What is Air Quality?

“Air quality” refers to the condition of the air within our surrounding. Good air quality pertains to the degree which the air is clean, clear and free from pollutants such as smoke, dust and smog among other gaseous impurities in the air. Air quality is determined by assessing a variety of pollution indicators. Good air quality is a requirement for preserving the exquisite balance of life on earth for humans, plants, animals and natural resources. As such, human health, plants, animals and natural resources are threatened when pollution in the air reach high concentrations.

Poor air quality can affect or harm human health and/or the environment. Air quality can be degraded by natural or man-made sources. Natural sources include volcanic eruption, windstorm dust. Man-made source include pollution from moving vehicles, toxic gases from industries, coal powered plants, burning wood or other material in open air, landfills. Both these sources can seriously affect the overall air quality and can lead to severe health problems for humans.

According to British Columbia (BC),

The term “air quality” means the state of the air around us. Good air quality refers to clean, clear, unpolluted air. Clean air is essential to maintaining the delicate balance of life on this planet — not just for humans, but wildlife, vegetation, water and soil. Poor air quality is a result of a number of factors, including emissions from various sources, both natural and “human-caused.”

How is Air Quality Degraded?

Air quality is degraded by the day to day emissions from different air pollution sources. These include: stationary sources such as power plants, manufacturing facilities, smelters, motor machines, and burning wood and coal; mobile sources such as trucks, buses, planes and cars; and natural sources such as volcanic eruptions, and windstorm dust. The pollutants from these sources are released into the air which can affect the health of humans, animals and our environment. The quality of air depends on 3 factors: the amount of pollutants, the rate at which they are released in the atmosphere, and how long they are trapped in an area.

The air pollution sources emit a wide range of pollutants classified under different categories that include Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), particulate matter, Hydrocarbons (HC) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), Lead, Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), and Smog. In most regions, noticeable air quality degraders include smoke, dust, CO, NOx, SO2, HC, and smog from factories, power plants, automobiles, and smelters especially around urban and industrial areas.

Many of these air pollutants occur as gases, but some are very tiny solid particles, such as dust, smoke or soot. Air pollution from various sources can affect indoor air as well. Removing the pollutants from indoor air can improve the quality of your indoor air. Indoor air pollutants include cigarette smoke, mould, dust mites, pet dander, formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and radon gas.

If air pollutants are in an area with good airflow, they will mix with the air and quickly disperse. Air pollutants tend to remain in the air when when there are certain conditions like light winds or mountains that restrict the transport of these pollutants away from an area. When this happens, pollution concentrations can increase rapidly.

How to Improve Air Quality?

With all those toxic pollutants in the atmosphere, it isn’t easy to get fresh as it used to be. Due to increase in number of vehicles and industries on a large scale, the air quality has gone from bad to worse in lat few decades. Every year, millions of people across the globe die due to inhaling of toxic gases present in the atmosphere.

There are several measures which we can take to make air quality better not only for us but even for coming generations. If not done in proper and timely manner, the worsening air quality can cause severe harm to entire planetary ecosystem.

1. Dealing With Traffic and Vehicle Emissions

In a bid to improve air quality, dealing with automobile emission is the first choice for action. Beginning by reducing the numbers of automobile traffic and use of cleaner vehicles is the best course of action towards cutting down on emissions locally. Promoting public transport and proper urban planning can as well aid in reducing traffic numbers. Nowadays, journeys have become shorter and affordable due to introduction of fast electric trains and other forms of cheaper public transport.

By promoting public transport, it is easy to get people out of their vehicles which suggest that it’s an obvious answer to reducing the number of cars on the road. Air pollution reduction can also be accomplished through speed reduction, promoting use of electric/hybrid cars, rerouting traffic, and introducing access restrictions. Through this, CO2, lead, smoke, and particulate matter from road traffic emissions can considerably reduce thereby improving air quality. Besides use of cleaner vehicles and promotion of public transport, use of green fuels is a good alternative for improving air quality.

2. Dealing With Industrial Emissions

Factories and industrial manufacturing companies are another main concern when it comes to air pollution. Industries are the biggest air pollution sources as they emit high scores of pollutants into the air on daily basis. Due to the industrial emissions, the globe faces a great challenge of acid rain, ozone layer depletion, and global warming. Primary regulation policies by environmental agencies are required to regulate industrial emissions with an aim of large scale structural emission reduction from industrial facilities.

Control devices termed as “pollution eating nano-particles” can as well offer effective ways to reduce industrial air pollution by absorbing or destroying toxic emissions and contaminants from industries. It is realized through installation of particulate control devices in exhaust streams. Good examples include Titanium dioxide and ultraviolet light. Installed in an industrial facility, titanium dioxide reduces pollution by absorbing toxic emissions while ultraviolet light breaks up NOx gases and VOCs. Other control devices include electrostatic precipitators, dust cyclones, particulate scrubbers, and bag-houses. Switching to use of renewable energy is the most effective mechanism for improving air quality standards in industrial manufacturing.

3. Establishment of Policies and Clean Air Action Plans

Air quality improvement equally requires a string of directives, support, and initiatives geared towards emission reduction not only locally but internationally as well. Local, national and international environmental protection agencies need to work hand in hand to ensure the set air quality levels are met. It’s a commitment that can only be achieved through an effective environmental action plan, strategies and policies directed towards addressing the underlying air pollution challenges. For instance, the Clean Air for Europe (CAFE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs have set standards for restricting air pollution and it has since resulted to a new directive for clean and quality air. Established about a decade ago, the directives have managed to set in place emission goals and standards for air quality.

Objectives are set whereby all sorts of air pollutants have to be regulated and cut down to a standard level and also managed within the scope of the challenges experienced. In challenging situations, deadlines for complying must be instituted and upheld. As such, creation of action plan directives similar to CAFE’s, EPA’s or any other devoted environmental protection agency can offer a wonderful advancement in the direction of improving air quality.

To work towards the attainment of improving the air quality situation, each state and nation without air regulation policies can make it a requirement to develop an action plan for cleaning the air within their jurisdiction. In addition to development of an action plan, implementation is essential as it defines the efforts that will improve and attempt to regulate the air pollution levels and to improve the air quality of the region.

Also through various environmental protection and clean air support programs, states and nation can establish a monitoring criteria for pollutants. One similar program is the Ambient Air Monitoring that has been adopted by various nations and states. Through the program, statistics can be collected regarding air quality by measuring samples so as to estimate the attainment of the set air quality standards. In this sense, pollution trends can be observed throughout the jurisdiction region to deter or reduce air pollution crisis. Other air quality monitoring programs can encompass Air Pollution Monitoring and Enhanced Ozone Monitoring.

Air pollution reduction efforts can also involve land-use, urban, and transportation planning strategies. The utilization of these strategies can assess the root causes of air pollution and to install measures for dealing with the challenges experienced.

Accordingly, environmental clean air policies and programs can be established to address issues regarding quality of air as a factor directly impacting on human health and the environment. The world, particularly regions burdened with the air pollution challenge, can thus improve air quality by adopting or establishing clean air action plans and support programs.

Conclusion

Reducing emissions contributing to poor air quality, climate change, and ozone layer depletion requires collaborative effort and long-term commitment. To be part of the required solution, society, people, businesses, manufacturing facilities, and government authorities need to work as a team to realize positive outcomes of having a healthier and more sustainable environment.

In general, the sources, causes and impacts of air quality are interlinked. That means, dealing with one air quality concern can very much lessen other categories of air pollution. For instance, cutting back on fossil fuel usage not only helps to reduce emission of particulate matter but also lessens CO2, CO and NOx emissions from vehicle exhaust. In the long run, efforts to improve air quality reward the entire humanity by improving human wellbeing and health, reducing the costs of health, and increasing environmental productivity.

Sources

Lenz, H. P., & Cozzarini, C. (1999). Emissions and air quality. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers, 1999. 140.

World Health Organization (WHO). (2005). WHO Air Quality Guidelines Global Update 2005: Report on a Working Group Meeting, Bonn, Germany, 18-20 October 2005. WHO Regional Office for Europe.

World Health Organization (WHO). (2000). Air quality guidelines for Europe.

Image credit: BC , vtpoly

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What is La Niña?

La Niña is a phenomenon that describes cooler than normal ocean surface temperatures in the Eastern and Central Pacific Ocean; regions close to the equator off the west coast of South America. In some parts of the world, La Niña causes increased rainfall while in other regions it causes extreme dry conditions. The conditions that cause La Niña recur every few years and can persist for as long as two years. El Niño occurs every 2-7 years and La Niña events sometimes follow El Niño events. La Niña in the past has also been called as anti-El Niño and El Viejo (the old man in Spanish).

According to National Geographic,

La Niña is a climate pattern that describes the cooling of surface ocean waters along the tropical west coast of South America. La Nina is considered to be the counterpart to El Nino, which is characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the equatorial region of the Pacific Ocean.

What Causes La Niña?

This phenomenon occurs when the easterly trade winds get stronger and blow more warm water west allowing cold water below the sea’s surface to push towards the top near the South American coast to replace the warm water. This, therefore, means that the easterly trade winds are to be blamed for partly causing La Niña. El Niño is the opposite of La Niña. This occurs when the easterly trade winds become weaker and in some cases blows in the opposite direction. The Pacific Ocean during El Niño becomes warm; gains heat and pushes eastward.

During a La Niña period, the sea surface temperatures across the eastern and central Pacific Ocean tend to be lower than the normal temperatures (between 3-5 degrees Celsius). In the United States, for example, La Niña occurs for at least five months of La Niña conditions. This phenomenon has widespread effects on the weather. A usual, La Niña winter features drier and milder conditions across the Southern hemisphere. This causes elevated fire conditions and the Southeast drought conditions. On the other hand, the Pacific Northwest becomes wetter than normal and the Northeast experiences very cold conditions. La Niña sometimes follows El Niño although they occur at asymmetrical intervals of approximately 2-7 years.

What is the Difference between La Niña and El Niño?

As per NOAA, “El Niño and La Niña are extreme phases of a naturally occurring climate cycle referred to as El Niño/Southern Oscillation. Both terms refer to large-scale changes in sea-surface temperature across the eastern tropical Pacific. Usually, sea-surface readings off South America’s west coast range from the 60s to 70s F, while they exceed 80 degrees F in the “warm pool” located in the central and western Pacific.” During El Niño, this warm pool expands to cover the tropics but shrinks to the west during La Niña. El Niño and La Niña are opposite phases of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle. While El Niño as the warm phase of ENSO, La Niña is sometimes referred to as the cold phase of ENSO. The El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the coupled ocean-atmosphere process that includes both El Niño and La Niña.

What Are The Effects of La Niña?

La Niña (small girl in Spanish) and El Niño (little boy still in Spanish) are known to have severe effects on atmospheric pressure, rainfall patterns and the global atmospheric circulation. The Global Atmospheric circulation (GAC) is basically a huge movement of air. When combined with ocean currents, this air distributes thermal energy to the Earth’s surface. These changes are the sources of inconsistency in the climatic conditions worldwide.

1. Increased Rainfall

La Niña is described by lesser than average air pressure across the western Pacific. The low-pressure zones contribute to increased rainfall in the Southeast parts of the world like Southeast Asia in countries like India that benefit from the increased rainfall for agricultural purposes. For example in 2008, this phenomenon caused a significant drop in temperatures of the sea surface (2 degrees Celsius) over Southeast Asia leading to increased rainfall. It also led to heavy rainfall across the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

2. Catastrophic Floods

Extreme La Niña events are known to cause disastrous floods in northern parts of Australia. For example, following the strong La Niña events in 2010, Queensland, Australia experienced the worst floods ever. As a result of this catastrophic event, over 10, 000 people were displaced and forced to evacuate. After the disaster, it was estimated that over $2 billion worth of property had been lost. This is a clear indication of how devastating La Niña can be. In the past, Bolivia has also experienced a massive loss of lives and property as a result of La Niña. In such incidences, people are always asked to move to higher grounds and others are evacuated to safer places.

3. Drier Than Normal Conditions

Over the eastern and central Pacific, La Niña is characterized by over normal pressure. This leads to reduced cloud formation and subsequently reduced rainfall in that particular region. In the tropical South American west coast, lowland region of South America and the Gulf Coast of USA experience drier than normal conditions. This phenomenon also causes drier conditions across equatorial East Africa during the months of December to February. However, this period can be longer or shorter depending on the severity of La Niña. In the recent times, the climate is unpredictable in most of these areas as there are times when drier conditions are expected, but instead rainfall is experienced in these areas. This is just to show how unpredictable and irregular La Niña can be.

4. Increased Commercial Fishing

La Niña is known to have negative effects to the weather patterns of several parts of the world. However, in Peru things are different. The changes in temperatures mean a high fishing season for Peruvian fishermen. The fishermen report increased fish presence along the coast line. This attributed to the fact that the waters are a little warmer, and the winds come along with fish food. This attracts more fish to the surface making it easier for the fishermen to fish different types of fish and in plenty.

5. Affects the Climate Patterns in Montana

Montana’s spring is known to be cooler and wetter than usual during a typical La Niña event. There are those days when the temperature is extremely high and very cold nights. On top of that, the rainfall pattern also changes whereby there will be more rain than average. This affects the planting season as farmers would opt to plant their crops especially the red spring wheat when the weather is favorable. This is because the seeds will not germinate as expected and if they do, they will take longer to grow.

6. Affects Canada’s Weather Cycles

The cooler temperatures associated with La Niña greatly affects the Canadian weather. This affects the British Columbian west coast, the Prairie Provinces through to Ontario. It is during La Niña events that the Southern British Columbia receives more snow than usual, and parts of southern Canada receive all manner of high precipitation. On top of that, due to the lower temperatures, commercial fishing especially the fishing of the Sockeye salmon is also affected. The different weather cycles affect the Canadian agricultural sector as farmers will have to wait for the snow to melt for them to plant crops. The wildlife also has to adapt to the extreme conditions. Otherwise, they will die of the extreme weather.

Economic Problems Around the Globe

The effects of La Niña are experienced globally. With catastrophic floods, hurricanes and cyclones in countries on the western part of the Pacific and, on the other hand, bushfires and droughts along the west coast of the USA and East Africa, farms are adversely affected, and crops can be produced as expected. This causes food and agricultural produce shortage. Agricultural produce is considered by many a primary production material. And if this is affected imports and exports will also be affected leading to an increase in the cost of importing or exporting other products. This is usually passed down to the final consumer who in a way or another may have not been affected by La Niña.

In summary, the ongoing temperature variations in the Pacific current and the unstable weather patterns caused by the continuous changes in temperatures are all part of a continuous cycle. There are of course phases in between the cycle, but the temperatures swing again. Although a number of people can shrug off and shovel extra snow, to others these changes forces them to completely adapt their livelihoods for instance to plant their crops at a different time of the season, catch fewer fish, move from one area to another in search of food or simply go hungry for a very long period of time.

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What is a Cap-and-Trade System?

Cap-and-trade is environmentally and economically friendly approach to capping and controlling greenhouse gas emissions which is the primary cause of global warming. It is a policy move aimed at controlling large amounts of gas emissions from a cluster of sources. This approach sets an overall cap which is the maximum amount of gas emissions per a stipulated compliance period, for all the sources under that particular program.

The cap puts a limit on gas emissions which from time to time is lowered to reduce and control the amount of toxins released by pollutants into the atmosphere. The trade, on the other hand, builds a ready market for carbon permits helping industries and companies and factories to innovate so that they can meet their allocated emission limit. The more these factories emit the more they pay and vice-versa. This therefore acts as an incentive for the companies to pollute less.

How Does Cap and Trade System Work?

A cap puts a maximum tolerable level of pollution and makes companies that go beyond this limit to pay. This is a sure way of guaranteeing lower emissions. The cap is usually measured in billions of tons of carbon dioxide per year. It covers economy wide emissions including natural gas generation, electricity generation, large manufacturers and transportation. Emitters are only allowed to release a set limit of pollution. Permits are issued to emitters and operating without a permit is against the law.

How Does One Get The Permit?

The government normally issues out some permits freely especially to companies or factories in sectors whereby they are more vulnerable to competitors from areas that are not under the cap-and-trade system. The rationale here is to ensure that these companies do not face a disadvantage in an area where the system applies. In other situations, the government can sell the permits to raise revenue to allow it to administer and enforce the policy.

How is Trading in Carbon Dioxide Emission Permits Beneficial?

1. Encourage Firms to Go Green

Certain companies are able to reduce their carbon emissions to match the number of permits they have. Unfortunately, some companies cannot do this. Trading in permits enables companies to buy and sell their allowances. This leads to efficient and more cost-effective pollution reductions and acts as a motivation to invest more in cleaner technology.

It is important to point out that all the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere goes into the upper part of the atmosphere and settles there. This in turn has a negative global effect no matter the place or jurisdiction in which the emitter is located.

2. Creates Revenue to Companies

Companies can actually turn their pollution cuts into revenue. For example, if a company has the ability to reduce its pollution level easily and cheaply, it will have extra allowances. The company can then sell the additional allowances to other factories or companies that have a deficit or do not have the permit. This acts as an incentive for investment, creativity to do more and to conserve energy. Large companies can through this turn their pollution cuts into money.

3. Enhances Company Flexibility

The option to purchase allowances gives companies the needed flexibility. Some companies might want to make long term investments and they do not have the ability due to lack of finances. By trading allowances, these companies get an option to meet their annual targets.

When is The Cap-and-Trade System Effective?

This system has been proven to be highly effective in circumstances such as reducing gas emissions on a regional scale and from multiple sources that reveal a range of control costs. It helps in achieving a significant reduction of emissions on a regional scale. On top of that, the cap and trade system has helped in ensuring substantial improvements in air quality.

Despite the gains made by these systems or programs, the policies may perhaps not be the ultimate solution to all air pollution problems. The system is effective when:

• The environmental concern is on a large area.
• A considerable number of sources are to blame for the problem
• The cost of controls vary from one source to another
• When emissions are consistently and accurately measured

Under the right state of affairs, the cap-and-trade system has been confirmed to be very effective, providing considerable emission reductions, accountability and exceptional data quality as well as access.

Guiding Principles for Cap and Trade Program

The three features that are important to the design and implementation of environmentally sensitive and economically efficient cap and trading programs include:

Cap on Emissions

This is an integral part of a successful and proficient cap-and-trade program. A compulsory cap on emissions is important in protecting public health as well as the environment. It is also critical in sustaining the protection in future generations. On top of that, the cap also provides stability and certainty to the permit trading market. The companies that deal in the trade of their allowances will rest easy knowing that the market is stable.

Accountability

The accurate reporting and measurement of carbon dioxide emissions, coupled with unswerving enforcement of penalties for noncompliance and fraud is vital. Transparency on the part of the companies is very important. For example, the companies should allow public access to the allowance data and source level emissions. This will enhance public confidence in the integrity of the program. On top of that, accountability provides for additional scrutiny to verify enforcement as well as encourage compliance. Accountability calls for continuous assessment of the cap-and-trade program to ensure that the system makes progress towards achieving its environmental goals.

Simplicity and Predictability

The rules and policies should be easy to understand and easy to enforce. It should be understood that markets function better and costs of transaction are generally reduced when rules are simple, clear and easy to understand by all parties involved. Additionally, the environment will be protected effectively when the rules are consistently enforced. Simplicity and predictability of rules should be applied to all the various elements of the system including the trading rules, penalty assessment and reporting requirements. Program implementation and operation is more certain, effective and less costly when the rules are simple, clear and understood by everyone.

How is Cap-and-Trade System Different from Carbon Tax?

Cap-and-trade system is different from carbon tax. For instance, under the carbon tax, the government sets a particular price on carbon emission and anyone who purchases a product that produces carbon emissions pays for it. Cap-and-trade enables the government to authorize the exact amounts of reductions it desires to see. However, there is a negative aspect of the system. The system is complicated when compared to the carbon tax. For instance, when companies continuously report to the government the amount of emissions they emit, the government can probably set the caps above limit and reductions may not be achieved.

In summary, the cap-and-trade system has significantly helped in reducing and putting in check the amount of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere globally. It is therefore important for all world economies to embrace this system in order to make the environment cleaner and to reduce the effects of global warming. If the system is followed to the latter, variations in weather patterns, destruction of the ozone layer and global warming problems will significantly be reduced and the world will be a safe place to live for the people living in it and for the future generations.

Sources: EDF , EPA

Image credit: UN photo

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What is Solid Waste Management?

Solid waste management is a term that is used to refer to the process of collecting and treating solid wastes. It also offers solutions for recycling items that do not belong to garbage or trash. As long as people have been living in settlements and residential areas, garbage or solid waste has been an issue. Waste management is all about how solid waste can be changed and used as a valuable resource. Solid waste management should be embraced by each and every household including the business owners across the world. Industrialization has brought a lot of good things and bad things as well. One of the negative effects of industrialization is the creation of solid waste.

According to Britannica, “Solid-waste management, the collecting, treating, and disposing of solid material that is discarded because it has served its purpose or is no longer useful. Improper disposal of municipal solid waste can create unsanitary conditions, and these conditions in turn can lead to pollution of the environment and to outbreaks of vector-borne disease—that is, diseases spread by rodents and insects.”

Various Sources of Solid Waste

Everyday, tonnes of solid waste is disposed off at various landfill sites. This waste comes from homes, offices, industries and various other agricultural related activities. These landfill sites produce foul smell if waste is not stored and treated properly. It can pollute the surrounding air and can seriously affect the health of humans, wildlife and our environment. The following are major sources of solid waste:

Residential

Residences and homes where people live are some of the major sources of solid waste. Garbage from these places include food wastes, plastics, paper, glass, leather, cardboard, metals, yard wastes, ashes and special wastes like bulky household items like electronics, tires, batteries, old mattresses and used oil. Most homes have garbage bins where they can throw away their solid wastes in and later the bin is emptied by a garbage collecting firm or person for treatment.

Industrial

Industries are known to be one of the biggest contributors of solid waste. They include light and heavy manufacturing industries, construction sites, fabrication plants, canning plants, power and chemical plants. These industries produce solid waste in form of housekeeping wastes, food wastes, packaging wastes, ashes, construction and demolition materials, special wastes, medical wastes as well as other hazardous wastes.

Commercial

Commercial facilities and buildings are yet another source of solid waste today. Commercial buildings and facilities in this case refer to hotels, markets, restaurants, go downs, stores and office buildings. Some of the solid wastes generated from these places include plastics, food wastes, metals, paper, glass, wood, cardboard materials, special wastes and other hazardous wastes.

Institutional

The institutional centers like schools, colleges, prisons, military barracks and other government centers also produce solid waste. Some of the common solid wastes obtained from these places include glass, rubber waste, plastics, food wastes, wood, paper, metals, cardboard materials, electronics as well as various hazardous wastes.

Construction and Demolition Areas

Construction sites and demolition sites also contribute to the solid waste problem. Construction sites include new construction sites for buildings and roads, road repair sites, building renovation sites and building demolition sites. Some of the solid wastes produced in these places include steel materials, concrete, wood, plastics, rubber, copper wires, dirt and glass.

Municipal services

The urban centers also contribute immensely to the solid waste crisis in most countries today. Some of the solid waste brought about by the municipal services include, street cleaning, wastes from parks and beaches, wastewater treatment plants, landscaping wastes and wastes from recreational areas including sludge.

Treatment Plants and Sites

Heavy and light manufacturing plants also produce solid waste. They include refineries, power plants, processing plants, mineral extraction plants and chemicals plants. Among the wastes produced by these plants include, industrial process wastes, unwanted specification products, plastics, metal parts just to mention but a few.

Agriculture

Crop farms, orchards, dairies, vineyards and feedlots are also sources of solid wastes. Among the wastes they produce include agricultural wastes, spoiled food, pesticide containers and other hazardous materials.

Biomedical

This refers to hospitals and biomedical equipment and chemical manufacturing firms. In hospitals there are different types of solid wastes produced. Some of these solid wastes include syringes, bandages, used gloves, drugs, paper, plastics, food wastes and chemicals. All these require proper disposal or else they will cause a huge problem to the environment and the people in these facilities.

Effects of Poor Solid Waste Management

Due to improper waste disposal systems particularly by municipal waste management teams, wastes heap up and become a problem. People clean their homes and places of work and litter their surroundings which affects the environment and the community.

This type of dumping of waste materials forces biodegradable materials to rot and decompose under improper, unhygienic and uncontrolled conditions. After a few days of decomposition, a foul smell is produced and it becomes a breeding ground for different types of disease causing insects as well as infectious organisms. On top of that, it also spoils the aesthetic value of the area.

Solid wastes from industries are a source of toxic metals, hazardous wastes, and chemicals. When released to the environment, the solid wastes can cause biological and physicochemical problems to the environment and may affect or alter the productivity of the soils in that particular area.

Toxic materials and chemicals may seep into the soil and pollute the ground water. During the process of collecting solid waste, the hazardous wastes usually mix with ordinary garbage and other flammable wastes making the disposal process even harder and risky.

When hazardous wastes like pesticides, batteries containing lead, mercury or zinc, cleaning solvents, radioactive materials, e-waste and plastics are mixed up with paper and other scraps are burned they produce dioxins and gasses. These toxic gases have a potential of causing various diseases including cancer.

Methods of Solid Waste Management

There are different methods of solid waste management. The following are some of the recognized methods:

Sanitary Landfill

This is the most popular solid waste disposal method used today. Garbage is basically spread out in thin layers, compressed and covered with soil or plastic foam. Modern landfills are designed in such a way that the bottom of the landfill is covered with an impervious liner which is usually made of several layers of thick plastic and sand. This liner protects the ground water from being contaminated because of leaching or percolation. When the landfill is full, it is covered with layers of sand, clay, top soil and gravel to prevent seepage of water.

Incineration

This method involves burning of solid wastes at high temperatures until the wastes are turned into ashes. Incinerators are made in such a way that they do not give off extreme amounts of heat when burning solid wastes. This method of solid waste management can be done by individuals, municipalities and even institutions. The good thing about this method is the fact that it reduces the volume of waste up to 20 or 30% of the original volume.

Recovery and Recycling

Recycling or recovery of resources is the process of taking useful but discarded items for next use. Traditionally, these items are processed and cleaned before they are recycled. The process aims at reducing energy loss, consumption of new material and reduction of landfills.

Composting

Due to lack of adequate space for landfills, biodegradable yard waste is allowed to decompose in a medium designed for the purpose. Only biodegradable waste materials are used in composting. Good quality environmentally friendly manure is formed from the compost and can be used for agricultural purposes.

Pyrolysis

This is method of solid waste management whereby solid wastes are chemically decomposed by heat without presence of oxygen. This usually occurs under pressure and at temperatures of up to 430 degrees Celsius. The solid wastes are changed into gasses, solid residue and small quantities of liquid.

In summary, proper solid waste management is an integral part of environmental conservation that should be observed by individuals and companies globally. This will keep the environment clean and reduce health and settlement problems.

Image credit: ACE Solid Waste , Widnr

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What is Wastewater Treatment?

Wastewater treatment is the process of converting wastewater – water that is no longer needed or is no longer suitable for use – into bilge water that can be discharged back into the environment. It’s formed by a number of activities including bathing, washing, using the toilet, and rainwater runoff. Wastewater is full of contaminants including bacteria, chemicals and other toxins. Its treatment aims at reducing the contaminants to acceptable levels to make the water safe for discharge back into the environment.

There are two wastewater treatment plants namely chemical or physical treatment plant, and biological wastewater treatment plant. Biological waste treatment plants use biological matter and bacteria to break down waste matter. Physical waste treatment plants use chemical reactions as well as physical processes to treat wastewater. Biological treatment systems are ideal for treating wastewater from households and business premises. Physical wastewater treatment plants are mostly used to treat wastewater from industries, factories and manufacturing firms. This is because most of the wastewater from these industries contains chemicals and other toxins that can largely harm the environment.

According to Wikipedia,

“Wastewater treatment is a process to convert wastewater – which is water no longer needed or suitable for its most recent use – into an effluent that can be either returned to the water cycle with minimal environmental issues or reused. The latter is called water reclamation and implies avoidance of disposal by use of treated wastewater effluent for various purposes.”

Step by Step Wastewater Treatment Process

The following is a step by step process of how wastewater is treated:

1. Wastewater Collection

This is the first step in waste water treatment process. Collection systems are put in place by municipal administration, home owners as well as business owners to ensure that all the wastewater is collected and directed to a central point. This water is then directed to a treatment plant using underground drainage systems or by exhauster tracks owned and operated by business people. The transportation of wastewater should however be done under hygienic conditions. The pipes or tracks should be leak proof and the people offering the exhausting services should wear protective clothing.

2. Odor Control

At the treatment plant, odor control is very important. Wastewater contains a lot of dirty substances that cause a foul smell over time. To ensure that the surrounding areas are free of the foul smell, odor treatment processes are initiated at the treatment plant. All odor sources are contained and treated using chemicals to neutralize the foul smell producing elements. It is the first wastewater treatment plant process and it’s very important.

3. Screening

This is the next step in wastewater treatment process. Screening involves the removal of large objects for example nappies, cotton buds, plastics, diapers, rags, sanitary items, nappies, face wipes, broken bottles or bottle tops that in one way or another may damage the equipment. Failure to observe this step, results in constant machine and equipment problems. Specially designed equipment is used to get rid of grit that is usually washed down into the sewer lines by rainwater. The solid wastes removed from the wastewater are then transported and disposed off in landfills.

4. Primary Treatment

This process involves the separation of macrobiotic solid matter from the wastewater. Primary treatment is done by pouring the wastewater into big tanks for the solid matter to settle at the surface of the tanks. The sludge, the solid waste that settles at the surface of the tanks, is removed by large scrappers and is pushed to the center of the cylindrical tanks and later pumped out of the tanks for further treatment. The remaining water is then pumped for secondary treatment.

5. Secondary Treatment

Also known as the activated sludge process, the secondary treatment stage involves adding seed sludge to the wastewater to ensure that is broken down further. Air is first pumped into huge aeration tanks which mix the wastewater with the seed sludge which is basically small amount of sludge, which fuels the growth of bacteria that uses oxygen and the growth of other small microorganisms that consume the remaining organic matter. This process leads to the production of large particles that settle down at the bottom of the huge tanks. The wastewater passes through the large tanks for a period of 3-6 hours.

6. Bio-solids handling

The solid matter that settle out after the primary and secondary treatment stages are directed to digesters. The digesters are heated at room temperature. The solid wastes are then treated for a month where they undergo anaerobic digestion. During this process, methane gases are produced and there is a formation of nutrient rich bio-solids which are recycled and dewatered into local firms. The methane gas formed is usually used as a source of energy at the treatment plants. It can be used to produce electricity in engines or to simply drive plant equipment. This gas can also be used in boilers to generate heat for digesters.

7. Tertiary treatment

This stage is similar to the one used by drinking water treatment plants which clean raw water for drinking purposes. The tertiary treatment stage has the ability to remove up to 99 percent of the impurities from the wastewater. This produces effluent water that is close to drinking water quality. Unfortunately, this process tends to be a bit expensive as it requires special equipment, well trained and highly skilled equipment operators, chemicals and a steady energy supply. All these are not readily available.

8. Disinfection

After the primary treatment stage and the secondary treatment process, there are still some diseases causing organisms in the remaining treated wastewater. To eliminate them, the wastewater must be disinfected for at least 20-25 minutes in tanks that contain a mixture of chlorine and sodium hypochlorite. The disinfection process is an integral part of the treatment process because it guards the health of the animals and the local people who use the water for other purposes. The effluent (treated waste water) is later released into the environment through the local water ways.

9. Sludge Treatment

The sludge that is produced and collected during the primary and secondary treatment processes requires concentration and thickening to enable further processing. It is put into thickening tanks that allow it to settle down and later separates from the water. This process can take up to 24 hours. The remaining water is collected and sent back to the huge aeration tanks for further treatment. The sludge is then treated and sent back into the environment and can be used for agricultural use.

Wastewater treatment has a number of benefits. For example, wastewater treatment ensures that the environment is kept clean, there is no water pollution, makes use of the most important natural resource; water, the treated water can be used for cooling machines in factories and industries, prevents the outbreak of waterborne diseases and most importantly, it ensures that there is adequate water for other purposes like irrigation.

Conclusion

In summary, wastewater treatment process is one of the most important environmental conservation processes that should be encouraged worldwide. Most wastewater treatment plants treat wastewater from homes and business places. Industrial plant, refineries and manufacturing plants wastewater is usually treated at the onsite facilities. These facilities are designed to ensure that the wastewater is treated before it can be released to the local environment. Some of the water is used for cooling the machines within the plants and treated again. They try to ensure that nothing is lost. It illegal for disposing untreated wastewater into rivers, lakes, oceans or into the environment and if found culpable one can be prosecuted.

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What is Battery Recycling?

Battery recycling is the reuse and reprocessing practice of batteries aimed at reducing the number of batteries being disposed as material waste. Batteries contain several poisonous chemicals and heavy metals and their dumping has attracted environmental concerns due to contamination of water and soil. As such, batteries need recycling to comply with environmental and health benefits.

According to Wikipedia,

“Battery recycling is a recycling activity that aims to reduce the number of batteries being disposed as municipal solid waste. Batteries contain a number of heavy metals and toxic chemicals and disposing them by the same process as regular trash has raised concerns over soil contamination and water pollution.”

Process of Battery Recycling

Nearly all batteries can be recycled, but there are some can be easily recycled more than others. Lead batteries for instance are 99% recyclable especially due to the value of lead and toxicity levels. Other battery types such as lithium-ion, nickel–cadmium (Ni-Cd), nickel–zinc (Ni-Zn), nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH), and lithium-ion (Li-ion) are also recyclable. The subtopics below provide detailed discussions about the various mechanisms and steps used for recycling different batteries.

1. Recycling Lead Acid Battery

Lead battery recycling involves five basic steps:

• Collection: Batteries are collected from the disposal and waste collection points and taken to the recycling facility.
• Crushing: On reaching the recycling facility, the battery is broken apart in a hammer mill (machine that crushes the battery into small pieces).
• Sorting: The broken pieces are taken through a vat, where heavy metals and lead are separated from the plastic.
• Sieving: Polypropylene pieces are scooped out and the liquids sieved to only leave the lead and heavy metals. The Polypropylene pieces are washed then ferried downstream to manufacture new battery casings.
• Hydro-metallurgical and Pyro-metallurgical processes: This is the processes used for extracting valuable metals and minerals from their ores. It is the final processes are used in battery recycling to extract lead and other heavy metals from the battery residue after the fourth step. Hydrometallurgy is an extractive process that uses aqueous chemistry in a process complemented by pyrometallurgy which facilitates the chemical and physical transformations to recover lead and other valuable metals. The process includes calcinations, roasting, smelting and refining to retrieve the lead final product.

The plastics (polypropylene pieces) are washed and dried then sent to downstream plastic recycling where they are processed and reused to manufacture new battery casings. They can also be sold to plastic product manufacturers as raw materials.

The lead materials are cleaned and taken through the Hydro-metallurgical and Pyro-metallurgical processes where they undergo calcinations, roasting, and smelting.

The resultant molten lead is then refined through aqueous chemical treatment and cleaning to eliminate any impurities. The final products are then poured into ingot molds and left to cool. After cooling, they are removed from the mold and ferried to battery manufactures where they are re-used to manufacture new lead plates and other battery components.

Old battery acid is handled in two ways:

• Neutralization of the acid with industrial basic compounds that turns the acid to water. The water is cleaned, treated and tested to ensure it complies with water standards, after which it is released into the public sewer system.
• It can also be converted into sodium sulfate. Sodium sulfate is an odorless white powder used for manufacturing laundry detergents, textiles, and glass. Alternatively, the acid can be reused to manufacture new battery products through specialized recycling process.

2. Recycling Alkaline Zinc Air /Zinc Carbon Batteries

Alkaline Zinc Air /Zinc Carbon Batteries are 99.9% recycled in an innovative mechanical dismantling process where the battery parts are sorted into three end products. These parts include 1) steel, 2) paper and plastic, and 3) zinc and manganese concentrate. They are then all taken back to recycling facilities where they are re-used to make new products.

3. Recycling Lithium Ion, Nickel Metal Hydride, Nickel-Cadmium Batteries

99.9% of the components of these batteries are recycled into reusable products. Before smelting, plastics are separated from the metal components and the resultant pieces reused for making respective material products. The remains are smelted through a High-Temperature Metal Reclamation (HTMR) process. The process allows for the recovery of metals such as iron, manganese, nickel, and chromium. The extraction of these metals typically utilizes Hydro-metallurgical and Pyro-metallurgical processes. Recovered parts are then taken through recycling facilities to be reused in making new products.

4. Recycling Lithium Batteries

The batteries are hammered to release the inner battery components. The plastics are removed and the inner parts shredded into smaller pieces. The resultant debris is submerged in basic (caustic) water to neutralize the electrolytes. The ferrous and non-ferrous metals are then separated. Clean scrap metals are later used for manufacturing new products or sold to recyclers. The remaining solution is then filtered and taken through the process of recovering carbon and lithium. Some of the recovered carbon is recycled while lithium is converted to lithium carbonate which is used to produce foil and lithium ingot metal for batteries.

5. Recycling Mercury Batteries

Mercury batteries are handled with great care and recycled through a controlled-temperature due to the highly toxicity of the heavy metals in them. The Hydro-metallurgical and Pyro-metallurgical recycling processes are used but in a highly controlled material extraction environment. Eliminated mercury is reused for manufacturing new mercury based batteries, in dental amalgams and metric instruments, and for fluorescent lighting. Other components such as plastics and metallic materials are re-used for manufacture of their respective products. However, a point to note is that the manufacture of mercury containing batteries has been decreasing and even prohibited in some countries due to their potential threat to human and environmental health.

Source: Battery Recycling

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What is Organic Gardening?

Most gardeners do not understand what organic gardening is all about or how to have an organic garden. Organic gardening is essentially gardening without using synthetic products like fertilizers and pesticides. It involves the use of only natural products to grow plants in your garden. Organic gardening replenishes the natural resources as it uses them. In organic gardening, you consider your plants as part of the larger natural system that begins with the soil and includes water supply, the wildlife; insects and people. Everyone wants the food we serve to our families as well as our environment to be safe and healthy. A good organic gardener strives to ensure that his or her activities are in harmony with the natural ecosystem and aims at minimizing exploitation as well as replenishing all the resources consumed by his or her garden.

Gardeners and people who have come across the word organic gardening probably usually desire to know what it means. Organic gardening is a terminology that simply refers to growing of plants, vegetables, and fruits in the best natural way without the use of pesticides or synthetic chemical fertilizers. Even so, organic gardening is more than simply avoiding the use pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

Gardening organically encompasses supporting the health of the entire gardening system naturally. It means working in harmony with the natural systems including the soil, water supply, people, and even insects with an ultimate aim of minimizing destruction to living and non-living things in the natural environment while constantly replenishing any resources utilized during gardening.

Organic gardening fundamentals requires cultivation emphasized on creating an ecosystem that nourishes and sustains soil microbes and plants, while also benefiting insects rather than just putting seeds in the ground and letting them grow.

To begin with, there are three major areas to concentrate on to maintain the objectives of organic gardening. These includes: soil management which is dealt with by using organic fertilizer; weed management which is managed by manual labor and use of organic ground coverings; and lastly pest control which is dealt with by promoting beneficial insects and companion planting. These are the top key strategies for becoming an organic gardener. Proper knowledge is essential in organic gardening and requires simple fundamental lessons to get reliable results.

To sum up, organic gardening is as simple as relying on intermingling plant types and varieties, use of companion planting, dense planting in order for some plants to offer companion to vulnerable plants, and supporting natural systems to minimize spread of pests and diseases.

Organic Gardening magazine editor, Therese Ciesinski, describes organic gardening  as:

“Organic gardening is more than simply avoiding synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. It is about observing nature’s processes, and emulating them in your garden as best you can. And the most important way to do that is to understand the makeup of your soil and to give it what it needs. If anything could be called a ‘rule’ in organic gardening, it’s this: feed the soil, not the plant.”

Step by Step Process to Start an Organic Garden

The following is a step by step process on how to start an organic garden:

1. Prepare the Soil

The soil is the most important thing or resource when it comes to organic gardening. It is achieved through continuous addition of organic matter to the soil by using locally available resources in every possible aspect. If you want your plants to be healthy, you will need to thoroughly prepare the soil on which they will grow on.

Just like human beings, plants require food and the food in this case comes from the soil. Therefore, you need to ensure that your plants get plenty of fresh nutrients. Proper soil conditioning will give your plants all the nutrients they need.

Chemical soil treatments not only destroy the soil composition but they also harm the important microorganisms, worms, and bacteria in the soil. To begin, you will have to test the soil PH. You can do this by buying a home testing kit or simply collect some soil samples and send them to the local agricultural extension office for proper testing and analysis.

2. Make Good Compost

As you wait for soil sample results, you can make the compost. Compost helps in providing plants with nutrients, helps conserve water, helps in the reduction of weeds and helps in keeping food as well as yard waste out of landfills.

Compost can be obtained or made from locally available resources such as leaves, grass trimmings, yard garbage/remains, and kitchen waste. Alternatively, compost is readily available for purchase from mulch suppliers or organic garden centers. You can use these steps in making compost.

• Measure out space that is at least three square feet
• Get a pile of natural dead plants or leaves
• Add alternating layers of leaves, garden trimmings (carbon) and nitrogen (green) materials, for instance, kitchen leftovers and manure. Put a layer or separate them with a layer of soil.
• Cover the pile with about 4-6 inches of soil.
• Turn the pile every time a new layer is added to the mixture. During this process, ensure that water is added to keep the mixture moist to enhance microorganism activity.
• The compost should not smell but in case it does, add some more dry leaves, saw dust or straw and then turn it regularly. Do this for about four weeks or a month and you will have good compost needed for your organic garden.

3. Prepare Your Garden

Once you are waiting for the compost to be ready, the next step is to prepare your garden. After receiving a go ahead from your local agricultural extension officer concerning the right soil type, it is now time to prepare the garden area. Using available gardening tools you can carefully prepare your garden. However, it is important to ensure that you do not completely destroy the soil.

4. Choose the Right Plants

Once you are through with preparing your garden, the next step is to select the right plants for your garden. Soil sampling and testing will come in handy at this stage. It is important to choose plants that will thrive well in specific micro-conditions of your soil type. Carefully choose plants that will thrive well in different spots in your garden in terms of moisture, light, and drainage as well as the soil quality. Remember the healthier your plants are, the more and more resistant your crops will be to attackers.

Another mechanism for growing organically is to select plants suited to the garden. Crops well adapted to the gardens climate and conditions are better able to grow with minimal input. Also, growing crops well adapted to the site ensure greater natural defenses. Meaning, little attention and input is required for boosting crop productivity.

When purchasing seedlings, ensure that you go for plants that are raised without synthetic chemicals or pesticides. Your local farmers market is a good place to do your purchases. You will not only find a variety of plants but plant varieties that are best suited for your local area. Carefully select plants that look healthy and are without overcrowded roots.

5. Plant the Crops in Beds

When planting your crops ensure that you plant them in wide beds. Planting them in beds prevents you from walking on them and destroying the soil surface when harvesting or when cutting the flowers. Additionally, grouping crops helps in reducing weeding, wastage of water and makes it easier for you to apply compost. It also enables the plants to utilize the available nutrients and water. Ensure that there is adequate space between the rows. This helps in promoting air circulation which helps in repelling fungal attacks.

6. Water the Crops

Once you have planted your crops, the next step is to water them. It is good to water the plants immediately after planting them to give them the much-needed water to enable them to continue growing. You can also water them every morning. It is recommended to water your pants in the morning because there are no strong winds, mornings are cool and the water lost as a result of evaporation is immensely reduced. Experts recommend considerable, infrequent watering for plants that are already established.

7. Weeding: According to CSU, Weeds reduce crop yield by competing for water, light, soil nutrients, and space. In agricultural crops, weeds can reduce crop quality by contaminating the commodity. They can serve as hosts for diseases or provide shelter for insects to overwinter. It may be a hard work to pull out weeds by hand but then its a good exercise that helps you to get some fresh air.

8: Provide Nutrients to Your Plants: When you do organic gardening, you need to look out for eco-friendly ways to protect your plants from toxic pesticides and fertilizers. So, you need to make sure that your plants get enough light, nutrients and moisture that help them to grow better. Also, a diverse garden would help to prevent pests, by limiting the amount of one type of plant and gives boost to biodiversity.

Instead of using chemical pesticides, organic gardening emphasizes on promoting beneficial insects and companion planting. Organic farmers need not to eliminate insects and diseases by using chemicals. Rather, pest control is done through keeping pests and diseases below damaging levels. One of the major mechanisms is by promoting beneficial insects and pest predators such as bats, birds, lizards, toads, and spiders.

The key to succeeding in this area is to grow a wide variety of companion crops that supports the ecological niche of these species. Avoiding the use of synthetic pesticides as well ensures their survival. Nipping off infected/infested leaves or buds, uprooting infected crops, crop rotation, and handpicking insect pests and eggs are excellent methods for controlling pest populations. Maintaining garden cleanliness is another effective tool for organic pest control.

Natural sprays or pesticides can equally be used in addition to the cultural pest control methods. They are readily available from organic garden centers and their products contain the bacterium Bacillus, neem oil, and minerals like copper. Their ability to break down quickly has promoted their wide usage in place of the synthetic chemical pesticides. Besides, there are some vegetable/fruit pests and diseases that are beyond natural and organic control, thereby requiring the use of natural sprays.

9. Use of Organic Fertilizers

As much as organic matter and compost will improve water and nutrient retention in the soil, the supply of all the required nutrients for healthy and productive growth is limited. Besides compost, organic gardening requires additional fertilizers drawn from natural sources such as: plant products like wood ash; natural deposits for example rock phosphate; and animal byproducts as well as manures.

Agricultural lime is another natural product frequently added to soil to improve its quality. It is produced from naturally occurring limestone and is added to the soil to optimize pH if the soil is too acidic. Soil pH levels vary from one locality to another. Local extension offices usually provide guidance on soil pH level testing within their jurisdiction areas. However, most soils do not need additional liming.

10. Taking Care of Your Organic Garden

There are important maintenance tips for your organic garden if you want to maintain or harvest healthy plants. Some of these practices include:

• Mulching
• Watering in the mornings
• Use of compost
• Use of natural manure especially from animals that do not eat meat
• Weeding at the right time
• Prune regularly to allow for proper aeration and effective use of nutrients including light.

Various Benefits of Organic Gardening

1. Reduces the Amount of Pesticides You and Your Family Consume

Organic gardening focuses on the use of only natural products to grow plants. This means that there is no use of pesticides. Therefore, the crops obtained from this type of gardening are free of pesticides and other chemicals. You will live a healthy life without worrying about consuming chemicals through consuming crops.

Organic gardening promises good health because the produce is free from toxic ingredients and other synthetically enhanced chemicals. The fruits and vegetables grown in the organic garden do not have the chemical residues which enter the body when eaten. Organic veggies are also proven to contain higher mineral and vitamin contents compared to those grown using pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers.

Furthermore, complementary medicine professionals affirm that there are high nutrient concentrations such as Vitamins C and D in organic food products. Organic gardening also adds an extra benefit of exercising the body, especially from manual labor including planting, weeding, and harvesting. Thus, gardening can be an enjoyable and meaningful way to boost physical exercise. The outdoor environment also offers a refreshing means of connecting with nature, sunshine and fresh air, acting as a stress reliever

2. Helps In Conserving the Environment

Use of chemicals on crops is one way in which we pollute the environment. The chemicals sprayed or applied on the crops seethe through the soil into the water. This puts the microorganisms at risk. When spraying the crops, the wind carries away the chemicals into the atmosphere, and this is air pollution. Therefore, embracing organic gardening is one of the best ways of maintaining a healthy environment.

Choosing organic gardening massively aids in environmental preservation. Growing vegetables and fruits in a natural way will not only ensure healthy produce but also promote a friendly and toxicity free environment. Organic gardening is the surest way of preserving a healthy and green environment by ensuring ecological balance and minimal disturbance to the natural environment.

It ensures birds, small animals, and beneficial insects are free from chemical harm. Organic matter used to prepare the soil also helps to improve the soil quality. Therefore, organic gardening offers the most beneficial outcome for good environmental health. Putting an end to chemical fertilizers and pesticides that leach into the ground and find way into water supply is only a possibility through organic gardening.

3. Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Crops that contain chemicals release these chemicals into the atmosphere in the form of greenhouse gasses. These gasses combined with other impurities in the air pose a risk to the air we breathe in. Additionally, these gasses also contribute immensely to global warming, and we all know the negative effects of global warming.

4. Better Taste

Organic vegetables and fruits contain scent and taste which are simply better due to their natural growth compared to those grown commercially. To a very large extent, veggies and fruits grown commercially cannot bear or beat the natural flavors of those that are grown organically. Fresh vegetables and fruits from the garden have always tasted better and have natural flavor.

5. Saves Money

A tremendous way of saving money is by growing your own organic vegetable garden. Saving money is something that every person wants to do but it can only be realized by undertaking small initiatives like growing own veggies and fruits. Through organic gardening, one can save up to 50% of the money used to buy fruits and veggies at supermarkets as well as other perishable stores.

To conclude, organic gardening is beneficial to the people and the environment. However, learning how to start an organic is a very important step in ensuring that you conserve the environment and that you grow your own delicious fresh produce. To give your crops the needed nourishment, you can use natural fertilizers, for example, seaweed extracts, fish emulsion or manures obtained from animal droppings especially cow and chicken droppings that is readily available or bought from your local garden center.

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What is E-waste Recycling?

E-waste refers to electronic waste. E-waste recycling is the reuse and reprocessing of electrical and electronic equipment of any type that has been discarded or regarded as obsolete. Some of the common E-wastes include: home appliances such as televisions, air conditioners, electric cookers and heaters, air condoners, fans, DVDs, Radios and microwaves among others; information technology equipments such as computers, mobile phones, laptops, batteries, circuit boards, hard disks, and monitors among others; and other electronic utilities such as leisure, lighting, and sporting equipments. Recycling of e-waste is a growing trend and was initiated to protect human and environmental health mainly due to the widespread environmental pollution impacts of e-waste.

According to Wikipedia,

“Electronic waste or e-waste describes discarded electrical or electronic devices. Used electronics which are destined for reuse, resale, salvage, recycling or disposal are also considered e-waste. Informal processing of electronic waste in developing countries may cause serious health and pollution problems, as these countries have limited regulatory oversight of e-waste processing.”

Step-by Step Process of E-waste Recycling

The e-waste recycling process is highly labor intensive and goes through several steps. Below is the step-by-step process of how e-waste is recycled,

1. Picking Shed

When the e-waste items arrive at the recycling plants, the first step involves sorting all the items manually. Batteries are removed for quality check.

2. Disassembly

After sorting by hand, the second step involves a serious labor intensive process of manual dismantling. The e-waste items are taken apart to retrieve all the parts and then categorized into core materials and components. The dismantled items are then separated into various categories into parts that can be re-used or still continue the recycling processes.

3. First size reduction process

Here, items that cannot be dismantled efficiently are shredded together with the other dismantled parts to pieces less than 2 inches in diameter. It is done in preparation for further categorization of the finer e-waste pieces.

4. Second size reduction process

The finer e-waste particles are then evenly spread out through an automated shaking process on a conveyor belt. The well spread out e-waste pieces are then broken down further. At this stage, any dust is extracted and discarded in a way that does not degrade the environmentally.

5. Over-band Magnet

At this step, over-band magnet is used to remove all the magnetic materials including steel and iron from the e-waste debris.

6. Non-metallic and metallic components separation.

The sixth step is the separation of metals and non-metallic components. Copper, aluminum, and brass are separated from the debris to only leave behind non-metallic materials. The metals are either sold as raw materials or re-used for fresh manufacture.

7. Water Separation.

As the last step, plastic content is separated from glass by use of water. One separated, all the materials retrieved can then be resold as raw materials for re-use. The products sold include plastic, glass, copper, iron, steel, shredded circuit boards, and valuable metal mix.

E-cycle components re-use

1. Plastic. All the plastic materials retrieved are sent to recyclers who use them to manufacture items such as fence posts, plastic sleepers, plastic trays, vineyard stakes, and equipment holders or insulators among other plastic products.

2. Metal. Scrap metals materials retrieved are sent to recyclers to manufacture new steel and other metallic materials.

3. Glass. Glass is retrieved from the Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) mostly found in televisions and computer monitors. Extracting glass for recycling from CRTs is a more complicated task since CRTs are composed of several hazardous materials. Lead is the most dangerous and can adversely harm human health and the environment. Tubes in big CRT monitors can contain high levels of lead of up to 4 kilograms. Other toxic metals such as barium and phosphor are also contained in CRT tubes. To achieve the best environmentally friendly glass extraction, the following steps ensure a specialized CRT recycling:

• Manual separation of the CRT from the television or monitor body
• Size reduction process where the CRT is shredded into smaller pieces. Dust is eliminated and disposed in an environmentally friendly way.
• All metals are removal through over-band magnets, where ferrous and non-ferrous components are eliminated from the glass materials.
• A washing line is then used to clear oxides and phosphors from the glass
• Glass sorting is the final step whereby leaded glass is separated from non-leaded glass. The extracts can then be used for making new screens.

4. Mercury. Mercury containing devices are sent to mercury recycling facilities that uses a specialized technology for elimination for use in dental amalgams and metric instruments, and for fluorescent lighting. Other components such as glass and plastics are re-used for manufacture of their respective products.

5. Printed Circuit Boards. Circuit boards are sent to specialized and accredited companies where they are smelted to recover non-renewable resources such as silver, tin, gold, palladium, copper and other valuable metals.

6. Hard Drives. Hard drives are shredded in whole and processed into aluminum ingots for use in automotive industry.

7. Ink and Toner Cartridges. Ink and toner cartridges are taken back to respective manufacturing industries for recycling. They are remanufactured while those that can’t are separated into metal and plastic for re-use as raw materials.

8. Batteries. Batteries are taken to specialized recyclers where they are hulled to take out plastic. The metals are smelted is specialized conditions to recover nickel, steel, cadmium and cobalt that are re-used for new battery production and fabrication of stainless steel.

Batteries are taken to specialized recyclers where they are hulled to take out plastic. The metals are smelted is specialized conditions to recover nickel, steel, cadmium and cobalt that are re-used for new battery production and fabrication of stainless steel.

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What is Organic Farming?

Organic farming refers to agricultural production systems reliant on green manure, compost, biological pest control, and crop rotation to produce crops, livestock, and poultry. Organic farming is dependent on developing ecological biodiversity in the plantation farm to interrupt the habitation of pests and diseases, and ensuring meaningful maintenance and improvement of soil fertility. By all necessary means, organic farming does not allow the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, herbicides, or pesticides. All agricultural production are done organically and in the best natural way including the production of fibers, grains, vegetables, flowers, processed food products, and animal products such as milk, eggs, and meat.

In simple terms, organic farming is an agricultural practice aimed at attaining balanced ecological production management system that encourages and improves soil biological activity and biodiversity. It involves minimum use of synthetic chemicals and inputs outside the farm while ensuring management practices that preserve, replenish, and enhance ecological stability.

Organic farming also excludes antibiotic use in livestock, plant growth regulators, nano-materials and genetically modified products to attain the goal of environmental sustainability and enhancing ecological harmony. Some of the fundamental features of organic agricultural production systems include: natural livestock and crop production through submission to an organic system plan; detailed record keeping system for all the produce from the point of production to consumption; and use of buffer zones to prevent synthetic chemicals from accidentally contaminating bordering conventional farms.

As per the definition of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) study team on organic farming and organic agriculture,

“Organic farming is a system which avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetic inputs (such as fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, feed additives etc) and to the maximum extent feasible rely upon crop rotations, crop residues, animal manures, off-farm organic waste, mineral grade rock additives and biological system of nutrient mobilization and plant protection.

Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.“

Why is There Need for Organic Farming?

1. Organic Food Industry is Growing Fast and Guarantees High Profitability

Current market trends according to natural marketing institute reveals that organically produced products are becoming widely accepted throughout the world. Again, the institute underscores that over the past few years, the annual sales of organic products have increased three fold with increased establishment of natural food stores selling varieties of organic products. The farmers markets also offer commercialization of regionally and locally produced organic products. Accordingly, the retail sales of organic products are expected to continue rising in the coming years at a rate more than 20% yearly.

For instance, the estimated market value of certified organic products in 2001 was approximately $20 billion. As of 2002 it was $23 billion and more than $46 billion by 2007. The market had reached $63 billion worldwide by 2012.

The increasing variety of consumers spread all over the world have surely promoted the wider acceptance of organic products and made it to be the fastest growing agricultural sector. Majorly, the fast growth rate and high profitability level is attributed to the health benefits and the superior quality as well as taste of the organic products compared to the conventional agricultural produce. At the same time, people continue to receive awareness about the significance of organic food products and farming, transforming the agricultural sector into an attractive economic alternative.

2. Environmental Sustainability and Food Security

Attaining a friendly and green environment has always been a great concern worldwide and research discloses that organic farming can partly offer a solution. Long term studies about organic agricultural practice reveal it can provide an impressive mechanism for promoting ecological harmony, biodiversity, and biological cycles which are vital for environmental sustainability.

The definitive objectives of organic farming are founded on soil management and conservation, promoting nutrient cycle, ecological balance and conserving biodiversity. On this basis, the practices marvelously aid in building the capacity to mitigate the impacts of global climate change and contributing to environmental preservation. In addition to reversing global climate change impacts, organic agriculture can trim down emissions from fossil fuels mainly due to the use of cover crops and grass clovers in organic rotations.

Organic farming also saves up energy since its production methods are energy efficient compared to the conventional methods, thereby lessening depletion of natural resources used for generating energy. Besides, a recent study in Science-Digest stressed that promotion of organic farming can intensify yield production particularly in poor countries where inputs for conventional agriculture are highly expensive, thus contributing to increased food security.

3. Improvement of Human Health

Organic produce offer the safest products for human consumption than any other available food products. They contain lower levels of chemicals and do not contain modified ingredients compared to the conventional agricultural produce.

Organic standards set strict regulations to ensure final products for consumption are free from synthetic chemical components and genetically modified production technologies, or any other perceived natural toxins. As such, organic farm produce improves human health by ensuring risks to disease conditions like cancer, infertility, and immunodeficiency are minimized.

Key Features of Organic Farming

As stated earlier, the fundamental features of organic farming are based on maintaining a natural system that includes: natural livestock and crop production through submission to an organic system plan; detailed record keeping system for all the produce from the point of production to consumption; and use of buffer zones to prevent synthetic chemicals from accidentally contaminating the bordering conventional farms. Detailed discussions are listed below.

1. Natural Livestock and Poultry Production

By natural production, it means raising livestock and poultry for production of their products such as meat, eggs, and dairy by providing natural living conditions and feeds. Any forms of hormones, antibiotics, and medications are unacceptable, especially if used for promoting growth and productivity. Feeds have to be organic and livestock have to be pastured. Farm features such as using livestock for plowing, hauling, fuel, and even recycling their waste for manure are key aspects of organic farming.

The control of parasites and diseases is accomplished through preventative measures such as balanced diet, sanitary housing, rotational grazing, and stress reduction.

2. Natural Crop Production

Natural crop production encompasses crop diversity and organic systems for enhancing crop fertility as well as controlling pests, weeds and diseases. Organic farming requires a variety of crops that can support numerous and different types of beneficial soil microorganisms, insects, and promotes overall soil management for improved farm productivity.

Weed and pest management is to be done without the use of synthetic herbicides or pesticides respectively. Control measures should be through flame weeding, mechanical tillage, mulching, use of cover crops, crop rotation, mechanical tillage and hand weeding. Organic farming also needs to depend on predatory beneficial insects, beneficial soil microorganisms, companion cropping, birds, proper sanitation, and crop rotation for pest control.

In extreme cases of pest infestation, farmers can implement measures such as use of barriers and traps, mating disruption, biological pesticides, and insect predators. Soil biota, building soil structure, use of compost, and biologically based soil amendments are utilized to promote healthy plants that are tolerant and resist to diseases. Botanical measures can also be used to control diseases.

3. Soil Management

Organic farming extensively relies on nourishing the soil naturally by using compost, natural mineral powders and green manure. Crop rotation, inter-cropping and minimal tillage is also used to improve soil fertility, structure, and water holding capacity in organic farming. As a result, it helps to support the soil microbial activities that transform and release soil nutrients.

4. Buffer Zones and Record Keeping

Submission to an organic system plan is a key feature of organic farming. It requires the practice of buffering between organic farms and adjacent conventional farms. Keeping records of the entire farm activities is as well a necessity to ensure standard organic farming practice. It ensures proper sanitation, quality monitoring system for pests, parasites, diseases and productivity, and farm integrity.

Image credit: flickr , ugacommunications

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Smart & Simple Ways To Reduce Your Energy Consumption At Home

The fight against carbon emissions starts at home. According to YourHome, electricity accounts for up to 53% of energy used within a household and creates 87% of greenhouse gas emissions. Most of Australia’s energy is generated by burning non-renewable fossil fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas and liquid petroleum gas (LPG). Global action is being taken to tackle carbon emissions and the risks it poses towards climate change. Australia is part of 99 countries that have committed to taking action to reduce global emissions by the year 2020. The average Australian can play a huge role in helping the nation reduce carbon emissions by adopting sustainable habits within their home. Below are a few habits the average Australian can adopt.

Turning off the lights after they leave the room.

Many Australians are guilty of leaving the lights on in empty rooms. Some Aussies are even guilty of sleeping with their lights on. This extra energy consumption adds to the overall energy bill and contributes to unnecessary carbon emissions.

Turning off electricity appliances at the wall.

Even though appliances are turned off at the switch, they can still consume some energy when they are plugged in. If items aren’t being used, turn them off stand-by mode and remove them completely from the plug sockets in the wall.

Installing solar panels for their water heating.

Australia is one of the few lucky countries that gets an abundant amount of sunshine. So it makes sense to get hot water for free by using solar water heating solutions.

Changing household light bulbs from halogen to LED.

Lighting consumes a lot of power in the average Australian household. For homeowners that haven’t made the switch, it is one of the easiest things to change. According to LED light provider LEDified, the average Australian home can reduce their lighting bills by from $887/year to $83/year by simply switching from halogen lights to LEDs.

LEDified suggest installing LED Lights as an alternative to halogen lights.

Using a hot water bottle instead of a heater.

During the cooler months, people are tempted to leave electric, gas or oil heaters on all day. While they improve the warmth within the home, it is expensive and consumes a lot of energy. Using a hot water bottle only requires the energy for the kettle to boil and the heat can last up to 8 hours.

Avoid using the dryer!

When it comes to drying your clothes, avoid using the electric dryer and opt to use either an outdoor or indoor clothesline.

Closing the curtains on hot days.

When the hot summer days arrive, many people will quickly turn to air conditioning or fans for relief. Rather than use extra energy, homeowners can block the sun’s heat with dark curtains. This should reduce the internal temperature within the home.

Install double-glazing windows to minimise heat loss during the cooler months.

Double-glazing is a great option for those people that live in cooler climates around Australia. Rather than relying on heaters to keep your property warm, double glazed windows will prevent the loss of heat from rooms within the property.

Spend less time in the shower.

People should aim for 4-minute showers to reduce energy consumption costs from running hot water.

Create shade on the sunny side of your home.

Minimise the amount of heat that enters the home by installing internal or external shutters or by planting trees outside the property.

Should Australians make simple changes to lifestyle habits within their home, they will help the nation achieve its goal of reducing carbon emissions by the year 2020.

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40+ Innovative Ways To Build And Maintain An Environmentally Friendly Home

This article is based on research conducted on some of the most innovative thinkers and practitioners where building and sustaining environmentally friendly houses are concerned. The list below is extensive and deliberately random. But as you peruse it, you will clearly be able to identify some correlations.

The motivation for being random with our choices is to allow you to be inspired, innovative and creative with your own set of circumstances. Realistically speaking, not everyone can just simply pack up and go, but, as the list clearly shows, you can still make paradigm shifts in the direction of an eco-friendly home which will not only protect your environment but sustain you and your family well into the future.

When building a new eco-friendly or environmentally-friendly home, you need to make sure that the new home is sustainable, saves you money as well as preserve the environment. Use the suggestions below to make sure you are building an environment-friendly home.

1. Begin by buying your own land: This gives you a unique opportunity to basically start from scratch and build your first eco-friendly home. It will be a lot cheaper than mortgage prices for existing structures.

2. But first choose your location carefully: This is of primary importance. The location of your plot must be aligned strategically with the direction of the sun’s path. It will help you to streamline your energy use in the future.

3. Educate and empower yourself: No-one is suggesting that you enroll for an architectural degree or diploma, but this wouldn’t be a bad idea anyway. In any case, information is widely available from a variety of media sources to educate you on new eco-friendly building and home maintenance technologies.

4. Then focus on keeping things small: The smaller your living space, the greater the potential to make energy savings. Having space that you aren’t using is also wasteful.

5. The truly independent homestead: This is an all-encompassing motivation. Alternative energy sources such as solar and wind power are not yet all connected to an expensive national grid. But it is possible now to apply your mind to domestic installations which are widely available. Not only is it a cost-saver, you never have to submit another bill to your local supplier anyway.

6. Everything gets re-used: It takes time to adopt this practice. Simply apply your mind as you would to making savings to your bank and investment accounts. By adopting a re-use practice, you drastically reduce the need to waste expenditure on new items.

7. Isolate and insulate: You may need readily available technical assistance for this strategy. What it basically entails is detecting and isolating air leaks which are normally found around ducts, doors and windows. And these leaks, unseen, contribute to additional amounts of energy being expended on either warming or cooling your home.

8. Solar power: No matter what type of eco-friendly structure you will be erecting in the future or how your existing house is built, installing solar panels is possible and should be high on your list of priorities. It’s an effective form of energy use and storage and will drastically reduce or eliminate what you would have normally spent on sourcing power.

9. Energy efficient windows: Make a note of this legend. It’s called Energy Star Windows. And it includes a ratings system commensurate with the amount of energy you will be using and/or saving. In this case, the lower the rating, the more efficient the window is. It also eliminates the added energy expenditure proportionally per (normal) window.

10. More info on windows: Choose double-glazed windows (over single-glazed) and wood-framed windows, and you will be amazed at how much you will conserve and save on these previously overlooked appendages from our perceptively modern lifestyles.

11. Environmentally-friendly lighting 101: It’s a simple trick which takes up no time or money. Simply replace old bulbs with energy-saving (fluorescent) light bulbs. LED lighting is also an option. In all cases, these lighting features last longer, use less power and save you more money exponentially.

12. And what about geothermal energy?: When making your house as energy efficient and self-reliant as possible, you need to consider all available options and prime yourself towards adding more than one environmentally-friendly source of power. Geothermal energy is one such option. It routes power from the earth via an earth loop and directly into your existing HVAC system.

13. Think seriously about community orientation: The old adage about sharing is that it is caring. Creating closely-knit neighborhoods opens the window towards sharing power and other innovative recycling depots strategically placed near everyone’s homes.

14. And there’s no such thing as trailer trash: Forget about the prejudice previously associated with poor Americans who had no alternative before. New, fresh and innovative thinkers have been adapting these otherwise mobile contraptions for consummate and stylish green-living.

15. You could even become a hobbit: One American family will be bedding down tonight in their own, self-styled Hobbit-like home, otherwise christened as The Dome. In essence, this dome-like structure has been sourced entirely from natural and local materials. You could use this real-life story as a source for your own future inspiration.

16. Or live in a recyclable cabin: This too, is possible. One writer created his own cabin, sourcing entirely organic materials. But this home’s feature is its self-sufficiency through the utilization of off the grid energy and water gathering sources.

17. Sustainable building material tricks: You need to go back in time and examine the way our forefathers used to live. Back then, everything, whether wood or clay was sourced entirely from nature and also effectively insulated homes naturally.

18. Micro and multifunctional living spaces: If you are still confined to urban living spaces, you can still make an eco-friendly contribution by choosing appropriately sized and structured apartments designed for multiple use.

19. Only use sustainable and re-usable building materials: This is simply a rule of thumb and easy to implement because everything, from glass to wood to locally produced bricks, is readily available.

20. Source from and support your local suppliers: Extending the previous motivation, bypassing large, mainstream manufacturers and retailers also helps you to reduce carbon footprints further.

21. Collect rainwater: Conservation collection points can be strategically built around the home to harvest natural water.

22. Then save it: The exercise is extended by using storage units to save unneeded water for later use.

23. How you can use water efficiently: Even in conventional homes, this is now possible. Fixtures and fittings such as faucets and shower heads are now widely available.

24. The HVAC system: As a technologically advanced system, Energy Star rated, it remains a sophisticated comfort zone which also saves energy exponentially.

25. How you can control and reduce your heating and cooling MOs: But even without the HVAC, there are practical ways to insulate your home at no cost. For instance, you can close your curtains when leaving the home. This captures and stores either warm or cool air for when it is needed.

26. Below the decks options: As mentioned earlier, geothermal energy sourcing via an earth loop directs heat to your HVAC system, if used.

27. Ceiling insulation: Insulating lofts poses no challenges, is cost effective and now uses recyclable materials.

28. Aligning landscaping with nature: This point is aligned with an earlier point on choosing your location.

29. All your furniture from recycling: This is an easy to follow rule because furniture made from recycled materials is widely available and becoming a market captive practice.

30. Eco-friendly and attractive painting: Go for low VOC. Traditional paints contain damaging volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Paints from manufacturers like Benjamin Moore (Muslin [OC-12]) contain fewer atmosphere- polluting volatile organic compounds.

31. Consider buying old furniture: Websites such as Craigslist and Freecycle offers you an option to buy used furniture using old furniture instead of buying new one can save environment.

32. Run ceiling fan: If it is not too hot inside your home, consider running ceiling fan instead of an air conditioner. Use them whenever possible to keep home cool in the summer. Reducing the usage of air conditioners can result in significant cost savings for your family.

33. Home energy audit: You can perform home energy audit on your own, or you can hire someone to come in and perform a more professional approach. No matter which route you take with a home energy audit, you’ll be able to find room to save energy and money and help reduce your carbon footprint.

34. Dual-flush toilet: The dual-flush toilet offers two flush options, one for liquid waste (usually 0.8 gallons per flush) and one for solid waste (1.6 gallons per flush). Your family could save up to 80% on your toilet water consumption.

35. Install a skylight: A skylight can add natural beauty to your home while reducing your energy consumption with daylighting and ventilation. When properly selected and installed, skylights can help minimize your heating, cooling, and lighting costs. It is important to consider your home position in order to maximize the benefits.

36. Compost kitchen scraps: There are many items that we throw out from the kitchen on daily basis. Instead, these items like fruit and vegetable peels, eggshells can be recycled to produce compost which can be fruitful for your garden. If not used for composting, these items will end up in landfills. So, this actually helps to reduce the amount of waste in landfills.

37. Programmable thermostat: A programmable thermostat can help you save money in heating and cooling costs. For example, a programmable thermostat old keep your home warmer when you’re out during the day and would turn it on when you get home.

38. Motion sensor lights: These lights, as their names suggest, can sense when someone or something is coming in or out of a room, so that you don’t have to worry about “turning off the lights” when you leave the room.

39. Solar powered outdoor lights: If you live in an area that gets a lot of sunlight during the day, then solar powered outdoor lamps could help you reduce your energy consumption and still have lights on.

40. Sufficient windows in each room: While building your home, make sure you have sufficient windows in each room. Let sunlight come in through these windows and you can use it throughout the day. Windows even bring in breezes even the warmest day and help you save money on heating and cooling costs.

41. Plant trees: Trees around your home will provide you with fresh air throughout the day. Apart form that, trees provide shade that keeps the house cool.

So, now you can see that there are numerous innovative and cost-saving initiatives included in this check-list styled building plan for your green future. And while you may not be ready to move or build just yet, you can still implement changes around your home as early as today.

We hope you had as much fun going through this list as we had in putting it together. We also hope that you now agree that this is the way of the future. It is essential for ensuring our survival as well as that of our entire natural environment. Rewardingly, it entails a return to basics and immersing ourselves in nature, just as Mother Nature originally intended.

Image credit: flickr , flickr

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What is Air Quality Index?

Air quality index (AQI) is a numerical scale used for reporting day to day air quality with regard to human health and the environment. The daily results of the index are used to convey to the public an estimate of air pollution level. An increase in air quality index signifies increased air pollution and severe threats to human health. In most cases, AQI indicates how clear or polluted the air in our surrounding is, and the associated health risks it might present. The AQI centers on the health effects that may be experienced within a few days or hours after breathing polluted air.

AQI calculations focus on major air pollutants including: particulate matter, ground-level ozone, sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon monoxide (CO). Particulate matter and ozone pollutants pose the highest risks to human health and the environment. For each of these air pollutant categories, different countries have their own established air quality indices in relation to other nationally set air quality standards for public health protection.

According to Wikipedia,

An air quality index (AQI) is a number used by government agencies to communicate to the public how polluted the air currently is or how polluted it is forecast to become. As the AQI increases, an increasingly large percentage of the population is likely to experience increasingly severe adverse health effects.

How Does Air Quality Work/Determined?

On an hourly basis, the concentration of each pollutant in the air is measured and converted into a number running from zero upwards by using a standard index or scale. Calculated number for every pollutant is termed as a sub-index. The highest sub-index for any given hour is recorded as the AQI for that hour. In simple terms, AQI is like a yardstick that ranges from zero to five hundred (0-500). The index is a relative scale, meaning, the lower the index the better the quality of air and the lesser the health concern, and vice versa. The concentration of each pollutant varies, therefore, AQI values are grouped into ranges assigned to a standardized public health warnings and color code.

For instance, an AQI value of 0 to 50 means good air quality with limited possibility of affecting public and environmental health. On the other hand, an AQI value of 300 to 500 represents hazardous air quality with greater potential to affect public and environment health. The commonly accepted value is 100 as it corresponds to the generally approved air quality standards as set to safeguard public health. AQI levels below 100 are highly satisfactory while values beyond 100 are regarded to harm human health. As the AQI values get higher, it even poses more serious health concerns.

During days that the AQI is recorded to be elevated, the institution of public health might: offer advice to sensitive groups such as the children, those with respiratory problems, and the elderly to keep away from outdoor activities; take action to improve air quality by introducing measures for reducing emissions; or recommend the use of air pollution masks, especially in severe cases of air pollution.

Formula for Calculating Air Quality Index

Air quality index is calculated by a linear function by determining the concentration of the pollutant. The equation below is used to compute AQI.

Where:

I = the (Air Quality) index,

C = the pollutant concentration,

C _{low} = the concentration breakpoint that is ≤ C,

C _{high} = the concentration breakpoint that is ≥ C,

I _{low} = the index breakpoint corresponding to C _{low},

I _{high} = the index breakpoint corresponding to C _{high}.

Air Quality Index Categories

The AQI is divided in six categories and each category is meant to correspond to different health concern levels. Below is an explanation of the categories and their meanings.

• 0 – 50 indicates “Good” AQI. At this level the quality of air is deemed to be satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.

• 51 – 100 indicate “Moderate” AQI. This means acceptable Air quality. However, some pollutants might arouse modest health concern for a limited number of people. For instance, persons who are remarkably sensitive to ozone may experience respiratory symptoms.

• 101 – 150 indicate “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” AQI. This category may not be able to affect the general health of the public. However, children, older adults, and persons with lung disease are at a greater risk from ozone exposure. Older children, adults and people with lung and heart disease are at greater risk from exposure to particulate matter.

• 151 – 200 indicate “Unhealthy” AQI. In this category, every person might experience some adverse health effects. Sensitive group members may experience more serious effects. People with heart or lung disease, older adults and children should cut back or reschedule strenuous activities.

• 201 – 300 indicate “Very Unhealthy” AQI. This would issue a health alert to mean that everybody may experience very serious health implications. People with heart or lung disease, older adults and children should significantly cut back or reschedule strenuous activities.

• Greater than 300 indicate “Hazardous” AQI. Air quality at this level is life-threatening and would issue warnings of emergency conditions for the entire population.

At a glance, the table below provides the Air Quality Index (AQI) categories

How Can I Avoid Exposure to Unhealthy Air?

The AQI is calculated for four major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particle pollution, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide. You need to take following simple steps to avoid exposure to unhealthy air:

Prolonged Exertion: Prolonged exertion is any outdoor activity that you do intermittently for several hours and may cause you to breather slightly faster than normal. When air is unhealthy outside, you can reduce intake of unhealthy air by reducing how much time you spend on this type of activity.

Heavy Exertion: Heavy exertion means intense outdoor activities that cause you to breathe hard. When air quality is bad outside, you can protect your health by reducing the amount of time you spend on this activity or by substituting it with less intense activity.

Four Major Types of Air Pollutants

Ozone: Ozone is a gas found in the air we breathe. Several people who are active outdoor are sensitive to ozone as ozone levels are high outdoors. When you do physical activity, it causes faster and deep breathing which draws more ozone into the body. Good ozone is present naturally in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. Bad ozone forms near the ground when pollutants react chemically in sunlight.

Particulate Pollution: Particle pollution (also known as “particulate matter”) consists of a mixture of solids and liquid droplets. Some particles are emitted directly; others form when pollutants emitted by various sources react in the atmosphere. People with heart or lung disease are more sensitive to particulate pollution. Particulate pollution comes in 2 sizes: Fine particles (those 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter) and Coarse particles (particles between 2.5 and 10 micrometers).

Carbon Monoxide: Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas. It forms when the carbon in fuels does not completely burn. The major sources of carbon monoxide are vehicles exhaust, industrial processes, natural sources such as wildfires. Carbon monoxide can enter into the body through lungs and binds to hemoglobin. It is a substance in blood that carries oxygen to cells. In the body, it (carbon monoxide) reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the body’s organs and tissues.

Sulfur Dioxide: Sulfur dioxide, a colorless, reactive gas, is produced when sulfur-containing fuels such as coal and oil are burned. Major sources of sulfur dioxide include power plants, refineries, and industrial boilers. It is more commonly found near industrial complexes.

AQI colors

Each AQI category is assigned a specific color to make it easier for people to understand the unhealthy levels of air pollution. For example, the color red means that conditions are “unhealthy for everyone.” Please see the table for various color meanings of each AQI category.

Source: http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi

 Image credit: flickr , Roman

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50+ Stylish and Modern Ways To Live A Healthy And Green Lifestyle

Today there are just so many amazing and innovative ways that you can use to move towards living an entirely green lifestyle, a lifestyle that Mother Nature would be proud of. The list of creative and commonsensical ideas can be overwhelming when you think about it.

And therein lies the rub. Simply use your God-given and cognitive thinking skills along with a sense of morality and caring responsibility and you could be amazed with what you can come up with. Because the list of ideas and suggestions are endless at this stage, we’ve limited our list to just 50+ innovative green methods to help you get started.

Please note that the list is in no particular order, but if you carefully scrutinize it, you can quickly prioritize a few suggestions to match your current lifestyle and implement these right away.

1. Think clean, think biodegradable – Good household cleaning habits are a step in the right direction. Better still, use biodegradable alternatives to excessive chemically-induced detergents with foul-smelling odors.

2. And add soda and vinegar – You can also save on costs by mixing your own homemade ingredients. For example, try using baking soda and vinegar to make your own cleaning solution.

3. Don’t buy plastic and don’t dump them either – The rule is simple. Next time you go to the store, avoid the plastic bags; plan ahead and bring your own. And if you have no use for the plastic bags lying about your home, locate a local recycling place and turn in those plastic bags to be recycled and put to good use. Many grocery stores provide bins to return plastic bags.

4. Burlap or canvas bags as alternative carry-alls – These bags are much stronger and more durable. Longer lasting, they can be used for a number of other convenient parceling tasks over and above your regular grocery shopping.

5. Reduce clothes washing time – Only using eco-friendly detergents, wash large loads once a week or even every second week to reduce wasted energy and water. Also take advantage of the sunniest days to reduce drying time as well.

6. And make sure the machine is full – An empty or half full washing machine wastes electricity. Better still, wash by hand, giving yourself a good work out as well.

7. Also use cold water only – Washing by hand using cold water helps reduce energy usage and costs further.

8. Preserve vegetable left-over’s – Instead of dumping, unused left-over’s can be used for a great number of things, such as making your own beauty products or organic bottled jams.

9. Build a manure heap – It is easy to make and the manure can help add nutrients to your existing garden or organic garden to come.

10. Create your own organic garden – On that subject, you can create your own organic garden, focusing on growing your own vegetables and herbs and saving drastically on your food bills.

11. Add more brightness to your garden – When planting new flowers, focus on bright blooms. These act as natural attractions for bees which are essential for pollination and further growth.

12. And you can still support your local farmer – You won’t have the space for a chicken coop or pig pen. That’s where your local organic farmer comes in.

13. But plant one tree, and then another – By planting a tree you make a huge contribution towards reducing harmful greenhouse gases.

14. Encourage recycling – If you’re a parent, encourage your child to do recycling. Tell him about the benefits of recycling and how taking small steps can preserve this environment.

15. Buy eco-friendly products – Eco-friendly products are the products that do not harm the environment whether in their production, use or disposal. There are so many eco-friendly products available in the market that you can start using rite now to minimize your carbon footprint on planet Earth.

16. Time to go back to good old fashioned family values – This may be challenging but reduce the amount of time wastefully watching TV and spend more time doing things which only enhance your family’s well-being anyway.

17. Go organic shopping with the whole family – Weekend shopping can be fun-filled. Bypass energy-sapping malls and visit arts and crafts and organic produce stores instead.

18. Use cloth diapers –The modern habit of using disposable diapers is one you need to break. Get used to washing baby’s diapers. The modern waste adds far too much to already overflowing landfills.

19. And then watch everything grow – Tying all these new lifestyle habits together, you will soon see the reward in your change. It doesn’t take that long but right before your eyes, you and your children become privileged witnesses to life and its growth.

20. Recycled paper for when you need to go – Some habits are necessary and can’t be broken just yet. To compensate, green, recycled toilet paper is now widely available.

21. Think what you can do with recycled glass – Earlier we mentioned bottled jams. Think of the many other resourceful and creative things you can do with glass. Candles and storage containers already come to mind.

22. Reduce food waste – Every year tonnes of food get wasted because we do not complete the food that is served to us. Americans, particularly, seem to waste just as much food as they consume. Check out these 31 cool and easy ways to reduce food waste.

23. Learn off-grid living – Living off the grid means living away from modern technology and lifestyle on all levels. Have a look at these smart and easy ways to live off the grid.

24. The curtain trick – This is a natural HVAC system second to none. Before you leave the house, simply close your curtains and/or blinds. This helps keep things cooler during summer and warmer during winter.

25. Home-made beauty second to none – We mentioned earlier that recycled food waste can be used for this purpose. No need to spend a fortune on beauty products when you can now easily make your own.

26. Email only and no more printing – Read again. No more wasteful printing. It is as simple as that.

27. The re-usable mugs – Exponentially, using your own mug wherever you go reduces your carbon footprint. But cutting your caffeine intake is a smarter and healthier move still. Think how much gallons of water it takes to produce just one mug of your favorite brew.

28. Organic fabrics are better quality anyway – Previously, mainly due to its rustic and coarse texture, the organic alternatives where fabrics and cloth are concerned were overlooked. No longer, organic cloth is on a par, and sometimes exceeds, the quality normally found in traditional materials such as cotton.

29. Shoes-wise, do what the Japanese do – The Japanese are legends when it comes to cleanliness. One practice worth adopting is the removal of shoes whenever you enter your home. By doing that, you reduce dust and dirt making its way into your home and also reduce the time spent on energy-consuming cleaning practices.

30. Only use fluorescent lights – Simply put, fluorescent light bulbs last a lot longer and use far less energy than the traditional bulbs which are all being phased out anyway.

31. Build environmentally friendly home – If you’re building a new home for yourself, learn how you can build an environmentally friendly home. An environmentally friendly home is sustainable, saves you money as well as preserve the environment.

32. Better still, use candles more often – Being environmentally conscious within the confines of your home also means adding a touch of romance and nostalgia to your life. Create more such occasions by utilizing your recycled glass as candle holders.

33. Park the auto and do this instead – Cities around the world are moving in this direction anyway. You should too. You also save thousands of dollars on your gas bill. Rapid bus transport networks and cycling lanes are being added to busy urban transport networks. Take advantage of these healthy alternatives.

34. Tap water is actually good for you – It is a pretentious myth that bottled water is better. Stored in plastic it is an excessive waste. And unless otherwise advised, your tap water has been cleared for healthy use and remains largely free of harmful chemicals, pollutants and toxins.

35. Overall, less is more – Over the years, we became so used to our consumerism and material habits. But consuming far less is energy-efficient, a cost saver and also aesthetically stylish.

36. Travel green – When you go out on a trip, consider staying in eco-friendly hotel. Use solar charger to charge mobiles and/or iPods. Use public transport instead of hiring personal cab. Switch off lights when you move out of your room.

37. Green toilet paper – Use toilet paper made from recycled products to stay eco-friendly and reduce your environmental footprint. Green toilet paper is readily available and is inexpensive.

38. Subscribe for e-bills – Why to waste paper when you can subscribe for e-bills. This reduces your paperwork and in some cases saves you money on paper bill fees.

39. Reduce reuse recycle – Learn the concept of reduce, reuse and recycle. Reduce simply means reduce the amount of waste that you produce by choosing what rubbish you throw away. Reuse means reusing the old items before you throw them out. Recycling is a series of steps that takes a old used material, processes, remanufactures and sells it as a new product.

40. Invest in carbon offsets – The money that you will spend on buying carbon offsets will be invested in sustainable energy technologies or other sustainable ventures.

41. Learn about various ways to conserve energy – There are various ways to conserve energy.  Learning and implementing them in your daily lifestyle will help you to reduce your carbon footprint on the environment.

42. Stop junk mail – There are lot of services available online like this that can help you to unsubscribe from the junk mail that is sent to your home each year. Its just a matter of few clicks and you will be able to get rid of all those unnecessary junk mails.

43. Avoid plastic water bottles – Each year millions of plastic water bottles end up in landfills and we all know that plastic does not decompose that easily. The best you can do is to carry a bottle of your own when you step out of your home.

44. Purchase green power – Install solar panels or wind turbines at your home and reduce your dependency on local power grid. This will not only reduce your monthly electricity bill but you can also sell surplus electricity to your local utility company.

45. Buy rechargeable batteries – Whenever possible, buy rechargeable batteries. This will reduce the number of batteries that go to garbage each year. Dispose of old batteries carefully.

46. Start a compost pile – Start composting at your home that could be a great source of nutrient for your plants.

47. Do car pooling – Car pooling is yet another way to reduce your impact on the environment. Not only it will save you money but also helps you to socialize with your colleagues.

48. Switch to CFL’s or LED’s – Switch to CFL’s which last 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs, or LED’s which last even longer.

49. Buy Energy star appliances – If you are thinking to upgrade your appliances, switch to Energy Star-qualified appliances. They might be little expensive but will save you on your electricity bill in long run.

50. Switch to electric or hybrid car – There are many options available in the market in case you are planning to buy a  electric or hybrid car.

51. Buy e-books instead of new – Go for e-books or purchase old books instead of buying new books. It will help you save money and paper too.

52. Educate yourself and community – While you are taking steps to go green, you must be aware with the reasons why green living matters. Do a quick research and you will find tonnes of articles on internet related to green living. Be an inspiration for the rest of the people and let your action speak for yourself.

What more can be added? Perhaps there’s something we’ve left off this list. The onus is, however, still on you to examine your own lifestyle to determine what greening initiatives you can implement as early as today.

We hope that you’ve enjoyed going through this list as much as we enjoyed putting it together for you. You can use this as a handy checklist, but remember, store or file it somewhere accessible on your laptop or mobile and do not print this list.

Image credit: flickr , pixabay

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Are Energy Efficient Heaters Worth the Investment?

Heating your home is important. It’s important no matter where you live (ok – unless you live in Darwin, and then I’m pretty sure heating is only going to be important in the event of the apocalypse where everything freezes over and it’s minus twenty everywhere, and yet Darwin remains a balmy 14 degrees Celsius… but I digress).

Heaters need to be chosen according to a number of different parameters – like what size of heater you need, what kind of strength the heater needs to have and what kind of room the heater is heating. Then there are things to think about like whether it’s prudent to get ducted heating installed (top tip – unless you live in Victoria or Tasmania, it’s really not worth it) and what kind of set-up you want to get.

Then, of course, it’s vital that you choose a heater that is going to be energy efficient and perfect for your home. I did often wonder (or at least, I used to before I found out that energy efficient was the way to go!) about whether it was worth it to invest in a heater that had more energy efficient stars than another one, but I’ll share my findings with you and let you make up your own mind.

The Stats

If you look at it on average, the average Australian household spends 40 percent of the energy that we use in the home on heating and cooling – and that doesn’t actually include heating the hot water that we use in the shower or sink. Of course, the amount of energy that your household uses is going to vary depending on the kind of climate you live in – and the kind of heating and cooling system that you install.

Most homes are going to use some kind of heating or cooling system throughout the year – although if you have a well designed house, you might be able to avoid the excessive use of heating and cooling devices. That said, there’s probably no way around avoiding them altogether, so you need to figure out if the energy efficient ones are best for you or not. Whether you’re looking at outdoor heaters or an indoor system, it’s vital that you consider the environment and your hip pocket as part of the equation.

The Figures

Energy efficient space heaters and reverse-cycle air conditioners are cheaper to run overall than a standard electric heater, and they also produce around one third of the amount of greenhouse gases all up.

The Benefits

When buying an energy efficient heater, there are plenty of benefits to reap:

• You’re going to save a whole lot of money. Buying an energy efficient heater is a great boon for your savings account because it delivers the same heating for your home at a far cheaper rate. It’s definitely something that should be part of your decision making process and I know it was a key part of mine.

• You will enjoy the feeling of doing something good for the planet. Choosing a heater that is energy efficient is a good thing for your wallet for sure, but the other key benefit is that it’s really good for the planet. Enjoy this feeling of contributing to a greater cause- you’ve earnt it!

• You may inspire others to greatness. When you buy a new product, there’s every chance that you go and ask your friends what kind of heater they have and you go and find out what the best product is to buy based on their recommendations. It stands to reason that your friends may bounce off you as well and be inspired by your eco-friendly choice, right?

Good luck with buying the best possible heater you can – and make your next choice an energy efficient one!

Image credit: matsuyuki

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Conserving Wildlife: 20 Extraordinary Things You Can Do to Save Endangered Species

We all know that there are many endangered species throughout the world. The word ‘endangered’ means that these species are at a high risk of becoming extinct if no steps are taken to protect to protect and restore their habitats. A number of these species are at a risk of extinction and are being threatened by industrialization, overhunting, or reckless population management practices. Most of these species get killed due to the fur or oil they produce or as a food source.

There are number of organizations like WWF, NRDC, Endangered that are doing their part to protect disappearing wildlife and last remaining wild places. Their mission is to find solutions that save the marvelous array of life on our planet by applying the best science available and working closely with local communities.

We certainly want to do our part to keep them from going extinct in order to protect the ecosystem. But you are just one person, so there is not anything you can do, right? Wrong. There are a number of things that you can do in order to make a positive impact on this wildlife. Being a responsible citizen, you should act on behalf of threatened and endangered wildlife – animals, fish, plants, and insects – and the wild places they call home.

The following is a list of 20 extraordinary things that you and your loved ones can do in order to help protect endangered species. Share this list with those who are close to you, and hopefully we can save these species from getting extinct.

1. Know what species in your area are endangered. This is the first step in making yourself aware and sharing that awareness with others. In most places, there will be species that are endangered. If you know what species are endangered, you can let everyone around you know so that they are able to act in a way that will not put these animals’ lives in danger.

2. Volunteer your time to protect the wildlife in your area. Wildlife refuges, parks, and other places are often homes to very important species. You can help by volunteering at one of these places in order to protect the animals. Thanks to these places and the volunteers that work at them, one person can make a difference. This goes hand-in-hand with the first thing on the list, so once you know what species are endangered, you can volunteer your time in order to help them thrive.

3. Make certain that your home is not a hazard to wildlife. The first thing you can do is to secure all of your trash so that animals can’t get to it. Use locking lids on your trash bins in order to keep your trash from becoming a hazard. Reduce the amount of water you use so that there is more local water for the wildlife. Another thing you can do is to place decals on your windows in order to keep birds from colliding with them. Because a large number of birds die from flying into windows, these decals will help to protect the local wildlife.

4. Plant native flora. Planting flora that is natural to the area will provide food for the wildlife around you. This is very important because industry often destroys these plants, which leaves the animals in certain places without any food. Do your part by ensuring that as much of this plant life as possible is available to them.

5. Do not use toxic herbicides or pesticides. Many people want to do what they can in order to have a beautiful looking lawn or garden, but certain herbicides and pesticides are horrible pollutants that wind up causing severe damage to the environment. Find alternative ways to keep your lawn and garden thriving without polluting the environment and having a negative effect on the wildlife in your area.

6. Watch the road and drive carefully. Particularly if you live or commute in a rural area, roads are one of the biggest hazards that animals face. If you are driving on a road that wildlife is known to cross, make certain to drive slowly and carefully and look out for animals so that you will not hit them. It seems simple, but too many distracted drivers kill too many animals on the roads.

7. Recycle and buy recycled or reusable products. Simply recycling and buying eco-friendly products can go a long way to help our animal friends. Do not purchase anything that is made of wood that comes from rainforests, and know the consequences of every product you buy. You might be surprised about what products cause harm to the environments of endangered species, so do your research and know what kind of impact you are having.

8. Do not purchase illegal products that come from endangered species. This is typically not something that you have to worry about when you are in the United States, but if you travel abroad, there is the chance that you might come across a product being sold in an illegal market that harms endangered species. Do not participate in this. Do not purchase ivory, or any other product that likely required the killing of an endangered animal.

9. Support zoos and other wildlife parks. I know this sounds strange; most people who want to protect wildlife are against animals being held in captivity. However, zoos and other wildlife parks have actually done a lot to teach humans about the species and even protect them and help them to grow in population. Understanding this means that you understand the importance of these places and what they do to help the situation.

10. Get active and spread the word. Join different activist groups and spread the word about how others can help. Protest and boycott companies that put ecosystems in danger.

11. Donate to organizations that are working to help endangered species. This is simple enough, and it does not take much time or money. Giving a small donation to organizations like the World Wildlife Fund can go a long way in helping the situation.

12. Reduce your water consumption. Many places are experiencing droughts, and using a lot of water makes the problem worse. Limit your water consumption so that there is more water left for the animals.

13. Reduce the amount of pollution that you cause. Merely doing your part to reduce the amount of pollution that you are part of can go a long way. Pollution has a very negative effect on the survival of many species.

14. Do not buy plastic products. At the very least, limiting the amount of plastic you buy, and recycling what you use, can go a long way. Animals often mistake plastic for food, which means that plastics can cause a huge hazard for many endangered species.

15. Do not purchase products from companies that are known polluters. Many industries are known to pollute natural water resources. You can do your part by not giving these companies your business, and one day we might see a world where companies do not pollute natural habitats.

16. Join a conservation organization. There are many different organizations out there working to protect and conserve endangered species and their habitats. Find one that suits your interests, locate a local chapter, and join them in order to be the change you want to see in the world.

17. Read up on the subject. There are many books dedicated to teaching about endangered species and how to protect them. Read these books and understand your goals and how to achieve them. An educated mind is one that will make the biggest difference.

18. Turn off the lights. The more energy that is used, the more pollutants that are put into the environment. By limiting your energy consumption, you are limiting the amount of pollutants being put into the environment by power plants. It might seem as though one person can’t make a difference, but the more people that do this, the bigger impact it will have.

19. Consume less. The more you consume, the more energy was used and the more pollutants were put into the environment. By consuming less overall, you can help to protect the ecosystems that wildlife need in order to survive. This is something that takes a conscious effort, and more people need to get on board with it. Look into different ways to go about doing this.

20. Spread the word. Share this article and others like it in order to spread the word about what individuals can do in order to help conserve our endangered wildlife. We only have one earth, so we all need to do our part.

Image credit: pixabay , sarangib

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30+ Brilliant Ways Towards Reducing Your Plastic Consumption

Reducing our reliance on plastic is a serious matter. Thinking about the ways to reduce that dependence calls for some creativity, but also just plain common sense and listening to one’s conscience. Lifestyles today are difficult to change, and everything we do is influenced, ironically, by our own need to survive. So, most of us are always in a rush to make ends meet. And, up until now, and to a large degree, plastic and still more plastic, added to the convenience of us managing just fine.

But as we continue along this road, our carbon footprint increases drastically every year. In doing this, we may think otherwise for now, it’s making a negative impact on global warming and climate change. Churning more plastic into our waste disposal units every year, just adds to more hazardous and dangerous outcomes. And by taking on just a few conscience-salving and common sense approaches to life, we can act responsibly towards saving not just our lives but the lives of our children’s children.

The rest of this motivational article, in list form, shows just how easy it is to reduce our reliance on plastic, also highlighting how obtuse we may have become as a result.

1. Read my lips, no more straws – It can’t be helped but we have to ask; why would anyone want to use straws anyhow. If you really must, you can purchase your own, re-usable stainless steel drinking straw instead.

2. Read my face, no more plastic – Most of our commercially produced beauty and cleansing products include plastic. They are also called micro-plastics because the minute particles are so difficult to detect. Alarmingly, they are also a huge contributor to adding plastic waste to the Earth’s oceans and there’s next to no chance of being able to filter them out.

3. And no more chewing gum either – Before you open another pack, know that not only are you chewing on plastic, its poisonous too.

4. Old-school shaving is back in vogue – Using plastic razors are cheap in more ways than one. It also adds to more human waste being added to the environment.

5. Only use reusable produce or grocery bags – It’s one of the most effective ways to reduce your reliance on the convenience of plastic.

6. Making a move away from bottles – The term is deceptive because most ‘bottles’ today are made from plastic.

7. And turning back to old-school boxes – These are essentially re-usable tools which can also be washed and stored away for further use.

8. The great benefits of using cardboard – They are biodegradable and far easier to recycle, when necessary.

9. When shopping, always buy in bulk – It’s a surefire way to reduce the use of plastic and it also helps the grocery budget.

10. Find new, creative use for glass – Instead of buying plastic containers; buy the old-fashioned glass alternatives instead.

11. What to do with those bottles you still have – You don’t even need to recycle them, you can use them in a number of ways at home.

12. The things you can do with glass jars – That part is easy surely. All you need to do is think about what needs to be done and what needs to be stored away at home.

13. Cups, containers, and such things in the café – Don’t go for the plastic conveniences of take-outs and insist on being served good and proper.

14. Always bring your own cups – No matter where you are in the day, bring your own cup with you. There’s really no need to add still more unnecessary waste.

15. Bringing your own containers, and how to use them – The same goes for larger containers for when you take a leap of faith and decide to bring your own, home-prepared food to work instead.

16. Let others stare while you enjoy your own packed lunch – While others chew on take-out, you will also be doing your physical and mental health a favor.

17. Making sure they’re not plastic, mind you – Just remember though that as a principled anti-plastic activist, make sure you bring your non-plastic utensils with you.

18. And it’s time to ditch plastic in the home – Most unneeded items can fortunately be conveniently dropped off at plastic recycling depots.

19. But what to do with those you still have? – Well, my friend, there are many durable uses at home. Just like their glass peers, think about how they can be used flexibly with the added convenience that they are also lightweight storage facilities.

20. So, you don’t have space, you can still return them – We mentioned this earlier. Now even supermarkets have their own mini recycling depots.

21. And did you forget, there’s still recycling to consider – Digging deeper into this initiative, consider the different shapes and sizes of plastics and start separating the wheat from the chaff.

22. Back to bottles, and let’s talk about matches – Thin-stemmed bottles are wonderful as candle holders while matches are the antidote for not using plastic gas lighters.

23. And before we forget, those who do still need to give up smoking – This is not even an afterthought but the sooner you ditch this killing habit the better. Every time you light up, you burn plastic. Every time you buy a fresh pack, you buy more plastic.

24. Time to freeze on all frozen foods – All frozen foodstuffs are packaged with plastic. Buy the fresh, unpackaged varieties instead.

25. Consider the natural and healthy alternatives instead – Also note that natural, healthier and organic foods are invariably packaged with little or no plastic at all, based on the principled ethos that encompasses organic living.

26. No, we’re not buying juice anymore – Most packaged juices are packed in plastic. Not only that, they are loaded with refined sugar which runs counter to your juice drink being a healthy addition to your diet.

27. But we are still making our own – So, all you need to do is simply buy your own fruit and manufacture your own sugar-free fruit juice instead.

28. Even better, we’re eating the fruit instead – It’s said to be far more nourishing and healthier than juice anyway, sealing in all the natural goodness and vitamins, but eating whole fruits also eliminates a lot of waste.

29. And the same goes for vegetables too – Likewise with vegetables, but just remember to source only fresh produce, unpackaged and unsealed with plastic.

30. The ongoing problem with re-usable diapers – Apart from the plastic content, disposable diapers also contain hazardous human waste. In most instances, people use the disposable varieties for its convenience and perceived cleanliness. But here, old school still works best in more ways than one. Try the old-fashioned cloth diapers.

31. Green cleaning is even cleaner than you thought – Most cleaning utensils are packaged in plastic. Not only that, they contain harmful chemicals. With residue always left behind, this makes recycling these containers non-viable. However, making your own home cleaning magic has never been easier. Just look up the recipes on how to utilize baking soda and vinegar to make your own cleaning liquids in which no plastic whatsoever is used in the process.

At this stage, it may still be hard to imagine a world without plastic, given just how many billions of tons are still polluting it, never mind still being mass-produced every day. But, using the metaphor of the great, pioneering astronaut, we need to realize that our small steps can bring us a step closer towards realizing that world. All it takes is a little motivation. We hope we’ve offered you some today. But, here’s the thing, you need to make a start, preferably as early as today.

Image credit: pixabay , Olichel

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35+ Amazing Ways to Have an Eco-friendly Holiday With Your Family

Everyone loves the holiday season. From decorating your home with all of your favorite lights and ornaments, to when that beautiful morning finally comes and the kids run out into the living room to grab their stockings, the holidays provide fun for the whole family. But what about the environmentally conscious consumer? What are some of the things that can be done to allow you to enjoy the holidays while still remaining eco-friendly?

The following is a list of many, many things that can be done to enjoy the holidays in a way that causes minimal harm to the environment.

1. Start by purchasing eco-friendly gifts. In regards to the environment, not all gifts are created equal. Choose gifts that are manufactured in a way that is environmentally friendly, and that have low carbon footprints when they are used.

2. Only purchase gifts that you know will be put to good use. Even kids do not like to get a whole lot of junk for the holidays, so purchase only those things that you know will not end up in the trash bin. Not only will this be more eco-friendly, but the recipients of the gifts will appreciate the fact that you gave them things that they will treasure.

3. Shop local. Locally manufactured items do not have to be shipped across the country, thus reducing the amount of vehicle pollution needed in order to get them to you.

4. Use wrapping paper alternatives. Wrapping paper gets ripped off of the gifts and then thrown out, leaving excess waste among the festivities. Instead of using wrapping paper, place your gifts in bags that can be reused for years to come. Not only will the recipient have the gift, but they will have a way of wrapping gifts the following year that is easy and eco-friendly.

Most of the mass-produced shiny wrapping paper is not recyclable and ends up in landfills. Most of this shining and glossy paper is used to present gifts to near and dear ones. Imagine the impact on the environment considering that so many trees and oil are wasted each year just to be thrown away in landfills.

5. Stick to the one gift rule. Particularly when you have kids, you will notice that many family members like to go all out and buy a number of gifts for the little ones. Sticking to a one gift rule for all family members will ensure that there is no excess waste, and it will also ensure that the one gift the kids get from any of them will be a good one.

6. Practice your arts and crafts skills. This can add more fun to the holidays for the kids, as well. Have them make gifts for friends and family rather than buying them can be fun and also save you some money. It might even be a good idea to celebrate by holding a handmade gift exchange in which all participants have to either make their gifts themselves or purchase them from someone who did.

7. Simplify your decorations. There is no reason to overdo it. Keep your decorating as simple as possible.

8. Use natural decorations. Rather than filling the inside and outside of your home with a bunch of plastic that will just be thrown out and the end of the year, use decorations that are made out of wood and other natural substances.

9. Choose the right kind of tree. If they only last a couple of years, fake trees really do not do anything to help the environment. A real tree can be mulched after the holidays, which will ultimately use less energy than what was used to create a fake tree. The best option, however, is likely a potted tree, which can be used for more than one year and then planted after it has been used in your home as much as possible.

10. Use LED lights. LED lighting is far more efficient than the older bulbs. If you have not changed the lights you decorate with for a long time, upgrading to LED lighting will not only use far less energy, but it will also save you a whole lot of money on your electric bill.

11. Replace bulbs that have burnt out. When a string of lights no longer work, it is usually a single bulb that is the problem. Replacing the burnt out bulb will keep you from tossing the whole thing. The best way to do this is with bulb tester.

12. Use timers for your lights. Setting a timer so that your lights turn on at dusk and off at dawn is much more efficient than having the lights on 24/7. Using a timer will help both the environment and your bank account.

13. Don’t use disposable dishes and silverware. When a lot of people are over, many people find it easier to use paper plates and plastic ware. Unfortunately, this leads to a whole lot of waste. Use actual dishes instead. It will make clean up more difficult, but it will be far more eco-friendly.

14. Don’t toss leftovers. Rather than throwing away leftovers, compost them or feed them to animals (chickens will eat anything) in order to reduce waste.

15. Clean using all natural cleaners. Don’t use harmful chemicals during your clean up.

16. Share the celebration. Have everyone celebrate the holidays under one roof. This will save many resources.

17. Take only one shopping trip. Not only will taking care of all of your shopping on one trip make the entire season a whole lot easier, but it will also reduce your carbon footprint.

18. Shop online. This is not only convenient, but it also can reduce your own fuel consumption.

19. This should probably go without saying, but everyone needs a reminder from time to time.

20. Donate to charity. If you are looking to help the environment, you can never go wrong by giving a holiday donation to an environmental charity.

21. Adjust your thermostat. Although energy expenses tend to go up in the winter, you can save energy by turning the thermostat down at night and bundling up under the covers.

22. Buy local, organic food. Whatever food you might be serving during the celebration, keep it locally grown and organic, and do not purchase meat from industrial farms.

23. Recycled wrapping paper. If bags aren’t your thing, use recycled wrapping paper.

24. Send digital gift cards. This is one of the best ways to reduce waste and fuel consumption. Digital gift cards can be sent over the internet, allowing the recipient to place orders at online stores.

25. Don’t subscribe to gift catalogs. There are a lot of resources wasted on different holiday catalogs. Making purchases online reduces the need to order from catalogs, so simply do not subscribe to them.

26. Buy holiday cards that are made from recycled paper. Reduce the number of trees that need to be chopped down by purchasing holiday cards that are made with recycled paper.

27. Cook everything from scratch. Most people cook themselves around the holidays, but there are still plenty of food items that are often sold ready-made. Things like gravy, pie crust, and cranberry sauce can all be made from scratch, and doing so will be far more environmentally friendly.

28. Eco-friendly alcohol options. This is something most people do not think about, but purchasing organic wines and local microbrews will also have a positive impact on the environment and the local economy.

29. Use natural candles. A lot of people enjoy holiday candles. However, they are often made from a petroleum-based wax. Instead of using these, look into candles with natural wax, like beeswax.

30. Use organic spices. Even those who are environmentally conscious and purchase free-range meats often overlook the spices they use while cooking. Purchasing organic spices will also help the environment just like purchasing organic fruits, vegetables, and locally raised, free range meats. Do not forget about these other ingredients when shopping for an organic holiday meal.

31. Purchase eco-friendly presents: Eco-friendly products have low carbon impact, are made from sustainable materials and can be easily recycled. Above all, try to choose products that come with minimal packaging.

32. Offset your travel (Buy carbon offsets): There are number of companies like CarbonFund, Carbonify that can offset the carbon emissions generated by you by planting trees or investing in renewable energy projects. All you need is to purchase these carbon offsets to minimize your impact on the environment.

33. Party without waste: It is quite common to see households generating excess amount of waste or garbage during the holidays. Not all plastic can be recycled and most of them hang around the landfills. Use biodegradable plates, cloth instead of paper napkin, borrow plates or rent dinnerware.

34. Donate to an environmental group: Its can’t get easy than this. If you don’t have time and willingness to make changes in your lifestyle, you can at-least donate to an environmental group to make a difference, so you can have a great impact for a small amount of effort.

35. Involve others: The holidays are supposed to be spent with close friends and family members. Ask them if they would be willing to join you on an eco-friendly holiday. Together you can share ideas and work on making your holidays memorable one.

Photo by: Comfreak , geralt

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Do Your Part to Protect Environment – 35+ Wonderful Ways t0 Protect Biodiversity

Biodiversity is not a limited concern. This is a topic that affects all living things, whether they are plants, organisms or animals. Protecting biodiversity is all about finding real ways to coexist without harming one another. It also involves committing to practices that consider diverse ecosystems and habitats around the world. We can participate in the protection of biodiversity by becoming knowledgeable about the things we buy, consume and use. How we treat the environment is also how we treat biodiversity. Our lives are impacted regularly when it comes to water, food, oxygen and other resources we need.

Let’s take a look at 35+ ways the environment benefits from the focus of biodiversity.

1. Purchase products that have eco-labels for reference. These labels allow consumers to learn exactly products are made from and the percentages of the ingredients in a particular food or household item.

2. Recycle all plastic and glass products as a household. This process prevents the overuse of petroleum products in the making of items, as well as, protects trees and forests used in paper products.

3. Reduce or eliminate the use of products that come in aerosol cans. These products are known to damage the ozone layer, the environment and to add to the pollution of the air that we breathe.

4. Purchase eco-friendly appliances for your home and office. There are many brands and types of appliances in this category that are designed to utilize less energy and to reduce utility costs.

5. Use energy conserving light bulbs around your house. It is possible to purchase LED light bulbs for all of your fixtures, lamps and recess locations to improve overall efficiency and protect the environment.

6. Eat more organically grown produce items. These are fruits and vegetables that were grown without the use of harmful fertilizers that are often made from a vast array of chemicals and components.

7. Select times to walk to work or play activities instead of driving your vehicle. This healthy option reduces emissions in the air which negatively or harmfully impacts both plants and animals.

8. Purchase meat products of animals fed grass or organic feed items. Animals in this category produce safer meat for consumption because they do not have added hormones or chemicals.

9. Support restaurants and fast food locations that use recycled paper products. These businesses make a point of purchasing products that are green and that promote global deforestation efforts.

10. Consider purchasing a vehicle that uses less fuel or that functions electrically. These vehicles are available in different sizes and styles and provide consumers with alternate transportation options.

11. Purchase energy efficient electronics and computers. Items in this category were designed to use less energy overall through components like batteries, wiring and other conservation details.

12. Garden and get rid of outdoor pests, using natural soil and composting efforts. This allows you to grow plants and vegetables without the use of products including chemicals and pesticides.

13. Consume produce that has not been genetically modified. These fruits and vegetables were generally grown through natural means and offer health benefits, vitamins and nutrients.

14. Pick up litter from parks, yards and gardens in the community. Many of the items littered, such as, cans and plastics are not biodegradable and can affect habitats negatively when left alone.

15. Purchase seafood items that have been certified. These are normally fish and other items that come from fisheries that are fully sustainable and operate ethically and environmentally conscious.

16. Use batteries that are rechargeable and buy related kits. This practice not only cuts your cost of purchasing batteries but reduces lead and other metals utilized in their production.

17. Hire cleaning companies and services that use green products. These companies’ perform cleaning services without the use of products that include harsh chemicals and those that are in aerosol cans.

18. Turn lights off after leaving a room. This is a practice that promotes the use of less electricity overall and it also can have a budget-friendly impact on your household or office utilities.

19. Use green insulation products to protect your home and business. These products include green components for walls and attics and other household areas and do not have chemical ingredients.

20. Plant a variety of flowers in gardens and yards outside the home. This is a way to promote our immune systems, pollination and to maintain bee populations and the making of local honey products.

21. Purchase a shower timer for the bathrooms in your home. This type of product is used to reduce the amount of water each household uses and can help to lower utility costs in this area.

22. Limit the use of a dryer for laundry activities. Install an indoor clothes hanger to allow apparel to dry naturally without the use of energy and electricity for the same goal.

23. Recycle all paper and cardboard products. You can store these products for recycling and benefit the environment because they can be used to make liners, egg cartons and various other items.

24. Use water-based paints for decoration projects. These are paint products produced without chemical components that can lead to breathing problems and allergies.

25. Close your curtains during the summer months of the year. This practice allows you to cool the rooms of your house without using air conditioning or fans reduce energy consumption.

26. Barbecue or grill outdoors with natural gas equipment instead of charcoal grills. Charcoal grills operate by putting fossil fuel into the air and increasing the production of pollution.

27. Purchase cosmetic products that are produced from natural oils. There are many products in this category that do not include chemicals and dyes, and provide consumers with healthy alternatives.

28. Schedule and run multiple errands at one time each week. Cutting back on trips around town can be done through consolidation and taking care of a variety of things in one single trip.

29. Install surge protectors in your home office. This is a good way to conserve energy and space, because you can use one source to plug multiple appliances at the same time.

30. Plant trees near your home to produce shade during the summer. Strategic tree placement can help you to cool the rooms of your home and to use less energy for this process.

31. Purchase sink water filter product for your kitchen. This is a healthy way to filter drinking and cooking water, as well as, reducing the purchase of costly bottled water products.

32. Reduce waste of household food resources. Organize food purchases and storage methods to avoid the waste of these resources and negative impacts on your budget.

33. Do your yardwork with hand tools whenever possible. Brooms, hedge cutters and shovels allow for a good workout and do not require gasoline to operate effectively.

34. Purchase geothermal heat pumps for homes and businesses. These are examples of products that run by harnessing heat from the ground and offer more efficiency.

35. Regularly maintain the operation of your vehicle. Checking various components and engine levels helps the vehicle to function efficiently and to use less fuel overall.

Protecting biodiversity is one way that we all can plan for the future. This is a topic that plays a role in how well we will live past the current time. Ecosystems and habitats including plants and animals are negatively impacted by bad practices. The production of life-saving medicine, clean water and healthy food choices is connected to biodiversity. As the world’s population grows, so does the stress placed on the environment. It is up to us to find ways to consume less, produce products that are green and that reduce the use of fossil fuels. These are important alternatives to maintain the health of the planet.

Image credit: Dano , Ron

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15+ Phenomenal Ways To Stop Deforestation and Protect Our Planet

According to the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the 33 million acres of forestland that are lost annually around the globe are responsible for 20% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. The main causes for deforestation include wood and paper products, mining and oil exploitation, urbanization, acid rain and wildfires. Other reasons include supplying wood timber for wood and paper products and clear land for crops, cattle and housing.

Trees are being destroyed at an alarming rate. More and more businessman are pushing through forests to gain land for industrial or commercial purposes. Environment is being sacrificed for the sake of profit. Deforestation can have serious effects on air and water pollution, climate change, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity.

As an individual or part of the global community, you can at-least plant a tree to combat deforestation. You can take one step further by the choices you make throughout the day when we’re shopping, eating, or even driving. One small step by you, leads to twenty or more giant leaps towards a global campaign against deforestation.

Here are 15+ phenomenal ways that you can do to stop or prevent deforestation.

1. Begin by hugging a tree. It’s that easy. This is the quickest way to appreciate the important part it plays in your life.

2. And start planting trees. That’s the sum of the domestic campaign so far. Soon, all the neighbors will be carbon copying each other.

3. Also stop printing and go paperless. Whether at home or at work, many of us still have that nasty, lazy habit of not learning to utilize computer files and folders properly. So instead, we print. And, you know what; many of us do this when we think others are not looking. So, there you go. You know it’s wrong.

4. When shopping, move towards buying recycled products mainly. Most recycled items do not derive from areas that have been cleared of natural and rainforests.

5. When at home, recycle as much as possible. By extension, you are continuing with your proactive exercise in diverting the demand for clearing land.

6. In the kitchen, cut down on your meat intake and eat as many vegetarian meals as possible. It’s a best practice and a healthy one on top of it too. Because it remains problematic and time-consuming trying to source meat products that are entirely devoid of being harvested on land that once brimmed with trees.

7. Speaking of meat, do not buy meat products sourced from land where forests have been cleared. At this stage, if you’re prepared to go the whole hog, if you will, you’ll need to spend extra care and time perusing the product’s labels. Also, you’re going to need to extend your knowledge on the multinational companies that produce these pre-packaged supermarket items.

8. To get these things right, your shopping for recycled and sustainable products and your meat products, vigorously check the labels of each item you pick up. A much safer alternative and time-saving effort entails simply buying organic products instead. But avoid the multinationals that have pretentiously jumped onto the organic bandwagon, mainly to drive sales.

9. Palm oil is a type of edible vegetable oil that is derived from the palm fruit, grown on the African oil palm tree. According to the World Wildlife Fund, an area the equivalent size of 300 football fields of rainforest is cleared each hour to make way for palm oil production. About 85% of all palm oil globally produced and exported from Indonesia and Malaysia; but most of the time not using sustainable measures. Unless there’s concrete proof that it’s been sustainably produced, do not buy palm oil at all.

10. Do not use firewood to heat up your fireplaces. It takes few hours to burn the firewood but takes years to grow a single tree. Live in such a way that your activities cause minimum impact on the environment.

11. Encourage people to live in a way that doesn’t hurt environment. Try to bring in more people in your community and let them know about how trees are being destroyed at an alarming rate and what steps we need to take to minimize our carbon footprint on the environment.

12. Returning to the meat and grocery shopping list, do not buy anything from large, multinationals that are actively or indirectly involved or responsible for the clearing of forest land. Shortly we’ll be emphasizing the importance of broadening your knowledge on which companies are guilty. You will be surprised to learn that within a matter of minutes, you’ll unmask them. Globally, active campaigners and NGO’s have already published on the internet which companies are still responsible for clearing forests. They’ll also enlighten you on the progress being made to reverse this.

13. Support companies that produce products by causing minimal harm to the environment. To improve your prospects of being able to make informed decisions about these companies and the many other items listed in this article, don’t forget to read and research extensively. The deeper you dig, the more information you’ll unearth. At the same time, you’ll also be learning how to reach out effectively, seeing that you’ll soon know how everything is interrelated.

For instance, you’ll learn about the importance of preserving, promoting and elevating indigenous communities to their rightful place of prominence. You’ll also learn how much more sense it makes to grant them access to land which was inherently taken away from them to begin with. And you’ll appreciate that your indigenous compatriots know how to make better use of it without damaging the forests.

14. In the process, you also need to practice what you preach; both publicly and within the confines of your home where no-one can see you. It’s hard and it will take time. But, getting used to the idea and you’re already off to a good start.

Imagine always feeling guilty whenever you go to the supermarket, knowing well that you’ve just bought something you had no business buying anyway. That’s the positive side of our human condition. It’s good to have a guilty conscience. Let the heart speak for itself.

15. Becoming the dearly beloved treehugger does not end with merely hugging a tree a day and planting a few trees every other year. You still need to become actively involved. Your research will lead you to the world’s most prominent eco-NGOs specifically focused on campaigning and working against deforestation. Also, it’s quite easy to become a member too.

16. Work with NGO’s to establish parks to protect rainforests and wildlife. Become directly involved in more ways than one by signing up as a member of Friends of the Earth.

17. On a much larger, political and/or corporate scale, it would be ideal to become a serving member of the World Wide Fund for Nature.

It was always going to be a challenge giving new readers a refreshingly new look at how deforestation can and should be stopped in its tracks. But refreshingly, doing this makes it all easier for readers who are still not yet up to date on just how extensively their everyday lives have a dramatic effect on the world’s rainforests.

But by now, the message should be loud and clear. It’s time to get proactive. It’s time to get involved. Not tomorrow. Today. And that’s an encouraging way to close this article, isn’t it? No-one needs to be overwhelmed. All they need to do is start with the small things in nature’s garden. Begin with your own, newly planted tree. Oh heck, you may as well chase Kitty down from the tree as well. After all, those squirrels and birds have vital roles to play in our eco-systems too.

Image credit: Josch , pixabay

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30+ Surprising and Innovative Ways For You To Save Rainforests

You might be forgiven by some for thinking that this cannot be true. After all, rainforests are a big issue and they are generally thousands of miles away from you, right? To put it bluntly, if it weren’t for the existing and remaining rainforests, we might not be having this conversation today. And today, we’re going to take action. For starters, we’ve begun to do our part to save the world’s rainforests by presenting you with this note.

Rainforests can take between 60 million and 100 million years to evolve. They support countless wildlife and medicinal plants. Sadly, we have been killing rainforests at an alarming rate than ever before. Not all rainforests are destroyed by timber companies. Surprisingly, much forestland is decimated due to commercial agriculture and subsistence farming, including cattle ranching.

Thanks to over-consumption and capitalist imperatives across the world, our remaining forests, some still pristine, others already tarnished, are an endangered species.

I used to worry that all the trees in the jungle would be cut down to make paper for their reports on how to save the rainforest!

~ Nick Birch

Time and space does not allow us to go into extensive detail. So, what follows here are those thirty plus ways you can start to make an impact on protecting the rainforests, one of the last bastions of our human survival.

1. Starting from home base – Think of all the things that you’ve accumulated and the things that are destined to be tossed out, simply because you no longer seem to have any space over for them. You can ask yourself this question; am I consuming too much.

2. Learning to love trees and all things green – The next step is also simple. Begin to think green. Look around your own garden or neighborhood and see if you can detect that something is missing. Doesn’t the area need a bit of wholesomeness and color added to it?

3. Then plant your own trees – By planting your own trees, you begin to breathe new life into your immediate surroundings. Soon, natural life, such as birds begins to flourish once more.

4. Creating your own natural reserves and ecosystems – As time goes by, you become accustomed to change and become more excited about the prospect of doing things for yourself and the environment. You begin to think about growing more things to accompany the trees.

5. And what this does on a larger scale – Imagine if we all did this. Each little contribution adds more vibrant life to the Earth’s damaged ecosystems.

6. Before you do that, you can broaden your knowledge with extensive reading and research – We believe that you’ve already begun this process. You are reading our introductory list of thirty or more ways that you can help save the rainforests. Taken a step further, there is more than enough literature to immerse yourself with and thus empower yourself with the knowledge of what still needs to be done.

7. Then you’re on your way towards becoming an ardent rainforest lover – Your new found knowledge brings about an appreciation of the serious consequences of neglecting your rainforests. You now begin to think more along the lines of what more you can still do.

8. This love affair will spread like wildfire. Here’s why – When you begin to appreciate the finer nuances of the rainforests, such as the indigenous communities that depend on it for survival, your passion grows and you just can’t stop talking to others about your new discoveries. Soon, you’ve influenced others to embark on similar initiatives.

9. While you’re doing that, be mindful of what you buy. Here’s why – You’ve come to realize that everything you buy has an impact. So, now you take more precautions over your shopping list, eliminating wasteful or unneeded items along the way.

10. Spend more time on the internet, but do no printing – Taken together with knowledge-based imperatives, utilizing the internet has very little impact on rainforests, provided that you are doing no printing. Interestingly, many of the materials used to power the internet have been sourced from areas where previously rainforests stood.

11. Rainforest safe books and paper – Encouragingly, there is a growing global move away from sourcing cheaply produced paper from mass deforestation methods.

12. Joining a worthy NGO – Still stuck in your old neighborhood? By now, one organic and health-oriented produce store has joined the ranks of community startups. Visit it and you will pick up pamphlets on a worthy cause you can join.

13. An innovative concept called Bitseeds – It works as a combination of hedging on farm produce and the phenomenon of accumulating viral currencies. It’s a great drive to raise more funds for rainforest protection.

14. Verbal or in writing, say no to deforestation – It’s that easy. Just say no. If you haven’t been heard loudly enough, you can write online letters or even start your own blog.

15. Join or start charity drives – Money is needed always. But you don’t need to wait for an opportunity to fall into your lap. Just one small community fund-raiser for the bigger causes will help.

16. The big issues on palm oil – Most processed and convenience-oriented products are produced with palm oil content. Most palm oil plantations stand on areas where rain forests have been cleared for the purposes of mass production.

17. If you really must, here are the alternatives open to you – Have a go at the multinationals responsible for palm oil production and convert to organic methods of consumption.

18. It’s difficult in the beginning, but start reading the labels – You need to make a concerted effort to understand just how great the impact is. After that, you can start eliminating previously convenient choices and replacing it with the responsible alternatives.

19. Notes on responsible shopping, the eco-friendly and sustainable way – Most of everything that is environmentally sustainable also has little or no impact on rainforests.

20. Create a Habitat for migrating animals! You can make use of backyard, balcony or window to help migrating birds on their way home. Just by planting native plants, bird and insect attracting flowers, you can help these amazing migrations.

21. Buy indigenous and you truly become a part of your nation’s heritage – Doing this; you end up contributing towards the survival of rainforests anyway.

22. There’s a good reason why you should be supporting land claims – Indigenous people’s land claims need to be supported. They will make better and more responsible use of the land.

23. Reduce your carbon footprint. Climate change puts our rainforests at risk. So consider reducing your dependence on oil and oil related products. Simple things that you can get started include use public transportation, use solar panels, eat locally produced foods and vegetables, recycling, look for various ways to go green, set thermostat couple of degrees lower in winter and many more.

24. And through your NGO, campaign against the corporate land grabbers – NGOs are already active in such campaigns.

25. By all means, support your local farming communities, but pressure them to plant those trees – Organic farming works well when it makes a meaningful contribution towards sustainability and growth.

26. Some things you need to know about your coffee – The emphasis remains on South America where most of the world’s coffee is mass-produced on cleared, deforested land.

27. We may as well talk about tea too – The same goes for tea, although this time focus is also turned to the Indian sub-continent.

28. Its election season, so become politically active and responsible – Find out which politicians are actively on board in saving the rainforests and align yourself with them.

29. Voting strategies for rainforest supporters – You also need to influence voters to not support politicians who are vigorously on the side of those multinational corporations clearing the forests.

30. Continue to reduce your carbon footprint – Everything you do from now on has a direct influence on those forests.

31. By saving on the gas bill, you’ll begin saving rainforests too – Gas companies are using cleared land to harvest the oil you might already be using.

32. Even better, use public transport networks – This helps to reduce the demand for gas and oil and makes a contribution towards saving the forests.

33. Better still, walk or cycle – This is the best impact you can make. No gas used, more trees planted.

If you’ve gotten this far with your reading, you’ve made progress in regard to helping to protect existing rainforests. Not only that, while protecting rainforests remains of high importance, a new and correlated campaign needs your active support. Alongside talking about how to save the forests, we’ve also mentioned suggestions on how you can play your small part in getting forests to grow again.

So, before you give up hope, still adamant that the bigger picture remains beyond your reach, think again and think big. If you are still feeling dejected then perhaps we haven’t done our job well enough. But we believe this is not the case. Even your own common sense should tell you that when you begin with the little things at home, you’re already making an indelible impression. Now, how about this, unless you are a rare exception, you have a conscience, just as Mother Nature gave you. So, to make a great, global impact, give your conscience a massage every once in a while and get to work.

Image credit: falco , stokpic

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