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Posts Tagged ‘green’

Pollution is a forever growing problem and we have to take guard and find a solution. One of the main causes of pollution is caused by the huge amounts of paper that we use and consume on a daily basis; I mean newspapers are even looking to switch to E-Readers to rectify the problem.

But most office are still not modern enough, 1 out of 10 offices I visited still you chunky fax machines and filing cabinets. So below are various tips you can take into consideration when making your office greener.

1) Get rid of the old dusty fax machine and sign up to a fax to email service online, this way you will be able to receive and send all of your faxes digitally and eliminate the use of paper.

2) Throw the filing cabinet out and get yourself a central server where all your documents will be stored.

3) Keep your office up to date with the latest trends.

If you have an office now is exactly the moment time to clean things up, there has been a big campaign throughout the UK to make things go green and each and every office should be making the effort to do it. There is no need to waste precious trees and paper, instead look at giving back to the world and keeping your offices clean and friendly.

There are plenty more benefits that can come from this, it will help make your office a lot more efficient. You will actually save money in the long run believe it or not and that extra money can go towards improving efficiency further. It’s a mindset that all businesses should get into really.

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This week on the popular TV program, ‘Grand Designs’ a beautiful house in Kent was featured. This house is near Staplehurst and is owned and built by architect Richard Hawkes and his lovely wife Sophie. The house itself does not rely on much. For example it doesn’t even need mains water or central heating. Instead the house itself is completely eco friendly and does not use an ounce of un-necessary energy. The environmentally-friendly house aims to blend into its surroundings and be self-sustaining. It was featured on a double bill on the popular Channel 4 program, ‘Grand Designs’ hosted by none other than, Kevin McCloud.

The house itself in Kent features completely economical and eco friendly materials such as wood and even earth. The house boasts a truly stunning architures, has over four guest bedroom for friends and family to stay over, and even has its own pool and spa treatment room. The design originally resembles what is known as an Anderson Shelter, the building eventually reveals a huge, Gaudi-esque vaulted ceiling. The whole thing is literally topped off with tons of soil and then grassed over to look almost like an ancient house of some sort. It is truly marvellous to look at and at the same time it is extremely bizarre. The home is effectively a couple of timber-framed boxes resting under a huge, unsupported arch built from 26,000 handmade clay tiles. This is truly a magnificent acheivment for both the architects and constructor’s as there is nothing else like this around. They have built something special and very interesting. Although the house is meant to be quite old fashioned, it consists of modern fixtures and fittings, including wireless interconnected speaker systems and even ergonomic hand care door handles.

If you have never watched Grand Design before I would highly recommend it as it makes great viewing. The program makes great viewing and you can see all sorts of bizarre houses that have sprouted up around the UK and abroad. There are some great housing and design projects on there and I would strongly recommend watching it one evening.

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Cruising companies have recently felt the persuasive powers of various governments, who have asked them to clean up their act and develop ships that are more sustainable and environmentally viable. A number of damming environmental reports that showed cruising to be one of the most eco unfriendly forms of transport helped many cruise companies to reassess their operations. Add to this the fact that many governments are now charging cruise companies extra in tax for high carbon emissions, and cleaning up cruises suddenly seems like a good idea to companies. Here are 3 of the latest ‘green’ cruising developments.

Improved Ship Efficiency. Old ship designs really didn’t have their environmental impact in mind, but the latest ships are built from sustainable materials and put together using eco-friendly techniques. The materials are getting lighter so less energy is needed for propulsion, soft sails are often being included, and a company in Ireland have pioneered a biogas-powered engine, set to soon be used by Cunard cruises. A very clever hydrodynamic hull that turns the energy from waves into propulsion energy is also the brain child of the same Irish company.

Hybrid Vessels. We have all heard of the very successful hybrid cars that use both fuel and battery power to move. Now ship builders such as those making boats for Silversea Cruises are getting in on the action and making boats that couple the traditional diesel power with electrical power. When its batteries are running low, it connects up the power supply of the nearest harbor and charges them back up again

Cargo-Pooling. A great idea being trialled by Oceania Cruises is ‘cargo sharing’. If a cruise ship has not filled all its spaces, it can offer to carry commercial cargo for other companies sending things to the same place, for a small commission of course. The cruise company wins as they get money they would otherwise not have got, the cargo company does not have to charter its own boat, and energy is saved that reduces carbon emissions.

Your office might be among the largest consumers of energy in the home. Here are a few simple ideas to help you be energy efficient in your office.

#1  Connect everything in the office into a power strip.

Computers, printers, recharging stations, radios or televisions and even the light fixtures can be plugged into power strips. At the conclusion of each day or each working period, turn off your various electronics and also switch off the power strip.

This can conserve a tremendous amount of energy since many electronics continue to use energy even when they’ve been powered down. Turning off the power strip eliminates energy consumption when electronics are not in use. And only turning on the item when you have to use it saves energy also.

Furthermore, many power strips are surge protectors, which offers your electronics protection against powerful electrical surges which is often caused by lightening and other things.

#2 Passive Solar & Wind Energy

Passive solar is the practice of using the sun’s energy passively For instance, you can use the sun’s power to heat your office in winter time by opening the curtains and letting the sun’s rays heat the office. In the summer you would want to close the curtains to help your office remain cool.

The wind’s energy could also be used to cool the office in the summertime by producing cross breezes. Open windows on opposing sides of the office to produce a path for the air current to flow. As the air passes through your office it can help it remain cool.

Fans are also a big help although they usually run on electricity, they’re more cost effective cooling methods than air conditioning which can cost more than $500 a summer.

#3 Active Solar

There are numerous office products on the market today that utilize solar cells to maximize the sun’s energy. You can purchase laptop bags with solar cells to power your laptop. You can buy solar recharging stations and recharge all of your electronics. You can even buy solar powered electronics.

Finally, reorganizing the office for optimum air flow can help it remain cool in the summertime. If you have boxes stacked and furniture sitting over vents there won’t be any means for the cool air to circulate in the office. Clean house and minimize clutter for maximum energy savings.

There are numerous methods to become more power effective in the office.  Utilize the power of the sun and the wind for heating and cooling and become wise about turning off and on your electronics whenever you need them. Utilize just as much as you’ll need.

Want to find out more facts about solar energy, then visit Ben Jerry’s site on solar energy information.

Picture for a second, a future world where all the paper goods we consume can bud into a flower when planted in soil.  Like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory where everything is edible, except with this ideal world: all of the paper is seeded and sproutable, plus the schnozberries still taste like schnozberries!  The way it turns out, seed paper transforms this possibility into a reality.

If you have never heard of seeded paper you are not alone, who knew paper made out of seeds possibly will bloom a flower or any plant for that matter? Yes, despite the paper making procedure, the seeds can still germinate which enables them to bud when planted.  Seed paper is a beautiful, eye-catching, and easily recyclable item which may include many different plant seeds.

But why should we utilize and increase the word about eco-friendly seed paper and all recycled paper for that matter?  In accordance with the CWAC (Clean Water Action Council) the answer is due to environmental damage caused by the paper industry, which is a good deal more than merely deforestation. The following are a few main damaging effects on our eco systems caused by paper waste according to Clean Water Action Council. A lot of impure sediments seep into food supplies and river systems containing a multitude of species of fish and ducks. There is certainly a ceaseless continuation of toxic chemical pollution, in addition to atmosphere pollutants including carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxides, carbon monoxides and particulates. There is also a large quantity of energy consumption. Mills extract a immense quantity of electrical energy from public utilities, or mills are forced to construct their very own energy facilities. An extensive quantity of water is needed along with copious quantities of solid waste. Worldwide, colossal tracts of forest are stricken by the paper industry, accounting to the world’s scary deforestation trends. Politicians are a bit deterred to act caused by collaboration of government entities and the multi billion dollar paper industry interests.

The majority of us are aware of global warming, man’s ever-growing carbon footprint, and detrimental man-made pollution of all sorts.  We perceive with our own eyes the unsafe toll on the environment attributable to the increased effects of our personal human actions and behavior.  We wish to reduce, reuse, recycle, and make this planet a greater place for upcoming generations, but every so often we must be confident, empowered, and reminded.  We are making strides with companies promoting the use of reusable grocery bags. Seed paper as well is an ideal way to inspire one another to go green.

If you’re a business expert, conservationist, business proprietor, salesperson, or simply passling along your annual holiday letter to family and friends, using seeded paper as your correspondence stationary is a great way to show your personal or organization-wide promise to reducing your carbon footprint while also saving trees.   When you give out your seed business card, or send out your holiday seed cards you are extending the excellent news about seeded paper, recycling, and the imperative necessity for all of us to exist and be eco friendly.  As the 40th anniversary of Earth Day comes to pass (April 22nd), there has never been a more fitting moment for organizations to purvey their obligation to reducing their carbon footprint through adopting green methods to make this world a better place for upcoming generations.

Most celebrities splurge their fortune on outrageously extravagant homes with everything from multi-car garages and huge swimming pools to state-of-the-art kitchens and entertainment rooms with enough high-tech gadgets to use up a small town’s worth of electricity.
Clearly, these home owners have given little to no thought to the massive increase in their carbon footprint which these homes are causing. But, there are some celebrities out there who put their care for the environment before their obsession with luxury:

Johnny Depp

Not only is Johnny Depp one of Hollywood’s hottest actors, he is also known as one of Hollywood’s most environmentally-friendly A-Listers.
Johnny Depp enlisted eco-homes expert Michael Strizki to turn his 35-acre island getaway in the Caribbean into a self-sustaining habitat run on solar-hydrogen power. With Strizki – project promoter of The Hopewell Project – on the case, it is doubt the rest of the building plans will be equally as energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Brad Hall

Before Julia Louis-Dreyfus and husband Brad Hall became famous for their comedic acting and writing on Saturday Night Live, Seinfeld, and The New Adventures of Old Christine, they were a pair of environmentally-minded theatre students. Now they share an energy-efficient Santa Barbara bungalow that includes a retractable roof, which stimulates airflow and negates the need for air conditioning; day-lighting, to reduce the need for electric lights; and solar heating that’s put back into the grid when the house isn’t in use. The couple also had their contractor salvage all the pre-renovation wood since, as Hall put it: “Having a second home is itself a sort of appalling excess. We figured if we’re going to do it, we better be as responsible as we can.”

Daryl Hannah

Known just as much these days for her environmental passion as she is for her films, actress Daryl Hannah spends her days off in the Rocky Mountains, where her converted-stagecoach-stop home is almost entirely solar powered. The off-grid dwelling sits next to a winterised barn (also solar powered) made of reclaimed wood, and inside, Hannah and her guests sit on a moss-covered stone that doubles as a couch.

Julia Roberts

Julia Roberts, her husband Danny Moder and their three children share an over-sized, 6,000-square-foot home, complete with tennis court and pool, but the home’s recent estimated $20 million green renovation – including recycled tiling and sustainable building materials – help keep the mansion’s carbon footprint restrained. The home’s three roofs’ worth of solar panels takes advantage of living in Malibu by harnessing the climate’s natural energy.

Orlando Bloom

Perhaps all the time together Orlando Bloom shared with Johnny Depp on the Pirates of the Caribbean set allowed some of Depp’s environmentalism to rub off on co-star Orlando Bloom.
Bloom, who is a participant of the Global Cool climate change campaign, made his new-construction home in London as green as possible, with everything from solar panels to energy-efficient light bulbs. He has since said that the project required nearly twice as much money as he had initially budgeted, but the finished product is sure to be well worth the cost.

Like this post? See more like it at Letitflow.com– your one-click stop for all the latest news on celebrities, fashion, high-tech gadgets, luxury cars, exotic travel destinations, and much more!

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When it comes to environmental initiatives and sustainability, certain US cities have been deemed ahead of the curve, at least when compared to their lagging neighbors. Back in February 2008, Popular Science produced a list of the top 50 greenest cities in the United States. These are the greenest cities in the United States based on their research study.

1. Portland, OR
2. San Francisco, CA
3. Boston, MA
4. Oakland, CA
5. Eugene, OR
6. Cambridge, MA
7. Berkeley, CA
8. Seattle, WA
9. Chicago, IL
10. Austin, TX

The top 50 cities, and further rankings, were determined based on scores related to four major categories: electricity, transportation, green living, and recycling. Cities scored well in the electricity category when they drew energy from renewable resources, such as solar power. Transportation points went to cities with good public transportation systems (ie places where the population actually uses public transportation). A green living score was determined based on the number of certified buildings and lastly, recycling points went to cities with great recycling systems and programs.

The list, however, seems to be outdated. It was compiled over two years ago. What qualifies a green city today and are we still looking at the same criteria? Are the green cities listed above list-proof, or in other words, would they appear on a 2010 list done by another research group? The questions can be answered based on a new 2010 study done by the Business Courier of Cincinnati. Here are the top 10 greenest cities based on the Business Courier's research.

1. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA
2. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
3. Honolulu, HI
4. Austin-Round Rock, TX
5. Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH
6. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
7. Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO
8. Pittsburgh, PA
9. Albuquerque, NM
10. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

Cities were ranked using the ACBJ’s Green City Index. Essentially, the index compiles environmental data from various resources and organizations. The index incorporates a significant number of external statistics, such as number of Energy Star rated facilities (from the US EPA) and carbon emissions data (from the Brookings Institute). Examining these lists, it's clear that places like Boston and Seattle are some of the most environmentally-friendly cities in the US. Further within these green cities, there are particularly sustainable districts and neighborhoods. For example, it’s no wonder that people look for Jamaica Plain condos (Boston, MA). With many parks, such as the Olmsted Park, the neighborhood is constantly cited as one of Boston's greenest and most desirable.

During the Second World War, resources were hard to come by and Governments ran big recycling campaigns to ensure nothing was wasted. Waste was segregated for the following uses:

- Tins and metal were recycled for use weapons, tanks and aircraft.

- Left over food provided feed for chickens, pigs and goats.

- Rubber was collected to make tires.

- Boiled bones were used to make glue for aircraft, ground up to make fertilizer or made into glycerin for explosives.

People were also encouraged to mend belongings, such as clothes, rather than buy new. Campaigns such as ‘Make Do And Mend’ and ‘Sew And Save’ gave advice on how to recycle textiles and make clothes last longer. Knitting also soared in popularity during the Second World War.

Families had to plan meals carefully so as to minimize wastage. With no fridges or freezers, perishable food had to be purchased in small quantities and meals were made with some interesting substitutes. Meat fat was commonly saved to make pastry, and the cream from milk was collected in a jar and shaken to make butter and buttermilk.

It is sad that it took people so long to recognize the importance of recycling, and also that it took such unfortunate circumstances to draw it to our attention. These days, we realize the importance of recycling to preserve the Earth’s resources, save money, reduce pollution and help combat climate change.

However, we are still falling well below targets for diverting waste from landfill sites. The reasons for recycling may be different now from what they were during the War, but we can still look to our grandparents and the older generations for tips and inspiration.

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Ware 4 Recycling Bins Ltd have been promoting cost effective recycling bins, trolleys and waste containers for over 5 years.

Natural Cleaning Techniques: “But…how did they do it 100 years ago?”

This is a common question that I ask myself and my fellow community members here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, a striving-to-be-sustainable community. How did they do this or that before electricity? Before mass production? Before everything came in plastic? More often than not we adopt the old way of doing things here: canning or root cellaring our food for preservation, heating our homes with wood, and making butter with a hand cranked, turn-of-the-century churn.

When it comes to cleaning, there are certainly many old fashioned ways of cleaning that one could easily choose to use. From baking soda to lemon juice, there may be simple ways to save yourself from adding too many products to your life. I know at least a few folks who believe that you can clean just about anything with white vinegar and newspaper or an old rag. And while we do employ a number of very simple cleaning techniques here at Dancing Rabbit, even we are not free of mass-produced cleaning products… but we stick to those that meet our standards for sustainability.

That’s why you’ll find a number of Seventh Generation products under our sinks. We’ve been known to use their various spray bottle bathroom cleaners and those squirty-topped dish soaps, because we know this company shares our vision of living more lightly on the Earth. Having replaced toilets with a simple humanure system, we don’t need to use any of their toilet cleaning products (though we do still use Seventh Generation toilet paper).

You will also find a number of citrus-based cleaners used for anything from mopping the floor to washing our clothes. Citric acid can, in almost all cases, be used in the same way as bleach. Mixed with salt, citrus becomes especially powerful. And just think of how much more pleasant the smell of lemon is compared to the smell of bleach!

Personally, I have, at one time or another used Dr Bronner’s Magic Soaps for just about everything. From its inception, Dr. Bronner’s has listed “eighteen-in-one” potential uses for their product on the bottle, and it can really be used for every one of them. Along with body wash and hand soap, Dr Bronner’s also makes great laundry soap, and is even safe to use on your pets!

I have no doubt that some people look at our way of life, and think that we’re trying to return to the 19^th century. With some specific practices, they’re right! But we don’t reject progress… we just want to see it achieved sustainably. These natural cleaning products allow us to enjoy a bit of convenience, while still maintaining our values.

Best of luck combining simplicity, sustainability, and practicality, and happy cleaning!

Mary Beth Bishop is a resident of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in Northeastern Missouri, and a freelance writers currently under contract with long-running green blog sustainablog, which now features an eco-friendly shopping portal that carries a full range of cleaning brands, including Dr. Bronner’s.

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There has long been a conflict between living a sustainable and environmentally friendly lifestyle, and still indulging in life’s luxuries. We don’t want to pollute the atmosphere with CO2, but still want to take our holidays to Barbados every year and keep our houses warm and cozy in the winter. We don’t want to fill up landfill sites, but can’t resist those luxury biscuits that come in a tin and five layers of packaging inside. We don’t like to waste water, but a hot bath at the end of a long day just feels too good.

Thankfully we are starting to realize that we don’t have to give up on all of life’s luxuries in order to save the earth, and improvements in technology and innovation have allowed us to do more than ever whilst keeping a clear conscience. One such luxury that has not always been so ‘green’ is spa days. These intensive pampering sessions have received a lot of criticism over the years for their harmful impact on the environment, but now you can go on spa days that are a little kinder to mother nature. Here are 3 ways that health spas are going green:

Green Products.

Whilst the skin care and beauty products used by health spas are often very good, they are not always good to the earth. Synthetic ingredients, harmful bi-products and animal testing are just a few of the ways products can be harmful, but thankfully there are good alternatives these days. Producers of all-natural skin care and beauty products have upped their game recently, and largely due to increased public demand, there is a far greater range and level of quality for health spa products.

Green Energy.

Most health spas often encompass a scary number of energy-consuming devises and environments. Saunas, Jacuzzis, swimming pools, steam rooms etc, they are burning large amounts of fuel and don’t do any good for the planet’s CO2 levels. More health spas though are now waking up to green energy, both creating it from renewable sources and improving the efficiency of its use. Here are some examples of how health spas are reducing energy usage/loss:

• Solar panels on roofs

• Recycling of hot air from pools, steam rooms etc

• Better insulation in spa areas

• Movement sensor switches on lights

Green Waste.

Health spas are notorious for producing large amounts of waste. Water is wasted at an incredible rate via ‘back-washing’ the pools to remove sentiment and also via constant laundry washing. Much of this waste water can actually be reused if put through the proper filters and many spas can make their money back within a couple of years by saving on water costs. The other big wastage is the packaging and containers that beauty products and are delivered in. Some spas are recycling these by handing them back to the suppliers after each delivery and asking them to be reused, saving both money and unnecessary landfill.

So with all these green initiates that many health spas are signing up to, you can still enjoy your massage, without feeling guilty about your impact on the planet.

Duncan is a green enthusiast and a blogger for a London health spa who are doing their bit for the environment.

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