Towards a happy Net zero
The climate change as we know it, it the most spoken and “hot” topic which makes extreme colds and hots these days. The concept of net zero has becomes as common as to be mentioned in your daily products and is a global strategy. But do you actually know what net zero is? Communities have made policies and international strategies with multi million investments to reach net zero. And I believe, having a perfect understanding of the concept would save a great deal of time in applying in real world.
Before talking about net zero, the salvation of our crisis, let’s get to the past. Rewinding back about two and a half centuries. Well, as we know it the industrial revolution began and that caused an exponential growth of inventions which caused much emissions of greenhouse gases. If you were paying good attention in your chemistry class back in school, you may think, “Well if not for greenhouse gases, won’t we freeze to death?” . Well yes.
The greenhouse effect: some of the infrared radiation from the Sun passes through the atmosphere, but most is absorbed and re-emitted in all directions by greenhouse gas molecules and clouds. The effect of this is to warm the Earth’s surface and the lower atmosphere. [Cite]
But when the concentration of greenhouse gases become higher and higher, it becomes like a new-years party in a small room — sweaty and stuffy.
Concept of net-zero is to make the amount of gases emitted = the amount of gases reabsorbed. When we cut the emissions to zero, it is way easier to make the already remaining to be reabsorbed with the strategies used in the right side of the equation.
But what can you do to help this happen with your daily routine?
- Take your bicycle instead of your vehicle. If you don’t know to ride a bicycle, make it a new year resolution.
- Recycle more.
- Use less energy and water. Try to switch to solar if you live in a sunny country.
- Make a habit of meal-prepping. Good for your health and good for the world.
- Change your diet to a healthy, less processed food.
- If you have a garden or a space to grow, grow as much as your own food.
- Be aware of the new technologies which may be used to track your contribution to net-zero such as Capture for Android|iOS, Map My Emissions, For Good for Android|iOS and UN carbon footprint calculator
