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Posts Tagged ‘green’

Below are some of the environmental and money saving benefits of recycling paper…

Saves Trees – The most obvious reason to recycle paper is for saving trees which provide vital oxygen for the planet. Just 1 ton of recycled paper saves at least 16 of them.

Wildlife Preservation – More often than not, the wildlife that lives in the trees that are cut down to make ‘new’ paper, die quickly because they cannot adapt to living anywhere else. Recycling paper means that they can die natural deaths instead of forced ones.

Cheaper Paper – Recycled paper is often cheap to purchase. Buying cheaper, recycled goods encourages more recycled goods to be manufactured, sustaining the recycling industry.

Less Water Consumption – 1 ton of recycled paper can save over 6500 gallons of water.

Saves Electricity – Producing electricity seriously damages the environment, but more than 400 kilowatt hours are saved by recycling 1 ton of paper.

Reduces Oil Dependence – Oil production has some horrific effects on the environment and any chance to reduce oil consumption should be taken. Saving 2 barrels per ton of recycled paper really makes a difference in the long term.

Less Pollution – Burning paper in waste incinerators pumps masses of pollution into the air. That means that we are unnecessarily causing the air that we all breathe to be of a lower quality.

Creates Jobs – Think about all the people who work within the paper recycling industry. Collectors, sorters and machine operators being just a few of them. The more that we recycle, the more of these jobs there will be created.

Paper Logs – Many people are now turning to paper logs as a supplementary fuel source. Consisting of tightly compressed briquettes of paper, these logs can be thrown on a fire or used in a wood burner to provide heat for free.

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This article is provided by http://www.paperlogmaker.org.uk/, a website dedicated to paper log makers and paper recycling.

Each and every year thousands upon thousands of tons of trash is poured into landfills. While we are in no danger of running short on landfill space, this is expensive in terms of space, time, and energy invested, along with the sheer waste of materials that will not ever be used again.

With that in mind, consider these reasons to keep your aluminum and steel cans out of the landfill by recycling them instead.

– Aluminum which has been recycled is back in use again within 2 months. In contrast, it would take over 200 years for that metal to break down naturally if were just thrown away.

- Metal cans can be recycled for cash at many places. Various states offer five cents for each can given to them, and some recycling centers pay anywhere between a dollar and two dollars per pound of cans recycled.

- There are can crushing machines available that can be used to make the job easier, and you can even make a home-made one for free. Therefore, it is no excuse to say that recycling cans takes up too much space.

– Recycled steel and aluminum are have exactly the same composition as ‘new’ aluminum and steel. Recycled metals are just melted down and then forged into new products, which can then be recycled again when they are finished being used.

– The United States currently uses steel that is more than 65% recycled. This is a good start, but it could definitely be higher. Significant further progress would be made if more people were aware that they can recycle their steel cans.

– The 100,000,000 ‘new’ steel cans produced every day consist of 25% recycled materials. That equates to 25 million reclaimed cans vs. 75 million completely new cans. If people recycled more frequently, that number would soon jump to 50-50 and a great deal of energy and resources would be saved.

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This article has been provided by Can Crusher, a site dedicated to information on crushing cans and recycling.

It is a fact that companies who take a clean and green approach to the way that they operate are more trusted by customers, and the public in general, and also incur fewer costs. What then can be done to become an environmentally friendly company?

Reduce Waste Where Possible – Assess your company processes to see where waste could be reduced. For example, can invoices be sent electronically and goods ordered in bulk to reduce packaging waste? Waste reduction should be the top priority of any waste management scheme as this is where the most cost effective and positive and environmental changes can be achieved.

Buy Recycled Paper – Producing one tonne of recycled paper saves 3000 liters of water and 78% energy use. Air emissions of gases such as CO2 are cut by 95% and there is less pollution because recycled paper is not bleached with chlorine. As for purchasing recycled paper, it is no more expensive than virgin paper, and nowadays the quality is as good.

Re-Use Plastic Cups – Plastics are harmful to the environment both when they are produced (various chemicals are emitted) and when they are disposed of (taking hundreds of years to decompose). Therefore, it really is inexcusable to not re-use the same plastic cup throughout the day, or to even do away with plastic cups altogether and just use mugs instead.

Recycle Printer Cartridges – Around 2 million printer cartridges are discarded every year. Recycling cartridges is easy as many suppliers offer a return scheme for used cartridges. Using recycled toner cartridges reduces demand for raw materials and they can be purchased for as little as half the price of non-recycled cartridges.

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

By the time you read this, 56 pagers in 45 countries will have published a front-page editorial guided by the Guardian of London. The editorial will call global climate change a “profound emergency” with requires immediate action. It claims there are no replays regarding climate change: “Unless we combine to take decisive action, climate change will ravage our planet, and with it our prosperity and security.”

I took a master’s level college course on the environment back in the early 90′s, and I remember the main theme of our textbook was that our environment is such a complicated system that it is not only more complex than we know, it’s more complex than we can ever know. That has stuck with me ever since.

The science behind global warming and climate change is extremely complex. Arguments abound about how, and even if, it is really a crisis at all. But, if you look at the data behind this gargantuan topic, it is extremely difficult to explain away what is happening before our very eyes, and even all that is not visible to the naked eye. Temperatures are rising, glaciers and ice fields are melting, the oceans are warming, the weather is changing in many locales, species of animals and plant life are disappearing or being profoundly altered. Gigantic clouds of methane gas are potentially being released from below thawing ice on a scale that is just now beginning to be measured. One thing is certain: 11 of the last 14 years have been the warmest on record.

In my neck of the woods, the mountain southwest, the aspen tree is undergoing SAD: Sudden Aspen Decline. While there are many factors that enter into this phenomenon, the long-continuing drought that is plaguing the American Southwest has left the aspen and other tree species unable to protect themselves from wood-boring insects, for starters.

The havoc that global warming is already causing is hard to calculate because it is so vast. And, what the future holds is even more astounding. Rising sea levels could, and almost certainly will, devastate coastal countries and cities more than we can imagine. It’s the domino effect on a spectacular scale.

The pressure mounts on The United States to become an active member in the staving off of planetary destruction after years of obstructionist environmental policy, particularly from the George W. Bush reign. This should not be a battle between the rich world and the poor world. This is a shared responsibility. We are all in this together. We can unite as ONE PEOPLE of the entire globe and work to solve this immense catastrophe, or we can do what we do best: nothing. It requires shared sacrifice, but the Super Powers must surely take the lead. There is no doubt that rich countries have contributed far more to this dilemma than poor countries. Yet, we all bear responsibility. There is no time to waste playing “the blame game.”

There is huge economic opportunity in turning the world into a much greener and sustainable environment. But, attitudes, concrete policy changes, and hardcore action must become the rule of the day. If “What goes on in the Copenhagen Climate Summit, stays in Copenhagen” is the prevailing mood, we all lose. The very survival of the human species, and the Earth as we know it, depends upon a drastic shift in global consciousness beginning today!

Grant Brad Gerver is an entrepreneur and creative consultant for Filibi, a classified and online coupon advertising site and home business. He’s also a YouTube Channel blues singer-songwriter and guitar player with The Buzzard Brothers. Additionally, Grant writes political humor, thousands of bumper stickers, and humorous movie reviews. He has also worked with various companies as a product-naming specialist. He’s a retired elementary school teacher and published children’s author who works in the health care field.

OK, so the Bamboo PC it was a gimmick. The laptop version of the bamboo PC launched last March at a computer fair in Hanover. It featured a laminated bamboo casing which was around a standard laptop, meaning that no less plastic was needed in making it.

Although the bamboo computers won’t make a huge difference to the environment, it did prove how versatile material really is.

Bamboo must be the only plant on the planet that is a source of food, works as building materials and woven fabrics. One of the early light bulbs created by Edison used bamboo. Because the material is so string, resiliant and cheap to use, it is used widely in building throughout Asia. The fibres within bamboo poles have both high tension strength, as well as high compression strength. It’s compressive strength works out around twice that of concrete, bamboo also has the same tensile strength to weight ratio as steel. Now there’s even a bamboo laptop!

Bamboo will please anyone whose buying eco-friendly home furnishings. For a start, bamboo is an extremely sustainable material. Some bamboo species are able to grow more than one metre every day. Local people are able to cut down as much bamboo as they need for carving or weaving and still have the same amount growing as they did before they cut some down. As for the global warming problem, because bamboo is a plant, all products made out of the sustainable material contains a large amount of atmospheric carbon. The plastic equivalent of a bamboo product is worse for the environment as it actually adds to the levels of carbon in the atmosphere!

Another point is that because bamboo is a plant source, there are many variations between two plants, these variations make it a difficult material to use in a mass production process. What this means is that you can be almost positive that a skilled craftsman has built the bamboo product you buy. If you go to a reputable source you’ll also know that the craftsman got a fair wage for his or her work, and that no one was exploited by western buying power. The final thing is that you’ll be sure that the item you bought hasn’t gathered any air miles during its creation.

With eco credentials this strong, it’s a surprise bamboo built products are so beautiful. Just picture a hand crafted bamboo box, layered 15 times with natural shellac. Both stylish and natural. Only the other day, I bought an amazingly crafted bamboo knife block and am seriously considering following suit with other bamboo kitchen accessories such as salad bowls. Stylish and ethical. Win.

Despite the still parlous state of the world and the UK economy in particular, the pressure on business to be “seen to be greener” will continue to grow.Climate change policies and carbon taxes will inevitably become more significant mechanisms to raise revenues and be seen to be addressing global warming.  Part of that trend will be an increasing emphasis on enforcing regulations governing the collection, treatment and recycling of all sorts of waste, especially electrical and electronic equipment as specified by the WEEE directive.

Despite (or maybe because of) the recession, companies need to forge ahead with energy-saving measures and invest in the latest inventory management software, not least because of imminent UK mandatory carbon reduction commitments, and still have to prove their green credentials to consumers and clients who are increasingly demanding that  environmental  component of virtually every product or service.

Doing all this will create a significant cost for business, unless they get their fixed asset register in order.The days have gone when a simple aspirational statement about green strategies from procurement and recycling would suffice.Organisations now have to show their commitment to green issues through information transparency and fully auditable policies.At the core of this approach has to be detailed information about the life cycle of all their fixed assets, from country of origin and maintenance schedules to final disposal details.

That requires an investment in fixed asset software to replace antiquated spreadsheet models in an attempt to accurately identify the location of equipment, especially that relevant to WEEE regulations, confirm when those items were purchased, from whom they were purchased, and how or where they were disposed of at the end of their lives.By using a comprehensive asset accounting software package that links the asset register to a document management system, companies can create the required audit trail so that they can adapt effectively to the demands of the green economy.

The whole fashion industry is buzzing right now, as London Fashion Week gears up for its largest show in history. The event will run over 4 days (1 extra day for the men’s collection) and will profile not only the most established and respected names in the industry, but also some of the freshest up and coming designers around. In total there will be over 150 exhibitors showing at Somerset House in The Strand, from Ada Zanditon & London Spa to Zoe & Morgan, and they will be competing for the attention of the top buying houses and high street fashion scouts.

The collections on show will be the Spring/Summer 2010 ranges, but this year there will be a different focus to the previous fashion weeks. With all the buzz surrounding eco friendliness at the moment, the ‘estethica’ portion of the show has been pushed to the forefront and has taken a leap forwards in popularity.

This will be the seventh season that estethica has had a place at the fashion week, and it sees a further 15 labels taking part. The BFC first came up with the idea of having a eco friendly section of the fashion week, to give those environmentally-conscious UK designers a chance to play with the big boys of fashion, but since its conception the show has won over even the most profit-driven of fashion companies.

There will be many elements of fashion displayed at the shows, including accessories, shoes and bags. However, in another move forward for the fashion week, there will also be beauty products and make-up shows taking place across the 4 days. Whilst some may consider this not relevant to fashion, the organizers argue that anything that influences appearance comes under the fashion umbrella, be this eye liner or pedicure products. Depending on how well this section of the show is received, it could become a permanent feature of the world famous London fashion week.

Recycling is a big deal these days and we are always being encouraged to do more. Tin cans and cardboard boxes are easy enough to recycle as there are usually recycling stations dotted around town and some counties even pick your recycling up for you. What we don’t generally get asked to recycle however are the larger items. Things such as cupboards, wardrobes and tables often get taken to the tip never to be seen again. In these difficult times we should be looking to make use of as much waste as we can, so here are a few tips to household recycling.

Wood Items. Lots of people are very quick to get rid of their old chest of draws or bookshelf without taking some time to consider if they still have some use. With a little imagination you can make a great coffee table by bolting a 2 or 3 kitchen cupboards together, removing the handles and placing them door-side-up on the floor. If you leave the hinges and doors intact, you can keep the coffee table hollow and use it as storage space as well. You can also use wood to make lots of little things such as door stops and chopping boards and even wine racks

Glassware. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be an expert in glass melting in order to reuse an old glass. Glasses can be used to pot house plants, store knick-knacks in, and even create feature walls with if you’ve got the time to make it. All it takes is a little imagination and you can reuse glass for all sorts of things.

Furniture. This is one of the hardest things to recycle and I’m not saying that you will be able to make tableware out of your old sofa, but sometimes there is scope to get a few more years out of items you thought were at the end of their life. The garden is a great place to find a home for old household items.By removing the cushioning and coating the furniture in some protective varnish, most chairs and tables will last outdoors for years. You might also be able to use old carpet to kneel on whilst tending to garden or to line the floor of the shed with.

There are many books & websites with more than enough advices on how to live green. Albeit being a Toronto real estate professional gives me plenty of changes to talk about the many ways of eco-friendly living with my clients, my topic today will be a bit more specific. Most people have already read the most important eco-tips, so we are not going to try to summarize them here again. Our today’s topic will be the three everyday items that we usually don’t even consider to be a problem: food, water and electricity.

Food

As I suppose that most people don’t just dump paper, glass and metal waste but recycle it, the rest of your household waste will be mainly food. Most of this food would usually be in very good condition, sometimes not even out of its wrapper or container. The shocking fact is that between 20 and 30% of all groceries bought by Canadian families is thrown out later. Together with the food thrown out in stores and restaurants, it makes between 7 and 14 billion tonnes of food wasted annually. In Canadian dollars, that’s $3 to 5 billion per year.

These numbers are quite surprising, aren’t they? The main paradox is that we throw out so much food daily and at the same time so many charity organizations are working hard, trying to help people who don’t have enough to eat. But wait before you start packing the groceries you are not going to use and sending it to places full of hungry people. There are some other methods you might want to try instead of throwing the food away. 1. Do you have any food left from yesterday? Try to use it for today’s lunch. For example you can stuff some peppers with some remaining rice. 2. A good way of preventing groceries going past the expiry date is arranging your food cabinet by this criteria: older food, that is going to expire soon, is stored in the front, while the longer lasting products can stay in the back of the shelves. 3. If you know you will not eat food that’s just about to expire and would consequently throw it out, just bring it to your local charity or soup kitchen or similar place while the food is still in good state. If you cannot use up all the groceries you have purchased, there are enough people even in your community who will be grateful to eat it – hunger is not limited to Africa. 4. Do not waste leftovers – mulch it. If you do not own a garden, find somebody who does. Food simply doesn’t belong to dumping grounds.

Water

You probably already know many advices on how to prevent using more water than necessary in your home. One thing that occurs to me when thinking about reasonable water usage is the way we manage human waste: toilets. Nowadays, toilets are absolutely inherent – when they are working alright, we don’t even need to pay any attention to them. However, have you tried to calculate how much water your household needs every month for flushing the toilet? You might be shocked by the big number you get out of this. And has it ever occurred to you that this quantity is not essential, that flushing your lavatory can be done using less water? You can try these two methods to using less water for flushing: 1. Replace your old lavatory by a new type that has been designed to use as little water as possible. Go and check out the selection in your local shop, it is amazing how wide it is nowadays! 2. If you put a couple of plastic bottles full of water into the tank of your lavatory, it will help you to save some water for flushing as well. It may take some time to find out just how much is the minimum amount of water for your lavatory to keep working.

Electricity

You have probably already read a lot of tips and tricks on how to save electric energy. What I personally regard as being the biggest electricity waster is the often used tumble dryer. We got used to having anything we like or need immediately, that we no longer care how much superfluous resources are wasted just because we don’t want to wait. It is quite obvious that in our current lifestyle, there is not enough time for washing our clothes manually, and that dishwashers do really save some water. Though the advantages of a tumble dryer might be less obvious. Would it be such a great problem if we just waited 1 – 2 days for our laundry to get dry? In case your green ambitions are serious, try to think about turning your tumble dryer on in urgent cases only, or even think about saying goodbye to it at all – you can sell it or give it to someone else. In addition to the environment, you will save some money on your electricity bills as well.

If you ask for motives for starting to use the fluorescent light bulbs instead of the traditional ones, you usually get two answers: the new type of light bulbs is 1) eco-friendly and 2) pocket-friendly at the same time. The fluorescent bulbs are economical in several ways: they can be used up to ten times a longer time than the “normal” bulbs, and the amount of emanated heat is smaller, therefore there is less air conditioning necessary, which is significant mostly for large offices. Furthermore, the environmental bulbs need three times less energy than the “old” ones, which helps to save both the environment and your budget.

Except for running a Toronto lisitngs agency, I’m always looking for ways to make my lifestyle a bit more greener. Most customers are not experts and may feel that the selection of environmental light bulbs is very wide, making it very difficult to choose the right one. The following guidelines should make the process much easier and nicer experience.

Mr. Bulb Right

If you are not certain about the right type of bulb you need, the best idea would be to bring your old light bulb with you so that you can make sure the shape and size matches. You will only need one-quarter of the original wattage (60 watt traditional bulb = 15 watt environmental bulb). It is important to read the label carefully, especially if you want to put your new bulb in a dimmer light – not all types of light bulbs are suitable for dimmers.

The perfect spot for your new bulb

Think about the place where you are going to use the new bulb – if it is too warm with no or little air circulation, the environmental bulb won’t be a good choice here (for example in recessed ceiling fixtures). It is also important to take into account the fact that the fluorescent bulb needs one to three minutes to start functioning fully and it is not good to switch it on and off too frequently. So the environmental bulbs are best to be used in rooms where the light usually stays on for at least 15 minutes, otherwise the bulb could get destroyed too early.

How to dispose of fluorescent bulbs

Fluorescent light bulbs should be recycled at all times. The environmental bulbs contain mercury, a dangerous heavy-metal. If broken, do not vacuum. You also shouldn’t touch it with bare hands. Instead, try to sweep the mercury bits with a piece of cardboard. Pick up smaller bits with sticky tape and wipe the affected area with a damp cloth. Open the window for at least 15 minutes to avoid mercury exposure.