Keeling Curve

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How Project Affects Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions:

['Replaces/avoids GHGs (e.g., projects that replace sources of GHGs, such as the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat, transport, or other energy uses)', 'Reduces GHGs (e.g., projects that reduce sources of GHGs, such as through efficiency or other changes in consumption)', 'Removes/stores GHGs (e.g., projects that capture, sequester, or otherwise enhance the "sinks" that accumulate and store GHGs)']

Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

Decentralized composting shifts the paradigm of organic waste management, enabling communities to retain control over their waste streams rather than relying on centralized systems that disproportionately burden low-income communities, often composed of women and people of color. Traditional waste systems concentrate landfills and waste-processing facilities near marginalized communities, exposing them to environmental hazards such as air pollution, contaminated water, and health risks, while offering little economic benefit in return.
Decentralized systems address this inequity by redistributing the responsibility and benefits of waste management. Communities gain access to the tools, knowledge, and infrastructure needed to manage organic waste locally, transforming it into valuable compost that supports sustainable agriculture and local economies. This localized approach reduces reliance on large-scale landfill operations and long-distance waste transport, which are resource-intensive and environmentally damaging.
MakeSoil empowers underrepresented groups, including women, youth, and climate-vulnerable populations, by fostering skills development and creating economic opportunities in composting site management, training, and resource generation. Soil Sites offer diverse representation, ensuring that decision-making processes reflect the perspectives of those most impacted by environmental inequities. This model mitigates the environmental harms associated with centralized systems while fostering community resilience and equity, transforming waste into a driver of empowerment and sustainability.

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