With the planet in so much peril of just burning up all resources that are used to exist, it is little wonder that many are jumping on the bandwagon of living green in order to save what is left of the earth. There has definitely been a major concern that future generations will not have a world to enjoy if steps are not taken immediately. That’s why education in living eco friendly is so important.

A misconception about going green is that it is very hard work and a difficult lifestyle. While, admittedly, it IS a seriously big commitment, there is no need for it to make your life one of only hard work. You’re probably thinking about the pioneers of years ago and how they had to live. Wipe those thoughts completely out of your head. People today are far more advanced in the conveniences they have than those poor settlers were. Think of it in this way: You will only be finding better ways to do things you are already doing.

For example, something that most people already do without really thinking about it is recycling. This is an eco friendly practice that has been going on for years in an effort to keep the earth from being so cluttered with useless products. You may already have been collecting soda cans for a little bit of extra money. That is considered to be recycling when you turn them in to the recycling collection center. By simply designating a bin for plastic, paper, and glass, you can toss each item in its own spot. When the bins are full, simply haul them in to the local recycling plant. You may even be lucky enough to live in a town where your recycled items are picked up for you on a regular basis.

Something else that many people do in order to live green is by just planting a garden each year. This is another way of conserving the planet that you may not realize is something green families do. It is an activity that has been engaged in for centuries. In the beginning, a garden was mostly created so that families would have food. Later, it was done by many as a way to have vegetables and fruits that were fresh and tasty.

The canning and preserving of the vegetables and fruits is another green activity that is still practiced today. Pantries all over the world are stocked each summer with jars and jars of vegetables, jams, jellies, preserves, and sauces. These will be enjoyed all through the winter months until spring comes and it’s time to plant again.

If you are someone who is already doing these very basic things you can consider yourself as someone who cares about the earth and is actively working to save it. Maybe you will want to get a bit more involved by taking some extra, more complicated, steps to live green. However, even if this is all you ever do, know that you are still contributing to the salvation of the planet for future generations.

For more information on going green, visit http://greenmicroblog.com and http://earthmicroblog.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Parks

If you regularly watch television, surf the internet, or listen to the radio, there is a good chance that you have heard about global warming.

Press and media outlets have elevated the issue in the public consciousness through their increased coverage. Being concerned about the issue is something that many of us are, thanks in part to the continuing debate and disagreements over the issue. After all, so much is at stake for our future family members.

Fighting against global warming does not have to take a lot of effort or money out of your pocket. There is entirely too much emphasis placed on vehicles and appliances that are energy efficient. Every little bit helps, and if you do not have the budget for the big items, there are less expensive ways to become proactive.

Your home is the key to helping you combat global warming.

If you are not using an electrical appliance, such as your computer, shut it off. As an added bonus, your electricity bill will decrease, saving you money as you help out future generations.

Reducing electrical usage by turning off all the lights and appliances is simple. This is not only a free way to help out, but you can also save money at the same time!

Another way you can help is by making sure your thermostat is not turned up too high so enjoy the comfort of wearing a sweater instead. The amount of reduction in toxicity your home produces can be substantial with a change in just a few degrees.

Many people do not understand the benefits to using energy efficient light bulbs, or how that differs from traditional ones. Another benefit that many users of these energy efficient light bulbs discover is an increased amount of savings on their electric bills.

A typical energy efficient bulb can operate for a year or two, making them last much longer than traditional light bulbs. Depending on where you shop, you may be able to buy these lights for around five dollars per multi-pack.

The contributions to combating global warming are not constricted to homeowners, as renters can help to. If you feel cold air sneaking into your house when it shouldn’t, speak to your landlord about making window repairs.

Though many people hesitate to bring items such as the hot water heater or insulating blanket up to their landlord, these tips can result in saving him or her money in the long run.

Not everyone can afford to buy an energy efficient vehicle such as a hybrid, and those people can still help out by examining their day to day transportation habits. First, examine how often you drive and if those drives are really necessary.

Could you walk, join a carpool, or take public transportation instead?

If you want to help fight global warming, you can easily do so by choosing to simply not drive three times you normally would during the week.

Source: solar energy

When you hear the term “green living”, you may get an image in your head of hippies living in communes making everything they use. Truth is:  the definition of green living has changed. The concept simply includes doing things to help the environment be viable for future generations. If you don’t feel like shedding your worldly possessions and living in a mud hut, here are a few steps you can take to make your life a little greener.

Buy local organic products. Organic farmers not only use little to no chemicals, they also take steps to reduce water and soil degradation, along with other problems caused by traditional agriculture. Grocery store vegetables have usually been shipped a long way, which causes environmental pollution trucks and planes. Buy your produce from a local farmer’s market or coop. If you can’t find one, start your own organic garden.

Use natural products. Household products that don’t contain chemicals are not only better for the environment; they’re safer for your family as well. You can make various cleaning products from stuff in your kitchen, like vinegar. If you don’t have the time, there are products you can buy. Just make sure they’re all natural and don’t just have a few natural ingredients. 

Reduce. We’ve all heard the spiel about reduce, reuse, recycle; however, most of us focus on recycling and completely ignore the reducing. Try to use products that don’t end up in landfills like cloth diapers instead of disposables or regular towels instead of paper ones. Buying concentrated products or products in bulk also helps reduce packaging materials, production and distribution costs.

Reuse. Many people have gotten in the habit of sending their recyclables away in the bins, but there’s more supply than demand in the recycling market. That’s why it’s also important to reuse items if you can. Before you throw something in the recycling bin, consider whether you could reuse it for something else. Also consider programs like freecycle, Craig’s list or garage sales which allows you to offer your gently used (or even broken) items to someone else. You really never know when your trash is someone else’s treasure or learning tool. 

Recycle. We should all have a recycle bin in our homes, but you can do stuff to recycle on your own. Make your own rich soils with a compost pile and you can recycle plants, shredded paper and uneaten bits of fruit or vegetables. You can also use products like shredded plastic bags to mulch your garden.  If you get creative, there’s lots of recycling you can do on your own.

Conserve Energy. There are so many things you can do to save energy. The big plus on this is that it also saves you money. Get low energy light bulbs for your fixtures. You could also take more drastic renovation steps by getting new energy efficient windows or installing solar panels. Even small steps like setting the thermostat a degree higher or lower or unplugging appliances not in use can make a big difference. A big way to conserve energy is to get a more fuel efficient car, or get rid of your car altogether. If you don’t need a big SUV, then don’t get one. You’ll be doing the environment a big favor.

Teach your children. You might not be able to change the world on your own, but you can start a trend by teaching others to be more environmentally friendly, starting with your own kids. Make sure your children know what steps you are taking to improve the environment and why. And most importantly, make sure you are all doing all you can for a sustainable future!

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Source: solar energy

Anyone in pursuit of job security should take a look at the oil spill cleanup business. With about 10,000 spills on America’s waterways every year — or one spill every 53 minutes — there’s plenty of work. And if you count chemical spills, the numbers triple.

Dr. Roy Hann, Jr. has been leading the fight against these disasters for more than twenty years. Applying his hands-on experience with tanker, pipeline and facility spills, Hann started the world’s first oil spill cleanup school at Texas A&M University in 1974. He also has directed oil spill courses for the United Nations, Brazil, Chile and India.

“The job market for our graduates is booming,” he said. “Since the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska, our enrollment has doubled. We’ve even got a backlog of students trying to get into the program.”

Like most problems, it’s easier to prevent a spill than clean one up, Hann said. Prevention saves both time and money in the long run, as well as the environment.

“Most companies know what ought to be done,” he said, “but don’t actually do it.”

That’s why he stresses a system called the “prevention cycle” — a thought process that starts with ship and facility design and considers all aspects of the business, including construction, maintenance and training.

Since Texas A&M’s campus at College Station is landlocked, only research work is done at that site. The actual school is conducted through an extension program on the Texas coast at Galveston.

Many of the school’s graduates find jobs in the oil industry or government, working on both prevention and cleanup issues. Hann’s graduates earn either a Master’s or Doctor’s degree in civil engineering, with an emphasis on environmental engineering.

“In many cases, they’re going to companies we never would have expected,” Hann said. “McDonald’s, banks…..it’s almost unlimited.”

Currently the school is limited to 40 or 50 new students each year. Expanding the program is being considered, Hann said, but will depend on funding and grants.

Still, Texas A&M’s popular program remains one of the few oil spill clean-up schools in the world.

(Tip/Stat) The world’s worst oil spill occurred off the coast of Trinidad and Tobago on July 1, 1979, and was nearly ten times worse than the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska.

Technorati Tags: oil spill, oil spills, oil spill cleanup business, chemical spills, oil industry, environmental issues, environmental schools

Source: environmental issues

Recently, the Ecology Center has released its 2008 report outlining the safest cars and car seats in terms of density of toxic chemicals. Materials used in the construction of vehicles and car seats are frequently hazardous to the human body, especially in children. These toxic chemicals make their way into our bodies and environment and should be avoided.

The list pays special attention to chemicals such as bromine, lead, and chlorine. Bromine is used in flame-retardants and is leeched into the environment. Bromine can cause many healths problems such as tissue and organ damage. Lead had long been used in plastics and has been shown to cause reproductive system, nervous system, and kidney damage. Chlorine is used in PVC plastics and may damage organs and pollute the environment. Other chemicals of particular interest are antimony, arsenic, chromium, cobalt, copper, mercury, nickel and tin. Besides the health effects, discarded cars are incinerated or left in land fills to contaminate water supplies and soil.

The top five healthiest cars on the list are:
Acura RDX SH
Smart Pure Coupe
Chevy HHR LT
BMW M5
Smart Passion Cabriolet

Cars that score the worst include:
Mitsubishi Eclipse Spider GT
Suzuki Reno
BMW 128i
VW Beetle
Lincoln Mark LT 4×4

The full list of vehicles and car seats is available at HealthyCar.org

Choosing healthy, clean cars is one more thing we can do to protect our environment and bodies.  Supporting companies that choose to manufacture their vehicles with low levels of toxic chemicals, helps determine the standards for the auto industry.  Make sure to browse over this report the next time you begin your search for a new vehicle. 

Most people do not think of their PCs as a large problem for the environment. Add all of the personal computers, servers, monitors, printers, and peripherals together and it is easy to see that the technologies of the last 20 years are a major factor in the amount of energy we consume each year. Luckily these devices come prepackaged with many energy saving techniques. Now we just need to know where to look to make sure we are taking advantage of these quick simple fixes.

Here are a few things you can do to make sure you are running an efficient low power computer.

1. Enable monitors and hard drives to turn off after 15 minutes.
2. Check to make sure the system will enter stand-by mode after 30 minutes of inactivity.
3. With newer LCD monitors, turn off the screen saver and allow your monitor to shut off after 15 minutes. Also, dimming the brightness uses less power.
4. Energy Star computers are much cheaper to run. Upgrade old PC systems to newer compliant systems.
5. Unplug printers, speakers, scanners, and cameras when they are not in use.
6. Laptops use less power than full desktop PCs, utilize the smaller laptop as much as possible.
7. Check programs and utilities to make sure they are not preventing your computer from entering into stand-by mode.

For detailed instructions on operating power management on specific operating systems, click on the links below.

Windows Vista
Windows XP / 2000
Windows NT
Windows ME
windows 98
Windows 95
Mac OS X
Mac OS 9

Climate Savers Computing is a non-profit group hoping to reduce the the carbon footprint left by computer systems throughout the world. Started by Google and Intel in 2007, the goal is to cut the power demand of these systems by 50% by 2010.