“The time for seeking global solutions is running out. We can find suitable solutions only if we act together and in agreement.”
Pope Francis on climate change
Budgeting has never been one of my strengths. Thankfully, I married a guy who knows his way around a spread sheet, and I’ve picked up some things along the way. Ideally, a monthly household budget allocates every dollar of income between expenses and savings, arriving at net zero.
Almost every article about climate change references net zero as a goal. So what does that mean? It’s the same idea as your personal budget. Simply stated, we need to balance our carbon budget by pulling as much heat-trapping gas out of, as we pump into, the atmosphere.
The goal in the US is to cut emissions in half by 2030, and reach net zero by 2050. This will help us avoid the worst outcomes, and is in line with what 192 other countries have agreed to in the global treaty called the Paris Agreement. And until we get there, climate-related problems will continue to get worse.
At net zero, the Earth’s surface temperature will begin to level off and then start to drop. In fact, according to Michael E. Mann, leading climate scientist, once we reach net zero, warming will stabilize in as little a 3 years. This is great news!
So, how do we get there? We need to walk and chew gum at the same time.
First – significantly reduce emissions. This transition is already underway, but we need to ramp up renewable energy sources and be more efficient about the energy we use.
Second – pull more CO2 out of the atmosphere. How the heck do we do that? Some strategies are natural, including trees, seaweed, and regenerative farming techniques. Others involve technology, such as employing different methods of carbon capture.
If you are curious about the creative solutions to remove CO2, check out the website drawdown.org. It might give you ideas about things you can do in your own life. I am blown away by all the possibilities.
Let’s do something about climate change. Learn about it. Think about it. Talk about it.