How Carbon Emissions Impact the Environment

Learn how carbon emissions deter the environment in many ways.

When carbon emissions are mentioned, the most common thought that arises is the impacts on the environment. Beyond the simple descriptions, carbon emissions impact the environment in many ways, some ranging from minimal disruption to immense ecosystem damage. The following information below describes the implications of carbon emissions on the environment and the degrees of their impact.

Ocean Acidification

Whether in school or through online searches, you may have once come across or heard of measuring ‘pH’ in a science-related course. In a simple definition, pH is a unitless scale from 0 to 14 that describes the concentration of hydrogen in a solution. If a solution has a lower pH, it is more acidic and if the pH is higher, the solution is more basic. While this may sound complicated, the only significant information you need to know is that aquatic organisms may be harmed if the water becomes significantly acidic. Ocean acidification is a phenomenon that occurs when carbon dioxide is up-taken by the ocean and thus, the water becomes acidic.

Ocean acidification causes harm to species that are accustomed to a higher pH and survive best under basic conditions. Many fish, coral, and other species experience death or must migrate to areas that have higher pH in order to survive. Oftentimes, migrating species meet predators in other areas or potentially become invasive to the alternative environment. In addition, a common impact of ocean acidification is the dissolving of shells for oysters, clams, and other organisms. Shell formation in the ocean requires carbonate (CO3) to form strong, healthy shells. However, carbon dioxide in the ocean goes through multiple reactions that ultimately uses carbonate that is needed for shell formation. As a result, organisms in the ocean form weak and vulnerable shells from the impact of ocean acidification.

As an economic consequence, ocean acidification also lowers the profit for fisheries that depend on certain fish and other organisms to thrive. As some countries are based off of fishery profits and are more aquaculture-based, people may experience food shortages and profit decreases.

Greenhouse Gas

While carbon dioxide may be falsely portrayed as a direct harm to human health, carbon should not be seen as an air pollutant. On the other hand, carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. The concerns of global warming may be apparent, such as warming the atmosphere to higher levels than current comfort. However, there are other impacts as well such as creating more polarized weather conditions. Global warming makes areas experience extreme low and high temperatures in the year, making desirable places less enjoyable. In addition, agricultural practices may shift between areas and soil layers may experience alterations in composition. Generally, climate change brings all biomes more north, towards the North Pole.

Warming of temperatures causes sea level rising through glaciers and ice sheets melting. However, the rising of sea levels is also caused through warm temperatures evoking thermal expansion. Water molecules are separated further apart when heated, making sea levels rise. Economic impacts of sea level rising include people having to relocate to new regions, floods increasing around new areas, and groundwater contamination through saltwater intrusion into previously freshwater resources.

As a greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide increases the chain reaction of events that occur through sea level rising and shifts in temperature.

Atmospheric Carbon

Although emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere may seem completely harmful or detrimental to the environment, we need carbon dioxide to keep Earth slightly warm. Otherwise, the Earth would become significantly cold. Greenhouse gasses in general are needed to sustain an amount of heat in the atmosphere, or Earth will become extremely cold. However, a high amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gasses may result in an extremely hot temperature condition. Therefore, researchers and environmentalists alike are seeking to create an optimal balance between emitting greenhouse gasses and preventing high emissions.

While carbon dioxide itself does not contribute as significantly as chlorofluorocarbons or other gasses, it controls the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. Either way, atmospheric carbon dioxide and greenhouse gasses must be regulated to reduce potentially harmful trends.

Summary

Carbon dioxide emissions cause a variety of negative effects on the environment such as ocean acidification, sea level warming, shifting in biomes, and deterring fisheries. Nevertheless, it is important to have carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but at a sustainable level for the Earth.

How Carbon Emissions Impact You

Educate yourself on how carbon impacts your life daily.

As increases in carbon dioxide emissions continue to spike, the human consequences similarly increase. While some derive from the indirect environmental costs, there are many other non-obvious factors that make carbon emissions negatively impacting all of our lives. Learn the most significant effects of carbon on your life and the small changes that can create a better change.

Economic Deprivation

Implementing carbon-emitting machinery and technologies in transportation and industry production are the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, purchasing products that are linked to large carbon emissions promotes an increase in utilizing soon to be regulated technologies. Beginning with the Kyoto Protocol that includes more than 30 industrialized countries, carbon emissions and other greenhouse gas emissions are increasingly being limited, regulated, and banned in countries globally. As implied, there are other unintended consequences of creating regulations on companies, ranging from an increase in consumer prices, limiting the diversity of products, and shifting established human preferences.

It is anticipated that as fossil fuels become more depleted and countries form larger protocols for limiting carbon emissions, there will be drastic alterations in economic implications of products sold across the globe. To better prepare yourself for these changes and promote lowering of carbon emissions, it is advised to purchase products that already conform to environmental-friendly standards. Especially if your purchases include esoteric or specialized material, it may be helpful to find alternatives to these products that follow better standards.

Social Implications

Depending on where you are located in the world, there has been an increase in spreading awareness of how carbon emissions and climate change are negative. Better informing yourself of the consequences that arise from carbon emissions and seeking to promote awareness around others is important for aiding change. In addition, many major companies are beginning to increase their awareness of carbon emissions and the public opinion regarding similar issues.

Better equipping yourself with information about carbon emissions can increase your social awareness of such topics. For those who may not be familiar with the topic, the diffusion of misinformation may occur, leading to a decrease in public opinion for change. To solve this issue, the following short points can be remembered to accurately inform you and your peers:

• Carbon emissions are mainly caused by transportation and industrial sectors.

• Carbon dioxide can aid global warming, but chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have a much greater impact on the depletion of ozone and others.

• Carbon dioxide emissions tend to be highly detrimental for aquatic organisms.

• High levels of carbon dioxide can lead to ocean acidification.

To read more about the impacts of carbon dioxide on the environment, read “How Carbon Emissions Impact the Environment.”

Cultural Changes

Linked with social implications is the changes in cultural standards that sprout from the introduction of environmental-friendly ideologies. As education systems across the world begin to promote and educate the younger generations of the impacts of carbon emissions, a culture for conserving the environment grows each day. Interest groups in the United States have been created specifically to decrease carbon emissions and promote the betterment of the environment. Similarly, people around the globe utilize social media, blogging platforms, and other technologies to join the race for change in carbon emissions.

Generally as a positive force, the cultural changes that begin through learning about the impacts of carbon emissions are important to be aware of. In addition, you may find yourself wanting to join groups like these that share similar interests in decreasing carbon emissions. Increasing the size of groups that seek to make change can raise awareness and increase financial support for allocating resources to carbon reduction.

Summary

Carbon emissions hold influence in sectors ranging from economic, social, and cultural implications. Being wary of the vast range of impacts beyond simply environmental concern of carbon emissions is important. Taking the time to understand the complexity of these issues better prepares you for the future and the changes that may arise.