Mindzle

Posts Tagged ‘going green’

Why are disposable grocery bags such a bad thing for the environment? Over the last several years, you may have heard in the news about problems associated with the usage of paper and plastic grocery bags. But why? Why should you go out of your way to avoid using disposables, and start using eco friendly reusable or recycled grocery bags? Prior to diving into any campaign or cause, it is imperative to be aware of precisely how your efforts can produce a positive impact on the environment and our world. Today, we will analyze some key ecological issues and problems linked with disposable shopping bag usage.

The Environmental Literacy Council does a great job of explaining the environmental drawbacks of both plastic and paper disposable bags at EnviroLiteracy.Org. We will begin with the environmental impact of producing plastic and paper bags from production to delivery. Plastic bags are produced using oil, and so the ecological consequences of making them encompasses everything from retrieving the oil, to the separation of products in the oil refining process, to the plastic manufacturing process, and the energy used and emissions created to get the bags to shopping stores. So the truth of the matter is that the production of plastic bags (caused by our demand as consumers) is a contributing factor to our addiction to oil. Paper bags, are of course created from trees and add to worldwide deforestation and reduction of life habitats all over the world. Moreover, the quantity of effort used to assemble and dispense paper bags and the carbon emissions created even exceeds that of plastic bags. The truth is that paper and plastic bags are not a healthy product for the environment, especially when you compare it to eco friendly recycled grocery bags.

Of course, as you likely know, another key issue with disposable bags is the extensive pollution and litter issue, in particular, connected with plastic bags. One way to describe the plastic bag is the “modern tumbleweed”. Plastic bags appear everywhere and more often than not get into swamps, creeks, rivers, lakes and in the sea. While researching this piece I came across some surprising material at 5gyres.Org, which teaches people about the 5 gyres in our earth’s oceans. Here’s a tid bit: “At sea floating plastics are swept up into slow moving currents. These currents are called ‘gyres’. Our Oceans are dynamic systems…. made up of complex networks of currents… Large systems of these currents, coupled with wind and the earth’s rotation, create ‘gyres’, massive, slow rotating whirlpools in which plastic trash can accumulate.” The most illustrious of these is the North Pacific Gyre, which has also been called the “great pacific garbage patch”, has been researched the most and is an assemblage of trash and plastic approximated by many to be twice the size of Texas.

What so many people don’t recognize is that there are really 5 gyres distributed throughout our planet’s oceans where rubbish, and principally plastic is accumulating at a fast rate. One of the worst parts about all this is that nautical mammals often ingest this waste floating in the sea and suffocate or starve to death as a result. By remembering to use green reusable bags, as opposed to disposable bags, our daily human actions add to the solution instead of the problem.

The environmental predicament our world finds itself in today demands that we take prompt action. You now can clearly see, the wide use of plastic and paper shopping bags adds up to serious environmental problems that won’t just vanish. We must change our individual habits by reminding ourselves to use eco friendly shopping bags every time we have the opportunity to do so. When we take a stand against the common waste and litter problem caused by disposable shopping bags, we are manifesting a cleaner world one decision at a time.

For me the daily question is “How do I make my existence matter?”. I have a firm belief that the only way we live on past our own death is through the memories of others. There are two ways to that result, one is to be terrible, ruthless and merciless, to be hated. The other is to be helpful, kind and generous, to be loved. In my opinion it is easier to be ruthless than generous. So it is easier to be hated than loved. My own natural tendencies and talents put me into a venue (business) where cut-throat mercenary sensibilities are the norm. I have chosen a different path. My strength is solving complex problems. This has lead me to start many companies, and invent.

OK, so what? How does my beliefs of immortality relate to my strengths? Well, that has been somewhat difficult to reason through. But I have come to realization that I can do more good, and add more value to the world by helping others build a successful future for themselves and those they care for.

How? I have started consulting to start-up businesses who focus on green, eco and sustainability. I will help them bring products to the market, get the word out and innovate their industry.

Meanwhile on the home front, I have been working through several projects in the effort to make my home more sustainable. My ultimate goal is to have a completely self reliant “homestead”. My wife and I live on 5 acres of woods. This means that a large garden is out of the question, at least without cutting down most of the trees. This represents quite a challenge. Here on Mindzle I will try to document how I solve this problem using permaculture, aquaponics, solar electric and rainwater harvesting. Many other topics will likely be covered such as composting and the raising of chickens. I am excited by the challenges now before me and hope that you will follow along and join in the conversation.

until next time, cheers!

Going “green” is a very hot trend right now and before you decide to install home solar panels, it’s important you understand how that choice will affect your homeowners insurance. Becoming more environmentally friendly is a great cause and finding ways to cut your carbon footprint can really impact the environment, but keep in mind how they will impact your wallet as well.

Home Solar Panels and Your Homeowners Insurance Rates

The majority of homeowners insurance companies will cover homes that have pre-existing solar panels or if you are installing new ones in the future. Two points to keep in mind would be that your premium may actually decrease with some companies as they view environmentally conscious people as being lower risk (tend to not be smokers, therefore the risk of fires drops significantly). However, some homeowners insurance companies view the installation of home solar panels as a significant increase in the replacement value of the home, therefore, they will raise your premium.

If done with the right insurance company, your savings from electricity, possibly tax incentives from state and federal government, and lower premiums could actually offset the price of installing the panels. You should check with your insurance agent and find out whether or not your homeowners insurance company has favorable or unfavorable policies toward the installation of home solar panels.

Potential Damages to Your Roof and Weather Risks

The most important thing you can do after picking the right type of home solar panels, is finding a highly experienced and professional installation company. One sure way to increase your premiums is to damage your roof during the process of installation or install them incorrectly.

Also, it’s very important you factor in the risk of weather damage to your panels as well. Ask your installation company about the success of installations they have done in the local area. Find out if roof and panel damage is common, because if it is you could face dramatically higher homeowners insurance premiums.

Find the Right Policy to Cover a Home Solar Panel Install

Home solar panels can be a great way to help the environment, save money on electricity, and potentially save money on your homeowners insurance rates as well.

Read the InsuranceAgents.com article, “How Do Home Solar Panels Affect Homeowners Insurance?”  or receive homeowners insurance quotes from up to five local agents

Everybody wants green energy. Our obvious goal is to find the best way to be able to get the power we need without damaging the environment? Should we be opting for wind farms, hydroelectricity, or solar energy as alternative power? This guide to green living will help us decide

Renewable energy comes from resources that cannot be depleted which is why they are renewable. These resources are safe for our environment and produce energy without the harmful pollutants and emissions associated with fossil-fuels.

Wind farms often receive a bad press, especially when they’re situated near homes or in popular hiking areas. Because they have to be placed in skylines for maximum efficiency and they make a lot of noise and often spoil views. Offshore wind farms are less problematic in this way and can take advantage of fierce sea winds, increasing their output, but they rely on a nation having a lot of suitable coastline.

While the Netherlands does very well with its wind farms, the US is, considering the comparative size of its population, at a distinct disadvantage. For the home-owner, small wind-powered generators are available, but they’re not very efficient and often result in complaints from neighbors.

Using the natural energy of rivers and tidal forces by hydroelectricity is a much more effective way of generating power. However, there are a limited number of suitable locations for hydroelectric generators, and often these are in areas which already provide fertile farmland, so a lot of people have to be displaced and lose their land in order for them to be built. The impact on local wildlife can also be damaging.

The test is being easy to access, non-polluting and practical and solar power is the only alternative that truly passes that test. Even when it is frequently cloudy, modern solar panels can still work effectively. They don’t get in anyones way and, once installed, they require very little maintenance. For these reasons, the greenest way to generate the power we need is by harnessing the power of the sun.

1. Cooking requires heat and energy, so conserve it to save money. Cover the cooking pan with a lid so that the heat doesn’t escape. Water will boil around 5% faster in pans with a lid on, thereby saving time, energy and your money, as well as giving the environment a break.

2. While cooking in a Oven, keep the door closed. Most modern Ovens have a glass door so as to  let you see what’s happening

inside. Use it appropriately. Around 15% of all oven heat is lost every time the door is opened. If you’re trying to bake a Pizza, for example, and you keep opening the door to see how it’s cooking, then you are cooking at 85% of the efficiency, at the sametime wasting energy and money!

3. STOP using commercial cleaning products in your kitchen or anywhere in your house.  They are expensive to buy and expensive to produce. Their production is also harmful to the environment. The waste you release after cleaning is also harmful to the environment.

You can make your own cleaner from a mixture of vinegar, salt and baking soda. It will clean perfectly the same way as a commercial product, and it  contains no toxic chemicals, thereby helping the environment. It will cost a great deal  less too.

To put this into perspective. We dump some 35 million pounds of  toxins down our drains every year, just from household and kitchen cleaning products alone. What kind of damage do you think that is doing to the environment? Well, you don’t have to do it anymore.

Here’s another simple recipe for an all-purpose cleaner, courtesy of

Greenpeace:

½ cup pure liquid soap

1 gallon hot water

¼ cup lemon juice

It’s safe and effective, and costs very little.

4. You don’t have to pre-heat your oven for every time your cook, unless you are baking bread and cake. Just put the dish into the oven and switch on, setting it to the right temperature. That way you are not wasting energy which is lost between the time it is pre-heated and you put in the preparation.

5. Cook once in a day instead of twice. This is a great way to save all round. If your oven can hold two chicken pieces, then why not cook two instead of one. Two chickens will cook in about the same amount of time that one will. Now, do the math… You will cut your cooking time in half, thereby saving electricity  – and guess what happens to all the money saved! Yep, it stays right in your pocket. This way you have more time for other activities. The time saved on cooking the second time can be used better elsewhere. Remember, it doesn’t have to be just chickens. It can turkeys, beef, etc. And I surely don’t have to mention the environmental benefits.

Independent writer and Internet Marketeer. My website : http://www.make-my-home-green.com