How Can I Become Carbon Positive?

Becoming carbon positive means making new choices that will deliver a cooler climate. We have a small window of time and opportunity to review and act for what we want for our future. The impact of COVID-19 will seem like a minnow compared to what 2 or 3 or 4 degrees of warming might look like for our wellbeing, the economy, and our children’s futures. Doing nothing is costly, and the time to begin is today.

To be carbon positive or climate positive begins by understanding that the earth is a system and that we are a part of that system. All of our actions have an impact on that system. How, through our efforts, can we ensure that our changes influence the system toward diversity and wellbeing for all? We need to take a whole system (holistic) approach. We all need to reduce our carbon emissions. We also need to consider that we are facing the extinction of many species and a loss of habitat across Australia. Plus, because of the impacts of climate change we are already experiencing, we are battling a water and agricultural crisis as our land gets drier.

At Carbon Positive Australia, we believe that being carbon positive in Australia could look like this:

• Choosing to protect our old-growth forests to protect habitats and biodiversity.
• Protecting our rivers
• Making choices that support our indigenous communities and that put “country” first
• Making sure the reforestation projects we support have ecological value, are biodiverse, and increase habitat
• Choosing to work with our agricultural community to deliver carbon plantings that protect our agricultural heritage
• Switching to 100% renewable energy
• Taking action in our communities to reduce our emissions
• Knowing your carbon footprint, then reducing your emissions and offsetting those emissions you cannot reduce to become carbon neutral
• Encouraging the businesses and organisations we work for and with to become net-zero
• Consuming less and spending our money with organisations that are working towards net-zero
• Connecting with the places that we live and our communities so that we increase our sense of belonging – we care about what we love!

Climate issues are global, but that does not mean we can’t take action in our community. Australia has one of the most unique and biodiverse environments on the planet. Through our choices, we can ensure that it remains that way.

Decision-making begins with information; in this case, that information has to allow us to understand our carbon footprint and know our number. Then through education, we can find ways to reduce our emissions. For those emissions we can’t reduce, we can ensure that the choices we make to offset bring the most benefit, not just for carbon, but socially and environmentally, for all our futures.

Here at Carbon Positive Australia, we:

• Help you to understand your footprint
• Provide education on how to reduce
• Ensure that our tree and revegetation projects have high ecological value
• Work with our agricultural community to deliver carbon plantings that protect our agricultural heritage
• Take action in the community
• Encourage you to connect to place through our projects
• Promote and support businesses that are taking steps to become carbon positive

If you’d like to find out more about becoming carbon positive, then make sure to sign up for our newsletter.