Carbon Offsetting

Wind Turbines used to reduce carbon emissions

By now most people understand that 'Carbon Offsetting' is a way of offsetting carbon emissions produced by everyday activities. Some people think of this simply as a way to do some good, to counter all the damage they are doing.

'Carbon Reductions' are often described as ways to reduce future carbon emissions and there are many of these such as developing wind turbines and solar panels. However these produce considerable amounts of Co2 in their implementation and manufacturing process and do not undo any of the damage already done.

Photosynthesis is the only way to absorb Co2 already in the atmosphere. Photosynthesis through growing trees and the concept of CO2 sequestration has become more widely known because the Kyoto Protocol allows the use of carbon dioxide sinks (reforestation) as a form of Carbon Offsetting. Trees play a unique natural role in the global carbon cycle. They are the largest land-based natural mechanism for removing CO2 from the air. (CO2 is also removed by the oceans and ocean organisms.) In fact between 42-50% of the biomass of a tree is carbon!

Trees are the best way to absorb carbon from the atmosphere, through photosynthesis.

Reforestation is also the most cost-effective means of offsetting carbon emissions. Each of the fast-growing trees takes about 25kg of CO2 from the atmosphere each year for at least 40 years – that equates to the absorption of 1 ton of CO2 over its lifetime!

Sustainability

Strong healthy trees

Planting all of the same type of tree for carbon sequestration is not sustainable. All the trees would absorb and replace the same nutrients from the ground meaning that they are unable to survive effectively for long, and don't provide any other benefits or resources. We wouldn't plant any less than 10 different types of indigenous trees in open areas, all of which benefit each others health and nutrient levels etc helping the sequestration rate. This way they all suck nutrients from different levels underground, depending on their root length and similarly, replenish different nutrients every autumn when the leaves fall.

The Eucalyptus tree for example coppices (grows back two stems for every one which is cut) meaning that through its lifetime it can absorb several times the carbon other trees would. As trees grow fastest during their first few years, cutting every 3 - 4 years would maintain the tree's optimum growth rate and therefore absorb the maximum amount of Co2. This would also provide the most natural resources for sale or personal use. Furthermore, due to the climate and more specifically the amount of sunlight, other trees can absorb up to three times the carbon than from those trees in non-tropical climates, a proven fact shown by research from NASA.

Through photosynthesis, trees take CO2 out of the air by incorporating it into biomass and at the same time, release oxygen into the atmosphere.

A proven fact shown by research from NASA is that trees planted in developing countries of the tropics generally sequester up to three times as much CO2 as those elsewhere.

They say trees noticeably grow faster now than they have previously, due to the higher concentration of Co2 in the atmosphere.