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.
The problem at the moment is that it threatens all life on the planet, but people just don't realize it or choose to neglect it as scare tactics by tree-huggers. That is why most non-profits and governments who are doing something about it tend to focus on increasing awareness than on passing laws and regulations. Earth Hour, Earth Day and other such events are less about resource conservation and more about engaging people and involving them in the process so that they realize how important it is to conserve resources.
But let's get past all that and say an already-aware citizen now feels like leading a green lifestyle. There are two methods that can and must be deployed. To start with, emissions must be eliminated or reduced to a minimum. After that, whatever is left over needs to be balanced using carbon credits.
Emission reductions are there for the taking in every aspect of an individual's life. Vehicle owners can eliminate the harm done by their driving by getting an electric vehicle and charging it using clean power from a solar generation system. It's a hassle to make the switch, and it's expensive too. But the end result of zero-carbon transport with no gas costs is well worth the trouble.
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.
Despite all these and other such efforts, it's not really possible to lead a completely zero-carbon life. This is where the second part kicks in, with carbon credits available for purchase to offset whatever is still left over. The buyer pays for credits, and the seller has done or will do something such as planting trees or generating clean power that balances the buyer's emissions.
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.
The problem at the moment is that it threatens all life on the planet, but people just don't realize it or choose to neglect it as scare tactics by tree-huggers. That is why most non-profits and governments who are doing something about it tend to focus on increasing awareness than on passing laws and regulations. Earth Hour, Earth Day and other such events are less about resource conservation and more about engaging people and involving them in the process so that they realize how important it is to conserve resources.
But let's get past all that and say an already-aware citizen now feels like leading a green lifestyle. There are two methods that can and must be deployed. To start with, emissions must be eliminated or reduced to a minimum. After that, whatever is left over needs to be balanced using carbon credits.
Emission reductions are there for the taking in every aspect of an individual's life. Vehicle owners can eliminate the harm done by their driving by getting an electric vehicle and charging it using clean power from a solar generation system. It's a hassle to make the switch, and it's expensive too. But the end result of zero-carbon transport with no gas costs is well worth the trouble.
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.
Despite all these and other such efforts, it's not really possible to lead a completely zero-carbon life. This is where the second part kicks in, with carbon credits available for purchase to offset whatever is still left over. The buyer pays for credits, and the seller has done or will do something such as planting trees or generating clean power that balances the buyer's emissions.
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