Forest Conservation

We depend on the forests for a number of resources, which is why it is so important that we do all we can to conserve the trees and plants that we still have. Forest conservation has become a worldwide concern, and if you want to know more about how you can do your part, here is some information that may help.

First, it will help to know about the types of forest conservation that is necessary for each type of forest. The places that are of great concern these days are the tropical forests, and there are several different types. The most popular type, perhaps, is the rain forest; the largest of these still remain in places like Brazil and Malaysia, but about one and a half acres are lost every second. This is due to humans using the trees and natural resources there for industrial purposes, and the pollution and air impurity also has a lot to do with why certain plants no longer grow properly in the rain forests.

It is also important to learn about forest conservation if you are planning on purchasing land or having a home built. This is another reason why trees are always being cut down, and this reduces the oxygen supply on the earth. So, as you’re planning, be sure to choose an area that will not require you to damage the ecosystem around you.

According to forest conservation experts, we lose 137 plants, insect, and animal species every day because of the damage that we are causing to the rainforest. This means that 50,000 species are permanently lost every year. This not only means that some animals are not longer in existence, but also indicates that possible cures for severe disease are lost. It has been proven that about 25 percent of Western medications are derived from plants that grow in the rainforest; however, only less than one percent of these plants have actually been tested before the medication is put on the market.

What can you do to participate in forest conservation? Doing small things like buying recycled paper to write on or use in your computer printer will help tremendously, and you can also invest in a shopping bag made of cloth so that you don’t have to ask for paper bags for your groceries each time you shop. Using recycled paper towels and toilet paper will help as well. Even recyclable building materials to will help you to do your part to preserve parts of the earth that are disappearing daily. Check out www.raintree.com to find out more about what you can to when it comes to forest conservation today.

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Methane and methane emissions are, in fact, 20x times more dangerous than CO2 – traditionally painted black by environmentalists.

Where is Methane Hidden and What IS It?

Fortunately, or unfortunately, methane and its emissions are not as commonly or as openly found as carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is found in abundance all over the planet, especially in heavily populated cities. It is a known enemy and we have now been able to combat it in many different ways.

The true green devil, methane is ‘trapped’ and is almost hidden from human sight. It works its damage as covertly as terrorists do – and is probably almost as lethal as they are.

Methane is found primarily in the sub-zero temperatures of the Tundra region. You will see large areas of the northern hemisphere half frozen and covered in slush. That is where methane lurks and wields its dangerous weapons. It is found in good measure right at the bottom of the deep blue seas.

And it could possibly be like the sea monsters of yore – only this monster is real and its danger is imminent.

Why is Methane Suddenly an Ecological Threat Now?

Methane is like a volcano that was silent and ‘dead’ all these years. Methane emissions remained covered in ice and frozen coverings. Now, the sad news is that global warming has melted away our only protection against methane and its emissions – frozen ice.
The result? Gases like methane that were, so far, lying harmlessly ‘dormant’ under layers of ice and snow, might suddenly be released in the atmosphere.

Imagine, a belch, a burp, or a fart releasing noxious smells from the innards of your being …well, this might be something akin to Mother Nature’s burp. It might not smell as bad but it sure can be dangerous.

5 Ways to Combat Methane and its Emissions

1.Use less non- renewable sources of energy and reduce your consumption of fossil fuels.

2.Use hydro-fuels instead of petro based ones.

3.Reduce global warming any which way that you can.

4.Become ‘carbon neutral’ and reduce your carbon footprint.

5.Hope that scientists can figure out a way in which they can trap the carbon particles floating around us and re-use it constructively.

Above all, don’t become complacent. The first warnings have already been issued –

Lake Nyos, almost 25 years ago, emitted or belched gases. It killed almost 2000 people in one fell sweep in the Cameroons.

A couple of years ago, Lake Monoun also burped a rather small belch and wiped off almost 40 people.

Scientists believe that methane and its emissions might even have wiped off many species of animals, flora, and fauna before the dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

Methane and its emissions were also the villain, eons ago, when large changes in the Earth’s eco-system lead to mass scale destruction of a rich variety of species. Do you want the green devil, methane and its emissions, to strike again?

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At some point most people are going to find that they need to get rid of old computer equipment.

You’ve probably been told that you should not get rid of your computer equipment just by tossing it out. This is quite true because by doing so you will find that you are contributing to global warming, and that is never a good situation.

To make the process a little bit simpler for you, we have compiled a list of ten way s that you can get rid of old computer parts without causing any problem to the environment that might invoke some kind of climate change in the future.

1. It is important that you do not attempt to burn your computer equipment. It may be acceptable to burn your other trash, but burning equipment like that can give off fumes, as well as cause other problems such as minor explosions.

2. If you must get rid of your computer equipment then make sure that you take it to an authorized recycling center so that the proper procedures can be taken to get rid of the items without causing any harm to the environment.

3. If you don’t want to do this, or if there is a recycling fee, you can always sell the equipment. There are many different online auction sites that can help with this and you wouldn’t believe how many people are dying to get their hands on some of the older equipment. It’s not available anymore, so there are those out there stuck with hardware they cannot use because it lacks the parts. If you have the parts you can really make their day.

4. If you cannot seem to sell these items then you always have the option of giving them away for free. There are online advertisement sites where you can make your own postings and try to give the stuff away. Usually you will find a taker.

5. You have the option to drop these parts off at a second hand store, but you might find that you need to assemble them into something useful before you do that because chances are the staff at that store has no idea how to do such things.

6. If you find that none of the above seem to suite your tastes then you could always install a basic operating system on the computer that you build from the parts and run your own server from your home.

7. Find new things to do with the equipment, you can always hollow out a monitor or case and use it as a trash can!

8. You might consider donating the parts to a computer museum, particularly if they are very old, which is to say from the 70’s or 80’s.

9. Dell recycles old computer components for a fee of $10, and it will be free if the computer is made by Dell.

10. Be responsible, don’t try to bury your components, or burn them, make sure that you always do the right thing. Global warming is quite real and you don’t want to contribute to it.

In the past getting rid of this equipment was hard, but now there are all types of places that want your old computer equipment, so look around and see what options you have, because I assure you they are not few.

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Single use plastic carrier bags are the scourge of the environment. Not only do they create carbon emissions in their manufacture, but they can cause harm to wildlife and sea creatures and take a long time to decompose in increasingly-scarce landfill sites.

British supermarkets have realized that dealing with the problem is good for their costs and public image as well as the environment.

In 2008, seven supermarkets made a voluntary agreement to reduce the number of plastic bags given out by half, compared to the figures for the number of bags given out in 2006.

A year later and the supermarkets have missed the 50% by a small margin. In May 2006, shoppers took 718 million plastic bags. But by May 2009, this figure had been cut to 372 million. The target was missed by 2%, but it stil means that 346 million fewer plastic bags were used. That’s 346 million fewer bags going to landfill.

Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, commented: “This is a great achievement by the seven supermarkets and their customers and it shows that by working together, we really can change our bag habits.
This means that several hundred million fewer carrier bags are going to landfill every month and we’re using less raw materials to make them, which is great news.”

Have we seen a permanent change in British consumer behaviour? The coming months will tell.

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BMW has announced that it will quit Formula 1 at the end of the 2009 season. Formula 1 isn’t exactly climate-change friendly and BMW follows Honda, with its Earthdreams campaign, in leaving the sport.

The company has blamed a poor run of results for its decision and has decided to spend its money on environmental campaigns rather than F1 racing.

Dr. Norbert Reithofer, chairman of the BMW board, said: “Premium will increasingly be defined in terms of sustainability and environmental compatibility. This is an area in which we want to remain in the lead. In line with our Strategy Number ONE, we are continually reviewing all projects and initiatives to check them for future viability and sustainability. Our Formula 1 campaign is thus less a key promoter for us.”

Whilst poor results on the track are a definite catalyst for BMW’s withdrawal, environmental considerations have definitely had a part to play in the decision.

KERS, the kinetic recovery system that most teams have abandoned, will be banned next season.It was supposed to be the start of the ‘greening’ of Formula 1. BMW has roadgoing versions on some of its cars which help to reduce fuel consumption. The loss of KERS in Formula 1 isn’t helpful to BMW’s green-orientated publicity machine.

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The Political Economy Research Institute or PERI has recently released a report on the various clean energy policies that can potentially be effective poverty alleviation measure. The report states that the ultimate beneficiaries of investments in clean energy sources are the American people.

The Economy, Global Warming and Unclean Energy Sources

The past two decades has shown the world the struggle for control of energy sources has created a dependency on not only unclean energy, but unsustainable as well. America, the world’s largest oil consumer has become dangerously dependent on Middle East oil.

This economic situation has borne political complications that culminated in the Gulf War of the 90’s. The recent US invasion of Iraq and the ensuing war in Afghanistan has made energy independence one of the forerunner issues that brought President Obama to the White House. The continuing rise of oil prices has hurt consumers all over the world while Mother Nature sustained damages that caused natural disasters the world has never seen before.

Hurricane Katrina, the wildfires in Australia, the tsunami is Southeast Asia: all these disasters have made investing in alternative energy sources imperative; global warming has suddenly become a more relevant concern than ever.

Reducing Global Warming as a Way to Fight Poverty

With the ill effects of the recent economic crisis that is plaguing the world and in response to the green movement, the American public and private sectors are going green. They are investing in cleaner fuel and redefining business and professional practices and standards to become more earth-friendly.

The recent PERI report has established that investments in a clean-energy economy elevates the economic lives of low-income and underprivileged Americans, boosts the economy by reducing dependence on foreign oil and helps avert the global warming and climate change. Especially in the building and construction industries, there’s a growing demand for qualified skilled workers to fill vacancies.

Currently, the supply of workers is largely insufficient to meet this demand. It is in this convergence that experts see a unified solution to both economic and environmental challenges in this country. Going green raises general public awareness on environmental issues and enlists voluntary support of earth-saving practices. At the same time, the trend toward green buildings, homes and communities opens doors of opportunities to the American workforce for a steady, sustainable career in the various green industries.

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As the world struggles to dig itself out of recession, the green industry appears as a beacon of hope. In post-modern industrial world where the threats of global warming and climate change have been taken for granted, a digital world that seeks to be more earth-friendly is emerging. But irony or not, this seems to be the case.

The current trend toward an overall earth-friendly community, national and international lifestyle has had economic experts touting green jobs to be the single stone to three major problems in America today: global warming, dependence on foreign oil and the growing number of high-school dropouts. (Oh, did we mention it stimulates a rather lethargic economy, too?)

Green Jobs: Positive Move to Avert Global Warming and Climate Change

For decades now, the scientific community has warned of an apocalyptic future if the world continues to ignore the damage modernity is doing to nature. Thankfully, we’ve seen governments and large-scale organizations taking the lead in reforming the mainstream social mindset toward a more considerate trend to the environment.

We see a redefinition of acceptable industry practices in various fields to put more emphasis on earth-friendly methods and processes. Of course, being a stark contrast to what has been, this current trend has spurred a new green industries, from renewable energy sources to construction. These new industries offering green jobs are definitely a positive trend toward reversing the ill-effects of environmental damage caused by previous generations.

Green Jobs: The Tool Towards Energy Independence

For years, American consumers have had to pay more for imported foreign oil. Gasoline prices have steadily risen as Arab-dominated OPEC dictated world production and controlled prices.

Realizing that the long struggle for control of energy sources has made the world dependent on an unsustainable, unclean energy, America is leading the trend toward more earth-friendly energy sources.

Already, there’s a rising demand for alternative sources to bring costs down in the long-run. Most importantly, the US needs to reduce its dependence on foreign oil. With the trend toward redefining industry practices, especially in the building and construction industry, to make buildings more earth-friendly, green industries are seen to grow into a sustainable industry. Not only will this help reduce American dependence on foreign oil, it is a huge step toward reversing the effects of global warming.

Green Jobs: Second Lease To Young Americans

Because the industry is young, the environmental and renewable energy sources industries are now facing a shot supply of qualified skilled workers to fill job vacancies in the industry.

To bridge the gap between the demand and supply factors in this new industry, state governments, businesses and educational institutions are forging partnerships to respond to the rising demand for green professionals and skilled workers. Training programs that open doors of opportunities in various green industries are being launched all over the country and their priority are high school dropouts.

Most green jobs today require a minimum of a high school diploma. Specialized trainings provide workers with skills that increase their marketability in the industry. These training courses are often credit or preparatory units for further education if they decide to pursue a career in the green industry. The potential for earning more is present with certifications and further qualifications.

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The land in Los Llanos is mainly savannah plans that get a lot of rain. Few people live there due to the poor soil quality. After flying over the area in 1965, Lugari wondered whether people could live there. He staked a claim to 25 000 hectares of land and Gavoitas – named after a local bird – was born.

The original settlers worked out a way to use the soil with cement to build houses and other infrastructure. Then they turned their attention to an efficient lightweight pump. It can be worked by children riding a see saw or a swing.

One of their greatest inventions was a windmill that works in the slightest breeze without the need for maintenance. But it took 58 attempts before the design was perfected. The windmills were then manufactured at Gaviotas and distributed throughout Columbia.

After that the settlers created a solar water heater. Amazingly, it still works in the rain. The heater delivered benefits far beyond Gaviotas. It was so effective and cheap that a factory was set up in Bogota to produce the device. Additionally, the factory gave jobs to street children dramatically raising their welfare.

Other amazing eco-friendly inventions followed these successes. A bio-gas generator, a solar pressure-cooker and a solar kettle were also successful. The solar kettle was a particularly important invention. It provides clean, safe drinking water.

As the poor soil made growing food difficult, the settlers found a solution. Containers made of nutrition less rice hulls were used to grow eggplants, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers. This was followed over the next few years with the creation of hydroponic greenhouses.

To cater for the villagers’ medical needs, they built a solar hospital. It’s cooled by the wind and heated by the sun. It was even named by a Japanese architecture journal as one of the world’s most important buildings.

The villagers even managed to find a plant that grows in the difficult conditions of Los Llanos – but with a twist. Caribbean pines from Venezuela will only grow in the Los Llanos soil if dipped in a fungus. The 20 000 hectares of pine forest planted by the villagers started to deliver many benefits quickly.

Seeds dropped by passing birds or blown in by the wind were able to grow due to the shade provided by the growing forest. As a result, the rainforest began to grow again, causing animal species like the armadillo, to come to the area.
The villagers were able to tap resin from the pines and process it into turpentine. This had the environmental advantage that it replaced the imported oil products that had previously been used. The turpentine factory was designed to be pollution-free and in 1997 was given a United Nations World Zero Emissions Award.

By planting the pine trees in ever-decreasing circles and tapping the resin, the villagers have restored fertile rainforest to an otherwise barren land. It’s an amazing achievement. But that’s not all. The villagers are working with the indigenous Guahibo people to research 250 new native plants species that have appeared and discover their ethno-botanical properties.

Gaviotas shows us what can be done to preserve the planet and how to live in harmony with the environment. Perhaps the last word about what could be done on a global scale should be left to Paolo Lugari:

“Just imagine. There are 250 million hectares of savannahs like these in South America alone. There’s Africa. The tropical Orient. Places where there’s space and sun and water. If we show the world how to plant them in sustainable forests, we can give people productive lives and maybe absorb enough carbon dioxide to stabilize global warming. This is a gift just as important down as our pumps and solar water purifiers. Everywhere else they’re tearing down rainforests. We’re showing how to put them back”.

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I recently joined Facebook because I want to talk with you directly about solving the energy and climate change challenge and ensuring America’s leadership in a clean energy economy. I hope you will check out my new page at http://www.facebook.com/stevenchu

I’m excited by the chance to share what the Obama Administration is doing to bring about a revolution in clean energy. We are finding innovative ways to use energy more efficiently, working to deploy clean energy technologies like solar and wind power, and conducting cutting edge research to find the next generation of clean technologies. I will keep you up to date on all the latest developments, as well as share tips that will save you money on your energy bills.
But I also want to hear from you about what you’re doing in your communities and the steps you think we should take as a nation. I hope we can have a true dialogue because every American can and must play a role in this effort.

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