Reduce

The best way to eliminate the emissions of GHG is to use less energy, this can be easily be achieved by acting in a responsible way and adapting our ways of living and working. Small changes like turning off electronic equipment instead of leaving them in stand by, using low consumption lighting bulbs or reducing the use of air conditioning or heating have a huge impact of the energy consumption and thus on the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other GHG, because most of the current sources of energy are of fossil origin (oil, gas, coal) that release huge amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) when they are consumed. Reducing traveling by moving mores towards phone and video conferences is a more efficient and environmentally friendly way to carry business

The European Commission has developed a simple tool proposing several ideas to reduce the emissions at personal level. As you will see, most of these actions are not only a good way to reduce your carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions; they make good financial sense as well. You will save money while helping the environment. We encourage you to look at it and to take action.

Reuse and recycle

Preserving natural resources and recycling materials is another way to contribute to fight the climate change. It takes aprox. 3 grams of oil to produce a plastic cup or a plastic bag that are usually only one time and discarded afterwards. To produce new aluminum from recycled one it takes only approx 10% of the energy that would otherwise be used, if we start the process with raw materials. Reusing (printing on both sides) and recycling paper is another example how you can change your habits. We encourage you to continuously challenge your ways of working and living and always ask yourselves the questions: what can I use less off? What can I recycle?

Compensate your emissions

Despite all our efforts to reduce our consumption and to recycle, we still need energy to heat our homes and offices, for lighting, for transportation etc. The Kyoto protocol has opened the way to the compensation of these emissions. Under this mechanism, we can compensate our emissions by implementing initiates that reduce the emissions somewhere else. Because the Kyoto protocol is complex in its application, more and more companies and individuals willing to take action are now looking at alternatives to offset their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, known as their “carbon footprint”. Carbon offsetting involves calculating a person or entity’s greenhouse gas emissions and then purchasing ‘credits’ from emission reduction projects that have prevented or removed the emission of an equivalent amount of greenhouse gas elsewhere. This approach is called “voluntarily carbon offsetting”.

Under the clean development mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol, afforestation (i.e. transforming pastures or unproductive land into a forest for the first time) or reforestation (restoring a forest, destroyed either by human activities or by fires), are recognized as to valid ways to compensate the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), as the trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) when they grow. If the trees are allowed to grow for more than 10 years and the wood produced is dedicated to long lasting items such as building materials, there forest are considered as “carbons sinks”. The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) absorbed can then be purchased to compensate the emissions somewhere else.

Compensation is sometimes critizised as it can be perceived as a way of “buying the right to pollute”. Compensation by itself is definitively not the only solution, but if it part of a global approach to reduce the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, compensation has a major role to play in the fight against climate change.

Witzara offers you the opportunity to offset your carbon footprint, by compensating your carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Learn how here.