Take a deep breath in. Now, breathe out. You just exhaled carbon dioxide! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Carbon dioxide is what we call a greenhouse gas. In a greenhouse, the glass roof and walls capture heat from the sun, which keeps the plants inside warm and healthy, no matter how cold the weather is outside. Carbon dioxide works the same way that glass greenhouse does! It traps heat from the sun and keeps our planet warm enough to live on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lots of animals, including humans, create carbon dioxide every time they breathe out. And that\u2019s not all! A lot of plants, like trees, \u201cbreathe in\u201d carbon dioxide through their leaves, which helps to balance the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But when humans burn fossil fuels, like oil and gas, we create a lot of extra carbon dioxide! Too much carbon dioxide in our atmosphere means too much heat from the sun gets trapped. Over time, all this carbon dioxide builds up, so our planet is getting warmer and warmer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This creates a problem called climate change<\/strong> – a long-term change in the Earth\u2019s temperature and weather patterns. It can lead to extreme weather like droughts and severe storms, impact our food supply, and create all kinds of risks for creatures on Earth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Neutral: <\/strong>This word means \u201cbalanced\u201d or \u201ceven.\u201d We can also use it as a verb: neutralize<\/strong>! When we talk about \u201cneutralizing\u201d something, it means that we\u2019re taking steps to make a dangerous thing safe. For instance, you can neutralize <\/strong>a campfire by pouring water on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Human beings are always going to put carbon dioxide into the atmosphere\u2013we let it out every time we exhale! And just about everything we do, from driving to school to buying new clothes to using the toilet (yes, really!), creates even more carbon dioxide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Being carbon neutral just means that, for every amount of carbon we release into the atmosphere, we take out an equal amount. That way, our atmosphere continues to trap the normal amount of heat, instead of making our planet way too warm!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carbon neutrality is a big issue \u2013 in fact, it\u2019s as big as our planet! To become carbon neutral, we\u2019ll need a lot of people to work toward the same goal. That\u2019s where you come in! You and your family can help the whole world become carbon neutral by lowering the amount of carbon that comes from your actions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some incredible examples that show how a bunch of people working together can make a big difference!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Being a musician and touring around the world means tons of carbon emissions: flying planes or driving tour buses from city to city, using a ton of energy for stage equipment, and selling single-use plastics at the concession stand. And that\u2019s before we factor in all the people driving their cars to the concert! <\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why the Grammy-winning pop star Billie Eilish decided it was up to her to neutralize some of the carbon emitted by her latest world tour. Billie, who is 21 years old, reduced her tour\u2019s environmental footprint by doing things like: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks to all this eco-action, Billie Eilish, together with her team and fans, managed to neutralize over 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. That makes us happier than ever!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Costa Rica is a small tropical country between North and South America. It has lush rainforests that are home to a wide variety of animals like parrots, jaguars, and sloths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But about fifty years ago, Costa Rica\u2019s forests were on the path to destruction. Cutting down a forest to plant crops or make timber is called deforestation.<\/em> Farmers and loggers were cutting down so many trees that Costa Rica had one of the highest deforestation rates in the world. The country lost a lot of its forest cover, creating problems for Costa Rica\u2019s wildlife and its environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s when Costa Rica\u2019s government decided: Enough is enough! They decided it was time to protect and restore the forests. They made it illegal to chop down forests without permission, and they started to pay local farmers and landowners for protecting the environment. This system not only protects forests, but it helps the people in Costa Rica\u2019s community too. Costa Rica is now one of the world\u2019s leaders in reforestation<\/em>! Talk about a comeback story! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Protecting forests and planting trees are just two pieces of the puzzle when it comes to carbon neutrality. Costa Rica is using many different strategies to reduce their carbon emissions. They\u2019re using renewable energy, reducing emissions from transportation, and educating people so that everyone understands how they can contribute. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Costa Rica is a climate champion for their efforts towards becoming carbon neutral, just like our friends at Royale!<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re blowing your nose or using the toilet, carbon neutrality is probably the last thing on your mind. But not for the folks at Royale! They have achieved carbon neutrality<\/a> on the total carbon footprint of their tissue products sold in Canada. Royale tissue products come from trees in forests that remove more carbon per year than is emitted in the life cycle of Royale tissue products manufactured in the year! That\u2019s nothing to sneeze at. You can learn more at https:\/\/www.royale.ca\/carbon-neutral<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you know what carbon neutral means, we want to hear what it means to you<\/a>! How do you reduce carbon emissions in your everyday life? Do you ever do things that help absorb carbon, like planting trees and flowers? Most importantly, why is being carbon neutral important \u2013 both to you and to the planet?<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow Can We Be Carbon Neutral? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Billie Eilish\u2019s Happier Than Ever World Tour<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nCosta Rica\u2019s Climate Leadership<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nRoyale\u2019s Carbon Neutral Paper Products<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nTell Us What Carbon Neutrality Means to You!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n