Activity 2.1 - Climate Change: Reduce Northwest Vista College Greenhouse Gas Emissions

1. Problem

     I have been chosen to develop a list of practical options that should be undertaken to reduce Northwest Vista College Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Air pollution can include greenhouse gasses, like carbon monoxide, which can cause climate change. My objective is to piece solutions together to stop the climate from warming. We as a society need to use more clean air and develop energy more efficiently. It will take effort by everyone in society to achieve a future with clean energy and clean transportation. It will also take educational resources for everyone to truly understand and learn on what impact they need to make themselves. I hope these causes and effects provided you to realize the many dynamics we have to change as a society in order to make the world a better place.

2. Investigation

   I have investigated the fundamental causes of climate change and the impact it can cause to both the environment and human life. Climate change is caused by the greenhouse gasses in which trap heat in the ozone layer. For the past 150 years and counting, the burning of fossil fuels and cutting down forests naturally pulls carbon dioxide out of the air which causes greenhouse gasses to increase. Increasing the Earth's ability to pull the gasses out of the air can decrease the amount of unnecessary gasses in our environment. The many solutions can cause great outcomes and better living systems that will not only have better living solutions within ourselves as humans but also most importantly the environment that we live in.

3. Data Analysis and Interpretation

    

 

   I have collected some data from The United States Environmental Protection Agency on how at a global scale greenhouse gasses are emitted by human activities. These are the effects that are taking place preventing our society to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, especially at Northwest Vista College. The graph on the left shows that over 65% of carbon dioxide is affecting the air pollution from industrial processes and burning of fossil fuels. According to EPA,"Fossil fuel use is the primary source of CO2. CO2 can also be emitted from direct human-induced impacts on forestry and other land use, such as through deforestation, land clearing for agriculture, and degradation of soils" (EPA 1.1)" The on the right shows greenhouse gas emission by the economic sector. The most percentage used takes up about 25% and 24% of electricity use and agricultural land use, which explains why there is no progress being made to reduce climate change. For example, the average annual usage of electricity consumption in the U.S. for a homeowner is 10,330 kWh. Monthly it will be 867 kWh (Kilowatts per hour), by averaging those two answers the  amount of electricity used in a household is about 28.9 kWh for about 25-30 days (one month). Once adding these changes into our everyday lives, by starting to reduce the usage of electricity and everything else we are able to make progress to start making the earth more efficient with natural resources and a new economic impact infrastructure for greenhouse gas emissions.

4. Explanations and Designing Solutions

     There are many different types of solutions not only myself but society can come up with to decrease climate change and air pollution that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A couple of examples I have come up with so far are using less energy, generating electricity without emissions, traveling without greenhouse gas,eliminating carbon dioxide out of the air, and reducing emissions from industries. Generating electricity with emissions allows renewable energy sources to come into play and overcome these environmental challenges. Renewable sources can include wind turbines, biomass energy, waste energy, and hydropower. These sources do not burn fossil fuels and prevent the release of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Another solution to climate change is nuclear energy, which creates no greenhouse gas emissions. This will help preserve and reduce the college net emissions for greenhouse gasses.

Work Cited:

C2ES. “What We Can Do: Climate Basics.” Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, C2ES, 26 Mar. 2020, https://www.c2es.org/content/what-we-can-do/.

Edenhofer, O, and R.K. Pachauri. “Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 5 June 2012, https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data.

EPA. “Air Quality and Climate Change Research.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 29 July 2018, https://www.epa.gov/air-research/air-quality-and-climate-change-research.

Photo Links:

https://i0.wp.com/sanantonioreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Back-of-CCC-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1689&ssl=1

https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2016-05/global_emissions_gas_2015.png?VersionId=.qM5SHMiHj8smf8eccBXAqfg9FjgOczx&itok=jhk0EcIN

https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2016-05/global_emissions_sector_2015.png?VersionId=C1dfQ.3Jcj0sPVJxkzu7wKTAh6m7.Q0C&itok=zS5v3kK2