Green Pathways | The Responsible Blog

Are greenhouse gases bad?

Although “greenhouse gases” have inappropriately become synonymous with global warming, the presence of these gases in our atmosphere is vital. Greenhouse gases heat our planet by trapping energy from the sun (solar radiation) and use it to create a natural warm air blanket near Earth’s surface. Without it, our planet’s temperature would be approximately 30 degrees Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit) colder and would not sustain our current ecosystems. This warming process, called the Greenhouse Effect, enables life on Earth.

What are greenhouse gases?

Greenhouse gases exist in our atmosphere and are both naturally and anthropogenically (caused by humans) produced. Some key greenhouse gases occur naturally, including Water Vapor, Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, and Ozone. However, some of these are also produced and emitted through human activities. The main anthropogenic greenhouse gases include Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide and Fluorinated Gases.

How do we produce them?

· Carbon dioxide is emitted during the burning of: fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas), solid waste, and wood products (trees).

· Methane is the result of the production and transport of fossil fuels. Agriculture activities and livestock also emit Methane as does the decay of organic waste in landfills.

· Nitrous oxides are emitted during industrial activities and during the combustion of solid waste and fossil fuels.

· Fluorinated Gases are powerful greenhouse gases that are emitted from a variety of industrial processes and are created and emitted solely from human activities.

How do greenhouse gases affect you?

When anthropogenic greenhouse gases are emitted in large volumes, they can unbalance the natural equilibrium of the greenhouse effect, possibly altering the average temperature of our planet over time. So what can you do? One person can’t drastically reduce fossil fuel consumption globally or instantaneously abate industrial emissions, but you can minimize your own contribution. Trying to consume less fossil fuels and daily recycling, thereby reducing the amount of solid waste entering landfills, are both great ways to be more conscientious about your contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. You can also purchase carbon offsets, which balance or “off-set” your personal carbon consumption. Green Pathways has begun a reforestation project in northern Nicaragua, to offset its carbon consumption.

What about on a larger scale?

The best way to be effective on a larger scale is to examine your choices as a consumer and to actively decide which organizations you would like to support. When you buy from local and typically smaller scale operations, you are not supporting the large scale agriculture operations that often produce significant quantities of Methane. Additionally, local products do not require shipping or ground transport, both of which require the consumption of fossil fuels. You can choose to only do business with like-minded operations. Assess a company’s environmental consciousness by reading their policies, researching their initiatives and learning about what kind of activities they support.

Examine us!

We at Green Pathways welcome your appraisal and would love to hear your opinions. We make a concerted effort to uphold responsible travel and operation principles and to assume responsibility for our own carbon footprint. We want our clients to feel comfortable supporting our organization so check out our website:

· Read our philosophy regarding responsible travel www.greenpathways.com/responsible.html

· Meet our crew and read about our vision http://www.greenpathways.com/aboutus.html

· Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to hear our latest developments and enter to win a free trip! http://www.greenpathways.com/enews.html

9 Comments »

Where?

Paso del Istmo is a 20 kilometer long strip of tropical forest in Nicaragua that boasts one of the highest concentrations of biodiversity in the country. Though small, this isthmus spans a variety of ecosystems, enabling great diversity. It extends from Lake Nicaragua’s wetlands to the dry, coastal forests abutting the Pacific Ocean.

Why is it important?

Paso del Istmo is a natural land bridge and because of its specific location, it has long served as a critical animal migration corridor between North and South America. It is ideally placed to play a large role in restoring species populations, such as the Yellow Naped Parrot and Central American Spider Monkey, which are either endangered or locally extinct in western Nicaragua. There are relatively healthy wildlife populations south of Paso del Istmo that could augment or repopulate the dwindling and extinct species of pacific Nicaragua. However, this repopulating migration can only be sustained if permanent protective measures are taken and the isthmus is restored and protected.

Why is it unique?

Unfortunately there are countless habitats around the globe that vitally require protection. So how is the Paso del Istmo different?  It could pay for it’s own conservation! Conservationists declare that this tiny spit of forest may be able to naturally absorb 170,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases over the next 40 years. Considering the impressive amount of carbon consumption that Paso del Istmo could naturally offset, the potential for purchasing carbon offsets is great. This application might make it more financially worthwhile to leave the isthmus as an intact forest than to cut it for lumber.

What’s happening now?

With the threat of permanent species loss in pacific Nicaragua combined with the potential of natural greenhouse gas consumption, restoring the isthmus is of critical importance. However, there is a great deal of change and development happening in and around the isthmus. Tourists and foreign investors are intent on buying and developing the land. The borders encompassing the untouched nature of the isthmus are converging inwards as development continues. Though this is a formidable threat, great work is being done.

Who’s involved?

Paso Pacifico, a conservation group, is working with CarbonFund and the Rainforest Alliance to restore and permanently protect the isthmus. CarbonFund is a carbon offset company that, with the support of the Rainforest Alliance and the hard work of Paso Pacifico, is now selling carbon credits through the Return To The Forest project. Seventy native tree species will be planted to restore the vitality of Paso del Istmo’s tropical forest. It is considered a reforestation and avoided deforestation project.

To learn more and support this project, visit the Return To The Forest project web page at: www.carbonfund.org/site/projects/profile/return_to_forest_project/

What are the benefits?

This project will benefit both the environment and communities surrounding the isthmus. Paso Pacifico will be able to, with the help of environmentally-minded investors and developers, help restore the isthmus and ensure its perpetuity. Habitat restoration, the reintroduction of threatened and endangered species, natural mitigation of climate change as well as the improvement of local water quality and topsoil erosion are some of the key environmental benefits. Social benefits for neighboring communities are equally promising. Locals will be able to contribute by conducting species monitoring, working for local tree nurseries as well as participating in ecotourism programs whose existence will stimulate the entire local community.

One last thing!

Green Pathways will begin our own reforestation project, called The Pure Earth Project Reforestation Initiative, in Nicaragua in 2011. We are working to buy tracts of land that would be otherwise logged and reforest them with native tree species. Our goal is to plant 20,000 trees in 2011 and prevent the deforestation of as many existing native species as possible.  As we prepare our own project, we have formed an alliance with a wonderful non-profit organization called Trees, Water, People (TWP) and financially support their reforestation efforts here in Nicaragua.  We recently donated $1,000 to their reforestation efforts and are excited to keep in close contact with them throughout the year.

If you would like more information or care to follow our progress, please sign up for our newsletter at: www.greenpathways.com/enews.html

44 Comments »