10 Small Changes With Big Environmental Impacts
October 29, 2010 by Guest
Filed under Uncategorized
‘The end of the world is nigh!’ or so you might believe, given the media preoccupation with messages urging the general population to take action against climate change. Whether you’re a climate change sceptic or a ‘light green’ embracer of the need to cut down on our level of energy consumption – there are changes that can be made that don’t have to mean massive upheavals to your day to day routines…
Here are our top 10 little changes which, if we all did them, would have a hugely positive effect on the environment:
1. Switch off electrical equipment… at the wall!
No excuses. There is simply no reason for your electric equipment to be on standby. You may think that your impact is tiny in the whole scheme of things, which is exactly what the rest of the nation thinks too – and why the US wastes $100 million worth of energy each year. In the UK the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) revealed that the CO2 emissions from electrical equipment being left on standby are equivalent to 1.4 million long-haul flights.
To put it another way, the entire population of Glasgow could fly to New York and back again and the resulting emissions would still be less than that from devices left in sleep mode.
2. Check your tyre pressure
The average person who drives 12,000 miles annually on under-inflated tires uses roughly 144 extra gallons of fuel ($300-$500/£190-£320 a year). This equates to 1.5 extra tons of greenhouse gas.
3. Give to charity
There are countless charities which spend 100% of their time pursuing environmental challenges and trying to create a greener planet. Why not pick the one which addresses your specific concerns? You don’t have to give much, but every penny you do give can make a difference.
4. Use rechargeable batteries
Bit of a no-brainer – non-rechargeable batteries are wasteful and expensive. It is thought that the environmental impact of using rechargeable batteries is 23 time less than their non-rechargeable family members. A good way to put this into perspective is that to produce 1kWh from a rechargeable battery is comparable to extracting 1kg of petroleum. In contrast using a disposable battery would be like extracting 19kg of petroleum.
5. Drink filtered water
The amount of bottled water consumed has spiralled in the last ten years. Subsequently the amount of plastic required to hold the extra liquid topped 1.5 million tonnes in 2005. Your impact can easily be reduced by using a water filter and refillable bottle. Or better still – drink water from the tap – it tastes better than you might think!
6. Use unbleached coffee filters
It might just be me… But won’t they go brown eventually anyway? J
7. Ride or walk
I know. Sometimes this just won’t be an option. But if you can, it really is a great way of reducing your impact on the environment. By not getting into the car you will be reducing air pollutants, and not burning any fuel. Plus you’ll be getting fresh air and having a work out – it’s a no brainer win win.
8. Buy organic fertilisers
Most keen gardeners utilise the power of fertilisers. The majority of fertilizers contain nitrogen, phosphorous, or some other chemical that induces growth in plants. Delictae aquatic eco systems are damaged by run off from phophate and nitrate based fertilisers.. Also, an excess of nitrogen in drinking water can lead to adverse health effects in the people who consume the water.
Using organic fertilisers will improve the taste of your crop, reduce nitrates leaking into the water table, and will be cheaper too..
9. Insulate your home
This step might not be the easiest on the list – but it has massive returns from a money saving point of view, and also from an environmental viewpoint. Simply insulating your roof and ceiling can save 2000lbs of CO2 annually.. Put into perspective that could mean reducing your heating bills by 25%!
New building regulations in the UK mean that new homes must be build using doors and windows that will prevent energy loss. Insulating your home can be as quick and easy as fitting strips and excluders to draught proof around leaky door and window frames, through to replacing heat leaking wooden and old uvpc doors with composite doors with a low u-value.
10. Use 100% post consumer recycled printer paper
By switching to using 100% post consumer recycled paper you could save up to 5lbs of CO2 per ream. According to friends of the earth in the UK over 6 million tonnes of paper and board is used only once despite the capacity for recycling.
Eco Friendly Printer Options
September 10, 2010 by Guest
Filed under Uncategorized
Like many people today, you may be conscious of risks to the natural world and the way we could become more accountable considering the purchase and recycling associated with our goods. This not only is needed when you are talking about paper products, aluminum along with other common recyclable items. Additionally, there are company product companies that do right by the natural environment with particular solutions. The Canon ImageClass D340 is a good illustration of an item by a organization which has a good ecological approach for its line of laser printers, copiers as well as other equipment for your office.
In this article, we will emphasize Canon’s Generation Green method as well as just a number of the ways that this company and others like it are now being conscious regarding their influences to the natural world and also the different points that you can do to cut back waste as well as our own impact on the globe with regard to our children and grandchildren ahead.
Canon utilizes a successful recycling program in terms of their own printing device, copiers along with other office equipment. They’re focused on the idea that recycling where possible helps to develop far better moments with regard to the future generations to come and also their popular recycling program is just one illustration of exactly how they work to enhance the area communities plus the ecosystem in particular.
As is the case with the ImageClass D340 laser printer stated previously, Canon utilizes a printing method known as 2-in-1 or 4-in-1 printing. These can help to save as much as 75% in document usage by allowing people the option to print several pages on a single page.
In addition to Canon’s recycling system is an extremely thrilling plan of repair. They’ve got their very own factory that covers the whole waste material course of action with regards to their goods. This means that Canon possesses full management over what happens to its recyclable products instead of a third party organization as many could be associated with.
Canon was also one of the first printing device organizations to supply its consumers with a toner ink cartridge recycling choice. Ink cartridges by Canon laser printers and copiers are 100% recycled with simply no landfill waste material taking place.
The Canon D340 presents an additional environmentally sound function with its cartridge toner saving function selection. This enables consumers the opportunity to change the machine right into a mode designed to cut back to 20% of the toner, making it far more economical for the user and much more pleasant for the natural world overall.
Canon also uses something known as On-Demand SURF Technology that features a net result of a 75% reduction of the power being consumed within the machines. SURF stands for Surface Rapid Fixing and this is a technology that uses a linear ceramic heater which quickens the heating to allow for speedier warm-up rates as well as initial prints of written documents.
Certainly something you are likely currently alert to when it comes to green organizations, would be the famous Energy Star label, to which Canon has achieved. This label certifies that the specific solution is 25% more effective as compared to various other, non-certified versions. These items reduce greenhouse gases and conserve power as well as cash for the consumer. At the bare minimum, in the event that you want to become eco conscious whenever you are making equipment acquisitions, you ought to search for this requirement by the particular company you are thinking about.
Save The Earth, Bicycle To Work
April 22, 2010 by Guest
Filed under Uncategorized
If you live within bicycle commuting distance to your work, biking has several advantages to offer. Why not consider commuting by bicycle. Even if you choose a bike as you way of commuting on the nicest days of the year, you can do your part in reducing our dependence of petroleum products and reducing pollution.
In addition, biking to work is a great way to get some exercise. Why pay to go to the gym when you can save money by riding your bike and get your excise at the same time. If the distance to your work is too far to bike, consider combining the bike ride with a commuter bus. This works well if you live some distance from a bus stop or if you work in an area that is not near the bus stop.
Most buses have bicycle racks built onto the front so that both you and your bike can ride and reduce the bicycle commute by several miles. This option may work best for you.
If you are preparing to bike to work, you will need some supplies to make the commute easier. In order to carry your needed materials by bike, you will want to purchase some messenger bags. These bags were designed for use by bicycle delivery persons in downtown San Francisco, so they will work for your commute. You will especially want to have a laptop messenger bag if you need to transport your computer by bicycle. Choose a waterproof model to keep those delicate electronics dry and to protect your computer from any scrapes on the trip.
Consider attaching other messenger bags to the bike for other gear and materials you want to take home or to the office. Then if you find sale digital cameras, you can take advantage of the sale before it is over and safely transport the camera home. With extra messenger bags, you can pick up the ATV parts you need without ever having to start up your car.
The longer we live on this planet the more we realize that there is a limited amount of resources available to us. All of us should find a way that we can do our part to conserve resources for future generations.
Additionally, biking to work is a good way to save our money. Biking one day a week saves 20 percent of our fuel used for commuting. Three days per week saves 60 percent and every day saves 100 percent of the money we pay for fuel.
Food Choices Have a Large Impact on The Environment and More
March 6, 2010 by Guest
Filed under Uncategorized
You don’t have to be a environmental scientist to know that we are having a huge influence on the state of our planet and people are only starting to take action now. Even as recently as the 90′s, not many people really considered where their nutrition tableware or other products were sourced from. It was a case of what do I want and where do I get it. Nowadays however, we cannot afford to live in the same manner, especially if we want to secure a future for the next generation and beyond. Here are some ideas to help save the planet and local economies when having a simple meal.
Local Suppliers. We take it for granted these days that we can pop down the local shop and buy some fruits from exotic shores and wines from the other side of the world for example. However, a huge amount of these products are flown thousands of miles from other countries and this causes problems. Not only does the transport release vast amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, due to burning fuel and having to use a food and wine fridge to keep the produce chilled all the way, but also local food suppliers struggle to compete with low foreign costs. If you want to see the important businesses in your local area survive for years to come then make sure you use them whenever you can.
Choose Less Packaging. You only have to take a walk down one of the isles to see how much food packaging is wasted making products look pretty. A single cake might be singly wrapped, inside a little box with a plastic place-holder, which is cloaked in cellophane and transported within a cardboard box, with the other cake boxes. More often than not this packaging is unnecessary, so try and avoid those products that go over the top with it.
Ethically Sourced Accessories. It is not only what food you buy than can have an effect on the planet. Everything from the cutlery you use to the little wine gifts you buy others can have an impact and you should think carefully before making a choice. Ask yourself where this ware has come from, is it something that could be made from a more sustainable textile, and is this a disposable product when I could be purchasing a reclaimable one? A good example of this is chopsticks as the disposable kind accounts for acres of lost rain forest every day.
Make Your Home Less Damaging to the Environment
January 6, 2010 by Guest
Filed under Uncategorized
If you are always looking for ways to make your home greener, you’ve probably seen this post title many times before. Although the title suggests this post is just a normal ‘make your home greener’ post, it’s actually not.
The majority of the other posts are based on improving your home and how you can save money in the process. They tend to write about getting double glazing, loft insulation, not leaving appliances on standby, things like that. This post is all about what you can do to help the environment after all those things.
Although you may have stopped your home from wasting large amounts of energy, there is one aspect you may have forgotten. Every so often we decide to redecorate our homes, this often leads to changes in everything from wallpaper to bathroom accessories. This is where some improvement can be made.
When you are choosing new furniture, you rarely consider the environmental impact. I guess it’s hard enough to find something that your entire family likes without it being environmentally friendly too. But when you take some time to think about it, alot of energy is used in making these items. Normally they are constructed in big factories, wasting lots of energy, then they get shipped back to the UK because they were made abroad.
Fortunately, due to everyone becoming more aware of our impact on the environment, many retailers are offering greener, more eco-friendly home furnishings.
From everything from tableware to kitchen accessories, there are lots of products out there that you can buy that are better for the environment. All these little things, and big things, that you buy for your home all have an impact on the environment. This is something that you should remember next time you go to furnish your home. Reducing the amount of actual energy your home wastes isn’t the only way you can reduce your home’s impact on the planet. Although it can’t be avoided with some home accessories, you’d be surprised at how many you really can buy that are more environmentally friendly.
How To Get A Solar Power Grant
October 14, 2009 by Guest
Filed under Uncategorized
In this modern era, with both global warming and greenhouse gases on the rise, it’s important to take note of the importance of renewable energy resources. Paying attention to the reduction of carbon emissions and further harmful effects upon the environment is essential.
Everyone is responsible for reducing their impact on the environment. Whether it be finding more environmentally friendly means of heating their home, or driving their car less, everyone can contribute.
For those willing to put in some effort in relation to improving the environment, governments normally offer tax breaks, grants or concessions. The problem is that it’s easy to get confused when trying to work out what you’re entitled to and how to get it (how to get a solar power grant being one such thing).
So, how does one find out whats on offer and how do you go about getting grants, concessions or tax breaks?
The website for the ‘Database of State Incentives for Renewable and Efficiency’ is a good place to start. The site provides a map of the United States which allows Americans to click on the state in which the live and a host of further links will be presented that will outline the incentives or grants which are on offer at individual state levels.
Before you jump on the renovation or implementation of these green friendly resources, check out this site first which will help you know what you’re entitled to and what money you can save. This is probably the first step in order to understand how to get solar power grants for instance.
Of the items you’ll find there, look specifically for:
– The policy or incentive type, whether it be a tax credit, net metering or similar program.
– What sectors are entitled to the benefits, whether it is residential, government or commercial premises.
– Is the grant a state or federal one?
– A direct link to the website of the organization which is offering the incentive or grant.
– The purpose the grant is on offer for, whether it is for the installation of solar power, wind energy or insulation, etc.
Both state and federal governments offer grants and hopefully this website will point you in the right direction in order to receive them. The benefits can be quite numerous, with the possibility of receiving thousands of dollars or the complete purchase and installation price of some of these renewable energy resources or environmentally friendly facilities.
I’d also be inclined to monitor the website on a regular basis in order to be updated on new developments on how to get solar power grants. Both state and federal governments are constantly increasing what’s on offer to encourage people to go green in order to reduce their own carbon emissions at both the state and national levels.
Read On : Solar Power Grants
Will we save our Earth by algae oil?
September 8, 2009 by Guest
Filed under Uncategorized
Will oil made by algae save us?
In our green real estate section we usually try to focus on environmentally friendly ideas for our homes. If you drive around daily in a car that needs more and more gas and you feel guilty, this article will bring you some interesting information about a new research. Oil is an essential part of our everyday lives. Nowadays, the fundamental part of a life in the developed world is a car, and nearly everybody owns one. So do I, of course, as a realtor who drives around daily. Life would just be impossible without our dear car. Unfortunately, we all know the two basic problems connected to driving: unsound oil supplies driving prices up and down and the environmental harm caused by fuel burning and the related carbon dioxide emissions.
Craig Venter is an American biologist and also a successful businessman who founded The Institute for Genomic Research. He mainly deals with genetic engineering and his most recent project has aroused a great deal of heated debate.
Algae are known for producing natural oil, which is already part of a number of experiments with biofuels. Venter wishes to go further. He is trying to find out if it’s possible to modify the genomic structure of algae in order to make them produce oil of almost the same structure as the traditional crude oil. This option is so much better, as you can use existing oil industry infrastructure like refineries, and even make plastics in the same way as from crude oil refining employing the same production plants that are presently being used. As Exxon Mobile, being one of the most successful oil producers in the world, heard of all this, they gave Venter a $600 million contribution to go on with his research.
Now your concern might be, where is the environmental benefit? Well, right here. It is quite possible that the algae oil could help us cope with one of our most serious threats of the present world. Plants take the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, utilize it in a photosynthesis process to produce the oil and then the oil is burned and turned into oxalates. It will of course take more time to work all this out, this promising solution won’t be available this or next year. But for sure it is a possible way to try, and Craig Venter with his team have gone the first steps towards a success on a field where others have already tried and failed. There are many people in Canada and elsewhere that want to protect the environment, but due to their occupation, it is very difficult for them to stop using cars, just like so many of my fellow Toronto realtors can’t.
7 Ways To Save The Planet
August 26, 2009 by Guest
Filed under Uncategorized
1. Reducing
We need to find ways that aim at reducing our wasteful habits and by reusing items we use everyday rather than throwing them away, for the times ahead are troubling for our economy and have a huge impact on the environment in which we live on our planet. Greenhouse gases are being released into the atmosphere that are destroying our planet and heating it up.. Here are a few green solutions:
2. Reuse
Before you throw them away try to find uses for your items that may be misplaced. Plastic utensils that you may not use in the kitchen anymore that are not broken and safe to use may be just what your kids are looking for to put in their play kitchen or to use with their play-dough set.
3. Recycling
Try to recycle your oldtennis shoes. Large companies like Nike can recycle your old sneakers to use in various programs that use them to pave new playgrounds for children, making it a safe play area for your children. A quick search online will point you in the direction of ways to participate.
4. Composting
Composting bins are a great investment – Why throw out your vegetable scraps when you can make your own inexpensive, safe fertilizer? Homemade fertilizer will make your gardens grow abundantly, and your home grown fruit and vegetables will be much tastier and healthy as they have been fertilized with a natural substance, and are chemical free.
5. Old Clothing
A wonderful thing to do is to join in with your family and friends for a clothing exchange, or go on an excursion to your local goodwill store. By shopping at “thrift” stores you will be helping their organization and you never know what great buys you will find stashed. There seems to be no shortage of clothing items, in fact it would be a lifetime enough! In addition, you could use old clothes that are unable to be donated as rags around the house for cleaning jobs, or donate them to an animal shelter, where the clothing will be used for a bed.
6. Trading Old Goods
There are a number of programs that are online now for the sole use of trading old and unwanted household items, sometimes these can be a real score if you know where to look. Look for ways to trade unwanted items. Post an ad in a trade classification paper or website, and trade your unwanted items that you may not want or need anymore with an item that you do require and save money at the same time.
7. Shopping Bags
Think about using reusable shopping bags with you when you go shopping, or even when you go shopping for clothes or household items. This will be a great way to conserve our resources and to save the planet. Plastic and paper bags are very environmentally unfriendly, and they contribute to the unnecessary filling of our shrinking landfills and can take a sometimes hundreds of years to breakdown. Although paper bags are mostly recycled themselves, a better solution would be to not have to use them at all.
If you find yourself still using these kinds of bags, make sure that you do your part and recycle BOTH you plastic and paper, as they are accepted in most recycling programs nowadays.
Save The Earth Today For The Future Tomorrow!
How Your Food Is Killing Mother Earth
August 11, 2009 by Guest
Filed under Uncategorized
Yogis Go Green With Wai Lana Yoga
Going vegetarian for the planet
Sometimes it helps to look at statistics.
We’d like to share some statistics regarding how a vegetarian dietaffects the environment. So that you can easily see the benefits that the diet can have for you and the world.
How going vegetarian will help you and the world
- Raising animals as livestock is the perfect way of destroying natural resources.
-Studies have shown that only 20% of the corn that is made in the United States is eaten by humans, with the other eighty percent is eaten by animals. Consequently, a full 50% of the water in the United States is used to raise livestock.
-A single acre of land can produce twenty thousand potatoes. Raising cattle on one acre of land, on the other hand, would result in only one hundred and sixty five pounds of meat. In short the amount of land that it would take to feed one person exclusively meat would be equivalent to the amount of land it would take to feed twenty vegetarians.
It is easy to see how raising animals for meat is extremely wasteful. If mankindwere to adopt a more plant-based diet, many problems with world hunger would be solved. Scientific studies have shown that if Americans were to decrease their meat consumption by merely ten percent, sixty million people could be fed by the resulting grain. With a child in the world dying of starvation every two seconds, it would be a sacrifice of love for even just for some people to switch to a more vegetable based diet.
Preventing Erosion
- Another thing to consider when considering the implications of raising livestock for their meat is the soil depletion that it can cause. Historically, many nations have fallen due to a depletion of their topsoil, and studies have shown that the United States has already lost approximately seventy five percent of its original topsoil. Every year, four million acres of crop land in the United States is lost due to soil erosion. Consequently, many forests are cleared in order to make room for more crop land, resulting in an acre of trees disappearing in the United States every eight seconds. By switching to a vegetarian diet, an individual conserves roughly one acre of forest per year. For more information, go to Wai Lana Yoga.
Global warming and livestock
- Global warming is becoming more and more of a concern in our world today. Raising livestock is one of the most significant causes of global warming. The carbon dioxide produced by livestock raised for meat contributes to approximately eighteen percent of the global warming effect. Automobiles, by contrast, only account for fifteen percent of humanity’s carbon dioxide output. We should support the going-green movement, which in turn, also helps reduce the effects of pollution and global warming, Wai Lana is one of the supporters of this cause.
Changing your diet can change the planet
The effects of your diet on the world are far-reaching. If you don’t know where to start, you can look for vegetarian recipes and articles on Wai Lana. Not only is being a vegetarian a great move to make for your own health but it is also a significant measure to take when it comes to saving the environment. These are facts that each one of us should definitely consider.
A couch potato’s 10 steps to fight global warming
May 6, 2009 by Guest
Filed under Global Warming
The Green Effect
During 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.
- Image via Wikipedia
But what about the apartments we rent? Are our homes as “anti global waming” 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 energy and other 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 used in home aquariums, there is no need to filter, clean and 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 savings in gas from running to the store for more detergent.
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 mother natures call for water conservation by coming up with a line of 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 5x longer than incandescent lamps and consume 80% 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 evil 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 flow of electrical current through the strip’s control outlet. This unique option enables the Smart Strip to turn off selected equipment when it’s not in use saving you time & greenbacks!
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 your PC is finished powering off, the current draw from the computer drops to its idle current — and the Smart Strip monitors the current change, automatically powering down all of the computer peripherals.
The Smart Strip Power Strip is the only surge protector on the market today 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. By changing just a few things we use daily, we each can do our part.
