This topic is so important to us, we partnered with The Carbon Almanac.
What is Carbon?
The term carbon is often used to describe a group of gasses known as greenhouse gasses, due to how they retain heat. Carbon dioxide is the most abundant of these gasses. While carbon is the most abundant, it is not the most potent. Methane, the second most abundant greenhouse gas, retains 84 times the heat of carbon dioxide.
So why does this matter?
Scientists agree, the ever growing increase of greenhouse gasses entering the atmosphere over the past 140 years is a direct result of human activity. With 25% of this increase happening in the last 50 years. This has so far resulted in the overall warming of our planet by just over 1°C. This 1°, like a fever, is enough to begin a cascade of compounding extreme weather events.
Over There. Right here.
Climate change may be disproportionately affecting different countries, geological areas, and/or socio economic groups but it is still happening right in front of each and every one of us.
If you have been fortunate enough to avoid some of the more drastic events such as extreme droughts, wildfires, or floods. To name a few. You may have noticed odd changes in the weather and have heard or have found yourself saying “this is unusual weather for this time of year,” “summers aren’t usually this hot,” etc.
While how it’s affecting people varies across locations, one thing is clear, this is only the beginning.
What We Can Do. Today.
We don’t share this to spread fear or despair. On the contrary, while this information may sound scary to some on the surface, we share it with hope. We believe that while we may have gotten ourselves here, now that we know what we know, we believe that together, we can be part of the solution.
“We are called to be architects of the future, not its victim.” - R. Buckminster Fuller
There are many steps, big and small, you can begin to take today. Here are 8 to get you started:
- Make your voice heard by those in power. While we can all take actions individually, we need companies and governments to step up to the plate as well.
- Stop or reduce meat consumption. Especially beef & dairy.
- Grow your own garden
- Reduce food waste, reuse, and compost before throwing in the landfill
- Reduce, reuse, and repurpose
- Purchase previously loved items instead of buying new
- Shop from brands that are actually doing good. (Instead of just saying they are. Look for a follow up post on greenwashing.)
- Share this with friends and family
Today we covered only a small portion of Seth Godin’s latest book, The Carbon Almanac. As a partner of The Carbon Almanac, we have copies we want to give away to those who are interested in joining the ever growing movement of people creating change.
Sign up below for info on when and how we decide to give away our copies of The Carbon Almanac; a new tool to help create change now.
