Carbon sequestration from seagrass - from NAMEPA blog https://elise-avallon-76l2.squarespace.com/namepa-blog/2017/4/17/carbon-sequestration-and-the-ocean-how-will-our-waters-react
Carbon sequestration.. the buzzword of the last few years, been thrown in here and there in various conversations..
Sometimes for good reasons, other times just for fancies.. let's start with the basics.. What really is Carbon sequestration? First of all, let me clear some terms for the beginners out there, I am sure you have all heard a lot of it, but just to all be on the same page, by carbon sequestration I mean the long-term removal, capture or sequestration of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Now, if we think about removal from the atmosphere: natural life on this planet (well on the surface of this planet, and not deep down in the oceans) is based upon photosynthesis. Plants do it. And with them other photosynthetic organisms such as micro and macro algae. What is photosynthesis? Just as a reminder for those who didn’t do well at school in biology: during the day, when light is available, plants take up co2 from the atmosphere and release o2 (At night they respire, so they release some co2, something to be mindful about - more on this later). Technically, though, also us animals sequester co2, not directly from the atmosphere, but from what we consume - but we would prevent it from going back out in the atmosphere. All ‘mass’ is basically a form or another of carbon atoms. Since, matter is neither created nor destroyed, the C atoms are bound to be coming from somewhere. If it’s in our mass it’s not in the atmosphere. So yes, when we take in O2 and release CO2 respiring we are respiring mass out (out of topic but yes, this is the principle behind losing weight - check this great and inspiring ted talk ) . And so on.. we read that whales are sequestering carbon ( and it’s also published on the IMF ) , or hear on the BBC podcast ‘people fixing the planet’ that also jellyfish have power to be carbon sequestering And at that point.. I really want to scream that, if we follow this logic, then everything is and that perhaps we are just abusing this buzzword… What are the problems with abusing carbon/CO2 sequestation?
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 With most of Europe again under some kind of lockdown, it’s time to share some positivity.
I want to be clear, the ‘war’ is far from over, but for just one second let’s sign an armistice. Biden has won, despite a long and suffered week. We are on the right track. America will enter the Paris agreement again, and while I am doubtful on whether it will be THE solution, it is something positive, and definitely a U-turn on the matter compared to the his negationist predecessor! And not just that, but a whole lot of other good promises and steps in the right direction (read more on the NYtimes here for example ) So, today let’s celebrate by also pledging to be as sustainable as possible. And support each other in this journey, learning from each other. As the cliche phrase says ‘We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly’ And well...let’s be these million people, together!  runners from 'protect our winters' during the climate run Running is a sport that has been in the spotlight a lot this year . As an individual sport is something that can be easily done while socially distancing and during various lockdowns it has been a sport rediscovered by many people.
Being a runner means many things - from short distance to ultra marathons, speedy runners , turtles. Young people, old people - everyone can be a runner . I already mentioned in my sports series that running is quite a sustainable sport since equipment is minimal and can be done right from and to our doorsteps - and also provided some suggestions as to how to make it even more sustainable . Today I would like to focus on runners as a big power able to drive change.  Do you ever wonder if your ‘sustainable choices’ are actually sustainable?
I do Often I know the most sustainable thing is not to buy anything. But what if you really had to get something ? Or do something ? What about daily needs like food ? When thinking about sustainability of something we need to think about the different layers And this means not only ‘the thing’ itself , but also the components that make ‘the thing’ up . The context in which it was made . What do I mean by it ?  The change of seasons is upon us - and maybe the urge to buy some new clothes is too (although the perspectives of working in leisurewear at home all day are still quite high for the foreseeable future..)
Given the crisis ,on one hand it may seem like a good idea to move the economy , but on the other, finances may be tough and so there may be a tendency to choose something that is cheaper . But is it really cheaper on the long term ? Let me introduce you to a concept that I found well explained on this french article about the ‘prix d’achat versus the prix d’usage’ translated as the ‘price of purchase vs the price of use’ :  Today I want to leave you with a little song that made me think a lot about the current state of affairs and humanity (at least the western world) He's one of my favourite French artists and this is more of a poem than a sog In bold the parts that hit me the most (in French and then terrible English translation) Original video here: Youtube link  This week extinction rebellion is having back to back protests in Rome. I follow some of them and am friends with some of the XR activists . I have to say I am really impressed with the imagination behind the protests , with the way they are spreading the message. Always peaceful. Always impactful .
This said. I don’t know why but I don’t see myself being out there in the square. I am in 100% with their ideas and the message. I just don’t see myself as that kind of activist. And I figured , I may not be the only one.. So here it is a little post trying to look at the different faces that activism can take.  Photo by Mike Corbett/CC BY-2.0 taken from the climate institute If you haven’t seen it yet I recommend you to exit this page and go watch the social dilemma.
As far as documentaries go this was very well made , a mix of documentary and film which captures you . At the same time, it was fairly scary . So maybe don’t do the same mistake I did and don’t watch it before bed. Oh and watch it with someone and be prepared for some intense discussion to follow.  We all love free stuff. But is ti sustainable? In these days you can do a lot of things for free. Legally . No need to buy a newspaper- you can read it for free (some papers are changing to subscriptions only , but often you can still get some free articles - or choose a different one). No need to pay for a cinema ticket : movies are cheap and if you subscribe for very little you can get many films for a very small price . You can also find plenty of free entertainment online on platforms such as YouTube , Vimeo .. no need to buy cds : Spotify has all the music you want , for free . You can also just listen to very informative stories or fun chats on various podcasts platforms . You can get workouts for free and yoga classes for free, on YouTube or on the many apps which have a free version. If you buy something online , for much cheaper than in shop , you get free deliveries and free returns .
 Outdoors adventures. If you know me even a little bit, you may know I am not shy of outdoors adventures. Hiking, running, sailing, swimming, rowing, surfing, climbing.. anything that makes you be in the great outdoors. You will find me there . There is something magical about being there , you become aware not only about the beauty of the surroundings but also about the power that nature has. You learn it the hard way too, when a wave crashes on your head and you end up in a washing machine trying not to hit your head while hoping you will get to breathe soon, or while you have too much sail surface on, making hard to impossible to steer, or while you are atop a mountain and you see a storm coming and the path in front of you looks so hard and rugged but going back isn’t an option.
I wrote before about the importance of respecting nature and being careful about planning adventures . I also made a list of sports and how to ensure to make these really sustainable (e.g. sustainable scuba, sup). Today I want to focus on the idea that maybe outdoorsy people are more likely to want to protect it too. |
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Photos used under Creative Commons from marcoverch, Pascal Volk
