It’s time to cut carbon.
What is CO2?
CO2 is short for carbon dioxide. CO2 is the main greenhouse gas and causes more than half of the enhanced greenhouse effect. Other important greenhouse gases are methane, nitrous oxide and water vapor. CO2 is stored in fossil fuels (petroleum, coal, natural gas) and is released when burned again. CO2 is also stored in trees and is released when the wood burns or rots. Conversely, more trees and plants cause more CO2 to be extracted from the air.
Why do CO2 emissions have to be reduced?
CO2 is a greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere. These gases retain the heat of the sun. Since the industrial revolution, we have been emitting more and more greenhouse gases. They retain extra heat, which has caused the temperature to rise for 140 years. This warming is changing our climate.
Consequences worldwide
As it gets warmer, it will become drier in much of the world, while in other areas it will get wetter. This has all kinds of consequences:
*More flooding as sea level rises. In particular, densely populated coastal areas and river deltas will be affected.
*Food shortages in areas where it becomes drier, resulting in hunger and malnutrition.
*Shortage of drinking water and water for irrigation in areas where it becomes drier.
*Decrease in biodiversity (the number of different species) due to the extinction of animal and plant species. This also has a negative impact on fisheries, for example.
*The oceans are becoming more acidic. Coral reefs are therefore at risk of dying. Coral is an important habitat for fish and plants.
*There will be more forest fires and more deserts.
*There is a chance of more and longer heat waves. This is mainly a risk for the elderly and other vulnerable groups.
Tropical areas in particular will suffer from climate change. There, for example, problems arise due to water shortages, floods, diseases and poorer harvests. Densely populated coastal areas and river deltas in poor countries are particularly vulnerable. It is precisely these countries that do not have the money and technology to adapt to climate change.
In June 2020 we wrote an article about “Moving towards a better future” for Rosebank’s Roundabout issue 165. In this article we talked about how businesses are able to make a change and help towards reducing our environmental impact.
The latest statistics show that New Zealand greenhouse gas emissions have been relatively unchanged since 2005. In 2018 New Zealand’s gross greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were 78.9 million tonnes of CO2-e, 24.0 percent higher than 1990 and 1.0 percent lower than 2017.
Of course, we all know about climate change, and what it does, but what if you take action and see how your business could make a positive change that will create more business opportunities and a better work environment for you.
New toolbox to help small businesses take climate action.
Small businesses in New Zealand now have an easy-to-use, free tool to help them reduce their carbon emissions.
The tool, called the Climate Action Toolbox, has been created through a major collaboration between the public and private sector involving the Sustainable Business Network, business.govt.nz, Waka Kotahi (New Zealand Transport Agency), New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority (EECA), BNZ, Meridian Energy and design agency DNA.
Why the Climate Action Toolbox was created
Small-to-medium businesses make up a large part of New Zealand’s economy and their combined efforts on climate change could have a significant effect on the country’s emissions.
View the Climate Action Toolbox: https://www.tools.business.govt.nz/climate/
About us
Off The Wall Marketing translates the growing demand for sustainability into practical tools and working methods for companies, industry associations, and governments.
We want to make a change in doing business, not only because it contributes to a sustainable world, but also because organisations themselves benefit from it.
Andre Hendriks
021 0734711
info@offthewallmarketing.co.nz
www.offthewallmarketing.co.nz