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iPhone Apps to Help You Be Green

February 14th, 2012

Saving the planet can be affordable and easy with great mobile broadband deals and a few nifty and green iPhone apps to point you down the right road. Although some iPhone apps marketed as “green” are certainly nothing more than poor excuses promoted by trend-conscious marketers, others can really help you lead a greener life. Here are eight great iPhone apps to help you be green.

Go Green

Like the majority of green iPhone apps, Go Green is free. Go Green contains a treasure trove of tips to help you stay green. Tips are displayed every time you click on its icon. Open your mind open and think out of the box in a way that is both modern and green with Go Green.

Green Tips

Like Go Green, Green Tips is a free app that provides tips about keeping green every time you click on its icon. This app distinguishes itself from the others by allowing you to cycle through as many of its treasures as you like by simply pressing the refresh button. You can also email your favorites to any of your contacts in order to help them stay green too.

The Green Lemur

This green encyclopedia is chock full of ideas, tips, and tricks on how to lead a greener life. The Green Lemur comes with a search function to help find that tip you were sure you saw last time, a category browser to help you find specific tips for specific occasions, and a favorites menu where you can catalogue all the ideas that stood out to you the most.

MeterRead

Get a jump on your electric bill by using this app to take note of the reading on your electricity meter as often as you please. For only $2.99, MeterRead can not only closely predict your monthly electrical consumption but also the amount of your next bill. Use this knowledge to beat the house and become more efficient.

GreenMeter

This app uses your iPhone’s built-in accelerometer to analyse your driving habits and calculate a number of handy figures in real time. One of the best is the real time miles per gallon calculator that can tell you exactly what mileage you’re getting with your current driving style.

Shopgreen

If you’ve always wanted a monetary incentive to live a greener life, shopgreen may have the answer for you. When you begin, shopgreen puts you through a small interrogation to determine how green your lifestyle is. It then uses your answers to calculate the amount of CO2 your environmentally-friendly choices are saving. This final number determines the type of discounts you can get when shopping with any local store that participates in its programme.

3RdWhale

3rdWhale will help you locate all the greenest businesses in your area, whether within driving, biking, or walking distance.

Yowza!

Another location-aware green app, Yowza! not only finds green businesses in your area, it also tells you if any coupons are available for those businesses. If there are, those coupons can be scanned right from your iPhone’s screen to help you avoid wasting paper. Of course, both Yowza! and 3rdWhale won’t work without the help of great mobile broadband deals to keep you connected to the Internet from wherever you are.

Although some of these apps seem a more useful than others, each can help you in its own way to become a more environmentally-friendly person who drives, shops, and lives in a more environmentally-conscious manner.

 (guest post)

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Posted in Eco-friendly Products, Environment, Green Living

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Why we need to change

January 27th, 2012

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)

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

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Destroying Canada one barrel of oil at a time

January 26th, 2012

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)

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Posted in Climate Control, Environment, Environmental Damage

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5 steps to greening your job

December 21st, 2011

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)

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Posted in Climate Control, Environment, Recycling, Responsible Industry

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Top 10 ways to reduce plastic waste around the house

October 20th, 2011

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)

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

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Greenpop’s Revolutionary Treevolution

October 3rd, 2011

Are you worried that deforestation is destroying 130,000 sq km of the world’s forests every year? Then getting involved in Greenpop’s ‘Treevolution’ will probably put your conscience at ease.

Greenpop is a South African based initiative which aims to plant indigenous as well as fruit trees in under-greened schools, crèches, and community centres. In only eleven months they have managed to plant almost 7000 trees in under-greened schools in Cape Town. Getting involved in this project is easy, simply gift a tree for R75 and they will plant it for you, or even better, you can volunteer to help them plant the trees by simply adding your email address to the volunteers subscription space on their main page.

The Greenpop team consists of three full-time individuals, six part-time individuals and, of course, the volunteers. Misha Teasdale, Lauren O’Donnell, and Jeremy Hewitt are all dedicated to spreading green awareness and expanding the Treevolution. They run many tree planting projects for corporate companies who are interested in getting their corporate teams involved, as well as for passionate individuals who are interested in creating a greener and more sustainable future for South Africa.  By getting involved you will not only have fun creating a more beautiful environment, but you will also plant fruit trees which will feed children in the future.

Greenpop’s most recent venture, the ‘Day of 1000 Trees’, saw community members and volunteers planting 1000 trees in one day to celebrate Heritage Day on the 24th of September. Not only that, but one lucky tree sponsor also won a two-night stay at Umlani Bush Camp in the Timbavati Nature Reserve.

The biggest and most exciting project yet to take place is Trees for Zambia. This exciting venture will proceed in July 2012 when 5000 or more indigenous and fruit trees will be planted in three weeks within the Victoria Falls World Heritage site, a Lion rehabilitation area, Chief Makuni’s village, and in community schools around Livingstone. Volunteers from around the world, key environmental speakers and teachers will be involved in this exciting project. Apart from planting trees four days a week, there will also be stimulating discussions on challenging issues such as climate change, deforestation and sustainability, as well as workshops on forest ecology and seed harvesting. However, on weekends volunteers will be free to enjoy Zambia’s breathtaking natural surroundings.

If you think you would like to learn, share and be involved in this adventurous Zambian expedition then contact Greenpop on zambia@greenpop.org for more information and bookings. Otherwise, subscribe to their volunteering list and add to South Africa’s beautiful and diverse environment NOW!

This is a post by our new intern Ivelina Dineva.

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Posted in Conservation, Environment, Green Living

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Green Initiatives at School Campuses

October 3rd, 2011

Everywhere you turn, it seems like someone is starting to go “green.” Thankfully, our world is becoming a place of eco-minded, responsible citizens who truly desire to preserve our precious planet. But it’s not just individuals who are making strides in the green arena; it is hospitals, malls and even schools! There has been a huge influx of universities debuting green initiatives on campus, causing naturalists, preservationists and ecologically-minded people to rejoice.

 

Green Higher Learning

 

Major universities are leading the green charge by doing their part in reducing the carbon footprint by making distance learning more accessible while maintaining educational standards. They are able to accomplish that arduous task by offering education programs online that allow students to earn their degrees 100% online or at least part of it online. Online programs enable students to “attend class” from anywhere in the world where they have access to the internet. This convenient educational model cuts out the need to drive anywhere, which, in turn, cuts down on fuel emissions and the creation of harmful, toxic gases and materials. Not to mention the reduced need to further develop land to expand campuses to further accommodate more students. In addition, most students absolutely love the flexible schedule and reduced costs that are associated with online programs.

 

Green Ivory Towers

 

In addition to online programs, some universities have transformed their buildings into certified green buildings. These “green-ified” buildings feature the use of clean energy, energy-efficient lighting and solar panels. If you think about the amount of electricity and fuel used each day to run these buildings, the reduction in environmental impact, and cost savings, can be monumental. If every university could subscribe to these practices, the environment would be well on its way to improving.

 

Teach Them While They’re Young

 

Not surprisingly, colleges aren’t the only education institutions that are making positive changes in the race to help the environment. Many schools are starting to incorporate “green learning” into programs for elementary schools and through high school. These unique schools have dedicated themselves to weaving green ideas into the learning material, while combining the lessons with community services programs that aim to instill practical environmentally positive values in the students. The dual approach results in a well-rounded experience that primes students for a life-long commitment to remain green-conscious.

 

While the struggle to make our society more environmentally friendly seems to be an uphill battle, universities often produce the thought-leaders and game changers that our world needs. If our higher education system sets the right examples for its students they will go forth into the world with a sense of responsibility to help further the development of a greener culture.

 

(This is a guest post)

(Image by ljleavell, stock.xchng)

 

 

 

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Posted in Environment, Green Living, Raising Awareness, Responsible Industry

Wonderful Worm Juice

October 3rd, 2011

A huge part of living a green life is planting trees in order to restore the natural balance in the atmosphere. But let’s face it, some of us are just not blessed with the greenest of fingers, and the entire world of gardening can be a daunting one. The process seems simple enough – dig a hole for the plant, insert the plant, cover the plant with soil, add water and sunlight and hey presto you have a thriving, healthy plant. Then how come it doesn’t work?

Obviously water and sunlight are a major factor, and you need to ask the experts at your local nursery about how much each separate plant sort needs of each of these precious commodities. But let’s really get to root of the problem … let’s get down and dirty and talk about soil. And hopefully, after I exhaust my repertoire of puns, you will have a better idea on how to save the planet by growing great plants.

Plants take their nutrition through their roots, which suck in the necessary minerals from the soil around them. If you like, the roots are constantly immersed in an all you can eat buffet, constantly feeding the plant itself. The issue is that the soil does not always have sufficient minerals to satisfy the plant’s needs, and so it dies. There are a number of products available on the market that can boost the nutritional quality of your soil, which should increase the lifespan of your plants, but these are often expensive. And they are generally transported from location to location by truck, which means that getting the nutrients from their source to your soil results in massive carbon emissions.

Luckily, nature has already provided us with a solution, and it comes from worms. Worms break down all the organic matter in your garden, and release very rich nutritional by products. Most gardeners testify to the awesome growing power of these worm by-products, and even harvest them. All you need to do is make some worm juice.

This is really easy to do at home. Simply by a large plastic container, and insert a tap at the bottom. Add soil, garden refuse, and organic waste from your kitchen. Then throw in the earthworms, and place the container somewhere warm. Seal the container. The humidity in the container will lead to a certain amount of moisture within the container, which filters down to the bottom of the container, picking up worm nutrients as it goes. When you open the tap, you will drain rocket fuel for your plants. This juice can be added to water and used around the garden or sprayed directly on plants.

Happy green growing!

This guest post was written by Victoria. She is a freelance writer that has grown fond of the hypothyroidism diet.

(Image by Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez (Lmbuga Commons)(Lmbuga Galipedia)  Publicada por/Publish by: Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez (Own work) [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons)

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Posted in Environment, Green Living

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Green Politics

October 3rd, 2011

The need to introduce a green revolution is more pressing than ever, and while the world’s powers discuss resolutions every day, nothing really happens. The citizens of each country need to make their voice heard, and start a fire beneath their elected officials so that some real change will start happening. But how do you go about this? Below are a few quick tips for getting militant about environmental reform.

Firstly, use social media. We are all aware of the huge potential that social networking sites have, so let’s use them to show our governments that we are not happy with what’s going on. In Australia, certain taxation laws were relaxed due to a mass online petition. Why not start a group that adds weight to your nation’s voice. Start a Facebook group and petition your government so that they change the laws of your country, for big business in particular, so that change can happen.

Secondly, organize a march. If you live in a country that allows free expression, why not schedule a protest march against the way your country is contributing to climate change. Politicians respond to action, so take a stance. Many mid-level politicians are excited about kick-starting environmental reform, and your voice will add weight to their perspectives so that by the time they reach larger platforms they will be speaking for you.

Finally, don’t take no for an answer. For economic and political reasons, far too many politicians turn a blind eye to the current global crisis. You cannot let this complacency last, otherwise the world simply won’t survive. Write letters to government, start a blog, spread the message online and persist.  You need to start change in your area. Come election time, take a party’s green policy into reform. This is a major facet of current political campaigns, so judge your politicians harshly thereon.  It all starts with you making yourself heard.

Government is designed to represent the people of a nation, and they are there to work for you. But they can’t help you if you don’t let them know. The responsibility to change starts with you. Climb up the ladder and get serious about change. Tell your friends, rope in your colleagues, irritate local government, vote green, and take your message global with the internet so that the next generation will have an environment that they can actually live in.

This guest post is written by Victoria. She is a freelance writer who has written on various niches ranging from prom dresses to green living.

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Posted in Environment, Green Living

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Home Composting 101

September 29th, 2011

This is a guest post by Liz Childers.

 

On an individual level, sustainable living is, perhaps, the most easily addressed part of “being green.” This is because taking little steps to reduce your own waste and environmental impact can be both easy and good on your wallet. Composting is an incredible way to live more sustainably on many levels. It’s also much simpler to get started than you may think.

 

What is composting?

Composting is recycling organic matter into nutrient-rich soil. For the average person, this means turning the eggshells from your breakfast omelet, the tea bag from your afternoon cup of caffeine, and yesterday’s newspaper into soil for your garden. With a compost bin, you accelerate nature’s regular process of decomposition and return nutrients to the ground.

 

How does it work?

Think of composting as a recycling of organic materials. If air is present, microorganisms undergo aerobic respiration. This produces carbon dioxide and heat. Through this process, microorganisms break down organic matter into humus that contains carbon, fiber, nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. When contained in the small confines of a composting bin, this process is controlled and accelerated giving you rich soil to put in your garden.

 

What goes in the compost bin?

It’s easier to look at what should not go in a compost bin that what can. Things that could attract rodents or will not decompose shouldn’t go in the bin. So, keep out bones, meat scraps, and dairy products. Otherwise, much of your household waste can decompose. This ranges from shredded bills and drier lint to pizza crusts.

 

How does it help you?

Composting produces very fertile humus. This product is the perfect fertilizer for your garden or yard. Humus also acts as a natural pesticide. Therefore, using compost saves you money by eliminating the need to buy soil, fertilizer, or pesticides from a gardening store. You will also save the gas and time required to get to and from the store.

 

How does it help the environment?

Once you start composting, take a look at how much of your waste is going in the compost bin. Imagine if everyone was taking this huge percentage of their waste and composting it instead of leaving it to landfills. This would cut down on greenhouse gases and water pollution. On a more personal level, by using natural fertilizer and pesticides, you eliminate the chemicals that come with many store-bought versions; this means a healthier home garden and environment for you and your family.

 

Liz Childers is a freelancer who writes about pocketknives for Knife Depot and bird feeders for Backyard Chirper.

 

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

 

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Posted in DIY, Environment, Garden

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