Environmentally Friendly Business

Funny Side of Environmetal Issues 1

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 14:20:00 +0000

FUNNY SIDE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES - 1

Is piracy environmentally friendly?

If yes how can be this true...?

The answer is below:

PROTECT YOUR FAMILY FROM FOOD POISONING

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:34:00 +0000

PROTECT YOUR FAMILY FROM FOOD POISONING

Home is the source of half of infectious intestinal illnesses, study shows. "The home is the source of about half of all intestinal illnesses in Ontario, according to a study published in the International Journal of Food Protection. The study, co-authored by Professor Marilyn Lee of Ryerson University and published in the June issue of the Journal, looked at more than 44,000 reported cases of intestinal illness in Ontario between 1997 and 2001 and found that half had their origin in the home."

Which room in your home would you believe to be the most prone to disease causing bacteria? It is not the bathroom as many would suspect but rather it is your kitchen which is a hot spot for microbes. Your common household disinfectant has been found to be effective against bacteria that cause food borne illnesses, and research has been proven that with regular use the incidence of food borne illnesses declines greatly. Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, Tucson, and his colleagues conducted a study by sampling sites within 15 different homes.

They found the highest levels of contamination to be in areas that remain damp, such as kitchen sponges and rags, kitchen sinks and the kitchen faucet handle. Kitchen counters, cutting boards and refrigerator handles should also be disinfected regularly. They found that regular cleaning had little effect on the bacteria but by regularly using disinfectants the bacteria level was reduced by 95%. They found the main cause of disease causing bacteria in the kitchen to be raw meat.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN KEEPING A HEALTHY AND BACTERIA FREE KITCHEN
Replace kitchen sponges and rags often, at least once a week. Sponges can be disinfected by putting them in the dishwasher. Wash dish rags in the washing machine then dry on high heat.

- Cutting boards are breeding grounds for bacteria. Wash with regular dish detergent then sanitize with a disinfectant. Keep two cutting boards, one for meat and one for fruits and vegetables. You may also put your cutting board in the dishwasher for sanitizing purposes.
- Kitchen counter tops should be disinfected regularly.
- Disinfect refrigerator handles, sinks and drains and sink faucets regularly.

PROPER HANDLING AND PREPARATION OF FOOD
The improper handling and preparing of food is also a major cause of food borne illnesses in the home. A very simple but often overlooked basic exercise in food safety is the thorough washing of hands before handling food. This will greatly reduce the risk of food contamination. When washing your hands, make sure to use a rubbing motion for 20 seconds because this rubbing does make a difference in removing pathogens.

HELPFUL AND HEALTHY TIPS TO AVOID FOOD CONTAMINATION:
- When grocery shopping, purchase your frozen and refrigerated items last and put them into the refrigerator or freezer promptly.
- Use different dishes for raw and cooked food.
- Defrost food in the refrigerator or microwave, not on the counter.
- Cook foods thoroughly and do not eat raw or partially cooked eggs.
- Cool and promptly store leftovers by either putting in refrigerator or freezer. Remember bacteria grow at room temperature.
- Don't leave perishable foods out more than two hours.
Brought to you by http://www.smartlivingnews.com

Environmental Innovation Award

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:18:00 +0000

Concrete Washout Systems, Inc. Awarded Environmental Innovation Award by the National Ready

Concrete Washout Systems, Inc., (CWS) announced today that it has been recognized by the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) and awarded the 2004 Environmental Innovation Award for its development and implementation of the Concrete Washout Systems bin. CWS has also been recognized by the Sacramento Environmental Commission (SEC), in its 5th Annual Environmental Awards, for voluntarily exceeding environmental regulatory requirements.

We are elated that the NRMCA has chosen us for its 2004 Environmental Innovation Award and the recognition received from the SEC. We have put a lot of time and dedication into our system and company and believe we have developed a product that not only meets and exceeds Best Management Practices but what we feel is the Best Available Technology today, stated Mark Jenkins, President of Concrete Washout Systems, Inc. We are now striving to educate the construction and erosion control industry professionals on the potential impact of illegal concrete washwater discharges and how our product and service can benefit them, their industry and the environment, added Mr. Jenkins.

The patent pending CWS is a portable, self-contained and watertight bin that controls, captures and contains concrete washout material and wastewater. It allows trade personnel to easily washout concrete trucks, pumps and equipment on site and facilitates easy off site recycling of the same concrete materials and wastewater, while protecting the storm drain system from potential illegal discharges. The off site recycling component yet again creates an even more environmentally sound application. This system replaces other outdated washout BMPs, which are costly, unsightly and damaging to the environment since their containment value diminishes, due to inherently faulty material, over use and lack of maintenance.
About Concrete Washout Systems, Inc.

Concrete Washout Systems is striving to become the industry standard in concrete washout containment, removal and recycling. The patent-pending Concrete Washout Systems Bin provides a cost effective and environmentally friendly alternative for homebuilders and contractors. For more information visit http://www.concretewashout.com

Online Carbon Calculators

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 14:01:00 +0000

Best Online Carbon Calculators

All of us contribute to global warming - which is related to the amount of carbon and other greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere- every day with ,almost, our every action.

By using below mentioned online tools, you can measure:
- your carbon dioxide emissions,
- compare them with others and
- find out how to start cutting pollution right away.

1- Direct Gov

2- Carboncalculator.com

3- Climatecrisis.net

4- Nature.org

5- Carboncalculator.co.uk

6- Carbonfund.org

7- Fightglobalwarming.com

8- Carbon Footprint Calculator

9- Conservation.org

10- EcoNeutral Carbon Calculator

11- Personal Emissions Calculator

12- Simple Carbon Calculator

13- My carbon footprint.eu

14-Stopglobalwarming.org

Obama's Victory, Solar Companies and Stock Prices

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:13:00 +0000

Obama's Victory, Solar Companies and Stock Prices

It was expected that the green companies stock prices will skyrocket after Obama's victory.
Really?

Compare the stock prices beginning of the year with current prices:
(the first indicated price is the current one)

Akeena Solar $2.- / $17.-
Ascent Solar $4.- / $25
Evergreen Solar $3 / 18$
JA Solar Holdings Ltd. $3 / $27
Suntech Power $10 / 90$
Yingli Solar $4 / $40

Wave Power and PowerBuoy®

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:34:00 +0000

Wave Power and PowerBuoy®

A New Jersey-based company, namely Ocean Power Technologies, will be installing a water-power buoy system to tie into Hawaii's Oahu Island power grid.
According to PowerBuoy® wave generation system, ocean-going buoy to capture and convert wave energy into low-cost, clean electricity.

"The rising and falling of the waves off shore causes the buoy to move freely up and down. The resultant mechanical stroking is converted via a sophisticated power take-off to drive an electrical generator. The generated power is transmitted ashore via an underwater power cable."

Source & video for wave power generation: OPT

Electric Scooters

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:34:00 +0000

Electric Scooters

Electric Scooters are a serious green alternative to the cars in the cities.
The company IKOO offers one of them.
Below are the specifications:

Made out of T304 stainless surgical steel, the Ikoo uses an EQuake S6 600w electric motor to propel riders at 18 mph for a maximum range of 18 miles. The Ikoo electric scooter uses dual disc brakes to slow down the action.

The recharge time is a respectable 4 – 6 hours as well as the price tag of around $999. Key ignition, meshed headlight, twist throttle and power gauge are standard features of the Ikoo. Rear view mirrors, extension seat and an anti-theft device are optional.
http://www.ikoo.us/

Suppliers of Wind Power Generators

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:18:00 +0000

Builders and Suppliers of Wind Power Generators in the World

1- General Electric
U. S., Canada, Germany, Spain, China

2- Vestas
Denmark

3- Siemens
Germany

4- Gamesa
Spain

5- Suzlon
India

6- Helix
USA

7- Bergey WindPower
USA

8- Entegrity Wind Systems
USA

Green Driving

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:26:00 +0000

How to Drive "Green"

Style of your driving and vehicle maintanance are two keywords of green driving.
If you drive "green" you can save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants.

1 - Obey the officially declared speed limits.
Increasing your speed from 90km/h to 120km/h can raise fuel consumption as much as 20%.

2- Be not aggressive during driving
Hard braking and hard starts can increase fuel consumption by approximately 40% and toxic emissions five times higher.

3- Check tire pressure
Under-inflated tires can cause to the increase on your fuel consumptionon by as much as 7%. Check tire pressure at least once a month.

4- Turn off the engine when you are waiting for your wife
Idling wastes fuel and as the conclusion, produces unnecessary greenhouse gases, toxic emissions.

5 -Choose the right fuel for your car
High-octane fuels may not mean the right choise. Read your owner's manual to choose the right fuel.

6- Select the right gear
Driving in a gear lower than you need wastes fuel.

7- Tighten your gas cap

8- Park in the shade

9- Monitor power accessories

Or rather bike:

Environmental Science Journals free and online

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:02:00 +0000

Environmental Science Journals free / online

Environmental Research Letters

EARSeL eProceedings

Baltica

Conservation & Society

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions

Ambiente e Agua : An Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Science

African Journal of Environmental Assessment and Management

American Journal of Environmental Sciences

Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics

Current Science

Ekoloji

Electronic Green Journal

Climate of the Past Discussions

Climate of the Past

Environmental Health Perspectives

Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Société et Environnement - Biotechnology, Agronomy, Society and Environment

Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics

Source: Handy Archive

.

Obama and Environmental Issues

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:51:00 +0000

Obama and Environmental Issues

Obama's opinions and strategies about environmental issues are vitally important for the green and environmentally friendly business.
Obama's thoughts about Kyoto, Carbon cap-and-trade, Renewables, Transport, Oil, and Nuclear issues are listed below.
Please find below the list of the articles and the speeches of B. Obama about environmental issues:

* Canada sees common ground with Obama on environment
Source: Reuters

* The Restoration of American Environmental Leadership
Source: MarketWatch

* How green will president Obama be?
Source: New Scientist

* Where Obama stands on the issues
Source: A.P.

* Obama the only winner when it comes to the environment
Source: Business Green

* The Obama White House – what can green business expect?
Source: Business Green

Barrack Obama's speech about energy and environment His plans clean energy.

Free Green Screensavers and Wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:35:00 +0000

Free Green Screensavers and Wallpapers

1-
New Scientist magazine has released the environmental illustrations used on the cover of the magazine for your use as screensavers and as wallpapers.

Just click to download the screensavers and wallpapers.

2-

Other sources for the environmental themed wallpapers and screensavers:

* FLASH SCREEN. COM
* NT WALLPAPERS.COM
* BALLARD DESIGN.COM
* POPULAR PICS.COM

Environmentally Friendly Ways to Manage Livestock Manure

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 13:58:00 +0000

Environmentally Friendly Ways to Manage Livestock Manure

Manure is Organic material that is used to fertilize land, usually consisting of the feces and urine of domestic livestock, with or without litter such as straw, hay, or bedding.

Manure management includes collection, storage, fly and odor control, environmental pollution, avoiding soiling of cow's hair and udder, bedding supply and distribution, maintaining good footage.
Recently a research being conducted by the University of Manitoba about environmentally Friendly Ways to Manage Livestock Manure. Main aim of this work is to find out the ways to manage livestock manure without imposing significant risks to the environment.
Scientists will be monitoring the movement of phosphorus, nitrogen and other nutrients and micro nutrients in the soil and the uptake of nutrients by crops under two cropping systems.

Dr. Don Flaten, a professor in the University of Manitoba's department of soil science says four different types of manure application, liquid pig manure, solid pig manure stockpile, solid pig manure composted and solid dairy manure will be compared to a synthetic fertilizer treatment and an unfertilized check.
If you take a look at the amount of fertilizer, nitrogen and phosphorus that's used in Manitoba, somewhere between 80 and 90 percent of the nutrients that are applied in Manitoba are applied as synthetic fertilizers.

If you look at phosphate fertilizer costing 600 dollars a tonne or anhydrous ammonia costing 800 dollars a tonne, it's pretty obvious that livestock manure if it's available should be recycled as efficiently as possible to try and substitute for some of those synthetic fertilizers.

I think in terms of the economics therefor it's pretty obvious that there's a substantial benefit to making use of those manure nutrients.

As far as some of the other aspects go, the more that we understand about nutrient behavior, I think the better we can provide information for the people who design policies and regulations to make sure that they make sense for our types of manure in our soils under our climatic conditions.

Dr. Flaten expects results from the initial phase of the study within the next couple of years but the hope is that this will become a long term rotational study that, 10 or 15 years from now, will provide other information about the long term benefits or risks associated with manure application.
Source:
www.farmscape.com

Latest Environmentally Friendly Cars

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 13:15:00 +0000

Latest Environmentally Friendly Cars

1- Provoq

Cadillac's Provoq is the first concept car runs on a hydrogen fuel cell and a lithium ion battery. The idea behind the Provoq is to extend some of the eco-friendly features into a luxury car.

The car primarily runs on hydrogen, but uses the battery for peak power and storing electricity to extend the range.

It is expected to get 300 miles on a tank of hydrogen, and the fuel cell--GM's fifth generation of fuel cells--is half the size of the last one, which increases internal room and storage. On the roof sits a solar panel for running the car's electronics.

To increase aerodynamics, shutters automatically cover up the air vents on the grill at high speeds.

Sources:
www.thecarconnection.com
www.autobloggreen.com
www.news.com

2- MiniC.A.T.

After fourteen years of research and development, Guy Negre has developed an engine that could become one of the biggest technological advances of this century. Its application to Compressed Air Technology(CAT) vehicles gives them significant economical and environmental advantages.

With the incorporation of bi-energy (compressed air + fuel) the CAT Vehicles have increased their driving range to close to 2000 km with zero pollution in cities and considerably reduced pollution outside urban areas.

The application of the MDI engine in other areas, outside the automotive sector, opens a multitude of possibilities in nautical fields, co-generation, auxiliary engines, electric generators groups, etc.

Compressed air is a new viable form of power that allows the accumulation and transport of energy. MDI is very close to initiating the production of a series of engines and vehicles. The company is financed by the sale of manufacturing licenses and patents all over the world.

Sources:
www.gadgetcentre.com
www.theaircar.com/

Environmentally Friendly Printing

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:25:00 +0000

Conserve Environment With Eco Friendly Printing
Author: Alfred Anderson

Environment conservation is a priority for all of us. We have now realized the
urgency of keeping the environment free from harmful emissions and chemical interactions. Anything that disturbs the ecological balance and pollutes the environment is hazardous and should be avoided or at least minimized
to a great extent.

The production and usage of various commodities should comply with eco friendly standards. This has given rise to the term "environment friendly" that essentially refers to the processes, products and services that cause minimum harm to the environment.

Printing is one such process that produces harmful wastes leading to environmental pollution. The use of petroleum inks, varnishes, laminates and adhesives leads
to the production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The release of VOCs
in the atmosphere has adverse environmental effects. This not only pollutes
the air but also leads to respiratory ailments.

To save the environment, publishing houses should print green i.e. the printing process/ technology should be eco-friendly. Printers should comply with
environment friendly rules and regulations to check the VOC release.
The printing industry uses the natural resources in a major way. To control
this heavy use of natural resources and save the environment, a new kind
of printing process have made way into the printing industry. They are called
green printers. Such printing houses use environment friendly processes
and rely on recycled paper rather than non-recycled ones.

Use of recycled paper does a lot of good to the environment by saving trees that would otherwise be cut to produce paper. Apart from this, recycled papers leads to energy saving and reduced release of air pollutants.
Green printing houses source the paper from well managed forests that comply
with strict environmental standards. The printing process is planned carefully to achieve optimum output by minimal usage of energy. The papers are sourced only from FSC (Forest stewardship companies) certified companies.

Green printing is a responsible and specialized job and thus it is offered by only a handful of printing presses. Green printers comply with all the environment friendly standards offering optimum production at minimal environmental damage.

Creating Environmentally Friendly Behaviours for the Children

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:10:00 +0000

Creating Environmentally Friendly Behaviours for the Children

Everything continues the way it started.
Learning environmentally friendly, eco friendly behaviours of a child is very similar to other learning procedures. And your role on the teaching side is also similar.
Your first obligation is to be a good example for your child. The others are:

1- Go often to the parks, playgrounds and zoo.

2- Teach them water saving: Emphasize the worth of the water and have them turn the water off while brushing their teeth as the beginning.

3- Keeping pets is always a good way to establish the respect for the animals. If keeping pets at home is not possible, try to bring pets and your child together.

4- Visit "green" shops and buy herbs, environmentally friendly products and explain them why you choose to buy it.

5 - Watch together the rain, snow,... and speak about natural events.

6- Teach your child to turn off lights when he leaves the rooms.

7- All you have some plants at home. Give water together and talk about the importance of water for the plants.

8- Buy and read books about plants, wild animals, planets,....

9- Play games about sorting the recyclable items like paper, cans, glass.

The best 10 environmentally friendly buildings of 2007

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 21:52:00 +0000

The Best 10 Environmentally Friendly Buildings of 2007

The best 10 environmentally friendly buildings of 2007 was
chosen by the American Institute of Architects as being best
examples of sustainable architecture and environmental design.
Among 95 entries in this year's competition the winners are:

* EpiCenter, Artists for Humanity, Boston, Massachusetts,
by Arrowstreet Inc.
* Global Ecology Research Center, Stanford, California,
by EHDD Architects
* Government Canyon Visitor Center, Helotes, Texas, by Lake/Flato Architects
* Hawaii Gateway Energy Center, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, by Ferraro Choi
* Heifer International, Little Rock, Arkansas, by Polk Stanley Rowland Curzon Porter Architects, Ltd.
* Sidwell Friends Middle School, Washington DC, by Kieran Timberlake Associates
* Wayne L. Morse U.S. Courthouse, Eugene, Oregon,
by Morphosis & DLR Group

* Whitney Water Purification Facility, New Haven, Connecticut,
by Steven Holl Architects

* Willingboro Master Plan & Public Library, Willingboro, New Jersey,
by Croxton Collaborative Architects

* Z6 House, Santa Monica, California,
by LivingHomes, Ray Kappe
Source: A I A

How to Create an Environmentally Friendly Office

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 16:26:00 +0000

How to Create an Environmentally Friendly Office
Simple Ways for Having Green Offices

You may be a part of an office team or you may run your own office
with all the responsibilities, you can create environmentally friendly
offices with minimal efforts.

Green, nature, is not always in atractive lawns but also may be found
in your office.

There are simple methods for environmentally friendly offices:
1- Use energy saving equipment From your copier to refregirator try to use energy saving alternatives.

2- Encourage recycling : Encourage your friends to recycle plastic, glass, aluminium, paper....

3- Turn off your computer and other equipment when you don't need
them: Just turn off your computer and start to calculate how much you save
your money and your environment.

4-Minimize your printing requirements: Paper means threes. Don't forget. Use recycled paper.

5- Indoor plants: Take pain over getting fresh and green plants.

6- Turn off lights: Turn off lights even in common areas if not necessary.

7- A coffee mug : Even a coffee mug may be a part of your environmentally friendly approach to the world: Instead of getting a new disposable cup for each coffee or tea you can use a coffee mug.

The Green Office Manual: A Guide to Responsible Practice

Environmentally Friendly Websites and Blogs

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 14:43:00 +0000

Environmentally Friendly Websites and Blogs

Below are some websites and blogs which are concentrated on environmentally friendly issues:

ETHICAL SHOPPING:
Buying stuff is necessary, but it's not always good for people or the planet. We've combined the marketplace to tell you who's good and who's not.

Big Green Purse:
At Big Green Purse, we believe that the fastest, easiest, most direct route to a clean and healthy environment is to shift our spending to environmentally-safe, socially responsible products and services.

A Natural Home:
Organic baby furniture, natural mattresses, and Amish handcrafted oak

LuminEssentCandiles
LuminEssent Candles are made with pure soy wax, (which meets FDA and Kosher standards and contains no genetically modified material), and pure essential oils.

Treecycle Recycled Paper:
We work to educate the public on the importance of using environmentally friendly recycled paper, environmentally friendly tissue products, environmentally friendly office products and environmentally friendly cleaning products.

Ecotopia:
Ecotopia supplies a great range of eco friendly, ethical, sustainable and natural products from Ecover, Ecoballs® and Eco Kettles to hedgehog houses and recycled glassware.
EcoToyTown:
Earth Friendly Non-Toxic Toy Store
for everyone from infants to adults

Green Moves:
GreenMoves, the UK’s only dedicated ‘eco property for sale’ website - aiming to make finding, buying, renting or selling your eco property as easy as possible.

Ecu Fling:
Everything, but eco friendly

Latest Books About Green Environmentally Friendly Home

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 18:48:00 +0000

Latest Books About Green Environmentally Friendly Home

Your home is a symbol of your thoughts towards the world.
Your home is a part of you. It reflects how you feel about your environment. Your home should give you protection and comfort. You spend most probabaly most of your time at home and it can be influenced by many factors: noise, light, ambiance, vibes, air quality, temperature and by some other factors. Building your home with natural materials gives you beyond healty conditions also some aesthetic view. Natural materials such as stone, glass, lime or mud plasters, adobe or rammed earth, bricks, tiles, untreated wood, cork, paper, reeds, bamboo, canes and grasses, all natural fibers are always easy to find and not so expensive.
You will get some more information on how to build and also to choose an environmentally friendly home by reading some books written for that purpose.

The Eco-house Manual: How to Carry Out Environmentally Friendly Improvements to Your Home
by Nigel Griffiths
This manual covers every aspect of domestic renovation from heating and electrical systems through to building materials and outdoor space. Whether you want to work out the payback period on a wind turbine or find out about the most eco-friendly floor covering, all information is presented in a clear and practical format with colour photography throughout. With up-do-date information about emerging renewable sources of power, along with step-by-step projects for the home and garden, this will be an invaluable resource for all home owners.

Eco: An Essential Sourcebook for Environmentally Friendly Design and Decoration
Threats to the environment are constantly in the news but daunted by the scale of the problem, we often feel powerless. Eco shows that we can make a difference by designing or adapting the homes we live in along more eco-friendly lines. While environmentally friendly architecture was once seen as a minority interest, it is now viewed simply as best practice. Eco proves that it can be beautiful too. It is the book both for those who want to build a home that respects the environment and for people who wish to make changes to the home they already have. Focusing on design, finish, decoration and even housekeeping, Eco promises you lower fuel bills, fewer allergy-related illnesses, less waste and a healthy world for your children to inherit.

Building Green: A Complete How-to Guide to Alternative Building Methods
This manual doesn't just talk about eco-friendly building techniques, but actually shows every step. More than 1,200 close-up photographs, along with in-depth descriptions, follow the real construction of an alternative house from site selection to the final-touch interior details. The authors provide: discussions of the fundamental concepts of construction; earth-friendly alternatives to conventional approaches and materials; plans for a home that is comfortable, beautiful, and environmentally responsible; and a practical demonstration of a house in construction using alternative methods. The images show every move: how the site is cleared, the basic structure put together, the cob wall sculpted, the bales and cordwood stacked, a living roof created. Most important, the manual conveys the real-world challenges and processes, and offers dozens of sidebars with invaluable advice.

And some other green books:

Natural Remodelling for the Not-so-green House: Bringing Your Home into Harmony with Nature by Carol Venolia
Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies by Eric Corey Freed
The Passive Solar House: Using Solar Design to Heat and Cool Your Home by James Kachadorian

Becoming a Green Mamma

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 00:11:00 +0000

Becoming a Green Mamma
By Louise Manning

Over the last year something strange has happened - I have evolved into a green mamma! It all started with a new year's resolution to grow vegetables and to harvest as many fruits as I could from the hedges on the farm. I found that so many of my friends have also had this resolve to make a difference.

By May, I had my raised growing beds and the children and I started growing vegetables - on the whole very successfully for the first year. We ate our own salad until the end of November - fresh from the garden every day.

The children loved it especially with a chilli dressing. In July and August, I perfected my vegetable blanching/freezing technique and we filled the freezer with cabbage, runner beans, broccoli and herbs. In September, we added to the freezer with blackberries, damsons and cooked apple.

Now in December we are still eating swedes (rutabagas) and hopefully will eat our own Brussels sprouts on Christmas Day. Next year we plan to grow more of our own fruit and vegetables - great experience!

We have a compost bin! Now we are composting all our green waste from the house and we are recycling as much as we can of other materials - a revelation in how we can change our impact on the environment.

I have also been studying global water security for the last year in a professional capacity and it has completely changed my outlook on how we can develop effective environmental policy making, something I plan to write about a lot in the next New Year.
http://thehumanimprint.typepad.com/the_human_imprint/2007/12/becoming-a-gree.html
Article Source

Russian Natural Gas Reserves Management

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 23:53:00 +0000

Russian Natural Gas Reserves Management
By Bob K. Jent

As the country with the world's largest proven natural gas reserves, Russia should be feeling pretty great about their energy resources in this new millennia. Russia possesses a staggering 1,680 trillion cubic feet of natural gas; nearly double that of Iran, the nation holding the next largest supply. Unfortunately for Russia, ever since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, management of these large natural gas reserves has fallen by the wayside.

Russia set up a state-owned natural gas monopoly, Gazprom, to manage, continue in exploration, and distribution of known and newly discovered reserves. Gazprom has proven itself unworthy of this task by not having the necessary funds or knowledge base to exploit the bounteous supply beneath Russia's expansive land mass.

Truthfully, the Russian government should think about radically changing the way they allow Gazprom to handle these resources. Not only are there tons upon tons of untapped natural gas lying in wait for the use of their country, but also for the billions of dollars that would be made for the nation through exporting these huge reserves.

Russia has allowed Gazprom to be the only exploration and distribution company in the country; no foreign researchers, geologists, or engineers have been allowed to lend the much needed knowledge and know-how to make their company, and indirectly, the nation more profitable and prosperous.

Most countries with large reserves realize that by charging others to join in the drilling, the country as a whole can benefit from the many drilling tariffs they could demand and enjoy the help of much more knowledgeable scientists like those employed by large outfits like Shell and Triple Diamond Energy Corp. In some ways the Cold War has continued in regard to the way Russia's government continues to shut out foreign development, over-zealously protecting their natural gas reserves with a "if we can't get it, no one can" attitude.

Gazprom has not only been inefficient stewards of untapped reserves, they have mismanaged the currently producing supplies as well, leading to shortages of natural gas in a country that should be overflowing with it. This company that is the sole provider of natural gas to the entirety of Russia also owns all rights to the 155,000 kilometers of pipelines that carry the natural gas throughout the country.

Mismanagement of this pipeline has resulted in Russia's own population experiencing shortages of the natural gas direly essential for all types of heating and fueling needs. The future of Russia hinges on the Russian government's ability to encourage and direct its state-owned monopoly to keep in mind the needs of the people they have been chosen to serve.

About the Author: Robert Jent is the president of Triple Diamond Energy Corp. Triple Diamond Energy specializes in acquiring the highest quality prime oil and gas properties.
For more information, visit http://www.triplediamondenergycorp.blogspot.com
Article Source

Are Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products Really Green

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 23:10:00 +0000

Are Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products Really Green?

Below article is inspired from the news written in Fox news.com by Kotler.
Words like "organic," "biodegradable" and "environmentally-friendly" are everywhere. Everywhere and on almost every cleaning agent you can see some wording as ecological, environmentally friendly or organic.
Although the marketing methods are sophisticated, the question remains:

How green is your cleaning agent?

Unfortunately, this is not an easy question to answer.

In 1960, the U.S. government passed the Federal Hazardous Substances Labeling Act, freeing companies from disclosing dangerous ingredients in household products unless harmful side effects appear immediately after improper use.

Chlorine bleach must thus be labeled "poisonous" if swallowed, but not as "deadly" when dumped down the drain.
Mix bleach with many common toilet-bowl cleaners, and chlorine gas is the result. Mix it with ammonia and you'll get chloramines gases. Both are extremely toxic.

That's only one example. Since World War II, roughly 75,000 new chemicals have been introduced into consumer products, but less than 5 percent of them have been tested for health or environmental side effects.

the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that exposure to cleaning products accounts for 15 percent of all asthma cases. Again, these effects are minor compared to the damage such products cause the eco-system.

In response, manufacturers have been slathering their offerings with environmentally conscious labels that are often no more than empty promises.
Terms like 'bio-degradable,' 'natural' and 'eco-friendly' are meaningless. There is no governing organization to substantiate these claims.

Environmental Protection Agency EPA introduced "Design for the Environment," DfE label. You can find the full list of Formulator Partners and Recognized Products here.

Eco-experts say that making your cleaning products at home is the best solution. Most are made from simple ingredients like white vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice

The Environment and Management Principles

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 22:18:00 +0000

The Environment and Management Principles
By: Shawn Hickman

The surrounding influences which are now included in the meaning of 'the environment' are the air that we breathe, the water we drink or swim in, our homes, numbers of people, traffic, noise, streets, stores, parks, countryside, seashore, wildlife, factories, farming and mining. It has become the practice in geography to refer to the physical environment when referring to natural features, the human environment when referring to cultural and social conditions and the built environment when referring to urban and industrial issues.

Because it is now apparent that mankind its their own environment by the decisions it makes regarding land use and industrial growth, it is apparent that man has a choice in the type of environment he inhabits. There are areas where action can be taken, such as in planning and rural uses, in conservation, flood control and in resources, all these issues collectively referred to as environmental management.

Government agencies, which seek to control pollution, are seen as the most widespread type of environmental management bodies. All types of pollution can be seen as examples of environmental damage. Various levels of environmental damage can be identified from that which is seen as a local concern and that which is a global concern. Environmental contamination, highlighted by such things as plastic bottles left on beaches to the occasional high levels of noise such as that from aircraft, are seen as the least harmful form of damage to the environment.

An environmental hazard, where the pollution level puts organic life at risk of permanent destruction is more serious. Environmental pollution where an organic life is destroyed temporarily in a certain area, such as an oil spill, is more serious again but occurs more frequently. Environmental disaster involving widespread and heavy loss of life is becoming a menacing threat. The recognition of these dynamic environmental issues has led to the creation of many government agencies.
The first UN conference on the environment in 1972 issued a 26-principle Declaration which declared the protection and enhancement of the environment to have become an imperative goal for mankind.

As the world population continues to increase the, environmental management to control pollution is becoming increasingly necessary. Unless ecological principles, conservation, resource management and population checks are widely adopted, the environment may degrade to the point of collapse, perhaps in the near future. Because the environment is a well structured system, with varying pathways and alternatives with great flexibility, any approach to instability will be difficult to detect and failure will appear suddenly.

Environmental determination is the belief that all human activity can be explained by environmental laws and controls. It was developed during the 19th century. Environmental determinism is seen as deviation from the mainstream of geographical thought, which views geography as a scientific approach to the describing and mapping regions of the Earth.
Article Source Get more information on Environmental Management at environment-guides.com and Environmental Consulting at eususa.com

Digital Cameras - Good For The Environment

noreply@blogger.com (an) — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 20:36:00 +0000

Digital Cameras - Good For The Environment

Digital cameras help to save trees! This is because as more and more people move away from conventional cameras they are unwittingly reducing the use of chemicals that were earlier being used to process the film. These chemicals, especially the developer and fixer solutions, were serious environment hazards. More importantly, you don't have to print every picture in the roll of film, you can print just the one or two that you like, thus saving lots of paper as well.

1. Chemicals

Law requires that chemmicals need to be neutralized before disposed of. Unforunately, most film processing centers released the chemicals into the drain because of high expenditure involved in treating them before discharge. A lot of photographers have been found guilty of this also.

2. International Waters

They are not the only ones who broke the law with abandon. The cruise ships in the international waters were even bigger culprits. As a routine, these ships first developed pictures shot by passengers and then dumped the film-processing chemicals into the open ocean. No one cared, since no restrictive laws apply to international waters. This is the reason why our oceans and green reefs are dying at a rate faster than the rain forests.

3. Digital Cameras

They can now thank the makers of digital cameras for saving them from some of the chemicals that earlier poured on them from ships. The same can be said of ponds and rivers that used to be polluted with chemicals flowing out of film processing labs, and that incidentally still flow out of such labs in the third world.

4. Inkjet Printers

There are some green campaigners who point fingers at inkjet printers - used to take prints - and rechargeable batteries used in digital cameras. Of course, they must realize that very few people take prints of the photographs. Most transfer the images into computers electronically. Also, used cartridges are either recycled or dumped in landfills. Very rarely they find their way in water bodies.

5. Rechargable Batteries

Impacting digital cameras are rechargable batteries - don't buy batteries ever again! Get rechargables. In particular, get NiMH rechargable batteries with a charge of at least 2200 or higher. These will last about 8 hours and they can be charged in as little as two hours. These batteries can be charged up to 1,000 times before they have to be thrown away. Even if you theoretically used your camera every day for a year, you still would have years before you had to get new batteries.

Article Source For more great digital camera related articles and resources check out bestimaging.info