Achieving Low-Carbon economy by changing Life style
-
05/06/2008
-
Tribune (New Delhi)
World Environment Day is celebrated each year on 5th June, & this commemoration acts as a principal vehicle through which' 1 the environmental ^protection agencies create awareness about environment and enhances public attention and action. The World Environment Day's slogan for the year 2008 is Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy. The climatic changes are becoming the major issue of our times. Due to this the greater focus is on accumulation of greenhouse gas emissions and how to reduce them. Today we can highlight this issue and encourage initiatives that promote low carbon economies. For this we have to change our lifestyles, such as improved energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, forest conservation and eco-friendly consumption of natural resources. A Low-Carbon Economy is a popular term that refers to an Economy which has a minimal output of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions into the biosphere, but specifically refers to the greenhouse gas Carbon Dioxide. Recently,,most of scientific and public opinion has come to the conclusion that there is an unreasonable accumulation of GHGs (especially C02) in our atmosphere. Human beings are to be blamed for this accumulation. The higher concentrations of these gases will fundamentally change the climate dangerously in the foreseeable future. Globally implemented Low-Carbon Economy therefore, are proposed as a means to avoid catastrophic climate change, and as a precursor to an ideal zero-carbon economy. Buying locally-produced fruit and vegetables, riding bikes or taking the trains instead of using private cars, buying carbon offsets and staging carbon-neutral activities: all are part of the climate-change awareness taking root in many countries. Individuals keen on reducing their "carbon footprint' the dangerous greenhouse gas that each of us emit through our activities need to be assessed and take effective steps to reduce it or compensate for it. Our daily habits are responsible for 50% of greenhouse gas emissions. Automobiles alone cause a quarter of global greenhouse gas emission. Although automakers are making efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emission (C02) in new vehicles, yet the "clean car" still does not exist outside the research laboratory. Our journey of around 1,000 kilometers by an express train emits roughly a quarter less (C02) than an .aircraft per passenger. A bus emits between 10 and 20 times less C02 than a car. All these are of course beaten for greenness by walking and cycling if distances permit. If you have to use a car, keeping your speed down can also help to reduce emissions. Very driving can increase a car's CO^ emissions by 45%. Another energy saving method is to climb stairs rather than use lifts and escalators, a practice actively encouraged in Japan and Belgium. Climate Action Network (CAN), an international collective of envi