Energy is used for many things. We use energy when we need electricity, heat , water, etc. Fossil fuels like coal are oftern used to create electricity. Using too much energy is bad for our environment, the burning of these fossil fuels puts tons of C02 in the atmosphere which leads to Global Warming. When you save energy, you save alot of money as well, so that you can can spend it on other important things. Energy cannot be produced without using some resources. The more energy that is required, the more resources must be used to produce it. This applies to renewable energy sources as well. It is better that fo electricity itself is clean, its just the method of getting it that causes environmental concern. The base load of electric use can be generated by the utility company with minimum polution, using water/ gravity , air, solar.
Solutions :
1. Don't turn on the lights, use natural light from the sun.
2. Take shorter showers.
3. Use cold water to wash clothes and try to air dry your clothes too.
4. Unplug rarely used appliances.
5. Turn off T.V, lights, computer, etc. when you are no longer using them.
6. Wear more clothes in your house, so that you don't have to turn up the heat.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Why Producing too much Waste is bad for our Environment?
All of our garbage has to go somewhere ? Its called a landfill, where garbage is put then is covered up with dirt, this space is running out and there is as little as 2 and a half years left. All of this space being taken up by landfills can used for school, homes, farms, hospitals, buisnesses , ect. landfills are very unhealthy as well. Waste disposal costs have increased signifantly, it is a problem to dispose.
195 millions of tons of garbage are produced each year, therefore getting up to 1000 pounds of garbage per year for 1 person. 4.1 pounds of solid waste is produced by an average North American. Lots of this waste is produced by Schools, hospital, Buisnesses, and government agencies.
Solutions :
1. Reduce - Buy in Bulk ! Buying family sized containers actually saves on waste! For example, one large box of washing powder, which is made from easily recyclable, or compostable cardboard is better than individually plastic wrapped tablets. The same goes for breakfast cereal, the cardboard of which can go into your green bin. Organic yoghurt cartons are compostable, use fewer resources in their manufacture and create less waste than small plastic cartons. Avoid individually wrapped items. Good examples of individually wrapped products include drink cartons.
2. Reuse - Reusable plastic bags
One of the most important environmental initiatives introduced in the last number of years was the plastic bag levy. At the outset, the general belief was that people would find it difficult to bring their reusable shopping bags to the supermarket - but in the space of a year everyone has settled into a slightly different, but environmentally friendly lifestyle. This is one example of how reuse can save resources and cut down on waste.
Reusable bottles . Everyone buys 500ml soft drink bottles. They're handy and resealable. Unfortunately they are also environmentally costly to make and can last for hundreds of years in landfill. By refilling them with water or juice, and reuseing them, you are preventing the amount of waste you produce. You are avoiding buying another bottle of soft drink, there for, reducing the amount of resources you are using in addition to the amount of waste you are sending to landfill. Other reusables. Old clothes - turn them into rags or pass them on to charity shops
3. Recycle - Recycle everything you can, and whenever you can. Recyclable materials include many kinds of glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles, and electronics. Materials to be recycled are either brought to a collection center or picked up from the curbside, then sorted, cleaned, and reprocessed into new materials bound for manufacturing.
195 millions of tons of garbage are produced each year, therefore getting up to 1000 pounds of garbage per year for 1 person. 4.1 pounds of solid waste is produced by an average North American. Lots of this waste is produced by Schools, hospital, Buisnesses, and government agencies.
Solutions :
1. Reduce - Buy in Bulk ! Buying family sized containers actually saves on waste! For example, one large box of washing powder, which is made from easily recyclable, or compostable cardboard is better than individually plastic wrapped tablets. The same goes for breakfast cereal, the cardboard of which can go into your green bin. Organic yoghurt cartons are compostable, use fewer resources in their manufacture and create less waste than small plastic cartons. Avoid individually wrapped items. Good examples of individually wrapped products include drink cartons.
2. Reuse - Reusable plastic bags
One of the most important environmental initiatives introduced in the last number of years was the plastic bag levy. At the outset, the general belief was that people would find it difficult to bring their reusable shopping bags to the supermarket - but in the space of a year everyone has settled into a slightly different, but environmentally friendly lifestyle. This is one example of how reuse can save resources and cut down on waste.
Reusable bottles . Everyone buys 500ml soft drink bottles. They're handy and resealable. Unfortunately they are also environmentally costly to make and can last for hundreds of years in landfill. By refilling them with water or juice, and reuseing them, you are preventing the amount of waste you produce. You are avoiding buying another bottle of soft drink, there for, reducing the amount of resources you are using in addition to the amount of waste you are sending to landfill. Other reusables. Old clothes - turn them into rags or pass them on to charity shops
3. Recycle - Recycle everything you can, and whenever you can. Recyclable materials include many kinds of glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles, and electronics. Materials to be recycled are either brought to a collection center or picked up from the curbside, then sorted, cleaned, and reprocessed into new materials bound for manufacturing.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Why is Idling Cars bad for the Environment?
Idling cars is bad for the environment for several reasons : It uses lots of fossil fuels , it pollutes the air and it is bad for a human's upper respiratory infections . Idling cars also can cause acid rain and global warming ."Acid rain" is a broad term referring to a mixture of wet and dry deposition (deposited material) from the atmosphere containing higher than normal amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids. When leaving a car idling for short periods causes incomplete combustion and can damage engine components. Idling for more than 10 seconds can burn gas almost twice the amount when on the road . You can be saving millions of tons of C02 in the atmosphere . Solutions :
How do we break this habit?
1. Stop purchasing and using remote starters. Remote starters are popular because they are very convenient and are the cause of lots of unnecessary idling .
2. When you are going to your car on a cold winter day , instead of starting up your car and idling , layer up in clothing . Scrap the ice and frost of all windows with a scraper .
3. Buy electric heaters from stores like Canadian Tire because you dont have to idle and you get heat at the same time !
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