WHAT DOES MY TRIP HAVE TO DO WITH CO2?
Nowadays all of us are nearly constantly on the move – traveling by car and plane, by bus or train or ship. What we often forget in this situation is that through this mobility we also are also continuously emitting CO2 (carbon dioxide) into our environment – without being able to influence it. For example, researchers at the University of Sydney have calculated that global tourism is responsible for eight percent of all CO2 emissions of mankind.
But what exactly does that mean for each individual?
What measures can you take to positively influence your own CO2 footprint?
ANYONE CAN PROTECT THE CLIMATE – YOU JUST HAVE TO START
Avoiding CO2 emissions completely is always the best solution: instead of a business trip, a video conference may be sufficient. The second best solution is to reduce emissions: from Hamburg to Munich, the train journey does not take much longer than the flight. Compensation is only the third best solution. Nevertheless, travel with compensating is still better for the climate than travel without compensating.
YOU TRAVEL – WE PLANT
Every tree, at every location on the globe, filters approximately 10 kilograms of CO2 (carbon dioxide) out of our atmosphere per year.
When it comes to climate protection, we are all called upon to do something. We plant trees for every journey, private or business. Each tree binds about 10 kg CO2 per year from our atmosphere – every single gram helps to counteract global warming. Forests are the most natural carbon stores in the world, converting CO2 very effectively into wood and oxygen, thus making a valuable contribution to environmental and climate protection. Besides compensating for CO2 and producing oxygen and water, forests provide habitats for many animal and plant species. Forest means shade, promotes precipitation and provides pleasant coolness. For us humans, forests are essential for survival.
What is CO2 ?
The chemical abbreviation CO2 stands for carbon dioxide. This is a colorless, non-flammable, odorless gas that is composed of carbon and oxygen. But CO2 is not just any gas. In the world today, emissions of CO2 are increasing at a breakneck pace. Particularly the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil is responsible for the ongoing generation of CO2 . It is this continually increasing concentration of CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere that is responsible for the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases absorb the infrared rays (heat rays) that are discharged from the earth after coming initially from the sun and then reflect this heat back towards the earth’s surface. This has the effect of warming the earth and the lowest layer of the atmosphere.
