Ways to Reduce Carbon Pollution from the Sky
Ways to Reduce Carbon Pollution from the Sky
The Human race has been emitting Carbon dioxide (CO2) into the sky since the industrial revolution. This is due to activities like burning fossil fuels for heat or electricity. Natural processes like volcanic eruptions can also cause C02 emissions. When this gas is released into the atmosphere, it can cause the earth to warm up, leading to gradual climate change.
Moreover, long-term shifts in climate can lead to wildfires, high temperatures, severe storms, and increased drought. Carbon emissions also cause respiratory diseases, which can be fatal for humans. Thankfully, many organizations that protect forests are looking for ways to reduce greenhouses in the sky. This guide discusses practical ways to remove carbon pollution from the sky. Read on to find out ways to reduce carbon pollution from the sky.
Expanding and Managing Forests
Trees absorb C02 from the atmosphere and then transform it into biomass and water through photosynthesis. They are an excellent solution for capturing and storing atmospheric carbon instead of letting it float in the air. For this reason, governments need to get more involved to manage and expanding our forests. Organizations should encourage people to plant trees in or around their properties.
Economic benefits tempt farmers to convert forests into farmland. They grow a crop in demand to make money. However, governments need to approach this strategy carefully to avoid harming the economy. Fortunately, numerous global grassroots organizations teach communities the best ways to plant trees and improve farming methods without endangering forests. Governments and communities should work together to find the right balance.
Protecting Coastal Ecosystems
Living coastal and marine organisms like mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrass beds capture and store vast amounts of carbon from the atmosphere. The accumulated carbon is scientifically called coastal blue carbon. Research shows that coastal wetlands can absorb ten times more carbon from the atmosphere than mature tropical forests. Moreover, they store more carbon than tropical forests. Therefore, they must be protected.
Growing and protecting coastal ecosystems can help remove carbon from the sky and reduce our footprint. However, When we destroy our coastal ecosystems, carbon absorption is reduced. This releases more carbon into the atmosphere. This results in an increase in greenhouses gases into the sky. Thus, governments need to control coastal developments like ports and housing to protect these crucial habitats.
Soil Carbon Storage
Soil is another natural element that stores carbon and reduces the amount released into the atmosphere. This happens in a number of ways. First, when farmers plant cover crops when their bare lands, they ensure photosynthesis throughout the year. Thus, their farms will help remove carbon from the sky. Moreover, adding compost or crop residues to the land helps increase carbon absorption.
Farmers introducing wetlands or ponds to their farms reduces decomposition since microbes in such areas will lack oxygen. The reduced microbial activity allows the soil to store large amounts of carbon. Unfortunately, soil carbon storage is not standard practice because agricultural farms are being used intensively. Governments should incentivize farmers to allow their farms to absorb more carbon to increase soil health.
Enhanced Weathering
Also called carbon mineralization, enhanced weathering is a process that solidifies C02. With this solution, certain rocks will be exposed to atmospheric C02. These rocks absorb the gas and turn it into a solid mineral like carbonate. This measure is crucial because it will store the carbon permanently. It can’t convert back to its gaseous state and re-enter the earth’s atmosphere.
Bio-energy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS)
Bio-energy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) is a process that involves obtaining bioenergy from biomass and sequestering the extracted carbon. It is essentially another carbon storage method that stems from photosynthesis. In short, the carbon that was once held in living organisms is released and then captured into a storage location. Facilities that employ BECCS have recorded substantial results so far.
Sectors that use BECCS
Most companies using BECCS are in the industrial, energy, or transportation sectors. Some industries that release carbon as a by-product of their manufacturing processes use BECCS to store it. For instance, substantial tons of CO2 is captured and sequestered from ethanol plants using the BECCS process. The recycling industry also embraces this storage solution as most of its materials contain carbon.
BECCS plays a vital role in the energy sector because C02 is usually emitted as a byproduct in most of their procedures. Thus, having access to a capture and storage technology intercepting the release of the gas into the atmosphere is vital. In addition to this, the transportation sector uses captured, and stored carbon is to make efficient and cost-effective biofuels.
Conclusion
As the years go by, carbon levels in the atmosphere increase due to human activities like burning fossil fuels and natural processes like volcanic eruptions. This can lead to global warming and severe health complications. Luckily, we can control this problem by finding practical solutions. This guide has discussed helpful tips that we can use to remove carbon from the sky.
