Natural Environment Blog

When you decide to decorate your home, make sure that you don’t slip up and buy any products that are not planet-friendly. It’s easy to avoid this - all you need to do is spend a bit more time researching the products before you buy.

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/.

In light of the growing threat of global warming and other environmental catastrophes, the need for new green technology that will contribute in saving the environment likewise rises.

Green technology refers to the continuously developing system of research, methods, theories, products, and practices that all lead towards safeguarding the earth’s natural environment. It also includes the promotion of sustainability of natural resources, reduction of waste and pollution, and development of green alternatives in modern technology.

This year, 2011, new green technology has surfaced. These breakthroughs are considerably major steps in saving the environment. Below are the top five green technology breakthroughs in the last six months of 2011:

1. GE Refrigerators Going Green

General Electric has recently announced that it is now using gas which significantly reduces the emission of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gas, which is the trapped heat in the earth’s atmosphere, is one of the most common factors that affect climate change. Examples of greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide, methane, and ozone.

Industrial processes involved in the manufacture of modern machinery likewise result to GHG or greenhouse gases—examples of which are sulfur hexaflouride, perfluorocarbons, and hydrofluorocarbons. In order to reduce the emission of these gases, General Electric is conducting research and development and their latest breakthrough in refrigerators this year is proof of their success in the said field.

The company will switch to the new gas in its procedure of pouring in foam installation to its fridges. Dubbed as “atmosphere-friendly gas,” this latest initiative from GE paves the way for about 99 percent of greenhouse gas emission reduction. This innovation is part of GE’s Ecomagination system, a company initiative which was launched in support of green technology.

2. Mini Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Hydrogen Fuel Cells are electrochemical energy converters. The fuel cell converts hydrogen and oxygen into water and during this process of conversion, electricity is produced. These fuel cells are, in a way, working like batteries. The difference is that the chemicals contained in a battery eventually dies and cannot be replenished. In a hydrogen fuel cell, hydrogen and oxygen is continually supplied so it then becomes a very practical and useful power generator.

This year, the company Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies is making it possible for people to have their hand-held mobile devices powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Through the product called “MiniPak” (which is a non-toxic and recyclable pocket-sized personal power generator), your smaller techie gadgets can now be powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The MiniPak costs $99 dollars for now but it is expected to have a price drop to $29 in the future.

3. Solar Power Technology

There are a number of new green technology breakthroughs in the field of solar power technology this year. Leading the list is an educational initiative launched by California manufacturer OWI, In.c, which has recently produced educational toys which are also solar-powered. These toys are meant to educate children as to why renewable energy is important as well as how battery-free toys can help in saving the environment.

Another innovation in solar power technology is the solar charger from Solar Tech USA. The charger is meant primarily for Apple iPhones. Phone chargers can now be redefined as eco-friendly with the trend to be set by these solar-powered chargers of mobile handsets.

4. Energy Waste Reduction

Desktops and laptops as well as the mini-laptops or notebooks are known to waste energy. Thus, there has been a challenge to reduce this energy wastage.

Just recently, Tricklestar launched an external hardware accessory that responds to this challenge. The gadget can minimize energy consumption when you connect it to your personal computer with the standard USB plugs.

5. Travel Accessories

Another outstanding breakthrough in green technology is the development of travel accessories which are eco-friendly.

Among these products are the lightweight solar bags and backpacks. These nifty travel items were developed by Konarka Technologies. It is also worth noting that apart from its usage of Power Plastic (which can charge small electronic gadgets), these items are also durable. Being lightweight, these environment-friendly luggage and briefcases can be lightweight—you get to travel hassle and stress free whilst contributing to the safeguarding of mother nature.

These are only five of the many, ongoing developments in green technology. Halfway through the year, various companies which have pledged a corporate social responsibility program continue their efforts in researching and developing better methods and more efficient products that will benefit both mankind and our environment.

This post was contributed by Amy Lizee of Environment911.org.

My local news station just reported on the Going Green website, which aims to help local business go green. Not only that, but it also shows these businesses how to become more profitable by going green.

From the website itself:

The Going Green: learn, do and save workshop series have been produced for small to medium sized businesses to help them increase their profitability by “greening” their operations.

and…

These workshops will equip SME’s throughout North Queensland and the Northern Territory with the knowledge and skills to allow them to employ “Green” business practices in energy, water and waste and to improve their business’s profitability and environmental impact. The program also involves training for our participants in easy-to-understand methods of how to implement and utilise these practices in their business.

I think the great thing about these workshops is that they provide an incentive to business owners - to increase profits. Even if a business owner isn’t interested in helping the environment, he/she’s bound to be interested in making more money!

Given this initiative is limited to my local region (North Queensland and the Northern Territory of Australia) I’d be interested to find out how many other similar programs are being run around the world.

Are you aware of any similar programs in your local region?