Green

Impact of plastic bags on the environment

They are convenient for shopping, cheap and easy to carry and millions are used daily. It was once considered a good alternative to using paper bags, as paper meant the cutting of more trees. But these bags are creating an ecological nightmare and have resulted in certain states and countries like Australia and South Africa even banning or taxing the use of them.

According to the data of the Environmental Protection Agency the most dangerous carcinogens and toxic emissions are produced by plastic manufacturing plants. The production of plastic bags require the use of dangerous chemicals such as Bisphenol-A among many others.

Plastic takes a very long time to biodegrade. This means we have landfill that is filled with plastic bags that will remain as such for long periods of time. These bags are mostly used once and get thrown away.

When plastic does breakdown it emits dangerous toxins such as mercury, BHT, Irganox, lead, cadmium, and diethyl hexyphosphate to the environment which damages health and the environment.

Is the convenience of using plastic bags worth all the destruction it causes? When you go shopping take a re-usable bag or a basket and say no to plastic.

How you can go green at the office

In a world that is more and more concerned about conserving the environment it is no surprise to see many businesses implementing eco friendly concepts in their offices. If your office does not have any such policies you can start the practice and encourage others to follow. Here are some ways you can get started:

1. Electricity: make sure you switch off lights when you are not using the room. Shut down computers completely in the evening and do not use screen savers that use a lot of energy. Switch off all office appliances without leaving them on stand by mode. Same with the microwave and kettles in the pantry.

2. Reduce the use of paper: print on both sides of the paper and use email messages with a request not to print. Use paper printed on one side only for other purposes such as taking notes. Encourage the purchase of recycled paper. Using less paper means less trees will be cut.

3. Have recycling facilities throughout the office and encourage staff to sort the waste. Have separate bins for plastics, paper and cans.

4. Refill the printer cartridges instead of throwing the old one and buying a new one.

ENRERGY CONSERVATION AT HOME

With global warming becoming more and more of a concern globally people are becoming more aware of the importance of energy conservation. You will be saving money and at the same time contributing to conserve the environment as well. Here are some things you do:

1. Switch off lights when no one is in the room.

2. Use energy efficient CFL light bulbs instead of the normal ones.

3. Switch off all electrical appliances when not in use, standby mode wastes a lot of electricity.

4. Insulate the house and keep the windows and doors closed when heating or air conditioning is turned on.

5. Line dry your clothes in summer instead of using the dryer.

6. Invest in appliance that are more energy efficient, especially high electricity usage items like hot water systems, dryers and refrigerators, you will be saving in the long run.

7. Consider installing solar panels on the roof, it can be used to heat water and if you have excess you can sell it back to the electricity company.

8. Conserve water by installing a sprinkler system for the garden, reduce shower time, turn off the water when brushing your teeth.

GO GREEN WITH A HYBRID CAR

For a person concerned about environment conservation a Hybrid car is the way to go.

A hybrid car has two or more sources of power other than gasoline or diesel such as electric battery power, solar energy and hydrogen. These cars are growing in popularity due to the fact that they consume far less gasoline than a conventional car.

A conventional car emits harmful levels of chemical fumes and pollutants whereas the emissions from a hybrid car are far less and cleaner ensuring less pollution. Pollution and harmful emissions are one of the main reasons for global warming which is the reason behind the adverse weather conditions the world is faced with today. In addition these cars are almost silent which will drastically reduce the high noise pollution levels we have today.

Another reason to buy a hybrid car is its fuel efficiency. Some models can do over 40 liters per gallon. Not only will this save you thousands of dollars a year but will reduce the dependency on fuel, the reserves of which are dwindling fast.

Hybrid cars are manufactured by Toyota, Ford, GM, Honda and Nissan among many others.

What Action Will Obama Take When It Comes to The Environment?

Only a month ago, President Obama has decided to reverse environmental policies as set by the Bush administration, and according to most experts, this is a sign of things to come when it comes to the Obama administration making changes to deal with climate change.

So here are a few things that might occur over the next few months that will set in action moves that will bring about a much-needed change in environmental policy:

#1: Authorize EPA to deal with global warming

While the Bush administration rejected the EPA’s involvement in the curbing of global warming, Obama might authorize scientists’ recommendation to find whether or not the air endangers the human safety and health.

#2:  Law to cap greenhouse gas emissions

While there has been no such legislation that has been passed despite much discussion, there is reason to believe that Obama might work with both parties to come up with a comprehensive law to cap greenhouse gas emission.

#3: Set new standards for the production of alternative energy

No US national standard has been set even though a number of states now require power companies to produce a certain amount of energy from alternative sources. Environmentalists have suggested that this standard be set at 25 percent from geothermal, wind and solar sources.

#4: Recognize the benefits of energy efficiency on the climate

Until now, the only standard that has been set in place is to use less oil but this might all change as Obama and his team might change the energy efficiency standards for household appliances, which will in turn, curb climate-warming emissions.

Going Green at Work

Wherever you are, at work, on the road or at home, it would be a good idea to go green. This is especially true for those that have a business or an office. Home isn’t the only place where people are vulnerable. Below are a few tips that you can follow if you want to go green at your office.

1. The office printer. A lot of people will use the printer from the office to print useless stuff. Since people don’t pay for the ink or the paper, they think it’s OK to do it. But, if they realized how harmful that is for the environment, they would stop. Only print stuff that needs to be printed. Chances are that you will not recycle absolutely everything you print, so you are hurting the environment when you do that. Also, try printing on both sides of the paper.

2. Going and returning from work is the most common type of transport all over the world. You hurt the planet and you spend money on petrol at the same time. Instead, try carpooling. If the distance allows it, consider using a bike. Other options are using the subway, train or the bus. You will help the planet and save some money at the same time. You can use that extra time to listen to an audio book or to music while you’re commuting. Instead of driving through all that road traffic, relax on the way to and from work. One other option would be to video conference, if you really want to work.

3. Instead of a desktop, get a laptop. Laptops consume less energy when compared to desktops and they’re also portable. To realize how they compare, a laptop will need around 50w of energy, with desktops needing around 270. The power saving features of laptops are also better than those of desktops.

Cocaine Linked to Indirect Deforestation in Columbian Rain Forests

Cocaine is not only destroying lives these days since it is taken in the form of a drug but it is also a large reason why indirect deforestation takes place in the Columbian rain forests, and the reason they have attributed this to be related to coca farming.

According to researchers, having a coca plantation takes a lot out of the surrounding forests, and since only very little of the still-in-demand cocaine is found in each leaf, more and more forests are being cut down to create an adequate supply for greater profitability.

And if that’s not enough, this also means that the animal and plant life in and around this area, which is regarded to be one of the world’s richest biodiversity spots, has been steadily depleting due to the steady increase of land being used for coca farming.

At another level altogether, the use of pesticides have also been another reason for the decline of plant and animal life in this bio-diverse region, and although the demand for cocaine has been steadily dropping since 2001, the complexity involved in connecting the production of coca to deforestation everywhere is a bit farfetched.

And since this phenomenon isn’t the same in every region in Columbia where cocaine is cultivated but only in the ecologically sensitive areas, this heralds both good and bad news for the Columbian people and wildlife that will have to deal with the toxic repercussions of cultivating cocaine.

Self-guided windmill tours

You’ve seen them dotting prairie fields and the rolling foothills all across southern Alberta: wind turbines – tall, impressive, and even somewhat mysterious. How are they built? How do they work? How are the sites chosen? What exactly are they doing to better the environment? If you’ve ever pondered questions like these while passing by any of the several wind farms visible from Alberta’s southern highways, getting the answers is now as easy as the click of a mouse or a quick visit to any one of several tourist information centres around the province.

Vision Quest has released a self-guided CD audio tour that takes interested travelers on a journey to three of the company’s prominent wind facilities (McBride Lake, Summerview and Castle River) as well as several spectacular landmarks and attractions in between.

Entitled Journey Into the Wind, the 11-track disc provides an interactive and entertaining approach to learning about wind power. CDs are available at visitor information centres across southern Alberta and also online. MP3 audio files can be quickly and easily downloaded from the company’s web site (www.transalta.com/) directly onto an iPod, or burned onto a personal CD. “We’ve had so much demand for tours of our facilities, we needed a new way to provide the information,” explains Jason Edworthy, Vision Quest Managing Director, Market Development. “We hope that Journey Into the Wind will satisf people’s curiosity, and perhaps even encourage them to support clean, renewable wind energy development, wherever they may be from.” Two Calgary radio personalities are the familiar voices of the news announcer Christina Rowsell and Country 105’s Phoenix.

The tracks also include interviews with several Vision Quest staff members as well as local area residents. Peigan tribe Elder, Wilford Yellow Wings Sr. lends his voice and wealth of stories as a guide through the Peigan Reserve. Other tour highlights include the historic town of Fort Macleod and the Old Man River dam.

Look for Journey Into the Wind in the following tourist centres:
• Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village, Pincher Creek
• Fort Macleod Chamber of Commerce Visitor Information Centre
• 1884 Barracks Provincial Historic Site
• Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump Visitor Information Centre
• Claresholm Tourist Information Centre and District Museum
• Cardston Information Centre
• Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
• Lethbridge Visitor Information Centres
• Nanton Visitor Information Centres
• Crowsnest Pass Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Information Centre

Fresh Water Lakes Burning because of Global Warming

Lake Baikal in Russia and Lake Tanganyika in Africa are showing signs of transformation. Scientists have determined depleting levels of oxygen and in effect food chain deterioration and are seriously linking the phenomenon to global warming, and are now looking into the same effect in other freshwater bodies.

In a span of twenty five years, the lakes of the world have revealed a steady increase in temperature, with some rising for as high as 4 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s about seven times quicker than the rise of air temperature. This may not seem like a giant leap, but the slightest change in water temperature can create dramatic consequences such as dying fish, proliferating algae and increasing toxic build-up in the waters. This change may invite non-native species to enter these bodies of water, and they may not be the ones that people want in their waters. For instance, the invasive zebra mussel that is originally from the Great Lakes, are now moving to Lake Superior because it is warmer. This can be a problem, since the proliferation of these mussels could lead to clogged pipes, water motors, and could even kill the species that are native of the lake. Warmer waters also create an opportunity for algal bloom surges. Too much algae is toxic to larger species, particularly fish.

Why do these happen? Warm water contains smaller amounts of oxygen, which is beneficial for algae but not for fish and other lake animals. The heat increases the aquatic animals’ metabolism – they become stressed. Furthermore, warmth also makes toxins like pesticides and metals more toxic.  The studies done related to this phenomenon now aims to determine ecological changes that are happening in these lakes.

Theatre and environment come together in the classroom

LOUISVILLE, KY. (WHAS11) – The theatre and the environment – they’re coming together in the classroom! In going green it’s important to help those who will be helping our environment in the future.  Students at Wheeler Elementary School in Louisville have been acting out in a green way, through drama. For one full school week it was not looking like the typical third grade classroom environment …

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Theatre and environment come together in the classroom

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