Going green has never been more popular. Look around, and it seems that just about every businesses is tripping over itself to showcase their efforts at embracing sustainability. There are many businesses around the country that have been engaged in sustainability practices for many years, and even they are incorporating the greenness of their efforts as they make over their images. As an example, consider Placer County, California’s Auburn Placer Disposal Service, also known as Placer County’s garbage company.

For decades the business name has been Auburn Placer Disposal Service, but then just in the last couple of years the company has repainted its corporate identity, and now it is known as Recology Auburn Placer. It is the exact same company, doing the exact same thing; however, as it is reinventing its image, it is showcasing its recycling efforts. The company processes more than 100,000 tons of garbage annually, and it has been actively recycling for decades. The company constantly creates new methods for both residential and business customers to participate in recycling programs. With events like residential spring cleanup day, recycling buyback centers and commercial cardboard recycling, Recoloby has very effectively contributed to environmental cleanup efforts. As it continues to help keep the neighborhood clean and the environment healthy, Recology is also taking its bows in the green spotlight.

Going green is good for business, and it is more and more common to find companies announcing when they are acting sustainably. Cities are sponsoring green certification programs to recognize businesses that are doing their part for the environment, and companies that are already in the business of recycling are staking their green claims now. It seems that not only is going green good for the planet, but it is good for business too.

Author: Lisa Whitaker

So everyone is talking about going green.  Sure, you’re not tooling a round the suburbs in an armored tank, but are you doing what you can to lower your impact on the environment?

There are lots of industries built around using your guilt over the state of the environment as a catalyst for their profit.  With all the things you can buy, there is almost always a green alternative.  But here’s another alternative – how about if you don’t BUY at all?

Any environmentalist worth their snuff will tell you that reducing your consumption is the best way to reduce your negative effect on our globe.  The less you buy, the less you waste; it’s that simple.

But sometimes, there are things you really need, or that you really want, whether you need them or not.  Here’s a novel idea – Rent!

Do you like spending a few weekends each summer on the lake?  Instead of buying a boat that you have to pay to store during all the times you’re not able to make it to the water, why not rent a boat when you want to get away?  Maybe you’re taking the kids and you need a pontoon boat, or you’re heading out for a waterskiing weekend and you need a high powered ski boat.  If you’ve got enough friends or family, renting a houseboat, might be a great weekend trip, too.  If you’re renting, you can tailor what you’re using to what you need in any given situation.  And, you can feel good about taking steps toward a greener world.

If you’re traveling with a baby, you know how much baggage can come with it.  Now that airlines are charging for everything you want to bring on board, it can get pretty expensive, too.  And, if you buy baby items to use once you reach your destination, a lot of those get thrown away or left behind when you head home.  To avoid that excess consumption, take advantage of companies that you can rent baby equipment like cribs, swings, toys and strollers.  It’s not only less expensive; it also helps keep you greener.

Thinking of throwing a party?  Decorating for a 50th Anniversary or a super sweet sixteen party can be a lot of fun – and a huge strain on your budget.  You can save that money for the food & entertainment when you rent party decorations.  Renting decorations also leads to less cheap, disposable decorations which means your celebration won’t be a downer for the environment.  From some companies, you can even rent Christmas decorations – you can go all out and still afford to actually buy some gifts.

It’s true that we’re a nation of consumers, but we’re also consumers who are starting to take a greater interest in the effect of our consumption on our planet.  It’s a great idea to cut back on purchases, and renting is an option that still lets you enjoy some of the finer things in life.

So the next time you’re considering a purchase, reconsider.  Renting is an option that can save you money, and can do at least a little bit to save the planet.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/renting-as-a-green-concept-771708.html

About the Author

Lisa Whitaker,

Lexington Kentucky

Escalating demands of used as well as new electronic gadgets in developed as well as developing countries such as the U.S.A, Canada, Australia, Japan, Australia, India, China, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, Nigeria, Mexico, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan etc. will be alarming for global environment in near future.

According to the news of sciencedaily.com, by the year of 2020 electronic waste from old computers will be doubled from 200 to 400 percent in South Africa and China and will increase by 500 percent in India. The most concerning part is that these countries don’t have any concrete plan or system to tackle hazardous e-waste and most of them are improperly handled or discarded.

Recent report exposes that china generates about 300,000 tonnes of electronic waste from personal computers, India generates 56,300 tonnes from personal computers and 4,700 tones from printers, Colombia produces 6,500 tonnes from personal computers, 1,300 tonnes from printers, and Kenya generates 2,500 tonnes from personal computers, 500 tonnes from printers. In comparison to producing electronic waste, recycling sector is relatively small. Countries such as China and India lack comprehensive e-waste collection and management network.

Hundreds of research organizations across the world have shown their concern and published reports on the necessity of proper e-waste collection, management as well as recycling system; else the whole world will have to face the greatest ever challenges and will be buried under the gush of e-wastes.

Today, it is encouraging that some countries have begun setting up e-waste management centers of excellence, and inspiring the established organizations to work on improving recycling and waste management systems. Unfortunately, a few countries can’t make much difference; every country’s participation is expected.

A report that was published on 22nd February this year by the UN University (UNU), and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), used data of 11 developing countries to predict the level of electronic waste. The report shows that by the end of 2020, e-waste from computer will be five times higher in china (the global leader in generating e-waste), and South Africa, and 18 times higher in India. It clearly shows the urgency of recycling. If immediate measures are not taken, the serious consequences will soon overpower.

Many developing countries are evolving and taking initiatives to reduce electronic waste. Over 35 developed countries have shown their interest in improving e-waste collection and effective electronic waste recycling system.

Recycling is the only option through which global environment and health can be saved. People are advised to use electronics goods until their nearing end of life and give them to recyclers instead of proliferating practices of discarding them for landfills. As a responsible citizen, everybody should play the benevolent role in eliminating the inevitable consequences of electronic waste.

The users can contact recycling companies such as www.Asset-RecoveryServices.com for more information on electronic recycling.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/recycling-articles/e-waste-surging-in-developing-countries-3272215.html

About the Author

I work as a tech-content writer/editor/blogger for Asset-Recovery Services. There are a variety of subjects that make me think and invoke me to write about. I prefer writing on e-wastes since the subject appeals to masses and is related to various health and environment issues.

We tend to think of water as a renewable resource.  To a large extent, that is true.  On the macro level, the water cycle does ensure that roughly the same amount of water is always on the planet.  However, on micro levels, for individual communities, that is a bit of a fallacy.  In a given area, drinking water can be used up by large enough population much faster than it can be renewed, if at all.  With a world population that is approaching six billion, that is occurring in many areas across the globe.  The same water cycle that ensures a certain level of water also sets an upper limit on its total availability.  As populations rise, that means that the water available to each person is always shrinking.  On the macro level, we are nowhere near the point where there is not enough water for each person, but on the micro level, this availability bears watching.

The problem is most evident in arid areas.  Cities like Phoenix, San Antonio, and Las Vegas are finding their local water supplies dwindling.  Irrigation is still very much an option, but at what point does this importation become too expensive and/or the areas that are being irrigated from begin to start hording their own supplies.  Another major issue is water rights regarding running water.  Some rivers are dammed or diverted for local purposes, thus harming areas that are reliant on this supply downstream.  This happened earlier this decade when some running water was dammed up in Nebraska and had a negative effect on Kansas farmers, resulting in a federal lawsuit.  Issues like these are just the domestic perspective; it does not even take into account the major issues facing areas like Saharan Africa.

Why is this a big deal?  Water truly is the basis for life.  Beyond just drinking water, the liquid is necessary for crop production.  Everything we eat involves heavy use of water somewhere in its production process.  Water is also important to industry.  Whether it be to provide electricity, be an actual ingredient in the production process, or to serve as a cooling element, no manufacturing business would get far without large levels of easily available and inexpensive water.

The best solution to this is conservation.  Unfortunately, a great amount of our current water use is just waste.  There are steps that can be taken on a small scale to use less water for individuals that would add up quickly if taken by the masses.  You have heard the clichés, take showers not baths, do not water your lawns unless absolutely necessary, etc, etc, etc.  This does not provide the end-all-be-all answer though.  Eventually, we will need to find better ways to harness ocean water.  Three fours of the earth is covered by water, but salt water is not usable for the majority of our needs (not drinkable, dries out crops, corrodes machinery, etc).  Desalinization processes are available to remove the salt and leave the water, but unfortunately these are still too expensive to be used for mass production at this time.  Methods will have to be invested that make these processes more efficient, or a completely new invention will need to come along that is much more affordable.  If we do not find solutions, they will be forced upon us whether we like it or not.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/when-the-rivers-run-dry-3286704.html

About the Author

- EW

Other informative sites:

Pan Dryers : Used Process Equipment

Author: Anthony Ricigliano

The Earth has a brand new island in the form of a chunk of ice four times the size of Manhattan after it broke off from the Petermann Glacier in Greenland. The ice island is slowly drifting across the Arctic Ocean with the potential to make its way toward oil platforms and busy shipping lanes off of Newfoundland.

The ice island is approximately one hundred square miles in size and is the largest northern hemisphere ice island since 1962. “It’s so big that you can’t prevent it from drifting. You can’t stop it,” said Jon-Ove Methlie Hagen, a glaciologist at the University of Oslo. The challenge now is to track the likely trajectory of the island to determine the potential danger which could be wreaked in the shipping lanes and Canada’s offshore platforms in the Grand Banks off Newfoundland.

The island is drifting toward the Nares Strait which could feed the island into southbound ocean currents. These currents would carry the island down Canada’s east coast and directly into the busy shipping lanes and oil drilling operations unless the usual winter freeze arrives on time and locks down the Strait. If it gets into the Nares Strait earlier than expected or the winter freeze is late, the floating ice shelf would become problematic.

Besides the obvious problems presented to ships, another complex problem is the threat to the offshore oil platforms in its path. Smaller icebergs can be redirected using water cannons or by towing but this ice shelf is so big that changing its direction would be difficult, if not impossible. If the platforms are threatened, they will probably have to shut down operations and be moved. The logistics of this type of action take time, money, and are very complicated, especially when the rigs are fixed to the ocean floor. The complexities would increase considerably if multiple rigs are threatened at the same time.

At its current size, the island contains the equivalent of the fresh water flowing through the Hudson River for two years. While it’s likely to break into smaller icebergs as it bumps into other icebergs and jagged islands, the bergs will still be huge in comparison to what normally floats out of the Nares Strait. The bergs would also be affected by wind, waves and higher temperatures as they head south.

The ice sheet is already a topic in the global warming discussion and should remain so during its journey. At this point, however, experts are reluctant to attribute the giant ice island to climate change due to all the variables that affect glaciers in the area. The ongoing retreat of Greenland’s glaciers has accelerated in recent years, and is one of the least understood pieces of the climate puzzle.

Despite the variables beyond those directly tied to global warming, the event coincides with worrisome signs of warming in the Arctic. Over the last forty years, Arctic temperatures have risen by 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit and Arctic sea ice measured in June was at its lowest level for the month since records started being kept in 1979.

Whether it’s a result of global warming or other factors, this ice island is likely to be the center of attention for environmentalists as well as the area’s shipping and oil industries.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/the-earths-newest-island-by-anthony-ricigliano-3279156.html

About the Author

Anthony Ricigliano‘s background in information technology, distribution, purchasing and regulatory affairs then gives him an edge with integrating that infrastructure with areas in the company that generate revenues.

Author: James Hunt

When we hear about an oil spill that has occurred in some part of the world we may be unaware of just how much oil has been spilled into either the water or on land. When we are talking about an oil spill, we are talking about a huge amount of oil that can do serious damage to the environment in which it was spilled.

How do Oil Spills happen?

Oil spills into rivers; bays and oceans are caused by accidents that usually involve tankers, barges, or refineries. Usually the oil is being transported to another part of the world for various reasons. People who by some form or another make mistakes or are being careless in what they are doing cause the spills themselves. Oil spills are not always caused by human mistake however; sometime machinery can break down which cause oil to spill out into the surrounding environment.

What happens when oil spills occur?

If an oil spill occurs in the ocean, the oil itself will float in salt water. It has been found that if the oil spill occurs in fresh water there is a good chance that the oil will float on top of the water as well. Believe it or not this is a good thing. This means that the oil is confined to the surface of the water, which makes containing the spill a little easier. The problem is that in water the oil will spread out quickly over the surface of the water. The more time the oil is left in the water the more it will spread out to cover a wider surface area, which can have a negative impact on the rate at which it can be contained and corrected.

When oil spills occur in the ocean there is always a chance that the marine life as well as birds and other animals will be negatively affected. Some oil spills have a greater impact on the wildlife then others, but no spill is good. Birds and other animals that are covered in fur, the oil itself actually destroys or breaks down the insulating ability of the fur. For birds, if the fur is covered in oil, the water-repelling abilities of the fur are affected. This exposed the animals to the harsh elements of the environments in which they live. There have been many animals killed as a result of oil spills in the oceans around the world.

Who takes care of Oils Spills?

When an oil spill occurs, who takes care of the problem? There are various, local and federal agencies that can be called upon to take care of oil spills. No matter who is called to take care of the spill the methods employed to clean up the spill are the same. Some agencies will be better equipped to clean up bigger spills whereas local agencies and organizations can handle the smaller, less dangerous spills. It is a criminal offence not to report an oil spill and failure to do so can result in jail time.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/how-do-oil-spills-happen-10934.html

About the Author

James Hunt has spent 15 years as a professional writer and researcher covering stories that cover a whole spectrum of interest.
Read more at www.oil-spills-central.info

Author: Brandi Cummings

Many of us want to be responsible citizens of the Earth. We think about the effects our lifestyles have on the environment. We are concerned about global warming. We want to ensure our children’s future on this planet is one that still has clean air to breathe, an abundance of trees and wildlife, and clean water to drink. However, many of us also think that the sacrifices might be too great to “go green” in our own office. Good news. It’s not as difficult as you think.

There are 3 areas where you can make a significant impact without significant expense or inconvenience: paper, lights, and electronics.

The average American office worker throws out about 150 pounds of paper per year. Paper manufacturing contributes to the deforestation of the planet and in America is responsible for 35 million tons of CO2 a year. So what can you do? Buy recycled paper. Make full use of that paper by printing on both sides and/or using paper that is only printed on one side for scratch paper. Do your proofreading and edits on your computer before printing to reduce the number of prints you make. Re-use file folders by placing new labels over the old ones. All of these changes are easy to make but have a big impact. Pretty painless, right?

Another way you can go green in your office is as easy as changing a light bulb. In fact, it is changing a light bulb. Incandescent bulbs use 4 times more energy than is necessary to produce light. Halogen lights can get as hot as 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s hot enough to cook an egg! Alternately, Energy Star certified compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) use 75% less energy to produce the same amount of light, last 10 times longer and produce less heat. If you feel like you need even more reason to switch to CFLs, consider that you will also save money over the lifetime of the bulb. Once you have made the switch to energy efficient bulbs, make sure lights are turned off when they are not needed. A great way to ensure that this happens is with motion sensors that will turn the lights off when everyone has left the room.

38% of all of the carbon dioxide emissions come from the electricity we generate. That electricity is used to power all sorts of things. A major drain on our electricity is all of our office equipment such as computers, copiers, printers, and fax machines. When going green with your electronics, you need to look at 3 factors. You need to consider the waste that is created in the manufacturing of the products, the effects on the environment when you use the products, and the waste that is created when you are done with the products. That may seem like a lot to think about but if you follow these simple guidelines, you will be able to minimize the negative impact your office equipment has on the environment.

The manufacturing of electronics uses a lot of resources including electricity, raw materials, and water. Electronics also account for billions of pounds of municipal waste each year. Just a few of the contaminants that electronics create are toxic heavy metals, lead, PCBs, mercury, and various acids. To lessen your office’s affect on the number of new pieces of equipment that are manufactured, as well as end up in land fills, buy all-in-one machines that combine multiple functions into one. Whenever possible, get rid of machines completely by using services such as Internet fax. With an Internet fax service you get rid of the fax machine completely, as well as reduce the amount of paper and ink that gets consumed. Another way to decrease waste is to recycle machines that are no longer working and donate those that do to charities where they will stay in use.

25% of the total electricity used by all commercial buildings in the US is consumed by office buildings. When buying any new office equipment, look for Energy Star certified machines. This will make a huge difference in the amount of electricity that is used to run your office. For example, an Energy Star certified computer is going to be 52% more efficient than a standard one. Laptops also use a lot less energy than desktops, so consider whether this is a viable option for your office. Energy efficient machines are also going to have stand by options that will power down or go into sleep mode to conserve energy when not in use. Once the office is closing for the day, make sure that all equipment is powered off.

Taking these steps will get you on your way to going green in your office. And as I promised, they will help you make a significant impact without significant cost or inconvenience to you and your employees. And you thought going green was going to be hard.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/going-green-in-your-office-the-easy-way-197420.html

About the Author

Brandi Armstrong is an expert author on various topics relating to small and home based businesses. Take the first step to going green in your office and visit www.shopgreenoffice.info today.

Over 520,000 registered members have already contributed over 500 million results to researchers. All of these computers combined have provided more than 380,000 years of computing time toward important research. A few clicks and your PC will be helping to advance this great cause. Enjoy the video below and head on over to the World Community Grid website to donate your idle computer time.

You may not have ever considered keeping bees but information regarding the dwindling Bee populations may have made you wonder if beekeeping could be considered a new way to help save the planet.

A recent report states that there will be several new studies to look at just why Bee populations around the world are dwindling. These studies will look at things like pesticides, disease and loss of habitat. The reason why this is so important may not be apparent to a lot of us, but when you see that in some parts of the world manual pollination of certain food producing plants is already taking place, it soon becomes apparent that we need to get an understanding of this problem very soon.

These projects are to be funded by the Insect Pollinators Initiative (IPI), and will look into the decline of other pollinators such as wasps and butterflies. Others are trying to get businesses to realise the future financial problems that could occur if this decline in pollinators is not stopped, by calculating just how much the produce that we rely upon will increase if manual pollination needs to become more widespread. It is thought that by introducing financial information into the picture businesses will be helped to understand the importance of projects like the one funded by the IPI.

Information regarding Bees and other pollinators will also help us to understand the wider ecological issues. Wild plants rely on these insects for pollination and these plants then feed other species further up the food chain. These plants are also involved in promoting fertile soil conditions for future planting.

Whatever these studies eventually produce it seems obvious that the use of more and more pesticides, insect diseases and loss of habitat all contribute to the decline of honeybees and other important pollinators. This means that it is important that we make our own gardens more appealing to such insects or maybe even consider joining the ranks of those who keep bees as a hobby or even a small business.

The United Nations has warned that within two decades, the majority of the earth’s population could face serious water shortages. If we all become more aware of the amount of water we each consume and make conserving water a part of our daily practices, we will be part of the solution to this looming problem.

In our homes, the bathroom is where most water is consumed. For the average family approximately 18 percent of their total water usage is from bathing and showering. Our toilets account for as much as 28% of our water consumption. What can you do to reduce water consumption in the bathroom?

* Use a bucket or watering can to catch water that would normally go down the drain as you wait for your shower water to warm.

* Replace shower heads with low flow fixtures. Prior to 1992 the flow from shower heads was 5 gallons of water per minute. After that date the flow was cut in half to 2.5 gallons per minute.

*Take shorter showers. Shortening your shower by just one minute can save as much as 912 gallons of water a year.

*Consider replacing high flush toilets with a low flush model.

*If replacing the toilet isn’t an option, place a plastic milk jug filled with water or rocks in the tank. This will displace some of the water that would normally fill the tank.

The typical single-family suburban household uses at least 30 percent of their water outdoors for irrigation. Some experts estimate that more than 50 percent of landscape water use goes to waste due to evaporation or runoff caused by over watering. What can you do to reduce your water consumption in the garden?

* Install drip irrigation systems. These use 20 to 50 percent less water than in-ground sprinkler systems and water isn’t lost to runoff.

* Water gardens just after sunrise or at sunset to reduce evaporation.

* Mulch gardens to reduce watering requirements.

* Cut grass a little longer and more often and then leave the cut grass as mulch.

* Use drought tolerant plants in your garden and drought resistant grass for lawn. * Sweep leaves off the driveway rather than using the hose to remove them. * Consider capturing rain in a barrel to use for your gardening needs. Use rainwater for your yard and garden, and lower your water bill. A roof area of only 1,000 sq ft can provide approximately 600 gallons of water during a one inch rainfall. Adapting just a few of these tips into your daily routine will not only save you money on your water bill but also conserve the precious water that is needed for all forms of life to exist.

Environmentally friendly products and practices are becoming the way of the world and they are also a major part of life today. With the environment worsening under the weight of problems like pollution, global warming and deforestation, it has become essential that everyone do their best to save the earth from further destruction. Switching to green alternatives, utilizing eco-friendly products and using environmentally friendly practices are a few ways of doing this. To further the impact, businesses around the globe are starting to employ greener business practices, and you can too.

According to a survey conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media and the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, even during these times of economic instability, many Americans are willing to pay extra for eco-friendly products. Half of the respondents said they would “definitely” or “probably” pay 15 percent more for eco-friendly clothes detergents (51percent) or for an automobile (50 percent). Forty percent said they would spend 15 percent more on “green” computer printer paper and 39 percent would do the same for “green” wood furniture.

As these statistics show, consumers are becoming increasingly environmentally conscious and, therefore, it has become necessary for businesses to follow suit too. The selection of environmentally friendly products and green alternatives has grown exponentially in the last few years. This makes it easy to integrate eco-friendly products and practices into advertising goals and business routines.

A great way that businesses and individuals can show their support for a healthier environment while promoting is through the use of eco-friendly promotional products. One such product is the reusable water bottle, most commonly made out of BPA-free plastics, stainless steel and aluminum. Reusable bottles are a hot commodity right now and the population loves them. Reusable products are a great way to replace disposable products and to cut down on unnecessary waste.

Reusable grocery bags and totes are another great products that can be reused as well. They are very popular right now for retail businesses, grocery stores, tradeshows, business events and promoting. Reusable shopping bags help cut down on the use of disposable bags while potentially gaining exposure for your business or event.

Seeded products and biodegradable paper products are another fantastic choice for businesses looking to grow their brand identity. Items like custom printed seed packets, seed infused business cards, and seeded bookmarks are a great ways to promote any business or event. They help support a healthier environment while providing a fun and memorable promotional item. What better way to promote than by providing a interactive product that you can grow?

Purchasing eco-friendly products is an important way of helping keep the environment as healthy as possible. If everyone makes small steps to make a difference, the impact could be huge, especially if businesses and corporations get involved. Could your company go paperless, switch to energy friendly alternatives, recycle or use eco-friendly promotional items and green office supplies? Look for positive ways you or your business can help the environment and use green alternatives whenever possible.

Strive to make your business leave a positive impact on the environment while building brand credibility with green promotions and eco-friendly practices. A little effort can make a big impact. Start going green today.

Despite the enormous advances in energy efficient materials, insulation continues to provide the most substantial return on dollars invested. Since the 1970′s, the cost of adding additional attic insulation has proven to be the single most cost effective structural upgrade when compared to competing technologies.

The Materials
Fiberglass may be the most recognized blown-in system. In the manufacturing process, molten glass is drawn through tubes from a spinning cylinder to create extremely thin strands. The fibers are interwoven to produce a pliable material that is comprised of millions of energy-trapping air pockets.

Cellulose is a loose fill material that is manufactured from paper products, including recycled newspaper. It is fibrous in nature and therefore exhibits excellent properties as a thermal barrier. The material is treated with fire retardant chemicals such as borax and boric acid which ensures its safe application when sprayed into an attic.

R-Values
Heat is transferred through three methods, including conduction, convection and radiation. Cellulose and fiberglass are most effective against conductive heat transfer and therefore are evaluated by a derivative measurement called “R-value.”

Cellulose has an R-value per inch of 3.6-3.8, while fiberglass rates at 2.2-2.6. It is important to recognize that the R-value of an installation is far more relevant than the number of inches applied. Since cellulose has a higher density than fiberglass it may require less inches, but the overall job could actually cost more.

Settling
Over time, properly installed fiberglass will settle about 1%, which only marginally affects its thermal efficiency. Cellulose tends to settle as much as 20%, which substantially diminishes its R-value. It is important to calculate this reduction in performance and consider purchasing additional material to compensate.

Fire Resistance
By its nature, fiberglass is an inorganic material that is essentially non-combustible. As a paper product, cellulose is naturally flammable and therefore is treated with fire-retardant chemicals. Certain studies have provided evidence that these chemicals begin to dissipate within six months of application.

Ecological Value
Cellulose is comprised of 80% recycled paper and 20% chemical content. However, recycled paper is a high demand product and therefore the effect on the number of trees actually saved is questionable. Fiberglass uses up to 40% recycled glass in the manufacturing process, but uses more fossil fuels in its production.

Choosing a Material
Both cellulose and fiberglass have unique features and benefits that make them attractive for blown-in applications. Attic insulation upgrades are an effective method of reducing monthly energy costs and achieving an excellent return on investment.

People are angry with British Petroleum. A question environmentalists, tax payers and investors would like answered is, will the oil company pay for this disaster? Out of the mix of companies associated with the oil spill, BP is the one being pointed at. The company has stated they will cover the cleanup costs. This statement leaves a lot of people skeptic.

Investors have other concerns, financial in nature. What are the short and long term effects on the company’s bottom line for instance? How will the shares hold up in the market place? Questions anyone can answer but no one can know for sure.

The oil spill consequences are still unknown. Despite repeated efforts to plug up the hole, the oil is still escaping from the ocean floor. It remains to be seen if this disaster exceeds that of the Exxon Valdez, spilling more than 11 million gallons of crude oil in the Prince William Sound area of Alaska. The Valdez spill had at that time contaminated more than 1300 miles of Alaskan shoreline. An ecological nightmare.

Another question that comes to mind, will President Obama reconsider his proposal to expand offshore drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the much of the Atlantic coast? He himself claimed the Gulf of Mexico oil spill to be a massive and potentially unprecedented environmental disaster.

While people battle with the giant oil spill, we should all remember that BP spent years opposing federal regulators over how many safeguards would be needed to prevent a deepwater well from this type of disaster.

Industry experts are concerned about the lack of a remote system that could have allowed workers to shut Deepwater Horizon’s wellhead, effectively stopping the oil spill. In a letter sent last year to the Department of the Interior, BP objected to what it called “extensive, prescriptive regulations” proposed in new rules to tighten down on safety standards. They went on to say “we believe industry’s current safety and environmental statistics demonstrate that the voluntary programs…continue to be very successful”.

Welcome to the world of Energy!

In Physics, Energy is a scalar physical quantity that shows the amount of work that can be performed by a force, an attribute of objects and systems that are subject to a law of conservation. Any form of Energy can be transformed into another form, but the total energy always remains the same: that’s the principle of the conservation of Energy.

Nowadays, about 18% of global energy consumption comes from renewables, such as Biofuel, Biomass, Geothermal, Hydroelectricity, Solar energy, Tidal power, Wave power and finally Wind power.
Indeed,the use of renewable energy has an enormous potential future thanks to sustainable development and global warming groups that have proposed the use of 100% renewable energy source supplies without using fossil fuels or nuclear power. For example, scientists from the University of Kassel have suggested that Germany can power itself by only renewable energy!

Secondly, there is the world’s first carbon-neutral zero waste town: “Masdar City”, a planned city in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirate. Masdar City aims to become the Silicon Valley for clean, green and alternative energy. A global centre where over 1,500 companies will converge to address one of man’s greatest energy challenges and city where current and future technologies will be funded, researched, developed, tested and implemented.

In fact, the project is expected to cost US $22 billion and take some 8 years to build. The city is planned to cover 6 square kilometers and will be home to 45,000 people and 1,500 businesses. It will also be the location of a University, The Masdar Institute Of Science and Technology (MIST) which will be assisted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology( MIT).

Among the first construction projects will be a 40 to 60 megawatt solar power plant. This will later be followed by a larger facility, and additional photovoltaic modules will be placed on rooftops to provide supplemental solar energy totaling 130 megawatts. Wind farms will be established outside the city’s perimeter capable of producing up to 20 megawatts, and the city intends to utilize geothermal power as well. Automobiles will be banned within the city!

Masdar will also attempt to reduce waste to zero. Biological waste will be used to create nutrient-rich soil and fertilizer, and some of the waste may also be put in use through waste incineration as an additional power source. As for industrial waste, such as plastics and metals, they will be recycled or re-conditioned for other uses.
Finally, the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) will be located in Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City, a site which is currently under construction. It will be the world’s first carbon-neutral, zero-waste city completely powered by renewable energy.

“People often ask why the UAE is undertaking such an extensive environmental initiative. The answer is that Masdar integrates the full technological lifestyle of modern time and places the UAE in a leading position in the field of renewable energy. We cannot keep living the way we are at the present moment ; Masdar is the future.”

Energy is our future!

Many people think that recycling is the be all and end all of helping this planet, however, this is simply not true, as many people have seen there are no truly perfect ways for recycling but true recycling does no start at the bin, it starts with the buying of products.

The first thing that you need to learn is that not only do you have to dispose of your material correctly but you must also buy the correct kinds of products to eliminate your waste, a quick example would be to buy your milk in recyclable plastics or to get your butter wrapped in wax paper rather than it being put inside a non recyclable plastic container.

As you can see not only do your disposal techniques have to change in order for the environment to get better but you also need to change your buying habits, for example, earlier mentioned was the buying of recyclable containers rather than the non recyclable ones. Granted you may end up paying a penny or two more but in the most case these products will usually cost you less to buy as the manufacturing costs of them are a lot cheaper.

Plastics are not the only thing you can look into though, for example, with food waste you would usually put it on a compost heap, however, you can not put a battery there and you can not put, or at least should not be putting your batteries in the bin. In fact with a quick search of the well known search engine Google you should be able to find companies that will actually take your batteries of you in order to dispose of them correctly.

This is also the same for old mobile phones as companies will take rather old and pathetic phones of you and may even pay you for them in order to either recycle for computer parts or to give to the elderly, as even without a sim card they can still dial the emergency number.

Also remember that those plastics you can’t seem to find a way around could still be washed out and maybe given to your local school or nursery as many play groups like to cut up egg containers and milk containers in order to make something to give their parents (that’s right your distributing the waste to others secretly). These are just a few examples of things you can do, in fact if you have children of our own then maybe you could use them in your day to day activities, lets face it playing with new things that you would normally put in the bin costs a lot less than buying your children new toys.

Lastly remember that cloths and other items that you don’t want can easily be sold in a car boot or given to charity, good luck with your recycling.