New Delhi: Climate change and global warming are the two threats that have jeopardised this planet’s existence. Due to the damage to the environment caused by human beings, the temperature of the Earth is rising and the ice is melting, among other problems. Those have disrupted the established system of nature which, in turn, is affecting our lives greatly, including much more intense summers and lesser rains. Since we have to live on this Earth which many of us call the giant big home, in this article, we take a look at how we can stop climate change.
Is it too late already?
No. While climate change has been caused by us and we have set in motion more changes, all of this can be stopped if we thwart the mission of greenhouse gases today. The increasing global temperatures would begin to flatten and then plateau but remain well-elevated for many, many centuries. Here are some actions that we can take to stop climate change.
We should save energy at home
Most of us get our heat and electricity from gas, oil and coal. If we use less energy by decreasing the usage of electricity, switching to LED lights and electric appliances which consume less energy, washing our laundry with cold water and improving the energy efficiency at home by better insulation, every year we can reduce our carbon footprint by up to 900 kilograms of CO2. Also, you should change the source of energy for your home to renewable sources like solar energy and wind energy as they can reduce your carbon footprint by up to 1.5 tons of CO2e per year.
Use fewer private vehicles and more electric vehicles
Most of the vehicles in the world run on diesel or gasoline, which is increasing our carbon footprint. If we walk or ride a bike, it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and we can also opt to take public transport like a bus or a train. Without a private vehicle, our carbon footprint would be reduced by up to 2 tons of CO2 every year. Also, we should start opting for electric vehicles but many of them still run on electricity produced from fossil fuels. A hybrid vehicle can save you up to 700 kilograms of CO2e per year.
The four ‘Rs’
Sometimes we buy certain things like plastics that cause carbon emissions. Hence, we should look to reduce what we buy, reuse products, and repair and recycle them. In 2019, plastics alone generated 1.8 billion metric tonnes of greenhouse gas, which was 3.4 per cent of what was produced all over the world. Once plastic is dumped, it takes hundreds of years to decompose.
Plant more trees
This is the easiest way to fight the climate change. Throughout history, humans have cut down vast amounts of trees, wiping out numerous forests from the face of this planet. While deforestation has been one of the main reasons to trigger climate change, afforestation can reverse the damage. It is time for us to extensively plant new forests or restore the old ones. By decimating forests on an industrial scale, we have ensured that our planet sucks up huge amounts of carbon.
Due to the damage to the environment, the temperature of the Earth is rising and the ice is melting, among other problems. Those have disrupted the established system of nature which, in turn, is affecting our lives greatly. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
