Why we need to change

January 27th, 2012 by Guest Author No comments »

Greenpeace recently commissioned a survey to determine the true cost of coal to South Africa. The survey, done by the University of Pretoria’s Business Enterprises unit, delivered truly shocking results.

More than 90% of the electricity in South Africa is generated by coal powered stations, and Eskom isn’t planning on changing that any time soon. Eskom is currently building two more coal powered stations, Kusile and Medupi, which, on completion will be among the largest in the world. The budget to build these new stations is R385 billion and each will have a life span of 50 years! Even worse is the fact that Kusile will produce up to 37 million tons of carbon dioxide every year.

This has led to South Africa becoming one of the biggest polluters in the world. South Africa is the fifth highest producer of coal, and the sixth highest user in the world.

The other side of the spectrum is even worse. Only 2 GWh (Gigawatt) of South Africa’s 237 000 Gwh is produced from wind power. The fact that they are currently building these two massive stations has also meant that there is no funding  available for the development of renewable energy sources .Eskom is lax in it’s efforts to build more solar and wind powered stations, and that needs to change!

The South African government wants to create 111 000 new jobs in the current energy industry, but this study has found that 149 000 new jobs can be created, if government invested in the renewable energy sector.

Greenpeace also recently published a different report entitled ‘The Advanced Energy [R]evolution: A sustainable energy outlook for South Africa’, in which it outlines key aspects of the renewable energy sector. They state that if government gradually phased out coal power, and invested in sun and wind power, half of South Africa’s energy could come from renewable sources by 2030, thus eliminating the need to build the Kusile power station.

Eskom argues that these stations are necessary in order to provide electricity to the nearly 10 million people living without it, but this is not true. It would take much less time and money to build renewable electricity stations close to areas that need it most, and so doing, be able to provide 10 million people with safe, renewable energy.

The easiest way to petition against the building of these coal stations is at http://www.greenpeace.org/africa/en/use-me-more/ . Here you can sign up to the Greenpeace petition to get government to better utilize sun and wind power.

It is up to you to make the change. So sign up, and help protect our beautiful planet.

(This is a post by our intern Kristian Meijer)

(Image by Senor Codo, CC by-SA 2.0, via Flickr)

No comments »

Posted in Alternative Energy & Fuel, Carbon Emissions, Climate Control, Environment, Environmental Damage

Tags:

Destroying Canada one barrel of oil at a time

January 26th, 2012 by Guest Author No comments »

In recent years, Canada has gone from being an environmentally focused, human rights concerned country, to an oil focused, petro-state, hell bent on destroying the environment.

This is all thanks to Prime Minister, Stephen Harper. The son of an oil executive, Harper’s political career was supported by the big oil companies, and, as a result of this, became the leader of the conservative party. In 2006, he became the Prime Minister, and this is when things started going south.

Harper has been notorious for ignoring environmental issues and funding big oil companies.

The most recent showing of Canada’s lax stance towards curbing climate change was at last year’s COP17 climate talks in Durban. Their Environment Minister, Peter Kent announced that Canada would be abandoning the legally binding Kyoto Protocol.

Minister Harper has also announced big tax cuts and subsidies for big oil companies, leading to further exasperation of climate change and environmental destruction. In the last decade, the Canadian government has given more than $14 billion worth of subsidies to big oil companies.

Canada’s biggest contribution to climate change comes in the form of tar sands oil deposits. It is a 142, 000 square kilometre area, rich in oil deposits. See why the oil companies promoted Harper? Currently only 602 square kilometres have been unearthed. The tar sands are highly destructive, with as much as four tonnes of soil and forest being removed for every barrel of oil being produced. A picture of the tar sands can be seen on the National Geographic website.

This debacle has sparked outrage from the citizens of Canada, many of whom have expressed that they are against many of these regulations.

It is up to the citizens of a country, especially here in South Africa, to ensure that destructive policies are not passed. If every person stands up to do their part and, if needed, protest against laws favouring polluters like the big oil companies, we can carve out our own future. A better, brighter and cleaner future is only possible with YOUR help.

(This is a post by Kristian Meijer)

(Image by sundstrom, via stock.xchng)

No comments »

Posted in Climate Control, Environment, Environmental Damage

Tags:

How to make 2012 your greenest year yet

January 24th, 2012 by Guest Author No comments »

Governments hold climate talks, yet make no real promises to commit to anything. It is up to you to change things for the better, to ensure a greener and healthier environment for future generations.

Here are a few ways you can do that:

1.     Recycling

The simple act of recycling your trash is one of the single most effective things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint. All you need to do is to sort your trash into different categories, namely paper, plastic, tin and glass. Don’t throw away any food items. Create your own compost heap at home and throw any garden waste and food items on it. Hey, it’s free garden fertilizer.

The city of Cape Town has 20 recycling centres across the city. You can drop off any recyclable material at any of the places listed on their website: http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/solidwaste/Pages/ReduceReuseRecycle.aspx

2.     Turn off all lights and electronics

Turning off your lights when not using them will not only help reduce your carbon footprint, but will also save you a bunch of money. The easiest way to do this is to switch off the light as soon as you leave the room and back on only when you need it.

Make sure you switch on electronic equipment only when you are using it, even energy efficient electronics use quite a lot of power. And all electronics still use power in standby mode.

Remember to turn off your TV and lights when going to bed; you will be surprised at how much more peacefully you sleep.

3.     Switch to CFL bulbs

They may be a bit more expensive than ordinary bulbs, but they will save you a lot of money in the long run. Firstly, they use less power, so your electricity bill will lessen. Secondly, they last longer, so you don’t need to replace them as often. Some CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light) bulbs even have a day-night sensor, so it switches itself on when you need it. Clever, hey!

4.     Don’t use what you don’t need

Some of the biggest users of electricity in your home are the stuff you don’t really need.  The biggest one is your tumble dryer. One cycle of your tumble dryer can use as much as 5000 watts of power. So, as an alternative, hang your clothes on a clothesline. Trust me, you’ll be thankful for how much you save.

5.     Car pool

Travelling between work and back every day causes massive amounts of carbon dioxide to be released into the air every day. You can help reduce your carbon footprint by travelling to work and back with a colleague. This will cut your fuel costs in half and help save the environment.

Please remember, it’s the little things you do that make the biggest difference. So go out and help save our most beautiful planet.

(This a post by our intern Kristian Meijer)

(Image by lydiashiningbrightly, CC by 2.0, via Flickr)

No comments »

Posted in Energy, Green Living, Plastic, Recycling

Tags:

Petition to remove fluoride from drinking water

January 10th, 2012 by Guest Author No comments »

The use of fluoride in water has been a very controversial topic in the past few years. On the one hand, for many years the public has been told that fluoride has health benefits, and on the other, it is a fact that sodium fluoride is a synthetic waste product of the nuclear industry, which means that it is often contaminated with dangerous substances like lead, aluminum, and cadmium.

It all started in 1945, when Grand Rapids in the USA started adding cheap sodium fluoride to water in order to imitate the positive benefits of calcium fluoride. The main difference between the two is that calcium fluoride occurs naturally while sodium fluoride does not. The fluoride added to our drinking water is a manmade hydrofluoric acid that has no nutritional value and is the most caustic of industrial chemicals.

It is an active toxin, which is often used in rat poison and cockroach powder. Once it enters the body, fluoride destroys enzymes by changing their shape. Without enzymes, we’d die instantaneously as they play a vital role in the cell reactions that take place every second in our bodies.

When sodium fluoride was first introduced it was associated with bright smiles and healthy teeth, however, clinical studies have shown that fluoride actually causes depression, liver and kidney problems, weakens the immune system and promotes diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.

A recent report from India has also revealed that children who were exposed to high quantities of fluoride in their drinking water were crippled and even blinded. Studies done in the USA by dentists, toxicologists and epidemiologists from the National Research Council (NRC) have also shown that when fluoride levels in drinking water are too high they actually damage teeth.

In order to counter the deadly effects of fluoride in water, the Fluoride Action Network has stated that more than 3000 professionals around the world are calling for an end to the fluoridation of drinking water. Other media such as Natural News, Prevention Magazine and Wall Street Journal have also questioned the government as to why they are allowing such high levels of synthetic and dangerous fluoride to be added to drinking water.

There are a few options for those seeking to protect themselves from the health risks of sodium fluoride. Iodine and lecithin cleanse the liver and have been known to help the body extract fluoride. You can also opt for AquaLiv, one of many water filtration systems based on the laws of homeopathy, which remove fluoride and other harmful chemicals from water and leave the nutrients behind.

(Post by Ivelina Dineva)

(Image by Matthewseb, stock.xchng)

No comments »

Posted in Health

Tags:

5 steps to greening your job

December 21st, 2011 by Sandy No comments »

It is not only about thinking green, it is about acting green on an everyday basis. It is everyone’s responsibility to contribute to reversing the negative effects on our environment. There are many little things we can do at home and work to save energy and reduce pollution. Read on about how you can take these steps at work.

1.     Recycle E-waste

Try to avoid throwing electronic items in the trash; even cosmetics contain harmful chemicals which poison the environment. Give your e-waste to someone who can recycle it. Try to use your own coffee mug in the office instead of paper or Styrofoam ones.

2.     Paper vs. Virtual

One of the best ways to be eco-friendly is to use less paper. If you have a computer there is no reason to be wasting paper. You can practice being environmentally friendly by taking notes on your computer instead of writing them on paper. You can also go one step further than printing double-sided; if you preview the page before hitting print you have the option of fitting more content onto one piece of paper by changing font sizes or getting rid of empty spaces.

3.     Commute with others

Car pooling is the perfect way to emit carbon while saving money at the same time. Try to accommodate the people who have the same route as you by using a single vehicle. You can even take turns car pooling. An even better option is to ride your bicycle or use public transportation if you can.

4.     End phantom energy

The population pays millions in extra money each year for unnecessary energy drawn from electronic devices. Turn off your computer when you are not going to use it for a while, and encourage your co-workers to do the same. The monitor alone uses 90% of the power used for running the machine, so if you don’t turn off your computer then at least turn off the monitor.

It is also a good idea to switch off the main plug because that wastes energy too. Try to use LCD monitors as they only use a fraction of the energy that CRT screens use.

5.     Use recycled paper

Save the forests and make a habit of using recycled paper. Print your business cards on recycled paper, only use paper when necessary and print double-sided. You can even get eco-friendly printers that you can use in the office.

Everyone can take these small initiatives to make the world eco-friendly. If you incorporate them into your every day routine then practicing them won’t be a burden anymore.

(Post by Ivelina Dineva)

(Image by ambrozjo, via stock.xchng)

No comments »

Posted in Climate Control, Environment, Recycling, Responsible Industry

Tags:

Businesses need to play their part in helping the environment

December 9th, 2011 by Guest Author No comments »

Many businesses and companies have already taken the plunge and started ‘being green’. After all, the sheer size of a company can cause all sorts of potential dangers to the environment, the wildlife and ultimately the people whom the company serves.

Instead of actively wanting to make changes to help the community, a company may enforce changes which simply cut costs. Many businesses already realise that engaging in email marketing and communication is far cheaper than purchasing the large amounts of paper that traditional communication requires.

The easiest and most practical ways for businesses to be greener are to ensure they recycle all waste, reduce the amount of paper used, encourage employees to walk or cycle to work and use less electricity. Although these measures are desirable and are not to be ignored, businesses need to do more to help the environment.

Thousands of CEOs, managers and employees travel around the country and around the world to participate in meetings, attend seminars and presentations, and to make sales pitches to potential clients. Planes, cars and trains all play a part in releasing harmful chemicals and gases into the atmosphere, which are harmful to the surrounding communities and the people who live there. This could all be done via the internet, whilst sitting at a desk using video conferencing.

People have to deal with the increase in pollution, especially inner city communities, who are exposed to carbon emissions from vehicles driving on their streets every day. By investing in video conferencing equipment, easily avoidable journeys can be eliminated. Video conferencing allows users real-time, face-to-face communication that is safe and will not harm the environment or the people.

Universities, medical organisations and corporate enterprises have all began to use video conference systems, which has proved to be greener, more practical and cheaper. Travel expenses, harmful emissions and wasted time and money can all be eliminated by making the simple change.

Preserving and maintaining the environment in which we live is essential for future living and health standards, and many people are already engaging in a variety of different techniques and measures to help. However, it is only fair that the businesses that provide the economy with substantial benefits also play a part in helping the environment.

(Image supplied by author)

No comments »

Posted in Responsible Industry

Tags:

How to create a low energy house

November 17th, 2011 by Guest Author No comments »

There are several major considerations to keep the use of energy in your house as low as possible.

Age of Property

Radical changes are taking place in the way modern buildings are designed and constructed to provide thermal comfort, healthy living and reduce environmental impact and long term fuel costs for the future.

Until a couple of decades ago, houses were not build with the same regard to energy conservation and open plan designs; large single glazed windows, tall ceilings, draughty chimneys and poorly fitted  doors and windows are all vulnerable areas when it comes to heat conservation. Solid masonry walls and un-insulated roof spaces allow heat to escape through the fabric of the building to the outside.

Insulation

The most important principle in energy conservation is good insulation. New homes now feature high specifications of insulation throughout the whole building but there are steps everyone can take to ensure their home wastes as little energy as possible.

Loft and rafter insulation is as crucial as keeping a hat on your head in cold weather. It is easy to spot the poorly insulated houses in snowy weather. They are the ones with no snow on the roofs as the heat from the house has escaped upwards. Modern specifications recommend much greater thicknesses of insulating materials and it is possible to easily and cheaply supplement existing insulation. Glass wool and rock wool insulation are the most commonly used materials for lofts. They are easy to place on and around rafters. In some cases can be installed with the help of a government grant.

Don’t forget that if your garage is attached to your house it can also have an impact on energy savings. Installing well fitted insulated garage doors has an effect on heat conservation both to the garage and adjoining rooms. This mitigates the rush of cold air as you open and close connecting doors to your house. High quality sectional garage doors have 42 mm thick insulation with weather seals around the sides and bottom which makes a noticeable difference. Also any rooms above a garage fitted with an insulated garage door benefit from heat transference.

Cavity wall insulation is also essential to conserve the ambient heat inside the house. A specialist company will survey your property, usually free of charge, to assess what improvements you can make.

Eliminate Air Leakage And Draughts

It goes without saying that eliminating draughts through any windows, doors and chimney’s is essential to retain heat, improve thermal comfort and cut down running costs.

Life style changes

Don’t overlook making the savings that making simple lifestyle changes can have on your energy bills. Lowering your thermostats, wearing thicker clothing, closing curtains at night, keeping doors closed and turning to renewable energy sources such as solar power, solar heating, and wind turbines all contribute to keeping your hard earned money in your pocket and not in the hands of power companies.

 

Author Bio

This article has been written by Dan who often writes about green products for the home such as insulated roller garage doors.

(Image by boogy_man, stock.xchng)

No comments »

Posted in DIY, Energy, Green Living

Tags:

How to Recycle an old pair of jeans

November 8th, 2011 by Guest Author No comments »

Who hasn’t grown up with jeans and do you know anyone who doesn’t have their favorite pair? They may become paint splattered, grass stained, torn at the knees or too small, but there is still wear in them right? Styles come and go, names do too, but you may not want to throw out that old pair of jeans just yet, not when there are literally hundreds of ways to reuse them. You think I am kidding, type recycled jeans into your browser, click on images and you will be amazed!

Jeans have been around for a long time. The word jeans come from a type of fabric used in Europe. The term denim is probably French coming from a material “serge de Nimes”; serge being the material and Nimes a French town. During the 18th century it was worn by slaves and tradespeople, generally made from cotton and worn for its strength and durability. The fabric was dyed with indigo which came from plants in America and India.

In the 19th century Leob Strauss, who you know as Levi Strauss, saw the need for stronger jeans for the gold miners during the Gold Rush, so he created the line of Levi Strauss and opened his wholesale business. He soon had a thriving business.

Jeans were so strong that they became the work wear of choice but they did have one drawback, the pockets. Jacob Davis saw the need to reinforce the pockets and invented rivets, selling the patent to Strauss in 1872, as he did not have the money for the patent. Then, in 1886, Strauss added his famous leather label depicting a picture of two horses playing tug of war with a pair of jeans. He wanted to tell the buyer that his jeans were so strong a pair of horses couldn’t pull them apart.

In the 1930s, Westerns helped to make the jeans even more popular. In an attempt to be authentic, the actors would wear jeans in the cowboy shows so the Americans who lived in the east and vacationed on “dude ranches” would make it a point to grab a pair to bring back home and soon our country was infiltrated with jeans. Jeans have made many changes through the years and you can make a few to your jeans yourself.

Recycling Jeans

You can sand them by using a fine grade sand paper and lightly going over them in areas to create a softer shaded pattern perhaps on the thighs. You can embellish them with studs or rhinestones around the pockets, hems or outer seams. You paint on them, add embroidery or patches; trim them to make capris or shorts. Maybe you would prefer to wear them as a skirt? Remove the inner seam and trim the crotch area down, now close the seam back up creating a jean skirt. Do not throw away the crotch!

Chops the legs off and make a cover for your throw pillows for a more casual air or a teen’s room. Add patches for the favorite team or peace signs. Hint: Adding the patches before you stuff the pillow is easier.

Now that you have chopped the legs off, you have jeans shorts, or cut them off even shorter and make a tote, clothes pin bag, or a purse. Take the left over fabric, tear it in strips and use some for your purse strap and the rest for braiding a rug for that teenager’s room.

Jeans are created in so many colors and textures now that the choices are as limitless as your imagination. Even if you cannot find the color you want, you can dye them and while you are at it, dye your favorite shirt to match them so you can have an outfit.

So before you decide to toss out that old pair of jeans, think again, there may definitely be some life left in them!

Marina Chernyak is the co-owner of 1001Shops LLC, an online store of fine imported products like wall clock, nesting dolls, vanity mirrors and lot more.

 

(Images: denim skirt and bag supplied by author.

Jeans: by Juanmak (from de:Bild:Jeans.jpg) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)

No comments »

Posted in DIY, Recycling

Tags:

SA sets carbon budgets to reduce global warming

October 31st, 2011 by Guest Author No comments »

The fastest growing agenda with business sectors around the world seems to be “Environmentalism’, often referred to as ‘going green’. As climate change impacts the environment at a drastic pace, so are governments setting increasingly stricter rules on carbon footprints. There seems to be a growing consciousness amongst industrial businesses regarding the abuse wrought on the environment, and if serious action is not taken immediately it will come back to haunt us – badly.

Burning fossil fuels such as gas, coal and oil releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Naturally, plants and trees re-absorb the carbon dioxide, however, industrial businesses are burning these fuels at such a rate that plants and trees do not have time to soak up the carbon dioxide. This results in creating large amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which ends up creating global warming. In order to challenge the amount of fossil fuels being burnt, South Africa is one of the many countries that is turning ‘going green’ by reducing carbon footprints.

It was recently announced that heavy carbon-emitting sectors will be given two years to settle their ‘carbon budgets’. This implies that sectors emitting significant amounts of carbon will be required to develop strategies that will encourage low-carbon emissions. The government also plans to form a ‘Climate Change Response Measurement and Evaluation System’ draft which will deal with carbon measurement standards, as well as reporting and verification methods.

Government plans to be involved with these carbon-emitting industries in order to help them develop carbon budgets that are cost-effective but also have sustainable effects for the economy and the sectors involved. South Africa wants to create and preserve jobs whilst making a contribution to the corporate global effort in going green. The effects of these environmental carbon budgets are long-term; it is expected that emissions will only start declining from 2036 onwards. In addition to setting carbon budgets, the National Treasury is considering implementing carbon taxes, emissions trading schemes, incentives and regulatory policy measures. Other tactics to reduce carbon emission include energy efficiency schemes, public works programmes like the ‘Working for Water’ initiative which reduces alien invasion, renewable energy projects, low-carbon transportation plans, waste management and the display of carbon capture and storage.

The United Nations will hold further talks on carbon emission limits in December in South Africa. Large investors representing more than $20 trillion in assets will be attending the talks, which will deal with setting legally enforceable carbon limits in a way that will prod the level of investment needed to keep temperatures from rising further.

“Individual nations will be in a stronger position to attract private capital to stimulate their economies by implementing clear and credible climate policies,” said Frank Pegan, chair of the Sydney-based Investor Group on Climate Change.

(This is a post by our intern Ivelina Dineva)

(Image by Mackie Drew derivative work: Lbeaumont (FlameV1.png) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)

No comments »

Posted in Carbon Emissions, Climate Control, Responsible Industry

Tags:

Top 10 ways to reduce plastic waste around the house

October 20th, 2011 by Guest Author No comments »

Plastic is a hazardous, non-biodegradable substance that threatens marine life and the environment. Most of the things we buy are packaged in plastic, which makes it hard to. Around 1, 000, 000 sea creatures are killed every year due to plastic bags and other plastic waste thrown into the ocean. In fact, there are now 46, 000 pieces of plastic per square kilometer around the world’s oceans. On top of that, it takes 450 years for just one plastic bottle to break down in the ground. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is growing ever more, so why not try and reduce this environmental catastrophe by changing your habits around the house. Here are a few ideas on how you can reduce plastic waste around the house.

1.     Use reusable bags everywhere.

Carry reusable grocery bags everywhere with you.

2.     Switch to biodegradable.

Yes, you can use an alternative to the traditional plastic rubbish bags! Replace them with biodegradable or compostable rubbish bags. These bags have a huge impact in reducing plastic in landfills.

3.     Use organic produce bags.

Replace plastic bags by using organic produce bags for fruit and vegetables. It is unhealthy to keep fruit and vegetables in plastic anyway, and organic bags are washable and keep the food fresh.

4.     Go green with your pets.

Use biodegradable pet bags and cat try liners instead of plastic.

5.     Watch what you wear.

Buy quality outdoor gear made from natural materials rather than plastic rain coats. Natural fibres also last longer, are warmer, and breathe better.

6.     Switch to organic gift wrap.

Wrap your gifts in reusable fabric bags, it looks better and it can be used over and over again without being hazardous to the environment.

7.     Wrap your sandwiches in green.

Believe or not, you don’t need to use plastic to wrap your sandwich up. You can use biodegradable sandwich bags or reusable wrappers which keep sandwiches fresh for many days.

8.     Replace the lunchbox.

Replace the traditional plastic lunchbox with material or organic lunch bags.

9.     Eat with green.

You don’t have to use plastic containers, utensils and cups for picnics or around the house. There are biodegradable alternatives, switch to natural utensils made from bagasse.

10.  Spread the word.

Talk to children, friends and family about the importance of reducing plastic waste and switching to eco-friendly products.

(This is a post by our new intern Ivelina Dineva)

(Image by Nigel Mykura [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons)

No comments »

Posted in Eco-friendly Products, Environment, Green Living, Plastic, reuse

Tags: