Currently the concept of carbon neutrality has become trending amongst companies and organizations that want to work towards a sustainable future. The idea behind it is quite simple and yet there can be a lot of confusion regarding what exactly is carbon neutrality.
At its most basic level, carbon neutrality is the state in which our emission of carbon is at a balance with the amount of carbon we actively remove from the atmosphere. What often causes confusion is how one goes about becoming carbon neutral.
It’s not just about reducing one’s emission but also means by which carbon can be siphoned from the atmosphere via ‘carbon sinks’ which are basically natural or man made reservoirs that are capable of storing or removing carbon in large amounts. The best example of this is the absorption of carbon by trees during photosynthesis, which removes hundreds of tonnes of carbon from the air every year.
A great example of man made carbon sinks is the system of carbon credits where projects from companies that removed carbon or prevent it from being produced in the first place sell ‘carbon credits’ that are valid for one tonne of carbon that goes towards making up for those emissions which might be near impossible to remove or reduce.
What exactly are the benefits of becoming carbon neutral? For one, carbon neutrality ensures that the land in which we operate is capable of sustaining us for generations to come. Because carbon is a greenhouse gas and contributes to the rapid climate change, carbon neutrality helps not only us but also the world as a whole.
An unexplored benefit of carbon neutrality is better food security for the residents of the region where the impact of climate change is lessened because of the actions taken to reduce emissions. Some other amazing perks of carbon neutrality are better health for the people, preservation of biodiversity and long term improvements to the ecosystems we inhabit.
Looking at these benefits, it’s no wonder why so many companies are rushing to achieve carbon neutrality in the next few decades. With our resorts in Lonavala, The Machan being the first carbon neutral resort in India and the only one so far, we are delighted to be leading the initiative towards a cleaner and greener future!