A M.A.D. New Year Resolution

With the New Year many are making resolutions to improve their lifestyle in the coming year. Some are even making New Year Resolutions to change society for the better, correct past wrongs, and saving the planet. Climate Change is something we all should do something about because 97% of studies indicate that humans are the cause for the rapid change.  Make a resolution to Make A Difference in the coming year to do your part to combat Climate Change.

Since the mid-20th Century, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has significantly increased from the burning of fossil fuels. The additional CO2 intensifies the greenhouse effect and results in warming the planet. This has a worldwide global effect on the climate producing hotter summers bringing increased heat-related health issues and longer and more severe forest fire seasons.

The warmer temperatures will cause polar ice melting which will allow the permafrost to thaw releasing the trapped methane further accelerating global warming. The melting ice will result in sea levels rising threatening to flood coastal cities. Weather patterns will change consequentially with more variable and extreme weather that increases the risk of weather-related catastrophes such as storms, droughts and floods.

Changing climate will affect the way we live, work, and relax. Our food supply chain depends on predictable weather patterns. Climate Change will change what is produced on our farms. Extreme Prairie weather has affected many farmers affecting their productivity. A polluted atmosphere will cause many additional health problems, already happening in many parts of the world, as with the poor air quality in China.

We have to act now to curb Climate Change before we pass the point of no return. There are many ways to capture carbon before it enters the atmosphere. There are several innovative companies that can use the captured carbon to make their useful durable products. One company makes carbon fibre nanotubes and a company in India converts CO2 into Methanol, a key feedstock and fuel.

Carbon Upcycling is a startup Calgary company that combines CO2 with waste products producing nanoparticles that can be used as additives for concrete, plastic and coatings. Newlight Technologies, in California, combine captured methane or carbon dioxide with microorganisms to remove the carbon. It then is combined with hydrogen and oxygen to synthesize a naturally occurring bioplastic.

There are several facilities capturing carbon from their fossil fuel emissions and selling the product to companies that use the CO2 in their production of products. In WebStamp’s article MAD Economic Move #6 ~Restructuring we talk about restructuring commerce to create a new sustainable economic model that will clean up the environment, provide employment and boost local commerce.

With Alberta stating that they are producers of a clean and reliable energy resource, they need to put their money where their mouth is. We need to develop the new technologies that remove the carbon before it enters our atmosphere and use it. All polluting factories should be mandated to capture all the CO2 they produce. This requires collective support from our communities, cities, provinces and country to rethink how we should use our natural resources in a clean and efficient way.

Step up and make the M.A.D. New Year Resolution to combat Climate Change. Turn down the heat, drive more efficient vehicles, recycle responsibly and build a cleaner Sustainable Circular Economy. Demand from your elected officials to build a cleaner, sustainable, and profitable fossil fuel industry that prevents Climate Change and boost our local economies. Make A Difference!