Georgia reduces carbon footprint despite increasing population

ATLANTA — As more and more people move to metro Atlanta, we have somehow managed to reduce our carbon footprint in the state of Georgia.

Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Eboni Deon learned exactly how this is possible.

She spoke with Regents Professor at Georgia Tech, Dr. Marilyn Brown, who said tracking the changes in greenhouse gas emissions helps to find where we are making progress and where improvements are needed to meet climate goals and reduce climate change.

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In the last few years, researchers have found a decline in greenhouse gas emissions and they feel like it is just the beginning of a more environmentally friendly place to be.

“Georgia is emitting less carbon dioxide. It’s growing in its GDP and its population,” Brown said.

Eva Jones and her mother Laura are doing their part to help the environment.

“I mean we definitely recycle.,” Eva said.

“We do can, paper, cardboard,” Laura said. “I do have a hybrid car and I do see signs in our neighborhood where it’s like, ‘we compost,’ so other people are doing it.”

She even makes a special trip to recycle styrofoam.

“Georgia has become a Detroit of electric vehicles. It’s the center of production of solar panels, batteries,” Brown said.

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Brown said how we generate electricity is much cleaner today.

“We’ve retired a lot of coal and have brought on more gas and a lot more solar and soon we’ll bring on nuclear - a essentially zero-carbon source of electricity,” Brown said.

Our forests absorb tons of CO2 every year, offsetting almost a third of what we emit.

“I think we all need to be conscious of our footprint and how much energy we’re using because the two go hand in hand,” Brown said.

There are many ways you can help further reduce your carbon footprint.

Brown suggests recycling, composting, replacing incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs, and choosing products that are sustainable.

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