Until not so long ago, a normal eco-friendly citizen of this planet just had to sort garbage into the right bins and recycle. The goal posts have now shifted a long way from that, what with people having to face the inconvenient truth and doomsday forecasts about global warming, climate change, rising seas, abnormal and extreme weather conditions, and natural resource depletion. The upshot of all this is that eco awareness is now effectively being equated with a carbon neutral lifestyle.
In theory, it's a very simple idea. If every single person or entity takes full responsibility for their own carbon emissions, then all the problems stated above go away. Of course, being carbon neutral is a wee bit harder to achieve in reality because it comes far behind a lot of other priorities, if at all.
But the bigger problem is that people don't care, which may be because they don't know about this existential crisis facing the planet or they think it's just some climate scientists and tree-huggers looking for publicity. It's why a lot of efforts undertaken by various governments and non-profit organizations focus more on awareness campaigns than on passing regulations or laws. Events like Earth Day or Earth Hour are not just about saving resources for that brief period of time, but more about engaging large sections of the population and teaching them the importance of conservation and the dangers of not doing so.
But for argument's sake, let's say a person wants to be eco-aware and lead a green lifestyle. There are two ways to go about it, and both are likely to be needed. One way is to reduce emissions, and the other way is to offset it by purchasing carbon credits.
Reduction of emissions in every aspect of an individual's life is harder than it sounds. Let's take vehicles as an example. It's possible to completely eliminate all the emissions caused by driving, if it is done in an electric vehicle that uses clean power for charging. Buying an EV and installing a solar power generation system is not easy or cheap, but the emissions and fuel costs it eliminates are well worth the trouble and expense.
At home, there are a whole slew of green practices and technologies that can help people reduce their consumption and make it less harmful. Green (as in LEED certified) designs and energy retrofits will reduce power usage and save money. Dual-flush tanks and artificial grass will save water. Use of local and sustainable produce in meals will reduce the emissions associated with food and drinks.
Companies can likewise make the workplace eco-friendly by implementing green practices and using natural materials to reduce pollution associated with their products. Paperless offices will contribute in the fight against deforestation, and factories powered by clean energy from rooftop solar arrays can claim to be green. Recycling of industrial waste instead of sending it to landfills or dumping it into drains that ultimately end up in the rivers and oceans is another way that companies can be responsible.
Even with all such efforts deployed, it's still impossible to be a zero carbon entity. Thankfully, whatever is left over can be offset by purchasing credits. There's a price to be paid, but it's simple - the seller plants trees, generates clean power or undertakes some other such activity that actually reduces carbon emissions. The buyer can pay for credits equivalent to a specific part of that reduction.
In theory, it's a very simple idea. If every single person or entity takes full responsibility for their own carbon emissions, then all the problems stated above go away. Of course, being carbon neutral is a wee bit harder to achieve in reality because it comes far behind a lot of other priorities, if at all.
But the bigger problem is that people don't care, which may be because they don't know about this existential crisis facing the planet or they think it's just some climate scientists and tree-huggers looking for publicity. It's why a lot of efforts undertaken by various governments and non-profit organizations focus more on awareness campaigns than on passing regulations or laws. Events like Earth Day or Earth Hour are not just about saving resources for that brief period of time, but more about engaging large sections of the population and teaching them the importance of conservation and the dangers of not doing so.
But for argument's sake, let's say a person wants to be eco-aware and lead a green lifestyle. There are two ways to go about it, and both are likely to be needed. One way is to reduce emissions, and the other way is to offset it by purchasing carbon credits.
Reduction of emissions in every aspect of an individual's life is harder than it sounds. Let's take vehicles as an example. It's possible to completely eliminate all the emissions caused by driving, if it is done in an electric vehicle that uses clean power for charging. Buying an EV and installing a solar power generation system is not easy or cheap, but the emissions and fuel costs it eliminates are well worth the trouble and expense.
At home, there are a whole slew of green practices and technologies that can help people reduce their consumption and make it less harmful. Green (as in LEED certified) designs and energy retrofits will reduce power usage and save money. Dual-flush tanks and artificial grass will save water. Use of local and sustainable produce in meals will reduce the emissions associated with food and drinks.
Companies can likewise make the workplace eco-friendly by implementing green practices and using natural materials to reduce pollution associated with their products. Paperless offices will contribute in the fight against deforestation, and factories powered by clean energy from rooftop solar arrays can claim to be green. Recycling of industrial waste instead of sending it to landfills or dumping it into drains that ultimately end up in the rivers and oceans is another way that companies can be responsible.
Even with all such efforts deployed, it's still impossible to be a zero carbon entity. Thankfully, whatever is left over can be offset by purchasing credits. There's a price to be paid, but it's simple - the seller plants trees, generates clean power or undertakes some other such activity that actually reduces carbon emissions. The buyer can pay for credits equivalent to a specific part of that reduction.
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