The term 'Carbon Footprint' hasbecome a topic of hot discussion all over the world. But what is carbon footprint? It can be described as the extent of damage caused to the environmentdue to some actions. It is the measure of severity of our activities on theenvironment, especially on the climate change. Many of the activities in oureveryday life produce emissions, through the burning of fossil fuels forelectricity, heating etc. These activities have carbon footprint, producinglarge amount of greenhouse gases, causing a disastrous effect on theenvironment.

 

Greenhouse gases and globalwarming:

 

Greenhouse gases are producedby human activities, which result in global warming. Carbon-dioxide is a majorgas that accounts for almost 80% of the emissions. Burning of fossil fuels,oil, natural gas, and petrol releases carbon-dioxide. Methane, nitrous oxide,sulphur hexafluoride, perfluorocarbons etc are a few other greenhouse gasesoriginating from industrial processes. These gases accumulate and absorb infraredradiation from the atmosphere, affecting the balance between energy receivedfrom the sun and the energy that escapes.

 

Adverse Effects:

 

Due to these emissions, there isa rise in the temperature. During the past 100 years, the earth's temperature hasrisen on an average of 0.74 0.18C. Itis estimated that if the current scenario continues, by 2100 global temperaturemay rise in the range of 1.4- 5.80C. This will result in floods in low coastalareas, unpredictable and extreme weather changes with storms, drought, andsudden wild fires. The ecosystem will be disturbed, and may put some species toextinction. Vital diseases may spread across the globe.

 

Carbon Footprint of TextileIndustries:

 

Textile industry is chemicallyintensive. From dyes to transfer agents, around 2000 different varieties ofchemicals are used in textile industries. Clothing industry is accountable for4% of the carbon footprint developed in the world. More than 1 million tones oftextile are thrown away each year out of which 50 percent are recyclable. Thesewastages need a landfill, and they do not decompose quickly. Woolen garmentswhile decomposing generate gases like methane which results in global warming.

 

Wet treatment of textiles likedesizing, prewashing, mercerizing, dyeing, printing etc includes a lot ofchemical applications on the fibres or fabric. Desizing of fabrics to removethese chemicals releases large volume of residues in the water. Some fibresneed to be bleached with chlorine before dyeing. This causes organo-chlorinecompounds to be released, which are very dangerous to the environment. Duringthe process of wet treatment, huge quantity of fossil fuels are consumed, whichhave carbon content and react with oxygen to form carbon-dioxide. This resultsin acidification, fossil fuel depletion, and ultimately; global warming.

 

Creating a Carbon freeenvironment:

 

Mahatma Gandhi once said "onemust care about a world one will not see". It is every one'sresponsibility to take care of the world, which we leave for the futuregenerations. Minimizing the emissions is vitally important in slowing and evenreversing the climate change.

 

 

Role of trees in offsetting emissions:

 

Trees are the gift of nature to filter our air. The absorb carbon-dioxide and release oxygen. Apart from filtering the air, sustainably managed forests aid multiple environmental and socio-economic functions which will be crucial at the global level in creating a sustainable development. They provide recreational, aesthetic, and spiritual benefits.

 

Treating textile effluents:

 

Effluents of chemically treated textiles are discharged in water. Treatment of waste water obtained from chemically treated textiles is a must. Use of chrome mordant dyeing and limiting the emission of copper, chromium and nickel into water reduces impurities in dyes and pigments. Using dyeing carriers with high chlorine content should be evaded. During the process of bleaching, alternative agents that are less or not hazardous can be used.

 

Adopting nature's way of life:

 

Natural fibres are a gift to mankind. Using these fibres makes recycling easy and quicker, and is also environmentally friendly. Fibres from linen, bamboo, and rice straw are a few to name.

 

Organic cotton:

 

Using organic cotton is integral, as organic soil scrub the atmosphere to global warming gases by trapping the carbon-dioxide and converting the same into soil material. In the global warming arsenal, organic farming is a vital tool.

 

Environmentalists strongly assert that global warming is a real deal and human activities have been causing it. These are a few measures to curtail the perils of carbon footprints impending in the future. Increasing awareness about the dangers will help people to make educated choices of making changes in their lifestyle to make the carbon footprint smaller.

 

References:

 

  1. &sec=article&uinfo=<%=server.URLEncode(1871)%>" target="_blank">http://www.domain-b.com
  2. &sec=article&uinfo=<%=server.URLEncode(1871)%>" target="_blank">http://w.plant-a-tree-today.org
  3. &sec=article&uinfo=<%=server.URLEncode(1871)%>" target="_blank">http://www.zibb.com
  4. &sec=article&uinfo=<%=server.URLEncode(1871)%>" target="_blank">http://www.carbonneutralclothing.com/
  5. &sec=article&uinfo=<%=server.URLEncode(1871)%>" target="_blank">http://www.liveneutral.org
  6. &sec=article&uinfo=<%=server.URLEncode(1871)%>" target="_blank">http://www.carbonfootprint.com