How to Stop Adding Greenhouse Gases and Increase Carbon Sinks

We must stop climate change. We need to prevent the increase of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. Burning fossil fuels and cutting down forests caused greenhouse gas levels to rise over the last 150 years. Forests naturally pull CO2 from the air.

We have two main strategies. First, we stop adding gases to the air. Second, we increase the Earth’s ability to pull gases out. We call this process climate mitigation. No single solution exists. We must combine many different solutions to stop global warming. Many places worldwide already implement these steps.

Solutions for Individuals and Communities

Individuals can tackle many solutions. You can use less energy at home. Try riding a bike instead of driving. Switch to an electric car. Choose renewable energy sources. Other actions require communities or nations. They must work together. Examples include switching power plants from coal to renewables. Growing public transit also helps.

Cut Down Electricity Use

Reducing electricity use dramatically cuts emissions. This is especially true if the power comes from burning coal or gas. Electricity use causes a quarter of all worldwide emissions.

You can take simple steps to save energy and money. Replace old incandescent bulbs with LEDs. LEDs use much less electricity. Add insulation to your home. Set your thermostat lower in winter. Set it higher in the summer. Adjust it when nobody is home.

New technologies also keep buildings efficient. Look for glass that reflects heat. Install low-flow water fixtures and smart thermostats. New AC technology uses refrigerants that do not cause warming. Green or cool roofs help in cities. They limit heat entering buildings on hot days. They also decrease the urban heat island effect.

Choose Renewable Energy

Renewable energy sources include solar, geothermal, and wind power. Ocean wave, tidal, waste, biomass, and hydropower also count. These sources do not burn fossil fuels. They generate electricity without releasing greenhouse gases.

Nuclear energy also creates no greenhouse gas emissions. People consider it a climate solution. However, it generates radioactive waste. This waste requires long-term, secure storage.

The amount of renewable energy is growing today. Countries like Iceland and Costa Rica get almost all their electricity this way. In many other places, the percentage is small but increasing. Wind turbines work well both on land and in the ocean.

Change Your Diet and Reduce Waste

Raising farm animals causes about one-fifth of global carbon emissions. Cattle release methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, when they digest food. Their manure releases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. Farmers often cut down forests for cattle grazing space.

Eating a plant-based diet lowers emissions significantly. This includes vegetables, bread, rice, and beans. The Drawdown Project estimates big savings. If half the world adopts a plant-rich diet by 2050, we save 65 gigatons of CO2. Reducing food waste saves even more. It could save about 90 gigatons of CO2 over 30 years.

We put waste in landfills. Landfills release greenhouse gases. Almost half of this gas is methane. Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas. Landfills are the third largest source of methane emissions in the U.S.

We must make conscious choices. Avoid unnecessary purchases. Buy secondhand items. Stop relying on single-use containers. Switch to reusable bags and bottles. Get digital subscriptions instead of paper mail. Recycling and composting help reduce household waste. Remember to Shop Our Products to find sustainable solutions for your home.

Sustainable Transportation

Most travel relies on fossil fuels today. Vehicles use gasoline. Planes use jet fuel. Burning these fuels causes 14% of global emissions.

We must shift to alternative technologies. Use bicycles or electric cars. These options do not need gasoline. Hybrid cars use less fuel. Public transportation, carpooling, biking, and walking lead to fewer cars on the road. This means less greenhouse gas enters the air. Cities must help people lower emissions. They can add bus routes, bike paths, and sidewalks. Electric bicycles offer a fuel-free way to travel.

Manufacturing and Products

Manufacturing, mining, and waste disposal all use energy. Factories create most of the products we buy. This includes phones, clothing, and shoes. Factories produce up to 20% of global greenhouse gases.

We can decrease manufacturing emissions. Start by using materials not made from fossil fuels. Cement releases CO2 as it hardens. Alternative products exist that don’t create greenhouse gases. Bioplastics made from plants replace plastics from fossil fuels. Companies can power factories with renewable energy. They should ship products using fuel-saving cargo ships.

Increase Carbon Sinks

We must reduce what we add. We must also increase what we take out. Carbon sinks pull carbon dioxide out of the air.

Planting trees, bamboo, and other plants increases carbon sinks. Conserving existing areas protects sinks. These areas include forests, grasslands, peatlands, and wetlands. They hold carbon in plants and soils. Better farming methods keep soils healthy. Try planting cover crops and using crop rotation. Healthy soils are effective carbon sinks.

New technologies can remove carbon dioxide. These carbon dioxide removal technologies might pull large amounts of gases from the atmosphere.

Trees and plants use sunlight to create food. They also pull carbon dioxide out of the air. Read Our Blog for more science-backed climate solutions.

Reference: Inspired by content from https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/climate-solutions/reduce-greenhouse-gases.