Green

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.

Myths about Air-Conditioners

Misinformation can lead to wastage and air-conditioning is one such subject that you can be better educated on.

· Set it lower, it will cool faster – This is entirely false. Setting your thermostat to a lower temperature than the one you want, just because you want it to cool faster, will achieve nothing. Depending on the size of the room, your air-conditioner will take a certain amount of time to achieve whatever temperature you set. This only varies due to the size of the room, ambient temperature, heat sources, etc. The only instance where this is not true is with air-conditioners that do not possess a thermostat and instead have a Low-High setting. With those types, you can achieve faster cooling by setting it to high.

· Keep it running all day – This is a complete waste on several levels. First of all you are a unnecessarily cooling a space that you are not occupying for around 8 to 10 hours. Next, you are consuming electricity to do this. Finally, the compressor unit in the air-conditioner is being run for extended hours which wear down the unit. Fix this by switching off the air-conditioner when you leave home and set it to come on about an hour before expect to get back.

· Get the biggest one – Every air-conditioner is capable of optimally cooling a room provided that it is the correct size for that room. Getting one that is too small or too big will only result in you paying higher electricity bills.

· Put it wherever you like – Picking the right spot to install you air-conditioner is very important. Heat sources like lights or TV’s in proximity to the thermostat will only affect it’s readings in the wrong way. The outdoor unit should also be installed in the shade and out of direct sunlight. Ensure that the airflow around it is not blocked in anyway by shrubs or other obstacles.

The Hazards of Residential Open Burning

Residential open burning refers to the act of burning anything on the outdoor premises of a private family home, such as in the garden or backyard. Unlike chimneys, enclosed burn chambers or smokestacks, open burning allows smoke to rise freely, thus contaminating air and posing risks for air pollution. While there are country as well as state laws that protect the environment against impractical burning practices such as this, people fail to understand the true hazards that make this burning activity a bad, bad idea.

First of all, all forms of open burning creates smoke, which pollute the air and are often toxic to all life forms. In fact, smoke from burning at least five pounds of leaves would contribute at least one pound of pollution in the air. What happens during open burning is that a ground-level ozone is formed, making the air around living humans, plants, animals and even buildings and homes heavily dense with pollution. Little do we realize that it’s this dense, polluted air that actually causes buildings their untimely ruin. If such air can cause a building to degrade, what more can it do to vulnerable life forms like humans, plants, and animals? Residential open burning can come with a lot of health problems like irritation of respiratory systems (hence the coughing, sneezing, watery eyes and nose).

If the burned materials have toxins, the particles can enter the lungs and cause severe, irreversible damage. Polluted air also slows down mental capacity and oxygen consumption. So before you even think about burning, it is worth looking at these risks. Also, make sure you know your state’s laws regarding residential open burning before you light a match.

Getting Rid of the Stockpile Mentality

Today, a good number of people are appreciating the benefits of recycling paper, plastic and other materials. But, if there was one thing we could not bring ourselves to recycle, it would be tires. Enter stockpiles, which is a metaphor for how the rest of the world behaves (read: procrastination) around the idea of re-creating a greener place to live in. Stockpiles of tires lie around in scrap yards and garages, and have a lot of impact on waste reduction, and ultimately environment and climate improvement.

Why are tires left in stockpiles anyway? Unlike paper or plastic, tires are created with tough and durable rubber material, which makes the task tedious, and for some, impossible. There is at least one discarded tire for ever person every year, and when the stockpiles in garages and yards become overwhelming, the tires are brought to landfills, which are another serious environmental issues that also have great health implications especially to people living within the landfill sites’ vicinity. This is because landfills are generally damp, and toxins from the rubber tires can leak into the soil and can endanger people, plants and animals. The truth is, means to recycle tires have actually been invented more than 100 years ago.

In 1820, Thomas Hancock created the “Masticator”, an industrial machine which could tear up old tires into bits and pieces, to make the recycling even easier. Pieces of the rubber which have been “masticated” are then mashed even further, like dough, and then shaped into large blocks which will eventually be used to create new rubber materials and products. So it is about time industries got rid of the stockpile, or the procrastination mentality and do something about those tires today, because, you have read, it isn’t at all impossible.

Why Should you Recycle?

Sometimes, when you have been doing something for a long time, it is easy to forget why you are doing what you are doing. Recycling is one such thing. Most of us probably do it because “it is the right thing to do”. Well here’s a reminder of why exactly we all should recycle.

1. Economy – Recycling sends back valuable raw material to the manufacturing industry. By doing this, the high cost of importing or sourcing raw materials is cut down.

2. Jobs – Over a million Americans are employed in recycling or reuse plants across the nation. The more we recycle the more jobs we create.

3. Waste reduction – On average, every American citizen dumps over seven pounds of garbage every single day. The garbage ends up in landfills and is then compacted. The compacted garbage is then buried underground.

4. Energy reduction – Compared against raw materials, using recycled materials consumes less energy in the manufacturing process.

5. Landfill reduction – The less we send to the landfills, the fewer landfills we need.

6. Reduce global warming – Recycling reduces the amount of greenhouse gasses that are released into the atmosphere. Essentially this means reduce our carbon footprint.

7. Conserve the environment – Recycling means that less of the forests, rivers, and wetlands are destroyed in the search for raw materials. It also means that less pollutants leak into the ground though landfills.

These may seem like simple things that you always knew. Nevertheless it is always good to remind yourself that recycling is more than what it seems at first glance.

« Previous Page — Next Page »