Posts Tagged ‘Greenhouse’
Without a doubt you have heard the avid discussions about global warming and the consequences it has when it comes to the climate. It is true that our planet is slowly melting and that every day more greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere, which combined with the increased level of infrared energies lead to the rise of the global temperatures. Polar ice caps are melting and temperate climates are changing to 2-season climate patterns. The fauna and flora are suffering from all those changes and we have to ask ourselves: how can we stop our planet from a certain death? Well, there are many solutions presented by global warming activists and one of the most relevant is that of carbon credits.
Given the fact that we live in age where more and more industries are created, increasing the level of pollution worldwide, the concept of carbon credits was well received. It was meant as an initiative to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and even though at the beginning, attained a certain level of success. Today, the Internet is practically filled with companies that provide the possibility to buy carbon credits and most importantly each provider is involved in different projects. Those who are interested in carbon credits must know what are the carbon projects provided by these companies and thus be able to make a serious-minded comparison. After all, most of the companies that are interested in such services know that they contribute to the problem of global warming due to the emission of greenhouse gases (especially methane and carbon dioxide) and they need to take action, even if that means only buying carbon credits.
Companies like Carbonfund and Terapass have understood the importance of carbon credits and they have developed various carbon projects that will reduce some of the greenhouse gases suffocating the atmosphere. A carbon credit equals with the reduction of one ton of carbon dioxide and it is indeed one of the most practical measures that can be taken against global warming by individuals and companies. It also increases awareness when it comes to such problems, many companies feeling stimulated when they are given an incentive in order to decrease the level of carbon dioxide produced. The question is: where is the best carbon credit project to be found and why would I want to go to this specific provider and not to someone else? What are the rules when it comes to selecting the right provider for a carbon credit? Actually, if you want to reduce your own carbon footprint then you should know that there are no better providers than others. Still, their projects are different especially when it comes to their quality. This is why you need a service that allows not only the comparison of various carbon credit providers but also has the possibility of rating that specific provider.
We are talking about climate change and thus reducing even just a tone of carbon dioxide is extremely important. All companies and businesses out there should take part in fighting the climate change and reduce the level of greenhouse gases that affect the atmosphere. Apart from informing ourselves on the subject of global warming, we should also try and find a reliable provider for carbon credit projects using the comparison services provided by the Internet. As we cannot stop the greenhouse gases that have already been released in the atmosphere, we can take action by preventing the quantity of gases that will be released in the future. There are many carbon reducing projects out there, all meant to stimulate and help people contribute. Some examples include: wind power farms, renewable energy and also reforestation. Just make sure that you bring your own contribution â if each person does the same, we will certainly have a greener and healthier planet!
The Chrysler Group and the Ford Motor Co. recently said that they had joined a group calling for mandatory reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.
The Auburn Hills-unit of German DaimlerChrysler AG and the Dearborn automaker are joining the General Motors Corp. as the first automotive members of the United States Climate Action Partnership. The organization consists of a group of huge businesses and environmental groups in the United States. Additionally, the Toyota Motor Co. spokeswoman Martha Voss said that the automaker was also considering joining the group. Other members of the USCAP include Midland-based Dow Chemical, Alcoa, Duke Energy, PepsiCo, BP America Inc. and the Nature Conservancy.
The USCAP has recommended that Congress establish short- and mid-term emission reduction targets; a national program to accelerate technology research, development and deployment; and approaches to encourage action by other nations.
“Now is the time for advancing a national approach to climate change where all of us, individuals, industry and government – take action toward reducing emissions of greenhouse gases,” said Tom LaSorda, the Chrysler Group’s president and CEO. “We are proud to be an active member with USCAP in the development of climate policy that addresses energy use and emissions from all sectors of the U.S. economy, and ultimately drives increased energy efficiency.”
Meanwhile, Ford said that its decision to join the group is part of its commitment to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign oil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions “by taking an integrated approach that includes the vehicle, plus the fuel, plus the driver.” Alan Mulally, Ford’s president and CEO, has this to say: “We are at a critical stage in the conversation on climate change, energy consumption and environmental protection.”
Automakers are trying to boost their green offers in the wake of alarming need for tougher fuel economy mandates on Capitol Hill. Last week, the Senate voted 65-27 to require automakers to increase the fuel efficiency of vehicles by 40 percent by 2020, to a combined 35 miles per gallon for passenger cars and light trucks.
Those mandates could cost the industry tens of billions of dollars. They also could injure Chrysler the most since about 70 percent of its sales are sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks. Chrysler has said that the Senate bill could add $6,700 per vehicle and potentially force it out of business.
According to the automakers, the fuel mandates would necessitate costly production. Ford engines, the Mercury cold air intake, and other auto parts are required to complement the mileage of the product lines.
The Chrysler Group called for mandatory reductions of heat-trapping emissions that can be imposed “without economic harm and lead to economic opportunities if done across the economy and with provisions to mitigate costs.” As part of Chrysler’s $3 billion investment to produce more fuel-efficient engines, transmissions and axles, the Auburn Hills automaker said last week that it would boost fuel economy across its entire vehicle lineup.
In April, the Cerberus Capital Management LP said that it would buy 80.1 percent of Chrysler from DaimlerChrysler in a $7.4 billion deal that is expected to close soon. That would mark the end of auto industry’s ‘perfect marriage.’ After the divorce, Chrysler is expected to entertain more dramatic plans to alleviate its standing in the industry.
While many view the effects of global warming to be more radical, the scientific consensus on climatic changes related to global warming is that the average temperature of the Earth has increased between 0.4 and 0.8 °C over the past century. Scientists from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate carrying out global warming research have predicted that average global temperatures could go between 1.4 and 5.8 °C by the year 2100.
Loss of forests contributes as much as 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions each rivaling emissions from the global transportation sector. The Kyoto Protocol’s offset mechanisms allow credits to be given for replanting trees or establishing new forests, which capture carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. But the current policy regimen does nothing to prevent existing forests from being cut down in the first place.
With Kyoto set to expire in 2012, a new round of talks is under way to develop the next framework for climate change. Experts believe a policy to avoid further deforestation will be a major topic at the conference. But some environmentalists remain wary of forestry climate policy, fearing it will draw attention away from the need to reduce emissions caused by fossil fuels.
The world currently has about ten billion acres of forest. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) 2007 report on the world’s forests, the world lost about 3 percent of forest area between 1990 and 2005, and the net rate of loss has declined since 2000 (the world loses on average 32 million acres per year). Growth in northern hemisphere forest has helped offset tropical deforestation. There is disagreement, however, on the extent to which increases in temperate-zone forests offset the loss of carbon sinking in tropical zones.
Deforestation is caused by exploitation of natural resources, including expanding populations, logging, agriculture, biofuel production, and wildfires. Clearing forests for the production of biofuels is causing major concern, as experts contend that it has a significant negative impact on forests without doing much to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The FAO report shows that the greatest overall loss is occurring in Africa, followed closely by Latin America and the Caribbean. Indonesia has the fastest deforestation rate of any single country in the world. When emissions from loss of forests are taken into account, Indonesia could be considered the world’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, according to a recent World Bank report. Indonesia recently has made a show of planting 80 million trees ahead of the Bali conference, but some question the country’s long-term commitment to slowing exploitation of its valuable resources, such as stemming illegal logging.
China’s rapid growth in the production of manufactured goods that need wood also poses challenges. The country’s consumption of forest products leads the world. According to Forest Trends, a nonprofit research group, China’s increasing demand has lead to unsustainable and sometimes illegal logging practices in many of the countries seeing significant deforesting activities, such as Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
China has a seemingly limitless appetite for cheap wood, says Don J. Melnick, a conservation biology professor at Columbia University. Products made from this timber often wind up in U.S. and European markets. Richard Z. Donovan, chief of forestry for the Rainforest Alliance, an advocacy group, says that right now China is not only adding to climate change by burning large amounts of fossil fuels that emit greenhouse gas but also by being a non-discriminating buyer of wood.