Check out some of the methods of harnessing the tremendous solar energy which is mostly wasted and which has the potential of solving a majority of the above stated global problems.

• Solar water heating equipment is one of the most common and predominant usage of solar power for domestic purposes. Water can be heated normally up to 60 degrees Celsius and can hugely cut down on the electricity bills.
• Solar powered heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems commonly called HVAC systems can be deployed at residential places. Homes with modern architecture can accommodate construction with specific materials which can act as heat store. This acts as a heater when surroundings is cold and acts as a cooler when it is hot.
• Cooking using solar power is possible by solar cookers. The incident solar light energy using concentrated solar power systems is used to boil the water and thus cook the food. This is can also be used as an oven, milk heater and so on.
• Solar powered vehicles are off the beat cutting edge technology automobiles which use solar panels for trapping more and more solar energy and convert it into useful mechanical energy. There are cars, bicycles, boats and even aircrafts which are solar driven.
• Photovoltaic cells which are commonly called solar cells are devices which convert incident solar radiation into electrical energy. These cells can be instrumental in lighting and other electrical needs of residential units.
• By switching over to solar power for simple equipments which we use in our daily lives, we can not only save a great deal of money but can be a significant shift towards utilizing renewable energy sources. Solar powered calculators, emergency lamps, decorative lightings, watches and other electronic gadgets can eliminate our dependency on fossil fuels and chemical sources of energy.
• There are these and many more ways of utilizing solar energy; but all it requires is a one time investment and then reap the benefits on a long run. Another advantage of using solar powered equipment is the relative low maintenance factor. The governments of most of the countries which are signatories of the UNFCCC are unconditionally giving investment and tax benefits for installations to shift over to solar energy for power requirements.
• What more? There are facilities for your house hold equipments to generate solar power and sell the excess to the power grids of the native country at the same price which is collected from you for using it!

As individuals, if we think there is nothing much that we can do about the global problems like climate change, global warming and energy crisis; then we can’t be more wrong. To save a better and healthier tomorrow for your kids and for all the coming generations, ACT NOW – ACT FAST!

This article was contributed by Catherine Annie on behalf of http://www.environmentbasics.com.

The worst component on a sofa for not being green is the filling used to make sofa cushions. The vast majority are filled with polyurethane foam – which is a petrol-based product. So, for a start, that’s not very environmentally friendly as it’s a fossil fuel of which we only have a finite supply.

Added to this, it’s also highly flammable, so most sofa cushions are coated with flame retardants that are made with toxic chemicals. These used to be PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers), but these are gradually being phased out because of their toxicity. In Europe PBDEs have been banned since 2004, and they are also being phased out in the US.

Studies have shown that PBDEs are found in house dust and indoor air, and that the contamination is greater in homes than in the air outside. The probability is that PBDEs migrate into the household air from the furniture. In lab tests, animals exposed to PBDEs showed memory and learning deficits, and PBDEs have also been linked to thyroid defects. In short, PBDEs aren’t good news.

The trouble is that polyurethane foam is the cheapest option for sofa cushions, so when you buy cheap furniture that’s what will be inside any soft furnishings. To make a greener choice, you have to spend more, particularly with fabric sofas. A better environmental option for sofa cushions is to opt for natural latex foam filled cushions.

Natural latex is sourced from rubber trees and has the added bonus of being mould and mildew resistant, as well as repelling house dust mites, so it’s great for allergy sufferers. You will have to pay more for it though, as rubber trees are relatively scarce.

This article was contributed by Celia Roche on behalf of http://www.harveysfurniture.co.uk/

Is it possible to live as nature intended us to in some ways at least, i.e. in complete harmony with the environment – whist simultaneously moving around the planet in metal boxes?

This all depends on just how purist your theoretical natural environment position is. But it’s certainly possible to have a car with absolutely zero emissions.

All-electric cars are becoming more practicable almost by the day. Recent news in the UK that various service stations around the country will now incorporate charging stations for electric cars means that the previous 100 mile a day limit is fast becoming a thing of the past. It seems likely that a decade or so from now, there really would be no need for petrol-engined vehicles whatsoever. That’s a quite a different thing from saying it will actually happen of course.

The reality is that zero emission motoring for all is still very many years away. But let’s look on the bright side – it is coming.

Until then, hybrid cars look to be the most balanced option, particularly those of the companies which have pioneered green motoring like Honda. Now hybrids certainly aren’t completely sustainable for the purists amongst us, but they’re certainly a giant step in the right direction. The people who choose them are still making an important sacrifice in their lives; namely, money. Hybrids remain more expensive to buy than conventionally-fuelled vehicles, so the people with a green conscience who make the monetary sacrifice are to be commended.

Hopefully, it won’t be too long before the additional mpg offered by hybrids makes them a “no-brainer”. And better still, the availability, speed and cost-efficiency of electric charging will make zero emission cart the next no-brainer – albeit a little further down the road.

This article was contributed by Celia Roche on behalf of http://www.honda.co.uk

Essentially, hazardous waste is any type of material that can come to represent a threat, either to the environment or to the safety of living beings, be they humans or non-humans. They can either be flammable, reactive when in contact with other substances, corrosive or toxic when ingested.

In case you didn’t know, it’s not just chemical plants or other types of factories that are responsible for this kind of waste. Individual consumers, as well as some of the most common types of businesses, massively produce such waste - dry cleaners, car repair shops, hospitals, your local photo printing center!

Below are five of the most common ways in which you, or your local business, can do away with potentially dangerous waste.

1. Recycling

Recycling is the best and most cost-effective method for hazardous waste disposal when it comes to day-to-day items, such as lead-acid batteries or computer motherboards. Both these items are loaded with heavy metals, immensely damaging for the environment, but also ideal candidates for use in new products.

Major waste producers, such as coal-fired power plants, will also produce their fair share of dangerous waste. Fly and bottom ash can be reused as pavement filling, while, otherwise, they are highly dangerous, due to the increased level of chemicals they contain.

2. Portland Cement

This method of hazardous waste disposal essentially buries the refuse under a solid and heavy layer of cement. There are five types of such cement, classified according to strength and components. Sludge is one type of waste that can be turned into Portland cement. Prior to this type of recycling, sludge is adjusted and cured, so that the level of contaminants it contains is reduced.

3. Neutralization

Basically, neutralization is a process you learned all about while in junior high, during chemistry classes. Neutralization will actually produce hazardous waste disposal by turning a given quantity of a potentially damaging type of refuse into a completely harmless one. Examples include neutralizing a corrosive acid by using a base, or adjusting the pH of a given substance and thereby reducing its leaching activity.

4. Incineration, Destruction, Waste-to-Energy

Used oils or chemical solvents are the best candidates for turning waste into energy. They are usually burned in cement kilns. The process does away with the waste, while the gases released in the atmosphere during the actual burning constitute the energy. This particular hazardous waste disposal method has been contested as producing its own damaging effects, yet advances in modern technology have made the development of more efficient incinerators possible.

5. Landfill

Hazardous waste disposal through landfills entails isolating said waste in an area that cannot be accidentally or voluntarily accessed by human or non-human entities. It does bear risks, but such permanent disposal facilities are sometimes the only solution available for certain types of refuse.

This article was contributed by Paul Estcott on behalf of labwaste.co.uk.

If you’re going to paint any of your rooms, there are many paint suppliers who sell a great range of eco-friendly paints. There are organic paints which are non-toxic and these aren’t just limited to emulsions. You can also find gloss finish paints and wood varnishes that are a lot more environmentally-friendly than you could a few years ago.

However, there are lots of paints that still have toxins like VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in them, so make sure you take time to read the labels before making your choice.

You can also research flooring materials to make sure that the glues and varnishes used aren’t toxic to the environment in any way. Using natural fibres like seagrass and bamboo can seem like a more environmentally sound option, but it’s still worth checking that they come from sustainable sources.

When looking at pieces of furniture like sofas, check their environmental credits by asking the retailer - for example, Harveys - about their supply chain. Can they show that the fabrics used on the sofa bed you are thinking about buying have been produced in an environmentally responsible fashion? For example, were any pesticides used in the growing of the cotton, or were any toxic dyes used to produce the fabric colours? Go down to any Harveys’ sofa bed sale and see if you can find a sofa bed that suits you. Once you’ve done that, it’s time to delve a little deeper and investigate how the furniture has been produced and where the materials it is made from have been grown or sourced.

This article was contributed by Celia Roche on behalf of http://www.harveysfurniture.co.uk/.

There are some cars that are particularly ‘green’ such as electric vehicles and hybrid cars, but most modern cars have much lower emissions than similar models from just a few years ago. Partly this is because manufacturers have to make sure their products conform to tighter emissions and air quality standards set by governments around the world, but it’s also in response to customer demand.

It’s worth doing your research and comparing the emissions levels on conventional cars with more specialist green technology, such as hybrid and electric vehicles, as sometimes the difference isn’t huge. Some people find the extra initial cost of buying a hybrid off-putting, but over the lifetime of the car, you will easily recoup the difference as you will be spending much less on fuel. And in today’s difficult financial environment, manufacturers like Honda have plenty of new car offers to attract would-be green drivers.

The big advantage for the environment in choosing a hybrid is that you would be burning less fossil fuel (of which there is only a finite supply) than with a conventional car. Toyota and Honda were pioneering manufacturers in hybrid technology back in the 1990s, and now pretty much every car manufacturer has a hybrid model. Many also sell electric models, too. These have become fairly commonplace, and are becoming standard rather than exceptional vehicles.

The latest fuel seen as the fuel of the future is hydrogen, as the only emission it produces when powering a fuel-cell vehicle is water. However, it will be some time yet before hydrogen cars become a common sight – mainly because there are very few hydrogen filling stations.

This article was contributed by Celia Roche on behalf of http://www.honda.co.uk

The Problem with Pharmaceuticals

The problem is that pharmaceuticals are not ideal as a long-term solution, but since that’s all people have, it becomes just that. Nearly all of the synthetic chemicals produced in that industry have negative effects on body organs, especially the liver. Due to these effects, it is all too easy to overdose, and there are actually several hundred accidental overdoses of aspirin each year which lead to fatalities, not to mention the thousands that exist from intentional overdoses.

Natural Health by Eating Right

It is up to everyone who knows the power of natural health to spread this information, so people can learn of an alternative to what has been touted as the only choice. By eating the right things, especially nutrients that have specific pain-reducing properties, you can start to feel relief without turning to pharmaceuticals. This is especially true of chronic inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis. These diseases happen because the body’s inflammatory-antiinflammatory response is malfunctioning, and often the root cause of this is something in the diet. Even when it is not, changing the diet to incorporate healing foods is a much better way to deal with pain.

The best part about this solution is that it makes you stronger over time, not weaker. Constantly taking pharmaceuticals puts a huge toll on the body that can shorten your lifespan and detract from your quality of life. Considering the unimaginable significance and importance of each moment of life, you should take every action possible to make your life the best it can be, and that means eating the right things.

Healing Foods

Foods rich in antioxidants are great for reducing inflammation, and that includes nearly every fruit and vegetable out there. Choose the fruits/vegetables that are richest in nutrients, such as pomegranates and alfalfa sprouts.

You also need to make sure you are getting a high-quality, total source of macronutrients, including carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Carbs can be covered with sprouted bread, the highest quality bread available, whereas essential fatty acids and protein can be supplied by hemp seed. Hemp seed in itself has anti-inflammatory properties and is perhaps the greatest healing seed on Earth. Incorporate all of this together, and you have a recipe for a life of pain-free, high-quality living.

This article was contributed by Justin Kander who would like to let you know about Versativa Inspirin.

If you want to experience the revolutionary healing effects of natural foods immediately, then Inspirin is the solution for you. The product is a delicious combination of hemp seed, concentrated marine phytoplankton, whole fruits, and other carefully-chosen extracts. The effects range from helping with simple prolems like headaches stemming from stress, to immediately reducing the pain of serious diseases like fibromyalgia and cancer, as seen in these emotional testimonials. To try Inspirin, visit the Versativa Inspirin page, click “Get Started Now”, and follow the simple steps to become a preferred customer.

You can also contact Justin Kander at thehempsolution@gmail.com for more information or if you have absolutely any questions.

The heat and strength of the suns rays can be easily converted to solar energy, which can power homes and industries. The rays are caught by the solar panels that are usually placed on the roof of your building. They are fed into an inverter, which converts them to energy of the right voltage for use.

Your Own Power Generator

Every time the sun shines, solar panels are creating energy - often more than your household can use. Even on a cloudy day your solar panels are still generating power. If you are connected to a grid, (which you will be unless you are in a remote area) the excess power can be sold back to the power company. Just imagine your energy company paying you rather than billing! It is like having your own power generator sitting on your property.

During the night or in periods when there is no sunlight consumers can buy their power back again and be comfortable knowing that it is clean and renewable energy.

Solar energy can power all your appliances, your lighting and even your hot water service.

The Cost Factor

While the initial investment can be expensive, consumers save money in the long term by generating their own energy. The actual equipment has no moving parts so it will last for a very long time with no wear and tear or replacement costs. Adding solar panels to a home can sometimes increase its value in the market, too, as buyers see the benefits in reduced power bills.

Solar power is reliable and continually available. It does not harm the planet and it is easy to generate. It can power small buildings and large communities. It is affordable and even has the capacity to generate an income for you.

When you are looking for energy solutions, look up. The answer is waiting for you in the sky!

This article was contributed by Rick from comparegasandelectricity.com. Compare gas and electricity suppliers and find energy companies providing green solutions. This saves money and supplies financing to the gas and electricity providers that are moving towards alternative energy.

Many homeowners decorate their homes with vases, candles, and pictures. The first tip homeowners need to do, is to add live plants throughout their home. People place large plants around the house, and then have several potted plants inside their home. Another way to incorporate live plants in the house is to grow aloe and herbs in the kitchen. Buy plants from local gardeners, to reduce the carbon footprint of shipping exotic plants to the home.

Homeowners who have Eco-friendly houses with feng shui allow natural sunlight to come through their windows. This increases the energy throughout the home, and the light will flow through the house. This is a great way to reduce energy costs, since the lights will not be on as often.

Another tip to keep in mind when building an Eco-friendly house is to remove furniture and other items that you do not like. This will hurt the positive energy flow throughout the house when there are items that people do not like. People who have an ugly couch or table should recycle them, or donate them to local charities. This will help keep items out of landfills, and helping the community at the same time. Bamboo furniture is environmentally friendly, and lasts a long time.

Another way to build an Eco-friendly house with feng shui is to reduce the amount of electronics throughout the house. People should get rid of the television in their bedrooms, and only have one in the living room. This will create a peaceful atmosphere when people are getting ready for bed.

Having electronics plugged into the outlet will keep a positive energy flow through to the electronics. People who are not using televisions, computers, coffee makers, and other items should unplug them when not in use. This will reduce homeowners’ utility bills, and save the fossil fuels in the environment.

When building a new home, it is important to get rid of everything that you have not used in a year or more. This will help create a positive energy flow throughout the home on moving day. People who want to remodel their current homes should host a yard sale to get rid of items that is disrupting the feng shui throughout the house. The items stay out of the landfills, and the money helps to buy sustainable and environmentally friendly furniture
for the house.

This post was contributed by Michael Schnippering. Michael is the founder of Feng Shui at Work. He is committed to the true art and science of Feng Shui. Over the years his Feng Shui practice has taken him to various parts of the United States, Germany, France, Spain, Colombia and Argentina. If you’d like to learn more about Feng Shui, read Michael’ blog and follow him on Twitter @fengshuiatwork

When you look at the big picture, the ten most threatened animal species doesn’t even begin to cover it as there are hundreds of species at risk for extinction. However, I have chosen to focus on a few well-known species that are at risk due to human involvement in their habitats and environments.

10. Polar Bear

Photo Credit: longhorndave

While the population of Polar Bears (60% of which are in Canada) exists at around 20,000-25,000, they are perhaps one of the most threatened species on our list due to climate change and global warming. One of the major threats is the melting of the polar ice caps, which is causing polar bear cubs to have to swim farther distances with their mothers, many of whom die.

9. Giant Panda

Photo Credit: donjd2

The Giant Panda has been a staple among endangered species lists for years now. While they are still in existence, many outside factors threaten them. The largest is that while there are 2,500 mature animals in the wild, most of their population is fragmented across China living in much smaller groups. This creates lack of genetic diversity and can cause premature death, which will continue to deplete the species. Luckily, the Chinese government has established over “50 panda reserves, protecting more than 2.5 million acres - over 45 percent of remaining giant panda habitat – protecting more than 60 percent of the population”.²

8. Leatherback Turtle

Photo Credit: USFWS/Southeast

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), “as few as 2,300 adult females now remain, making the Pacific leatherback the world’s most endangered marine turtle population”.³. The population is at risk due to many adults being accidentally killed by fishing fleets. In addition, they are subject to pollution and climate change as well as egg harvesting.

7. Mountain Gorilla

Photo Credit: Sara & Joachim

While the population of Mountain Gorilla’s is currently on the upswing, having increased by 26% with a new population of 786⁴, they are still considered a threatened species. They are at risk of losing their habitats to continued deforestation and pollution and are often still poached. Another and lesser-known threat is disease. As Mountain Gorillas are so closely related to humans and are in areas where many tourists visit to see them, they are often unknowingly exposed to various “human ailments and can even die from the common cold”. ⁵

6. Mediterranean Monk Seal

Photo Credit: flickkerphotos

There are approximately only 600 of these seals in existence. As it stands, “the species is the world’s most endangered seal and one of the most endangered marine mammals”.⁶ They are in danger from various circumstances such as hunting, heavy ship traffic, fishing nets and pollution. According to another article, the survival rate of pups of the Mediterranean Monk Seal is very low. In fact, “the pup survival rate is very low with just 50% chances of an individual’s survival”.⁷ When it comes to the cold season from September to January, only 29% of pups survive. For the rest of the year, “their survival rate is 71%”.⁸

5. Siberian Tiger

Photo Credit: Daisyree Bakker

According to a recent study, population of the Siberian tiger is “down to just 14 animals, scientists report in the journal Mammalian Biology”.⁹ There are approximately 500 Siberian Tigers in existence, but their genetic diversity is depleting, which puts the effective population much lower. Not only this but the constant deforestation of their habitats is also shrinking their population. The WWF believes that if no action is taken, tigers (not just Siberian) will be extinct within the next twelve years.¹⁰

4. Philippine Eagle

Photo Credit: www.siargao-paradise.com

While not on many typical threatened species list, the Philippine Eagle certainly deserves to be there. It is approximated that “there are only from 180 to 500 Philippine eagles in nature”. Despite the secondary effects of deforestation, the demise of this beautiful bird is coming directly from human hands. These eagles are often poached, hunted or their eggs collected to sell to zoos and bird collectors. Farmers even hunt them for food or for fun. Due to the fact it takes these birds from 5-7 years to become sexually mature, they are simply not recovering at the rate they are being destroyed.

3. Red Wolf

Photo Credit: LaggedOnUser

According to the Red Wolf Recovery Program, “today 100-120 red wolves call northeastern North Carolina home” ¹¹, which is their only wild population. In 1980, the red wolf population declined to only 17 animals due to deforestation and was declared extinct by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. While the population still exists, they are continuing to be threatened by deforestation. In addition, red wolves are still often hunted as they are considered pests to farmers.

2. Javan Rhinoceros

Photo Credit: http://library.thinkquest.org/26993/animals.htm

The Javan Rhino resides in Western Indonesia and “with no more than 60 left in the wild and none in captivity” is considered to be the rarest large mammal on the planet. The main reason for this species almost being wiped off the Earth is that they have been widely poached since colonial times. Additionally, they are, like many other species on this list, losing their environment to deforestation and agricultural plots. Another concern, similar to the Amur Leopard and Siberian Tigers, is that due to the small population, the Javan Rhinoceros is now also lacking in genetic diversity, which is key to survival.

1. Amur Leopard

Photo Credit: Arran Edmonstone Photography

The Amur Leopard recovered from having population of less than 40 individuals around the 1950’s. However, today, the population is again at risk. Today, the wild population of Amur Leopards is “estimated at less than 50 individuals”.¹² Some of the main threats to the Amur Leopard that worry conversationalists are habitat loss due to deforestation and development, prey scarcity and poaching or illegal trade for the fur. Additionally, another threat to this species is the fact that they have declined to such a small population, which not only reduces their genetic diversity, but also makes them at risk for disease.

Though the list of threatened species across the planet is much larger than ten, what we can do to help protect their existence fits every species. The first is to become aware of what wildlife lives in your area. Though they may not be as exotic as the leopard or Giant Panda, they still deserve your attention. Once we become aware, we can start to make change such as supporting legislation to build nature reserves or protect wildlife from poaching. Other things we as individuals and as a society can take part in, is to be mindful of the environment and focus on sustainable living. This will help us to protect the environment as it is today and for future generations.

¹ http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/310775
² http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/giantpanda/panda.html
³ http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/marine_turtles/leatherback_turtle/
⁴ http://articles.cnn.com/2011-01-07/world/africa.gorilla.population_1_mountain-gorilla-population-world-population-species?_s=PM:WORLD
⁵ http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/mountaingorilla/threats.html
⁶ http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9416000/9416895.stm
⁷ http://thewebsiteofeverything.com/animals/mammals/Carnivora/Phocidae/Monachus/Monachus-monachus.html
⁸ http://thewebsiteofeverything.com/animals/mammals/Carnivora/Phocidae/Monachus/Monachus-monachus.html
⁹ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/07/siberian-tiger-population_n_829348.html
¹⁰ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/07/siberian-tiger-population_n_829348.html
¹¹ http://www.fws.gov/redwolf/
¹² http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/amur_leopard2/

This article was contributed by Amy Lizee from Environment911.org.

Environment911.org is an interactive website for individuals to come and discuss the environment from green business to natural disasters. We feel it is important for people to come together and share their thoughts, ideas and visions for the future.