How CO2 is destroying the planet and what are the ways in action reduce it?

In the normal biological energy cycle, carbon dioxide plays the major role. Glucose is the most important source of energy for all the living organisms either plants , animals or any other micro or macro organisms excluding certain chemotropic bacterias. And carbon dioxide is the source of carbon present in the glucose molecules fixed by the green photosynthetic plants and blue green algae. In this cycle the evolution of oxygen takes place which is the basis of all the lives on the earth.

Earth is estimated to have only 0.03% carbon dioxide in its atmosphere which in terms of data looks very small but this small value have lots of consequences in maintaining the life on earth . Even a small decimal degree rise or fall in the amount of carbon dioxide may lead us to the devastating consequences 

 The planet and other living things cannot survive with excessive levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Although CO2 is a byproduct of life and an essential component of the plant growth cycle, too much of it in the atmosphere, the bubble that surrounds the Earth, traps solar heat, causing temperatures to rise. Planet Earth has an uncertain future if humanity is unable to limit its CO2 output.

When there is an excessive amount of carbon dioxide in the air you breathe, it turns into a toxic gas. Carbon dioxide poisoning can harm the central nervous system and cause respiratory impairment in people and other breathing animals in addition to its negative effects on the environment and the atmosphere.

But more importantly, other than human and other organisms this poisonous gas is becoming more and more dangerous for the planet earth.The carbon in dead living things and plants is released back into the atmosphere. The carbon leftover from dead plants and animals is transformed into natural gas, coal, and petroleum over the course of millions of years by heat and pressure. Higher amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere have been a result of humans releasing CO2 from these fuels more fast than it can be naturally reabsorbed through the carbon cycle since the Industrial Revolution. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that since 1750, the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased by 40%. Significant changes in climate may result from rising atmospheric CO2 levels.

The greenhouse effect is the main danger from more CO2. As a greenhouse gas, too much CO2 builds an atmosphere-wide blanket that traps the sun's heat energy, warming the world and its oceans. Changes in weather patterns brought on by a rise in CO2 have a disastrous effect on Earth's climates. The EPA estimates that each year, humans release 30 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. This carbon overload may have long-term effects due to the 200-year lifespan of each CO2 molecule.There are numerous negative consequences of the rising atmospheric CO2. An increase in the gas can affect how plants grow since they absorb CO2 as part of their growth cycle. Researchers from the University of Illinois discovered in 2008 that soybeans cultivated in high-CO2 environments had some of their natural pest defenses removed. According to a study from Southwestern University, rising CO2 lowers the amount of protein in several crops. Additionally, high ocean CO2 concentrations might stunt the growth of some marine organisms, leaving them more vulnerable to predators.

CO2 is a gas that absorbs heat. This is beneficial in many ways because it keeps the Earth from losing too much heat, which would make it impossible for animals like humans to exist. However, since the start of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, the burning of fossil fuels has added a considerable amount of CO2 gas to the atmosphere, causing global warming and its progressively worsening impacts.The atmospheric CO2 concentration stayed between 200 and 300 parts per million for tens of thousands of years (ppm). By 2017, the concentration has increased to around 400 ppm, and it is continually rising. This more CO2 traps heat, altering the environment. This is seen in more catastrophic occurrences as well as rising sea levels, glacial melt, more acidic sea water, smaller polar ice caps, and an increase in global average temperatures (for example, hurricanes). These issues are all linked and dependent on one another.Natural gas, oil, and coal are a few examples of fossil fuels. These are the result of dead plant and animal matter becoming trapped and buried under layers of rock over the course of millions of years. This organic material is converted into a fuel when suitable heat and pressure conditions are present. Carbon is present in all fossil fuels, which are burned to produce energy and emit carbon dioxide.

According to a NASA study, increased atmospheric CO2 levels have an impact on crops and plants by speeding up photosynthesis and lowering transpirational water loss. The plant's stomata, or small holes, don't open as widely when carbon dioxide levels rise. Faster photosynthesis and reduced water evaporation result from this, which, in principle, should increase water efficiency.Whether more CO2 is genuinely advantageous for plants in terms of production and nutrients is the subject of debate in the scientific community. According to one claim made by Richard Norby, it is undeniable that an increase in CO2 causes an increase in photosynthesis when a leaf is isolated in a lab. These studies, however, do not include other external elements that support plant growth. The focus of the inquiries is mostly on nitrogen concentrations because low nitrogen levels restrict the benefits of CO2 rises for plants.

According to recent research by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the CO2 levels are shockingly high in 2020 at 410 PPM (parts per million), a level that hasn't been attained in more than 800,000 years. This high amount of CO2 doesn't directly affect humans at the current rate, but if significant efforts are not made to reduce carbon emissions, the long-term consequences it has on the environment could be harmful.

Some of the major long term effects of carbon dioxide includes.

Pollution:-

 it is estimated that more than 9 millions people are killed every year just cuz of pollution and this data is just for humans , we are not discussion any wildlife , plant species or any other aquatic or terrestrial habitat here. Higher level of carbon dioxide increases the pollution levels worldwide and this tends to kill more lives every minutes.

Aquatic life destruction:- 

Nearly one-fourth of all CO2 emissions are absorbed by and fixed in ocean plants by ocean vegetation. Similar to land plants, these plants absorb CO2, however the majority of the CO2 ends up dissolving into the oceans, contributing to ocean acidification. If CO2 levels keep rising, the natural coral reefs in our oceans could eventually go extinct due to the long-term effects of ocean acidification. Shellfish are similarly impacted by the elevated acid levels. Before their shells have a chance to fully develop, the corrosive water begins to erode them, doing permanent harm.The polar ice caps are melting into the oceans as a result of rising CO2 levels and the Earth's warmth. Our beachfront wetlands and sea fronts are lowered by rising water levels. Since all ocean life is used to the existing salinity levels, the melting of fresh water ice causes the salinity of the salty sea water to decrease.

Heat waves :-

An increase in CO2 immediately causes an increase in Earth temperatures, which is already the deadliest extreme weather type. It will be harder to live when it grows hotter.

Wild fire and other disasters :-

The melting of the ice results in higher water levels as the Earth warms. In the end, this has an effect on our regular weather cycles and leads to an increase in hurricanes and major storms. Because the trees and plants are dryer and more flammable, more forest fires are occurring and are burning for longer periods of time as a result of warmer weather.

Ozone layer depletion:-

Unlike CFCs and HFCs, carbon dioxide has no direct impact on ozone. However, higher levels of carbon dioxide do indirectly affect the stratospheric ozone layer. Depending on the latitude and the atmospheric layer it is in, it has different effects. Increased CO2 is reducing the creation of new ozone in the lower stratosphere, which is closest to the surface and closest to the equator, especially in the spring. However, CO2 is increasing the amount of ozone towards the poles and in the upper stratosphere by preventing nitrogen oxide from degrading it. The regeneration of the ozone layer, including the hole at the South Pole, is accelerating, according to a study by a collaborative research team from the University of Maryland and NASA that was published in the March 2002 issue of the Journal of Geographical Research.

What are the ways in action to reduce the affects of co2 

Scientists have created a miraculous device that removes the ink from printer paper, allowing each sheet to be reused ten times. By lowering the demand for office paper, they want to reduce the quantity of climate-changing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the paper and pulp sector. Specially coated paper, which prevents ink (or powdered toner) from soaking into the sheet, is the secret to the so-called "de-printer." The ink is then vaporized by a strong laser. Circular printing is how Barak Yekutiely, the lead developer from Reep Technologies in Israel, explains it.

According to experts, developing new technologies that reduce the quantity of CO2 produced is one strategy to address these emissions. Another is to just use less of it. The de-printer is a product of a wave of invention that is creating low-carbon-age appropriate technology. One business in northern Sweden is a shining example of how to eliminate CO2 from the steel producing process. Globally, the sector emits about three billion tonnes of the gas annually, which is roughly equivalent to all of India's yearly CO2-producing activities.Typically, to make steel, iron-bearing ore must be combined with coke, which comes from coal, and then heated to 1,500C under the use of highly polluting gas or coal. The iron becomes a precursor to steel as a result of a chemical process that is sparked by heat. However, this results in much greater CO2 production; in fact, the process produces more tonnes of CO2 than steel. 

Concrete manufacturers are currently experimenting with different binding substances that don't require the same level of cooking, and major companies in the sector want to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The rail company HS2 is building a viaduct in Buckinghamshire in south-east England built of a sandwich of cement and steel because we cannot wait that long to address climate change. This clever design makes advantage of the various physical characteristics of the steel and cement in a way that is quickly gaining popularity, allowing less material to be needed. According to the engineers, this invention reduces the cost of materials and the CO2 emissions that would have been produced by a more conventional build.Naturally, deciding not to construct the contentious HS2 line in the first place would have prevented a lot more emissions. Additionally, there is a growing trend among engineers to try to get more use out of already-existing infrastructure, such as renovating buildings rather than demolishing them and using cement to construct replacements. One of the top five CO2 emitters is the plastics sector. The majority of plastic in use today comes from highly polluting oil and gas. However, a biochemical company called Avantium in the Netherlands claims to have developed a plant-based plastic that can compete with PET (polyethylene terephthalate), the material used to create the majority of beverage bottles.

Last but not the least afforestation is the most important factor that will play the major role in reducing the devastating effects of co2.

                         Plant trees , save earth