The problem with carbon is that it’s so much easier to release than sequester.
The slogan “Think Globally, Act Locally” got me to thinking. Is it possible for the average citizen to actively sequester carbon? I’m thinking something perhaps to do with lawn clippings or houseplants could be used to counteract one’s carbon footprint and are measureable signs of progress.
I realize I can buy carbon credits or participate in green energy initiatives, but those are done through 3rd parties and not as tangible to me.
Lawn clippings and houseplants are too small to make a sufficient contribution. In any case, lawn clippings rot, so you would have to store them in some way they did not deteriorate in order to sequester any carbon. Houseplants just don’t have enough biomass.
You would have to plant trees, and a lot of them, to make a difference even on a small scale. And if you cut them, you would have to use them in a way so that the wood remained intact for a long time, as in a house or furniture. You wouldn’t want to cut them for firewood, paper, or light construction.
The average person is probably better off trying to minimize their consumption of fossil fuels, or energy produced from fossil fuels, than attempting to sequester carbon on their own.
There are some Rails to Trails bike trails by my house and one is just begging for more trees. Mulberries grow quickly and, though they aren’t native, there are already some out there. This would give me my own personal supply of mulberries while the birds can have the ones I can’t reach.
You could aim somewhere in the middle and try to be closer to carbon-neutral - that is, growing trees and using them for firewood - the carbon released by burning will not exceed the amount absorbed during growth.
Find ways to use less electricity and fuel.
Lower the thermostat in the winter.
Raise it in the summer.
When you buy your next car look for Fuel efficiency as a major buying point.
Start switching from Incadescent bulbs to Compact Flurescents.
When the become popular enough to afford, look into the even more efficient LED lighting solutions.
If you have a choice of where to buy your electric from, buy it from a Low Carbon source. Look for Solar, Wind or Nuclear. Settle for clean modern gas or cleaner coal sources.
Car pooling could be an option, but fails to work for most Americans.
Mass Transit is a great way to reduce carbon, but again it is often not an option.
Plant Trees, especially trees with long lives. Oaks and Maples are great choices.
Composting grass clippings does help, less fuel burned moving it to the dump.