CO2
Energy saving doesn’t bring along only financial savings. At the same time, effective use of energies reduces emissions arising by their production. CO2 ranks among most known gases which are being produced by burning of fossil fuels. Its share in the atmosphere is raising in consequence of increasing energy consumption worldwide.
Slovak Republic acceded to the Kjot protocol in 1999, which speaks of successive reduction of 2 emissions in the atmosphere. Each of us can contribute to it, namely by economic use of energies in households, transport or at work. With economic measures we ensure cleaner atmosphere for next generations.
What is CO2?
Carbon circulates in the nature in so-called carbon cycle. It is exchange of this gas between plants, soil, atmosphere, animals and oceans.
In form of CO2, carbon is absorbed for example by plants by photosynthesis and released by decomposition into the atmosphere. Man and industrial production interfere with the carbon cycle as well, namely by burning of fossil fuels (coal, petroleum products, natural gas). Concentration of CO2 is therefore increasing in the atmosphere significantly, as plants and oceans are not able to absorb all carbon.
CO2 ranks among greenhouse gases which are cumulating in the atmosphere and transmitting solar radiation to the Earth. However, layer of greenhouse gases subsequently holds back thermal radiation, which thus remains in the atmosphere of the Earth.
How Much CO2 Produce Our Appliances?
For example, a 60-watt bulb which burns on average 3 hours per day, consumes annually approx. 65.7 kWh of electricity. By production of this amount of electricity, 42 kg of CO2 is released into the atmosphere. If you replaced this bulb by an economy bulb, the volume of CO2 presents only 9 kg, i.e. less by 33 kg. Nine kg of CO2 produce for example also a passenger vehicle beside a road at a distance of 52 kilometers. On the other hand, one big tree is able to process such amount of CO2 in one year.
On this internet page you will find several calculators, which display, besides costs and savings of the energy, also amount or potential savings of CO2 emissions, which arise when using various appliances.
References to the calculators:
