55 min
4. Greenhouse gases, climate change, and our future Healthy Planet Healthy You
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- Alternative Health
CO2 is one of the greenhouse gases that keep the Earth's surface warm and cozy and has been present in the atmosphere since the planet was formed. About 2.5 billion years ago, plants developed the ability to photosynthesize which made CO2 concentration steadily drop until 30 million years ago when it stabilized at less than 300 molecules in every one million molecules of air (or 300 parts per million ppm).
However, during the Industrial Revolution, CO2 concentrations started to rise as the result of massive emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels, large-scale deforestation, and intensive agricultural practices. We already hit a record concentration of 425 ppm; a level that has not been seen in 30 million years. We’ve also seen a faster rate of planetary warming since the 1980s, which matches the timeline in which the long-lasting CO2 concentrations were exceeded.
Despite the warnings, there has been a delayed response from governments and industries around the world. If we keep waiting for someone else to take the first step, we might lose our window of opportunity to change the climate tendencies. We are still in time to start bending the curve, but it all starts with you, me, and each one of us as individuals. Because if not now, when? and if not you, who?
CO2 is one of the greenhouse gases that keep the Earth's surface warm and cozy and has been present in the atmosphere since the planet was formed. About 2.5 billion years ago, plants developed the ability to photosynthesize which made CO2 concentration steadily drop until 30 million years ago when it stabilized at less than 300 molecules in every one million molecules of air (or 300 parts per million ppm).
However, during the Industrial Revolution, CO2 concentrations started to rise as the result of massive emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels, large-scale deforestation, and intensive agricultural practices. We already hit a record concentration of 425 ppm; a level that has not been seen in 30 million years. We’ve also seen a faster rate of planetary warming since the 1980s, which matches the timeline in which the long-lasting CO2 concentrations were exceeded.
Despite the warnings, there has been a delayed response from governments and industries around the world. If we keep waiting for someone else to take the first step, we might lose our window of opportunity to change the climate tendencies. We are still in time to start bending the curve, but it all starts with you, me, and each one of us as individuals. Because if not now, when? and if not you, who?
55 min