The Green Awards and Certifications are given to firms and individuals that have carried out environmentally friendly activities. The awards and certificates are given based on a number of guidelines which include tree planting and conservation efforts. To participate in improving your environment, read the guidelines below on what you can do!   CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECT Here's the science bit... The Earth gets most of its warmth from the sun, we all know that. And as temperatures increase, the Earth maintains our climate by reflecting this energy back into space. On the way, some of this heat is then re-absorbed by naturally occurring gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide. All fine so far. However, as a result of us humans, these gases have increased substantially, and have acted like a big cosy blanket around the Earth, trapping more and more heat. This is what the boffins call the Greenhouse effect, and it is why we are experiencing some pretty unusual weather all around the world, what is generically termed climate change. But why should we care? Surely this means we will have better warm weather and milder cold days here in Kenya doesn't it? Well yes and no. We are likely to see hotter weather, but we are also likely to see a lot more floods, storms, droughts and stronger winds in the relatively short term. In the longer term it could put some 80 million at risk of flooding, and many more at risk of water shortage and of failed harvests. We may also see increased incidence of landslides, malaria, water-borne diseases and forest fires, and an unprecedented loss of wildlife and damage to our natural systems. Okay but what has that got to do with me? Well, every time you use energy, for example by turning on a light switch, using a computer, watching television, driving to work, taking a flight or cooking a meal, you are creating CO2. And this means you are contributing to that cosy blanket we talked about. WHAT CAN YOU DO? Now It's Your Turn We all have a responsibility to minimize our impact on the environment by reducing our emissions where possible. At GREEN AFRICA FOUNDATION, we have taken different measures top on the list being advocacy for renewable energy and green office practices. There are things you can do too! First and foremost, there's the obvious stuff. Do you really need the car for every trip you make in and about town? Could you walk or take the train instead? You can cut down on electricity too. Does the TV need to be on standby? Does you phone charger need to be plugged into the wall all day? Here are a few other ways you can cut down on your carbon emissions - and your household bills! · Turn down the heat! Reducing your household heating by just a small amount makes a disproportionate difference to your energy consumption. · Insulate - it can be as simple as putting on a woolly jumper. Or if you insulate your walls and ceilings (and don't forget double-glazing while you're at it) you can make huge energy savings! · Upgrade your heating system. Gas systems are usually more efficient than those powered by coal, oil or electricity. Or you could even use solar power to heat that water tank! · Slow down! Driving on the motorway at 60mph rather than 80mph will cut emissions and fuel costs by a third. · Eat local produce. The globalization of modern food markets means that the average food basket now contains food from every corner of the Earth. Try purchasing food from local farmer certified food markets instead. · Recycle. Most homes produce around 25 million tonnes of waste each year. Recycle whatever you can and compost anything that is biodegradable. Conserving water is useful too because every drop of water we use has to be treated - and that requires energy. Why not collect rain water in your garden? CARBON OFFSETTING Unless you stay in bed for the rest of your life (with the heating and your TV switched off!) you'll always be responsible for some carbon emissions on a day to day basis. However, it is possible to take steps towards neutralizing your effect on the climate. One method is to employ the tactic of carbon offsetting and it works like this... Carbon offsetting involves calculating your CO2 emissions and then purchasing 'credits' from projects which have prevented or removed an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide elsewhere in the world, meaning that the overall net CO2 released into the atmosphere is zero. Let's be clear on this though, this offsetting will not prevent climate change but if it is used to offset those essential emissions which people cannot reduce - or where a renewable alternative doesn't exist - it is a useful tool. We want to support you to reduce your emissions, through various activities including offsetting.