Megan Kioulafofski

If you want to make a better idea on what carbon offsets are, and how they work on lowering emissions, this blog will offer you a detailed explanation of the process.

As threats of climate change increase around the world, it’s critical for businesses to update their business models to be as sustainable as possible. As such, many businesses worldwide are implementing carbon offsets as a way to make up for greenhouse gas emissions.

While carbon offsets provide a relatively effective way for companies to mitigate their climate impact, many criticize the fact that they allow companies to continue business as usual without substantially addressing the problem.

So how do carbon offsets work? Are they actually an effective way to stop climate change? This article examines their benefits and drawbacks.

How Do Carbon Offsets Work

Industries worldwide are responsible for nearly 90% of climate change. By introducing carbon offsets, companies can curb their greenhouse gas emissions by sequestering atmospheric carbon elsewhere. This can include:

• Funding tree plantings
• Supporting renewable energy projects
• Funding conservation projects
• Supporting waste reduction projects

Offsets don’t incentivize companies to directly mitigate their climate impact but rather act as a way to “cancel out” greenhouse gas emissions.

Businesses are not the only ones that can purchase carbon offsets. As individuals, we can also take advantage of offsets, typically by purchasing them through companies with high carbon impacts. A common example is paying a bit extra on airfare to offset the carbon emissions of your flight. These extra fees can help the airline plant trees, fund renewable energy, or reduce emissions somewhere in the company’s supply chain.

Are Carbon Offsets Really Enough?

While carbon offsets are a good way for companies to compensate for their greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impacts, many argue that they’re not enough to effectively combat the issue. 

Supporters of carbon offsets suggest that purchasing offsets is a good way to mitigate climate impacts that wouldn’t otherwise be accounted for. Companies release greenhouse gasses from a number of sources, including company facilities, vehicles, and transportation. However, the majority of climate impacts typically come from a company’s Scope 3 emissions, which encompass all indirect emissions in the company’s value chain. These can be very difficult to assess and mitigate, and so carbon offsets can be a good way for companies to address their indirect environmental impacts.

On the other hand, critics of carbon offset suggest that offsets alone are not enough to mitigate a business’s environmental impact. As the threats of climate change increase, largely due to industries, many argue that businesses must do everything in their power to directly reduce their emissions, and carbon offsets act as a distraction from doing so.

Many carbon offsets include funding tree plantings in various parts of the world, and while planting trees can be a great source of carbon sequestration, it takes decades for trees to grow to their full potential. This kind of offset avoids the kind of direct, immediate action needed to fully combat climate change.

Moreover, studies have shown that there are not enough plant-based carbon sinks in the world to fully offset humanity’s carbon emissions. Instead, offsets should be focused on redirecting energy sources from fossil fuels to renewable energies, like solar and wind. However, carbon offsets should not be the sole source of a company’s sustainability efforts. In addition to offsets, companies can take advantage of other sustainable practices, including:

• Using recycled and biodegradable material to reduce single-use plastic production
• Switching to renewable energy systems to power facilities
• Using third-party certifications that test the safety and sustainability of their products
• Using supply chain management software and other supply chain management tools to increase communication across the supply chain and thus increase efficiency
• Reducing transportation emissions by shipping and shopping locally

Last Thoughts

While carbon offsets are a good way for companies to make up for their carbon emissions, they must be an addition to their overall sustainability efforts. By focusing solely on offsets, companies and consumers can be misled into believing that a company is effectively sustainable. Instead, carbon offsets must be a method for further advancing climate efforts while companies actively reduce their emissions in other sectors of business.

If you wish to take part in reducing carbon emissions, you can start by taking some easy steps such as investing in reusable produce bags for grocery shopping, depositing your fresh products in freshie food saver bags to prolong their life and avoid food wasting, ditching plastic items from your home and replacing them with sustainable ones, and so on. 

For more valuable information on how to live sustainably, follow our blog. You might also enjoy: 

• Home Energy Conservation Tips & Techniques for Each Room
• 10 Eco-Friendly Home Tips For Going Green Indoors
• How to Implement a Zero-Waste Bathroom

Recently, a concerning material called “microplastic” has been found in human blood. Researchers in the Netherlands studied blood from donors, which revealed that 80% of them had microplastics in their blood. According to the researchers, people’s constant exposure to plastic particles in the air leads to their absorption into the bloodstream.

What Are Microplastics?

Microplastics are fragments of plastic measuring less than 5mm in length. They usually come from bigger pieces of plastic that have worn down like plastic bags, drink bottles, food wrappers, and the like.

However, a common source of these particles is clothing, specifically those made from synthetic fibers like acrylic, nylon, and polyester. Through daily wear and regular washing, microplastics from the fabric are released into the air, water sources, and land.

More alarmingly, microplastics are even found in food and water sources. Since they are released into the environment, microplastics can land on food crops, raw ingredients like water or salt, and even animals that people consume. They are also found in food materials like packaging and utensils, especially after heating, cutting, or shaking these items.

The Effects Of Microplastics On The Human Body

Some microplastics can be seen by the naked eye, while others can only be seen through a microscope. As a result, it is more difficult to spot them.

Microplastics enter the body through food consumption and inhalation. It has been found that microplastics in the human blood can cause cell death, allergic reactions, and damage to cell walls. The body has a natural process wherein it kills cells as a defense mechanism. However, cell deaths and cell wall damage caused by microplastics can lead to inflammation. Meanwhile, allergic reactions caused by microplastics can lead to the body’s release of histamine. Histamine is what causes allergy symptoms like sneezing and a runny nose.

In 2020, a study on microplastics’ effect on the body suggests that these can also damage the immune system and its functions, which may be related to the development of various diseases like cancer. This study only makes the issue revolving around microplastics more serious since they can lead to life-threatening diseases.

How Can We Prevent Microplastics From Getting In Our Blood?

Because they are so small, microplastics found in human blood may also carry heavy metals and other toxins from the environment. And since the damaging effects of microplastics have been established, it is much more crucial now to avoid their entrance into the body. Though these tiny plastic particles are almost invisible to the eye at times, there are still ways to avoid them.

The first is to buy clothing made with more sustainable materials. This is one of the practices that sustainable consumers usually observe since sustainable fabrics do not have microplastics in them. When washed or worn, these do not release any plastic particles into the environment. Sustainable fabrics in the market today are hemp, cotton (recycled cotton is even better), linen, and wool. Make sure to buy clothes made from these materials to avoid microplastics from entering your system.

Another thing you should do is to stop using plastic products. As previously mentioned, even food packaging and utensils can contribute to microplastic ingestion. To start your plastic-free journey, bring reusable bags when you go to the store and at home, store your fruits and veggies in freshie food saver bags. When you’re ready to throw out your plastic produce bags, compost them! Plastic bags can’t really break down in a landfill and could take up to 1000 years to decompose.

Also, make it a habit to use and bring with you a reusable jug to avoid having to buy bottled water. Lastly, though plastic containers are convenient, replace them with glassware when they wear out. Glass is more durable, so you’ll be able to use them for much longer compared to plastic.

Microplastics found in human blood can cause serious harm to the body. As soon as possible, there should be a collective effort made in order to reduce their release into the environment for a better and healthier world.

To learn more about plastic pollution and how to reduce the amount of plastic in your daily life, follow our blog. At the end of the day, it’s up to each and every one of us to make a difference and reduce plastic pollution. By taking small steps like using a reusable cotton bag instead of plastic ones, we can all make a big impact towards a healthier and safer planet for future generations.

You might also enjoy: 

• Greenwashing: What It Is And How To Avoid It
• Avoid Polluting The Environment While Cleaning Your Home
• 9 Ways You’re Accidentally Wasting Energy