This time it's more of a wondering, pensive kind of thinking.
So what have I got my tits in a tangle about this time?
Carbon neutral 'V', 'Carbon negative'!! And why or how some community beliefs, values and/or goals become standardised or normalised. The standardised value I am referring to here is what is being called living a carbon neutral lifestyle. And while living a carbon neutral lifestyle, in my eyes, is an admirable goal, I have to wonder how this became the standard norm as opposed to living a 'carbon negative' lifestyle.
I'm thinking 'carbon negative' could be a step (a rather small step individually, but if we all do it, it would become a big one) in the direction of actually fixing the problem rather than treading water and waiting for someone to rescue us.
Any thoughts anyone? Can we start a Carbon Negative movement or a Carbon Negative agitation support group? Maybe we can have a new standardised community belief, value and or goal for a new years resolution.
I sent this post off to my sister (you can find her here if you like)for a proof read and it came back with these questions 'I'd like more information on what it means to be carbon negative. What's involved? For those that just hear this lingo bandied around but don't really know what it's all about. ie, what can I do personally that would make things carbon negative. etc'?
So if anyone can come up with some strategies to help her out then please let me know and I'll put together a data base of info on how and what can be done to live carbon neutral.
My #1 would be ditch the car and ride a bike. That's the push bike kind of bike.
In the mean time I know of a few sites that tell you how to measure how much carbon your emitting so I'll look them up and post the links.
Anything else anyone just let me know.
Cheers and bye for now
Stewart
5 comments:
Well there are two ways to go about it and you can mix them, Reduction and Offset.
Reduction is obvious, use less of everything that requires CO2 to be given off.
Offsets are more complex because you could have direct offsets such as a farmer growing plants for bio-char and then ploughing the char into his soil to improve it, knowing that it will stay there for +500 years. Then there is the more abstract offsets of carbon credits and the whole ETS thing that the mad monk just sunk.
cut the meat and buy local. farming is right up there in top 5. check this fab doco out on farming and peak oil http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xShCEKL-mQ8
Link her to Greening of Gavin, so much information on one humble blog.
xxxx
hrmm yeah, the only thing I can think of is something like planting trees, for instance, asking people with big cleared paddocks if you can plant trees in their paddocks. I've done it before, its a bit problematic because the earth in those cleared areas is soooo dry, and with our drought its hard to get trees going in such a harsh spot.. but.. ? idunno? Its a good idea. reforestation.. the deforestation of Australia and NZ is an atrocity to nature.
Good point Rolley, you need to put in other faster growing plants when the rain does come and get the organic matter back into the soil so it can hold enough water to support slower growing species.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_species
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