Tag Archives: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Biomass Energy and Sustainability

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Biomass energy systems offer significant possibilities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions due to their immense potential to replace fossil fuels in energy production. Biomass reduces emissions and enhances carbon sequestration since short-rotation crops or forests established on abandoned agricultural land accumulate carbon in the soil. Biomass energy usually provides an irreversible mitigation effect by reducing carbon dioxide at source, but it may emit more carbon per unit of energy than fossil fuels unless biomass fuels are produced in a sustainable manner.

Biomass resources can play a major role in reducing the reliance on fossil fuels by making use of thermo-chemical conversion technologies. In addition, the increased utilization of biomass-based fuels will be instrumental in safeguarding the environment, generation of new job opportunities, sustainable development and health improvements in rural areas.

biomass-sustainability

The development of efficient biomass handling technology, improvement of agro-forestry systems and establishment of small and large-scale biomass-based power plants can play a major role in sustainable development of rural as well as urban areas. Biomass energy could also aid in modernizing the agricultural economy and creating significant job opportunities.

Harvesting practices remove only a small portion of branches and tops leaving sufficient biomass to conserve organic matter and nutrients. Moreover, the ash obtained after combustion of biomass compensates for nutrient losses by fertilizing the soil periodically in natural forests as well as fields.

The impact of forest biomass utilization on the ecology and biodiversity has been found to be insignificant. Infact, forest residues are environmentally beneficial because of their potential to replace fossil fuels as an energy source.

A quick glance at popular biomass resources

A quick glance at popular biomass resources

Plantation of energy crops on abandoned agricultural land will lead to an increase in species diversity. The creation of structurally and species diverse forests helps in reducing the impacts of insects, diseases and weeds. Similarly the artificial creation of diversity is essential when genetically modified or genetically identical species are being planted.

Short-rotation crops give higher yields than forests so smaller tracts are needed to produce biomass which results in the reduction of area under intensive forest management. An intelligent approach in forest management will go a long way in the realization of sustainability goals.

Improvements in agricultural practices promises to increased biomass yields, reductions in cultivation costs, and improved environmental quality. Extensive research in the fields of plant genetics, analytical techniques, remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) will immensely help in increasing the energy potential of biomass feedstock.

A large amount of energy is expended in the cultivation and processing of crops like sugarcane, coconut, and rice which can met by utilizing energy-rich residues for electricity production. The integration of biomass-fueled gasifiers in coal-fired power stations would be advantageous in terms of improved flexibility in response to fluctuations in biomass availability and lower investment costs. The growth of the biomass energy industry can also be achieved by laying more stress on green power marketing.

5 Reasons to Choose Rail Travel

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Are you debating the best way to get from A to B? Are you considering travelling by rail – but not sure if it offers the most benefits? You’re in the right place. Here, we explore five reasons to choose rail travel.

1. You can be productive

If you’re driving a car, you need to place your undivided attention on the road in front of you. When you take the train, however, you’re free to spend your time onboard as you wish. Whether that’s being productive by getting some work done on your laptop, relaxing with your favourite podcast or refuelling with a bite to eat, you can make the most of your time spent travelling.

2. It’s better for the environment

Studies have shown that public transport can help to tackle climate change – by reducing the reliance on individual car journeys and therefore lowering overall emissions from petrol and diesel. In the US, greenhouse gas emissions caused by transport accounts for around 29% of the country’s total emissions – so by having less cars on the road, emissions can be reduced. This will in turn improve air quality, particularly in urban areas, leading to a healthier population.

3. You can avoid traffic

Have you ever been in a rush to get somewhere, got stuck in a traffic jam and ended up being late? You’re not alone – many of us have been caught out by heavy traffic at one time or another. Travelling by train means you don’t need to worry about getting stuck in traffic, you can simply hop onboard and get from A to B with ease. For instance, if you need to travel by train from Cambridge to Hatfield in rush hour, you’ll typically arrive in less than an hour with no stress about traffic or parking.

4. It’s fast and efficient

Another benefit of travelling by rail is that it’s fast and efficient. Many rail services can travel at impressive high speeds which are much quicker than that of a car on the road. Of course, how fast the train travels will depend on the service and model – but some of the fastest trains in the world include the Shanghai Maglev at 267mph and the Fuxing Hao at 249 mph.

5. It’s cost-effective

Travelling by train may also be a more cost-effective option than travelling by car or plane. This really depends on where you’re travelling to and from, so it’s important to do your research before you book your travel. In some cases, you may be able to take advantage of deals and discounts from the train provider. For instance, you can often get great value fares if you have a railcard or travel at Off-Peak times.

Will you take the train next time you have to travel?

What Are The Environmental Effects Of Remote Work

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Remote and hybrid work environments have become increasingly common in the past 18 months. There have been downsides for businesses and employees. For example, IT teams are trying to manage cybersecurity in a remote work world. For employees, while they might like the freedom and flexibility of working remotely, there may be a sense of isolation or a lack of connection with corporate culture they don’t like as much.

Even with these downsides, there are plenty of benefits too. Some of these are environmental. We’ve seen more remote and hybrid work does help reduce detrimental environmental effects that come with traditional work, but are there downsides to this as well?

Below, we explore the environmental impacts of remote work in detail:

Environmental Effects of Remote Work

1. Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions

One reason that initially so many environmentalists were on board with remote work is that it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions stemming from commutes. When you work from home, it reduces gas emissions from vehicles or public transport. Fewer commuters across the board tend to mean less greenhouse gas emissions.

According to Global Workforce Analytics, if who everyone worked in an office originally were to work from home for only half the week, it would reduce emissions by 54 million tons a year.

Current remote workers before the pandemic avoided the emission of 3.6 million tons of greenhouse gases annually. With this also comes a reduced demand and consumption of fossil fuels.

Reduced GHG emissions and consumption of fossil fuels can then help reduce air pollution and improve air quality. Air quality contributes to many respiratory illnesses, including infections and asthma.

2. Less Paper Usage

Even without the push for remote work due to the pandemic, more and more businesses and office environments were moving toward a paperless model.

This is environmentally friendly not just because there’s less consumption of the paper itself but also other supplies related to paper, such as printer ink.

The benefits from a business perspective include fewer overhead expenses, more efficiency and productivity, and a more digitized work environment that’s secure.

a paper free office

3. Reduced Consumption of Plastic

A lot of the things people typically do during a workday have a significant environmental impact, yet we often don’t consider them in our day-to-day thinking.

For example, when you’re working in a traditional office setting, you may be using a lot more plastic than you do at home.

If you pack your lunch or buy lunch, you’re probably using plastic utensils, cups and more.

It creates a lot of waste, whereas if you’re working at home, you’re probably using your own coffee pot and mugs, and dishware. You’re likely preparing more of your meals, cutting down on packaging.

The world is in the midst of a plastic crisis, so this is especially critical.

4. Cutting Down on Energy Consumption

Most offices utilize more energy than their employees would working from home. There are computers constantly on, as well as massive printing stations. The lights in an office are probably always flipped on, and it’s not common for employees to turn things off when they leave a room. There could still be people in the room, or they might not be as conscious as they are when they’re in their own home and responsible for paying the utility bill.

Energy-Saving Tips for Small Businesses

Heating and cooling a large office is always expensive. Reports show that energy consumption in office spaces is almost twice as high as when people work from home.

5. Migration Away from Urban Areas

We saw a striking move during the pandemic of people away from major urban areas to suburban or even rural places. They were no longer tied to cities for work and could do their jobs from anywhere. That has a positive benefit on the environment, by reducing the harmful congestion in cities.

It’s better for people to spread out, rather than being concentrated in a few areas that can bear the brunt of the effects.

Are There Also Negative Impacts of More Remote Work?

While the benefits of remote work can be significant from an environmental perspective, are there potential downsides too?

One example is that employers may be less likely to support green and renewable energy initiatives. When their employees aren’t working in the office, they don’t have to think about costs and how that might affect them.

It’s also possible that because people are dispersed and can work from anywhere that they might have to fly or travel long distances when they do go into the office or have meetings. That’s not good from an environmental perspective.

With those things being said, the benefits environmentally and on renewable energy efforts of remote work do seem to be greater than the downsides.