Sustainability for future

The Interlace by OMA

2009-09-08T18:54:00.003+07:00

The Interlace is an interesting new residential project in Singapore designed by OMA. The project is located on a green belt outside the capital city, and consists on 31 stacked apartment blocks, each six-stories tall and identical in length, resulting in 170,000sqm of gross floor area for 1,040 apartments.

What is interesting about the project is how these stacked volumes achieve a high density, while still maintaining privacy and long-range views as you can see on the renderings.

The second result of this “stacked” strategy, are the common spaces filled with tropical green. By looking at the plan view of the complex, a series of inner courtyards appear on the empty spaces between the blocks. The project turns then into a rich vertical community, apart from the single tower projects seen in the area. Extensive residential amenities and facilities are interwoven into the lush vegetation and offer opportunities for social interaction, leisure, and recreation.

Above-ground vehicular circulation is minimized, liberating large green areas within the development. The Interlace incorporates sustainability features through careful environmental analysis of sun, wind, and micro-climate conditions on site and the integration of low-impact passive energy strategies.

Some pictures are available below. This information was gathered from Arch Daily.

The relationship of psychology and climate change

2009-08-24T17:31:00.003+07:00

The threat posed by climate change is all too real, but some of the solutions are all in the mind. That's the message from work in the field known as conservation psychology, which is beginning to show how people can be encouraged to change their lifestyles to cut greenhouse gas emissions (see "How psychology can curb climate change").

As well as showing what does work, this research also tells us what does not. And in that regard, groups trying to promote action to fight global warming could pay closer attention to what the psychologists are saying. Environmental groups have already learned some obvious lessons: no one likes to be hectored, and preachiness is not a winning tactic. Positive campaigns like "We can solve the climate crisis", run by Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection, are a better idea. Meanwhile, other research suggests that human nature need not be as rapacious and short-sighted as it sometimes appears: we are surprisingly ready to act in the interests of others and the natural world (see "Triumph of the commons").

But other tricks are still being missed. The website of the "We can solve the climate crisis" campaign features a video by Will.i.am of the hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas. As a backdrop to his song Take Our Planet Back, it shows images of environmental degradation coupled with statements like "Every American generates 2000 pounds of trash each year".

Approaches like this can be counterproductive, reinforcing the idea that heavy consumption is the societal norm and promoting a sense of helplessness in the face of an apparently insurmountable problem. Like it or not, most of us go with the herd. Show people this video and they will find little motivation not to carry on generating trash and burning oil like there's no tomorrow. But tell them about the steps their peers are taking to make things better, and they may just follow suit.

Over at the Earth Day Network site, it gets worse. There you can find out how many planets it would take to support your lifestyle if everyone on Earth lived the same way. It's hard to find any positive messages: a vegan who doesn't own a car, never flies, takes public transport to work and shares a tiny apartment in a US city would still be told that their lifestyle requires 3.3 Earths. It is hard to see what this is going to achieve, other than disillusioning people who are already doing their bit and telling everyone else that it isn't worth the bother.Psychology, often denigrated as a "soft science", has a vital role to play as humankind grapples with a truly vexing problem. Better to employ its findings now than to turn to psychologists only when we need help in dealing with the distress of occupying a world that has passed some dangerous climate tipping points.

The full report is available from http://www.apa.org/releases/climate-change.pdf

The clear inference is that positive messages tend to work whilst negative ones tend to fail yet most environmental climate change campaigning relies on reinforcing entirely negative messages about forthcoming catastrophe. Therefore, we might want to consider changing our tactic.

Global Warming Has Caused Weather Shifts in Indonesia

2009-07-24T14:19:00.005+07:00

The rainfall intensity in Banggai, Central Sulawesi, has changed from its 20 year cycle. This situation has disturbed the activities of farmers, fishermen, and other people whose work depends on the weather.

The shift has started since 2005 and the biggest shift happened in 2008. The local head of meteorological station, Jasirin, informed that for 20 years before 2005, the peak of rainfall always happens between March and May. After 2005, however, the peak happens only in May for 24 days with intensity reaching 188mm.

An extreme condition happened in 2008 where the peak happened in July for 27 days with 466mm rainfall that created floods in many locations. Jasirin said that the shift may be attributed to global warming. Furthermore, he stated that deforestation and air pollution are other factors that create high rainfall intensity.

This news was taken from Kompas.com.

Biomass is One of Green Energy Sources

2009-06-17T17:43:00.002+07:00

Experts consider biomass as one of green energy sources. Biomass is one of the three main areas of bioenergy, a process where organic materials like animal waste, plants, and wood are used to produce electricity, heat, and help produce biofuels.

When it comes to biomass, hot air or water is used to generate electricity. The process is done through direct combustion, which is considered as the simplest and most common method of generating energy from biomass.

Generating electricity is not the only purpose of biomass because it also can be used to produce hot air and keep a place warm. In this case, biomass needs to be combusted in a furnace to heat water or air. When it comes to heating water, you will have warm water for taking a shower. Basically biomass can be used in a small scale as a kind of heating system for your house.

If you want to compare the amount of electricity generated by biomass and solar energy for instance, you will find that biomass actually produces more energy. This is because energy in plants has already been captured and stored. Solar and wind energy need to be collected first if you want to use them. Biomass on the other hand is readily available while solar and wind energy completely depend on the weather.

It is a good think if you can use organic waste to produce electricity. This is the key that makes biomass different than other green energy sources. When biomass is used extensively, the government can save a considerable amount of money for reduction in waste disposal. Furthermore, they can reduce their dependency toward foreign oil to power their plants.

However, biomass also has a downside that should be considered carefully. In order to produce biomass, you need to burn waste and organic materials to produce energy. This process will add to the pollution that has already been in atmosphere. One way to offset this downside is by planting more crops which will be a great help to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. You will also need some initial investments for labors, transportation of materials, and storing purposes.

One thing for sure, biomass is a green energy source because it uses renewable resources to produce energy. This means that we will have an endless supply of biomass just like the sun and the wind. The biggest challenge is perhaps to find a suitable land with a sufficient water supply to make the system work. When water is not abundant, it is very difficult to rely on biomass technology to generate energy.

In conclusion, biomass is only one example of green energy sources. There are many ways that we can do to save the environment. We have the capability and we have the technology to make a different. We just need to have a willingness to do it.

Can We Live without Sustainable Energy?

2009-05-29T15:53:00.003+07:00

You should imagine what will happen when oil prices become very expensive in the future. How if we use all of our fossil fuel supply? You should know that right now around 20% of our electricity supply come from fossil fuel. What will happen if they run out? These are questions that you should consider to appreciate the importance of sustainable power. They are not things that we should consider in the future, but they are important now.

Sustainable energy has aroused debates among government officials, NGOs, and oppositions. Some say that sustainability is critical while others consider it as mumbo jumbo. Firstly we need to understand the definition of sustainability. Sustain means to support, uphold, and to keep something from falling. When it comes to sustainable energy, it means energy with unending resources. Sustainable energy is endless resources that can produce energy without destroying the environment and the earth where we live in.

If we scrutinize those debates, we will see that sustainable energy is not the source of conflicts. The alternate source of energy is the thing that has created those conflicts. Some argue that alternate energy resources are new and nobody has investigated whether they are safe or not. Others say that they are not enough to accommodate the demands of this world. No matter what the arguments are, we need to consider that sustainability is important for the future of human beings. It is a must if we want to continue living on this earth. The future is our main reason to fight and to be better.

If we look back way into the past, we can see that alternate energy resources have been used since the ancient time. They are everywhere from the richest countries to the poorest nations. Wind farms are abundant in northwestern Europe while geothermal plants are available in the Philippines, New Zealand, Kenya, Germany, Mexico, Turkey, and the US. People in China have used hydropower to generate electricity to power small towns. Hydropower has also been used in US to power a big city like Las Vegas.

It is important now

You might think that now the earth is polluted and in peril. Then you should think what will happen if our ancestors have used all the fossil fuels. We cannot let this fate to happen for our future generations. Human beings have survived many catastrophes on this planet and together we can achieve something that will slow down the pollution and global warming that threaten our earth.

Think about the great smog in London that killed more than 8000 people. At that time they experienced unusually cold weather and they consumed and lit up more coals which fogged the air with excessive amount of smog. If we never used alternate energy resources, it is likely that we would not be here today. Therefore be a supporter of sustainable energy and start taking action to make this world a better place for us and our future generations. Save this earth, this is a beautiful place to live in.

Simple Tips on Increasing Your Car Fuel Efficiency

2009-05-10T13:49:00.003+07:00

Did you know that more than 67% of US total oil consumption goes to transportation? This number is not surprising since an average American consumes 500 gallons of gas every year. Therefore, one of the simplest ways to show our commitment to the environment is to become a better driver and maintain your car regularly. This article offers some simple tips to improve your fuel efficiency, thus save energy and contribute to the environment.

Drive properly

You should lighten up your car by removing unnecessary things. It is obvious that extra weight consumes more fuel.

Stop that idling habit of preheating your engine. Even if you drive 0 mile per hour, your car still consume fuel once it is started. Just directly drive once you start your engine.

If you are stuck on traffic, you should consider turning off your engine. Hybrid cars are so efficient because they shut off their engine automatically when at full stop. Basically they eliminate fuel consumption due to idling.

Instead of going to a drive thru, why don’t you park your car, turn off the engine, and eat in the restaurant.

Turn on the cruise control feature of your car (if available). Cruise control will help you keep at a constant speed and thus save on gas.

Sensible driving is very essential. You will lower your fuel efficiency by up to 33% in the highway and 5% in the city when you drive aggressively, accelerate abruptly, and do hard braking continuously.

If you are using manual transmission, shift to higher gear while maintaining drivability. Low gear at high speed requires more pressure on the gas pedal as compared to high gear at low speed.

Smart driving and calculate your breaking distance. For instance, if you know that you have to stop at a short distance, do not accelerate excessively. Excessive acceleration and breaking waste your fuel considerably.

It is estimated that air-conditioning system can increase fuel consumption by 15%. Turn it off whenever possible or at least reduce the thermostat.

If feasible, do not use roof rack. Use the available space in the trunk or back of your car. Your rack and items on it will create drag that can potentially reduce fuel efficiency by 5%.

Check your tire pressure and maintain the pressure recommended by the manufacturer.

If you have enough budget, switch to hybrid cars. They are much more fuel efficient than common gasoline-engine cars. Hybrid cars also have low emission capability that will reduce carbon dioxide emission that creates global warming.

You will maximize fuel efficiency when the car is light, aerodynamic, and has a small engine. Therefore, you should consider these three factors when you plan to buy a car. Small cars are preferable that those big SUVs.

Maintaining your car

Clean or replace the air filters regularly because clogged filters cause poor car performance which will lead to more fuel consumption.

Keep the wheels aligned properly is another secret of efficient fuel consumption.

Give overall maintenance to your car periodically. Dragging brakes, transmission issues, low transmission fluids, and worn spark plug are things that can reduce fuel efficiency. Choose the right type of oil for your car.

Arrange carpooling, telecommuting, and use public transport will reduce fuel consumption and maintenance cost.

These simple habits will help you save cash, prolong the serviceability of your car, and more importantly save the environment.

Solar Powered Speaker for Some Outdoor Music

2009-04-30T11:20:00.004+07:00

Recently I found an interesting post from ecofriend. Designed by Pekka Salokannel, the Gramo Speakers are just what you need to green your musical life. The speakers are powered by three layers of photovoltaic panels that are incorporated onto their surface. The solar panels charge the built-in battery pack, allowing the user to use the speakers even after sunset.

If you want some digital entertainment when outdoors, the speakers can be bent flat and carried in a pocket. The volume can be adjusted using the soft touch-sensitive control that the speaker is equipped with. The Gramo is designed to be compatible with most DAPs, including the iPod and iPhone.

Saving Energy While Working from Home

2009-04-24T16:39:00.006+07:00

There are many benefits that you can enjoy when you are working from home. You do not need to dress up and you do not waste your time for traveling. You also control your time and you can work on your most convenient hours. The bad thing about working from home is that it can increase your energy bills. Therefore, you need to be careful when choosing your equipment and do some simple energy saving measures.

If you need some office equipment, consider buying the energy efficient one. Computers, fax machines, scanners, printers, monitors, and other electrical appliances can increase your energy bills significantly. Buy ENERGY STAR office equipments which normally consume 50% less energy than the conventional ones. Sometimes you can save up to 90% of standard energy consumption. Some ENERGY STAR equipments also have better performances. They reduce electromagnetic field emissions, air conditioning loads, and noise from transformers and fans.

An ENERGY STAR computer uses 30% less energy than other computers without this designation. Furthermore, this computer will shift into a low-power mode that only uses 15 watts of power when inactive. When you are having a short break, turn off the computer monitor. If you are leaving your desk for more than half an hour, it is better to turn off your computer completely.

Do not use screensavers because they actually consume the same amount of energy as normal computer usage. It is better to activate the computer’s sleep mode instead rather than screensavers. Some people say that office equipments should always be turned on to make it last longer. This is only a myth. If you keep doing this, you will have to pay higher electric bills.

If you have enough budget, it is better to replace your desktop with a laptop because of its energy efficiency. Another strategy to save energy is to turn off all office equipments when they are not in used. They also need to be unplugged because they still use power when turned off. To save energy even further, unplugging electronic devises should not be limited to office equipments only. You also need to unplug your TV, stereo, VCR, microwave oven, and other appliances that are not in use.

Use natural light as much as possible to minimize the use of lamps and room lights. Arrange your room strategically to harness this natural light. If you tend to work at night, use task lights that use less energy instead of using room lights. You should close drapes and shades of the windows to keep the cold air out, thus you will save energy on heating the room.

Set the thermostat to a comfortable level. In general, a digital thermostat provides better electricity savings than the conventional one. Choose a suitable room for working that uses less heating or cooling system and lights. For instance, it is better to work in a small room rather than work in a huge living room area. Keep you air conditioning clean for better performance.

Other energy saving improvements that you can use are proper insulation, repairing cracks and holes, and changing incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs. These improvements are beneficial when you plan to sell your home because you will get better price for your home.

Understand the Cost of Installing Solar Energy System

2009-04-17T20:36:00.002+07:00

Solar energy is abundant and it is free. Unfortunately, we need expensive tools to harness this energy. If you plan to install a solar energy system at your home, then it is better if you understand how much it would cost. In this case, there are three things that you should know.

Firstly, the cost will normally depend on the energy that your household needs. If you need a large amount of energy, then you will need more solar panels, which will lead to higher cost. Fortunately, solar energy technology has developed considerably over the years and the cost has become cheaper nowadays.

Secondly, several countries have offered a rebate for their citizens who decide to switch to use alternative forms of energy. This is good news since the government will cover a portion of the total cost of the system.

Thirdly, some governments also provide tax credits when you use the solar energy system. In the United States, the amount of tax rebate is different from state to state, but it ranges from $1,000 to $2,000.

All of these factors affect the overall cost of your system installation. A photovoltaic system normally cost around $8,000 to $10,000 per 1kW. The amount is equal to $8 to $10 per Watt. In general, an average 3-bedroom American household needs energy around 1.5kW to 3kW. Based on this amount, the cost of installation will be around $14,000 to $30,000 before rebates and tax credits.

As mentioned before, the rebate is different from state to state. For this calculation, we use an average California household that needs 1.5kW system. It means that the system can get as much as $4,200 rebate. The number comes from 1.5kW=1500 watts times $2.80 per watt, which translates to $4,200. Based on the calculation, if your household requires 3kW system, you can get rebate as much as $8,400.

In the beginning, tax credit can go as much as 30%, but then it is lowered to 7.5% of system cost after rebate. Therefore, 1.5kW system can get $735 worth of tax credit that comes from $14,000 deducted by $4,200 and then multiplied by 7.5%. With the same calculation, 3kW system will get $1,620 worth of tax credit (($30,000 - $8,400) x 7.5% = $1,620)

Based on the calculation above, cost of solar energy system for 1.5kW household is $14,000 (cost of the system) deducted by $4,200 for rebate and $735 for tax credit or a grant total of $9065. With the same formula, the cost for 3kW system is: $30,000 - $8,400 - $1,960 = $19,980. This calculation is only a rough estimate. They do not represent real figures, but only serve as a basic idea for the cost of installing a solar energy system.

Hot tips

Normally an energy independent home has higher resale value and the home is also highly preferred by home buyers. Therefore, if you plan to sell your home in several years, it is also a good home improvement option besides providing a nice saving on your electrical bill.

It is a good idea to include the cost for solar energy installation into your mortgage. Another thing that you should remember is that if you have low energy requirement, it means that you can lower the installation cost.

Choose your appliances wisely. You can reduce your electricity load by buying appliances with ENERY STAR logo. If you feel that full solar energy system is too expensive, you can opt for a solar hot water system for only around $3,000.

If your area has a high electricity rate, you will get more saving from your solar energy system. On the other hand, the system is also suitable if your home is located far from existing power lines.

10 Lifestyle Changing Tips to Save the Environment

2009-04-01T16:05:00.009+07:00

Sustainability concept becomes a global trend nowadays. News and broadcasts are crammed with information on how to save the environment. This article offers some tips that you can try to contribute for the environment. They cost almost nothing because what you need to do is to change your lifestyle.

1. Change all of your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. CFLs use much less energy for the same performance and they last much longer as well. This is the easiest way to save energy and reduce your electrical expense.

2. Turning off the lights whenever you go out from a room. This is a simple and easy way to save energy.

3. Saving energy by adjusting the temperature of your room. For instance, during winter, you can decrease the heater slightly and use sweater inside the house. You will save a considerable amount of money by implementing this tip.

4. Stop asking for plastic bags when shopping. Plastic bags are oil based and they are not biodegradable. Bring your own bag so you contribute in saving our unrenewable resources. You might get a discount from the store as well.

5. When you go shopping, do not buy disposable products. Disposable products will likely end up in landfills and landfills emit gases that cause greenhouse effect and global warming. Choose items that can be used many times. If possible, choose good quality products. They are more expensive, but they can be used for a long period of time.

6. When products need batteries, choose the ones that are rechargeable. Batteries contain toxic materials and their disposal needs proper care. Therefore, it is good if you can reduce battery disposal. You will save money because you don’t keep buying batteries repetitively.

7. When you plan to buy a new car, choose the environmentally friendly one. You can choose hybrid car or if it is too expensive, you can buy the one that consumes less fuel per mile. It is even better if you can travel by public transports or bicycles.

8. Limit your water usage. Water is extremely cheap in some countries and they do not use it wisely. For other, this resource is very important and very difficult to get. Therefore, you need to change your lifestyle and use water more wisely. Cleaning your deck or driveway using a broom will save you gallons of water annually. Use a washing machine when it is full so you use water efficiently. Turn off the water tap while you are brushing your teeth.

9. Using solar energy is another good idea that you should try. It is expensive, but if you have the budget, why don’t you try this option. You can start with small solar panels for your water heater for instance.

10. Why don’t you use a push mower instead of an electrical or fuel one? It works well if your lawn is small and you can also exercise while mowing your lawn.

The Achievement of Earth Hour 2009

2009-03-29T11:52:00.004+07:00

From Sydney Harbour to the Empire State Building, cities and world landmarks plunged into darkness as a symbolic energy-saving exercise unfolded across the globe. The pyramids at Giza in Egypt, the Acropolis in Athens and the Houses of Parliament in London cut their electricity as part of "Earth Hour," a worldwide call for action to avert potentially devastating climate change. Some 371 landmarks were due to power down worldwide, including the Eiffel Tower, Niagara Falls, the Las Vegas casino strip and Beijing's "Bird's Nest" Olympic stadium.

The global grassroots movement began in Sydney two years ago, when 2.2 million people switched off their lights. Earth Hour has since grown to include 3,929 cities, villages and localities across the globe.

The Earth Hour 2009 event began dramatically as Sydney's iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge plunged into darkness on Saturday night, killing their lights for an hour, followed later by the glittering Hong Kong waterfront.

Lights in the "city that never sleeps" began going dark at 8:30 pm (0030 GMT) at some of New York City's most renowned buildings and landmarks, including Broadway theaters, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and the signs of several big firms, including Coca-Cola's in Times Square.

In Washington, campuses of major universities and several embassies flipped the switch. People gathered at Freedom Plaza, which has an unobstructed view of the US Congress, to watch the lights dim on nearby buildings and hotels.

In London, the lights went off at the Houses of Parliament and the famous electronic billboard at Piccadilly Circus.

In Paris, hundreds of monuments and buildings, from the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral to the Arc de Triomphe, all went dark. For safety reasons, the lights on the Eiffel Tower were switched off for only five minutes.

Elsewhere across Europe, St Peter's Basilica in Rome and the Greek parliament in Athens were all plunged into darkness, while entertainers danced in front of the Romanian parliament in Bucharest.

In Egypt, the Giza pyramids, the Cairo Tower and the Alexandria Library on the Mediterranean all went dark.

In the United Arab Emirates, which has the highest per capita energy consumption in the world, Dubai's iconic sail-shaped seven-star Burj al-Arab hotel turned off its nightly multi-colored light show.

Mountaineers planned to raise an Earth Hour flag on the 29,000-foot (8,848-meter) summit of Everest, the planet's highest point.

The lights went dark in downtown Manila, as they did in the world's tallest completed skyscraper, the Taipei 101 building.

In South Africa, Table Mountain was to be seen only by starlight for an hour. And the Weekender newspaper reported that one couple would turn the lights down on their marriage at a vineyard near Cape Town.

This report on Earth Hour 2009 was summarized from Landmarks go dark for world climate campaign.

Earth Hour 2009

2009-03-22T13:38:00.004+07:00

March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm tens of millions of people in hundreds of cities around the world will come together once again to make a bold statement about their concern about climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour. Earth Hour symbolizes that by working together, each of us can make a positive impact in the fight against climate change.

This year, the goals for Earth Hour are bigger because the stakes are higher. Already 250 cities in 74 countries have agreed to take part including Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami and Nashville with more signing up every day. Around the world cities like Moscow, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Shanghai and Mexico City will turn out their lights in support.

You can participate by easily turning off your lights for only one hour on March 28, 2009 from 8.30 to 9.30 pm of your local time. Show your commitment to the environment by participating on this simple activity and you will see that we can make a big difference if we work together to achieve a common goal. Visit http://www.earthhour.org/ for more information about this worldwide commitment.

Use CFLs to Save the Environment and Reduce Your Expense

2009-03-18T11:45:00.001+07:00

In general, most homes in developed countries consume 9% of total energy usage for lighting alone. The number is more than this for other parts of the world. Therefore, if you use cost-efficient lights, they can really become an energy saver.

Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs are made specifically for this purpose. It only consumes around 34% energy of conventional light bulbs. In this case, if you decide to change from incandescent to CFL, you will reduce your electrical consumption by 6%.

CFLs have the same luminescence for less power when compared to conventional light bulbs. It is true that CFLs are more expensive than the incandescent, but they also have longer lifespan. It is estimated that the lifespan is 12 times longer than the incandescent light bulbs. This way, you have saved $30 in electrical costs during the lifespan of the bulbs.

There is an article in the United States stating that if a household changes 30 lighting fixtures and invest $90 in CFLs, they can potentially save $500 to $1500 in five years depending on the areas. This is only a typical house. If we are talking about commercial and office buildings, the savings are much greater. A 75-watt CFL could save $22 every year. If we multiply this number with the number of light bulbs in the building, the saving amount is staggering. You will need to spend an extra $2 for every fixture, but you will recover that amount quickly.

Some manufacturers of CFLs use titanium dioxide coating because it is claimed that titanium dioxide can neutralize bacteria, odors, and molds. Furthermore, some manufacturers also apply a luminous coating to the CFL bulbs to provide extra luminescence after the CFLs are turned off. Therefore, a little light will remain for a short period of time in the case of accidents or power failure. Another good thing about CFLs is that they produce less heat, thus there is less work for air conditioners as well.

Is there any downside to CFLs?

CFLs have different behaviors than the ordinary incandescent bulbs. They take longer to achieve full brightness depending on the temperature. The colder the climate, the longer they need to achieve full brightness. CFLs also give off the brightest light at the beginning of their lifespan. Over time, they begin to dull gradually. A CFL approximately loses 20% of its original brightness at the end of its life.

Conclusion

Saving energy and sustainability are the current trend nowadays. People are buzzing about them. We depend a lot on fossil fuel and it is not renewable. Continuous research is done to come up with new ideas to conserve energy. We can contribute to this effort to save the environment. Changing incandescent light bulbs with CFLs is a simple and good start. It will help the environment and it will reduce our expense as well.

How to Teach Your Kids to Save Energy

2009-02-26T20:59:00.005+07:00

Saving energy should become a fun activity for everyone in the family. Kids should also learn a valuable lesson to reduce the electricity bills. Teaching kids about energy efficient is not as easy as it sounds. Here are some simple tips that you can try.

Let them know the importance of saving energy

Your first goal should be teaching your kids about the importance of saving energy. Use a simple story to make them understand how global warming happens and why we should change our habit to help the environment. There are many educational books for kids that discuss the importance of saving energy. They will be a great help to achieve your goal.

It starts from you

If you have kids, you should know that they tend to follow what adults do. Therefore, if you want your kids to save energy, then you should do it first. The habit starts from you. Perhaps you put posters or small notes to encourage kids to save energy, but if you do not follow those notes, your kids will not follow them either. You can’t tell your kids to turn the light off before leaving the room if they never see you do it in the first place. You need to lead by example if you want your kids to change.

Learning new things should be fun

If you want to teach your kids to save energy, you should make the education process fun. There are many teaching materials out there where your kids can learn important lessons to save energy. You should sit together with your kids and explore those educational websites, books, and computer software to conserve energy and save the environment. This is a good method for kids from 5 to 10 years old.

Once they learn those things, you should encourage them to implement the things that they have learnt immediately. Put the lessons into practice and you should keep reminding them of what the right thing to do to save energy.

Pay attention to the age of your kids

Kids with different ages will need different ways to learn about saving energy. For instance, if you want to teach your 6-year old son to turn the light off before leaving the room, you only need to tell him what to do and why it is important to do it. Of course you should lead by example as well.

On the other hand, if your son is 11-year old, then you may want to use different approach. You can show him your electricity bill and tell him that he can contribute significantly by adopting a new habit. Afterwards, you can teach him about the importance of saving energy for the environment. Be creative in teaching this thing to your kids. You should know which method is the most effective and comfortable for them.

Simple habits for your kids

You can start teaching these simple habits to your kids to save energy:

Turn the light off before leaving the room or the house.
Turn the computer off after usage or if you leave it for a long period of time.
Do not hold the refrigerator open for too long. Tell your kids to take what they want from the fridge quickly and close the door immediately.
Unplug electronic appliances when they are not in use, such as mobile charger, DVD player, stereo, etc.
Reduce lighting usage and switch to natural light as much as possible.

Saving energy will become more meaningful if you can get your kids involved. They are the future generation that will get benefits from this good habit.

What’s Wrong with the Unpopularity of Solar Energy?

2009-02-23T20:26:00.003+07:00

Our sun produces 350,000,000 terawatts of power. A full exposure to this energy for only 15 minutes is enough to meet the world’s energy requirement. This energy cannot be compared against energy that is generated by fossil fuel and nuclear, which is only amounted to mere 10,800,000 terawatts. Of course, energy from fossil fuel is also non renewable.

In general, utility companies contribute 1.3 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the environment for every 1 kw of electrical power generated from burning fossil fuels. This CO2 is dumped to the atmosphere everyday. In fact, a typical home is accountable for approximately 22,000 pounds of CO2 annually.

On the other hand, harnessing the energy from sun’s rays is clean and safe. There is no emission and it can be extremely economical in the future. Unfortunately, right now only 0.1% of power in United States is generated by using solar energy. If solar energy is that good, why do only few people use it?

Article in Wall Street Journal dated August 2008 mentioned that several groups backed by certain political groups are against the installation of transmission lines for solar power. Furthermore, the power grid in the United States was designed more than 100 years ago. It is now badly congested in many regions. Therefore, it is not easy to deliver solar power to customers. A cost efficient plan needs to be developed to transfer energy from one location to another.

Another problem is the cost. Right now solar power requires a lot of initial investments. A home value normally will increase when it uses solar power, but the initial cost deters many people to install solar panels.

The government should encourage its citizens by placing rewards to avoid using fossil fuel. For instance, a 30% tax cut to projected cost previously awarded will be attractive for many if other federal credits are included to promote more investments. Global warming issues are everywhere and become a recurrent subject in different talk shows. This is good to keep reminding people on the importance of solar energy and other renewable energy sources. The unstable fuel prices can be another good reason to encourage the use of alternative energy sources.

Unfortunately, transmitting solar energy effectively to homes is still very difficult to achieve unless the obstacles are solved. Even if the obstacles can be removed today, it is estimated that 10 years are still needed to convert 20% of homes into solar energy users. In this case, individual homes with solar panels is still considered as the most feasible alternative.
The good news is that technology develops rapidly these days. Solar power with nano technology is currently being developed and should be available in the next five years. Solar cell design is also developed continuously and a cost effective method to harness solar energy is getting closer to become a reality.

Paper, Plastic, or CFL?

2009-02-16T10:33:00.003+07:00

This is an interesting article by Eric Bloom posted in Environmental Lovins blog. He indicates that changing your light bulbs to CFL is more effective in contributing to the enviroment compared to avoiding to use plastic bags. Here's the story.

For concerned environmentalists like us, bags are always on our mind. Checking out at the supermarket often poses the eternal dilemma: Paper or plastic?

The debate surrounding this issue pits the durability and lower material demands of plastic against the renewability of paper sources. Many of us have come up with alternatives such as reusable canvas tote bags or bringing our own plastic.

When we feel we've made the best decision, we rest easy, knowing our actions are in some way improving the condition of our global ecosystem. And they certainly do.

But does that "eco-guilt" we so often feel motivate us to the best possible solutions for the environment -- and for us?

You might be surprised by the answer.

According to the Allen Consulting Group, the use of a reusable bag (like canvas tote bags) creates just 4.4 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions every year, while single-use plastic bags average 13 pounds, and paper bags ring in at 66 pounds.

As well as restricting trash volume, saving a few pounds of carbon by switching to reusable bags certainly counts. But should it be the focus of our stress when the buildings we live and work in emit carbon dioxide on the scale of tons every year?

The average American's transport, housing, food, goods, and services emit a total of 42 tons of carbon dioxide a year. What this starts to tell us is that we might be sweating the small stuff, and we ought to give some serious thought to our overall carbon emissions profile.

So, while the canvas tote bags do make a difference, there's a lot more we have in our power (literally) to reduce our carbon emissions, which one might say is a good way of measuring eco-guilt.

For example, replacing a single incandescent bulb with a CFL can reduce our energy demand, leading to carbon dioxide reductions of about 70 pounds per year -- that amounts to a little more than one person switching from paper to reusable.

If you have even 10 lightbulbs in your own house, the carbon dioxide savings would reduce emissions as much as 11 people switching from paper to reusable bags.

It's great you can save 5 cents for every paper bag you don't use at Whole Foods (assuming you avoid the use of 6 bags a week, that's a savings of about $15), but if we were to switch just 10 incandescent bulbs to CFLs, we could pocket $65 a year in saved electricity costs.

That's money in the bag -- in fact, you'd have to save over four years' worth of paper bags at Whole Foods to realize savings like that.

So the take-home point is this: The paper-or-plastic dilemma is an important one, but we should remember to take that same concern and transform it into actions that bring about the biggest carbon dioxide reductions.

If you're willing to sweat the small stuff, then don't forget to sweat the big stuff as well. Our homes are a really good place to start.

Sell Your Unwanted Stuffs and Five Recycling Mysteries

2009-02-07T15:25:00.003+07:00

Recently I found this interesting website where you can sell your unwanted stuffs. Rather than throwing those stuffs away and adding more garbage to our landfill, why don't you try to sell them. Somebody might need them, you can earn money from them, and more importantly, you will contribute to your environment.

Furthermore, I also saw this interesting article on recycle. The article is posted by Lori Bongiorno and it is available from The Conscious Consumer blog.

Wondering what to do with your stash of old batteries or the cans of unneeded paint taking up space in your garage? You know you shouldn't throw them out, but it really is time to get rid of them.

Resist the temptation to toss them in the trash anyway. The reason: They (and everything on the list below) contain toxic chemicals capable of contaminating the environment if not disposed of properly.

Unlike items that are picked up at the curb, you'll have to make a special effort to unload these ones responsibly. But, with a little advance planning and some good info, you'll see that it's really quite simple to dispose of these seemingly mysterious items. Here's how:

Batteries. Recycling rechargeable batteries is fairly easy. Home Depot, Staples, Radio Shack, Best Buy, and other retailers take them back free of charge. There are fewer options for single-use batteries, but look for bins at your local Whole Foods Market, Ikea, or library. Otherwise, your best bet is the local household hazardous waste drop-off site. Where is it and what are your closest drop-off options? Search here for answers.

CFLs. These energy-efficient bulbs are becoming easier to get rid of. Just drop old bulbs off at any Home Depot or Ikea for free recycling. Or ask about CFL recycling at your local Ace Hardware or home improvement store. You can search for other nearby solutions.

Electronics. Every retailer that takes back rechargeable batteries also accepts mobile phones, as do most wireless providers. For computers, cameras, televisions, and others it's worthwhile do a little homework because some stores charge fees depending on item and brand. Check out Best Buy, Staples, and Office Depot to see what's the best fit. Some places, like Radio Shack, have trade-in programs where you can receive store credit for your old gadgets.

Motor Oil. In case you need some motivation, consider this factoid from Earth911: Every gallon of used motor oil that's improperly disposed of can contaminate one million gallons of drinking water. Bring it to Wal-Mart, Autozone, Jiffy Lube, or search online for more convenient choices.

Paint. It's among the harder items in this group to dispose of, but it's worth it and totally doable. If the paint is still in good shape, consider donating it. As of now, there aren't any retailers that accept used paint so you'll need to make a special trip. Search Earth911 for a comprehensive list of options.

Kenya Will Have a Wind Farm in 2012

2009-01-25T16:02:00.003+07:00

A Kenyan firm plans to produce 300 MW of electricity by 2012 by harnessing renewable wind power in the north of the country, its director told Reuters. Once completed, the project could meet about a quarter of Kenya's total energy demand, which stands at some 1,200 MW, just slightly below the installed capacity.

The government is looking at developing "green" energy sources, such as wind and geothermal, to meet demand that is growing at around 8 percent a year. The total project cost would be about $760 million and that the African Development Bank (AfDB) had indicated it would finance 30 percent of that.

The rest of the financing would come from locally syndicated bank loans and international investment banks in South Africa, the Middle East and possibly the United States. The company plans to put up 360 wind turbines that will each generate 850 kw, to be constructed by Denmark's Vestas Wind Systems A/S. Each turbine that is set up will come online immediately.

This is a great initiave by a developing country like Kenya. In spite of their limitation, they are still willing to build something advance like this that will contribute positively to the environment. Other countries should follow this excellent example. Complete news can be read from Environmental News Network.

Green Exercise

2009-01-09T20:49:00.001+07:00

You may not think that a few simple actions can help you lose weight and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time, but if you follow these tips you'll be well on your way to a green exercise routine:

Try a reusable water bottle
Staying hydrated is important when you exercise so instead of buying a pack of bottled water and creating more plastic waste how about using a stainless steel or recycled water bottle that you can wash and reuse again.

Eat organic
Get your energy boost with organic cereal and granola bars, or try a homemade smoothie by mixing organic yogurt, orange juice and fruit together in a blender.

Walk, run, or ride a bike
WYou don't need an exercise machine that uses electricity to help you burn calories, if the weather's good. You can always get your green exercise by walking, running, or riding a bike around a park or neighborhood. You can even take along biodegradable bags and pick up trash and recyclable aluminum cans along the way to help clean up your surroundings.

Dress the part
Whether you need a sports bra, running shorts, or workout sneakers you can always find clothing and accessories made from organic cotton, recycled fabric, bamboo, and other natural ingredients. You should also donate your old workout clothes to thrift stores.

Plant a garden
If you have a backyard with available space or know someone who does then you can get a weekly workout by planting a garden this spring. All the digging, planting, watering, and weeding will give you a great workout every time you visit the garden, plus you can eat your organic fruits and vegetables as a healthy meal! To be extra eco friendly you can reuse rainwater caught in a barrel to water the plants.

Save water: Wash your towels less
Most likely you are going to take a shower after a heavy workout. If you use a towel to wipe away sweat, you don't have to wash it after its first use. Reuse the towel a few times more since you're going to take a shower anyways. This will help conserve water because you'll be using the washing machine less.

Try natural deodorants
Many deodorants contain harmful ingredients such as aluminum and formaldehyde, so freshen up after your hard workout by using deodorants made from all natural plant-based ingredients or make your own. Also, make sure that the product is certified "cruelty-free" to prove that it has not been tested on animals.

Encourage your gym to go green
Some gyms are starting to install green cardio equipment, which usually uses energy from your pedaling or running to generate electricity, which is then used to power the gym.
Make these tips a part of your daily eco lifestyle routine. You'll not only get in shape but help out the environment.

This article was taken from How to green your exercise routine.

2008 Was A Huge Year for Natural Disasters

2009-01-02T15:25:00.005+07:00

This news was taken from BBC News.

The past year (2008) has been one of the most devastating ever in terms of natural disasters, one of the world's biggest re-insurance companies has said. Munich Re said the impact of the disasters was greater than in 2007 in both human and economic terms.

The company suggested climate change was boosting the destructive power of disasters like hurricanes and flooding. It has called for stricter curbs on emissions to prevent further uncontrollable weather scenarios.

More than 220,000 people died in events like cyclones, earthquakes and flooding, the most since 2004, the year of the Asian tsunami. Meanwhile, overall global losses totalled about $200bn (£137bn), with uninsured losses totalling $45bn, about 50% more than in 2007.

Therefore, I encourage everyone to include green living habits into your new year resolution. Start with something small. Small things done collectively will have a great impact. Have a great year ahead.

The most expensive single event in 2008 was Hurricane Ike, which brought $30bn in losses. It was one of five major hurricanes in the North Atlantic over the year, which saw a total of 16 tropical storms. In addition, roughly 1,700 tornadoes across the US caused several billion dollars of damage, as did periods of low pressure weather activity in Europe.

Munich Re quoted World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) figures showing that 2008 was the 10th warmest year since reliable records began, meaning that the 10 warmest years on record all occurred in the past 12 years.

"It is now very probable that the progressive warming of the atmosphere is due to the greenhouse gases emitted by human activity," said Prof Peter Hoppe, head of Munich Re's Geo Risks Research.

"The logic is clear: when temperatures increase there is more evaporation and the atmosphere has a greater capacity to absorb water vapour, with the result that its energy content is higher.
"The weather machine runs into top gear, bringing more intense severe weather events with corresponding effects in terms of losses."

The company said world leaders must put in place "effective and binding rules on CO2 emissions" to curb climate change and ensure that "future generations do not have to live with weather scenarios that are difficult to control".

Merry Christmas

2008-12-26T14:01:00.003+07:00

During this festive season, I want to say

Merry Christmas 2008

Wish your Christmas is filled with peace and love.

Warm regards,

Riza

Dreaming of a Green Christmas

2008-12-15T17:13:00.005+07:00

This is an excellent post from the Green Gift Guide on how you can green your Christmas holiday season.

Rethink Gift Wrapping
Americans throw away 25% more trash during the holidays. You can reduce a portion of your holiday waste by using alternatives to wrapping paper. Tap into your creative side by using newspaper, magazines, old calendars or even fabric to wrap presents. You can also save money by reusing recycled paper or any other materials around your home to decorate wrapped gifts.

Send holiday e-cards, or print your card on recycled paper
You can save money and the environment by sending a free holiday e-card to your loved ones. Using recycled paper is another way to save the environment because recycled paper helps reduce demand for wood, conserves natural resources and generates less pollution during manufacturing.

Consider real, not artificial, when choosing your Christmas tree this year
Real Christmas trees are both renewable and recyclable. They are grown on tree farms specifically designed to produce trees for the holidays. Artificial trees may be the right choice for some people, and can be cost effective in the long run. However, some artificial trees are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a potential source of hazardous lead, and once those trees are thrown away, they’ll be in a landfill for a long, long time.

Recycle your Christmas tree
A real Christmas tree is 100% biodegradable. By recycling your Christmas tree, you can reduce 690,000 tons of materials that are dumped in landfills. Check your city’s local listings for curbside or drop-off locations for recycling.

Shop for Green Gifts
Browse our Green Gift Guide for holiday presents for your family and friends. By purchasing eco-friendly gifts, you can do your part for the Earth and at the same time encourage your loved ones to reduce their carbon footprint beyond the holiday season. Also consider gifts, given in the name of friends and family, to environmental charities.

Recycle your beverage containers at all holiday parties
The holidays are filled with delicious dinners and festivities that generate a lot of waste. By recycling your bottles and cans, you can help reduce the 4.5 pounds of trash per person per day that Americans produce.

Obama Will Urge Energy Efficiency

2008-12-09T14:59:00.002+07:00

President-Elect Obama has explained his plans to recover the economy and one of those plans is by increasing efficiency. This is what he said on his speech:

"We will launch a massive effort to make public buildings more energy efficient. Our government now pays the highest energy bills in the world. We need to change that. We need to upgrade our federal buildings by replacing old heating systems and installing efficient light bulbs."

This is an excellent approach as saving electricity is perhaps the most realistic way to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Surely renewable energies are great and interesting, but energy efficiency is the key thing that can be done quickly and ... cheaply.

The U.S. government has to set themselves as an example to the rest of the world. It is surprising to see that government buildings do not use an efficient option for lighting. This simple approach can save the government a considerable amount of money.

This news was taken from Ecogeek.org.

Visit This Site If You Want To "Green" Your Home

2008-11-26T09:10:00.003+07:00

Perhaps you have ever heard that the government will help you or give you some kind of incentives if you use or install environmentally friendly or sustainable or green products in your home. You plan to upgrade your house and make it "green". You don't know the benefits that you will get from government, thus you get confuse on what kind of green technology that you need to use.

Now you can get the information that you need. North Carolina State University has run an excellent website that gives you useful information on this issue. You can visit the website here: DSIRE: Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency. It offers a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Therefore, if you want to make your house "green" and at the same time make use these government incentives, don't forget to visit DSIRE website first.

A New Wind Turbine Invention

2008-11-07T16:37:00.003+07:00

Traditional wind farms require constant wind speed and direction. Moreover, they also tend to be big, rural, expensive and controversial.

The Chicago company, Aerotecture, has taken a different if not opposite approach. Their turbine is designed to not only work in swirling urban wind, but to be incorporated into building structures themselves. By using a helical blade, this system can capture variable wind directions and speed. The lightweight and versatile design allows for units to be used vertically or horizontally as well as daisy-chained together for more power. Aerotecture also claims they are quiet, safe (for birds) and inexpensive.

Aeroturbines are wind turbines designed for urban settings. Invented by University of Illinois industrial design professor, Bil Becker, Aeroturbines are a new development in wind turbine technology. Aeroturbines can be installed on existing rooftops or built into the architecture of new buildings to provide clean renewable electricity at its site of consumption. Aeroturbines are uniquely suited to urban environments because they are:

- Noise and vibration-free
- Safe for birds
- Able to utilize multi-directional and gusting winds
- Self-regulating (no overspeed protection required)
- Low maintenance
- Made from low-cost and readily available materials

Aerotecture Paradigm:

- where wind farms are big, we are small
- where wind farms are rural, we are urban
- where wind farms avoid buildings, we attach to them
- where wind farms seek single monster units, we deploy many units
- where wind farms are hundreds of miles from their 'users', we are right there

The structural features of the Aeroturbine allow for its easy integration into new or existing buildings: the modular/stackable cages are additive and can be mounted in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal orientation.

For more info about this invention, you can visit Aerotecture.

Rent Solar Panels for Your Home

2008-10-29T17:39:00.002+07:00

Even for the greenest of homeowners, powering their homes with solar energy has long been an idea more attractive in theory than in practice. The problem? The cost of buying and installing new solar panels runs $30,000 to $40,000 for a typical-size home. Even if solar panels reduce a homeowner's electric bills by $200 a month, it will still be 10 to 15 years before he or she sees any return - any economic return, that is - on the investment.

"The biggest barrier for solar is the upfront cost," said Lyndon Rive, CEO of Foster City, Calif.-based SolarCity.

Rive's company may have hit on a solution. Instead of selling solar panels to homeowners, SolarCity's main business is leasing the panels. The consumer pays SolarCity a monthly lease payment - about $75 for a 2.8 kilowatt system - which, when combined with his newly-lowered electric bill, typically adds up to a savings of 10% to 15%.

SolarCity does all the installation work, and there's little risk for the consumer since SolarCity guarantees a minimum level of power production. (Of course, the house needs to be well-suited for solar, preferably with a large south-facing roof that receives sunlight unblocked by trees or chimneys.)

For SolarCity, the leasing model works because of the various solar-power subsidies. Because it owns the solar panels it installs - SolarCity has a financing deal with Morgan Stanley that, so far, has withstood the current credit crisis - SolarCity pockets the federal solar-power tax credit, any state rebates or tax credits, as well as any "renewable energy credits" which can be resold to utilities.

And that federal tax credit just became much more valuable. Under the 2005 Energy Act, purchasers of solar panels received a tax credit equivalent to 30% of the panels' purchase price up to $2,000. The bank bailout bill just passed by Congress renews the credit while also removing the $2,000 cap. In other words, starting next year, SolarCity will get a $12,000 federal tax credit for every $40,000 solar system it installs.

The biggest residential solar company in California, SolarCity expects to install 2,000 systems this year, up from 1,000 last year. A two-year-old, venture capital-financed company - backers include Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla Motors and co-founder of PayPal - SolarCity now operates in California, Arizona and Oregon. However, Rive says he's scouting the East Coast for SolarCity's next market.

A good bet is New York State, which has particularly generous solar subsidies. New York offers a tax credit of 25% of the purchase and installation cost, up to a maximum credit of $5,000. On top of that, it also offers homeowners a rebate of $4 per watt on the installation of 5 kilowatt (or less) solar systems; on a 5 kilowatt solar system, that's a $20,000 rebate.

This is an innovative solution to the biggest problem that hinders the implementation of solar panels. This article was taken from Alternative and Saving Energy.

Five Everyday Items that Can't be Recycled

2008-10-26T18:01:00.003+07:00

Recycle is a good thing to do to conserve our environment. Some of us try to recycle, but what you do may do more harm than good because if you include items that are not recyclable, then it is likely that the entire batch will be sent to the landfill. Surprisingly, some of our everyday items cannot be recycled and these are the top 5:

Pizza boxes. The oil from pizza contaminates the cardboard and it is impossible to process these boxes into clean paper.
Napkin and paper towels. Most of the time they are used to wipe up food, cleaning products, and other hazardous waste.
Sticky notes. The size, color, and especially the adhesive strip make them more suitable for trash bin.
Plastic caps. Some recycle programs do not accept them.
Wet paper. Paper fibers that have been exposed to water are shorter, which make them less valuable to paper mills.

You may want to check with your local waste or sanitation department to find out more information about their recycling program. You also can http://www.earth911.org/ to find useful information on recycling.

This article was taken from Surprise! Five things you can’t recycle.

Should an Enviromentalist Vote?

2008-10-19T12:43:00.003+07:00

Since U.S. election is looming, I decide to post this interesting article. There is a person who takes environmental study major. He decides not to vote because he doesn't agree with the system. So now the question is: should an environmentalist vote? The answer is yes. Even if the system still has many flaws, ignoring the system completely is not the wise thing to do. As an adult, one of our responsibilities is to vote, whatever our career is. The article below was taken from Ask Umbra and I think it is a good argument for our reflection.

Day-to-day work in towns and counties is carried out by hired staffers, but the agenda for their work is heavily (and sometimes completely) influenced by elected officials and political appointees. You can see this dynamic at work on the federal level as well -- in the Environmental Protection Agency, for example. With President Clinton at the helm, the EPA had one agenda; with George W. in the White House it's had quite another. Imagine a vote for or against a candidate who supports unfettered land development, or one who believes industry should police itself!

In Seattle, for another example, we are often called upon to vote for or against major transportation projects. The last time this happened, many of us voted against a proposition that would have authorized a giant highway expansion and some (but not enough) mass transit. The measure failed, thus sending legislators a message that citizens placed a high value on mass transit options. The non-voters (like your friend) might have had a message too, but no one could possibly get it. What are non-voters saying? "Whatever," basically.

State-level voting also makes an impact. As I'm sure you've seen, candidates often have major differences on environmental issues related to agriculture, watersheds, energy, transportation, and business vs. the environment. A state government not only makes policy within its boundaries, but can also choose (or refuse) to join with other states in environmental actions. You've read in Grist about states adopting California's auto standards, or about multi-state carbon cap-and-trade projects, or about Midwestern governors signing a greenhouse-gas reduction accord. City leaders can join hands, too, as we're seeing with the U.S. Conference of Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement, signed by 884 mayors to date. This happens because environmentally conscious elected officials have the say-so. The local and state actions push the federal government to respond (no matter how much it wishes to ignore things). The trickle-up-and-push effect of our vote has been our main influence on national environmental policy for many years.

What Plastic Has Given to Us

2008-09-17T08:50:00.002+07:00

Recently, there are a lot of bad press about how plastic can damage our environment. It is true, but we should also see what plastic has given to us over the years. Nowadays, it has become a part of our lives and we even do not realize if we use it everywhere.

In the early 1950s when plastic has not been invented, we only had paper bags that are dissolved in the rain. Without the invention, we only will wear natural fabrics entirely. Natural fabrics are good, but are not suitable in all situations, for instance swimming suit.

Laminated plastic was popular among housewives in the 1940s and 1950s because it is easy to clean and colorful. The kitchen has become a light, attractive, and hygienic area. The Tupperware was invented shortly after as a reusable and resealable container. There were a lot of thermoplastic materials around this period including polythene, nylon, PVC, and polystyrene.

In the 1960s, plastic was used in design icons, such as Eero Saarinen's Tulip chair. There was an interesting comment from French designer Philippe Starck saying that "the more you use plastic in an intelligent and ethical way, the less often you kill animals to have the leather, the less often you kill trees to have wood".

Plastic is also important in medical applications. It replaced glass vessels used for blood transfusions. In addition, plastic also opened the possibility of mass production of cheap and attractive goods.

Nowadays plastic is not only used in cheap items as expensive gadgets like laptops, mobile phones, and iPods use plastic casings. Hi-tech plastic is developed continuously even today. Some plastics can alter in shape and used in shape-changing planes, while others can change color when the temperature is changing. A new invention uses plastic as protective clothing because it can change from liquid to solid on impact.

As you can see, plastic can be valuable in our lives. What we need to do right now is not shoving plastic away, but study how the concept of green design and green living can be applied to all plastic products. We should find a way to prevent plastic to fill our landfill and litter our landscape or seas.

This news was summarized from In defence of plastic.

A Low Impact Woodland Home

2008-09-02T09:32:00.003+07:00

This is such a great initiative from Simon who lives in Wales. The house was built by him, his father in law, and some friends. It required around 4 months, 1000-1500 man hours, and £3000 ($5700) to complete.

It was built with maximum regard for the environment and it gives the opportunity to live close to the nature. Simon says that it is fun to plan and create something that is yours. When you use natural materials, you can do away with producer profits and carcinogenic poisons that fill most modern buildings.

Some key points of the house are:

Dug into hillside for low visual impact and shelter
Stone and mud from diggings used for retaining walls, foundations etc.
Frame of oak thinnings (spare wood) from surrounding woodland
Reciprocal roof rafters are structurally and aesthaetically fantastic and very easy to do
Straw bales in floor, walls and roof for super-insulation and easy building
Plastic sheet and mud/turf roof for low impact and ease
Lime plaster on walls is breathable and low energy to manufacture (compared to cement)
Reclaimed (scrap) wood for floors and fittings
Anything you could possibly want is in a rubbish pile somewhere (windows, burner, plumbing, wiring...)
Woodburner for heating - renewable and locally plentiful
Flue goes through big stone/plaster lump to retain and slowly release heat
Fridge is cooled by air coming underground through foundations
Skylight in roof lets in natural feeling light
Solar panels for lighting, music and computing
Water by gravity from nearby spring
Compost toilet
Roof water collects in pond for garden etc.

An initiative like this is something that we need to support. Therefore, if you want to get more information on how and why he made this house or if you want to support him, you can visit his website at A Low Impact Woodland Home.

Architects Reject Sustainability Development Concept

2008-08-28T11:04:00.002+07:00

Sustainability and green technologies are the current trend nowadays. They are important to make sure that we reach our sustainability development target and thus ensuring our future generations to meet their needs.

Studies have revealed that buildings are number one emitter of greenhouse gases. Therefore, this is a priority area if we want to reduce our emissions. Surprisingly, some people think differently and in fact, they reject the implementation of sustainability concept. More surprisingly, these people are architects, experts that are in the front line of building creation.

If you don't believe what I say here, you can visit their site at http://www.mantownhuman.org/ and then go to "our position" and "the manifestor part". Let me quote some sentences from their website.

"We assert the right to experiment with new forms, processes and materials, regardless of their environmental provenance. We fundamentally oppose those tho downplay aesthetics in the service of the so-called natural world ... "

"Architects must become confident in architecture for architecture's sake, asserting their trained eye for design rather than falling back on cliched cod-scientific justifications."

"Only through architectural autonomy ... can there be created a freedom for designers to challenge the limitations of the current all-pervasive mantra of sustainable development."

This is a surprising reality. Basically these people only care about beautiful design without any consideration of other factors. As architects, current sustainability trend should become a challenge for their creativity to create aesthetically environmental friendly design. This is a shame statement indeed.

All New Cars Will Be Hybrids in 2020

2008-08-27T16:35:00.002+07:00

A study has interviewed 125 car industry executives from 15 countries. One of conclusions from the study is that by 2020, all new cars will be hybrids. The study indicates that auto industry is undergoing significant changes and hybrid is among those changes.

It may seem difficult to believe that we can achieve this thing in 12 years. However, if we see current trend, the growth of hybrid cars, and increasing awareness of climate change, this is not an impossible thing to achieve.

You can get the full report of the study from Automotive 2020: Clarity Beyond the Chaos.

The source of this news is New Report: All New Cars Will Be Hybrids By 2020.

Yao Ming Becomes an Environmental Champion

2008-08-11T08:55:00.002+07:00

Yao Ming, Houston Rockets NBA star from China, became the first Environment Champion for the UN Environment Program (UNEP) on last Saturday. His task is to raise awareness of climate change and energy efficiency.

Yao believes that sport has a major role to promote environmental issues and he wants to do his part to protect the world. He plans to work with young people and inspires them to plant trees, use energy efficient light bulbs, harvest rainwater, and become environmental champions in their communities.

Achim Steiner, UNEP executive director, states that Yao is the best choice for this role because of his immense popularity.

In my opinion, this is a good approach by UNEP. Currently China is the biggest greenhouse gas emissions in the world and a respected and beloved figure like Yao is good to encourage Chinese people to be more concern towards our world. I do hope that he can do his role successfully.

This news was taken from Yao becomes UN environment campaigner.

English Government Will Invest £2bn to Make Zero-Carbon Colleges

2008-08-05T10:10:00.000+07:00

The English government plans to invest more than £2 billion to create zero-carbon further education (FE) colleges. It was stated that 150 colleges will use the funding and it will be invested over the next three years. The target of the funding is to make sure that all new college facilities are zero-carbon by 2016, which is in line with the government target.

In the next six months, a group of experts will work with FE sector to develop practical schemes to achieve this target. FE minister, Bill Rammell, explained that the government has made huge progress. In 1997, there was no budget for the mainstream FE capital.

This is another excellent commitment toward sustainable development by the English government. A proactive approach like this is needed to ensure that we do not cross the threshold where we cannot reverse the effects of global warming.

This story was taken from Channel 4.

Benefits of Bicycles

2008-07-31T10:53:00.002+07:00

Many people consider shifting to bicycling to address skyrocketing oil price and environmental friendly trend. Recently I found this interesting article from Eco Worldly about 17 reasons why you should use bicycle wherever you live.

1. The first and most obvious reason is the increase of oil price. In early June 2008, a gallon of regular costs around $4.50 in US. On the other hand, the cost of riding bicycle is zero.

2. It’s healthy (and hotter). You can burn 400-500 calories per hour by cycling at 10-12 miles per hour.

3. Old bicycles can be modified into a generating human-powered home electricity tool, for instance to pumping water.

4. It builds social groups and better community development. For example, students can learn about bicycle knowledge, traffic safety, and sustainable development. It is also possible to organize cycling trips.

5. It may encourage the breakdown of economic divides. Developing countries tend to see bicycling as an indicator of low economic status. On the contrary, bicycling is adopted by all classes of society in developed countries. Therefore, it may create paradigm shifts.

6. Bicycle has different usages depending on the locations. For example, in Africa, it can act as a farm truck or an ambulance to save lives deep in the jungle.

7. It contributes in reducing air pollution.

8. It has a potential to save you money in health costs. A study indicated that bicycling saves Australia almost a quarter billion dollars annually.

9. Cars are big, bicycles are small. Bicycles need much lesser space.

10. It can become your business. In developing countries, some people sell stuffs that they bring with their bicycles.

11. Bicycles are efficient vehicles.

12. It can save $250,000 for an average American during his driving lifetime.

13. Automotive accidents bring 42,000 deaths annually in the United States. A bicycle accident, on the other hand, is not likely to kill you.

14. Bicyclists can breathe cleaner air if you shift to bicycle as well.

15. It’s a zero-emission vehicle! No greenhouse gases and thus reduce global warming and all those negative effects of air pollution.

16. Cycling can develop a social network. When you drive a car, usually you feel irritated by other car drivers. On the contrary, bicyclists are a supportive community.

17. It does not need oil, so it prevents oil wars. Many countries need oil to produce energy, which can create violent conflicts.

I agree with the reasons, but we need to address several issues that bicyclists often face, especially in developing countries. The air pollution is bad in some locations and it can damage bicyclist health. Bicycle lanes are still minimum and thus cycling can be quite dangerous. The government should be more proactive to address the issues. For us, I guess we need to start one bicyclist at a time. We need to set ourselves as an example as well.

I recommend you to visit 17 Reasons Why Bicycles Are the Most Popular Vehicle in the World Today so you can get more information on this topic.

Lilypad, A Floating Ecopolis For Climate Refugees

2008-07-25T14:04:00.004+07:00

As global warming strikes, the ocean level increases. It happens because the ice caps of Antarctic and Greenland as well as the continental glaciers are melting down. In addition, the water dilation due to warmer temperature makes the situation even worse.

GIEC (Intergovernmental group on the evolution of the climate) forecasted that the ocean level should rise between 20 and 90 cm in the 21st century. It was stated that a temperature elevation of 1 degree Celsius will lead to a water-rising of 1 meter and 50 million people will be affected. As the ocean level increases by 2 meter, 250 million people will be affected if unnecessary protections are not constructed.

Vincent Callebaut, a Belgian architect came out with a great concept called the project Lilypad. This floating ecopolis travels on the water line of the oceans, from the equator to the poles following the ocean streams. It can accommodate 50,000 inhabitants and allows the biodiversity to develop its fauna and flora around a central lagoon where rainwater is collected and purified. The goal is to create a harmonious coexistence between human and nature.

Lilypad has zero carbon emission as it uses only renewable energies, like solar, wind, hydraulic, tidal, and biomass, to produce power. Wastes and CO2 are recycled while aquaculture fields and biotic corridors on and under the main body produce the food needed by the population. This floating structure was inspired by the highly ribbed leave of the great lilypad of Amazonia Victoria Regia, although it is 250 times bigger. It is hopeful that the project can become a reality in the next century.

Further details and pictures related with this project is available in Vincent Callebaut website at Lilypad, A Floating Ecopolis For Climate Refugees.

Global Health and Safety Initiative

2008-07-25T10:36:00.002+07:00

Global Health and Safety Initiative (GHSI) was launched in October 2007 and it just released a good website so readers can understand the vision of this organization and get update of what is going on there. The website states that "GHSI is working to build a movement in healthcare which marries safety and sustainability and puts healthcare leaders at the center of a global awareness to support healthy people in healthy communities on a healthy planet". You can get more information on GHSI at http://www.globalhealthsafety.org/.

Recently, Health Building Network has interviewed Bob Eisenman, PhD, the Executive Director of GHSI where the transcript can be found at Health Building Network. When asked about the relevance of the GHSI to the growing green building movement, Eisenman said the following statement.

"Health care facilities and operations have a large ecological footprint that we are only beginning to understand and quantify. Presently health care is in the midst of a building explosion. Obviously the choices we make in the design and construction of new facilities will influence the impact that those buildings have on both the local and global environment. As health care institutions, we believe we can play an especially positive role with regard to establishing examples of how our choices can have long-term positive impacts on human health. Even existing facilities can play an important role in establishing positive examples in terms of energy use, operations and purchasing decision-making, and the health impacts of the materials we select for building, renovation and routine maintenance. What we are doing with the GHSI is creating a sector-wide partnership among some of the largest and most influential health care institutions in order to build a learning community and leverage the expertise and power of GHSI partners to accelerate the pace of the transformation we believe we can lead. I think this impact will be felt in the green building movement."

This is a good statement because in my opinion health and safety is actually part of sustainability, particularly social sustainability.

Rumor Debunked: Global Warming is True

2008-07-19T19:58:00.002+07:00

There are claims saying that American Physical Society, the leading professional organization for physicists, has reversed its position on global warming. The society stated in November 2007 that greenhouse gases from human activities affect the Earth's climate.

Recently, an article was submitted to an online newslatter of the APS forum on Physics and Society. It claimed that Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) overestimated the Earth's climate sensitivity to carbon dioxide. The article also claimed that changes in solar activity are the reason behind the warming trend.

A note in red lettering above the article states and it has not been peer-reviewed. The Council of the American Physical Society disagrees with the conclusion of the article. In fact, APS reaffirms its previous statement by saying that, "The evidence is incontrovertible: Global warming is occurring."

This news was summarized from Rumor Debunked: No Flip-Flop on Global Warming.

A U.S. Town Use Wind to Power All Its Electricity Demand

2008-07-16T16:37:00.002+07:00

Rock Port, Mo., has four wind turbines to supply electricity to its 1300 residents. This is the first community in the United States that operates completely on wind power. Northwest Missouri has the state's highest concentration of wind resources and there are some locations that are really suitable for utility-scale wind development.

The four turbines actually are part of 75 turbines located in three counties used to harvest the power of the wind. The turbines also offer another benefit as they bring more than $1.1 million every year in the form of real estate taxes, paid by Wind Capital Group, a wind energy developer based in St. Louis. Landowners also get benefit from leasing part of their property for the turbines.

The turbines can provide service for at least 20 years so it can be expected that there will be no increase in rates for the next 15 to 20 years. The turbines also could attract tourists to the area.

This is definitely good news and it is great to see that people have an initiative to harvest this renewable power. The source of the news is First U.S. Town Powered Completely By Wind.

Fighting Vampire Power

2008-07-15T15:48:00.002+07:00

We are talking about electronic devices that have two pointy teeth, which latch into your wall sockets and drain electricity all day all night. These devices are lurking everywhere. Your TV, VCR, players, answering machine, cell phones, computers, and anything with small green or red lights or display are included.

There are ten ways to fight these vampires.

Unplug them, it is that simple. If there are not in use, pull the power cords out of the outlet.
Reduce them. They are fun, but you can remove unnecessary devices. At least consider advice number 6 below.
Use the off switch. Many devices have an off switch somewhere, so use it.
Plug your devices and chargers into a power strip. Turn off the power strip if you do not use it.
Remove chargers from the sockets when not in use. They draw electricity even when they are not charging.
Buy Energy Star qualified electronics. They use less electricity, even off mode.
Get a phone that tells you to unplug. Nokia plans to introduce new phones that say, "battery is full, please unplug the charger".
Try a smart strip for various computer accessories. This is convenient when it is not feasible to keep unplugging the devices.
Try to check Kill-A-Watt to find out about power consumption of your electronics. It will be a kind of fun to run around your house and find out how much electricity each device takes.
For a whole house project, try GreenSwitch, a wireless home energy control system. You can cut off power to varios electronics quite easily.

You will surprise on how much this vampire power draws your money. A study indicated that 40% of microwave ovens used more electricity to power the clock and the keypad in one year than actually heating food. Big screen TV's can draw up to 30 watts even when they are off. All of your devices can add as much as 10% to your energy bill. This is bad for the environment and your wallet.

This excellent article was summarized from How To Reduce Vampire Power.

Toyota Will Add Solar Panels on Some of Its Prius

2008-07-07T16:23:00.001+07:00

Toyota plans another breakthrough by installing solar panels on its Prius hybrids. The panels will be use to power the air-conditioning on the high-end versions of the gasoline-electric Prius.

Big automakers are competing to come up with alternative solutions to using fossil fuels to appear ecologically conscious and to lure consumers to reduce expense due to the skyrocketing oil price. However, solar power is not considered as a feasible solution to power cars because the panels are very expensive. It is still unknown how much the new Prius with solar panels will cost.

The demand for Prius is very high right now and Toyota has struggled to keep up with it. The Prius is actually the first mass-produced gasoline-electric hybrid car. It was on sale in Japan in late 1997 and entered other markets in 2000. The company has sold more than 1 million units worldwide and it targets to sell 1 million hybrid cars every year in the early part of the next decade.

This story was taken from Toyota to add solar panels to some Prius hybrids.

Mercedes Will Not Use Petroleum By 2015

2008-07-05T18:38:00.002+07:00

This is a brave commitment announced by Mercedes-Benz. In less than 7 years, the company plans to ditch petroleum-powered vehicles from its lineup. Instead, they will focus on electric, fuel cell, and biofuels.

One of the latest inventions is the F700, which is powered by DiesOtto engine that combines Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) and spark ignition to get nearly the same efficiency as diesel without the expensive after-treatment systems. The engine can use biofuels as well and might be purchasable by 2010.

Mercedes is also paying attention to electric vehicles, both battery powered and fuel cell powered. The company has made considerable steps to reach their zero petroleum goal. They have invested $4 million into their long-term Sustainability Mobility plan and over $14 billion will follow before 2014.

This story was taken from Mercedes to Cut Petroleum Out of Lineup by 2015.

A Giant Solar Tower for the Future

2008-07-03T13:13:00.002+07:00

There is a new energy concept called a solar tower that can generate electricity for 200,000 homes. It does not release noxious fumes, only sun-heated air. The concept has started 20 years ago and basically it involves solar collectors to warn that air near earth’s surface and then channel it up the tall central tower. Turbines are placed at the bottom to make electricity from the updraft. EnviroMission has designed 0.62 miles-high solar tower (1 kilometer) and is looking for suitable sites in the southwestern United States.

This solar tower follows the concept of a solar chimney, a technique to provide ventilation to a home by creating a natural updraft from sun-heated air. The physics is similar to the atmospheric vortex engine, where a man-made tornado funnels warm air up into the sky.

The optimum configuration is around 800 to 1000 meter tower surrounded by 2.5 kilometers radius greenhouse canopy on the ground. It needs to be tall so it has great temperature difference between the ground and the top of the tower, which will make more powerful suction up the structure.

The solar tower is less than one tenth as efficient as solar cells in converting the sun’s energy into electricity, but its materials are much cheaper. A report showed that 200-megawatt solar tower only costs 10 cents per kilowatt-hour or approximately a third of the electricity cost from solar cells.

This news was taken from How a Giant Solar Tower Could Power the Future.

100 Thing Challenge

2008-07-02T10:29:00.003+07:00

I recently found this interesting blog post called 100 Thing Challenge. This is a personalized effort by David Bruno to fight consumerism. Basically he will live with only 100 personal things from November 12, 2008 to November 12, 2009.

He defines personal things as things that are his and not used by others in the household. Items like dining table, bed, and piano are not considered as personal things. He also considers some items as one group, such as working tools, underwear, socks, and books (the last one seems a bit cheating, but anyway).

I recommend you to visit his blog at 100 Thing Challenge to see his current list of things that he has right now. He is updating the list periodically.

For me personally, I congratulate him for his effort. This is indeed something new and creative. The effort is also good for our environment as less personal things mean less waste and less production that contributes to global warming.

It may also become a dilemma because if everyone does the same, the economic will be affected as no one is shopping. However, I feel that everything will balance itself. There will be a point where our economy, our needs, and our environment is at balance and thus every aspect will get benefits. It is interesting to follow this effort further.

Fighting Global Warming Now

2008-06-27T21:33:00.003+07:00

Twenty years ago, a scientist has warned America about the danger of global warming. Today, the greenhouse gas concentration has passed the dangerous level and it is important for us to do drastic actions to get back to 1988 levels.

Director of the Goddard Institute of Space Sciences, Jim Hansen, said that "we're toast" if we do not change. He said that coal-fired power plants that do not capture carbon dioxide emissions should not be used in the US after 2025 and be eliminated from the world by 2030 to cut emissions.

He stated that the Arctic is the first sign of global warming and it happens as what has been predicted. It is said that within 5 or 10 years, the Arctic will be free of ice in the summer.

This news was taken from NASA warming scientist: 'This is the last chance'.

Zero-emission Car by Honda

2008-06-21T08:21:00.002+07:00

Honda FCX Clarity runs on hydrogen and electricity. It only emits water and none of the fumes that are considered to cause global warming. Honda says that it is two times more energy efficient than a gas-electric hybrid and three times that of a typical gasoline car.

This new FCX Clarity is a new improvement from the previous edition introduced in 2005. With a new design of the fuel cell stack, which is the source of power in the car, engineers have managed to lighten the body, expand the interior, and improve efficiency.

The fuel cell draws energy that is synthesized through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in the air. In addition, a lithium-ion battery pack provides supplemental power. The vehicle can run up to 100 miles per hour. The biggest problems to adopt fuel cell vehicles are cost and the minimum numbers of hydrogen fuel stations.

Recently, major automakers have made heavy investments in fuel cells and other alternative energy vehicles due to skyrocketing oil prices and concerns on climate change.

Currently a few dozen of this car are available for leasing. In California, a three-year lease costs $600 a month including maintenance and collision coverage. Honda has not revealed the cost to make each car and it is still unclear when it will be available for public.

Complete coverage is available from Honda Rolls Out New Zero-emission Car.

Australia and Indonesia Cooperate to Tackle Climate Change

2008-06-14T19:58:00.002+07:00

Australian Prime Minister and Indonesian President have signed Australian Indonesian Carbon Forest Partnership at Jakarta's State Palace after their first bilateral meeting. The partnership would help to curb CO2 emission in Indonesia, the world's third largest emitter, by fighting deforestation and promoting carbon market.

Australia has pledged 30 million Australian dollars to plant 100 million trees in Kalimantan, the biggest island in Indonesia. The fund would be used to restore 270,000 hectares of peatland, a key store of carbon.

Rapid deforestation by legal and illegal logging has made Indonesia one of the highest emitters of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. Indonesian government has tried to boost its green credentials, for example by hosting the United Nations Climate Conference in December 2007, but corruption and poor law enforcement have hindered the progress.

For complete news, you can visit Australia, Indonesia pledge climate cooperation.

Are Hybrid Cars More Economical?

2008-06-04T22:27:00.002+07:00

Many people are surprised to learn the price of a new hybrid car. They do not believe that the added cost will pay back quickly on fuel savings. Actually they are right because even with $4 gas, a person who drives 15,000 miles annually may not recoup the added cost in the first year of ownership. It may take two or more years before gas savings equal the premium for hybrid.

However, this quick analysis misses other economic benefits of hybrid cars. First, hybrids hold their value better than non-hybrids. It is very likely that you will get more money from your hybrid if you decide to sell it. In addition, some lenders provide discounted loan rates for hybrids and some insurance companies offer discounted premiums. Even some employers offer incentives for hybrid vehicles.

I really recommend you to visit this blog post called Rethinking the cost of hybrid cars. The post gives an interesting calculation showing that hybrid cars are indeed more economical than non-hybrid cars.

How to Make a Green Wedding

2008-05-27T08:42:00.002+07:00

Getting married talks about commitment, so why don't we honor the environment as well and inspire the guests along the way? Here are things that you can do to make a sustainable wedding celebration.

Rings

Use family rings rather than buying new ones. A jeweler can melt down old rings or jewels to make new ones in whatever styles.
Try a new ring made from recycled materials. You can try to visit http://greencarat.com/.

Location

Choose a location close to home so you and guests do not need to spend a lot of energy getting to the wedding.
Consider an outdoor location run by a nonprofit that can gain benefit from the cost of the wedding.

Invitations

How about electronic invitations?
If you want to use the traditional mailed invite, choose recycled paper.

Clothes

Get a vintage one rather than buying a new gown that you will wear only once.
For the groom, why don't you search a suit from your closet?

Food and drink

Choose a caterer who cooks with organic and locally raised food.
Choose organic wines.
No plastic or disposable cutlery.

Flowers

Choose ecologically grown flowers.
After the wedding, donate the flowers for charity or a local nursing home.

Gifts and favors

Consider flower seeds and tree seeds as favors.

Transportation

Try a horse and carriage or a hybrid rather than a limo.
Provide guests with information about public transports and encourage them to carpool.

Honeymoon

Consider to travel by train rather than flying.

This interesing guide was extracted from Green wedding guide.

Cut Emissions when Traveling by Air

2008-05-24T11:53:00.003+07:00

When you decide to travel by air, you will produce emissions. Roughly ninety percent of emissions are generated by the planes, two percent comes from the airport, and eight percent from getting to and from the airport.

Obviously, it is almost impossible for us to reduce emissions from the plane or at the airport. However, the remaining eight percent, get to and from the airport, is up to your decision. This is the best means of transportation that you should consider arranged from best to worst.

Public transit

Definitely the best option because you are sharing the ride with dozens of others. In addition, public transit system normally uses cleaner fuel such as compressed natural gas and low-sulfur diesel. Public transit may take a little longer, but it will cost less that other options.

Use a shared-ride van

Many airports are served by shared-ride vans and usually they are more environmentally friendly than driving yourself because they carry more people per gallon of gas burned.

Drive yourself

It seems counter-intuitive, but this is a better option than having someone else drive you. This is because you are eliminating at least two unnecessary trips. If someone takes you to the airport, s/he needs to drive back afterwards. Then if someone picks you up when you get back, the person has to make a trip to the airport.

Hail a cab

This has similar emissions as drive yourself option because taxis normally pick people up for both legs of an airport run. But if you are not stay in a big city, the taxi driver may need to drive extra miles after drop you off at your home before finding another passanger.

Ask someone to drive you

This is the worst option because of the two unnecessary trips explained above.

The complete transcript of this strategy is available in How to cut your emissions when traveling by air.

Stop Sending Letters, Please

2008-05-14T15:53:00.003+07:00

The stamps are getting more expensive, so how if there is a way not to use them as shown in this guide.

Scanning is easy

Many people required a stamp to send an official document, although the truth can be different. Ask your boss whether it is ok to scan and email it. The answer is yes ninety percent of the time. Scanners are relatively cheap and after you understand the procedure, you will save yourself time, money, and paper.

Pay online

This is a common thing nowadays, but perhaps you haven't fully switched over yet. A few of your bills still get paid with a check in the mail. Schedule monthly transfer with your bank to go completely treeless. You may want to consider using PayPal for companies or individuals with no billing system.

E-card

Perhaps it is too impersonal to use email for a Mother's Day card, but most greeting cards can be done online. Use a graphic program to edit a photopraph and add your personal inside joke. You can make it personal, paperless, 100% free for delivery, and still get appreciation from the receiver.

Use postcards instead

When there is no choice, use postcards. They take less energy to create and send because they are only single sheet. They are easily sorted and light enough in terms of shipping emissions. Therefore, they are also cheaper than letters.

Avoid airmail

Airmail is far more carbon intensive and thus if you minimize airmail, you will have a bigger environmental impact rather than minimizing ground mail.

This is another step that can stop our reliance on physical objects and transportation. This interesting guide can be found in It's time to stop sending letters.

What are the Advantages of a Hybrid Car?

2008-05-10T18:08:00.000+07:00

The cost of fuel has increased rapidly and the pollution from fuel combustion has damaged the environment. Due to this condition, hybrid cars are considered as a beneficial solution to preserve the environment. This is because hybrid cars do not depend only on fuel for its power, but they also use electricity. Therefore, hybrid cars consume less fuel and thus emit less air pollution.

It is unnecessary to plug hybrid cars into an electric outlet to recharge the battery. Hybrid cars can recharge themselves by using power lost during coasting and braking. In addition, they also can recharge by the gasoline engine. The good thing about hybrid cars compare to regular gasoline engine cars are explained below.

1. Less pollution

The concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has increased recently and this condition contributes to global warming, the increased of the earth’s temperature. One of main contributors of greenhouse gases is air pollution, such as carbon dioxide emitted by vehicles. By using hybrid cars, less fuel is consumed because they also make use electricity as another source of power. This translates into less pollution emitted to the environment and thus reduces the effects of global warming.

2. Save money

It is obvious that hybrid cars consume less fuel and hence you can save money because you reduce your visit to the gas station.

3. Lower your taxes

Sometimes, tax rebates are given to buyers of hybrid cars. In this case, if you buy a hybrid car, you can get tax refunds, which will provide you with additional savings.

In spite of its advantages, there is one major thing that should be considered before you buy a hybrid car and that is the price. Its market price is still relatively high and most people still cannot afford to buy. If you are thinking to buy a hybrid car, you should think about the saving that you can get. This is a wise investment that can bring benefits to you and the environment.

Slower Planes Will Save Fuel

2008-05-04T18:01:00.003+07:00

This is an interesting fact and Southwest Airlines has started flying slower since about two months ago. Surprisingly, it is projected that the airlines will save around $42 million in fuel this year by extending each flight by only one to three minutes.

A Northwest Airlines flight from Paris to Minneapolis has saved 162 gallons of fuel or $535 in one week by adding eight minutes to the flight, extending the flight to eight hours and fifty-eight minutes. They have reduced the average speed from 542 mph to 532 mph to achieve the merit.

Another example is JetBlue that has added an average of just under two minutes to each flight and saves around $13.6 million a year in jet fuel while Northwest Airlines that adds four minutes to its flight to and from Hawaii has saved $600,000 a year.

Fliers that need to pay higher fares recently with typical delays and long security lines may not notice these extra minutes. Usually the extra flight time is added to published flight schedule or absorbed into the contingency time built in the original schedule for taxiing and traffic delays.

It should also be understood that slowing flights down needs a balance and careful consideration. It can conserve fuel, but it may increase labor and maintenance costs if airline employees should work longer and planes spend more time in the service. Every plan is also different and if it flies below certain speed, a fuel usage can in fact rise. Therefore, airlines must find the balance on fuel use without slowing down too much that will increase other costs.

This is an interesting concept, which may need to be considered by airlines especially with current skyrocketing fuel price. Complete news is available in Airlines slow down flights to save on fuel.

The Vanishing of Asia's Rainforest

2008-04-28T10:54:00.003+07:00

A surging timber demand has made the Asia's rainforests are being rapidly destroyed. Illegal timber, oil palm plantation, biofuel, and rubber plantation worsen the condition and they contribute to global warming, species loss, and poverty.

It is estimated that over-logging in South East Asia caused nineteen percent of global rainforest loss in 2005. The rapid growth of palm oil and other plantations were responsible for twenty-two percent, while slash and burn farming and forest exploitation by poor people caused fifty-four percent of rainforest destruction.

The illegal timber trade, pushed by poverty and corruption, is plenty in Asia, where seventy-eight percent of forests are state-owned and normally managed by the armed forces, not people who live nearby.

Tropical timber is relatively cheap because we do not factor key functions of the forest, such as clean air, clean water, and biodiversity, in the market price. Solutions are under discussion which include timber certification system to stop illegal trade and carbon credit schemes to reward countries for preserving the forests and offsetting pollution somewhere else.

Complete news is available in Asia's rainforests vanishing as timber, food demand surge: experts and I really urge you to read this.

The Evolution of the Hybrid Car

2008-04-17T13:13:00.000+07:00

Recently, the demand of a car which consumes less fuel and do not contribute to the air pollution has increased significantly and thus hybrid car was created to meet this demand. The gasoline price has skyrocketed and it makes the hybrid car even more popular. Basically, a hybrid car is a car that uses two power sources. First, it uses a rechargeable energy storage system and second, it also uses a typical fuelled power source. Due to these two sources of power, a hybrid car pollutes less and also consumes less fuel.

In 1899, Ferdinand Porsche has started the creating of the first hybrid electric vehicle. Then many people followed his invention and continue making these hybrid cars. Unfortunately, there was no major manufacturer that invested in this hybrid concept and did mass production until the late twentieth century. During this period, hybrid technology was commonly used to develop diesel electric submarines.

These diesel electric submarines operate very much the same as a typical hybrid car. The difference is the goal of these submarines was to conserve oxygen rather than consume less fuel. Following the latest invention, submarines have evolved and begun to use the nuclear power instead of diesel engine.

Recent hybrid car invention is believed to be started by an idealistic inventor called Victor Wouk. In the 1962, he was approach by Russell Feldman, one of the founders of Motorola, who recognized that car pollution is the greatest environmental problem and wanted to discover a solution for this condition. Wouk at last reached a clever solution by combining low emission benefit of an electric car with the power of gasoline engine to create a hybrid car.

Now, the invention of Wouk is used to help reduce fuel consumption as well as reduce air pollution. In the 1990s, Toyota Prius and Honda Insight were the most successful hybrid cars in the market. These two were considered as pioneers in the hybrid car concept which generally changed the way people think about cars.

Toyota Prius has been able to keep becoming the premier choice of hybrid car nowadays. At the first time, hybrid cars looks like an alien car and their cost is also very expensive. However, recent technology has made them looks more like conventional cars and much cheaper than its predecessors while saving fuel consumption in half.

In 2004, Ford has introduced the first hybrid SUV called Ford Escape Hybrid and a year later, Toyota also introduced a hybrid SUV called Highlander Hybrid. Because of the growing demand, other manufacturers also started releasing their version of the hybrid car in the market. Nowadays, there are over than 300,000 hybrid cars on the American roads and 95% of those are produced by Japanese. This is indeed a technology that is both environmental friendly and economical.

Forest Destruction in Indonesia

2008-04-08T10:08:00.002+07:00

Indonesia is failing to stop the destruction of its peatland forests although the country has promised to do so during the climate change conference last year held in Bali, Indonesia. Greenpeace has witnessed two palm oil companies ilegally clearing government-owned land on Sumatra island last month.

Indonesia has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world, which is driven by high demand for commodities and weak law enforcement. Recently, large swathes of peatland forest has been cleared out to make way for the booming in palm oil industry. In fact, emissions from deforestation, especially peatland, have made Indonesia as the third-largest carbon emitter in the world, behind the US and China.

It is very important for the government of Indonesia to show its commitment on this matter especially after becoming the host in the last year climate change conference. The government should also reconsider their palm oil plantation regulation because it is indicated that the plantation has caused higher cooking oil price in the country.

This news was extracted from Indonesia failing to stop forest destruction: Greenpeace.

The Hype Surrounding Hybrid Cars

2008-04-03T14:54:00.000+07:00

Nowadays, hybrid cars have started becoming popular. Many people love hybrid cars because of the benefits that they can get as well as benefits to other people and the environment.

If you have a hybrid car, potentially you can cut your fuel consumption in half. If you go to a pumping station recently, you will notice that the price of gasoline is on a constant rise. With a hybrid car, you will have fewer trips to this expensive gasoline station. How would you like a car that travels sixty miles per gallon? It sounds good, doesn’t it? But there are more benefits that you can reap.

In 2005, President George W. Bush has signed an agreement that gives buyers of hybrid car huge tax breaks and thus you can save money on your taxes. Another benefit of a hybrid car is free parking and some states have made a law that hybrid cars will get discount on toll gates. Hybrid cars also emit lower level of pollutants into the air and this means less air pollution. It will enable use and others to breathe cleaner air and in the big picture, it will reduce the effects of global warming.

The technology

Hybrid technology has existed for a considerable period of time. Locomotives, submarines, and even some buses have used the technology. Hybrid technology is in fact a combination between electricity and standard technology. In locomotives, it combines diesel engine with electric engine while in submarines, it combines nuclear engine with electric engine. This is more efficient than allowing the standard engine to run alone.

Hybrid cars combine a gasoline engine and an electric motor to power the car. Therefore, when both engines are running, the load on the internal combustion engine will be lower because the electric motor will share the work. This technology will allow you to save expensive fuel and reduce the volume of toxic fumes in the air. For instance, if the hybrid car is running idle, it will switch off the gasoline engine and run on pure electricity power. This will save you plenty of fuel if you are stuck in a traffic jam.

Some hybrid cars are designed to run even when the gasoline engine is switched off. This type of hybrid car will eliminate gasoline station trips and allow you to travel without emitting toxic fumes. The braking process will be used to recharge the battery pack so it can continue its purely electric run and reduce the recharging process to your electrical outlet. Use will use the gasoline engine as a backup when the battery pack completely runs out power.
Therefore, if you want a car that is clean, quiet, and fuel efficient, then you should definitely consider a hybrid car.

Millions Switched Off for Earth Hour

2008-04-01T10:00:00.003+07:00

Tens of millions of people switched off lightbulbs last weekend to show their support to the global campaign on climate change. People from Australia, Asia, Europe, Canada, and the US have participated in the Earth Hour effort.

Earth Hour organizers asked governments, businesses, and individuals to turn off the power for only one hour last Saturday started at 8.00 PM local time. In Sydney, Sydney Harbor Bridge and Opera House faded into darkness. The supplier of Sydney's electricity informed that a drop of 8.4 percent in energy usage had been recorded, which was equivalent to 1.6 million light bulbs being switched off.

Power consumption in Christchurch, New Zealand, dropped nearly 13 percent during the switch-off. In Chicago, lights on more than 200 downtown buildings were dimmed. Wat Arun temple in Bangkok, shopping centers in Manila, castles in Sweden and Denmark, parliament building in Hungary, London City Hall and Canterbury in England, and numerous other places have shown commitment.

Complete coverage is available in Tens of millions switch off worldwide for 'Earth Hour': organisers and Cities switch off lights for Earth Hour.

Reminder: Earth Hour 2008

2008-03-28T09:55:00.002+07:00

At 8:00pm on March 29, cities around the world will turn off their lights for one hour to raise awareness for the need to take action on global warming. Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming.

Earth Hour is not just about turning off building lights. It’s about a long-term commitment to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. Join the growing list of participants and sign up to participate in Earth Hour 08. Earth Hour is an initiative of the 'World Wide Fund for Nature’ (WWF). For more information please go to the Earth Hour website: http://www.earthhour.org.

Latest Antarctic Ice Shelf Disintegration

2008-03-26T12:53:00.003+07:00

Satellite imagery reveals that a 13,680 square kilometer of Wilkins Ice Shelf has begun to collapse in the western Antarctic Peninsula since February 28. In the past 50 years, the area has experienced the biggest temperature increase on the earth, around 0.5 degree Celcius per decade. This ice shelf has been in place for a few hundred years, but the temperature increase has caused a break-up.

Scientists track ice shelves collapses because some of them hold back glaciers, which if unleashed, will raise the sea level. Fortunately Wilkins disintegration will not raise the sea level because it already floats in the ocean. However, this collapse shows that the region has experienced an intense melting season.

Pictures and complete coverage is available in Antarctic Ice Shelf Disintegration Underscores a Warming World.

Climate Change Affects Wine Industry in Australia

2008-03-25T11:40:00.002+07:00

Three largest grape-growing regions in Australia depend on irrigation to survive and the high cost of water has created a big problem. Some say that they may not be able to survive this year's harvest because water prices have increase more that three times from last year. In fact, the industry estimates that up to 1,000 winegrowers out of 7,000 may be forced to leave the industry this year because of financial problem of the vineyards.

Warmer temperature may reduce the grape quality and it is estimated that by 2030, the quality could fall by 23 percent. Last year was one of the warmest temperature around the grape-growing regions in Australia and in addition, it was also one of the driest years.

Australia is the number supplier of imported wine in the UK and second in the US. The wine exports have a total value around A$3 billion.

Complete news is available in Australian wine industry feels heat from climate change.

Green Buildings Could Reduce CO2 Emissions

2008-03-15T09:42:00.002+07:00

A joint report by Cadana-US-Mexico called "Green Building in North America: Opportunities and Challenges" stated that basic changes in building design and construction can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35%.

Many parties have focused on transportation, oil, and gas in relation with climate change. In fact, buildings have much greater potential to address this issue. Currently the industry has a long way to go. North American only has less than four percent of new buildings that meet the environmental goals under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard.

The most common barrier in sustainable building is the way its financed. Environmental friendly buildings are not more costly in the long run because they save money on energy and maintenance. Unfortunately, loans for construction are based on short term cost for developers, rather than long term savings for buyers.

For complete news, please visit 'Green' buildings could slash CO2 emissions: report.

Queen Elizabeth II Calling for Action to Tackle Climate Change

2008-03-11T12:13:00.002+07:00

Yesterday, Queen Elizabeth II made rare comments concerning the environment during her Commowealth Day message. She called for more actions to meet rethoric on tackling climate change. The 81-year-old monarch said countries that pollute the least normally are the worst affected by climate change.

The Commonwealth represents around two billion people and it has made 2008 as a year to highlight environmental problems and the necessity to tackle them. The queen said that the Commonwealth should support initiatives to improve air quality, fresh water provision, and sustainable energy and most importantly match words and good intentions with deeds.

This is a good message from the queen and as the leader of large population, she can encourage many people to do concrete actions to tackle climate change. Complete coverage is available in Queen urges action, not talk, to tackle climate change.

Earth Hour 2008

2008-03-08T09:54:00.003+07:00

Following my previous post about the same topic. I would like to encourage everyone to participate in this event. 29th of March 2008 is Earth Hour 2008 and people around the world will participate by turning off power for one hour starts at 8 PM. It is an excellence initiative to fight global warming and it shows that we can achieve great thing when we do it together.

Visit Earth Hour 2008 for more information. Sign up your name and spread the message. Thanks.

Go Beyond Fluorescent Light with LED Light

2008-03-04T11:44:00.003+07:00

Many people have left incandescent light and use compact fluorescent light (CFL) instead. However, in the next 10 years or so, light emitting diode (LED) seems to be the way of the future. LED was introduced in 1960s as an indicative light and has developed dramatically into an excellent source of general light recently.

LED is different with our typical light bulbs because it uses no glass bulb or filament that can break and no electrodes that can decay. LED is a solid light surce, where a chemical chip is embedded in a plastic capsule. This chip is energized by applying a voltage to emit light, which can be focused, routed, and scattered.

LED efficiency surpasses all traditional lights, including CFL. Currently LED is producing more than 20 lumens per watt, while incandescent is only 8 - 15 lumens per watt. Another benefit of LED is its flexibility. It can highlight a fraction of a space, such as architectural features and foot steps.

With current green technology development, LED will become a trend of the future. This article is extracted from The Daily Green.

Climate Change in Middle East

2008-03-04T11:24:00.003+07:00

United Nations warned that climate change will reduce the agriculture production and create severe water shortage in the Middle East. Right now, many countries in the area have suffered from a shortage of arable land and limited access of irrigation water. Climate change could worsen the situation with higher temperature, droughts, floods, and soil degradation.

Hunger and malnutrition will greatly affect poor people who depend on local food production. 155 to 600 million people may experience water shortage due to a few degrees rise in temperature. Many countries in the Middle East are wheat and rice importers and climate change will increase their dependence on imported food and may increase the food price.

Complete coverage is available in UN warns of climate change in Mideast.

Rubbish Chokes an Ancient City

2008-03-01T14:18:00.002+07:00

An immense landfill that dumps its trash into the Mediterranean pollutes the coast of the ancient Phoenician port city in Lebanon. In fact, the dump is only a few meters from famous tourist sites, such as ancient vaulted souk and Phoenician temple. This rubbish has started 30 years ago and it has steadily grown every year, reaching the height of a four-storey building today. The total volume of the rubbish is estimated about 600,000 cubic meters.

In the early February 2008, a strong wind and a magnitude of 5.0 on the Richter scale earthquake has sent 150 tons of rubbish into the sea. It covers the coral reefs and drives fishes and turtles away. Sometimes, these animals are choked to death because of plastic bags. Surprisingly, sea life within a 500 meters radius has vanished due to the toxin substances in the rubbish. This is a disaster for the local 250,000 people who depend on the sea for their livelihood.

The rubbish also contains chemical waste, industrial waste, and animal carcasses, which emit methane gas and release a nauseating odor. Methane gas is also a substance that causes the greenhouse effect. Illnesses such as asthma and problems with the nervous system are common due to the dump's stench. Some people have tried to solve the solution, but all were rejected by the government because of political crisis gripping Lebanon.

This is a very sad situation, the government actually should be responsible to sort this problem out. As you normally examine, government people only think about how to protect themselves in the time of crisis. I hope that the political crisis can cease and a solution can be put forward to resolve this problem.

For complete coverage, please visit Ancient Lebanese city chokes under rubbish dump.

7 Simple Tips to Stop Global Warming

2008-02-26T12:21:00.002+07:00

My friend sent this information to my email. I found it to be informative and practical for us to do, so I decide to share it here. Unfortunately I do not know the source of the information, but it is a job well done indeed.

1. Unplug electrical appliances when you do not use them
Even if you turn off the appliances, they still consume electricity. Unplug them and you may save potentially 5% of your electricity bill that you need to pay every month. Reduced electricity usage means reduced carbon emissions, which are responsible for global warming.

2. Plastic bags need 1000 years to be processed by nature
Plastic bags usage worldwide is billions in number. They fill up our landfill and clog our rivers and drain pipes. They are also petroleum based and therefore waste a lot of unrenewable resource. Use cloth bags instead and restrain yourself from using these harmful materials.

3. Stop buying plastic bottled water
1 liter of mineral water is equal with buying 5 liters of water because In the factory we need that amount of water to cool off every hot plastic bottle during production process. Moreover, the plastic itself will fill up our landfill and nature needs centuries to process it.

4. Reduce tissue usage
You should shift to handkerchief instead. It is estimated that one person uses 6 leaves of tissue every day. It means 12 billion leaves every day worldwide. What a shocking number. We can reduce tons of waste by reducing our tissue usage and use handkerchief instead.

5. Be green on the ATM
Choose not to receive the receipt or you can use internet banking and mobile banking instead. There are 8 billion ATM transactions every day and the receipts from these transactions can be used to cover the earth's equator for 15 times.

6. Reduce paper
Use double-sided printing and copying, reuse one-sided papers, and recycle papers are essential approach. 10 kilograms of newspaper require one 10-year old tree. Imagine what happen with illegal logging. How many trees have been cut down only for producing paper. No wonder that our world becomes hotter.

7. Have 2 types of waste bin
Separate your waste into wet waste (food, leaves, drink) and dry waste (bottle, plastic, paper, glass). It helps the landfill people to manage the waste and process it properly. It is much better if you can separate into 5 types: plastic, food, wet paper (diapers, tissue, etc), dry paper (books, bills, newspapers, advertisements, etc) for selling and recycling, and metal and glass.

Earth Hour 2008

2008-02-21T10:24:00.003+07:00

Earth hour was initiated by the city of Sydney, the biggest city in Australia with around 2.2 million people. This year, 24 cities around the world will participate in turning off the lights of homes and businesses to increase the awareness about global warming.

On Saturday, March 29, 8.00 PM, this event will take place for one hour. Residents are encouraged to switch off lights and appliances during this period. It is a good initiative to increase an awareness concerning global warming and reduce greenhouse gas emissions with energy conservation.

The 24 cities are Atlanta, Chicago, San Fransisco, and Phoenix in the United States; Bangkok in Thailand; Ottawa, Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal in Canada; Dublin in Ireland; Australian cities of Syney, Perth, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, and Adelaide; Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense in Denmark; Manila, the capital city of the Philippine; Suva in Fiji; Christchurch in New Zealand; and Israel capital city of Tel Aviv.

It is encouraged that all of you can participate in this event because I definitely will. Please tell your friends as well. This news is taken from 24 world cities in 'Earth Hour' black-out: organisers.

Air Pollution Affects Kids' IQ

2008-02-16T13:18:00.003+07:00

A recent study showed that air pollution can lower kids' IQ. In fact, the effect is similar like children whose mothers smoked more than 10 cigarettes per day during pregnancy and children who was exposed to lead.

The study investigated 202 Boston children age 8 to 11 years old and it found that children who got more exposure to black carbon have lower score on intelligence tests. Black carbon is a common component emitted from automobile and truck with diesel engines in particular. The study mentioned that this black carbon may responsible for an average 3.4 points drop in IQ. In addition, it affects vocabulary skill, memory, and learning ability as well.

This is another thing that we need to consider for our future generations. We want the best option for our children and we can start by giving them a healthy place to live.

Further information is available from Breathing dirty air may lower kids' IQ.

Philippines will Band Incandescent Bulbs

2008-02-15T09:02:00.005+07:00

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Philippines has followed the step of Australia and Canada. She stated in the Philippine Energy Summit that the Philippines will phase out incandescent bulbs by 2010. This is the first commitment from the countries in Asia.

Changing incandescent bulbs to fluorescent bulbs is considered as one of the most effective ways to reduce electricity consumption and in the end, green house gases. Fluorescent bulbs need only 20% of energy that incandescent bulbs used to produce the same amount of light. In addition, they last six to ten times longer. This initiative has a potential to reduce green house gases by 2.2 million tons starting from 2010.

Definitely a bold and wise move from the Philippines. This is an effective way to reduce global warming and the implementation is relatively simple as well. Other countries should follow this initiative.

Complete news is available from Live Science.

Surprising Impacts of Global Warming

2008-02-12T12:26:00.001+07:00

Many people have heard that global warming will increase the temperature, melt the ice, and raise the sea level. This article will give other impacts of global warming that may surprise you.

#1 Allergies
The increase of seasonal allergies and asthma in recent years partly is because of global warming. Research showed that higher carbon dioxide concentration and higher temperature make plants blooming earlier and produce more pollen that may lead to allergies for some people.

#2 Animal migration
Some animals move to higher elevation because of the temperature changes in their natural habitat. Polar bears are threathened by global warming because of their habitat is melting away.

#3 The disappearance of lakes
125 lakes in the Arctic have disappeared in past decades. Researchers believe that higher temperature reduces permafrost underneath the lakes, which makes the water seeps through the soil and draining the lakes. Ecosystems disappear following the disappearance of lakes.

#4 Structural damages
Higher temperature reduces the layer of permanent frozen soil underground. This situation makes the ground shrinking and can lead to structural damages on the ground, such as railways, highways, and houses.

#5 Changing the natural clock
Global warming is responsible for shorter winter and the plants bloom earlier. Animals need to follow this change because if not they may miss their food season. This situation can change the genetic profile of the population.

#6 Growing mountains
Mountains are growing over the time. However, the weight of glaciers on top of them slows this growth. As glaciers melt due to global warming, mountains are growing faster.

#7 Lost of ancient artifacts
Rising of sea level and extreme weather condition due to global warming can bring potential damages to numerous ancient sites. For instance, floods due to global warming have created damages to 600-year-old site, Sukhothai, in Thailand.

#8 Forest fire
Global warming heats up the forests. Higher temperature brings early spring and shorter winter which makes forest areas dry for a longer period of time and increase the risk of forest fire.

Complete article concerning this issue is available in Live Science.

Choose Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs Will You?

2008-02-09T19:32:00.000+07:00

Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs require much fewer power than incandescent bulbs. For instance, a 26-watt CFL bulbs produce the same lumination as 100-watt incandescent bulbs. Therefore, if you keep one incandescent bulb on for only six hours a day, switching to CFL will save you 126 kilowatt-hours electricity per year. It is equal with 170 pounds carbon dioxide emissions. Surely you have more than one bulb in your house. In average, if you change all your bulbs into CFL, you could reduce carbon dioxide emission by 2.3 metric tons.

Australia has endorsed a regulation to change incandescent bulbs with CFL gradually. The country projects that it will cut down greenhouse gas emissions by 4 million metric tons annually. It is equal with taking 1 million cars off the road.

Some people worry about CFL because it contains mercury, a substance that has created suffering throughout human history. In fact, the amount of mercury in each CFL is only enough to cover the tip of your ballpoint pen. It will not cause any bodily harm as long as simple precaution measures are taken. Moreover, many producers of CFL have reduced the mercury content in their light bulbs over the time.

Even in CFL bulbs shatter, you should not be panic. As long as you do not pick the pieces up with bare hands and lick them, nothing bad will happen to you. Just placing the pieces in a plastic bag and then wash your hands are enough to prevent anything serious from happening.

Perhaps the biggest problem with CFL is the minimum option for recycling. Thousands of CFL bulbs in the garbage bin can become a serious problem. There are several centers available to recycle CFL and you can find this information easily from the internet. If you have not used CFL, just try it. I promise that you will get benefits from it.

If you want to learn more about this topic, please visit The Case for CFLs.

Global Warming Threatens Coffee Production in Uganda

2008-02-08T21:32:00.000+07:00

Coffee is a big thing in Uganda because it is the country's biggest export. If you feel that it is just coffee, consider this, coffee contributes more than half of Uganda's revenue. Global warming may create climate change that will affect this country. More sunshine and lack of rain will make the coffee beans shriveled and decrease the yield.

Even now, global warming has started creating problems in Uganda. Lately, rains have become unpredictable and this situation prevents coffee crop to mature sufficiently. Droughts have happened more frequently in the last three years which make the quality of the coffee dropped.

Coffee requires cool temperature and sufficient amount of water. Currently the average temperature in Uganda is around 25 degree Celcius. The United Nations predicts that the earth temperature may increase between 1.4 to 5.8 degree Celcius by the end of this century mainly because of human activities. If this happens, coffee will disappear entirely from Uganda.

Currently coffee farmers try to protect their coffee from global warming. They plant more trees to provide shading for their coffee, they cover the soil with grass to hold more water, and they dig long terraces in the ground to hold more rainwater. They may face a losing battle if we do not contribute in reducing global warming.

Further story concerning this issue can be found in Uganda's lucrative coffee threatened by climate change.

6 Steps to Implement Sustainability

2008-02-07T12:17:00.000+07:00

If you want to implement sustainability concept in your organization or in your workplace, there are six steps that can be considered. These steps are logical and should be applicable accross any type of business and organization.

#1 Increase Internal Awareness

The most and first important aspect before implementing sustainability, or any other new initiative, is to obtain top management commitment. Without top management support, your effort is in vain. You will face great difficulty in convincing the staffs and creating sustainability culture. Therefore, you need to explain the benefits of sustainability for the organization and get their approval. These benefits should be explained in general for our earth and environment, but more importantly should be specific for the organization as well.

After you get support from top management, then you can start increasing sustainability awareness to other staff members. It is good if you can launch the program formally, for example by spending two or three hours explaining the organization intention and the importance of sustainability for the organization and the earth in general.

This internal awareness program should be continuous. You can post posters around the office and send periodic articles through email concerning sustainability, environment, and global warming. You even can make a competition or give awards to staffs who has showed commitment in implementing sustainability.

#2 Reducing Program

Other than awareness program, the easiest way to start implementing sustainability by reducing program. The good thing about reducing program is the direct benefit that the company will experience. For example, you can encourage everyone to print double-sided, reuse one-sided paper, refrain from printing unless really necessary, turn off monitor or computer when leave the desk for a considerable amount of time, turn off electricity equipment when leave the office, and many other potential alternatives.

#3 Sustainability Organization/Business Plan

The next step is to standardize sustainability concept into the organization. You need to integrate sustainability into the vision of the organization. You can start by identifying the different departments in the organization and set key performance indicators for each department. It is important to have a brainstorming session with all the heads of department to reach consensus concerning the indicators. If you set the targets by yourself, others may feel that you are forcing the issue thus affecting their performance.

#4 Implementation of the Plan

Of course plan means nothing without implementation. After you finalize the plan, you need to start implementing them. Ask the heads of the department to share the targets to other staffs. During implementation you need to keep record about problems and obstacles arisen. This process is trial and error, you may need to revise the plan before you come up with the best plan for the organization.

#5 Lesson Learned and Improvement

Any problem or obstacle during implementation is a good lesson for further improvement. You need to keep everything well documented. In fact, step 3 to 5 is a cycle that happen continuosly along the implementation of sustainability concept.

#6 Share and Promote

After you have achieved some success during sustainability implementation. You may want to share with others. After all sustainability is something that needs to be done collectively in order to achieve the ultimate result to save our environment and earth. This activity can greatly promote your organization and become a competitive advantage for marketing strategy. In addition, you may attract government attention towards the good things that you have achieved.

Challenges and Mitigation Plans in Sustainability Implementation

2008-02-04T09:52:00.000+07:00

Sustainability is still in a premature stage and this is especially true for developing countries. There are common challenges that many people need to consider during the implementation of the concept. This article will explore these challenges and give suggestions on how to mitigate them. The challenges can be separated into three areas, namely internal, client, and government.

Internal challenges and mitigation

Internal challenge is the first thing that you need to face before you start implementing sustainability further. After all, if you do not clean up your backyard first, how you can convince other people to do the same. The common challenges from internal perspective are lack of support, lack of knowledge, and "more works" attitude.

The first thing that you need to do before implementing sustainability in your organization is to gain top management support and commitment. Without this support and commitment, sustainability implementation will not achieve a successful outcome. This may sound easy, but the reality can be different. It is important for you to explore the benefits of sustainability for the organization. Then you need to explain these benefits in term of economic value whenever possible. This is the best way to convince your top management to approve the implementation.

Sometimes, even if top management has agreed to implement the concept, the problem is nobody understand how to do it. Lack of knowledge is a big issue, especially because sustainability concept is relatively new for many people. In this case, you need to prepare awareness programs to increase the knowledge and understanding of people in your organization. You need to explain implicitly the necessity of sustainability for the organization as well as the earth in general. You also can give external trainings to certain people so they can support you to implement the concept.

Another problem is "more works" attitude. When people hear that the organization will implement a new concept, the first thing that comes to their mind is I have to do more works because of this. Again your awareness programs should be able to tackle this issue as long as you can explain the importance of sustainability. Another strategy is to make a sustainability performance review. For example, people who have a good performance in terms of sustainability implementation will receive financial reward or other benefits.

Client challenges and mitigation

Clients can become a huge source of challenges, especially in construction industry, because they are the ones who pay for your service. The common challenges from client side are cost and cynicism. Sometimes it is very difficult to convince clients to spend more initial investment for sustainability implementation. You can mitigate this problem by explaining the benefit of sustainability in terms of life-cycle cost. You need to make them understand that sustainability will bring benefits in the long run. Another strategy is to show previous case studies and what they have achieved because of their sustainability commitment.

Government challenges and mitigation

The challenges related with government are lack of regulation and enforcement concerning sustainability, sustainability is still in premature stage and not a priority because to some countries, they may have more urgent issues. Actually, this situation can become an opportunity for you. You can attract government attention because of your sustainability implementation. You can collaborate with them and become a good example, which will increase your organization marketing value significantly. Another opportunity is to become the first in something sustainable. For example, the first building to have solar panel, the first zero carbon neutral organization, the first green certified office, etc.

Plastic Bags: The Impacts to the Environment

2008-01-24T09:18:00.000+07:00

Today sustainability for future brings news concerning the environmental impacts of plastic bags and the quantity of plastic bags that we have used annually.

I can understand the convenient of using plastic bags. They are cheap and durable. However, do you know their negative impact towards the environment? Among the adverse effects are clogging the drains, filling the landfill, and choking wildlife. Our nature also needs 400 to 1000 years to break them down, and even after those periods, some chemicals may still remain in the environment.

Plastic bags also use lots of irreplacable natural sources. Crude oil, natural gas, and other petrochemical derivatives are the ingredients for makin plastic bags. It is estimated that 12 million barrels of oil are needed to produce plastic bags and this is in the US alone.

Fortunately, some countries have made steps to counter this problem. Taiwan and Uganda have banned the use of plastic bags. Australia will start to reduce the usage in the end of 2008 and China plans to do the same in mid of 2008. Countries and cities in Europe has put fees if you want to use plastic bags. For example, in Ireland, the usage of plastic bags have reduced by 90% because government imposes fee to customers who want to use plastic bags.

Therefore, it is necessary for the US to follow this bold step, especially because US is one of the biggest users of plastic bags. There are some good initiatives that have been implemented, such as recycling program and offering paper bags instead of plastic. Even San Fransisco has banned plastic bags. However, the US needs to do a more radical step and make regulations to solve this issue.

If you want to see more information concerning this news, please visit In U.S., plastic shopping bag still rules.

Global Warming Affects Iconic Site in Northern Ireland

2008-01-22T19:36:00.000+07:00

The Giant's Causeway, the spectacular rock formation on the Northern Irish coast, could soon become difficult to access due to climate change. The iconic world heritage site, one of the province's biggest tourist attractions, will be under threat if sea levels rise and storms worsen, said the National Trust conservation organisation, which owns and manages the site.

The Giant's Causeway comprises around 40,000 interlocking mostly hexagonal basalt columns formed by volcanic activity. More than half a million tourists visit each year. Celtic legend has it that the giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn MacCool) built the causeway as stepping stones across to Scotland in a challenge to a giant called Benandonner.

Complete article is available here.

China Bans Plastic Bags

2008-01-11T08:17:00.000+07:00

Yesterday, China's State Council put a nationwide ban on plastic bags. The cabinet has demanded all stores go plastic bag-free after June 1.

China squanders 37 million barrels of crude oil on plastic bag production every year. The nationwide bad will no doubt help correct China's tarnished image, especially before the Beijing Olympic Games.

With nations from Ireland to Uganda, and now China, topping the bag-ban list, lets hope others will make moves to follow the trend.

The complete news is available here.

This is a brave and radical move by China. We have to applause the commitment of China government for this effort.

7 New Year's Eco-Resolutions

2008-01-10T08:45:00.000+07:00

1. I will relinquish my title of most likely to acquire useless crap I don't wear or need.
Admit it, your closet is full of had to have items that have been punished to a life of hanging unworn. Your notepads, pens, books, magnets, and collectibles are enough to fill a mini storage unit.

2. I will avenge my phantom load.
It's not pounds that appeared on your midsection. It's the energy wasted by electronics and power charges when they are plugged in but not in use.

3. I will by smarter than bottled water companies.
Plastic is bad for the environment. Buy an eco-chic reusable stainless steel bottle and refill it throughout the day for free.

4. Bring my own bags to the grocery store.
Plastic bags are made from petroleum and only 1 percent consumed worldwide are recycled each year. Most end up in landfills or in the sea.

5. I will switch to recycled paper products at home.
By purchasing recycled paper products, you're preventing trees from chopped down and paper waste from ending up in landfills.

6. I will consider whether my meal came from the farm or the factory.
Think of how many miles your food has traveled, how many chemicals are used, and how much pollution and waste have been generated. Support local agriculture by shopping for food at a farmers market.

7. I will take a day off from road rage and take mass transit or carpool one day a week.
If you have public transportation options available to you, try switching to the train or bus one day a week. If you don't live near public transportation, try organizing once a week carpool with your neighbors or coworkers.

A great simple article from The Daily Green for your new year's eco-resolutions.

Invention Turns Toxic Waste into Electricity

2008-01-08T18:37:00.000+07:00

New technology could clean toxic messes from mines and create electricity at the same time. Contaminated water seeping from coal and metal mines is a serious environmental hazard that endangers the safety of drinking water supplies and the health of plants and animals. This caustic pollution, loaded with metals such as arsenic, lead, copper, iron and cadmium, is currently difficult and costly to treat.

Environmental engineers at Pennsylvania State University are now developing a device that could both fight this environmental problem and provide a new source of energy. The researchers tested a lab-scale version of their invention on fluids tainted with iron, similar to polluted water from mines. The device attacked the dissolved iron, removing electrons from it. This generated electricity while at the same time making the iron insoluble, thus efficiently pulling this contaminant from the water.

The iron that the device recovered could find use as a pigment for paints or other products, the researchers said. In principle, such a machine could also pull other metal contaminants from polluted water. "We are also working, in other research projects, on removal of arsenic and other contaminants," researcher Brian Dempsey said.

So far the device only generates a modest amount of energy. A fridge-sized version "might light up a small incandescent bulb," researcher Bruce Logan told LiveScience. Still, the researchers hope to significantly improve power output in future versions, as well as bring down costs. "It's an exciting start," Dempsey said.

This news is extracted from here.

Merry Christmas 2007 and Happy New Year 2008

2007-12-21T13:13:00.000+07:00

Hi all, I would like to say

Merry Christmas 2007

and

Happy New Year 2008

I will go to my home town until January 7, 2008, so the new posts in this blog will be less active. I hope you would have a great time in this holiday season and wish you all the best for the coming new year.

Cheers,

Riza

The Six Sins of Greenwashing

2007-12-20T14:08:00.000+07:00

This is an excellent and interesting research result from TerraChoice environmental marketing agency. They did the research to describe, understand, and quantify the growth of greenwashing. 1,018 consumer products bearing 1,753 environmental claims in North America were examined and they found all but one committed at least to one of the six sins of greenwashing.

Greenwash is the act of misleading customers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service. The six sins are:

Sin of the hidden trade-off. This sin is committed by suggesting a product is green based on a single environmental attribute or an unreasonably narrow set of attributes without attention to other important or more important environmental issues. The example is paper that promotes its recycled content or sustainable harvesting practices without attention to manufacturing impacts.
Sin of no proof. Any environmental claim that cannot be substantiated by easily accessible supporting information or by a reliable third-party certification is included in this category. A good example is lights that promote energy efficiency without any supporting evidence or certification.
Sin of vagueness. This is committed by every claim that is so poorly defined or broad that its real meaning is likely to be misunderstood by the intended consumer. A good example is an "all natural" label. Arsenic is natural, but it is poisonous.
Sin of irrelevance. The Sin of Irrelevance is committed by making an environmental claim that may be truthful but is unimportant and unhelpful for consumers seeking environmentally preferable products. The easiest example is CFC-free claims. It has been banned for 30 years, there is no product that is manufactured with it.
Sin of lesser of two evils. These are "green" claims that may be true within the product category, but that risk distracting the consumer from the greater environmental impacts of the category as a whole. Examples include organic cigarettes and green insecticides.
Sin of fibbing. The Sin of Fibbing is committed by making environmental claims that are simply false. The example is misusing of certification by an independent authority.

I encourage you to download and read the whole report from TerraChoice website here.

GreenPlay Children's Furnishings

2007-12-19T14:18:00.000+07:00

This is an excellent green product. The main user is children, which makes the product even more attractive. It's green, it's healthier, and it's fun.

The main features of GreenPlay are:

It utilizes post-consumer recycled plastic and agricultural byproduct (sunflower hulls).
All woods are FSC certified.
It avoids adhesives in favor of mechanical fasteners for recycling purpose.
It releases minimal pollutants (no- or low-VOC finishes).
The suppliers provide take-back program for outgrown furniture.

In addition, the utilization of this product gives you potential LEED credit (LEED is Leadership Energy and Environmental Design, highly popular green rating system in US):

MR credit 4 for recycled content.
MR credit 6 for rapidly renewable materials.
MR credit 7 for certified wood.
IEQ credit 4 for low-emitting materials.

GreenPlay is produced by Skyline Design. For more information, please visit Skyline Design website.

Dramatic Finish at UN Climate Conference

2007-12-15T19:11:00.000+07:00

In a dramatic finish to a U.N. climate conference, world leaders adopted a plan Saturday for negotiating a new global warming pact by 2009, after the United States backed down in a battle over wording supported by developing nations and Europe.

The U.S. stand had drawn loud boos and sharp rebukes — "Lead ... or get out of the way!" one delegate demanded — before Undersecretary of State Paula Dobriansky reversed her position, clearing the way adoption of the so-called "Bali Roadmap." The sudden reversal was met with rousing applause.

The upcoming two years of talks, which will hammer out a successor to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, could determine for years to come how well the world will cut emissions of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. A year of scientific reports have warned that rising temperatures will cause widespread drought, floods, higher sea levels and worsening storms.

Complete news is here.

Solatube Infinity Skylight

2007-12-13T14:54:00.000+07:00

I found this product when I attended the Green Cities 2007 Expo in Chicago last November and I am impressed. This is an innovative product which brings sunlight to your room even when you do not have direct roof above that room.

The size is very compact, only 25 or 40 cm in diameter. Therefore, it does not require a lot of space and can be installed in small room, such as your closet or toilet. The tube is supported by double glazed diffuser that minimizes any heat gain. Dimmer and translucent diffuser are also available to reduce light glare.

The 25 cm diameter tube is equal to 2x100W incandescent globes in 3 m by 3 m room and the 40 cm tube is equal to 6x100W incandescent globes in 5 m by 5 m room. What a great method to reduce electricity bill and bring daylight to your house. Daylight is good because research shows it can make us healthier, increase productivity, increase property value, as well as contribute to the environment because we use less electricity.

Solatube Infinity is produced by Australian company, Home Comfort Products Pty Ltd. Their contact can be found in website http://www.solatube.com.au/ and more information concerning this particular product is available here.

Ominous Arctic Melt Worries Experts

2007-12-12T20:24:00.000+07:00

Greenland's ice sheet melted nearly 19 billion tons more than the previous high mark, and the volume of Arctic sea ice at summer's end was half what it was just four years earlier, according to new NASA satellite data obtained by The Associated Press. This week, after reviewing his own new data, NASA climate scientist Jay Zwally said: "At this rate, the Arctic Ocean could be nearly ice-free at the end of summer by 2012, much faster than previous predictions (in 2040)."

What happens in the Arctic has implications for the rest of the world. Faster melting there means eventual sea level rise and more immediate changes in winter weather because of less sea ice. Surface temperatures in the Arctic Ocean this summer were the highest in 77 years of record-keeping, with some places 8 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, according to research to be released by University of Washington's Michael Steele.

Greenland, in particular, is a significant bellweather. Most of its surface is covered by ice. If it completely melted — something key scientists think would likely take centuries, not decades — it could add more than 22 feet to the world's sea level.

White sea ice reflects about 80 percent of the sun's heat off Earth, NASA's Zwally said. When there is no sea ice, about 90 percent of the heat goes into the ocean which then warms everything else up. Warmer oceans then lead to more melting.

Complete news is here.

This is a very discouraging news. We really have to put concrete action to stop this otherwise we would see great international disaster within our lifetime.

Global Warming Impacts is Real in Thailand

2007-12-09T15:18:00.000+07:00

I summarized this article from Thailand magazine, Sarakadee, edition March 2007.

The clear evidence is the chapel of Samuttravas Temple in Samutprakarn, which was 1 kilometer away from the sea. Now the sea partially submerges the chapel.

Electricity pole in the sea is the evidence that this area was street but now the sea level rise to almost half of the pole. This area is in front of Samuttravas Temple.

City Pillar between Bang Koon Tien district and Thai gulf was once in land (800 meter away from the sea) but now half of the pillar was under the sea.

Thailand has 2,667 kilometer coastline which they lose it to the sea at 25 meters annually. Imagine what will happen in 20 years, 50 years. Global warming is real in Thailand, how about in your hometown? Start to act now. Check this simple strategy to start reducing global warming.

Seaweed as Global Warming Weapon

2007-12-08T14:41:00.000+07:00

Slimy, green and unsightly, seaweed and algae are among the humblest plants on earth. A group of scientists at a climate conference in Bali say they could also be a potent weapon against global warming, capable of sucking damaging carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere at rates comparable to the mightiest rain forests.

The seaweed research, backed by scientists in 12 countries, is part of a broad effort to calculate how much carbon is being absorbed from the atmosphere by plants, and figure out ways to increase that through reforestation and other steps.

Proponents say seaweed and algae's rapid rate of photosynthesis, the process of turning carbon dioxide and sunlight into energy and oxygen, is a top factor in its effectiveness in carbon absorption. Some types of seaweed can grow three or four meters (yards) long in only three months. Lee Jae-young, with South Korea's fisheries ministry, said some seaweeds can absorb five times more carbon dioxide than terrestrial plants.

The concept, however, has problems. Skeptics, for instance, say that trees are effective for carbon storage because they can last for many years, while seaweed is cultivated and harvested in cycles of only months, meaning the storage will be hard to measure or control.

Complete news is here.

Solar Billboard

2007-12-07T22:37:00.000+07:00

I found this article is very intriguing. Solar billboard, a simple idea, yet brilliant. Bravo to Pacific Gas and Electric for its proactive attitude towards renewable energy. I am quite confident that this will become very common in the near future.

The portion of the article is below. Complete article is here.

Energy-sapping billboards, your days may be numbered. A California electricity supplier says it has installed the nation's first solar-powered billboard, which generates more electricity than it uses. The billboard, roofed with 20 solar panels, is located at 1000 Brannan St. in San Francisco.

"The energy that is collected by the solar panels actually exceeds the amount used by it on a day-to-day basis," said Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) spokesperson Jennifer Zelwer of the standard-sized billboard, which proclaims: "This isn't a billboard. It's a power plant."

On sunny days, the sign converts sunlight into about 3.4 kilowatts of energy, which is almost enough to power the household of an average U.S. family of four during the day. Zelwer said the billboard generates about 2.5 kilowatts of energy during cloudy days.

Earth at Night

2007-12-06T20:26:00.001+07:00

This is one of the most interesting pictures I have seen. This is what the Earth looks like at night. We can see how Japan shines, the coast of France is brightly lit, the big cities in Australia, the Nile delta, and the difference between east and west of United States. Can you find your favorite country or city? The above image is actually a composite of hundreds of pictures made by the orbiting DMSP satellites.

It is beautiful, but it also reminds us how much emission we have contributed to this earth.

Click here for high resolution picture.

Global Warming Wreaks Havoc with Nature

2007-12-06T19:03:00.000+07:00

More than 3,000 flying foxes dropped dead, falling from trees in Australia. Giant squid migrated north to commercial fishing grounds off California, gobbling anchovy and hake. Butterflies have gone extinct in the Alps.

While humans debate at U.N. climate change talks in Bali, global warming is already wreaking havoc with nature. Most plants and animals are affected, and the change is occurring too quickly for them to evolve.

Globally, 30 percent of the Earth's species could disappear if temperatures rise 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit — and up to 70 percent, if they rise 6.3 degrees Fahrenheit, a U.N. network of scientists reported last month.

The hardest hit will include plants and animals in colder climates or at higher elevations and those with limited ranges or little tolerance for temperature change, said Wendy Foden, a conservation biologist with the World Conservation Union, which catalogs threatened species.

The carbon dioxide emissions that are a leading cause of global warming also turn oceans more acidic, killing coral reefs and the microscopic plankton that blue whales and other marine mammals depend on for food.

With warmer weather, 60 percent of plant and animal species are migrating, breeding and blooming earlier in the spring, Parmesan said. But not all are, and that could upset relationships between birds and the insects they feed on as well as insects and the flowers they pollinate.

Complete news is here.

Australia Ratifies Kyoto Protocol, How About US?

2007-12-05T19:18:00.000+07:00

Labor Party leader Kevin Rudd became Australia's 26th prime minister Monday and immediately began dismantling the former government's policies by ratifying the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. Ratification will come into force 90 days after the commitment is handed to the United Nations, he said, meaning Australia will become a full member of the Kyoto Protocol before the end of March 2008.

"This is the first official act of the new Australian government, demonstrating my government's commitment to tackling climate change. Australia's official declaration today that we will become a member of the Kyoto Protocol is a significant step forward in our country's efforts to fight climate change domestically -- and with the international community," he said.

The move leaves the United States as the only major developed nation that has refused to ratify the pact.

Complete news is here.

This refusal by US is frustrating for me. As one of the major countries in the world, US should set itself as an example and a leader to reduce global warming impact, especially since US is number one contributor in green house gases emission.

US concerns about its economy because if they ratify the protocol the economy may slow down since they need to focus on "green" development. However, I believe that we need to set the right priority. The choices are between money (economy) and earth (humanity future). What will you choose?

Sinking Islands

2007-12-05T13:25:00.000+07:00

For nations and communities that sit only a few metres above sea level, even small ocean rises engulf their land and send destructive salty water into their food supply, leaving residents with little choice but to flee. World sea levels rose 3.1 millimetres (0.12 inch) per year from 1993 to 2003, the Nobel-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has said.

As sea levels have crept higher, the coasts have eroded, corals have been bleached, and islanders' staple foods such as the giant Babai taro, coconut and banana are unable to grow in salty soil. Drinking water is being contaminated with sea water, while extreme weather events beat coastlines, and fish are no longer abundant. On the Carterets, where one island has been split in two by the encroaching sea, Rakova said hunger and desperation were sending the young men to mainland Papua New Guinea, or spiralling into depression.

"They talk about climate change as if it is something that might happen in the distant future, something that might happen in 2020 or 2050 or even in 2100," said Tony Mohr, of the Australian Conservation Foundation. "However vibrant cultures and communities of the Pacific are already experiencing climate change."

Islanders are urging the world to do all it can to reduce greenhouse gases and stop history repeating itself on other small islands. "If this continues, maybe we will be left with three coconuts. We may be clinging to a very small piece of land. Where is our future?" said Kiribati's Arobati.

For complete news, click here

Simple Things You Can Do

2007-12-05T10:27:00.000+07:00

You can practise elements of sustainability in many ways both at home and at work. The following are some examples of the areas you can start with.

AT HOME

Save water

Cut your shower time by 1 minute - potential saving 2.5 gallons of water.
Rinse your teeth with a tumbler instead of running tap.
Wash vegetables and dishes in a filled sink instead of under a running tap - potential saving 14 liters of water.
Fill your washing machine on a full load, not half.
Use half flush for liquid waste in the toilet.
Use water efficient appliances.
Fix leaks by replacing faucet washers and toilet flappers as needed. A slow drip or leak can easily waste more than 100 gallons of water a week, which leads to an unnecessarily high water bill.
Use a broom instead of water to clean your driveway or garage.
Check http://cleanwaterfestival.org/, a good resource for youth to learn about water conservation.

Save Electricity

Use energy saving lights.
Make use of natural lighting in the house.
Turn off your television or any appliances rather than putting them on standby mode.
Switch off the lights when not in use.
Switch off air conditioner when the room is already cooled.
Switch off hot water when not in use, it generally only takes 5 to 10 minutes for hot water tank to heat up.
Choose a more fuel-efficient car, using public transport and using alternatives as often as possible.
Don’t buy unnecessary electrical appliances.
Buy the most energy efficient appliances.
Learn more about energy saving.

Others

Reduce the use of plastic bags.
Check if your local fast food outlets use environmentally friendly packaging. The packaging of many fast-food chains is manufactured using CFCs - potent greenhouse gases.
Don’t eat junk food, not only it is not good for your health but junk food is heavily processed using a lot of energy.
Reduce, reuse, recycle.

AT WORK

Save Paper

Print no more than you need to.
Use electronic mail for inter-office memos, announcements, and targeted communications.
Print and/or copy double sided.
Use light weight paper. Heavier weight sheets use more fibre and costs more per sheet than lighter ones.
Bring your laptop (if you have) instead of printing your copy of reports to meetings or group discussion, after all, laptop is portable.
Reduce unnecessary color printing. Color printer uses thicker paper and consumes more waste (ink, energy, etc.).
Reuse discarded one-sided printed paper as scrap paper.
Gather your discarded paper in recycling stack, not rubbish bin.
Eliminate fax cover sheets, if possible. Most fax machines automatically print identifying information at the top of pages sent. Put identifying information within the content of documents you send, or use mini fax post-it notes to eliminate the need for cover sheets entirely.

Save Energy

Change the office’ lights to energy saving lights, talk to your office manager.
Turn off lights in meeting room when leaving the room.
Turn off office lights if you are the last leaving the office.
When not in use for long period, turn off electrical equipment such as photocopiers and computers. Even if the equipment is on standby mode, it is still using a significant amount of electricity.
Install motion detectors at areas less frequented in the office.
For short distance, refrain from driving. Walking or cycling to the destination is not only good for you but it is friendly to the environment as well.
Use public transport to go to office instead of private car.

Reduce Waste

Bring your own reusable lunch containers if you pack your meal from a food stall. This will eliminate the usage of highly environmentally unfriendly styrofoam food boxes. If you buy your lunch every working day, that is almost 260 styrofoam boxes you save a year from using/disposing, multiply that by the number of staff in our office who do the same!
Recyle the office waste.

The Science of Global Warming

2007-12-02T15:16:00.000+07:00

Global warming is the increase in global temperatures caused by the emission of gases that trap the sun's heat in the Earth's atmosphere. The sun emits the solar radiation to the earth. Earth, through its natural temperature control system, would emit 1/3 of that radiation back to space. 2/3 portion of the radiation is absorb by the earth surface and trap by the gases in the atmosphere. The gases in our atmosphere is a natural thing that makes our earth warm and suitable for living. These gases are called greenhouse gases and the process is called greenhouse effect.

However, build-up of pollutants such as carbon dioxide and methane, increase the greenhouse gases concentration in the atmosphere which result in more heat retained on the earth and less released back to space. In other words, the world becomes warmer. And the bad news, these pollutants keep on building up at an alarming rate and has resulted in the constant rise of average world’s temperature.

In the last 20 years alone, the average temperature has risen by over half a degree celcius. This rise, half a degree, 1,2,3 degrees may not look much, but this is a change in climate on the scale that brought the planet out of the most recent Ice Age – all within decades, rather than the thousands of years it took from Ice Age.

There are numerous impacts of global warming. The most obvious one is the melting of ice, which leads to the rise of sea level. These pictures show much artic ice has melted in just 24 years. There are 3 billion people living in low-lying coastal zone, a rise of tens cm would have major consequences on these people.

Next picture shows, almost all aspects of life will be affected in negative ways, health, food, water, habitat, us…

As shown, the impacts of global warming is fatal. Our earth and our future are the stake. Concrete actions must be taken now.

Benefits of Sustainability

2007-12-01T12:23:00.000+07:00

As explained previously, global warming is the main reason for sustainability implementation. However, there are direct benefits that you will gain from the implementation of the concept. These benefits are:

Higher return of investment (ROI) for your investment in buildings. It was found that green buildings, buildings with many sustainable features, can save energy up to a staggering 60% in comparison with conventional buildings. The life cycle cost of the buildings will be much lower than conventional buildings due to efficient operational cost.
Sustainability can increase your building value. People will love the concept of buildings that put a priority to the wellbeing of the occupants as well as the surrounding community and environment. The lower operational cost will attract them even more.
Sustainable buildings with proper arrangement, sufficient sun light, and good indoor air quality, can increase employee productivity around 2 – 16%. It will reduce absenteeism and improve employee retaining.
A great marketing strategy for your companies regardless of the type of businesses because it has a potential to attract government attention, differentiate the company’s service offerings and serve as a competitive advantage, become the first in something green, and increase public image.
If you are a religious person, this concept shows your faith in action because of your positive objectives to preserve the earth and develop the wellbeing of your employees as well as surrounding community.

The figure below presents a clear picture of the benefits of sustainability concept implementation, which can be separated into three main aspects of sustainability. The left-right arrows explain that the benefits are interdependence of each other. For example, if you build a sustainable building, you will reduce global warming, create employee satisfaction, and increase your ROI due to lower operational cost.

Why Sustainability?

2007-11-26T20:19:00.000+07:00

The main reason is because global warming has arrived in front of our doorstep. Without proper consideration and action, global warming can and will endanger our earth and our future generations. Many studies have found that human activities are the main cause of global warming. It is our responsibility to act and stop this future global disaster to occur. Sustainability is not just for greenies, it is an integral part of everyone’s lives because it will determine how our future will be. This is the world you live in, where we breathe the same air and swim in the same ocean.

What is global warming? It is the increase in global temperatures caused by the emission of gases that trap the sun's heat in the Earth's atmosphere. These gases called green house gases (GHG) and their concentration has increased steadily during this past century in our atmosphere. Pollution, deforestation, coal usage as electricity sources, and many human activities have contributed a lot to GHG. The result, our global average surface temperature has risen steadily as well.

Global warming has significant negative impacts to our earth. To name a few:

The melting of ice that leads to rise in sea level, which will bring major consequences to million of people living in low-lying coastal zone area.
Unpredictable weather that will make uncommonly dry-season and catastrophic flooding.
The two impacts above will create chain reactions that will affect our health, agriculture, forest, water resource, coastal areas, natural habitat, flora, and fauna.

Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which brought such devastation, is a grieve example of the impact of global warming. Global warming has increased the sea temperature and as it becomes warmer, the strength of the wind increases and create greater hurricane. If you would like to learn other examples of the potential threats of global warming, I highly recommend you to watch a movie called ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ by Al Gore. This is a great movie which portrays what the future will be if we do not start acting now to preserve this world. These links will give you further information concerning this movie:

- http://www.climatecrisis.net/

- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0497116/

This reason alone is enough to justify the implementation of sustainability concept because our earth is the stake. However, to strengthen my point, in the next post I will provide you with direct benefits in implementing the concept.

What is Sustainability?

2007-11-24T01:07:00.000+07:00

Sustainability itself means a state or process that can be maintained indefinitely. This definition can be applied to any area, such as ecosystem, human existence, economy, environment, energy, lifestyle, business, production, and many other aspects that you can think of. For example, if you have a food production process, this process is sustainable when it can be carried out over and over again, without negative effects or impossibly high costs.

The most famous and common used definition of sustainability was stated by Brundtland Commission in 1987, which cited that:

"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

In other words, sustainability is about ensuring what we do today to provide for ourselves and our needs, does not result in damaging the ability of future generations to provide for themselves.

Many misconceptions saying that sustainability is only environment related. It is only green stuffs and for tree huggers. Actually, the term sustainability covers a very wide scope. There are three main aspects of sustainability, which some people called the three bottom lines:

Environment: focus to the preservation of our earth, nature, surrounding environment, which will support all living beings.
Social: focus to the wellbeing of humankind.
Economic: focus on the economic and profitable gains.

The figure above portrays these three aspects of sustainability and their relative importance. Environment encompasses social and economic because without environment, there is no place for men to live and economic will not be able to strive. Social is the second because without people, there is no economic. The last is economic because in the end profitable ventures are essential to support our wellbeing and way of life.

Introduction: Welcome to the Blog

2007-11-20T06:55:00.000+07:00

Hi there. My name is Riza and currently I am located in Thailand. I work for international construction company as a sustainability executive. I started this blog because I would like to share my insight about sustainability, which I feel is a very critical concept for ensuring our future wellbeing. My ultimate vision is to make this simple blog becomes a worldwide source of information and knowledge for latest technologies and implementation strategies regarding sustainability concept.

During the blog infant period, I commit to publish two posts every week. After six months or so, when the blog has settled, I have a target to provide daily post. You may think that it is pretty easy to provide daily post. Actually, it's true. However, I guarantee that only quality posts will be presented here. I want this place to serve as an excellent filter for numerous new information concerning sustainability that is available out there.

In the next few posts I will describe about what sustainability is and why it is important as well as the benefits that you will gain from the implementation. Further posts will explore on how you can implement the concept in your home and workplace. Afterwards, latest knowledge, strategies, techniques, and technologies in sustainability will dominate the posts in this blog.

Lastly, I would like to welcome you to the blog. If you have any comment or suggestion, please do not hesitate to leave a message. I am glad to hear back from you because I want this place to profit all readers from various industries and institutes.