What is Sustainability?
Sustainability is defined as having the ability to continue to perpetuate an acceptable quality of life. One specific facet of sustainability is environmental sustainability. We need to protect the natural environment now to guarantee a healthy environment in the future.
Unfortunately, due to unsustainable emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, the earth’s climate has begun to change rapidly. Greenhouse gases trap energy in the atmosphere that would otherwise escape. The trapped energy results in a widespread temperature increase. According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the earth has currently warmed an average of 1°C due to greenhouse gas emissions since 1950 and is projected to warm further without great intervention. This increase in temperature is predicted to cause more severe and more common natural disasters. If this trend continues, we can expect a decline in the quality of life of people in the future. That is why it is important that we, as responsible citizens, be conscious of the environmental impact of our actions so we can protect the Earth for the generations yet to come.
What is Climate Change and What Can We Do About It?
Climate change is defined as change in the earth’s climate, or long term weather. We can and are currently observing significant changes in climate, as shown through increased average temperatures, shrinking of glaciers, and changes in wind and ocean currents. Science shows that the changes in climate are due to human activity, specifically the large-scale emissions of greenhouse gases, and we can expect the effects to get more severe as we release more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
We can take steps to reduce our impact on climate change by reducing the amount of energy and the quantity of items we use. For example, the average passenger vehicle emits 4.6 tons of carbon dioxide every year, not including the carbon dioxide produced by the manufacturing, the upkeeping, and the eventual degradation of the vehicle. Consider buying an electric vehicle the next time you buy, or consider switching to a car-sharing plan to reduce your carbon footprint.
Learn more about vehicle emissions on: EPA.gov Green Vehicle Guide
However, simple reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is not enough. Because global warming is a perpetuating cycle, earth’s temperature is projected to rise to a worrying level even if we stop emitting greenhouse gases altogether tomorrow. That is why it is important to inform citizens of the dangers of climate change and to innovate new technologies to bring the climate back to safe levels.
Learn more about Sustainability and Climate Change on NASA’s climate website.
Our Commitment to Sustainability
At Yanhai Power, we are committed to developing and promoting sustainability to support a better life for those that are most at risk now, for our children, and for our children’s children. We hope that the innovations we produce today will help inspire the next generation of engineers, scientists, and citizens in general to value and innovate towards a brighter and more sustainable tomorrow.