It wasn't so long ago that an environment-friendly person just had to recycle properly. However, the goal posts have been shifted a long way due to growing concern over the uncomfortable and inconvenient truth of climate change and global warming that is causing a rise in the sea level and abnormal weather, rapid depletion of natural resources, etc. It's simply not eco awareness these days if a person isn't being completely carbon neutral.
It's a simple but strikingly brilliant concept. If every entity, be it an individual, business or organization, learns to take responsibility for curbing their own carbon emissions, there isn't anything more that needs to be done. It doesn't work that way in reality because people have other priorities that take precedence over leading a green lifestyle.
The biggest problem, however, is that most people still don't know how important this is. That's why most governments and non-profit organizations focus more on raising awareness than on passing laws or forcing people to make choices that are less harmful to the planet. The events held worldwide on Earth Day and Earth Hour are not just to save energy, but to engage millions of people and let them know how they can take responsibility for their own energy consumption and why it's important.
But let's get past all that and say an already-aware citizen now feels like leading a green lifestyle. There are two methods that can and must be deployed. To start with, emissions must be eliminated or reduced to a minimum. After that, whatever is left over needs to be balanced using carbon credits.
Emission reductions are there for the taking in every aspect of an individual's life. Vehicle owners can eliminate the harm done by their driving by getting an electric vehicle and charging it using clean power from a solar generation system. It's a hassle to make the switch, and it's expensive too. But the end result of zero-carbon transport with no gas costs is well worth the trouble.
At home, there are a whole slew of green practices and technologies that can help people reduce their consumption and make it less harmful. Green (as in LEED certified) designs and energy retrofits will reduce power usage and save money. Dual-flush tanks and artificial grass will save water. Use of local and sustainable produce in meals will reduce the emissions associated with food and drinks.
Companies can likewise make the workplace eco-friendly by implementing green practices and using natural materials to reduce pollution associated with their products. Paperless offices will contribute in the fight against deforestation, and factories powered by clean energy from rooftop solar arrays can claim to be green. Recycling of industrial waste instead of sending it to landfills or dumping it into drains that ultimately end up in the rivers and oceans is another way that companies can be responsible.
Despite all these and other such efforts, it's not really possible to lead a completely zero-carbon life. This is where the second part kicks in, with carbon credits available for purchase to offset whatever is still left over. The buyer pays for credits, and the seller has done or will do something such as planting trees or generating clean power that balances the buyer's emissions.
It's a simple but strikingly brilliant concept. If every entity, be it an individual, business or organization, learns to take responsibility for curbing their own carbon emissions, there isn't anything more that needs to be done. It doesn't work that way in reality because people have other priorities that take precedence over leading a green lifestyle.
The biggest problem, however, is that most people still don't know how important this is. That's why most governments and non-profit organizations focus more on raising awareness than on passing laws or forcing people to make choices that are less harmful to the planet. The events held worldwide on Earth Day and Earth Hour are not just to save energy, but to engage millions of people and let them know how they can take responsibility for their own energy consumption and why it's important.
But let's get past all that and say an already-aware citizen now feels like leading a green lifestyle. There are two methods that can and must be deployed. To start with, emissions must be eliminated or reduced to a minimum. After that, whatever is left over needs to be balanced using carbon credits.
Emission reductions are there for the taking in every aspect of an individual's life. Vehicle owners can eliminate the harm done by their driving by getting an electric vehicle and charging it using clean power from a solar generation system. It's a hassle to make the switch, and it's expensive too. But the end result of zero-carbon transport with no gas costs is well worth the trouble.
At home, there are a whole slew of green practices and technologies that can help people reduce their consumption and make it less harmful. Green (as in LEED certified) designs and energy retrofits will reduce power usage and save money. Dual-flush tanks and artificial grass will save water. Use of local and sustainable produce in meals will reduce the emissions associated with food and drinks.
Companies can likewise make the workplace eco-friendly by implementing green practices and using natural materials to reduce pollution associated with their products. Paperless offices will contribute in the fight against deforestation, and factories powered by clean energy from rooftop solar arrays can claim to be green. Recycling of industrial waste instead of sending it to landfills or dumping it into drains that ultimately end up in the rivers and oceans is another way that companies can be responsible.
Despite all these and other such efforts, it's not really possible to lead a completely zero-carbon life. This is where the second part kicks in, with carbon credits available for purchase to offset whatever is still left over. The buyer pays for credits, and the seller has done or will do something such as planting trees or generating clean power that balances the buyer's emissions.
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