what is carbon neutral?

There’s a bit of chemistry lesson here, be forewarned. Basically, it refers to our carbon emissions. Carbon emissions referring to carbon dioxide, the same gas we exhale. Build up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere contributes to the “greenhouse effect” where loss of heat is prevented, resulting in the earth warming up and affecting the world climate.

Carbon dioxide, is the most prominent greenhouse gas in the atmosphere and one that makes life possible on earth, so it is not at all bad. Green plants and other organisms recycle this gas. The problem now is that we seem to be emitting more carbon dioxide than the earth can absorb.

But even though carbon footprint seem to be the it-word these days, carbon dioxide isn’t the only greenhouse gas. It is considered as the most significant contributor to climate change and one where human activities are contributing to. But there is another important greenhouse gas - methane. It occurs in lower concentration but has more effect to global warming. Methane is produced when organic matter degrades. Landfills contribute to the release of this gas to the atmosphere. Livestock also produces methane – 37% of it according to LEAD (Livestock Environment and Development Initiative).

The main difference between these 2 gases is that methane is naturally removed from the atmosphere after a relatively short period of time (10 to 12 years). Its effects to global warming is greater than carbon dioxide, but only for a certain period of time.

Another gas is Halocarbons. Our generation may still remember much of the debate that went on when use of CFCs were regulated and banned from aerosol sprays and as coolants in refrigerators because they destroy the ozone layer (our natural protection against the sun’s harmful rays). Substitutes were made to CFC and they were thought to be not as damaging, but still remain damaging.

so, what's it got to do with me?

Let us count the ways as to how we contribute to the build up of greenhouse gases ... use of electricity from non-renewable sources, use of coal for the heating and barbecues, that patio heater using LPG, petrol for running the car or the bike, buying goods that required some petrol-fuelled form of transport to get to the shops, chucking out a piece of trash, taking a flight, using the public transport, going to the movies, eating out, even eating in, and yes – exhaling. Truth is, almost everything we do, adds up.

The point really is that we all need to chip in and minimise our emissions.

but is the climate change threat for real?

The scientists themselves seem to be in a big disagreement as to whether climate change is a crisis or not. Whilst they seem to be in agreement that carbon emissions are on the up. They disagree as to whether humans have anything to do with the current climate change.

The 2008 International Conference on Climate Change is attended by more than 200 scientists and economists stating that global warming is not a crisis (Read more from the Heartland Institute website) They stated that there is much lies and exaggerations out there all for securing government grants and making money of public hysteria. Considering that they, themselves, are privately funded, they have no ulterior motive in seeking out the truth.

A good majority of people have accepted that man made global warming is a fact. We encourage people to decide for themselves. There is enough theories out there to support the believers and the sceptics.

But note that the sceptics also have their sceptics. The conference on climate change asks about the monetary rewards for scientist supporting the “popular” belief of man made climate change. But there are also questions on the Heartland Institute’s (sponsors of the 2008 International Conference on Climate Change) sponsors as there are known links to oil companies (article from the Independent)

We are not scientists ourselves. But we’ve read enough for us to make our own minds up. It would have been so much more convenient if the truth was what we do do not have any impact on the world. Maybe we’ve only got half truths. But one truth we all believe in is we only have one planet we can live in at the moment. We don’t believe that any plundering we do to it does not hurt it. And that is not rocket science. We all have to take responsibility at some point. And in choosing apathy, you are already taking a side. We choose to do our bit to protect this one planet we’ve got. And if the sceptics have, indeed, got it right, then all the better for us.