CLIMATE CHANGE – Inaction costs more than action.
In early February 2007 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report was released in Paris. The report reaffirmed that global warming is happening and it’s 90 percent likely that it’s being caused by human activity.
Whilst most national governments have signed the Kyoto Protocol aimed at combating global warming the political debate regarding what should be done is still ongoing without clear site of a cohesive and timely resolution. We at D4C believe that each individual can take responsibility to become ‘carbon neutral’ and that positive action should be taken now on a personal level. By making some simple adjustments to our everyday habits, supporting environmental charities and using companies with green policies we can all make a difference.
What are the effects of global warming?
We cannot be 100% certain of the effects of global warming but evidence strongly suggests we will see devastating changes to the natural environment and human life; the consequences of which we are already seeing have a noticeable effect. These include :
- Glacier retreat and ice shelf disruption
- Sea level rising
- Changes in rainfall patterns
- Increased intensity and frequency of extreme weather events such as floods, heat waves, hurricanes and tornados
- Reduction of ozone layer
- Increased spread of some diseases such as Dengue Fever and Malaria
- Lower agricultural yields
- Species extinction
Alarmingly even if all greenhouse emissions were stopped today scientists anticipate that global warming would still continue for at least another millennium due to CO2 having a long atmospheric lifetime. It is therefore imperative that we act now and take individual responsibility.
What does it mean to be Carbon Neutral?
Donation4Charity is encouraging all of its users to become ‘Carbon Neutral’ and to also encourage their friends and family to do the same. We have compiled a list of suppliers of everyday products and services as well as charities which support Green issues which is our Green List. Each time you use our site to support one of these charities or a Green company this is a positive action towards reducing your own carbon emissions. Additionally, we are campaigning for all of our users to go on a ‘Carbon Diet’ by taking steps to reduce the carbon emissions form their own households. We will be providing an easy to use checklist to keep an individual or household record to off-set your own personal carbon emissions and help you to become carbon neutral.
Climate Change – What Everyone Needs To Know
Q. Why Should Carbon Emissions concern me?
A. We burn carbon or use it to create energy and it disperses in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide – CO2. An imbalance in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere leads to an increase in the greenhouse effect causing climate change
Q. How can I make a difference?
A. We can all reduce our carbon emissions by cutting energy consumption at home, considering switching to a renewable energy supplier and making decisions to go carbon neutral.
Q. What does it mean to be carbon neutral?
A. This means that a business or individual has calculated its carbon emissions and balanced that with carbon reducers.
Going carbon neutral is based on the principle that, since climate change is a global problem, an emission reduction made elsewhere has the same positive effect as one made locally. This means that we can take positive action as individuals.
Q. What is carbon off-setting?
A. Essentially this is investment in companies, charities and individual lifestyle changes or projects that save energy and help to reduce carbon dioxide.
Q. How will D4C’s Carbon Test help me?
A. Almost every product used and every activity can be calculated in terms of carbon. Our test (coming soon) is designed to give you an audit of your household with a view to reducing your emissions. We will provide tips and advice for every UK household to go on a ‘carbon diet’. Whilst by no means exhaustive we hope that this guide will act as a catalyst for change for those of you who haven’t yet started their ‘carbon diet’ and also provide a useful checklist for our users who have already taken steps towards individual action.
