Green Living Earth

Conserving energy in your home not only reduces pollution but also decreases your cost of living. You can save our natural resources from further depletion by consuming less energy at your home. Even a small change in your household can help our environment to a significant extent.

Energy-efficient homes are truly the need of the hour. Saving energy at home does not require a great effort from you; it can be done by simply minimizing the use of exhaustible sources of energy like fuel, electricity, water, gas, and oil. Most of the energy-efficient methods reduce the release of carbon dioxide, which is the major pollutant leading to global warming.

Here are some easy but effective ways to save energy at your home:

•Most of us often forget to turn off the lights and other electrical appliances at home when not in use. Turning off the appliances saves a lot of energy. Also remember to unplug them.

•Make use of fluorescent lights that glow brightly and also consume less electricity than incandescent bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs save 260 pounds of CO2 per year, so with no further delay, replace the incandescent bulbs in your home with fluorescent bulbs.

•Try to avoid using electric lights during day time, instead invite sunlight inside your home through the windows.

•Insulating your home can prevent the transfer of energy, thus keeping you warm in winter and cool in summer. Through this way, you can reduce the energy consumed by the air-conditioner at home, and you will surely be surprised to see your electricity bill much lower than ever before!

•Avoid using more water than required. Remember to close all valves and check for any leakage.

In addition to saving energy in these ways, you can also use alternative sources of energy like solar power, wind power, and geothermal energy. If you wish to do something for our environment, then start conserving energy at home right now. Let your energy-efficient home be your first step in saving our mother earth!

Pollution is the major problem for all the inhabitants of the world. Industrial revolution happened in the world without the vision of its environmental impact and it led to air, water, and land pollution. Oil when mixed with water can cause severe effects and it is one of the worst polluting agents, which can destroy the eco-system in both costal land and water. Source of oil pollutants include:

1) Used Engine-Oil runoff to rivers and oceans
2) Maintenance of ships and boats
3) Natural seepage from oil beds
4) Leakage during Oil-wells drilling
5) Big Spill disaster from ships and petrol carriers

As per the 1995 statistics, per year 2,607 Million tons of Oil had released into the environment. This data had not included oil-spills from India and China. Oil spills from BP Oil-well in the Gulf of Mexico is one of the worst spill in the recent times. Other disasters such as Exxon Valdez oil spill, Gulf War Oil spill, Kuwait Oil fires are some of the other oil spills, which had devastating effect on the environment. Mentioned below are some of the dangerous effects of oil spill:

 Oil Spill has major effect on the marine and costal ecosystem and their inhabitants.
 Oil deposits on feather of birds and fur of seal pups leads to poor insulation and hypothermia that causes death.
 Birds trapped in the oil spill cannot fly faster. Hence, they become prey to their predators.
 Petrol and crude oil are rich in heavy metals, so that predators accumulate them in their body once they prey on those oil-deposited animals.
 Liver and Gastro-intestinal tract of fishes can be damaged severely by the oil spill.
 Oil spills and oil fumes can cause serious poisoning and inflammation on all animals in the environment.

Cleaning of Oil spill is a tricky and expensive job. Due to the advancement in technology, micro-organisms and safe chemicals are used in the cleaning process, but the best way to do deal with oil pollution is to reduce the use of fossil fuels and to enhance green technologies.

The increasing level of global temperature has become an alarming issue these days. The main cause for global warming is the emission of green house gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. Many of us do not take global warming as a serious alert and think that it does not make a great impact on our day-to-day life. But, this could actually result in some major environmental changes and natural disasters. So, it is high time to find a better way to fight against the global warming. One of the ways to keep our planet safe and green is to use solar energy in your homes, which is certainly a great idea!

The benefits of using solar energy are numerous. One of the biggest advantages of using solar energy is that absorbs power from the sun. Thus, it causes no negative impacts on the ecosystem and remains environmental-friendly. Unlike other energy resources, solar energy is 100% renewable and can be a complete resource that meets all your energy needs. Nowadays, many awareness campaigns about global climate changes are being conducted in various parts of the world. As a result, people have started realizing the importance of solar power energy.

Apart from its enormous contributions towards a healthy greener earth, solar energy is a cost-effective resource of energy, which can be a great alternative for fossil fuels. Solar plants for home require less maintenance yet provide you a lot of financial benefits as well. This clearly tells us that solar power energy is going to be an effective resource of energy in the future as the cost of electricity is rising in every country. So what are you waiting for? Take great advantages of solar energy through solar products and be a good citizen of earth!

Many of us often hear the term ‘seawater desalination’ and wonder what it is all about. Well, it is a scientific process that removes salt and other minerals from seawater to produce dirt-free fresh water. It typically involves four different methods – Reverse Osmosis (RO), Multi-stage Flash (MSF), Vapour Compression (VO), and Multi-effective Distillation (MED). The ever-increasing water needs is becoming a major issue for many countries across the globe. As global warming continues to be on the rise, there have been a lot of unexpected environmental changes in the recent past. This has eventually resulted in low rainfall in several parts of the world. In order to fulfil their country’s water needs, a lot of governments including India, Australia, and China have decided to implement the seawater desalination plan as an alternate way to produce fresh water for domestic and industrial purposes.

The advantages of using seawater desalination technology are numerous. One of the major benefits of desalination is that it produces a huge amount of high-quality water without actually causing much impact on the environment. Another notable advantage of implementing seawater desalination is its supply reliability. It is a well-organized, manmade process that is not affected by any climatic change. Thus, it remains climate-proof and can produce clean water in any condition. Currently, the idea of commercializing seawater desalination has sprung up in many countries, since the cost of developing desalination plants has been reduced due to the rapid advancement of new technologies. In a money-spinning perspective, seawater desalination plays an important role in the economic development of a country by providing a solution to its industrial water requirements. Without any doubt, seawater desalination is certainly going to be a reliable solution in the future for the water crisis faced by many arid areas of the earth.

We all know that the ozone layer works as a shield, protecting the earth from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. But, how many of us are aware that the protective layer of stratospheric ozone has drastically weakened in the recent decades? This has resulted in a big hole in the ozone shield. The increasing level of ozone depletion is becoming a global concern these days. A recent study says that the hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica has widened about 9 million square miles, which is almost the size of North America.

Many scientists believe that emission of manmade compounds such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), methyl bromide, halons, methyl chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride into the atmosphere is the main cause of ozone layer depletion. A lot of research in the recent past clearly tells us that the emission of chlorofluorocarbons from many different industries causes a negative impact on the ozone layer. Governments across the world have started taking preventive measures to cut down the usage of CFCs. Many developed countries including the United States have already imposed a ban on using CFCs in industries. However, scientists estimate that it will take at least another five decades for the ozone layer to reach its original level. The alarming increase in ozone depletion can lead to harmful consequences like skin cancer, destabilized immune system, eye cataracts, and possible threats to crops. You might wonder how can we contribute our part to save the ozone layer. Well, here are a few points:

•Avoid using foam plastic insulation in your home.

•Use an energy-efficient refrigerator that contains minimal amount of CFCs.

•Maintain your car’s air conditioner well to avoid leakage of CFCs into the air.

•Create awareness among your friends and family members about the depletion of ozone and its catastrophic effects.

Protecting our earth is vital for our survival. Let us strive to make our planet greener by using ozone-friendly products.

The deep oceans are always considered to be mysterious, far away from the reach of humans. Coral Reefs form an integral part of the deep blue oceans, taking up about 0.2% of the body of water. They are not only extremely beautiful but also act as a shelter for tiny fishes and other invertebrates that live in the ocean. They also help in building an essential habitat for the survival of these fishes.

Have you ever wondered how the oceans look so clean and clear? Well, coral reefs filter the water around them just the way plants help in keeping the atmosphere fresh by taking in carbon dioxide and giving out oxygen. Through the process of symbiosis, coral reefs also have other ocean zooxanthelle living in them. The tiny creatures, by filtering the water around them, enable coral reefs to have enough sunlight for their survival, while the reefs, in turn, give protection to them.

But these beautiful natural structures of limestone are getting depleted at a much faster rate than we can imagine. Coral reefs are destroyed and kept as showpieces in houses of the people who are rich enough to afford them. Harmful fishing methods and illegal fishing that includes the use of explosives and cyanide poisoning not only destroy coral reefs but also the life around them. When sewage is drained into the ocean, it leads to the growth of single-cell organisms that float on the water body, preventing light from entering inside. Since coral reefs cannot live without sunlight, they gradually die due to the lack of it.

Global warming contributes equally to the destruction of coral reefs, especially due to a unique phenomenon called El Nino, which is caused due to the rise in global temperature. Coral reefs that get affected by this can hardly ever survive, and we have lost about 16% of the world’s coral reefs already. So, it’s our responsibility to protect these coral reefs from further depletion. One way is to create awareness among people about how products made from these reefs are destructing sea life. Governments should also take steps to treat sewage water properly before letting it into oceans or any water body for that matter. Let us all start doing our part to save these beautiful pieces of marine life from extinction.

In today’s busy lifestyle, we hardly find time to maintain our health. The food that we eat is produced using many artificial fertilizers and chemicals. Even the fruits are not pesticide free. Nobody bothers enough to analyze the hazards of eating unhealthy food. In order to avoid the ill effects of such foods and have a hale and healthy life, many people are now consuming organic food.

Organic food is harvested and grown the same way regular grains are, but the major advantage is that it involves the use of natural fertilizers and manure. The artificial pesticides and ingredients used while farming cause harm to the soil. On the other hand, the soil used to grow organic foods remains fertile and free from any toxic inclusions.

The nutritional value is maintained and no harmful chemicals are present in organic food. It tastes just like regular food; so you need not worry about compromising on the taste. Nowadays, a variety of fruits and vegetables are manufactured organically. A number of people are now turning to organic food as it high in nutrition and also very safe to consume.

Certain fruits have harmful chemicals remaining in them even after they are washed repeatedly. Organic fruits have no such harmful residue. Dairy products are also produced in organic ways, so that you can get the maximum health benefit from them. Certain fruits and vegetables like pears, apples, strawberries, spinach, and lettuce absorb high amounts of artificial pesticides and chemicals that are sprayed on them; hence, it is best to opt for the organic variants of these fruits and vegetables.

Manufactured widely in the United States, Australia, Canada, and Japan, organic foods are consumed by people worldwide. The production of organic food involves many natural methods that can be expensive on a large scale. This makes organic food buyers think that they are spending more. Nevertheless, good health is vital and there can be no compromises on that.

So, make the right choice and go organic today!

In order to reduce the amount of wastes, our little contribution will definitely make a great impact on our environment. Nowadays, “going green” means more than just recycling. Do you know how much waste is generated from lunch packaging per school year by each child? It’s not just about the child’s lunch box. Even, we, adults also equally contribute in piling up such wastes on our mother earth. One way to control this is to use eco friendly lunch boxes for you and your kid. These lunch boxes are stylish enough to make your kid enjoy his lunch.

These amazing go green lunch boxes come with different compartments, where you can place sandwiches, fruits, snacks, and many more. This box is fitted with soft silicon bands, which provides a leak proof seal for each compartment. You can easily detach the lid from the box by using the retention clips available by the side of this lunch boxe. This lunch box also comes with accessories like a protective bag to carry the box and a water bottle that can be easily placed in the compartment. The lunch box and the water bottle are dishwasher safe and the cover bag has a non-toxic coating, which will provide the food an extra shield. This bag can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth as well.

Planet box, Lunch Bots, Lunch Sense, and KidsKonserve are the popular go green lunch boxes available to choose from. Lunch Bots are reusable and made of stainless steel. If you are looking for lunch boxes that can fit ice packs, then you can try these boxes from Lunch Sense. Using these lunch boxes is a simple and unique way to make others eco-conscious.

Carefully chosen rugs will definitely add an aesthetic touch to your home décor. With the growing environmental concerns, eco-friendly rugs are gaining a lot of popularity. You can also opt for these eco-friendly rugs and show your concern for our mother planet. These rugs are also known as organic rugs, because they are non-toxic and with a wide range of patterns you can give that trendy cool look. There are a variety of environmentally-friendly rugs available nowadays, however, the popular ones are usually bamboo or hemp, seagrass, and sisal made rugs.

Seagrass is a natural fiber, which has multipurpose utility and comes with stain resistance. The natural fibers resisting from dirt and other dust particles make them a great choice for your family to away from allergies. These rugs are very easy to clean and can give you a long-term benefit when maintained properly.

Sisal rugs are taken directly from cactus plants and are then beautifully designed to make your room noticeable. These rugs are semi-stain resistant and water proof and are suitable to use in all climatic conditions.

You can even make eco-friendly rugs at home using your old clothes. Bamboo is also considered one of the high-yielding, renewable resources for making rugs. Spice up your rooms with beautiful bamboo rugs that come with a colorful border made of cotton.

Another advantage of using these eco-friendly rugs is that they enhance the air quality in your house at a reduced cost. Thus, say a goodbye to other resource-intensive ingredients and go for eco-friendly materials to create a healthy surrounding and do not leave your floors empty when you can upgrade your home with amazing eco-friendly rugs.

Do you often think of the growing environmental issues and possible ways to save our mother earth? Why not do your part to protect the environment by adding eco-friendly furniture in your home? Every big task should certainly start with a small initial step. So, setting up eco-friendly furniture in your home might be that perfect starting step to save our planet from various threats. Many still think that eco-friendly living is not as easy as it sounds. But this notion has been proved wrong with the increasing demands for green products, especially furniture. In fact, green furniture has plenty of positive impacts not only on the environment but also on your health.

Green furniture is manufactured with the use of natural dyes instead of chemicals. Eco-friendly cushions and mattresses are made from natural fabrics like wool and fleece that do not have any harmful effects on the environment. Sofas and beds are constructed from materials like bamboo and solid hardwoods, which last for a very long time. So, when you purchase these furniture, you’re obviously doing what you can to reduce the number of trees being cut in our forests and the trash being dumped. Also, materials used in green furniture are those that can be recycled after usage.

Eco-friendly furniture is also an interesting option for cribs, bassinets, and children’s study tables. After realizing the increasing popularity of green furniture, many companies have started producing eco-friendly furniture in trendy designs and shapes by combining natural materials with innovative technologies. So, these furniture sets would definitely give a unique, modern, and appealing look to your home decor.

So what are you waiting for? Go green with green furniture!