The earth clock. Watch with your own eyes the cost of delaying action!

Seems like we are in some kind of morbid hurry to consume all that is available. Time to wake up!

I have always felt that we as a society are using more paper than we should. I see it all around. In office, at homes and all places in between. Did a bit of research to find out more and I was shocked to the core. To any body who doesn't see this as a problem that requires urgent solution, I would say wake up from deep slumber. You need to do you part for our children and generations to come.

Here are the facts

1. Around the globe more than 1 million tonnes of paper is consumed every day!. More than 300 million tonnes in a year!
2. An average US office generates more than 1000 sheets of paper every day!
3. US alone (And there is big rest of the world out there) consumes 4 million tonnes of copy paper, 2 billion books, 350 million magazines and 25 billion newspapers!
4. 40% of municipal solid waste in US is paper!

Now here is the interpretation that should shock you further

1. For every ton of paper, 2 to 4 tons of trees are required!
2. More than 30 million acres of forested areas are being lost every year to meet this insatiable demand. And we are the monsters!
3. And the damage goes much beyond tree loss. There is a huge chemical based pollution apart from demands on energy and water.

What can you do

1. Get shocked!
2. Start observing paper wastage
3. Every time you use it, pause for a second and think how can you minimize or avoid usage
4. While we all keep hearing about recycles every thing, the fact is recycled paper forms under 10% of over all paper demand. 
   
5. Demand and use recycled paper, preferably one that is processed chlorine free or totally chlorine free
6. Prefer reusable recycled alternatives to disposable bags, plates, cups.
7. Think big and use your intellect to find ways to make big impacts at home, office and in society at large. Would appreciate comments and suggestions.

Posters for you to download

Think before you print elephant poster

Think before you print orangutan poster

Finally credits: WWF website, www.panda.org and a whitepaper from woodconsumption.org  

How will the world map look like if scaled by per capita CO2 emissions

This is how the world map will look like if every country were to be scaled up or down according to per capita carbon emission levels. United states will be much bigger that it is and europe much larger in size. Look at the poor Africa and south america!

© Copyright 2006 SASI Group (University of Sheffield) and Mark Newman (University of Michigan).

Truth seemingly stranger than fiction

One of the strangest ways offered to offset CO2, is by burning methane gas that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. Burning methane actually generates 133 pounds of CO2 for every 1000 ft3, of gas that is burned. While its a shock to hear that burning methane offsets CO2, it turns out that each pound of methane released into the atmosephere is as damaging to the earth as 20 pounds of CO2. Thus burning this free methane to emit CO2 actually reduces the greenhouse effect. This is a case of the truth seeming stranger than fiction.

Source: Carbonaction.com

Simple stats that will shock you!

This year
- 6.8 million hectares of forests have been lost
- 3.6 million hectares of arable land has been lost because of soil erosion
- 1.3 billion tonnes of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere
- 84,000 species will go extinct
- 5.9 million tonnes of toxic chemicals will be released by industries

If this doesn't scare you, I am not sure what will!

How close are we to irreversible disaster!

Amount of Co2 has been varying in earth's atmosphere through hundreds of thousands of year but never so much. For over 650,000 years the share has been below 280 ppm (parts per million). Since the onset of industrialization CO2 concentration has started increasing and has now reached 385 ppm.

The critical threshold value is around 400ppm. If this value is exceeded it could lead to irreversible consequences for the Earth and of course mankind. Do you realize how close we are and the costs of delaying action by even a few years? I think there is reason to panic and I worry about the world my little daughter is going to grow in to.

One small fun trip by bus every month and you have effected planted 4 trees!

310 grams is the amount of CO2 that is emitted per KM by a medium car. A grownup tree absorbs around 22 KG of carbon dioxide every year. If you decide that once and just once a month I will take the bus to that super market just 10 KM away, simple maths and you will end up preventing carbon dioxide that equal to what 3-4 fully grown trees can absorb from the atmosphere in a year! Mind boggling isn't it! That's just one person. You may not have the time or know how to plant and maintain trees but you have effectively done the equivalent of planting and nurturing 4 trees. So every time that one time each month, you decide to take the bus (basically avoid riding by your car) you know you are effectively nurturing 4 trees and doing your bit for the environment. It is bound to feel good.

Now you know the power of one. If you can do more you know that you are going to feel even better and yes the mother nature too!