How to Get Rid of Cattails - What Are The Basics?
Posted by admin in environment on 07 31st, 2009Cattails are a familiar phenomenon within several North American settings, most especially happening near bodies of water, and initially appearing rather innocent. Initially you might see one of these plants and dismiss it. You might even think that same thing the next day, and the day after that, and perhaps many days following that, until that definitive day that you look out the window, and the entire pond has been taken over to a point in which you need an air-boat to navigate it like you’re situated in the everglades.
Now that you have been invaded by the evil army of the cattail, what kind of offensive can you do? Would you organize your army and go in with guns (or pesticides) firing at will? Or will you choose guerrilla tactics? That is completely up to you, since regardless of what technique you decide on, those plants are not sentient, therefore they won’t see your approach, meaning that you’ll always possess the element of surprise. That also entails that you could likely get rid of the camouflage and take the paint off of your face. Those binoculars and the gas mask likely will not be needed either.
The options at your disposal are many in the area of cattail destruction, and of course, since the pond is yours (unless for some reason you have set out to do battle with your neighbor’s pond), you’re free to pick any of these techniques:
Physical Removal of Cattails – You are of course, welcome to try pulling those cattails up by yourself. But if you do that, attempt to pull them when they’re very young, otherwise they will take sturdy root and end up extremely difficult to pull. That will additionally turn into a huge chore, since around the time you start eliminating them, odds are they have now overrun the pond, and there will be a ton of them.
Cutting – You may cut the cattails, but keeping mind that it’s wise to chop them about one inch below the water line so as to deprive them of oxygen and kill them.
Lowering the Water Line – Cattails, like anything else, require water in order to survive. By lowering the water line, and ensuring those plants do not receive all the things they require, you will discover they expire rather quickly, that is unless they have already broadcast their seed, in which case you will have to do this again the next year. If you have no issue with lowering and raising the water level of your pond every year, then this would be a viable choice.
Pesticides – This should be a last resort, because pesticides may damage any organic life within the pond, which would cancel out the purpose of having a pond. However, you can continue buy any pesticides which you require from stores, or from the Internet. Only don’t forget the dangers.
Remember this, you may believe these cattails are a serious issue and you have to eradicate each and every of them, but know that cattails help stop erosion, and that’s definitely a good thing. So try to remember to leave at the very least a few cattails alive, since all plants and animals (wasps excluded) has a reason for living, even though the purpose is unknown.
read comments (0)How Hybrid Cars Work: A Brief Glimpse of the Car of the Future
Posted by admin in environment on 07 31st, 2009More Americans are weighing whether to sell conventional gas-guzzling cars and opting for a more innovative car that stands to cut your fuel bill in half. This new type of automobile is called hybrid cars. What’s more, hybrid vehicles produce fewer pollutants than conventional cars. That means, the more of us there are driving hybrid cars, the better off we all will be.
Now that you know a little more about why so many are interested in hybrids it’s logical that you learn how they work. This article will give you a quick introduction. We will skip Hybrid car history in this article.
In the simplest of terms, hybrid cars utilize both electricity and gasoline energy to power the car. For starters, the electric portion of the engine is used when you’re idling and this is when the gasoline engine is powered down. At these times the hybrid car actually becomes an electric car while sitting still in gridlock traffic, for example. This actually explains why hybrids are so quiet at intersections. This is one of the main reasons why a hybrid can conserve so much fuel. At the instant the accelerator is pushed however, this is when the internal combustion engine comes back to life. There are also hybrid cars that give you the option to ask it to run solely on electric power. This is very useful if you are only using the car for local travels. You may not even need to put gasoline in the car.
Of course, in this type of hybrid car, long trips will require fuel. Perhaps, you could imagine that the combustion engine is just a backup for the more efficient electric one. That’s all there is– a battery that stores energy, a generator, a combustion engine, a fuel tank,plus a motor that’s electric. No wonder it is called a Hybrid Car.
Now that you know more about hybrids, you now see how beneficial it can be if you are driving one. You will not only save a lot of money by cutting your fuel consumption, but it will also allow you to do even more to cut down on global warming.
Water Plant Control Methods
Posted by admin in environment on 07 30th, 2009If you own a pond then chances are you already understand precisely what an aquatic plant is. These hide either at the very bottom of the pond, grow upon the banks of the water, or sit happily on the top. a few of the most well known plants are Hydrilla, Water Hyacinth, and finally Milfoil Weevil Of course there isn’t really, truly anything bad about these plant life, since of course, a few can help increase the oxygen levels within the water. But occasionally you might find, that this water growth could become a hindrance.
Let us assume that you have your own family, which is a thing that many people claim, since raising a family is a popular pastime, then odds are your family likes swimming or even boating on your pond. Swimming, boating, fishing, are all extremely enjoyable things to perform in the water, assuming you’re able to build a pond adequate for all that, however, water life might hinder you from having this fun, whether you realize it immediately or not. The truth is, if the plant life in the water grows past your influence, then you will have somewhat of a mess to deal with. There’s a probability that the engine in your motorboat will be clogged by these plants, fishing would end in pulling up plant life living at the bottom, and swimming would be out the window because your pond would appear rather nasty drenched in both seaweed and lily pads.
Now by what method would you prevent it from occurring? There are many methods, and naturally it’s better that you consult an expert, and even more importantly, the laws of your state you reside in before doing anything extreme. In spite of any restrictions you may come across however, there’s ways to save your beloved backyard body of water.
Mechanical - The Aquamog is a machine that is used throught the United States for aquatic plant control
Herbicides – There’s naturally, chemical compounds which you can utilize to hinder the plant life in both beneath the surface, and atop the water. They’re called herbicides, and some of the more popular variants will have copper or fluoride. keep in mind that some of those chemicals, particularly those variants that have copper, may be harmful to fish. It is also suggested to keep the family out of the water while you are administering these chemicals.
Topography – If you dig the pond with a steep incline, you can halt the growth of some plant life, as by having a steep bank, those plants won’t be able to take root. Naturally, the steep incline indicates there is no space for error while swimming, therefore it is advised that you have life preservers available, as well as making your family use life jackets in the water.
Shading – A more interesting method, will be to lay plastic on top of your pond, thereby reducing the volume of sunlight that reaches the plants.
Pond Lining – An approach which not too many think of, is lining the bottom of their pond with plastic, so that the aquatic plants are unable to flourish. If you have a big body of water, this might be sort of inconvenient because of the huge volume of plastic you will require. Naturally if it is just a tiny pond then you’ll probably experience no problem doing this.
Preventing aquatic growth is entirely possible, with adequate study, and some help from the pros or other pond proprietors, you will discover the best way to render the pond enjoyable for the whole family group.
Should You Use Grass Carp For Aquatic Plant Control?
Posted by admin in environment on 07 30th, 2009Mastering the aquatic plants in a pond, or in any body of water is quite critical. Why you ask? Simple, since for some reason or another, you’ve decided that you do not want it there. No matter if those plants have generated some sort of hindrance for swimming children, or have have clogged up the motor on your favorite boat, you wish them to be gone, and there are many methods of doing it.
Of course you can use chemical substances, plastic lining, freezing, manual pulling, or even dye, but these are fairly strenuous, and there’s no guarantee that your pond, or fish, would ever be the same again after such an effort. Therefore it’s about time to look into different means—techniques which will not break your back OR the pond.
Around nineteen sixty-three, a brand new fish was introduced in to the U.S. ecology, and this fish was known as the Grass Carp. This fish was purposefully introduced into our ecosystem for the simple reason of eliminating aquatic plants, and thus far it’s lived up to it’s reputation. Within the United States, A Grass Carp is commonly referred to as the White Amur, presumably because the word Carp has negative meanings here in the U.S., and the name “Amur” refers to the river which the fish originates from, the river that runs the border between China and Russia.
The Grass Carp, is what is referred to as an aggressive species, indicating that it will multiply and take over any ecosystem that it’s placed in (sort of like humans), however science has come a long way, and though it took a lot of time, and lots of gene manipulation, sterilizing a Grass Carp finally became standard procedure all over the world so that the integration doesn’t harm or destroy the ecosystem.
Another detail to note, is the fact that the Grass Carp does not eat everything, naturally it enjoys plant life, and would eat the vast majority of it, but as humans, there’s items which it enjoys more than others. A few of the things that the Grass Carp will like, are:
Coontail
Spikerush
Smartweed
Bladderwort
Bulrush
Water hyssop
Eelgrass
There’s several additional grasses, and a quick trip to a library, an Internet query, or a consultation with an expert will quickly let you know the things a grass carp would consume.
When purchased in large amounts, Grass Carp is pretty cheap, at about $10-20 per fish, which is perfectly reasonable when you consider how long it’ll last; living for about 10-11 years.
In certain states, you will be required to get a license prior to putting Grass Carp in any body of water, even if it is your water. To discover if that’s necessary, speak with a game warden near you, or just examine the regulations of your state, as this info is readily accessible to any person that requires it.
As you can see, Grass Carp are a great alternate means from utilizing chemical compounds, or even lining the pond with plastic, since not only are they perfect for ridding you of unwanted plant life, you should also remember that it’s a symbiotic relationship, you provide something they desire, and then they give a service to you, preventing you from having to do it on your own. On the whole, that’s a good trade.
Building a Car Powered by Solar or Green Energy Is Not Easy But
Posted by admin in environment on 07 29th, 2009Hybrid Cars are now very easy to come by these days and the prices have really dropped. They are also a great way to do your part in saving the Environment.
However If you want to build your own Car using Solar Power - Green Energy Source
Most cars are powered by fossil fuel or better known as Gas. But there is so much volatility in the price of crude oil crude is not renewable source of energy.The countries that have all of these resources are ripping our money out of our pockets as we lean back and pump this junk into our cars and then into the air we breath.Don’t you think it is time that we do something about this before it is too late.If solar energy can be used to power a small community then it stands to reason that you could power a car. Sounds like an impossible task right?
But what do you need to make this work?The two most important are the solar array and the batteries. The solar array is vital this is used to collect the sun’s rays and then it converts into electrical energy. There are two types to choose from in the market namely the prefabricated type and the individual kind which you set up yourself.
You can get branded parts from places like Siemens and ASE Americas they sell terrestrial grade cells and the space grade cells. The lower end is the terrestial grade that can produce a signigicant amount of power.
You must complete the wiring properly in order to make sure your vehicle keeps moving even if one of the panels stops working. The voltage of the solar array should match the system voltage of your motor, you should not to worry because it will still run.
The battery is so important because all of the energy captured will be stored in the batter until use. There are a few options in batteries and they are lead acid, lithium-ion or nickel-cadmium.The voltage of the engine determines how many you will have to buy. After you have purchased these two components, you must connect them to the motor. So you know how much juice is left in your batteries, you will also need to install instrumentation similar to the heads up display console on regular cars which tells you your speed, mileage and gas.
If you are not into building things you may not even create a vehichle that works. So why would you take on this type of task if you could simply purchase a hybrid car.If you use a hhybrid car, it is much better than driving a 1976 Coupe Devill and there are cars that can travel many miles on only one gallon of gas. Take the Toyota Prius as an example. They have tested this vehicle on 2 gallons of gas and they traveled 100 miles and still did not run out of gas. Adam Carolla took on this challenge only a few weeks ago and was featured on SPEED television.
Well I guess my point here is that you can build your own solar powered car and drive around with a large solar panel on the top of your car or you can take advantage of the new technology being provided by the car industry and drive a hybrid car.
Does toilet paper help the environment?
Posted by admin in environment on 07 28th, 2009Upgraded toilet seats replace traditional toilet seats and make this ancient device more environmentally friendly. Now, the modern toilet seat can have the option of a small water sprayer and have sensors that detect when rears are approaching, an anti-microbial finish, and many more features including stylish design.The evironmental feature helps reduce the need for toilet paper (companies boast up to 75% less), prevent clogged toilets with its bidet-like self-washing feature, and use less water. Less toilet paper also translates into less drain on the environment.
While reducing toilet paper use seems unfashionable, it can save pounds of paper from ending up in your local city’s sewer. Stopping waste prevents additional landfill space and slows the cutting of more rainforests to wipe rears. Also, a variety of toilet papers are enhanced with fragrance that, even in small amounts, add chemicals to the environment mixing with water and soils. Your pondering, what about hygiene? A wash similar to washing your hands is much cleaner than just wiping away nature?). Feeling cleaner than a car after a full detailed car wash can’t be all that bad if it lowers CO2 emissions. In the following situation, less is more: less waste, more environmental preservation.
How can your existence alter on your toilet?Very little as you can clearly see.You craawl into your bathroom & sit down on a warm toilet seat that matches your contours just right. When finished, you simply press a button for a posterior or feminine wash and you are met with a warm, aerated water spray. You can dab dry from a smaller amount of toilet paper or dry yourself with the warm breeze blowing from it’s internal fan. You leave your bathroom clean as a whistle as the gentle-closing lid slowly lowers behind you.
A few “green” companies (Kohler, Toto, etc..) that carry these high-tech toilet seat (also known as a seat bidet) that utilizes two retractable water wands to provide a fresh and hygienic cleansing of the underside. Most new seats will typically switch out with your old seat. Better than a conventional seat, this futuristic heated seat produces a warm water wash with temperature, pressure, and pulsation adjustability.
I see toilet paper becoming part of your history class in the future. Now that you don’t consume toilet paper you can now focus on improving your bathroom accesories rather than your silver polished toilet paper holder.
How Kerbside Sorting of Co-mingled Household Waste Recyclables is Done Recycling Facts
Posted by admin in environment on 07 27th, 2009Watch This Video Giving the Recycling Facts About Kerbside Recycling
One of the seldom considered recycling facts is that the waste you as a householder recycle in boxes and wheelie bins is not solely a single type of recyclable material. It is a mixture of a limit limited number of materials. It’s what is called “segregated”, that is it is still a mixed waste, and each collection authority sets different rules as to what is allowed’mixed’ in each recycling container provided.
That means that the materials you recycle in fact have to be further sorted after collection, by the collection authority or waste company. For example one of the recycling facts you must consider is how it is that the box or container you are provided with for recycling glass and tins, which might also be mixed with plastic bottles and other re-usable plastic boxes, is further sorted.
If you believe about this recycling fact you’ll realize that each container you put out for your bin men to gather will need to be sorted and separated again before it can be sold on to the factory where the recycled material will be used as a raw material.
In this video we have attempted to show you the recycling facts about one superb way in which these co-mingled recyclates are sorted at the kerbside by the binmen ( waste collection operatives ) and then awfully cleverly, safely, and efficiently loaded into the collection automobile without them getting mixed up again.
Watch the video to see the way the collection hoppers on the side of the collection vehicle are raised to fill the collection vehicle. It is another of the little known recycling facts that by doing the sorting of householder recyclates this way at the kerbside the collection authority may be in a position to elude the capital and running value of a MRF ( Materials Recivery Facility ).
So, there it is, one of the seldom considered recycling facts is that the waste you recycle in boxes and wheelies is what is called’co-mingled’, that is it remains mixed and each collection authority sets different rules as to what’s allowed to be co-mingled in each recycling container provided. It would simply be too sophisticated and uneconomic to expect each househoulder to hold a new container for every recyclcable material.
That implies the materials you recycle in fact need to be further sorted after collection, by the collection authority or waste company. As an example one of the recycling facts you should consider is how the box you provide for glass and tins, which might also be mixed with plastic bottles and other recyclable plastic boxes is further sorted and separated before it can be sold on to the factory where the recycled material will be used as a raw material?
In this video we have tried to show you the recycling facts about one very good way in which these comingled recyclates are sorted at the kerbside by the binmen ( waste collection personnel ) and then extremely cleverly, safely, and efficiently loaded into the collection car without them getting mixed up again.
Watch the video to see the way in which the collection hoppers on the side of the collection automobile are raised to fill the collection vehicle.
It is also another of the unknown recycling facts that by doing the sorting of householder recyclates this way at the kerbside the collection authority may also be in a position to avoid the capital and running price of a
MRF (Materials Recycling Facility). Take a look at that site by clicking the link - it is chock-full of recycling facts about the waste technology needed to recycle the raw materials in the waste that we all produce. The explanation for doing it is to reduce man’s impact on our planet for the good of future generations, our youngsters, and grandchildren.
Reasons To Consider Home Solar Panel Installation
Posted by admin in environment on 07 26th, 2009Global warming is in the news and most Americans are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint on planet Earth. Home solar panel installation can make a huge different in the size of your carbon footprint. Utility companies in the United States use fossil fuels like coal and oil to produce much of their electricity. Home solar panel installation reduces your dependence on the utility companies and helps to reduce their use of fossil fuels.
The Environment
Burning fossil fuels to produce electricity creates greenhouse gases and contributes to global warming. If every homeowner had home solar panel installation, the use of fossil fuels to produce electrical power would be greatly reduced, perhaps even eliminated. In areas that are subject to power outages due to heavy usage, homeowners with solar panels don’t have to suffer the inconvenience of going without electricity, perhaps for hours. It is possible for many homeowners to live completely off the power grid, some can even sell excess power back to the utility company.
No Escalating Electricity Bills
The cost of fossil fuels is rising as the supply decreases. This means that utility companies are paying more to make electricity and passing that cost along to you. The cost of solar panels is dropping as the technology improves. Home solar panel installation will save you money now and even more money in the future as energy costs continue to rise. Homeowners who live in urban areas can be subject to power outages due to heavy usage. Homeowners with solar panels don’t have to worry about power outages. You won’t have power lines that can be knocked out by ice, snow, wind, lightening or auto accidents. Solar panels can store electricity for several days. There are many reasons for home solar panel installation, all of them good. Staying on the power grid means increasing costs and power interruptions. With solar panels you can lock in your utility expenses with a low cost loan.
An Investment In Everyone’s Future
The United States government, and the governments of many states recognize the environmental and economic benefits of reducing the use of fossil fuels. There are federal and state tax incentives for home solar panel installation. There may also be low cost government sponsored loans available for homeowners that participate in home solar panel installation. Add to this the reduction in cost of your utility bills, and solar panels become an investment in your future. When you consider the added environmenta! l benefits, purchasing home solar panels becomes an investment! in preserving the planet and mankind’s future. With the escalating cost of fossil fuels and the diminishing supply, the cost of electrical energy will continue to climb. Save your money with home solar panel installation.
Visit the polar bear capital of the world, before it’s too late!
Posted by admin in environment on 07 25th, 2009Churchill is a place on the west coast of Canada, right on the shoreline. It has become a massive tourist attraction over the past 10 years. But is it at threat from environmental changes?
The polar bears come inland during autumn so that they can stay on dry land, and they head towards Churchill. These polar bears head inland and invade local towns and villages such as Churchill to find refuge. The fact that there are so many polar bears coming to here, means it has adopted the name, Polar Bear capital of the world. This has helped boost the tourist industry around the area, and now tour operators offer Canada tours dedicated to this area, to show people the stunning environment.
Churchill is also a very rare area; this is because it is an Ecotone. An Ecotone is a environmental phenomenon where there is an abrupt change in environmental circumstances. Basically it stands on a border between three very different environments. They are the Boreal forest to the south, the Tundra climate to the north east and the Hudson Bay to the north. It is also a perfect location to see the Aurora Borealis. Not only does this area have all the se attributes, it is also home to the Beluga whales in summer, over 57,000 of them, and has a very extensive amunt of bird fauna that cover the whole area.
Churchill has become extremely reliant on the tourism industry, but how long will it be able to support tourists. This means that is is in between three different environments and climates. This will cause the tourist industry to crumble. Canada holidays benefit greatly from this environmental phenomenon, but how much longer will it last. Alaska Cruises also circle round to this area, so maybe that holiday is better sooner rather than later.
Environmental Activist, Woody Harrelson, Keeps It Real
Posted by admin in environment on 07 24th, 2009When the name Woody Harrelson is spoken, you might think of the movie White Men Can’t Jump. Or does the movie No Country for Old Men come to mind? A movie about a raving lunatic that shoots Woody Harrelson’s character, Carson Wells, and almost everyone else in the movie.
Woody Harrelson Trivia can really open up some really interesting facts about him. For example, did you know that Woody Harrelson started out with the name Woodrow Tracy Harrelson? When he began acting, he simply went by his nickname, Woody.
And while taking the Woody Harrelson Quiz, you would find out that he was born in Midland, Texas on July 23, 1961. He later moved to Lebanon, Ohio with his mother and brother. His father was convicted of the 1979 shooting of a federal judge John H. Wood Jr. Before he was convicted, Woody’s father was a freelance contract killer. He died in jail.
Not letting his father’s past life get in the way of his dreams, Woody got a bachelor degree in Theater Arts and English. He did was married once for 9 months to Nancy Simon. Then he later married his present wife in 2008, Laura Louie. They have 3 children together. He is most noted for the TV show, Cheers. That is where he made is career start. He was nominated for 5 Emmys, but he only won one.
As you know he went on to acting, but acting is not his only influential work. He lives his activist life with just as much passion as he does acting. Because of his popularity, he is able to bring activist issues to the surface like never before. When he speaks, everyone not only listens but watches.
A Woody Harrelson Trivia game can really show you his life work. Not only is he an environmental activist, he is avid supporter and activist for marijuana and hemp legalization. Yes, that’s right; Willie Nelson isn’t the only one fighting to legalize the cause.
To make a point and be heard, he did many outlandish things. He biked across country to the west coast with hemp oil. In protesting against Charles Hurwitz, he grouped up with members of North Coast Earth First and unraveled a banner that said, “Hurwitz, Aren’t ancient redwoods more precious than gold?” These fun facts can all be found in a Woody Harrelson Quiz and make you say, “He Did What?”
