the number of miles you drive every week.
Fly less
To reduce CO2 emission is the concern of each and everyone. Co2 is released in every day life via vehicles, burning of fossil fuels,etc. If every individual can reduce its own CO2 emission then the Co2 350ppm will be leveled or even reduced.
ReplyDeleteNowadays every people travel to go to his/her place of work. When travelling by bus/car this causes increase in the CO2 emission along with traffic jam. To overcome this problem, in the scenario of a high-tech society,professionals should work online. That is instead of travelling to the place of work with traffic congestion,lateness at work and increase in Co2 emission, people should be at home, connect to the internet and tackle all the tasks online itself. Report to place of work in necessary cases only. We should take advantage of e-business, e-commerce, e-learnig and video conferencing which is easily accessible. This will not only reduce CO2 emission but care for traffic congestion also.
Moreover I would emphasize on the idea of having green buildings which makes efficient use of enegy. Green spaces or vegetated space should be encouraged since trees and plants care for the emission of CO2 by the action of photosynthesis. Deforestation should avoided. We should sensitize the population on the effects of CO2 emission via media and educate people of the negative effects of the CO2 emission resulting in drastic climate change.
It's high time to swicth to other natural resources like wind energy and solar energy which can reduce the CO2 emission instead of using fossil fuels. Electric cars and tram ways should be considered as means of transport.
sachin
ReplyDeleteGetting back to 350 ppm means transforming our world. It means building solar arrays instead of coal plants, planting trees instead of clear-cutting rainforests and increasing efficiency and decreasing our waste
The only way to combat global warming is by combining a low-carbon economy with a programme of managed forestry on an unprecedented scale.
By restoring vast areas of rainforest it is possible to recapture carbon from the atmosphere at a significant rate.
Only if our effort is on a sufficiently large scale, can we make a difference and reverse global warming, by recapturing the billions of tonnes of carbon that are already in the atmosphere. Our mission is to plant trees and fund multi-story cropping and programmes of tropical forest restoration and preservation on as large a scale as possible
By placing a price on greenhouse gas emissions will gain favor as a way to encourage utility investment in alternative technology, such as capturing carbon dioxide from smokestacks before its release into the atmosphere. As a result, utilities would burn less fuel, release less carbon dioxide and cause emissions to fall by as much as 10 percent
How to produce carbon-negative soil fertility, food and biofuels to reverse planet heating from greenhouse gases:
- Revolutionary new strategy to sequester carbon, regenerate soil life, support sustainable fertility, grow nutrient dense food, cut greenhouse gas emissions, reduce fertilizer use, produce renewable energy, end dependence on fossil fuels & imported energy, reverse global warming