Carbon is a very common element, present in plants, animals, the atmosphere, ocean, and rocks. It naturally moves between these forms by many processes, learn about some here.

The term 'fart tax' has often come up in the news. It referred to a tax on farmers for the methane emissions produced by their livestock. This is an odd choice of term, however,  because animals actually belch, not fart, methane out of their digestive systems.

You might think that because all the carbon in cattle farming comes from the grass that the cattle is fed on, then the beef produced should be carbon neutral. Although the carbon is recycled, some of it is recycled as methane (CH₄) which is a more powerful greenhouse than carbon dioxide (CO₂). Not all carbon compounds have the same effect on the atmosphere.

Many activities in people's daily lives lead to an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Either directly, like flying, or indirectly, such as the energy it takes to produce products that we buy. Greater public consciousness about the problem has led to people making efforts to avoid or minimise the flow of these gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, into the atmosphere.