We have all heard of climate change at some point. In fact, its effects on daily life are becoming more noticeable: droughts, floods, more aggressive and long heat waves… How can we contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change with a 100% plant based diet?
What is climate change?
Climate change is real and it is 100% our responsibility. Our planet is now 1.1°C warmer than it was in the 19th century. This progressive change coincides with the Industrial Revolution and keeps growing since then.
Last decade was the warmest recorded, global warming is increasing at a rate of 0.2°C per decade.
Source: https://climate.nasa.gov/climate_resources/189/graphic-temperature-vs-solar-activity/
In this NASA graph we can see in red samen progressive increase in temperature over the years. In yellow you can see the solar irradiation that impacts the earth. This way, the scientists demonstrate that the increase in temperatures is not linked to greater solar irradiation.
This average of the rising temperatures of different places throughout the years brings with it consequences on the well-being of humans and the entire natural environment.
In the international meetings that were held to discuss this global climate agenda, the importance of focusing efforts on limiting the increase in temperature to 1.5°C was established. If these reach 2°C the continuity of many species is seriously affected.
What’s causing global warming?
All accusing fingers point to the greenhouse effect as the responsible for climate change. This means that some gasses (of course, exacerbated by human activity) are left in the atmosphere acting as a glass that traps heat from the sun on earth.
These are some of the most common gasses related to this:
- carbon dioxide (CO2)
- methane
- nitrous oxide
- fluorinated gases
The use of oil, gas and coal for homes, factories and transport burn fossil fuels that release gasses, mostly carbon dioxide. According to a study, by 2020, its concentration in the atmosphere had risen to 48% above its pre-industrial level.
What’s the deal with methane?
But let’s delve a little deeper into methane, a more powerful greenhouse gas than CO2. This natural gas is responsible for more than 25% of the warming. Compared to carbon dioxide, it has an 80 times greater potential during the 20 years it is released into the atmosphere.
Ph: Annie Spratt
Farming livestock has a great influence on methane production. Intensive farming of animals such as cows and sheep produce large amounts of this gas when they digest their food, releasing it… that’s right, aardoor farts.
Moreover, deforestation (linked in many cases to animal breeding) makes us lose the possibility of thousands of trees that could collaborate with the absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere and transform it into oxygen.
According to an official report from the Netherland’s Infrastructure Ministry:
“agriculture is the main source of methane emissions in the Netherlands, contributing to 69% of total emissions in 2015”.
The second largest source of methane emissions in the Netherlands is waste disposal, representing 16% of emissions in the same year.
In any case, these numbers have improved in recent years. Thanks to a reduction in open-air dumps and an optimization of the manure storage management system to minimize the time of gas emissions: from 572 kT in 1990 to 48 kT in 2030.
If global warming continues to escalate, some regions will become uninhabitable. As arable land may take on desert characteristics, exposing people to severe famine.
In addition, these extreme temperatures increase the risk of wildfires, melting glaciers, floods. And, of course, the consequent economic resulteert social crises that this can bring.
Many species may not be able to survive: polar bears are at very high risk if glacial waters increase their temperature. A study shows that the arctic fox, stoat, common shrew and arctic ground squirrel will also struggle.
What can we do from our place?
As we always mention, individual actions are super important to collaborate from our place:
- Join a vegan lifestyle: not eating meat or dairy reduces methane emissions.
- Use bikes, electric cars, and always try carpooling.
- Take care of water and energy resources so that they are not wasted.
- Improve thermal insulation in your home, thus reducing the use of AC and heating systems.
- Buy only what we really need and that are sustainable products or made with recycled materials.
Visit our site for a more sustainable life!
Our entire store is 100% vegan and free of animal abuse.
See you soon!
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