One Wolders are taking the pledge to start going Climate Neutral NOW
In conjunction with the United Nations and their Carbon Neutral Now program (UNFCCC), One Worlders are taking the first steps to being carbon neutral by signing the pledge, measuring their carbon footprint, purchasing carbon offsets, and changing their daily behaviors. One Worlder Gavin Cass and his family in Wales made the pledge to take their household climate neutral this year and offered to share their recent journey through the eyes of Eva (age 12) and Harry (age 5).
Our dad has talked about One World with us for a few years now. I was even lucky enough to meet some of the One World team when they visited Wales last year.
He always tells us how he is helping to encourage schools to sign up to offset with UNFCCC. I have always loved the environment and am part of my schools Eco Group. During lockdown we decided that we could look at what we are doing at home. We all need to take account of our own carbon emissions and make efforts to reduce them.
We started by calculating our carbon emissions using the UN carbon footprint calculator. Dad helped with this as we needed to know a few things like, how far he and mum travel in the car, how much electricity we use and where our energy is sourced.
Once we had completed this we got an email telling us our carbon footprint. This was then the best part. We got to choose our carbon offsets from projects all around the world on the climate neutral now website.
It was a tough decision and we had a long discussion about what we would do as a family. Eventually we decided to offset with a reforestation project in India. The project helps to protect land that was severely degraded or degrading. Prior to the project activity the lands were wastelands due to severe soil erosion. Besides increasing the forest cover, the project also provides enhanced sources of livelihood and income in rural areas by generating large employment opportunities.
We are now looking at how we can further reduce our Carbon Footprint by making lifestyle choices. We have started having meat free days, stopped using plastic straws and we turn off devices when they are not in use.
It is really easy to offset your own carbon footprint at home and I hope we have inspired you to give it a go.
~Eva and Harry Cass
