Sequestering Carbon Emissions
Fig 9. Tree planting -an effective way to sequester carbon.
Once all strategies above have been explored, and residual emissions can be offset by carbon capture schemes such as tree planting. However, it is important that this should be done after all previous steps have been completed as a holistic approach covering all aspects is needed. When planting trees it must be remembered that a sizeable percentage of new trees are likely to be lost within a few years from animal or other damage including fires.
While it is possible to minimise most, if not all the carbon emissions from buildings by the steps above, other activities are less easy to see reductions such as travel and particularly air travel. It is here that that the final step of carbon offsetting is important at the present time.