|
Dakota Management Services Environmental Pages |
||
|
|
What's the Deal with Carbon? Carbon dioxide or CO2 is a greenhouse gas, of which increasing levels are associated with climate change and global warming. Carbon is one factor that each person has the ability to affect, thereby helping to stabilize the environment. By personally taking responsibility for your "carbon footprint" you can make a difference. A "carbon footprint" refers to the amount of carbon created by something or someone during their lifecycle. For a person, this includes the carbon given off by the car you drive, the creation of electricity you use, the airplane you take on vacation, the creation of products you purchase, etc. Every aspect of your life has some impact on the amount of CO2 that you are responsible for. Ways to reduce your "Carbon Footprint"... 1) Look at your travel - Try to plan your trips so that you can be more efficient in the mileage you drive. Also, try to carpool to the grocery store, or work, or school. When you're ready to find a different vehicle, look for the best gas mileage you can (maybe even a hybrid). 2) Look at your electricity - How many lights are on in your house right now? Do you really need all of them at this very moment? Does the TV stay on when no one's watching it? How well insulated is your home? 3) Look at the food you eat - Does this seem like a stretch? Well, if you're not buying local produce when possible, how did the products you bought get to the store? The trucks and trains that deliver these products use tremendous fuel, and therefore produce tremendous pollution. 4) Look at the products you buy - Okay, this one may be a bit difficult, but it's the truth...How many things around you are made of plastic or metal? Could they have been made from wood? Or better yet, local wood? Here's the reality of this one: As trees grow, they absorb CO2 and use the carbon to grow. That means, this absorbed carbon is then trapped in the wood of the tree until it is either burned, or, over extreme time periods, decays. So, by buying products made of wood, you're actually buying a carbon storage facility. Then, foresters are able to plant more trees, which absorb more carbon, and then are harvested and create more carbon storage facilities. Buy using local wood, you're not only creating the demand for forested land in your area (which helps offset your carbon footprint), but you're reducing the transportation (CO2) needed to create these products. It doesn't take a life-altering effort to do your part. Just by being aware that your choices make a difference can help you to help the environment.
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
Copyright 2007 Dakota Management Services |
|
