Archive for December, 2010
To Living a Greener Life – 5 Steps
To Living a Greener Life – 5 Steps
Lots of people talk about trying to live a greener life, with some even going so far as to completely change their lifestyle, but most people aren’t sure how to go green because they don’t know exactly what that means. Sure, most people know the basics that scratch the surface such as reusing, recycling and reducing the amount of waste output for their homes but there many other steps you can take to move towards a cleaner, greener environment.
If you’re wondering how you can make your life greener, here are five different tips that are simple and easy to implement and that don’t cost the you anything. All it takes is a little dedication and after a few months, these five little things will become second-nature to you.
1. The next time you go shopping use cloth bags at the grocery store instead of paper or plastic. These cloth bags can be purchased for as little as a few dollars each and they’re much stronger than paper or plastic bags and will last you through years of use.
These bags help reduce waste since most people throw away the plastic and paper bags. The hardest part of using cloth bags is remembering to take them to the store, but once you get in the habit of using them, it becomes unconscious habit.
2. Replace your standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. These bulbs use less energy and last for four to five years, almost 15 times longer than traditional bulbs. While the cost of a compact fluorescent bulb is more than your standard bulb, they easily pay for themselves over time requiring less frequent replacement and reduced energy consumption. In fact, studies show that a CF bulb can actually pay for itself within one to two months. One CF bulb also saves about five pounds of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide a month. Replacing every bulb in your home can have a huge impact on the environment and on your wallet.
3. Use public transportation. By car pooling, taking the bus, or using the subway you can cut down on the amount of gas you use and the amount of exhaust your car emits. While it may be an inconvenience in some ways, it is one of the best ways of helping the environment. Even better, walk or ride your bike to work if possible. This not only saves you money and helps the environment but it also keeps you fit and healthy!
4. Adjust your thermostat by a few degrees. By turning your thermostat down by just two degrees in the winter, you can save over 50 pounds of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide per month while lowering your heating bill. Turning it up a few degrees in the summer can likewise save you money and save the environment.
5. Finally, only wash your clothes or run your dish washer when you have a full load. It wastes water and electricity to wash and dry only a few pieces of clothing. In fact, if you can, try to wash your clothes using the cold water cycle as it uses up to 50% less energy than a warm water one.
By just doing these basics not only you can save some serious money but you can rest assured that you’re doing your part for a cleaner, brighter future. To discover more ideas you can use around your home for living green visit http://www.greentipsforyou.com!
Neo Solar to set monthly sales record in December
Solar cell maker Neo Solar Power expects December 2010 revenues to set a sales record for the ninth consecutive month, according to company chairman Quincy Lin.
Psst! Solar Fred marketing tip: Start talking to your local car …
Behold this full list of electric vehicles from Plug-in America, the geek authority on EVs. By the end of 2010, California (and some other markets) will have a gaggle of EV/plug-in hybrid choices. Here is a select Solar Fred selection: …
Next Solar Eclipse | Just Share This
partila solar eclipse 2 thumb Next Solar Eclipse A partial solar eclipse will occur on January 4, 2011. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partially obscuring Earth’s view of the …
Pollution is a Sin! Vatican Goes Solar | greenopolis recycling rewards
The Vatican is building Europe’s largest solar plant on 740 acres near the medieval Italian village of Santa Maria di Galeria. The Vatican is putting their green dollars into green technologies to harness sunlight for energy, …
Solar Aquaponics Rapidshare Downloads
Many of the newest developments in solar energy science and technology are covered in this Second Edition. There is a thorough up-to-date review of solar energy principles and the functioning, design and economics of solar thermal …
Green Transportation – No Bailouts Necessary
Green Transportation – No Bailouts Necessary
Unless you have been trapped in a cave for the last seven months you are well aware of the disaster overtaking the American automobile industry. Our government is using billions of taxpayer’s dollars to prop up an industry that has been one of the leading facilitators of numerous ills in our society, which will also take billions of dollars to repair, if it is even possible to do so.
Air pollution which contributes to increased medical costs, urban sprawl, a negative balance of payments from importing oil and global warming can all be traced at least in part to our addiction to the automobile. Now that I’ve ranted about the autos effect upon our society I also greatly acknowledge that we all, myself included, greatly enjoy the mobility and freedom provided by the pernicious machine. We can’t live with ‘em and we can’t live without ‘em. What are we to do?
A lot has been written about the currently nonexistent plug-in electric car. This machine when it finally hits the market could help solve some of our problems but current pricing estimates place the car in the forty thousand dollar range. I’m sure of one thing, it won’t solve many problems if you don’t sell them and at that price I’d hedge my bets.
However, there is one personal transportation option on the market that fits into all of President Obama’s initiatives for energy self sufficiency, global warming (reduction of green house gases), health care (exercise and weight loss), environmental protection (reduction of air and water pollution), and infrastructure renewal. That option is the Electric Bicycle.
The electric bike using lithium batteries (traditional lead-acid is very environmentally harmful) can go, depending on load factors and riding habits, roughly twenty miles at twenty miles an hour on one charge. It is almost completely silent, gives off no emissions, does not use foreign oil, does not require much room to operate or park, never needs a tune up and provides exercise. It eliminates many of the drawbacks of riding a traditional bicycle for basic transportation while having few of its own. I recognize that not many of us are hardy enough to ride a bike in the rain, snow or freezing cold but that applies as well to motorcycles, motor scooters and traditional bicycles. The electric bike can get you farther, faster without arriving at your destination soaked in sweat. It can operate in many places where other motorized vehicles cannot and makes taking hills a cinch. Riding five or ten miles to work is no big deal and you can simply pedal around bottled up traffic. Usually the lightweight batteries easily detach from the bike and can be carried into your place of work or school for recharging.
Some electric bicycles offer high tech extras such as LiFePO4 batteries that are good for a thousand recharges, regenerative braking that helps recharge the battery much as a Prius does, and internal gearing to generate more torque for uphill climbs. Most electric bikes use what is referred to as a hub motor. This is not a traditional gear or belt-drive motor but is built directly into the hub of one of the wheels. This motor contains two internal rings of opposing magnets that when power is applied causes the wheel to spin. Such motors need little service and never require oil changes, spark plugs or new belts.
Electric bikes come in several of styles. There are the traditional “beach cruiser” and mountain bike styles as well as electric folding bikes, tricycles and “road bikes”. The electric folding bikes are particularly interesting. Smaller and lighter than a traditional bicycle, they easily fold up and fit into a car trunk and can be carried on a commuter or subway train with little effort. You can take the train to your stop, unfold the bike and pedal on your way. They are also useful for those who live in tight quarters and have no external place to store their ride.
For those of you that are moderately handy with tools, there are a number of electric bike kits on the market that allow you to adapt an ordinary bicycle into an electric bike. One company, Worldwide Electric Bikes, has a particularly well-designed kit that has many of the features I previously mentioned. These electric bike kits do not require a high level of mechanical ability to install. A few common hand tools, a basic understanding of how things go together and the ability to read directions is all that is required. However, if you don’t know the difference between a crescent and a hex wrench, you may wish to buy a pre-made bike or have someone install the kit for you. If you do choose to go the kit route, you can end up with a much more powerful and sophisticated bike for substantially less money than a factory built electric bike.
Electric Bicycles in all forms have long been a staple of personal transportation in Europe and Asia where there are hundreds of thousands in operation. In the United States bicycles have traditionally been dominated by the toy or recreation market or for the dedicated enthusiast. In both Europe and Asia, cycling has been a traditional means of basic transportation. I believe that this is going to be more and more the case in this country. People are avidly seeking relief from the high financial and societal cost of automobiles. The electric bicycle, while not a panacea, is definitely poised to help provide a portion of that relief.
Electric Bicycles are inexpensive to purchase, require no license or insurance, have a negligible cost of operation and are totally “green”. So, what’s not to like?
http://www.worldwideelectricbikes.com
solar-wnergy-at-home.com solar-snergy-at-home.com solar-dnergy-at-home.com solar-fnergy-at-home.com solar-rnergy-at-home.com solar-ebergy-at-home.com solar-egergy-at-home.com solar-ehergy-at-home.com solar-ejergy-at-home.com …
Solar energy: Pros and Cons | BiofuelsWatch.com
Even as the sentiment of switching over to renewable energy sources picks steam, the execution of widespread solar power systems remains an excruciatingly slow process. The remarkable scope for viable use of sun’s heat as an energy …
Upcoming Solar Eclipse on January 4, 2011
Some of the world will be able to greet the first part of the new year with a solar eclipse. On the morning of Tuesday, January 4, 2011, an eclipse of the Sun will be widely visible across Europe and.
10 Craziest Solar-Powered Gadgets | catchrandom
It’s very common to see or hear things about solar-powered cars. However, have you heard about solar-powered aircrafts? At the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, Calif., imagination has become reality, and that reality is …
Researcher Makes Solar Energy Breakthrough | Green Energy and You
An Israeli Researcher Has Come Up With Affordable Solar Energy Technology Chan And in the midst of Israel’s Negev desert, a.
News Of Green Cafeteria
Recycling Helps Prevent Global Warming – How to Keep the Environment Clean
If you want to keep the environment clean then you need to recycle everything you can. You should set aside a few spaces so that you can keep your recyclables in a separate area. All of your water bottles should go into one container so that it will make it easier for you to take them to the recycling center. Also you need to make sure that you recycle all of your chance and glass bottles as well because this will also help the environment. Many people do not know that you can also recycle your old newspaper, you can call to have it picked up each month.
If we are going to prevent global warming than one way that you can take part is to recycle everything you use. the best thing you can do is educate yourself on the best way that you can recycle all of your throwaway items. Maybe some of your old clothes can be donated to Goodwill this way they can be recycled and used again. Make sure that you try to avoid using plastic bags from the grocery store because once they end up in a landfill they can cause a lot of problems. Once you have started a recycle program in your house you will find that it is easy to do.
Remember that if you want to improve the environment you need to recycle everything you can. It always works better if you have specific containers that you use for each of your recyclable items. Once you make a few small steps towards improving the environment you will feel better about yourself.
Get Free: Recycling Advice
Save with: Great Recycling Tips
Bryan Burbank is an expert in the field of Environmental Issues and Going Green
Flashlight by Good Green Technologies
A Quiz For Families Who Want to Recycle Cans
Does you family recycle aluminum cans? Do they do it to get a little extra cash or because it is the responsible thing to do? How much do they, and you, know about what happens to the can after the soda is gone? Here is a quick true and false quiz on recycling. It will only take 2 or 3 minutes to find out what you know and what you need to know about the importance of families recycling.
Circle the answer for each of the 6 questions. Now test the other members of the family.
1. In the time it takes you to read this question, 50,000 12-ounce aluminum cans are made.
True or False
2. When you recycle one aluminum can you save enough energy to equal a half gallon of gasoline?
True or False
3. There is no limit to the amount of times aluminum can be recycled.
True or False
4. We use over 80,000,000,000 (billion!) cans a year.
True or False
5. At one time, aluminum was more valuable than gold.
True or False
6. More aluminum goes into beverage cans than any other product.
True or False
Surprise! All of the answers are true.
Did you know that for every $10 spent buying things $1 or 10% goes for packaging that is thrown away. Packaging, and that includes aluminum cans, represents 65% of household trash. Wow. What a waste of money and resources. We can do better than that.
Our family is making a special effort to Recycle, Reuse and Reduce. Will you join us in helping to protecting our earth and natural resources? Maybe your family could put up a special box to save aluminum cans for the recycling center.
(c) Judy H. Wright http://www.ArtichokePress.com You have permission to reprint this article in your blog, ezine or offline magazine as long as you keep the content and contact information intact. Thank You.
Artichoke Press is the home site of Judy H. Wright, family relationship coach and author. If your organization would like to schedule Auntie Artichoke, the storytelling trainer, for a workshop please call 406.549.9813.
You are also invited to visit our blog at http://www.AskAuntieArtichoke.com for answers and suggestions which will enhance your relationships. You will also find a full listing of free tele-classes and radio shows held each Thursday just for you.
Thanks for joining our community of caring parents, family members,coaches, teachers and mentors who want to help raise a generation of responsible adults.
Sea Levels Rise
Sea Levels Rise
It is no new scientific fact that there is a slow steady increase of temperature; we’ve been studying and recording changes for a few decades. For some reason people are only now starting to take notice of how desperate the situation is.
Due to the increased temperature, sea levels are on the rise. It now is easier for boats full of scientists to access the Northwest Passage for research due to the polar icecaps melting . Areas that were once almost unreachable are now becoming navigational and the search for precious gems, gold, and oil is on! There is no end to mans greed.It makes sense that when the sea levels rise the ground surfaces slowly disappear. We will lose our agriculture farmlands. There may not be enough food needed to sustain ourselves, let alone other countries that we already support. Many farmers will lose their farms and their lifestyle.
Should sea levels on the rise be a worry about freshwater? Our drinking water is not a luxury it is a necessity and is as important for people, plants, and animals. The possible damage to freshwater due to rising sea levels should be a major worry to all of us.
For hundreds of years polar bears have been the king of the Arctic ice and roamed over vast areas of icy tundra. But with the icecaps melting away, and the distance between ice flows becoming greater, many polar bears have drowned from exhaustion before reaching shore. It also makes hunting their primary source of food, the seal, more difficult. Dying of hunger is now a probable fate for many of them.
The total extinction of many of the world’s beloved land animals may be just around the bend due to rising sea levels.
Show some concern about the environment and save money at the same time by searching for eco friendly products from sites like http://www.EnergySavingProject.com.
The author is a specialist in environment, energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Cate Blanchett's solar investment a winner | MNN – Mother Nature …
Sungevity set to expand to east coast of U.S. after new round of funding brings in $15 million.
U.S. Solar Power: Interior Department Identifies Best Locations …
LOS ANGELES â?? A draft plan identifying prime areas for solar energy projects on public lands in the Southwest was released Thursday by the Interior Department in an effort to speed up development. The draft identifies 24 so-called solar …
First Solar, Inc. (NYSE: FSLR) Upgraded by Needham & Company to …
Equities research analysts at Needham & Company upgraded shares of First Solar, Inc. (NYSE: FSLR) from an ‘underweight’ rating to a ‘hold’ rating in a research…
Solar Energy Zones: DOI, DOE, Announce Renewables Plan – IEEE Spectrum
A joint effort between the Department of the Interior and the Department of Energy has yielded a plan involving “solar energy zones,” or massive tracts of public lands in the western United States deemed appropriate for industry-scale …
Swing states swinging with solar grants | MNN – Mother Nature Network
Job-creating grants are making their way to a swing state near you!
A Huge Birthday Party! Giving Our Planet a Big Presenet on Earth Day
A Huge Birthday Party! Giving Our Planet a Big Presenet on Earth Day
If you have a computer, imagine how you could make a difference!
How you say?
That is all I do, show others how to promote Earth day with a Professional Events Marketer that is sharing their knowledge specifically to get an important message out. Just imagine sending one note, or just telling a friend or colleague your business Supports Earth day!
It is not just about prestige it is about you creating value in your network. When you are seen to have a heart, this is attractive to people in all lifestyles. This can make your businesses look very good. Its attractive seeing a business you are involved with supporting a worthy cause!
Let me explain.
We have created Groups that are Non-profit just for helping with education, one is called Recycling Renegades, 10×10 at Face book and we have used many services that many do not know are there but used them strategically to spread the message about Earth Day. We are just getting the word out that Earth Day can Help Corporate create a better image.
To make it worthwhile for a businessperson to get involved, we have managed to get a great set of training on Social Traffic Media to get them interested in helping us with Earth Day.
Just look at the Fun we are having, but I have to say, it is a very serious message. Its not taken lightly as its global warming, pollution, rain forests rebuilding, forestry’s, clean ups on oil slicks and more. We have demonstrated our dedication with the work going into promoting Earth day and all the people fulling you tube channels and other Medias, just to get the word out about earth day, we are taking this serious.
Warning, it is not pretty! What is happening to this earth has been hidden and covered up, please if you have a weak stomach do not look and investigate.
Now look at all the Professionals that want to be part of this big picture and give a little time to learn better skills and Promote our Earth.
If over 2000 People see the Value, will you? Many together can make a loud voice for earth day do you not think it would be exceptional for your business to be involved in such a momentous occasion.
Get with it or be left behind, it is a simple decision!
|
Earth Day Birthday Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Lomas |
U.S. Solar Power: Interior Department Identifies Best Locations …
LOS ANGELES â?? A draft plan identifying prime areas for solar energy projects on public lands in the Southwest was released Thursday by the Interior Department in an effort to speed up development. The draft identifies 24 so-called solar …
Solar Energy Zones: DOI, DOE, Announce Renewables Plan – IEEE Spectrum
A joint effort between the Department of the Interior and the Department of Energy has yielded a plan involving “solar energy zones,” or massive tracts of public lands in the western United States deemed appropriate for industry-scale …
Newsletter Solar-e.com 17/10/10
Solar-e.com updates solar energy events in Australia and worldwide, culling information from diverse international resources.
Germany may slash solar energy incentives by 16% in mid-2011
The government and opposition parties in Germany are in talks regarding a 16% cut of the feed in tariff (FIT) for PV solar systems on July 1, 2011, according to market rumors. Germany is already scheduled to reduce feed in rates by 13% …
Government pushes solar power in 6 western states | MNN – Mother …
An impact statement looked at the effect of solar energy projects able to generate 20 megawatts of power in areas that have high solar potential.
Do We Want Too Much?
Do We Want Too Much?
What can be done about this increasingly worrying contribution to global warming?
The most important options to reduce aircraft CO2 emissions are:
Changes in aircraft and engine technology; use of alternative fuels, such as (sustainably produced) biofuels; regulatory and operational measures such as improvements in air traffic management; economic measures such as inclusion of aircraft emissions in emission trading schemes.
But, as Giovanni Bisignani, manager of International Air Transport Association (IATA), stated: “Emissions trading schemes only make sense with efficient infrastructure. The IPCC estimates that there is 12% inefficiency in air traffic management globally: we produce up to 73 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year by aircraft flying inefficiently due to air traffic management limitations”. **
On a personal level we could ask ourselves especially in the developed world: “Do we really need to fly so frequently?” The use of telework, teleconference and video conference could be largely increased to plan work and meetings. Can’t the development of land and air transportation infrastructures be balanced better according to the real needs of people and businesses? Trains could connect cities better and more cheaply for example in Europe, where the prices are not competitive with those of many flights anymore (and night train services have been reduced if not cancelled).
Life styles do matter because if millions of people want to have cheap weekends in relatively close tourist locations, many flights are needed to satisfy their desires and consequently a lot of pollution is generated. Also, our per capita emissions could be cut also by reducing the “surplus” trips, by slowing down our life rhythms and enjoying more local attractions in our free time. Who knows? We could discover the “exotic” in our own neighborhoods without flying to the Caribbean Sea…
Furthermore the relationship between the costs and the environmental externalities (i.e. costs not included in the economy like health damages caused by pollution) needs to be considered as well: there are higher marginal impacts for short-distance flights that should be considered in prices paid by passengers.
All these political, technological and personal choices are some of the good examples needed by the developing countries to follow the 21st century’s Western society along a new sustainable path which looks like the only good alternative forward.
**”Talks to reduce aircraft global-warming emissions
For further information on Climate Change please visit the Responding to Climate Change website – http://www.rtcc.org
Voyager 1 spacecraft approaches edge of Solar System
The sun gives off a stream of charged particles that form a bubble around the solar system known as the heliosphere. For the first 6.2 billion miles (10 billion km), the solar wind travels at over 0.62 million mph (over a million km/h), …
Japan Develops Solar Bike Cycle Concept | Latest Technology News
Updates about iphone, gadgets softwares, laptops, microsoft and latest technology news.
i dont know if there even is a answer to this or not.. but to power solar energy do you need another energy source to run along with it to allow solar energy to.
Clean Energy Exports? Think Energy Audits, Not Solar Panels …
The United States has accelerated efforts to promote clean-energy exports, but not necessarily the kind of exports you expect. In the 2010 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama proposed to double exports within five years …
Solar firms light up the money tree – SmartPlanet
Abound Solar produces thinâ??film photovoltaic panels. A steady succession of capital investments has been a boon to the solar manufacturing industry.
Water Extraction is Done in DC
Water Extraction is Done in DC
There are many beautiful and interesting sights in Washington DC, among them are the White House which has been home to every president of the United States ever since 1800; the Tidal Basin Lake famous for its abundant Japanese cherry trees that blooms in Spring; the Lincoln Memorial and Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument, etc.
But regardless of the beautiful tourist attractions that one could go to in the State of DC, natural calamities in the form of flooding sometimes happen. And when it does, most household residents in DC do the physical cleanup by themselves without hiring water extraction professionals or experts to deal with the situation. Prior to actual removal of water and cleaning, the starting place of the water which caused the flood should be identified as soon as possible and fixed permanently to prevent it from arising all over again.
Cleaning would usually require having to remove all visible waters first by making use of a wet vacuum pump or a bucket – depending on the volume and availability of equipment. The extraction process must be done immediately or as soon as possible to avoid a higher cost of damage inflicted by the dirty waters and also to thwart of any possibility that the area becomes a source of infectious diseases due to the presence of pathogens.
When all the water has already been extracted, floor coverings should be removed immediately and disposed properly. This includes removing items which came in contact with the flood water that are very porous, because the high absorbency rate of such materials has already contaminated the item in question making it very dirty and highly infectious. No amount of cleaning or fixing could reinstate it in its previously clean state; hence replacements should be made eventually if still needed.
Brushing all affected surfaces with a soapy water solution removes the presence of dirt. Pay particular attention to dirt which is inserted within cracks on walls and floors. Rinse the entire area by using a mop and bucket or a garden hose with a spray gadget.
When the rinsing stage has already been done, disinfecting the entire place is a must to remove remaining germ and fungal spores. Remember that disinfecting does not entirely mean total sanitation but a means of making the area or place habitable again. Never mix chlorine bleach with other cleaning products that contain ammonia as this will produce poisonous gas. Before and during application of any disinfectant, make sure to open all air passage ways and vents to avoid inhaling the vapors of the disinfecting agent upon application.
After having done the disinfection phase, the whole area must be thoroughly dried out, and drying usually takes a couple of days or weeks depending on how big the place is and the weather. The re-occupation of any living space which has been previously flooded must only be done once the area is declared by a professional water extraction expert to be absolutely dry. The dryness is tested by a moisture meter which shows the amount of moisture above and below a given area.
Leo Nov is an editorial staff member of RestorationSOS. To learn more about Water Extraction visit our website. Click here for more information on Water Extraction DC.
Can You Be Clean, Green, and Legal?
Can You Be Clean, Green, and Legal?
You may have seen something on the news about Spokane, Washington where there is now a ban on dishwasher detergent made with phosphates. While this may seem to be an isolated case, there are actually several states (including the rest of the state of Washington) that will make dishwashing soap made with phosphates above a very small level illegal in 2010.
What is phosphate anyway and why is it used in dish washing soap? Phosphate is an inorganic chemical that is a combination of salt and phosphoric acid. Because it can clean things like hard water stains, and grease, phosphates are used in all kinds of things including dish washing soap.
Why all the fuss? Phosphate is a problem when it finds its way to freshwater rivers and lakes. The phosphate encouraged the growth of algae which depletes the oxygen in these rivers and lakes, killing off fish and other wildlife.
While there are green alternatives out there, deleting the phosphates from the dish washing soap can leave one unsatisfied with the resulting product-and a lot of dirty dishes. Plus some of these green alternatives are pricier than their cheaper phosphorous counterparts. This has caused people to travel outside their state to obtain contraband detergent from other states-which, of course, defeats the purpose of the bank in the first place.
What should you look for in a green dish washing soap? Are there green products that work as well? While there is no direct substitute for phosphorous, but there are other substances that can be used. How well they will work depends on a number of factors, perhaps the most important being the hardness of the water used for cleaning.
One ingredient that be used is a surfactants. Surfactants are usually biodegradable and are used to provide cleaning power and increase the ability of the water to separate the soil from the dish. Anionic surfactants work well as detergents, but can be less than effective in hard water. Amphoteric surfactants are used for their foaming power and can often be found with anionic surfactants. There are other substitutes for phosphates, but these can be even more dangerous than the phosphates. They include nitrilotriacatic acid (NTA) and caustic alkaline chemicals (which are particularly dangerous when ingested-as sometimes happens with children).
It may take some trial and error to come up with the phosphate substitute that works best in your water. It is unlikely that the ban on phosphates is going away, so it is better to start exploring the options now. In the meantime, the soap manufacturers continue work on the perfect phosphate substitute, but there are some excellent alternatives out there.
“Dr. Robin”, the well known MLM Radio personality is and has built his “honorary” doctorate in the Network Marketing world and has had experience in numerous other network marketing companies. He is a nationally recognized expert in the network marketing business.Dr. Robin is the current host of his radio show, “Networking with the Blindguy” with up to 4.7 million listeners daily. http://drblindguy.com
Also time to help you with going GREEN. http://gobewisenow.com DR Robin will help you with going green with products that do work and are safe.
Save the Plastic Bag or Ban the Plastic Bag?
Save the Plastic Bag or Ban the Plastic Bag?
As part of the conservation and environmental movement worldwide there are several campaigns aimed at banning the plastic bag. These fit in perfectly with going green at home and with our longer term life styles.
A quick search on the web will take you to the San Francisco Bay Area, “Bay vs Bag”, to the Daily Mail’s (UK) “Banish the Bags” as well as similar situations in Canada, Holland, China, elsewhere in the US and even Zanzibar.
A lot of the focus is based on the damage done to wild life, including sea mammals and birds; the effects on waste and the average number of bags used per person in different countries. In one of the lists I saw, Singapore was topping the list at 625 bags.
One of the targets is to reduce by 10% the yearly consumption of these bags.
On the other hand there are also “Save the Plastic Bag” campaigns, with the plastic industry behind it. Their main focus is highlighting what they call misinformation. Their points are based on “exaggerations” on the damage done to wild life; errors in how plastic bags are made (from ethane gas that would otherwise be burnt and not petroleum); effects of co2 vs methane; potential job losses and so on.
On the banning side of the argument, there can be exaggerations as well as questionable scientific data – questionable as in anybody can question it, after all to have an argument you must always have at least two points of view.
From the “saving” the industry point of view, there can be many counter arguments to the data that is presented. And this is quite understandable, after all their industry could be hit very badly. (This just reminds me that all businesses have a life time curve that goes from birth, to growth, to maturity and finally to demise. The time scale can be as short as a year to as long as a hundred years or more, but the end result is that it is replaced by something else).
Some of the arguments are saying that nets and not plastic bags are causing marine life casualties, that paper bags are a worse alternative (side stepping the plastic bag issue) and basically attacking the “plastic bag misinformation campaign”.
Very probably both sides are looking to make their points by reducing or ridiculing their opponents point of view. But the overall issue is still there – are plastic bags affecting our environment?
To get back to the plastic bag banning situation, where paper bags have the negative effect of more trees cut, the information that is being retrieved is very important. But it must also be as objective as possible. Having said that, we know that it takes literally centuries for plastic to degrade and this should be the foremost argument.
Just to expand a little on the paper bag argument, which is totally reasonable, the option is not to cut more trees. The options are to recycle and use bio-degradable alternatives.
In the old days, when plastic bags hadn’t been invented but grocery shops had, natural fiber bags were used and the customers were the ones who brought their own to the shop.
With just a little effort on the individual front, these campaigns wouldn’t be necessary.
Want to know about environment and natural living? Information, news and facts can be found at: http://natural-living-tips.com/