How Carbon Emissions Impact You

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.