Almost
everybody knows that carbon emissions and deforestation are the biggest causes
of global warming; but did you know that you are contributing to global warming
by just enjoying a barbeque party with your friends. Here are the top 5 most
surprising causes of global warming that you didn’t know about.
1) Internet
2) Agriculture
3) Land
Pollution
4) Barbeques
5) Buildings
Internet
Did
you think that by reading eBooks instead of paperbacks or using crypto-currencies
instead of real money, you were climate-friendly? Think again; the Internet
runs on energy which results in carbon emissions. Although leading tech
companies like Facebook, Google, and Amazon have pledged to reach net-zero
emissions by using only renewable energy during the next two decades, the Royal
Society estimates that 1.4% to 5.9% of the global greenhouse gases are being
contributed by emerging technologies like A.I, 5G, and Cryptocurrencies.
Is Video Streaming Pushing Up Harmful Emissions?
Agriculture
Food
production, storage, fermentation, transport, and fertilizers, all of these
contribute to greenhouse gases emissions. According to studies, agriculture
contributed to about 10% of the European Union’s greenhouse gas emissions in
2012. Although better practices have reduced the agricultural emissions of the
EU by about 24% since then, other countries, especially, developing countries
have been moving in the opposite direction with their agricultural emissions
increasing day by day. Farming is responsible for the release of Methane and
Nitrous Oxide (Greenhouse gases). Methane is produced in the stomach of
livestock due to the fermentation of food during the process of digestion and
is released during belching. Nitrous Oxide is released from nitrogen
fertilizers.
Agriculture and Climate Change
Land Pollution
According
to a study by Stockholm Environment Institute, land degradation (the result of
land pollution) is a major catalyst of climate change and global warming. Land
degradation results in the release of stored carbon in the soil and the
reduction of further carbon storage capacity of the soil thus resulting in an
increase in the concentration of carbon in the atmosphere. Further, land
degradation is responsible for deforestation and the loss of ecosystems and
freshwater. According to the study conducted, land degradation is responsible
for undermining the well-being of billions of people.
Land Degradation Worsening Climate Change
Barbeques
Professor
Sarah Bridle from the University of Manchester said, “Food contributes over 20%
of all greenhouse gas emissions”. The next time you are planning to have a
barbeque with friends try to think of the impact of your choice on your
environment. According to the Royal Society, a barbeque for four people
releases more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than an 80 miles car
journey.
How much is your summer BBQ damaging the environment?
Buildings
According
to the United Nations Environment Program, 39% of global energy-related
emissions are contributed by buildings and their construction. Further,
buildings absorb more heat from the sun during the day as compared to natural
strata and then release that heat into the atmosphere during the night increasing
the surrounding temperature, this is called the heat island effect. According
to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), daytime
temperatures in the urban areas are about 1-7oF higher than the
outlying areas whereas nighttime temperatures are about 2-5oF higher
than the outlying areas.