While there is so much talk going on about carbon emissions and climate change, one thing that doesn't seem to be getting sufficient attention is the other greenhouse gases particularly, Methane.
Methane is one of the greenhouse gases which is about 80 times more potent in trapping heat than carbon dioxide and has been estimated to have caused at least 30% of global heating to date.
Methane also contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone, which is a greenhouse gas as well as a hazardous air pollutant; exposure to ozone causes over 1 million premature deaths every year.
There are both natural and human sources of methane emissions. Main natural sources include wetlands and oceans. Natural sources create about 40% of methane emissions and are completely offset by natural methane sinks and balanced out by natural processes.
Human-related activities emit about 60% of methane. Extraction, distribution and combustion of coal, natural gas and oil releases most methane, followed by farming and livestock and activities such as agriculture, mainly rice cultivation. Also, decomposition of organic materials in landfills emit a significant amount of methane into the atmosphere.
Slashing methane emissions can effectively tackle climate change especially in the short term since methane has a much shorter life span of about 10 to 12 years before breaking down in the atmosphere while carbon dioxide can remain for over 200 years
Personal decisions do have a huge impact and our collective actions can bring about positive changes across the world to win this battle against climate change
Conserve Energy; some simple ways include weatherizing your home, using energy efficient appliances, windows, replacing traditional light bulbs with LEDs, using public transport or carpool, etc
You don’t have to go vegan to fight climate change but lowering consumption of dairy and meat and shifting towards plant-rich diets can slash greenhouse gases. If demand for animal products decline, there won’t be need for too much livestock that contribute to methane emissions.
Support sustainable organic farming. When farmers provide animals with more nutritious feed, they can be healthier and more productive. Healthier livestock can be kept longer instead of being replaced with numerous younger calves; keeping an older cow into its later years requires fewer cows and hence lesser methane emissions.
Eliminate food waste and limit the amount of organic materials such as yard waste from ending up in landfills by composting. Composting does not just significantly reduce methane emissions but also comes with a host of other benefits such as reducing or entirely eliminating the need for chemical fertilizers and promoting higher yields of agricultural crops. Compost also enhances water retention in soils.
To learn more about methane & climate change, watch the video, Methane: The Climate Monster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcNhF_f3-RM
