Protect our planet from an ever changing climate by reducing carbon foot print .....

The amount of greenhouse gases we produce is referred to as our “carbon footprint.” A carbon footprint is the number of greenhouse gases primarily carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by particular human activity. A carbon footprint can be a measure of the actions of an individual, a family, an event, an organization, or even an entire nation. It is usually measured as tons of CO2 emitted per year including methane, nitrous oxide, and other greenhouse gases.

Man-made climate change, or global warming, is caused by the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The dominant man-made greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide (CO2), which is emitted whenever we burn fossil fuels in homes, factories or power stations. But other greenhouse gases are also important. Methane (CH4), for example, which is emitted mainly by agriculture and landfill sites, is 25 times more potent per kilogram than CO2. Even more potent but emitted in smaller quantities are nitrous oxide (N2O), which is about 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide and released mainly from industrial processes and farming, and refrigerant gases, which are typically several thousand times more potent than CO2.

• These gases are responsible for trapping heat in the atmosphere and causing global warming.

• There has been a 0.9 F (0.5 C) rise in the average sea temperatures over the last four decades;

• Over the last 100 years, global sea levels have risen on average between 10 and 25 cm.

• Surface temperatures worldwide have risen 0.7 C over the past 100 years.

• Average annual Arctic temperatures have risen at twice the rate of the rest of the globe over the past century.

The potential future effects of global climate breakdown include more frequent wildfires, longer periods of drought and heatwaves in some regions, more intense and stronger hurricanes, and temperatures will continue to rise.

Methods of reducing carbon footprint include:

·   Driving more-efficient vehicles (or making sure that your current vehicles are properly maintained),

·   Taking public transportation,

·   Using energy-efficient appliances,

·   Insulating your home to reduce heating and air conditioning costs,

·  Consuming food that doesn't require as much transportation, and eating less meat, which has a higher carbon footprint than fruits and vegetables.

Let’s save the planet by reducing carbon emissions and taking climate change into consideration, change day-to-day habits and exercise the right things that we can do to save our planet.

Article by Dr.Yashoda Tammineni,

MSc, Ph.D.

HSE,HOD at NIFS