Yet how ambitious is our planet? In December 2015 at the Paris climate conference, a global agreement was put in place to curb global warming under 2 degrees celsius. There was a great emphasis on putting measures in place to limit warming to 1.5C.

But what effects global warming?

You may be familiar with the word carbon dioxide also know as CO2. CO2 is a naturally occurring colourless, odourless greenhouse gas frequently formed through combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, gas and petroleum that is instrumental to global warming. However there are other greenhouses which contribute to global warming which include methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and halocarbons. To comprehend the effects of greenhouse gasses we begin with the sun. The sun emits light radiation to planet earth, once those rays reach the earths atmosphere a proportion of the radiation is deflected. The remainder reaches the earths surface warming both land and oceans, a proportion of those rays are then radiated back up in the form of infrared rays, many of which escape the atmosphere yet a proportion are absorbed and released back towards earth via atmospheric gases. Over the last several million years the generation of greenhouse gases has been maintained via the earths natural systems. However towards the beginning of the industrial revolution back in 1700 shifts started to occur owing predominantly to an increase in CO2 build up in the earths atmosphere which consequently trapped a larger quantities of heat and warming earth. At present CO2 constitutes to around 84 percent of all greenhouse gases emitted through man made actions. A majority of the 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide emitted each year stem from the burning of fossil fuels to generate electricity and provide transport.

Is there anything we can do to reverse the effects?

All of the carbon emitted to the atmosphere since the industrial revolution will not dissipate overnight. It’s important to remember that there is usually a delayed impact from the green house emissions which means even if all carbon emissions are ceased today the effects from previous duration will still be yet to arrive. There is a conceptual program called ‘CO2 air capture’ that could reverse the accumulation of the billions of tons of carbon dioxide within our planets atmosphere. Like many great designs, designers and engineers often look towards nature for stimulation as can be in the case of Klaus Lackner whom patterned a device following the blueprint of a tree. The devices function is identical to that of a tree which absorbs carbon dioxide that passes through as wind to then release it in a stream of water. In theory the device could be a revolution in dictating our planets future. Many suggest that the petroleum and coal industries that emit significant amounts of CO2 should be legally bound by governments to extract the identical quantity of carbon emissions that they release from the earths atmosphere. 

Renewable electricity

During 2015/16 we have already seen an enormous shift in burning less and less fossil fuels to generate electricity and instead a colossal flurry in renewable electricity growth. This direction is vital and we don’t see it stoping any time soon. 

How can I help climate change at home?

Everyone can make a conscious effort to lower your carbon footprint within your home. While Investing in renewable electricity generators such as solar and wind is an excellent way to not only reduce your carbon footprint but you can also power your properties electricity for free too! Whats more is if your property is equipped with the latest energy saving electric radiators then you can even power your properties central heating too!!  While there are various degrees of combating climate change within the home it makes good practice to remember to switch off appliances when not in use as leaving chargers, Televisions or games consoles on standby will be squandering electricity.

Future Co2 extraction technologies?

Mechanical trees such as Lackners design could prove to be a vital device in the near future. With continuous advances in technology a material has been developed that has the capacity to absorbing Co2 at a much more aggressive rate than a natural leaf would have the ability to. Once the wind passes over the materials surface it extracts the co2 out of the air. Once dried it loads, after it is wet Co2 is released, it’s hoped that this is when it is pumped and compressed into a liquid Co2. It is anticipated that the Co2 captured could be used for food and fuel production however this is unlikely to be deployed over the entire stock. It’s believed that even underground storage won’t be adequate enough to store the amount of Co2 in our atmosphere, and a more refined approach is required.

Energy saving renewable electricity

While extracting Co2 from our atmosphere is certainly viable we should unquestionably be making a more aggressive approach in how we exert Co2. A great benefit to building more and more renewable electricity generators is that we can power all our electrical appliances and electric central heating with virtually zero emissions. Whats more is electric radiators have become so energy efficient that they now require a much reduced quantity of electricity under operation than you may of previously thought. Couple this with various eco program settings it’s easy to see why the UK is seeing properties being fitted with eco electric radiators at an unprecedented rate.

If you are seeking to upgrade your ghastly inefficient electric storage heaters to a more refined energy efficient electric radiators then please don’t hesitate to contact one of our electric heating experts today on 01423 6192303 for a free no obligation heating plan tailored to your property. Energy efficient electric heating should be an attractive prospect for any property fitted with solar panels, wind turbines or other renewable electricity generator.