What Are The Health Benefits Of Reducing Carbon Emissions?
The damage carbon emissions have on the environment, and the atmosphere of our plant is not neglectable, and making an effort to reduce the emissions of carbon stands as a pivotal step in the progress of mitigating climate change. Not only this, the health benefits of reducing carbon emissions resonate far beyond environmental concerns.
By actively slicing carbon emissions, we ensure a sustainable and healthier future for individuals and communities alike. So, in this article, we will discuss the health benefits of reducing carbon emissions.
Benefits of Reducing Carbon Emissions
Reducing carbon emissions can result in the following benefits:
Improvement in Quality of Air
A major way to reduce the large amounts of carbon emissions is to rely on renewable sources of fuel instead of fossil fuels, emitting harmful air pollutants that are linked to the increasing number of respiratory diseases and allergies. By reducing carbon emissions, a healthier air quality can be achieved.
Reduction in Diseases
The harmful pollutants that are released alongside carbon emissions are not only linked to respiratory problems but are also related to cardiovascular diseases. The elderly and the young are often prone to these diseases. Lowering carbon emissions will not only result in the reduction of cases of heart attacks, strokes, or other related issues but also increase the average life expectancy.
Infectious Diseases
Carbon emissions contribute to global warming, raising the global average temperatures and allowing diseases like malaria and dengue to spread to other regions where it was once restricted due to climate conditions. Controlled carbon emissions would mean restricting global warming, ultimately reducing the spread of such infectious diseases.
Mental Well Being
Mental health is affected by the surroundings, and hence, a healthy environment would mean that the mental health of the community will be positively affected.
What Are The Natural Sources of Carbon Emissions?
Carbon is an essential building block of life which serves as the architect of life’s diversity. Even though the attempt to curb carbon emissions is vital for diminishing human-caused climate change, it is important to embrace the reality that carbon emission from natural sources is an inherent aspect of our planet’s complex systems. The natural sources of carbon emissions include the following.
Biological Respiration
Respiration is a natural process performed by all living organisms that intakes oxygen and excretes carbon dioxide as the result of metabolic reactions within their bodies.
Decomposition
Decay is a natural, inevitable process for all living things following death. When living organisms decay, carbon dioxide is emitted as a result of microorganisms and their role in decomposition, ultimately contributing to the emissions of carbon into the environment.
Volcanic Activity
Volcanic eruptions release considerable amounts of carbon dioxide into the environment. This natural process can boost atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and have effects on climate patterns.
Forest Fires
Wildfires are a vital ecological event that acts as an opportunity for new growth and maintaining the natural ecological balance. However, when organic matter burns, it can end up releasing a notable amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Oceans
Oceans can absorb a sizable amount of carbon dioxide, acting as a major carbon sink. Through a process known as outgassing, oceans release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere and, as a result, contribute to the emissions of carbon into the environment.
Businesses’ Role in Carbon Emissions
The existence of natural carbon emissions has existed as long as the Earth has. What stands as a matter of utter concern is that recent human-based carbon emissions have reached unparalleled levels, overcoming the stable natural carbon emissions by a significant amount. Since the Industrial Revolution, companies and organizations have contributed significantly in terms of carbon emissions. There are various reasons as to how firms contribute to carbon dioxide emissions.
- Consumption of Fossil Fuels
Most businesses depend on the consumption of fossil fuels, which act as the core energy source for many business-crucial operations, including manufacturing, heating, cooling, and electricity generation.
- Logistics and Transport
The commuting of employees, shipments of goods, transporting products, or raw materials all require vehicles that mostly operate on fossil fuels. The ways of transporting materials, i.e. air, sea, and road, used by businesses contribute to the emissions of carbon.
- Energy Consumptions
Unless the business operates on renewable sources of energy, activities like running equipment in factories, industries, and offices can raise the level of carbon emissions into the environment by significant amounts.
- Supply Chain Activities
The raw materials a company uses require extraction, manufacturing, and transporting are all causes of substantial carbon emissions. These processes also include mining and refining of the raw materials.
- Waste Production and Disposal
Waste is a result of the processes which take place in various industries. Inadequate waste disposal, including landfilling and waste burning, can contribute to the emissions of carbon into the environment. This can be seen with businesses with inefficient waste practices.
- Land Clearing and Construction
Industries and businesses are often sprawled across a large area, and if the area is not already clear, then the process of land clearing emits carbon dioxide into the environment. Land clearing often includes deforestation, and as trees provide oxygen and reduce overall carbon levels, cutting them down not only destroys the environment and gives off carbon but also reduces oxygen production.
The conversion of natural land for commercial purposes or the construction of buildings/renovations frequently involves processes that require a large amount of energy, contributing to the carbon footprint of a company.
Harmful Effects of Carbon Emissions on Businesses
The emissions of carbon not only damage the environment it can potentially damage a business as well as its operations. Businesses need to track their carbon footprint to promote sustainability actively. Carbon emissions may affect businesses in the following ways.
- Legal Compliance Costs
Companies and organizations may be subject to increased expenses to comply with strict carbon emissions regulations. This includes additional charges such as investing in pollution control technologies.
- Increased Energy Costs
With the increased ratio of carbon emissions, it is evident that businesses usually consume high levels of energy, leading to increased operational costs for businesses.
- Disruptions in Supply Chain
Increased level of carbon gasses in the atmosphere is bound to hurt the climate. This can lead to climate-related events such as extreme weather, which may result in disruptions of the transportation infrastructure, ultimately leading to unwanted delays and increased costs.
- Reputation and Legal Liability
Businesses that take a big part in the emission of carbon gasses may be subject to legal actions from the community or individuals who are impacted by the growing concerns of climate change.
This also results in reputation damage as companies with high carbon footprint bear the consequences of raising environmental concerns. This can become a reason for divestment as investors and shareholders bear in mind the environmental components when choosing to invest in a business.
How Businesses Can Take An Active Role in Reducing Carbon Emissions?
Businesses and industries indeed play a major role in the emissions of carbon, which raises concerns regarding the sustainability of the environment. However, businesses have a significant role to play in shaping a green future for our planet. By acting responsibly and by adopting environmentally friendly practices, businesses can lead themselves in saving costs, efficient and smooth running of operations, and ultimately gaining a good reputation.
- Transitioning to Renewable Sources of Energy
Fossil fuels have remained the core energy material across the globe. Apart from the fact that carbon is emitted alongside other air pollutants, fossil fuels are a non-renewable source of energy. Considering the rate at which fossil fuels are being consumed and how slowly they develop, our planet may run out of fossil fuels.
To overcome this issue, as well as controlling carbon emissions, businesses can transition to renewable sources of energy. Renewable sources of energy include solar, wind, hydroelectric power etc. Transitioning to electric vehicles, as opposed to vehicles that run on fossil fuels, can significantly reduce the amount of carbon emissions.
- Reduce the use of Paper
Our era is digital, and it would be inefficient to stick to transitional practices. Reducing the use of paper across the globe can reduce carbon emissions related to paper production. Businesses should instead transition to digital processes.
- Measuring the Business’s Carbon Footprint
Businesses can make use of carbon accounting software, which efficiently tracks the carbon footprint of a company and monitors the company’s overall carbon emissions. This would enable the business to be self-aware of its role in reducing carbon emissions.
- Recycling
Recycling is an effective way for businesses to reduce their carbon footprint. Pepsi, for example, makes its plastic bottles by recycling the plastic material they can salvage from their previously used bottles. If not recycled, there is a probability that the used plastic bottle will end up in a landfill, polluting the environment.
- Cooperating with Sustainable Suppliers
Businesses can greatly reduce their carbon footprint by working with sustainable suppliers who prioritize manufacturing techniques that are efficient in terms of energy usage while using renewable sources of energy. Sustainable suppliers often use green packaging, packing with biodegradable materials that are recyclable as opposed to plastic packing.
Positive Effect on Organizations by Reducing Carbon Emissions
By reducing their carbon footprint, a business can have various fruitful benefits for its business. This includes the following.
Marketing Partnerships
In today’s era, companies that are aware of the devastating effects of carbon emissions and climate change are eagerly demanding products and services that are friendly to the environment. This may open the opportunity to get access to new partners who prioritize feasible practices for the sustainability of the environment.
Risk Mitigation
Companies that successfully cut down their carbon emissions are safe from the risk of legal actions that may be imposed on businesses with high carbon footprints. Such businesses often earn their customer’s loyalty and respect as they are satisfied that the business aligns with the values of the customer.
Energy Efficient
Businesses that transition to renewable sources of energy will often find themselves with low emissions of carbon as well as being independent of fossil fuels, a volatile, non-renewable source of energy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is important to note that reducing the emissions of carbon acts as a vital opportunity for businesses and organizations to stand responsible for the environment while reaping substantial benefits. The benefits businesses can achieve by reducing carbon emissions stretch from enhanced operational charges to improving brand reputation and promoting sustainability for our planet.
Apart from business benefits, reducing carbon emissions has numerous health benefits. Reducing carbon emissions will certainly reduce the cases of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, which limit the average life expectancy of humans. It ensures a clean, healthy, and non hazardous environment, securing a sustainable atmosphere for our planet.