Going Carbon Neutral
With the number of lifestyle changes going on here at the moment, the goal of carbon neutrality seems like a great one to add to the list. If you’ve ever wondered exactly what people mean when they talk of ‘going carbon neutral’, read on.
What is Carbon Neutral?
The concept is simple. We all know that there are a number of ways in which nearly everyone pollutes the atmosphere - via the cars we drive, the houses we live in and so on. Going ‘carbon neutral’ is just a matter of helping out renewable energy schemes (such as wind or solar farms) by purchasing ‘offsets’; or the amount of energy equivalent to the amount of pollution produced.
As you can see, this is not a final solution, but it’s a great step in the right direction.
Why bother?
There are a few advantages to doing this. The first is that it encourages you to take a closer look at the amount of energy you’re using. If you’re effectively imposing a tax on yourself, you’re likely to use less. Ride a bike to work occasionally, or install CFL or LED lights in your house.
A second is that you’re directly helping the development of renewable energy sources. Research into areas such as wind and solar energy collection is vital; particularly as these have the ability to be far more cost effective than current goal or gas power plants.
Thirdly, it’ll prepare you for the inevitable changes to a carbon-centric economy; where all carbon-based pollution is heavily taxed.
Great, how do I start?
There are five steps along the road to carbon neutrality. These are :
- Reduce your current emissions as much as possible. This not only has the advantage of lowering your energy bills short-term, it will minimise the number of carbon offsets you need to purchase.
- Choose which of your emissions you wish to offset. It’s up to you how many items you decide to offset; whether it’s the occasional ‘plane flight or everything that you do. Any offset is a positive step.
- Calculate the quantity of your emissions. Several online calculators are available for doing just this; David Suzuki’s site has a comprehensive list in his Carbon Neutral Resources section. Don’t worry too much about the slight differences between some of the results (some take into account just CO2 emissions, whilst others include additional greenhouse gases) - the important thing is just to get a sense of how much you’re producing overall.
- Purchase the necessary offsets. Once you’ve worked out how much to buy, there are a number of online sources which will let you do just this. Once again, David Suzuki has compiled a great list of these offset dealers.
- Review your strategy regularly. As with any ongoing financial commitment, take a look at it on a regular basis (once per year seems reasonable for emissions reduction, or at times of major change - such as the purchase of a new house). Recalculate and adjust as necessary.
This all sounds like a lot of work. Is it worth it?
The short answer : yes. Adjusting to anything while it’s still optional is, quite simply, easier. Another thing to bear in mind is that this doesn’t need to involve a major lifestyle change. Just cut down your energy usage a bit, save some money in the process, and purchase the occasional offset.
Regardless of the size of the change, any change is a step in the right direction. Carbon neutrality.
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