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5 Pieces of Evidence That the Internet Will Help Us Go Green

February 16th, 2012

As the Internet and its information infantry moves, sometimes slowly and sometimes with the flashing speed of a lightning bolt out of the blue, into a place of prominence in our everyday lives, it doesn’t take a broadband expert to realise that it is changing the way we live our lives. Whether this will help us live greener, more eco-friendly lives remains to be seen.

I believe that a world that is more educated will be a world that is greener and environmentally friendlier. And the Internet is certainly educating us about the state of our planet and what we can do to change it. Here are five additional pieces of evidence that the Internet will help us go green.

The Internet Saves on Raw Materials

Every time you buy an album, movie, song, e-book, or game online, downloading it straight to your computer instead of bringing it home on an actual physical DVD, CD, or paperback, you contribute toward saving the planet. By turning much of the top entertainment on the planet into downloadable content, the Internet has helped to save hundreds of thousands of trees and many other nonrenewable resources that would have otherwise gone into making books, CD jackets, and other hard copies.

The Internet Cuts down on Travel

The invention of video conferencing has enabled hundreds of thousands if not millions of businessmen to stay home and conduct their meetings via video. This, in turn, has saved millions of gallons of fossil fuel that hasn’t been used in the airplanes, rental cars, and even ships in which these businessmen have not needed to travel. Today, thanks to video conferencing, you don’t need to hop on a plane to conduct that important interview or business meeting, and you don’t have to rely on a phone conversation alone.

The Internet Promotes Recycling

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of major Internet businesses like Craigslist and eBay. Did you know that a huge percentage of the online sales made on these sites are of used items? Another word for the resale and reuse of an item no longer needed by one party is, that’s right, recycling. Thanks to these sites and others like them, the Internet has played a huge part in making recycling possible and even cool on a worldwide scale.

The Internet Shares Information

Thanks to the Internet, anyone interested in minimising their carbon footprint or even just cutting down on the amount of greenhouse gases they emit has access to a wealth of green tips right at their fingertips. No longer is going green a mystery. Anyone with an Internet connection has immediate access to the latest and greatest green tips, environmental forums, and how-to guides.

The Internet Can Be Green Too

If you really want to turn all of the Internet’s power on itself, be sure you are navigating with a green Internet service provider. Green Internet service providers are Internet service providers that do everything in their power to minimise their emissions levels. They may use solar or water power instead of burning regular fuel or have an extra emphasis on recycling in their company. They may even donate their proceeds to a green charity.

Conclusion

The Internet helps to cut down on raw materials used, facilitates the recycling of used items, and helps minimise travel. Best of all, the Internet is a powerful tool that can be used to educate people about how to live a greener lifestyle.

 

This is a guest article by Ruben Corbo, a writer for the website Broadband Expert where you can find internet service providers in your area and compare prices on different deals for your mobile broadband needs.

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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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How to make 2012 your greenest year yet

January 24th, 2012

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)

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Posted in Energy, Green Living, Plastic, Recycling

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How to create a low energy house

November 17th, 2011

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.

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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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Five Natural Cleaning Ingredients Found in your Home

October 4th, 2011

Most homemakers will have a favourite brand of detergent, disinfectant or dishwashing liquid that they trust above all others; and once you find a product you can rely on, chances are you’ll remain loyal to the brand for years to come. Natural cleaning methods are becoming increasingly popular, and there are plenty of organic, eco-friendly cleaning products on the market today – but when you’re pressed for time or low on funds, it’s good to know that there are several cheap and simple home cleaning solutions right under your nose! Here are a few tips on how to make your own natural cleaning products, using everyday ingredients that can be found around your house:

Baking Soda

It’s hard to believe that one of the most useful home cleaning products can be found in your kitchen next to the sugar and cake flour; but baking soda can be used for all sorts of natural cleaning treatments around the house. Baking soda is a mildly abrasive substance that can be mixed with water or lemon juice, and used to scrub surfaces or remove stains. It is also a natural deodoriser; place a cup of baking soda in your cupboard or fridge to absorb smells, or sprinkle it on your carpet before vacuuming. This is a great way of keeping carpets fresh when you don’t have time to shop for your trusted carpet cleaning solution brand.

White Vinegar

For a quick and natural cleaning fix, simply mix a solution of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant and can be used to clean most surfaces in the home. Always make sure that the vinegar is properly diluted, otherwise the cleaning solution will be too acidic for certain surfaces. You can use a natural vinegar cleaning solution in the bathroom and kitchen, cleaning your sink, toilet, bath, stove top and home appliances. You can even add half a cup to your washing and it will act as a completely natural and gentle fabric softener.

Lemons and Lemon Juice

The mild citric acid in lemon juice makes it effective as a natural bleach and deodoriser. It’s great for scrubbing dishes and shining metal surfaces. Lemon juice, or a lemon cut in half, can be used to remove tough stains like ink from fabrics.

Cornstarch 

This multipurpose natural cleaning product can be sprinkled on carpets and rugs to absorb odours before you vacuum. This will keep your home smelling clean and fresh if you don’t have the time to use your trusted carpet spot cleaners. Cornstarch is also a highly effective glass cleaner; mix a solution of warm water, vinegar and cornstarch in a spray bottle, and you’ll have a streak-free natural cleaning agent for your windows.

Tea Tree Oil

This essential oil has a seemingly endless list of uses; it has antiseptic, antiviral and antifungal properties that make it an ideal natural cleaning solution. There are plenty of homemade cleaning recipes that include tea tree oil; it can be mixed with water and sprayed on surfaces to kill germs, remove musty odours and control mold. You can also add a few drops of tea tree oil to your laundry load to leave clothes smelling great, or mix it with salt to scrub surfaces.

With these natural cleaning solutions, it’s never been easier to keep your home hygienic, fresh and beautiful!

Sally Roberts is an enthusiastic writer keen to share information and opinions with fellow writers.

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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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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)

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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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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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