Thursday, May 2nd, 2013
With the larger industry-wide shift toward greener shipping methods, investing in greener and more sustainable shipping options and fleet vehicles can provide many commercial benefits for your business or operation. Lowering fuel and operational costs with a fleet of more efficient vehicles, reducing harmful emissions and pollution your business may be responsible for, and putting forward a more responsible and ecologically sustainable corporate image may all be significant benefits that your business can not afford to miss. Learning more about the potential benefits that greener trucks and more fuel-efficient vehicles will be able to provide will allow you to make a more effective investment that will bring many benefits to your business model or working process.
Reducing Fuel Costs to Lower Operational Overhead
With a wide range of hybrid-electric commercial vehicle options to choose from, and new models and more efficient transportation solutions expected to become available in the near future, maintaining a fleet of outdated or inefficient vehicles could be creating far greater operational costs than you might realize. Businesses that field a large number of vehicles, as well as operations that are spending a significant portion of their costs on fuel, stand to benefit greatly by making the switch to greener and more sustainable transportation options and solutions.
Lessening the Environmental Impact of Your Business
Emissions regulations that have the potential to impact or limit your business’s future operations may not be a concern you should avoid addressing. Taking action and ensuring that you are able to comply with any future regulations that may be imposed on your commercial shipping and delivery efforts can allow you to more effectively manage your operations and adhere to any future emissions standards that may require you to make use of new technology or to reduce the emissions and pollution your fleet vehicles are producing. Greener trucks and shipping options will ensure that your business is able to make a more effective impact in reducing the harm done to the environment.
Creating a Greener Corporate Image
Re-branding your operation or corporate image in order to appeal to customers and clients who are concerned with environmental issues may provide you with many business opportunities that would have otherwise passed you by. Customers who make the extra effort to do business with only the most environmentally conscious businesses and companies will be far more likely to seek out your services or order your products if you are able to provide them with a more eco-friendly brand or corporate image. Reducing your pollution and the emissions your operations are creating can allow you to build a far more diverse and robust customer base.
Making the Switch
The growing demand and falling price of more fuel efficient vehicles means that there has never been a better time to make the switch. Even gradual upgrades and vehicle replacements may be able to provide your business with numerous advantages and the means to more effectively handle the shipping and transport volume you deal with each day. Investing in more fuel efficient vehicles and greener trucks for your business could be an opportunity that is long overdue, one that could be costing you additional opportunities the longer you put off adopting more effective and greener transportation solutions.
This article was contributed together with Steven Medalle, a passionate advocate for a greener world. He writes this on behalf of Stevens Transport, your number one resource when looking for truck driving jobs. Check out their website today and see how they can help you get the career you’ve always wanted!
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Friday, April 26th, 2013
Armchair environmentalists rejoice! You too can help make a difference and decrease the toxic damage that has been done to the Earth. It’s 2013, and it’s way too late to sit back and hope someone else fixes the mess. Be heroic, do your part.
Making green changes can have a big impact, and every drop in the bucket helps. Your choice to go organic may not save a rural village from pesticide poisons, but if a thousand people just like you make the change, you’re well on your way. The tips below show just a few of the changes you can make today for a better tomorrow.
Toilet Paper
There’s no reason not to use recycled toilet paper. You know that old cliché where the rich Scrooge-type wipes his bum with money. That’s essentially what people who purchase unrecycled toilet paper is doing. According to Greenlivingtips.com Americans use more than 7 billion rolls of toilet paper each year. Look for chlorine-free or unbleached recycled toilet paper next time you’re browsing, Trader Joes or online, your bum will thank you.
Printer Projects
According to PC world, laser printers can be very dangerous to your health. The American Chemical Society measured the dangerous particulate output of 62 different laser printers and found that up to 17 of them provided a serious threat. The particles can become lodge in your lungs and can cause everything from irritation to heart problems, to cancer. Instead of printing your own materials, outsource your projects to companies like Printing for Less, which uses green printing techniques and takes steps to help offset their environmental impact.
Plastic Bags, Bottles
Most of the sad statistics you’ve heard about the state of the ocean can be attributed to plastic bags and bottles. The EPA estimates that at least one out of 10 plastic bottles ends up in the ocean. Cleanair.org estimates that Americans throw enough plastic to wrap around the equator three times yearly. Stop. Using. Disposable. Plastic!
Junk Mail
Get rid of junk mail and help the environment? This sounds like a win-win idea. HubSpot writer Mike Volpe estimates that junk mail kills more than 2.6 million trees yearly. Should a forest be destroyed for the chance to save a nickel on some hairspray? The Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service allows you to register on their “do not send list.” If this news makes you jump for the joy, you aren’t alone.
Mobile Recycling
There are an estimated 100-130 million mobile devices discarded yearly, according to Griffith. The precious metal-mining industry is one of the most environmentally destructive practices humans have undertaken. The EPA has likened many mines to toxic nuclear waste sites. What do these figures have in common? Your cell phone’s circuit boards are made from gold, silver and palladium. If everyone recycled their mobile device, the planet at large might live a lot longer. Earth911 is a great place to find recycling resources. Go ahead, make the planet’s day.
Photo by Flickr user Mike “Dakinewavamon” Kline
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Friday, April 12th, 2013
If you are currently building your own home, you will find that this is a very exciting time for you. Too many people look back over this time period and think about the things that they should have done, so if you want to avoid that feeling of regret, consider how you can make your new home green! A house that is dedicated to conservation efforts is one that will save you energy and water in the long run; the following is a list of smart and eco-friendly home design choices for you to make during the building process.
Windows and More Windows
There is nothing wrong with having more windows. The more natural light your home has, the less reliant you are going to be on electrical lighting — which means that you will be able to enjoy the effects of natural sunlight while you are in the home, and you can also open the windows to keep the home cool on hot days. Consider choosing double glazed windows, especially if you live in a place that gets very cold in the winter. This keeps your heat and your power bills low.
Cool Roofs
If you live somewhere very hot, you are probably already familiar with needing to use air conditioning to keep cool in the summer. The problem is that air conditioners are not always the best choice for the environment, and they increase energy expenses across the board. One great answer to this problem is the cool roof. A cool roof is installed to reflect the light of the sun. This keeps the home cool during the summer by preventing it from absorbing too much heat.
Energy Efficient Appliances
When you are building your home from the ground up, you will find that it is very important for you to consider the appliances that you are bringing in. Take a look at the stove and the refrigerator that you are planning to install. Look for the Energy Star logo. This logo means that the appliance performs to a certain standardized level that makes it a good energy saver for you. An energy-efficient appliance might cost you a little more at the beginning, but you’ll find that it can make a huge difference as the years go on.
Energy Saving Furnaces and Water Heaters
Take a moment to look at your water heater and your furnace. Both of these appliances can last decades before they need to be replaced, and it is worth your while to make sure that you purchase ones that are energy efficient. This is especially true if you are designing a house that is meant for colder climes, and would like to save money on heating.
Solar Panels
If you are interested in generating at least some of your own energy for your home, consider placing solar panels on the roof. Solar panels are not for everyone, but there are a few places where you can receive home rebates for having them installed. Solar panels are a great choice if you want to put a heavy investment into making sure that your home is green-friendly.
Take a few moments to learn more about what your options might be when it comes to getting the right conservation-oriented choices for your new home. This is the time to start thinking about how green you can be!
This article was written by David Chapman together with Leonard Reyes, an avid green blogger who loves sharing his knowledge to make the world a greener place. They write this on behalf of First Class Heat and Air, a Dallas ac repair service provider. If you’re looking for the best in ac repair, make sure to check them out and see why they’re number one!
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Wednesday, March 6th, 2013
Technological advances in recent years have made having an energy efficient home easier than ever. Before smartphones existed, people had to rely on guesswork and strict monitoring if they wanted to maintain an energy-efficient home. Now everything can be monitored quickly and efficiently. Users can be hundreds or thousands of miles away from home and still get up-to-date information regarding their home’s energy usage. Here is a look at five great apps that are helping users save energy in their homes.
Meter Readings
This app allows users to easily monitor their household utility usage. Owners input readings and the cost, usage, and savings are then quickly calculated and shown in easy-to-comprehend graphs. Electricity, gas, water, and even broadband data can all be monitored. This app costs just $1.99. When users have the ability to easily see and calculate all their different utility usages, finding which utilities are using too much energy becomes a much simpler task.
Light Bulb Finder
This free app allows users to compare and find the right energy-saving light bulbs for their household. This is a one-stop app because users can search for the light bulbs they need, buy them, and then see the calculated savings of their new light bulb versus the previous one. Light bulbs, a seemingly simple technology, have made great improvements in the last few years. There are now many light bulbs that are not just more energy efficient, but that last much longer than older bulbs. It is now common for new energy efficient light bulbs to have 20-year life spans. This app will save users energy, money, and the pain of having to constantly change dying bulbs.
Nest Thermostat
Users who own this popular WiFi enabled thermostat can control the temperature of their household right from their phone. Forgot to turn the air down while on vacation? You simply need to go to the app and change the air to a lower setting. It doesn’t matter if you are thousands of miles away from home. The Nest Thermostat app is not only great for when you forgot what setting has been selected for the household temperature, but it’s useful enough that your friends and family member will want to have it, too.
Energy UFO
Users who buy smart power strips from Energy UFO can monitor and control them from their smartphones. Similar to the Nest Thermostat, you can be on a different continent and still be able to control the power usage of anything plugged into the smart power strip. Many appliances that we plug into the wall are considered ‘energy vampires’ because they slowly suck up energy usage even when turned off. Being able to monitor the power strip from your phone will show you which appliances are wasting energy when they are not in use so you can unplug them. Turning off and unplugging a few ‘energy vampires’ can greatly reduce the power bill.
OPower
Make energy savings a competition with your friends. This is a Facebook app that allows users to compete against their friends for who is being the most energy efficient. A little competition often provides a good incentive for people to try to be more energy efficient. Having the bragging rights of being the most energy efficient can go a long way toward getting your friends and family to earn that distinction.
These easy-to-use apps will help you keep tabs on the energy usage in your home, allowing you to ascertain the best way to save money.
This article was written by David Chapman together with Sheldon Armstrong, an avid writer of articles about technology and gadgets throughout the web, especially ones that help people save money. If you like more articles like this, make sure to keep checking back for more!
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Friday, December 14th, 2012
We need to replace an inkjet whenever our inkjet runs out of ink. Different consumers use different kinds of inkjets however most of them send them to landfills after using their ink. These cartridges after sending to landfills require more than 100 years for its decomposition. During this period they spread different diseases for us that need to be stopped. Beside that chemicals that remains in this empty cartridge mix with soil and damage underground water deposits that we drink and use. This water that is mixed with such chemicals also produces many diseases for us. (more…)
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Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012
LONDON – Tesla, an electric roadster car manufacturer from the United States, expanding its market by launching a version of the right wheel. This version is for the first time will be sent to their dealers in London to be tested by prospective customers. Further, the right wheel roadster has a completeness better than the American version. Because the interior is coated material to reduce noise, a better sound system, and other extras that this car can be used as daily transport and weekend.
Tesla’s decision is quite surprising because previously widespread speculation that production would be stopped roadster. It was related to Tesla plans to enter the stock market into a public company. Performance electric roadster, as Tesla claims, can cover a distance of 360 km with a 220 volt power supply voltage with a single battery charge fully. An owner of a Tesla Roadster recently claimed created a world record, once the battery can go 500 miles.
Acceleration 0-96 km / h, 3.7 seconds. Top speed, 200 kph, and is limited electronically. With these capabilities, Tesla has become the fastest, even faster than a Porsche.
The use of energy is also twice as efficient as the Prius. Thus, Tesla hopes the speedmaniacs who care about the environment will pick this electric roadster. The price offered in the UK-has included incentives-tax deduction is a 86,950 pound sterling, or approximately USD 1.28 billion.
“The model is the right wheel to respond to the growing demand of speedmaniacs in the UK are very attracted and care about the environment,” said Cristiano Carlutti, Vice President of European Sales and Operations Tesla. “Tesla is dramatically expanding its market in Europe. We want to build a community of Tesla owners and fans across the continent, “added Cristiano.
In London the cost per mile is about 1.5 roadster penny lower than conventional sports cars to 32 pence per mile. Another convenience is obtained Tesla owners do not need to pay the various fees charged by the city council London because this car does not have disastrous CO2 pollution.
Costs can be saved this car is estimated around 1,700 pounds a year. All were obtained for these cars can be parked freely and there is no time restriction for in all parts of London. This car can park for free for four hours in certain places, and exempt from tax showrooms to 950 pounds.
In addition, the current Tesla 1000 Roadster has sold in 21 countries.
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Friday, May 4th, 2012
The relationship between plastic and the environment is one that starts bad and ends worse.
To begin with, plastic is manufactured from petroleum, a non-renewable resource and major contributor to global warming. Billions of plastic bags crowd the world’s landfills and nearly 80 percent of plastic water bottles are never recycled. They also end up in the landfill by the billions according to the Smithsonian. The effects of plastic in the environment are far reaching – in some of the most remote parts of the earth’s oceans the water contains more plastic than plankton.
Many types of plastic are recyclable. If you’re not already recycling, check with your local waste management company to learn more about recycling in your area. As important as recycling is, the first action required to help ease the heavy load modern life takes on the environment is reducing our use of resources. There are many ways to reduce the amount of plastic we use on a daily basis; it’s as simple as forming a few new habits.
Ban the Bottle
Bottled water may be a necessity for people living in regions of the world where clean drinking water isn’t available, but thankfully that’s a small percentage of us. For those who want to have water with them all the time, there are other ways of having water readily available. If you’re headed to the gym or traveling with small children and need some water on hand, invest in a reusable metal water bottle thermos.
If you’re concerned about the quality of water that comes out of your tap, install a water filter in your sink or replace that old refrigerator with an energy efficient model that comes with a water filter. For example, a GE refrigerator water filter provides clean, cool water at a fraction of the cost of bottled water. Using a home filtration system saves you money while saving the environment.
Ban the Bag
Think of all the places plastic bags show up: at the grocery story, the mall and the dry cleaner – even the farmer’s market. Get in the habit of carrying cloth or canvas bags with you and you’ll always be prepared for a quick stop at the market or drug store. Say no to plastic bags when they really aren’t necessary, like to hold a container of milk or a single item you could easily carry. Do you really need that plastic bag over your dry cleaning? Ask the cleaner to skip it or bring your own cloth garment bag for regular use.
Grande or Venti?
Whether you prefer your favorite coffee shop drink hot or cold, soy or full fat, it’ll taste even better when sipped out of a reusable container. You can completely eliminate your need for one-use plastic cups by using reusable cups instead.
Quickfire Tips
Here’s a list of little ways to reduce your plastic use every day:
- Skip the plastic trash bag and dump your waste directly into the trashcan.
- Choose products with the least amount of packaging.
- Don’t take plastic utensils from the take-out joint if you don’t need them. Wash and reuse them if you do.
- Use foil and reusable containers for packing lunch instead of plastic bags.
- Ask the paperboy to skip the plastic bag on your daily paper.
- Buy beverages in glass or cans, not plastic bottles.
- Buy laundry detergent packaged in a cardboard box, not a plastic bottle. Same for milk.
- Don’t use straws.
- Use canning jars to store leftovers.
- Shred and save junk mail to use in place of peanuts or bubble wrap for packaging.
- Give pets cloth toys instead of plastic.
- Use cloth diapers instead of disposable.
Cultivating some new environmentally friendly habits can be hard to do, but as with any new habit, repetition is the key to success. Start with the changes that are easiest and you’ll be taking a big step to ensure the story of plastic and the environment has a happy ending.
Jessica is interested in organization and DIY projects. She enjoys reading and spending time outdoors.
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Friday, April 20th, 2012
Although people have theorized that plants benefit from soothing music, there is some pretty interesting scientific evidence that shows that there may really be some substance to the concept. In addition to this scientific data, another controlled study also offers insight into how plants react to different types of music and why this might be a worthwhile pursuit. The use of music may even make it possible to eliminate the use of chemical weed killers and fertilizers in home gardens.
Joel Sternheimer
Andy Coghlan first disclosed the science regarding the impact of sound on plant growth in a 1994 article in New Scientist. His subject was French physicist and musician Joel Sternheimer, who made a discovery that plants grew better because of musical sequences he wrote. Sternheimer then applied for a patent to protect his concept.
Sternheimer’s melodies were carefully constructed, with each note corresponding to an amino acid in a protein, and the entire sequence corresponded to the entire protein. When plants heard the appropriate tunes, they produced more of the desired protein. But Sternheimer went a step further: he also composed tunes to inhibit protein synthesis. By doing this, he was able to inhibit the growth of undesirable plants like weeds.
Dorothy Retallack
Dorothy Retallack published a book entitled The Sound of Music and Plants in 1973. Her book discussed the experiments she performed with plants at Colorado Women’s College, in which she used three Biotronic Control Chambers. Retallack conducted several experiments; for the one described in her book, she used two chambers and placed identical plants and radios in each chamber. One chamber’s radio was set to a local rock music station while the other chamber’s radio played more soothing music.
By the end of two weeks, plants that heard soothing music were lush, green and equal in size. Their stems leaned 15 to 20 degrees towards the radio. Plants that heard rock music were tall and spindly, they drooped, their blooms had faded, and they leaned away from the radio. Two days later, almost all of the plants that were subjected to rock music were dead, but those that listened to soothing music were growing magnificently, and every plant was alive.
Benefits of Music to Plants
There are several ways by which plants can benefit from both positive and unsavory music:
• One way to use unpleasant music to your benefit is by playing it to kill weeds. This will only work if the weeds aren’t growing close to the area where your beloved plants are.
• By playing positive music for plants, you may be able to eliminate the need to use chemical fertilizers.
• Music can be used anywhere in the world, regardless of climate or terrain.
• Playing music for vegetable and edible crops can increase the size and flavor of these foods, as it did in some of Sternheimer’s experiments with tomatoes.
• Sternheimer also used note sequences to inhibit enzymes of the tomato mosaic virus to stop the virus from killing his plants.
How to Use Music to Benefit Plant Growth
• For specific plants, Niles Audio offers speaker pots, or speakers that look like a windowbox, that can fit well into your garden or patio décor.
• For larger areas, consider placing waterproof rock loudspeakers throughout the backyard. This is great for times when you’re entertaining or out working in the yard because you can also enjoy the music.
• Place rock speakers in places where you want to get rid of invasive plants, provided there aren’t desirable plants in the same area.
• Bring a portable all-weather radio outside and turn it to a station with soothing music.
• Open your windows and allow your plants to hear music from within the house.
Sternheimer and Retallack were able to prove that there is a correlation between soothing music and thriving vegetation. Playing music for plants in the garden while working outside may also reduce stress and help you be more productive in their outdoor chores, making this a win-win situation for you and your garden. So what are you waiting for? Crank it up!
Jessica is interested in gardening and growing her own vegetables and herbs. She enjoys spending time outside and tending to her garden.
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Monday, September 26th, 2011
The Tibetans have done it finally! With Tibet emerging as the new sun saga for the world, it is interesting to note how the lives of many Tibetans have changed after they have started mass worshiping the enormous potential of the sun. The things have changed after the Tibetan Autonomous Region Government took a firm step towards a greener, cleaner and wealthier future.
If we include the Chinese development statics as a whole, it has been an exponential change after facing an accusation of being a high carbon contributor to the global ecological environment. The shift has been drastic and the attitude of China’s mass populace towards this change has been worth a standing ovation. Almost every large construction facility in the Chinese region is now equipped with solar converters. As for Tibet, the change is not new, in fact, it is amongst the leaders to implement the solar concept on the Chinese national front.
Tibet, has one of the largest exposures to the Sun’s direct rays, and is the most appropriate place which can adopt a complete shift from conventional energy to solar aid. Under normal days, Tibet receives about 3000 hours of sunlight annually, this statistic is enough to enable to produce huge amount of energy to thrive on for the Tibetan population.
The Autonomous Government of Tibet has continuously blown in huge investments into the realization of this concept, which is still only a concept in many parts of the world. As of now, 13 percent of the total energy usage in Tibet, which would boil down to a numerical 9 MW, is derived from solar energy. Future plans are equally bright, since huge investments are yet in the pipeline. 220 million Yuan have been put into a solar facility which is supposed to blaze out a good 10 MW. The list does not stop here! Two more megaprojects, of capacity 30 MW and 2000KW are already in process.
Bigger projects apart, facilities like passive solar buildings have already seen their actualization. These buildings have the capacity to heat up the inner temperatures, with a potential difference of 10 degree Celsius as compared to the outer environment in winter, all by using solar energy. The same buildings can reflect back sunlight, thus reducing the heat inside the walls during summers. The arrangement heavily reduces the need for air conditioners for temperature adjustments. Of course the role of air conditioners for air circulation cannot be excluded. It seems like the Government has truly bucked up its lions to give a shoot to its fame as a potent contributor to the global scenario, of course, covering all aspect. Tibet, also acclaimed as the Buddha haven, has seen a drastic alteration in the lifestyle of its residents, all because of the application of solar energy. While the place was highly dependent on conventional energy sources in the past, it has become equally independent on the derivations from the earth’s crust. They (Tibetans) have looked up to the sky and have got just what they wanted, a pure, blissful life in the lap of Mother Nature.
This move should serve as a torch holder for the rest of the world, where the reason as to why is it taking such long time for the idea of mass application of the solar concept is taking such a huge lot of time, still remains only a guess. As for me, I have thoroughly enjoyed the process of how Tibet, being a holy, religious, pious place known throughout the world for lamas and monks, popularly called the land of Buddha has gone ahead of the rest of human civilization and proven itself to be the superior land, not only from the religious point of view but also as a well wisher of human race as a whole.
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About the author: Alia haley is a blogger who is very fond of gadgets. She enjoys hacking from
software modification point of view. She is always into buying new gadgets upcoming in the market and
currently planning to buy an android tablet. These days she is busy in writing on eco friendly gadgets and recycled materials.
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Wednesday, May 25th, 2011
Various occasions every year would come and some family gatherings are held into our home. I have a very closely knitted family and we spend a great deal of time during weekends on our yards doing some cooking and bonding. It was the main reason why I was able to purchase the best light source for our yard. I was really worried about the rising cost of electricity and had second thoughts of permanently install yard lights. Another compelling reason that I had was to achieve effective home security without splurging too much into the electrical bills.
I came across outdoor solar lights when I can and thought of doing some research through the internet. I am really worried about how effective it is to be used on our own yard. My wife has a really creative mind and she does a lot of landscaping in our yard. What she did was dig deeper if there are available yard lights powered by the solar power technology so that we can still incorporate it into the theme and design of our home.
I installed the solar powered yard lights at home to go with the holidays and events the entire year. We use a lot of various solar lights at home for Halloween, Christmas and even 4th of July. Other family gatherings were a constant favorite to be held on our yard.
Other homeowners in the community village that I live in are awed by how beautiful our yard looks like during the night. Because of these a lot of people went through utilizing solar energy technology at their own homes.Think of the convenience and the bucks you save for using solar panels!
Another good reason for using solar yard lights is its convenience and easy installation. You practically no need to worry of wirings from the main source at home and the lawn light source. All you have to do is identify the spot where you want to illuminate and accentuate when night time falls.
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