How To Reduce The Effects Of Global Warming
Posted by admin in environment on 06 4th, 2010When news of our world warming up hit the media there was not even the slightest indication that the masses would respond swiftly. At first we all must have thought of global warming as a scam meant to grapple us in an unrelenting grip of fear. But the moment temperatures began to rise like never before we all woke up to the reality as if we had all been dreaming. Global warming needs to be stopped and it is everyone’s responsibility to contribute towards its demise.
Public protests are the best way to apply pressure on industrialized nations to abide by the Kyoto Protocol. If anything the end of this steady warming up of our world is highly dependent on governments making a sensible commitment to the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol is the agreement that binds its signatories to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.
Public demonstrations and protests are very crucial to the successful execution of this agreement. But just like any other public protest it is never as easy as say, using the plug and play profit system to make money. It is hoped that pressure of this kind will force uncompromising nations to abide by the agreement they signed.
The manufacture of eco-friendly cars, buses, and trucks is yet another wise move. Such eco-friendly vehicles must operate using a power source that does not emit pollutants into the atmosphere. Motor vehicles are the largest single emitters of greenhouse gases in the world. Technological innovations of using eco-friendly cars in a smart thing to do. This is even smarter than using a website as a way to make money online.
Planting more trees and taking care of our tropical rainforests are some of the most effective ways of fighting the gradual warming up of our planet. Natural vegetation is responsible for releasing much needed oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It is this single two fold process that can greatly reduce global temperatures by making our world cooler and more habitable.
However, forestation is not enough if people do not actually dedicate themselves to this noble cause. National tree planting day must be followed on an imperative basis and anyone seen chopping down trees illegally must be punished appropriately.
In the exact same way we would use a top forex indicator to safeguard our earnings we must also watch our rainforests. If anything is to go by rainforests are our only sources of hope. By sufficiently policing our rainforests we will be able to fight rising temperatures stemming from deforestation.
read comments (0)New Moore Island sinking into the sea
Posted by admin in environment on 03 27th, 2010New Moore Island is just one of dozens of islands around the world that are slowly but surely sinking into the sea. Both India and Bangladesh have laid claim to New Moore Island, which is situated between the two countries. Though residents have taken a short term loan of living space on other shores, the issue promises to only get worse. The rising sea has claimed more than just New Moore Island, but the media is bringing the issue back to light.
New Moore Island by any other name
At less than 3 square miles, New Moore Island is a relatively small chunk of disputed land. India claims that New Moore Island falls within their maritime borders, and therefore is Indian. However, the government of Bangldesh also claims the island, which they call South Talpatti. Residents of either country have never built a permanent settlement on the island. The island actually came under dispute only about 40 years ago, when New Moore Island / South Talpatti appeared after the Bhola cyclone. India had at one point established a base on South Talpatti / New Moore Island, but international opinion was split on the question.
Rising sea levels engulf New Moore Island
As reported by the BBC, the School of Oceanographic Studies in Calcutta has officially found New Moore Island to be covered by sea water. The institute has confirmed that New Moore Island is no more with satellite pictures and reports of fishermen. In the last 10 years, sea level has risen an average of five millimeters per year, while the previous average was three millimeters per year. In the Bengal Basin region and Sundarban Island chain, where New Moore Island was situated, sea levels have been rising by about 3.14 centimeters a year. Four islands of the Sundarban chain sunk before New Moore Island.
More island nations might sink
Islands are at risk of sinking outside of the Sundarban chain. A small nation known as the Maldives in the Indian Ocean has been losing land mass steadily for years. Tiny changes can make a huge impact on these islands, where the highest point is only 8 feet above sea level. In response, the government of the Maldives has been building Hulhumale, a man-made island, for residents to emigrate to. In the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Australia, Tuvalu is also in danger of sinking. There are 11,000 residents of Tuvalu, all of whom will be without a home in as little as 50 years. 75 residents of Tuvalu can use military personal loans to move to New Zealand each year, but that is far from all of them. Tonga, Kirbati, and the Marshall Islands are also at risk of disappearing just like New Moore Island did.
Can the islands be saved?
Ultimately, there can be no definitive way to measure the cause or effect of islands ending up in the ocean. Islands can rise and fall in addition to the fact sea levels regularly change. There are also arguments about if the increased water levels are due to global climate change or natural variations in the climate. No matter who or what is to blame, though, island nations that are sinking are being forced to find solutions - because there is not yet a way to simply stop the rise and fall of an island in the ocean.
Sources:
Times of India
BBC News
Wikipedia
Global Warming Truth or Fantasy?
Posted by admin in environment on 01 5th, 2010There appears to be quite a bit of debate about the phenomenon known as ‘global warming’. Does it exist or does it not exist?
As in many great debates there appears to be multiple opinions about the issue. A few years ago, Al Gore won a Nobel Peace Prize for his work (film) on global warming. Yet, many scientists have come out to say there is no evidence of global warming. In fact, the prestigious NASA, with its vast array of intellectual capital and high caliber scientists seems to be saying there is no evidence of it.
Then the scandal broke. A flurry of emails were ’stolen’ and made public. The emails seemed to indicate that someone or some group of people is trying very hard to make a real scientific case for global warming. The emails seemed to show that they were overreaching the normal parameters of real science to come to their ‘conclusion’ and convince others too
Some people today are too young to remember, including myself, but it has been said that thirty years ago, we were being told that we were headed for an ice age. Now, suddenly we have been alerted that the polar caps are melting, that sea levels will rise and that there will be resultant disaster - unless we spend a lot of money to fix the problem now.
Those watching the debate say that ‘fixing’ the problem means sending an awful lot of money to third world countries. Meanwhile, some of the bigger industrialized countries talk about curbing their emissions, but do not actually appear to be willing to do so. Seems that those countries are not fully convinced that global warming exists or is a problem. If they were convinced, would they not get busy solving the problem?
There appears to be doubt. For the proponents of the global warming phenomenon, it does appear that providing some very definitive proof would benefit them in getting these ‘hold out’ nations to take action.
I am not taking sides within this article. However, I know that there are many people who are very passionate about their position on global warming. You tell me. Is global warming a real phenomenon or not? Why do you think that it is or is not?
Pollution and Environment
Posted by admin in environment on 12 24th, 2009Pollution is the fouling of the environment, that is, land, water and air- by waste, smoke, etc. Every industrial country faces the problem of waste. As factories make new goods for people to buy, old ones are thrown out with the household trash. Burning this garbage pollutes the air, throwing it into rivers and seas pollutes the water while piling it up leads to unpleasant rubbish heaps, which take up much-needed space.
Our beautiful ecosystem is being systematically damaged by industrial pollution channeled into rivers like Ganga and Yamuna, nuclear wastes from atomic plants routed into the world’s oceans and poisonous gases like carbon dioxide mixed with the ozonosphere. Besides, tropical rain forests and green pastures are disappearing under the pressure of a proliferating population. Dams are being built over rivers such as the Narmada to change nature’s well-balanced surface equations between flora and fauna. Elsewhere sloping mountainous terrain is being converted into mini oceans to supply electricity to the ever-starving industrial stomach of our age. Elephants, tigers, wild rhinos of South Africa and many other forest creatures have become endangered species.
Consumerism has created a garbage glut in the world. Consumers in industrialized countries throw out staggering amounts of refuse like cartons, cigarette butts, polythene bags and plastic containers, which mix with the water of rivers and oceans and fertile crop-yielding soil of the earth. If too much sewage is poured into seas, lakes and rivers, the water can no longer dilute it,as a result all the oxygen gets used up and the fish die. The bacteria which normally break down the refuse into harmless matter also die, only harmful bacteria which do not need air remain and these cause diseases.
Owning a car has really become a status symbol these days. The arrival of Maruti 800 on the roads of India already brought a revolution in the world of automobiles. And now the upcoming Nano will bring about a new revolution. But the increase in the number of cars has added to various pollution problems. The smoke-emitting guzzlers have made cities like Delhi living gas chambers. The growing number of vehicles; have vitiated the atmosphere. The amount of harmful gases in the air is alarmingly on the rise. They affect our eyes and lungs giving rise to all kinds of respiratory diseases.
On the landmass, eco-destroying monsters are deforestation, dams constructed to generate electricity and serve irrigational facilities, and soot and toxic gases resulting in the greenhouse effect. Some American environmentalists like Jeremy Rifkin blame the world’s population of cattle for most of the ecological ills. These creatures we feed and fatten to get their meat, spoil streams and underground aquifers. Tropical rain forests are turning into pastures for this gluttonous herd. In Saharan Africa, the burgeoning population of cattle is denuding the arid lands of fertile vegetation. In Netherlands, population of pigs poses a major ecological threat. Their manure defiles water supply with excessive nitrates and acidifies local soils.
Building dams over rivers is like clotting the blood of nature and stopping its pulse from beating. Scientists have proved that dams and embankments cause more floods and do more harm than good. Flooding is a boon of nature when occurring in limits. It cleanses and renews river basins, expands feeding and breeding grounds of plants, fishes, birds and wildlife, and spreads fresh layers of fertile silt from which we get bumper crops.
Getting rid of plastics is particularly difficult- with time, wood and paper decay through the action of bacteria, but plastics never decay.
Pollution must be controlled and the sooner the better. It will cost a great deal, both in terms of money and a change in lifestyle. For example, acid rain can be arrested by checking harmful fumes before they go out from power station chimneys. This may push up the price of electricity, but is for the better. Also, the packaging of goods in bright plastics and the ‘throwaway’ culture should be discouraged. As industry needs a regular supply of raw materials, the best solution to the problem of waste is to make use of it as a raw material by reusing or recycling it. Governments must not allow construction contractors who are largely responsible for manmade floods to plunder the timber wealth of forests.
The introduction of metro has eased the traffic on the roads of Delhi to a little extent. It provides a comfortable, cleaner and cheaper alternative to the office-goers. The day is not very far when unconventional sources of energy will be used to drive cars.
The Japanese solution to environmental hazards is burning, burying, reducing and recycling waste products. In U.S., more than 2,000 garbage burning plants work day and night in addition to 125 large incinerators. Another Japanese solution is aqua culture, which they have introduced in their industries to keep them clean. An Italian chemical giant has manufactured a plastic substitute, which reduces the greenhouse effect.
A high governmental priority will be to educate citizens about environmental risks, economic and health dangers of resource degradation and the real cost of natural resources. Greater emphasis should be placed on promoting awareness, undertaking and competence in schools, colleges and training institutions. NGOs and public-spirited individuals can bring about significant measures on polluting units for adopting abatementprocedures/policies. A system of certification of goods that are environment friendly should be set up. Only then this vast country of ours and the whole world will become a pleasant and clean place to live in.
Geo Engineering – Perhaps The Only Way Out
Posted by admin in environment on 12 23rd, 2009Global warming and climate change perhaps the most talked matter today, rightly so because it poses dangers that may lead to wiping out nature and the entire animal & bird population of the Planet closely followed by the human species.
International efforts to tackle the problem have perhaps been a bigger failure than even the Doha Round of Negotiations! Political issues and matters of selfish interests of nations always rule over the bigger problem at hand, that of Global Warming. The question remains, should we wait for a renewed Kyoto Protocol? Or is it time we realize that political hassles will not let us stop this menace and therefore we should look for ‘politically amiable’ solutions.
Geo engineering is perhaps one of them. Geo Engineering is a technique of large scale manipulation of the Earth’s environmental set up to reduce the impact of carbon emissions. There are three major techniques under this method that can be used, namely, Solar radiation management, Greenhouse gas remediation and Arctic geoengineering. Some of the techniques proposed under Geo Engineering may seem to some as taken out of some Scientific Fiction book by a crazy author!
The tipping point in the field of Solar radiation management came in 2006, when the Nobel Prize—winning atmospheric scientist Paul Crutzen published an editorial examining the possibility of releasing vast amounts of sulfurous debris into the atmosphere to create a haze that would keep the planet cool. To implement this system precursor gases such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) can be released using artillery, aircraft and balloons. The price tag that comes with this technique is even more amazing : somewhere between a few hundred million dollars and a couple of billion dollars every year. This technology also has support in an event that took place in 1991. Mount Pinatubo erupted, releasing 15m tonnes of sulphur dioxide into the stratosphere which formed a thick cloud of aerosol particles and within 15 months this had spread across the world, reflecting a significant proportion of the sun’s energy back into space. Average global temperatures fell by over 0.5 degrees celcius.
The Arctic region represents a major cause of concern. The impact of Global Warming can be especially seen in ice covered areas like the Arctic where the ice sheet is rapidly melting. This is an important concern also because it drastically increases sea levels and may cause calamaties by submerging low lying islands. Therefore, geo engineering offers a specific plan for this concern called Arctic Geo engineering under which the aim would be to enhance the polar ice cap by spraying or pumping water onto the top of it which would build thicker sea ice. Ice serves as an insulator and therefore ice on the surface would freeze quicker than that below. River water is being suggested to be used in this case as it is not saline. Presence of salt may in fact reduce freezing capacity and leads to the new layer of ice become perforated.
Geo Engineering is increasingly being looked upon as a viable solution by a lot of developed and developing countries alike. In fact in 2001, President Bush had withdrawn US support from the Kyoto Protocol. This meeting therefore represented something like a US counterproposal to Kyoto, an ‘alternative approach to climate change’. President Obama is also looking at proposals and asking his efficient team of scientists to explore most effective possibilities. Geo Engineering should not be promoted as a technique to be applied in isolation. In fact, it should be used as a supplementary technique along with the main aim of reducing carbon emissions. It is only then can we expect to reduce global temperatures and avoid the destruction of our planet.
The Menace Of Global Warming And Climatic Changes-Is There A Solution?
Posted by admin in environment on 12 21st, 2009We’ve all been cribbing about the extremely harsh summer that we’re witnessing this year all thanks to Global Warming. A phenomenon that has had environment impacts
and caused temperatures to rise by about 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degree Celsius) around the world since 1880. To add to this, even the rate of warming is increasing with every passing year. Naturally, the ice covered or colder regions such as the Arctic, mountain ranges and Northern Regions of the world can be observed to assess the impact of Global warming. Arctic ice is rapidly disappearing and it is estimated that if warming continues at the current rate, the region may be completely ice free by about 2040. Average temperatures have risen world over but in Alaska, western Canada and eastern Russia, they have risen at twice the global average. If we humans can feel the heat, why wont animals inhabiting the Earth? Especially those which are used to cold regions. The Polar bears are suffering from the sea-ice loss, the sex of the sea turtles due to warming seas is another big concern and scientists have observed a major shift in migratory patterns of many birds due to changing climatic conditions. It is conjectured that these changes may lead to the extinction of many birds and animals alike.
I wouldn’t say that it’s the right time to take action because we are already late. I do not consider signing of treaties as a way out looking at the absolute failure of the Kyoto Protocol to do so. With the world order in utter chaos, I do not see a conducive conclusion coming out of the renewed Kyoto Protocol either. So what to do?
For most environmentalists, politicians and even citizens, the only solution seems to be ‘to cut carbon emissions and to cut them now!’. But some scientists are thinking ahead. They are quietly working on another option-seldom known to people called Geo-Engineering to cool the planet’s fever.
It is based on a simple principle- if human interference has led the Earth to suffer Global Warming, then a bit more of interference might fix the problem too!
Geo engineering simply put is a way of compensating for an intensified greenhouse effect by reducing the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth. Geo engineering would involve a large scale manipulation of the Earth’s environmental system to counter act the problems of Greenhouse gas emissions and Global Warming. A few of the techniques proposed under this system would rather sound like science fiction to some. One is using orbiting satellite mirrors to bounce sunlight back into space, painting the roofs with light colours and even using fine sea water sprays to lighten clouds, all to improve reflectivity! Another interesting technique is with respect to removing Greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, thereby talking the root cause of the problem. One way to do so is iron fertilization of the oceans to amplify the ability to absorb carbon. An oceanic phytoplankton bloom has been discovered in the South Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Argentina-this is a fine example of iron fertilization that could help lock up carbon on the seabed.
A tipping point in the field of Geo Engineering came when in 2006, Noble Prize winningatmospheric scientist Paul Crutzen published an editorial examining the possibility of releasing vast amounts of sulfurous debris into the atmosphere to create haze that would keep the planet cool.
Though increasingly ignored in the past, with the failure of ‘negotiations and talks’ at global forums relating to Climate Change and Global Warming, Geo engineering may actually become the only and best option available to curb the problem at hand i.e only if world leaders don’t end up politicizing this matter too-because its high time we realize that if we want our children’s children to be born on Earth-something has to be done-else the Earth might not survive!
Global Warming Ravages Planet - Climate Change Action Required Today!
Posted by admin in environment on 12 9th, 2009By the time you read this, 56 pagers in 45 countries will have published a front-page editorial guided by the Guardian of London. The editorial will call global climate change a “profound emergency” with requires immediate action. It claims there are no replays regarding climate change: “Unless we combine to take decisive action, climate change will ravage our planet, and with it our prosperity and security.”
I took a master’s level college course on the environment back in the early 90’s, and I remember the main theme of our textbook was that our environment is such a complicated system that it is not only more complex than we know, it’s more complex than we can ever know. That has stuck with me ever since.
The science behind global warming and climate change is extremely complex. Arguments abound about how, and even if, it is really a crisis at all. But, if you look at the data behind this gargantuan topic, it is extremely difficult to explain away what is happening before our very eyes, and even all that is not visible to the naked eye. Temperatures are rising, glaciers and ice fields are melting, the oceans are warming, the weather is changing in many locales, species of animals and plant life are disappearing or being profoundly altered. Gigantic clouds of methane gas are potentially being released from below thawing ice on a scale that is just now beginning to be measured. One thing is certain: 11 of the last 14 years have been the warmest on record.
In my neck of the woods, the mountain southwest, the aspen tree is undergoing SAD: Sudden Aspen Decline. While there are many factors that enter into this phenomenon, the long-continuing drought that is plaguing the American Southwest has left the aspen and other tree species unable to protect themselves from wood-boring insects, for starters.
The havoc that global warming is already causing is hard to calculate because it is so vast. And, what the future holds is even more astounding. Rising sea levels could, and almost certainly will, devastate coastal countries and cities more than we can imagine. It’s the domino effect on a spectacular scale.
The pressure mounts on The United States to become an active member in the staving off of planetary destruction after years of obstructionist environmental policy, particularly from the George W. Bush reign. This should not be a battle between the rich world and the poor world. This is a shared responsibility. We are all in this together. We can unite as ONE PEOPLE of the entire globe and work to solve this immense catastrophe, or we can do what we do best: nothing. It requires shared sacrifice, but the Super Powers must surely take the lead. There is no doubt that rich countries have contributed far more to this dilemma than poor countries. Yet, we all bear responsibility. There is no time to waste playing “the blame game.”
There is huge economic opportunity in turning the world into a much greener and sustainable environment. But, attitudes, concrete policy changes, and hardcore action must become the rule of the day. If “What goes on in the Copenhagen Climate Summit, stays in Copenhagen” is the prevailing mood, we all lose. The very survival of the human species, and the Earth as we know it, depends upon a drastic shift in global consciousness beginning today!
Grant Brad Gerver is an entrepreneur and creative consultant for Filibi, a classified and online coupon advertising site and home business. He’s also a YouTube Channel blues singer-songwriter and guitar player with The Buzzard Brothers. Additionally, Grant writes political humor, thousands of bumper stickers, and humorous movie reviews. He has also worked with various companies as a product-naming specialist. He’s a retired elementary school teacher and published children’s author who works in the health care field.
British Heatwave: This is what happens when a country starved of sun gets it all at once!
Posted by admin in environment on 07 16th, 2009In the UK the year round weather is so blighted by rain and clouds - but the population got a well deserved break recently with some thermometer busting conditions. The last week of June this year saw UK temperatures soar to a reported 35 degrees Celsius (or 95 in Fahrenheit), the warmest since 2006. It was also the highest recorded temperature in June for decades - the average for June is 19-22 degrees Celcius (66-72F).
Yet one of the things that’s bound to happen in a country which hardly ever sees a ‘proper’ summer, people start to go a bit loopy.
Sun Worshipper Stampede
First thing you see when the sun comes out in the UK is people stripping down to bikinis to make the most of the sun. Any English town or city on a hot day will be littered with bodies lying around trying to get as much sun on as much of their pale flesh as possible. Several months down the line you can be sure of a few melanoma scares resulting from the overexuberant sun-worshipping.
The Complaining Starts
True to form, the British mentality can’t deal with simply being happy and counting there blessings for more than a few days. Inevitably complaints about it being too unbearably hot and sticky soon became commonplace, and people started longing for cooler conditions again. And, inevitably, there were petitions to demand the government do something about the awful hot weather and lack of air conditioners in public places!
Staying Cool
With one half of the UK population is stripping down to their underwear, the rest rushes down to the high street and sucks up the entire stock of desk fans like some sweaty, many-headed monster. According to Google, searches for the term “portable air conditioner” in the UK went from 9,900 in May to 49,500 in June!
Nothing Lasts Forever
Unfortunately these Mediterranean conditions failed to stick around, and after a week of this there were equally severe thunderstorms and rain, leading to severe flooding in some parts.The yo-yoing between extreme weather patterns is certainly worrying for environmental campaigners as an example of climate change in effect. Predictably, everyone is now moaning and complaining about the wind and rain, and wishing the heatwave would come back. You just can’t win.
What Can You Do to Prevent Climate Modification?
Posted by admin in environment on 05 26th, 2009Climate modification is essentially the excessive heating of the planet, which results in dramatic climatic changes. So, are there ways to prevent climate modification? Yes! When you choose to build a wind generator for your household’s source of clean energy, you are making one of the most significant choices possible to help prevent climate modification. Because of the changing societal conscience about renewable energy, more and more homeowners are looking to do-it-yourself kits to build a wind generator. Wind has been harnessed for for centuries for many uses including as a powerful souce of energy. More and more scientists and researchers are saying that when power within the moving air can be harnessed properly, wind can be effectively used as a renewable energy source.
How can wind be converted into energy is a question that is commonly asked when one first decides to build a wind generator? Using a wind turbine is the answer. A wind turbine is really just like a huge fan that can take the kinetic energy available in the wind and convert it into mechanical energy. When this mechanical energy is used by any type of machinery like a pump then such a machine is known as a windmill. But don’t do this with just any kit. Make sure the kit you use is created by a certified professional. Use the wrong kit and electricity can be very dangerous. Make sure you read reviews if you build a wind generator for your home.
In a lot of ways, the highly volatile issues surrounding energy is helping the climate modification debate. Coal and oil have powered the world’s industrial revolution. Oil is not available in many countries while coal is. Circumstances being what they are, the largest concentrations of oil are found in areas with significant political and armed conflict. All you have to do is look at the circumstances in Iraq to understand this. With the growing China economy, there now seems to be a universal understanding that oil alternatives are necessary.
Maybe it’s karma but almost all of the alternatives to oil are favorable ways to slow down the rate of climate modification. Whether we are talking about hydropower, solar, wind, geothermal or even nuclear energy, each alternative power source produces significantly less pollution than classic fossil fuels. There is one very simple reason why less pollution is the key.
A major byproduct of using fossil fuels for energy is the much discussed greenhouse gas. Carbon dioxide is the by-product of using oil regardless of whether you use it to produce electricity or to start the car up. Carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas. Reducing the volume of it in the atmosphere will greatly reduce the greenhouse effect. We should see improvements in the atmosphere as our energy production evolves away from oil. Of course, whether we actually get around to this anytime soon is the bigger issue.
A second major way to prevent climate modification is to stop deforestation. Vast forests, such as the one found in the Amazon River Basin in South America are being clear cut. This has a devastating impact on climate modification. Nature being what it is, it has a natural method for filtering harmful gases such as carbon dioxide out of the air. It does this through photosynthesis with plants. Dense, huge forests are the biggest and best filters of carbon dioxide. By cutting them down, we reduce the ability of the planet to filter out the bad gases while we continue to pump more of the gases into the atmosphere. Any way you measure it, it is a formula destined to cause trouble.
Can you help to prevent climate modification? Yes. We need to kick our oil habit and stop wiping out our forest areas.
You can absolutely help! Start with education and make the choices that will prevent climate modification like choosing to build a wind generator for your source of power.
~Ralph Somers
Moderator of Ralph’s Green Energy Guide
10 steps to achieving "The Green Effect" under your own roof
Posted by admin in environment on 05 9th, 2009During this economic crisis and continued global warming, the need for sustainable development has become a now issue instead of a later issue. Both private and government entities (including the EPA) have come up with programs and products that promote “green” production and consumption. These environment-friendly practices are now being used in numerous firms and industries.
But what about our where we live? Are our households as eco-friendly as they should be? Continued efforts to sustain the environment should first and foremost be undertaken under our own roof. These can be done with the use of products that consume less power and other valuable resources. Over time, the use of these products can result not only in savings but also in the reduction of waste and materials harmful to our homes and the environment.
Here’s a quick list of 10 items I’ve discovered that can make a world of a difference.
1. Heat-energy recovery system
· Sensible Heat Energy Recovery System (SHERS) uses heat generated from an air-conditioner or refrigerator to heat water. Payback period is anywhere from six months to two years
2.The Eco Bio Block
· Made of volcanic stones and beneficial bacteria, is used to purify water in home aquariums, water tanks and big bodies of water such as ponds, lakes and marshes. When placed in aquariums for the home, there is no need to filter, clean or change water for a period of one to three years.
3. Biowash ball
· Washing clothes without using a detergent may seem strange. Introducing the Anabess biowash ball, it’s made of natural ceramics & alters the chemical composition of the water so it can wash clothes more effectively without liquid detergent. It should last 3 years. Think of the peace of mind you'll have by not ever running to the store for more detergent at the last minute again.
4. Air-con with inverter technology
· The Panasonic Envio series of air-conditioners makes use of an “inverter technology” that changes compressor operation speed to match a changing room temperature and adjust power output accordingly, which leads to reduced energy consumption of up to 50 percent, while product only costs about 14% more than the average AC. The payback period may be expected in about seven months..
5.Low Flow faucets
· Moen has heeded the call for water conservation by coming up with WaterSense-certified bathroom faucets. With the help of new aerator technology these Moen faucets use 30% less water than other models but still feel just as powerful on your hands.
6. Compact fluorescent lamp
· Much has been said about the efficiency of compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs. They last about five times as long as incandescent lamps and consume 80 percent less energy with the same level of brightness. Companies such as Purely Products even carry CFLs that double as ionizers for the room, eliminating the need for an unsightly ionizer on the floor.
7.Reusable shopping bags
· The impact of just one person changing to reusable bags over a two-year period is significant. Used twice a week for two years a consumer would save 832 plastic bags from going in a landfill.
8.Biodegradable Cellulose Sandwich bags
· Typical plastic bags are derived from petroleum and take well over a lifespan to decompose. These biodegrade in 1-3 months in soil BUT actually keep food lasting longer, unlike plastic, they don't release gases which spoil food taste.
9.Smart Surge Protector
· Green Home introduced a smart surge protector. The power strip can 'sense' the movement of electrical current through the strip's control outlet. This patent pending option enables the Smart Strip to fully switch off selected items when it’s not in use saving you money and time!
A small electronic device inside the Smart Strip monitors the current on a single outlet. Let’s say the computer is plugged into that single outlet. When the computer is finished shutting down, the current draw from the computer drops to its idle current -- and the Smart Strip senses the current change, automatically shutting off all of the computer peripherals.
The Smart Strip Power Strip is the only surge protector in existence with energy saving electronics. The 10 outlet surge protector version has 1 Control Outlet, 3 Constant Hot Outlets, and 6 Switched Outlets.
10.Compostable Trash Bags
· These BioBags are made from GMO free starch and are 100% biodegradable and 100% compostable.
Now that you know about these products start using them daily. We each can do our part by changing our daily routines just slightly.
