Animals, wind and traffic breezes put legs to loose garbage and are able to distribute it great distances from the original source. The first thing that we can do to prevent this is to ensure trashcan and dumpster lids are secure. Metal and plastic trashcans are more preventative than bags – leaving a bag out over night or even for several hours, is an enticing invitation for stray animals to wreak havoc. When taking a load to the dump, be sure that it is securely covered by tightly tying a tarp over the load with some rope or bungee cords.

Carry plastic shopping bags on your walks to clean up litter that you find along the way. Often, people are rewarded for their efforts by the deposits returned from bottles and cans. Those who have noticed your efforts will begin taking up the same habit once they realize the impact it has.
Report any dumping you witness, whether it was done illegally or accidentally – just get the license number and leave the rest to the officials. Also, report any site where garbage has been left by others. These problems can be reported to the local city, highway, public works or conservation office. Ask them to arrange for it to be cleaned up.

By doing these relatively small actions, we prevent contamination and injuries to people or wildlife in the area. When separating recyclable items, we keep a valuable resource out of the landfill. In addition, we maintain a pristine environment for citizens, tourists and wildlife to enjoy. We can all take pride knowing that by keeping garbage in its place, we are making the world just a little better for everyone.

– Written by Dave and Lillian Brummet based on the concept of their book, Trash Talk. The book offers useful solutions for the individual to reduce waste and better manage resources. A guide for anyone concerned about their impact on the environment. (http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit)

Why Use Biomass for Our Energy Needs: The Pros

The primary positive aspect of biomass is it is part of the biocycle of life. This means it isn’t toxic to the environment because it is more or less the environment. An additional benefit is the fact biomass almost always breaks down relatively quickly to its natural elements. This means a biomass fuel spill would be far less damaging than an oil spill, particularly in the long run.

The burning of biomass does kick out carbon dioxide among other gases. Carbon dioxide, of course, is a greenhouse gas. Proponents of biomass energy, however, argue that the gases produced are not really a problem because they are part of the current biocycle. By this, they are arguing that carbon dioxide is a natural element produced in nature and they are correct.

Fossil fuels, on the other hand, are outside of the natural biocycle in the world because they are buried in the ground, which effectively means they are not part of naturally occurring phases. As we dig and drill fossil fuels out of the ground, we are adding the harmful elements found in them to a system that cannot withstand the massive influx.

We already use many biomass fuels in our daily lives. The first cavemen used them to light fires for warmth, protection and cooking. Today, we use them to power our automobiles in the form of biodiesal and bioethanol. Whether you realize it or not, these two fuels have been going into our cars at gas stations since 1990 in parts of the country. The reason is they are used as additives in gasoline for the purpose of cutting harmful carbon dioxide emissions. In fact, federal law mandates their use in certain cities such as Los Angeles as well as in most government vehicles.

Carbon dioxide produced from vehicles makes up over a third of all the greenhouse gases produced in our country. Bioethanol made from corn cuts these emissions by over 20 percent compared to your basic gasoline. Biodiesel made from soybeans cuts emissions by as much as 80 percent. Any way you cut it, using biomass fuel is a step in the right direction.

New York Green Building Initiative

The concept of green building isn’t particularly old and has arisen as a result of a better understanding of the impact of buildings on people and the environment. Ideally, green buildings are designed to use non-polluting energy, recyclable resources and systems that avoid health impacting elements. These buildings are extremely environmentally friendly, provide healthier environments for workers and decrease the heat and pollutant situations found in tightly packed structure and population areas such as New York City.

While green building is a nice idea, our country is based on capitalist methods. If green building isn’t cost efficient, no developer is going to pursue it because doing so will give their competition a price advantage. This is where the New York Green Building Initiative comes in.

The Initiative addresses the cost impact of green building by creating financial incentives to promote the process. By going green, developers are given breaks through tax credits. The state is one of the first in the nation to provide such an incentive system, which is a major incentive. The advantage of tax credits over other incentives is they are incredibly useful in reducing tax liability. Unlike a tax deduction which comes off of gross revenues, tax credits are used to reduce the actual amount of tax owed. For instance, if is a developer owes $5 million in taxes and gets a $2 million dollar tax credit, it has to pay $3 million in taxes.

The New York Green Building Initiative offers developers tax credits of up to $2 million dollars for using green building techniques when building structures. The program is in place until 2014. The Initiative is run by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which can provide you with more information on the program and the application process.

The New York Green Building Initiative represents another step in the recognition of the impact our society has on the environment. By promoting better building practices with tax credits, New York is the model for promoting green building.

Using solar power or the power of the sun

As more individuals become aware of the energy efficiency of LED lighting, the price of such items as LED bulbs will decrease in price. Currently, the price of one LED bulb is substantially higher than the price of incandescent or fluorescent lighting. However, the initial price for LED bulbs would more than pay for itself in the long run. On average, one incandescent 60-watt bulb lasts 1,000 hours whereas one 2-watt LED light bulb lasts 60,000 hours. Therefore, one would need to purchase 60 incandescent bulbs for every one LED light bulb.

Home LED lighting is a cut above the rest when it comes to energy efficiency. As compared to incandescent lighting, LED lighting wins hands down where energy consumption is concerned. For every 60,000 hours of usage, incandescent lighting uses approximately 3,600 kWh of electricity where LED lighting uses 120 kWh. Bottom line: energy efficiency equals a significant cost savings. LED lighting gives off directional light. Therefore, it is useful as a source of light for reading or spotlighting in the home. Its powerful light output also makes it great for outdoor floodlighting and path illumination. LED bulbs are now available that can replace most halogen or fluorescent light bulbs used in the home.

Although LED lighting may not be useful for all home lighting needs, replacing a few bulbs with LED bulbs would have a noticeable affect in the amount of electricity used.

LED light displays are already used in signs and videos in many indoor and outdoor sporting events and concerts. LED video displays and signs are often preferred because of their higher brightness, which is critical when people are viewing a sign or video from a long distance. Added advantages of LED video displays are their capacity to incorporate curves and 3-D design. This makes LED video displays technologically superior to currently available large screen displays. Research and developers in the consumer electronics space are eager to take advantage of this overwhelmingly useful technology in future products.

Other uses for LED lighting include LED flashlights and key chains, automobile taillights and interior lights, and LED based projection televisions. LED lighting is also being used in the military for LED flashlights that work with night-vision goggles, UV-LED canteen water treatment devices and the sterilization of surgical equipment.

With LED lighting being more energy efficient and technologically superior to many other light sources, numerous LED light applications are sure to evolve. Future generations can expect to consider LED lighting as the standard light source for most lighting applications.

~Ben Anton, 2007

Bio fuels are now used in many countries and are now extensively expanding in big continents such as Europe, Asia and America. The production of bio fuels is derived from any carbon source particularly plants. According to studies, it is environmentally safe to produce bio fuels because the sources are easily replenished.

The most common use of bio fuels is for the automotive and transportation industries.

Bio fuels are made in three generations. The first generation bio fuels are made from crop goods such as sugar and starch, vegetable oil and animal fats. With the help of conventional technology, these components are used to manufacture some sorts of bio fuels. In countries with warm climate, bio fuels made from vegetable oil are now being used as fuel for automobiles with diesel engine. Because vegetable oil has a low quality for fuel, it has to be mixed with the conventional diesel fuel. Bio diesel is a common first generation bio fuel. It is similar to a mineral diesel. Bio diesel is made from vegetable oil mixed with sodium hydroxide and methanol. Like the vegetable oil, bio diesel is now used in diesel engines but has to be mixed with mineral diesel.

Another type of first generation bio fuel is the bio alcohol. It is produced biologically with ethanol, butanol and propanol. It is done through fermentation. Of all the three, butanol is the only liquid and the only bio alcohol that can actually produce high energy. An automobile should be first modified before using butanol. Otherwise, it can cause the engine to burn when mixed directly with existing gasoline engines. Ethanol fuel is used worldwide. Sugar is fermented to create enzymatic digestion. It is now considered as a replacement for gasoline and it is safe to mix it with gasoline at any percentage. Methanol is produced from natural gas which is a kind of fossil fuel. Hydrogen economy has long been used by many countries but is now being replaced by methanol. Bio gas is very effective product of bio fuels. It is produced from biodegradable waste materials through the process of anaerobic digestion. Solid bio fuels are made from wood, charcoal and dried excrement.

The second generation of bio fuels is produced using the biomass to liquid technology that extracts bio fuels from non food crops. Bio hydrogen is one common type of the second generation fuel. It is now used in fuel cells to produce electricity. DMF is manufactured from fructose, glucose using the biomass to liquid process. DMF is now widely used in compression ignition engine.

Biomethanol, almost the same as methanol is now being used in automobiles and can mix with petrol with up to 20% without any significant changes. FT diesel or Fischer-Tropsch diesel is not used with fossil diesel without any relevant effect. Wood diesel, another type of the second generation bio fuels is extracted from wood chips. The oil produced is mixed with unmodified diesel engines and the charcoal byproduct is used as a fertilizer.

The third generation bio fuel is from algae. In some countries, algae

1.The earth has warmed up an cooled down many times in its history. It is still here and it is still going strong despite man’s existence and influence on it.

2.Polar bears have seen the ice cap melt before and they are also still here OK, I admit, a few of them have lost their lives on the way and it is pretty uncomfortable being on top of a floating piece of ice that has melted off from the main flow drowning is not nice but neither is being mauled by lions, but the wildebeest don’t complain too much

3.The earth is moving away from the sun at a rate of knots. This is a natural phenomenon and one which will lead to global cooling rather than warming. It is the reason why Mars is cold and Pluto is very, very cold. The earth will cool, it will happen.

4.Carbon dioxide is not the cause of global warming in fact it is the other way around. Global warming CAUSES the retention of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It’s not nice but there is nothing that we should blame ourselves for.

So let us stop whipping ourselves and start driving those big ‘ol cars and flying round the world with impunity. Global warming is natural and we can stop beating ourselves over it.

In my opinion, perhaps we should not assume that our species is central to the world and planet at large. A human economic system should ideally also take into account the well being of the entire ecosystem, which is body of Mother Earth. I will tend to regard the Mother Earth as a living consciousness with her various elements (water, air, wildlife, etc) constantly seeking to remain in harmonious equilibrium. Come to think of it, isn’t this quite like the way the body of a living being functions?

Perhaps, economy and civilisation’s progress should not be about humans for humans only. We tend to see ‘less-than-holistically’ and believe that money-making has little or nothing to do with the welfare of our Mother Earth and the ecosystem. But the fact is we humans do take sustenance from the atmosphere, animal and plant kingdoms; therefore we are dependent upon other species and resources on Earth. As such, human activities should be accounted for within a equation that does not place the human species upon a pedestal (which is being treated as superior); but rather assigns the ’so-called intelligent biped’ objectively with other species and elements of this diverse planet. In my opinion, the current human activities are simply too self-absorbed within our own kind. The truth of things is that everything, ‘however insignificant it may appear to be, is in actual fact, unique. “Feeling special” and “above others” are simply beliefs concocted by the human psyche, and have relevance only in a human society.

Holistic & equitable replenishment & redistribution amongst all elements and species on Earth should be the a central theme for sustainable living, instead of the human biased “competitive” model. I feel that perhaps recycling of used materials may not be enough. Humans, being the so-called intelligent life form on Earth should actively develop sciences that deal with replenishment of plants, animal kingdoms and elements, keeping resources in equilibrium.

To achieve all that, perhaps the very mindset that first sets competition in motion has to be re-evaluated. Well, this ideal is certainly easier said than done.

Thank you for reading. I hope it has been interesting for you.

Major worm categories include:
Acanthocephala – spiny headed worms
Annelida – segmented worms
Gnathostomulida – jaw worms
Chaetognatha – arrow worms
Nemertea – ribbonworms
Nematoda – roundworms
Nematomorpha – horsehair worms
Platyhelminthes – flatworms
Onychophora – velvet worms
Sipuncula – peanut wormsThroughout history worms have also beeen called helminths. This was especially true in zoological or medical terminology. Some insects such as larvae are often called worms. This Larvae include: the railroad worm, woodworm, glowworm, and the bloodworms.

Often times animals such as a dogs and cats, are sad to have worms. This means that the dog or cat is infested with parasitic worms. Parasitic worms are typically roundworms and tapeworms. Each worm species differes in it’s abilities to move around on their own. Many worm species are bodied with no major muscles, thus preventing them from moving around on their own. These worms must be moved by external forces or other animals in their environment. On the opposite of these species there are several other species that have bodies with major muscles. These muscles allow them to move about on their own. These worms are a type of muscular hydrostat.

According to Environmental Defense, a leading nonprofit organization committed to protecting the environment, the United States is ranked the No. 1 global warming polluter. What can you do to help change that? Here are some small steps that you can take every day toward becoming a more conscious consumer:

* Buy in bulk. It’s cheaper in the long run, and you buy more of the product and less of the packaging.

* Look at the businesses you buy from. Does your coffee shop recycle? Does your rental car agency have hybrids? Businesses take note of consumers’ questions; your inquiry could be the one to tip the scale and make a change.

* Make an appointment for the Earth. At participating Aveda salons, a minimum of $1 will be directed to Aveda’s Earth Month partners when customers make appointments for a haircut, style, massage or facial.

* Support your local farmers. Farmers’ markets are where some of the healthiest and freshest food can be found. By supporting farmers in your own community, you’re doing your own body good and cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions of food transportation.

* Recycle! Plastic comes from crude oil and paper comes from trees. By recycling just these two items in your household, you’re helping to save two of the Earth’s valuable resources and reducing your home’s carbon dioxide emissions.

* Pay your bills online. It saves stamps, paper, fuel for mail transport and ultimately saves you money.

* Purchase thoughtful gifts. Aveda’s limited edition Light the Way candle, for example, is made with certified organic rose geranium and helps support organic farms in South Africa. All proceeds from the candle will go to organizations working to save threatened and endangered species.

* Think “eco-fashion.” A number of designers are now using clothing materials that go beyond organic cotton, such as biodegradable fabrics and fibers made of recycled plastics.

* Spread the word. If you find a “green” product or company that you like, tell your friends. Consumers can use their collective purchasing power to spearhead change.