Beyond Carbon: Environment
The changing climate affects not only our natural environment — it exacerbates social inequities, threatens livelihoods and impacts our public health. Drawdown Georgia’s solutions have direct and indirect impact across our state’s diverse populations
Environment
We all win when we protect the environment and ecosystems. Regenerative agriculture practices and temperate forest stewardship extend the benefits of our natural carbon sinks like trees, soil and other vegetation. In turn, a healthier natural world hedges against extreme weather impacts.
Lowering emissions almost always means better air quality. Some communities may have concerns about land that is used for large scale solar (or solar farms), so it is an area to watch. We want to be sure that these potential concerns and impacts are visible to everyone involved in the process of making the big decisions that will help scale these solutions.
Largely Positive
Areas to Watch or Address
Limited Impacts or Limited Data
| Sector Solutions | Air Quality | Water Quality & Quantity |
Land Use | Ecosystems & Biodiversity |
Material Disposability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Large Scale Solar
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Cogeneration
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Rooftop Solar
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Demand Response
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Landfill Methane
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| Sector Solutions | Air Quality | Water Quality & Quantity |
Land Use | Ecosystems & Biodiversity |
Material Disposability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Recycling/Waste Management
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Refrigerant
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Retrofitting
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| Sector Solutions | Air Quality | Water Quality & Quantity |
Land Use | Ecosystems & Biodiversity |
Material Disposability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Composting
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Conservation Agriculture
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Plant Rich Diet
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Reduced Food Waste
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| Sector Solutions | Air Quality | Water Quality & Quantity |
Land Use | Ecosystems & Biodiversity |
Material Disposability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coastal Wetlands Restoration
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Afforestation & Silvopasture
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Temperate Forest Stewardship
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| Sector Solutions | Air Quality | Water Quality & Quantity |
Land Use | Ecosystems & Biodiversity |
Material Disposability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Energy Efficient Cars
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Energy Efficient Trucks
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Mass Transit
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Electric Vehicles
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Alternative Mobility
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Stories & Studies
Connecting Equity and Sustainability on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
“It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one destiny, affects a
“It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network
Why and What of “Beyond Carbon”
Climate change has impacts beyond weather and global warming: it worsens social inequities, threatens economies, and negatively impacts public health. The 20 Drawdown Georgia climate solutions would a
Climate change has impacts beyond weather and global warming: it worsens social inequities, threatens econom
Let’s Talk About Climate Solutions with Civic Dinners
Did you make a New Year’s resolution to get more involved with issues that impact your community? Is one of your goals for 2021 to forge connections with new friends and neighbors, to talk about ide
Did you make a New Year’s resolution to get more involved with issues that impact your community? Is one o
Questions?
Why the focus on refrigerants?
One of the largest contributors to refrigerant leakage in Georgia are grocery and convenience store refrigeration systems. There are 958 grocery stores and over 6,000 gas, drug, and convenience stores in Georgia, accounting for about 1.9 MtCO2e leaked annually. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are a class of chemicals used in refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, heat pumps, and to transfer heat in applications found throughout Georgia’s economy. We can find alternatives and manage existing HFCs better -- because 90 percent of refrigerant emissions happen at end of life, effective disposal of those currently in circulation is essential. After being carefully removed and stored, refrigerants can be purified for reuse or transformed into other less harmful chemicals.
Which industries dominate in Georgia’s building products?
According to the Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia is a leader in paper and pulp products, with an economic output of $13.1 billion in 2018, representing almost 20,000 jobs and $1.8 billion in annual wages and salaries.
What is our current recycling rate?
In 2011, Georgia recycled only approximately 0.7 million tons out of 10.6 million tons of MSW, or a recycling rate of about 6.6%. This is significantly below the U.S. average rate of 22.6% reported by the same study (Shin, 2014).
