Jun 3, 20233 min read

Decarbonization Simplified | How to Reduce Carbon Footprints

Decarbonization is an effort to reduce the Co2 emission in the atmosphere via various production and manufacturing processes. Anything which contains carbon emits carbon dioxide on combustion. So, decarbonization technology emphasizes the use of elements with low carbon content and also makes the machine more efficient to reduce the emission.

Fighting carbon emissions is very important to conserve nature. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. In high amounts, it raises the earth's temperature and causes global warming. Hence reducing the carbon footprint of a product is very significant. So, we are going to discuss carbon footprint, decarbonization, the role of tech and innovation, challenges and obstacles, etc.

Is Decarbonization Reducing Carbon Footprint?

Carbon footprint is the net amount of greenhouse gases accumulated in the atmosphere by several sources. Most human activities release either small or large amounts of GHGs in the surrounding. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous gases, etc. In the US, this amount usually goes for around 16 tons for an individual. The average data comes out to around 4 tons per individual across the globe. This amount is enough to cause global warming. For normal environmental functioning, it should be below 2 tons which is a long way ahead.

Sources of Carbon Footprints

One of the major activities having a high carbon footprint is transportation. Vehicles used to transfer products from one place to another cause GHG emissions. Apart from this energy generation from combustion of carbon sources release CO2. Poor waste management is also a leading cause of carbonization.

Simplified Steps to Reduce Carbon Footprints

Transportation- Heavy vehicles generally used for transporting vary in the amount of GHGs emissions as per their efficiency and the model. Hence, there are several government norms and standards for the up gradation of engines of transport vehicles.
Energy Consumption- Natural resources containing carbon are wanted for energy production for several channels. Carbon resources such as coal are mostly used as raw materials to generate electricity in many countries.
Waste Management- Waste containing carbon degrades itself and releases a high amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere if not disposed of properly. So, proper waste management is crucial.

Implementing Sustainable Lifestyle Choices

All of us can contribute to decarbonization by implementing different changes in our day-to-day life at several levels. First of all, we need to start with small steps such as conserving water in daily activities. We need to start waste management from our home by separating degradable and non-degradable based into different dust cans. We also need to be conscious about the product we are consuming. As eco-conscious consumers, we need to compare the carbon footprint of the products before purchasing. Always buy the product with the lowest carbon footprint.

Overcoming Challenges and Obstacles

Some of the common challenges in achieving the carbonization goals are-

Lack of awareness: Many people are not even aware of the rising issue of global warming and other environmental concerns. So, educating manpower is a requirement to achieve sustainable goals.
Disorganized waste management: The waste management system of many countries is very disorganized. Hence the activities can't be parallel aligned for the ultimate goal of decarbonization of pollution reduction.
Cost: It happens many times when the consumer is aware of the significance of carbon footprint value. Products with lower carbon footprints have really high costs making them unaffordable. Hence we need products with minimum harsh impact on the environment and also minimum pricing.

Conclusion

Decarbonization means reducing the level of carbon emission into the atmosphere. Seeing the current level of pollution and environmental degradation we can say that decarbonisation technology is the need of the hour. We need to track the sources with high GHG emissions to reduce the carbon footprint. We need to consciously select products with a lower carbon footprint.