Green essentials Environmental issues
Burning fossil fuels generates carbon dioxide
With headlines about carbon emissions, fortnightly rubbish collections and campaigns to reduce plastic carrier bags, there’s little doubt interest in green issues is at an all-time high.
Read on to find out more about the key environmental issues at stake, and see Green lifestyle tips to find out what you can do to help.
Climate change
Preventing or reducing climate change is central to many of the greener lifestyle changes we’re encouraged to make.
Our planet is surrounded by a layer of gases that trap the sun’s heat to keep the surface of the earth warm and able to sustain life. This layer is consequently often referred to as having a ‘greenhouse’ effect on our planet.
What causes climate change?
Carbon dioxide and methane (‘greenhouse gas’) emissions caused by human activity are causing this layer of gases to get thicker, trapping more heat and causing the planet to heat up. Key causes of greenhouse gas
Carbon dioxide causes climate change
emissions include:
- Burning fossil fuels for energy, heat and transport.
- Deforestation to make way for agricultural land.
- Rubbish breaking down in landfill sites.
How does climate change affect me?
- Rising sea levels threaten homes near the coast, wetlands, and coral reefs. It also threatens the existence of some small island states and puts millions of people at risk.
- Warmer sea surface temperatures kill animals and coral reefs that thrive in cooler seas. This damages marine ecosystems as a whole.
- Heavier rainfall and other severe weather causes flooding in many regions, damaging homes and threatening lives, wildlife and businesses.
- Warmer climates effect what farmers can grow, damaging livelihoods and pushing up food prices.
Limited landfill space means recycling is essential
Waste and recycling
The earth doesn't have infinite supplies of the core materials needed to create and produce everyday items and materials.
There’s also concern about the limited amount of landfill space available for disposing of used products, and the dangers of disposing of rubbish this way and through incineration plants. See our essential recycling guide that includes a video guide showing you how to improve the way you recycle.
Why recycle and reduce waste?
Recycling everyday products and materials and reducing waste has many environmental benefits:
- Recycling reduces the amount of natural resources needed to create virgin materials.
- Creating recycled products minimises the amount of fossil fuels used in the production of products, which in turn helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Less rubbish is sent to landfill sites, conserving resources and preventing methane emissions from natural products breaking down underground.
