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gogreentheme — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 13:28:28 CDT

People are ruining our planet, we need to save our poor planet... With all the pollution and everything then our great great great great great great great great great great grandchildren wont be able to live the same lives and they could always be in fear of the earth exploding... This generation of people in 2007 really aren't trying to help our environment. Look at the big SUV s or all the big cars in the world, or how everyone just throws their trash down when a trash can is 5feet away...

About the Writers

gogreentheme — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 13:22:28 CDT

Isabella Holland:
She's from Dallas,Texas and is Irish and Mexican.Her favorite animal is a penguin and loves the color green.Her lucky number is 7.She likes talking and hanging out with her friends.She is now in 6th grade and is 11 years old.She does tae kwon do and loves to dance(hip hop), play tennis, swimming...
Leta Branham:
She's from Dallas,Texas and is American Indian and Irish.She is now in 6th grade and is 11 years old.She does dance(hip hop),plays the drums, soccer...

Isabella and Leta are best friends.They are both starting middle school.They have been planning things with the principal of their school (Dallas International School) to make the school go green.

How to Help

gogreentheme — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:29:10 CDT

Adopt Something.
An animal, a stream, a whale. There's almost no limit to the number of environmental causes to which you, your friends, or your class can turn. Avoid Fast Food.
Most fast food is overpackaged and most fast-food companies are responsible for producing mountains of trash. By avoiding fast food whenever possible, you'll help reduce this needless waste. Bike Instead Of Ride.
Riding your bike instead of riding in a car saves energy and reduces pollution, of course. But it is also fun! That makes it a double benefit. Boycott A Product.
Choose something that you feel is not good for the environment. Once you decide not to buy it, write a letter to the company's president (the address is often right on the package) and tell him or her why you have decided not to buy the product anymore. If lots of people did this, companies would start making more environmentally responsible products! Buy Products Made Of Recycled Paper.
How can you tell if a package is recycled? Look right on the package. Many have specific claims, such as "made of 100 percent recycled material." However, some recycled packages don't advertise this fact, although there are ways you can find out for yourself. For example, when shopping for cereal, cookies, crackers, and other groceries packaged in cardboard boxes, make sure boxes are made from recycled paper. If the underside is gray or dark brown, the cardboard is made of recycled material. If it's white, it is made of unrecycled material. Change A Light Bulb.
By replacing a standard bulb with a compact fluorescent one you will get more light for less money and save a lot of energy. Clean Up A Stream Or Park.
Get a group of people together and find a stream or park that needs some tender loving care. Arrange for everyone to meet at a specific time to pick up the trash, weed, perhaps even plant some flowers. Ask local business to donate money, tools, or other supplies you'll need for the task. You also should invite a newspaper reporter or TV news team to come along and report on the event. Make sure to check with the proper local authority in charge of the stream or park to get permission so you are sure not to break any laws. Close The Refrigerator Door.
By leaving it open for just a few extra seconds, you waste a lot of energy. Decide what you want before you open the refrigerator door. Then get it and close the door right away. Collect Aluminum Cans.
You might raise a lot of money in the process. The best thing is to combine this with your stream or park cleanup (see above). Sell the cans you collect to a local aluminum recycler and use the money for something fun! Or donate the money to a worthy environmental organization (see below). Contribute To A Good Cause.
You don't have to contribute a lot of money. In fact, you don't have to contribute money at all. A local environmental group probably can use your and your friends' help in a variety of ways. By volunteering for just a few hours a week, you'll be making a worthwhile contribution to the environment. It will make you feel really good! Create A Compost Pile.
It's easy to do. Find a corner of the yard that's out of the way. Carefully throw food wastes (leftovers, eggshells, coffee grounds, spoiled vegetables, etc.) into a pile and mix with dirt. Every week or so, turn the pile over with a shovel to give it more air. In a few weeks, it will turn into a rich, nutrition soil that will help plants grow. Just think: What used to be "garbage" is now a valuable substance! Cut Down On Packaging.
We've already given you several ways to do this. Keep in mind that about half of what we throw away is packaging. By buying products that have as little packaging as possible, you can help to reduce those mountains of trash. Donate Your Toys To A Worthy Cause.
When you get tired of or grow out of your games and toys and other things, don't throw them away. Even if they are broken, they may be fixed and used by other kids less fortunate than you. You'll also be keeping these things out of the trash. Don't Buy Aerosols.
There are environmentally better packages for most products. Aerosols can't be recycled--which means that they are guaranteed to end up in landfills--and some of their ingredients contribute to air pollution. Instead of aerosols, look for spray bottles, liquids, powders, and roll-ons. Draw Up A Petition.
If you find something in your school or in your community you think needs to be changed, one way to convince the people in charge is to circulate a petition, getting as many people to sign it as possible. The petition might say something like: "We, the undersigned, believe that our junior high school should begin recycling all paper, glass, and aluminum immediately, and should place recycling containers throughout the school to make recycling easier. Make sure the signed petition reaches the people in charge; send it to the person at the very top. Send a copy of the signed petition to local newspapers and TV stations. Eat Organic Produce.
Organic produce contains far fewer chemicals than other produce. That's probably better for your health, and it is definitely better for the environment. All those chemicals get washed off of farmers' fields into rivers and streams, where they pollute our water. In addition, many of the chemicals are made from petroleum and other nonrenewable resources. So, don't eat chemicals--eat real food! Elect "Green" Candidates.
During election campaigns, ask candidates about their position on the environment. Try to ask specific questions that relate to situations in your community--whether they support a mandatory recycling program, for example, or whether they plan to get tough on polluting companies. Feed The Birds.
Birds need water to drink and foot to eat. Feeding birds not only brings a bit of nature to your backyard, it also helps rid the yard of many kinds of bugs. you can hang a birdfeeder from a tree or place it outside your window, or build a birdbath in your yard from which the birds can drink water. Find Out How To Dispose of Hazardous Waste.
Nearly every household has some kind of hazardous waste: old paint cans, used motor oil, unused pesticides and weed killers. If you dump these things down the drain, you'll end up polluting the water supply. THey should be disposed of in a site specially designed for hazardous or toxic wastes. Some cities and counties have monthly or annual pickups. Other areas have special drop-off sites. Call your city or county government to find out the proper way to dispose of such trash in your area. Try organizing a hazardous-waste-collection day in your neighborhood or at your school, encouraging others to dispose of materials properly. Go To A Zoo.
You'd be surprised how much you'll learn about the Earth. Find out how many of the animals in the zoo are at rick of becoming extinct. (Find out how many animals already ARE extinct.) Ask the zookeeper what role humans have played in animal extinction. Grow A Garden.
A garden provides flowers, vegetables, and environmental benefits. It can help to reduce soil erosion and may help to reduce some kinds of air pollution. Try to grow your garden using as few pesticides and chemical fertilizers as possible. Have A "Green" Picnic.
Plan an outing that doesn't create a lot of waste or pollution. For example, if you're having a barbecue, avoid using lighter fluid--it contains naphthalene, an air pollutant which is suspected of causing cancer. Instead, use an electric starter or, better yet, a device that lets you start coals using newspapers instead of fluid. Use real plates and utensils instead of paper or plastic, and reusable tin or heavy plastic cups instead of disposable paper or plastic ones. Wash the cups and use them over and over. And set out separate trash bags for paper, glass, and aluminum. Just because you're outdoors doesn't mean you can't recycle. Hold On To Balloons.
Helium balloons--they kind that float up into the sky--are lots of fun, but if you let them fly away, they may harm fish and animals. Helium balloons eventually fall back to earth and can be blown by strong winds miles away into the ocean. Some sea animals mistake the balloons for jellyfish. When an animal tries to eat a balloon, it can kill the animal. So if you have a helium balloon, hold on tight. If you know of others planning to use them for a celebration, warn them about the dangers of letting the balloons fly away. Identify Energy Wasters.
There probably are several companies in your community that are wasting precious resources. Does a used-car showroom leave its bright lights shining all night long? Do parents waiting to pick up their kids from school leave their cars idling at the curb for a long time? Wherever you see people being wasteful, say something! Write a letter, give a call, or walk right up to them on the street and ask them not to waste our Earth's precious resources. Insulate Your Home.
You may find a lot of energy being wasted right in your own home. After you've finished your energy audit, make a list of the things you believe should be done. Your local hardware-store sales person can help you determine how much the improvements will cost, how much energy they will save, and how much money your family will save in reduced energy bills. Invite A Speaker.
A good speaker can provide a lot of useful information and can answer your questions. Almost every environmental group has individuals who will speak to your school or organization, usually for free. Consider hosting a series of speakers, each on a different environmental topic. Even better, invite two people with opposing view points on a single subject. You may be in for an exciting debate! Join An Environmental Group.
Ther are hundreds of good organizations around the country. Most of them have annual membership fees of $25 or less, and some have special rates for kids or students. Try to find one that focuses on something your are particularly interested in. Go to a meeting, event, or other activity. You'll probably meet some other kids with similar interests as yours. Keep The Car At Home.
You've learned by now that automobiles are one of the single biggest sources of pollution. Most driving trips are under five miles, and you'd be surprised how many are under one mile. Try walking, biking, skateboarding, roller-skating, or taking the bus. Learn About Your Community.
As you travel around your community, watch the local news, or read local papers, looking for things that might be causing environmental problems. Locate sources of pollution. And make suggestions to people in charge about what you think could be done to improve the situation. Look At Labels.
Reading labels can tell you a lot of things. First, you can find out about a product's ingredients--whether it contains anything that might be hazardous to your health or the the environment. A label will also tell you how to contact the product's manufacturer with your questions and comments. Feel free to let them know what's on your mind. Do you think their product is good? Let them know! Could it be better? Let them know that, too. In particular, let them know if you've decided to buy--or not buy--their product for environmental reasons. Companies listen very carefully to what their customers have to say. It doesn't take very many letters and calls for a company to think seriously about making changes. Make Scratch Pads.
Here's a good way to recycle paper. When you use a piece of paper on only one side, don't throw it away when you are done with it. Instead, put it in a pile with all of the blank sides surfacing up. When you get a big pile, you can turn the paper into scratch pads. First, get someone to cut the pile of paper in half. Then, staple small batches of paper together into "pads." Notify The Authorities.
Do you know a polluter? Is a company in your community doing things that are bad for the environment? Don't think twice about reporting them to the local, state, or federal government. You will be doing yourself and your community a big favor. You might even get a reward! Observe The Three Rs.
Refuse, Reuse, and Recycle. Whatever you buy, wherever you live, the Three Rs are the most important rules to live by, at least as far as the environment is concerned. The next time you go shopping--whether by yourself or with your parents or friends--think about the Three Rs every time you pull a potential purchase off the shelf. Is it something that is overpackaged or wasteful? If so, Refuse it. Is it something that is made of or packaged in recycled material, or which you can reuse in some way? If so, Reuse it. Is it something that can be recycled easily? If so, Recycle it. Organize Your Friends.
You've probably heard that "two heads are better than one." Well, ten heads can be even better! You and your friends can probably accomplish a lot if you set your minds to it. Think about the ways you and your friends (or family, classmates, scout troop, or whatever) can help out as a group. Then contact a local environmental group and volunteer your services. Think how much fun everyone can have helping to save the planet! Plant A Tree.
How would you like to plant your very own tree and watch it grow? There are organizations in most communities that have set up tree-planting campaigns. But you don't even need one of these. Visit a local nursery to find out what kinds of trees will grow best in your area. The nursery people might also help you find a good place to plant a tree. You can watch the tree's progress every year, and have the pleasure of know that you put it there for everyone to enjoy! Protest Animal Cruelty.
Each year, millions of laboratory animals--rats, mice, dogs, monkeys, and others--suffer needlessly because companies use them to test new products, including most cosmetics and personal-care products. Many of these are extremely cruel. These animals are routinely burned and injected with poisonous substances, among other tests. The worst part is that many of the products for which they are being include ingredients that have already been proven safe! Some companies don't conduct these tests. They often label their products "cruelty free" because they do not cause harm to animals. If you had a choice between a product and a product that caused animals to be harmed and a similar one that didn't, which one would you choose? Quit Throwing Away Batteries.
Americans go through more than two billion batteries a year to power such things as radios, calculators, watches, flashlights, and computers. Unfortunately, batteries contain many hazardous materials, which leak into landfills when batteries are thrown away. Many of these dangerous chemicals get into our water supply. There are two ways you can avoid throwing away batteries. One is by using batteries that can be recharged over and over. You should also find out if there are companies in your area that recycle batteries. If you must throw batteries away, do so at a hazardous-waste collection site, if there is one in your area. Still another idea is to send the batteries back to the manufacturers, signifying that you consider used batteries a potential danger. This may encourage companies to begin recycling. In the end, ask yourself whether you really need to use products that require batteries. Recycle Everything.
Well, not everything, but just about. As we described earlier, there is little you can't recycle one way or another. One exception is plastic, most of which is not easily recyclable. Set up recycling boxes in your home--one for collecting newspapers, another for collecting other types of paper, another for glass, and another for aluminum. Try composting, which is a way of recycling food and other organic matter. You can even try recycling plastic, if you can find a place that accepts plastic for recycling. If you can't recycle something, see if there is some way you can reuse it. Reuse A Bag.
Some people believe that bags made of trees--paper bags--are less harmful to the earth than bags made of chemicals--plastic bags. The fact is, making both types of bags creates a lot of pollution, and both paper and plastic bags use a lot of resources. So neither is much better than the other. The best solution is not to use any bag at all, or to bring your own bag. Some people carry a canvas or mesh bag they can use over and over. If you must use a paper or plastic bag, don't throw it away. Try to use the bag over and over--as many times as you can. Spend Your Money Wisely.
When you buy toys or gifts, beware of things made of endangered animals or things made of wood that comes from tropical rainforests. If you're not sure, don't be afraid to ask questions. The more you know about the things you buy, the better decisions you can make. Your spending money is powerful! If you spend it wisely, you can help influence companies to do things that don't harm the environment--or the things that live in it. Stop A Leak.
Organize a Stop-the-Leak Day on which everyone in your family tightens, insulates, replaces, caulks, and does whatever else is necessary to make your home as "tight" as possible. Your local water, gas, or electric utility company may be able to provide help, or even instructions and supplies. Support Green Companies.
In the past, most companies haven't paid much attention to the environment. But now, a growing number are changing the way they do business. Some are changing their products so that they are less wasteful or polluting. Others are encouraging their employees to carpool or to recycle. Still others are helping their local communities improve their environments. These companies deserve all of our support! Whenever you have a choice between supporting one of these green companies or a company that is less green, you should definitely support the greener one. Take A Hike.
Or go fishing or bird-watching. Whatever you do, go outdoors to a place where there are as few people, cars, and building as possible. Take a look around. Isn't it beautiful? What would happen if all that beauty disappeared because people littered and polluted and harmed the plants and animals? It's important to keep our natural areas in good shape, so that you can enjoy them and your children--and their children's children--can enjoy them, too! So enjoy the great outdoors whenever you can. And if you see some litter there, pick it up and carry it so someplace where it can be safely thrown away or recycled. Talk To Your Parents/Children.
There's a good chance that you know more about the environment than they do. That's okay, there's still time for them to learn, and you can be the one to teach them. Don't be afraid to share with them the information you've learned through this site and at school. Help them learn about ways they can be Green Consumers and spend their money in ways that will help the environment. Although it doesn't always seem that way, grown-ups do listen to kids. If you share your concerns with them, they will become concerned, too. Together, you can help. Turn Off The Lights.
This is such a simple thing to do, but sometimes it's so hard to remember! Ask your parents if you can put little stickers near the light switches you leave on the most often, reminding everyone to turn them off when they leave the room. Consider starting a Lights-Off Fund, to which each person must donate a nickel or dime every time he or she forgets to turn off the lights. As those nickels or dimes add up, you might donate them to an environmental organization. Use Recycled Paper.
There's just no reason why you shouldn't buy recycled paper whenever it is available. In most cases, it is just as good as "virgin" paper--even better, in fact, because it helps save trees! You can buy toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, writing paper, books, newspapers, and many other things made of recycled paper. If you or your parents can't find recycled paper products in your local grocery store, ask the manager to stock them. Visit A Recycling Center.
If there's a center nearby, stop and take a look around. Look at all the different things being recycled--lots of different colors of glass, paper, cardboard, cans, maybe even tires and household appliances. Ask the people who run the recycling center what happens to all this stuff after it leaves the center. Think about how wasteful it would be if all that garbage wasn't being recycled, but being thrown away instead. Work For The Environment.
If you decide to get a summer job, see if there's a job available in which you can help the environment. Most environmental organizations need lots of help, and some of these jobs can pay you. Check with the local parks department to see if there are any jobs in the parks taking care of plants or flowers. Check with the local zoo to see if you can work with animals. It might be hard work, but it might be a lot of fun. Either way, you can go home each day with the satisfaction of knowing you are helping make the world a better place. Write a Letter.
You'd be surprised how much just one letter can do. Most companies don't get many letters from customers, and most politicians rarely hear voters, so when they do get letters, they read them very carefully. According to some experts, if a company or politician receives just twenty letters on the same subject within a few weeks, they consider the subject high priority. You and your classmate can write twenty letters in a few minutes! So, if a company is doing something that you don't like, or if a politician isn't taking actions that can help protect the environment, write a letter. And encourage your parents--and your friends and neighbors--to write letters, too. eXercise Your Rights.
As a human being living on planet Earth, you have the right to clean air and water, a safe environment, and the unspoiled beauties this world has to offer. You should speak firmly and loudly against those people and companies who threaten to take those rights away from you by polluting or by making decisions that encourage polluting or other wasteful behavior. That's the only way that you can be sure that the world will still be just as beautiful when you are older. If you don't dream of a better world--and do something about it--no one will do it for you. Yell At A Litterer.
Well, maybe you don't have to yell, but if you do see someone littering, you definitely should say something. Be polite, but state your case. Explain that littering not only is ugly and costs us money (because we have to pay people to pick up the litter and dispose of it), it is also bad for the environment. Zero In On Specifics.
While we've covered a wide range of environmental problems and solutions on this site, you can be most effective by choosing one or two specific problems to focus on. Don't try to do everything at once. Pick a problem--acid rain, for example, or animal cruelty--and learn as much about it as you can. Find the individuals and organizations in your area working on the problem and see how you can get involved. That will make you a powerful Green Consumer!

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Energy Conservation

gogreentheme — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:28:31 CDT

Energy conservation is the practice of decreasing the quantity of energy used while achieving a similar outcome. This practice may result in increase of financial capital, environmental value, national security, personal security, and human comfort. Individuals and organizations that are direct consumers of energy may want to conserve energy in order to reduce energy costs and promote economic, political and environmental sustainability. Industrial and commercial users may want to increase efficiency and thus maximize profit. On a larger scale, energy conservation is an important element of energy policy. In general, energy conservation reduces the energy consumption and energy demand per capita, and thus offsets the growth in energy supply needed to keep up with population growth. This reduces the rise in energy costs, and can reduce the need for new power plants, and energy imports. The reduced energy demand can provide more flexibility in choosing the most preferred methods of energy production. By reducing emissions, energy conservation is an important part of lessening climate change. Energy conservation facilitates the replacement of non-renewable resources with renewable energy. Energy conservation is often the most economical solution to energy shortages, and is a more environmentally benign alternative to increased energy production.

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Air Pollution

gogreentheme — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:27:57 CDT

Air Pollution is a chemical, physical (e.g. particulate matter), or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. The atmosphere is a complex, dynamic natural gaseous system that is essential to support life on planet Earth. Stratospheric ozone depletion due to air pollution has long been recognized as a threat to human health as well as to the Earth's ecosystems. Worldwide air pollution is responsible for large numbers of deaths and cases of respiratory disease. Enforced air quality standards, like the Clean Air Act in the United States, have reduced the presence of some pollutants. While major stationary sources are often identified with air pollution, the greatest source of emissions is actually made up by mobile sources, mainly the automobiles. Gases such as carbon dioxide, which contribute to global warming, have recently gained recognition as pollutants by some scientists. Others recognize the gas as being essential to life, and therefore incapable of being classed as a pollutant.

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Green Building

gogreentheme — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:27:30 CDT

is the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use and harvest energy, water, and materials, and reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal — the complete building life cycle. Green building is also sometimes known as sustainable building or environmental building, although there are slight differences in the definitions. The practice of green building can lead to benefits including reduced operating costs by increasing productivity and using less energy and water, improved public and occupant health due to improved indoor air quality, and reduced environmental impacts by, for example, lessening storm water runoff and the heat island effect. Green building is an essential component of the related concepts of sustainable design, sustainable development and general sustainability. Practitioners of green building often seek to achieve not only ecological but aesthetic harmony between a structure and its surrounding natural and built environment. The appearance and style of sustainable homes and buildings can be nearly indistinguishable from their less sustainable counterparts.

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Organizations

gogreentheme — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:27:01 CDT

*Sierra Club
*Clean Air Texas
*CERES
*International Society for Ecological Ecojnomics
*Association of Environmental and Resource Economists
* And many more organisations that care about our economy

Recycling

gogreentheme — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:26:40 CDT

Recycling is the reprocessing of materials into new products. Recycling prevents useful material resources being wasted, reduces the consumption of raw materials and reduces energy usage, and hence greenhouse gas emissions, compared to virgin production.[1] Recycling is a key concept of modern waste management and is the third component of the waste hierarchy. Recyclable materials, also called "recyclables" or "recyclates", may originate from a wide range of sources including the home and industry. They include glass, paper, aluminium, asphalt, iron, textiles and plastics. Biodegradable waste, such as food waste or garden waste, is also recyclable with the assistance of micro-organisms through composting or anaerobic digestion. Recyclates need to be sorted and separated into material types. Contamination of the recylates with other materials must be prevented to increase the recyclates value and facilitate easier reprocessing for the ultimate recycling facility. This sorting can be performed either by the producer of the waste or within semi- or fully-automated materials recovery facilities. There are two common household methods of helping increase recycling. In curbside collection (UK: kerbside collection) consumers leave presorted materials for recycling in front of their property, typically in boxes or sacks to be collected by a recycling vehicle. Alternatively, with a "bring" or carry-in system, the householder may take the materials to collection points, such as transfer stations or civic amenity sites, where recyclates are placed into recycling bins based on the type of material. Recycling does not include reuse where items retain their existing form for other purposes without the need for reproducing...

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Pollution

gogreentheme — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:26:16 CDT

Pollution is the introduction of substances or energy into the environment, resulting in deleterious effects of such a nature as to endanger human health, harm living resources and ecosystems, and impair or interfere with amenities and other legitimate uses of the environment.[1] The major forms of pollution include:

Air pollution, the release of chemicals and particulates into the atmosphere. Common examples include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and nitrogen oxides produced by industry and motor vehicles. Photochemical ozone and smog are created as nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons react to sunlight.
Water pollution via surface runoff and leaching to groundwater.
Soil contamination occurs when chemicals are released by spill or underground storage tank leakage. Among the most significant soil contaminants are hydrocarbons, heavy metals, MTBE [2], herbicides, pesticides and chlorinated hydrocarbons.
Radioactive contamination, added in the wake of 20th-century discoveries in atomic physics. (See alpha emitters and actinides in the environment.)
Noise pollution, which encompasses roadway noise, aircraft noise, industrial noise as well as high-intensity sonar.
Light pollution, includes light trespass, over-illumination and astronomical interference.
Visual pollution, which can refer to the presence of overhead power lines, motorway billboards, scarred landforms (as from strip mining), open storage of trash or municipal solid waste.
Thermal Pollution, is a temperature change in natural water bodies caused by human influence.

Sources and causes

pollution Motor vehicle emissions are one of the leading causes of air pollution.[3][4][5] China, United States, Russia, Mexico, and Japan are the world leaders in air pollution emissions; however, Canada is the number two country, ranked per capita. Principal stationary pollution sources include chemical plants, coal-fired power plants, oil refineries,[6] petrochemical plants, nuclear waste disposal activity, incinerators, large livestock farms (dairy cows, pigs, poultry, etc.), PVC factories, metals production factories, plastics factories, and other heavy industry. Some of the more common soil contaminants are chlorinated hydrocarbons (CFH), heavy metals (such as chromium, cadmium--found in rechargeable batteries, and lead--found in lead paint, aviation fuel and still in some countries, gasoline), MTBE, zinc, arsenic and benzene. Ordinary municipal landfills are the source of many chemical substances entering the soil environment (and often groundwater), emanating from the wide variety of refuse accepted, especially substances illegally discarded there, or from pre-1970 landfills that may have been subject to little control in the U.S. or EU. Pollution can also be the consequence of a natural disaster. For example, hurricanes often involve water contamination from sewage, and petrochemical spills from ruptured boats or automobiles. Larger scale and environmental damage is not uncommon when coastal oil rigs or refineries are involved. Some sources of pollution, such as nuclear power plants or oil tankers, can produce widespread and potentially hazardous releases when accidents occur. In the case of noise pollution the dominant source class is the motor vehicle, producing about ninety percent of all unwanted noise worldwide.

Effects on human health

Adverse air quality can kill many organisms including humans. Ozone pollution can cause respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, throat inflammation, chest pain, and congestion. Water pollution causes approximately 14,000 deaths per day, mostly due to contamination of drinking water by untreated sewage in developing countries. Oil spills can cause skin irritations and rashes. Noise pollution induces hearing loss, high blood pressure, stress, and sleep disturbance.

Effect on ecosystems

Sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen can cause acid rain which reduces the pH value of soil.
Soil can become infertile and unsuitable for plants. This will affect other organisms in the food web.
Smog and haze can reduce the amount of sunlight received by plants to carry out photosynthesis.
Invasive species can out compete native species and reduce biodiversity. Invasive plants can contribute debris and biomolecules (allelopathy) that can alter soil and chemical compositions of an environment, often reducing native species competitiveness.

Regulation and monitoring

To protect the environment from the adverse effects of pollution, many nations worldwide have enacted legislation to regulate various types of pollution as well as to mitigate the adverse effects of pollution.

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Hybrid Cars that Help

gogreentheme — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:25:41 CDT

2000s

2000 Toyota Estima hybrid (Japanese market only)
2000 Toyota Prius US market
2002? Mazda Demio e-4WD (Japanese market only, used for traction assistance)
2002 New Flyer DE60LF (diesel-electric hybrid articulated bus)
2002 Dyna Diesel Hybrid (Japan only, Diesel Hybrid)
2002 Honda Civic Hybrid 2003 model

2006

Lexus GS 450h 2007 model, second generation Hybrid Synergy Drive
Saturn VUE Green Line 2007 model, Mild hybrid
Toyota Camry Hybrid 2007 model, second generation Hybrid Synergy Drive
Toyota Estima/Previa hybrid minivan, second generation Hybrid Synergy Drive (Japanese market only)

2007

Nissan Altima Hybrid (limited sales)
Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid (BAS) 2008 model, Mild hybrid

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Ecoforestry

gogreentheme — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:23:15 CDT

Ecoforestry is forestry that emphasizes holistic practices which strive to protect and restore ecosystems 1 rather than maximize economic productivity. Practitioners of ecoforestry eschew practices like clearcutting, high grading, and pesticides.2 Ecoforestry is considered by some to be a traditional practice, whereby people tend to an area of forest, helping it to grow sustainably over many years. Practitioners of ecoforestry claim that their techniques promote self-regulating forest ecosytems with a diversity of species and natural habitats in harmony with landscape, weather, soil, water flows, and animals living there. Ecoforestry has its roots in family homesteads selectively cutting trees for home use.

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How to Build a Compost Pile

gogreentheme — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 18:00:22 CDT

How to build a compost pile Where to put the pile? Now you have a place scoped out where you can get your compost materials for free or really low cost. Now you need to have a place to put it all for the three months or more it will take to make. I like to have a place in the garden near where I will be working, so I do not have to cart it all too far to the beds. It also should be where you can get your truck to so you can offload it easily. In many instances in a backyard garden this is just not possible, and one will have to wheelbarrow it all around the yard. This is a good reason for taking it all slow and a bit at a time so you do not hurt yourself. One truckload every few days and you can have a nice big pile in just a week or two. Find a spot where you will have some room to move around, you will be turning the pile on occasion, and there is nothing worse than being squeezed between a fence, the pile and the house trying to turn several tons of manure with a pitchfork while avoiding the house windows with your fork handle, and trying to duck under the neighbors peach tree to keep it's branches from hanging onto your hair. Make sure you can get water to it to keep it moist. And it would not hurt to share over the fence with your neighbors what you are doing. It might turn out they may have a source for compost bulk materials, or may have a truck you could use for hauling it. Things have come a way since the time I had a neighbor ask me over the fence why I stacked my garbage in a big pile instead of hauling it off. I replied that it was compost and he said "what's that?". What kind of structure? Many people like to use structures to contain compost. These can range from simple and free things such as wooden pallets wired together to form a bin, to expensive containment devices sold in glossy magazines. Certainly Martha Stewart would not approve of a tasteless compilation of wired pallets, or a large cylinder of concrete reinforcing wire to hold compost. But it is your choice, she may be better at entertaining than I am, but I bet I make a lot more compost than she does. In fact I use a large bin about fifteen feet wide, and six feet deep made of concrete blocks on three sides. This will hold about five tons or more of compost that can be easily stacked five feet high. Lots of people advocate the use of multi-compartment bins. These are usually made about four feet square for each section. They will often have three or four sections joined together. The idea is that you will make a new pile at one end. And then when the pile needs turning you will lift it over the partition to the next section turning it and freeing up the old section to start a new pile. This sounds Ok, except that the compost must be lifted. I prefer to have a long area, and then work the compost from one side or the other. I merely need to dig at the pile turning one forkful after another from one end gradually moving the entire pile over a foot or two. This seems to me to be less work, although the compost is not so tightly contained and indeed takes more room. A unique way of making compost is a tumbler, these have become popular in the last decade, and they do seem to make some passable compost. While they are not generally large enough to create the 'critical mass' to encourage the bacteria to make a large amount of heat and destroy weed seeds they are simple and easy to turn. One simply unscrews the lid and puts in the kitchen wastes etc. and then with the lid on you turn the barrel letting it spin on it's axis. A couple turns each day when adding new material and you have a decent way to make compost. I feel this is a good way to use your kitchen wastes without going through the bother of making tons of compost. I suppose how to contain the pile depends on your landscape and sense of aesthetics combined with the quantity of material you need to work with and how much effort you are willing to put in for a given amount of compost. Since I work a lot of compost I use a tractor, and if I did not have one I certainly would not want to have to lift the compost over a barrier to another bin. How big of a pile? This being said I should discuss the matter of what size of pile. One really should try to go for a pile that is a minimum of three feet wide and deep. This will give what we call a critical mass of material and depth. With such a pile the creatures inside can work their processes with less interference from external weather. They will generate their own heat while they decompose the materials. If left this way for a month one could dig into the pile and see that the top six inches would be essentially unchanged from their original properties, yet the materials below would be half decomposed, and already taking on a darker color. This serves to illustrate how the surface of the pile does not decompose well due to drying from the sun and breeze, as well as the fact that the micro-organisms cannot deal with exposure to the elements and sun. For this reason when I have my piles complete I like to wet them through to get it all moist, and then cover them with a tarp. This will help hold moisture, reduce drying from the wind, and hold the heat in. Here is a nicely built compost pile, made from wire rolled into a cylinder, and the free ingredients neatly stacked inside. How to stack the ingredients... Many manuals on composting will talk about layering the ingredients as if you were constructing a cake. They speak of starting with a pile of branches to "provide airflow" to the pile, well, I tell you that when you get those branches caught in the tines of your turning fork you are going to be wishing they did not have 1,000 pounds of compost on top of them. If the idea of composting is to turn the pile to provide air you do not need branches getting in the mix messing things up. And you do not need to worry all too much about layering the ingredients in precise 6 and four inch layers as the manuals speak of. This layering is going to be destroyed the first time you turn the pile. At that time the ingredients will truly start mixing. When you have built a half dozen piles you will be able to lay the ingredients out as you get them in without worrying too much about precision. This is not rocket science. People have been composting for hundreds of years in one way or another. So just get those materials together and let them pile up. Moisture in the pile.... "Make the pile as moist as a squeezed out sponge" is the ale we hear from all the manuals and books on composting. Well, to this I can offer no argument. In my experience the pile needs a certain amount of moisture. You do not want to wet it too much as the water that drains away will carry with it much soluble nitrogen and affect the heating ability of the pile. It will also drown the pile and reduce the air in it. When the pile is first made it will not accept water all that well due to the carbon materials being somewhat water repellent. As the pile 'works' for a few weeks it will more readily accept water. I like to wet the pile off and on as I bring in the ingredients and lay them out where the new pile will be. Then each time I turn it I water some unless I expect rain soon. This is also some of the reason I like the tarp over the pile, the tarp will hold moisture and keep the pile from drying as quickly. Condensation on the inside of the tarp will run into the top couple inches of material keeping that moist also and letting the top layers decompose a bit better than if they were exposed to the elements. The tarp is also handy during periods of heavy rain to keep the rainfall from leaching the nitrogen out, or drowning the pile.
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Going Green: In My Community

gogreentheme — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:25:28 CDT

Whether hypercity or hamlet, your home town bears the burden of providing food, shelter, resources, and energy for the people who live there. Until recently, cities have been more likely to be the cause of environmental ills than the solution. Yet today many cities are finding ways to green themselves in ways that not only make them more livable but that also save millions on municipal budgets and in some cases, as with smoking bans, may even save lives. Energy use concentrated in one place may lead to greater air pollution with significant impact on human health. But larger cities allow the government and others to provide more services—water, electricity, and transportation—more efficiently to a larger number of people. Your town may not have the funds for green roofs and eco-friendly government buildings but could install environmentally friendly bicycle paths and switch from pesticide spraying to non-toxic pest management in city parks. Residents can turn to farmer's markets for locally grown seasonal produce. And bottled water may not be the best solution for local water quality issues. Studies have shown bottled water is often no healthier than tap water, produces unnecessary garbage, and consumes vast quantities of energy to bottle and distribute. If your local water quality isn’t what it should be, it’s likely your watershed needs more attention, not less.

Going Green: Myself

gogreentheme — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:23:58 CDT

Some of them are well-known toxins; others are newer compounds with unknown effects. Of the more than 10,500 chemicals found in personal care products alone, only 11 percent have been tested for safety. Environmental factors are believed to play a significant part in the rising prevalence of many diseases, including cancers, birth defects, and nervous system disorders like autism and attention deficit disorder. Children are particularly vulnerable to chemical exposures. Those under five consume an average of eight different pesticides in their food every day. And the dangers posed by those pesticides and personal care products are compounded by the fact that children's developing bodies absorb, pound for pound, more chemicals than adults'. But there is good news. Increasing demand for organic foods, which are grown without the use of conventional pesticides and artificial fertilizers, means they are becoming much more readily available. Studies have shown that children fed organic diets have six times fewer pesticides in their blood than children who eat conventional diets. Organic personal care products have also become more widely accessible. And detoxification programs designed to cleanse the body of potentially harmful chemicals are increasing in popularity.

Going Green: At Work/At School

gogreentheme — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:21:46 CDT

How Green Is Your School or Workplace?

Offices and schools can be enormous producers of waste, particularly paper. Every year 3.8 million acres (1.5 million hectares) of U.S. forests are clear cut to meet Americans' insatiable demand for wood pulp.

Waste reduction and recycling are two ways to reduce the amount and toxicity of trash created. Offices can implement environmentally friendly policies for everything from purchasing to packaging. Offices also face the growing problem of so-called e-waste. More and more electronic products are consumed every year. This has caused a dangerous explosion in electronic scrap containing toxic chemicals and heavy metals that cannot be disposed of safely. Computers and other products can be reused, refurbished, or recycled. As many as half of all U.S. schools suffer from indoor air quality problems. Asthma affects more than six million American children, who miss a total of 14 million school days per year as a result of asthmatic attacks. By cleaning with less toxic ingredients, eliminating mold in ducts, and removing carpets wherever possible, schools and offices can reduce much of the dust and other allergens that trigger asthma. In addition, recent efforts have sought to reduce the amount of junk food that schools serve children. Currently, fifteen percent of U.S. children are overweight and likely to grow into overweight or obese adults. Organic gardens can be used to not only promote better eating habits but to teach children about biology and ecosystems.

Going Green: At Home

gogreentheme — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:20:39 CDT

The home should serve as a shelter and an escape from the cares of the world, not a settling place for pesticides and toxic metals. But everything from carpeting to the paint on the walls may emit dangerous chemicals. The air indoors can be five times as polluted as the air outside, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Paradoxically, the cleaners we use to maintain spruce, germ-free interiors give off smog-like vapors that can induce asthma attacks, spark headaches, and in some cases are linked to cancer. You may cut down on such toxins by buying and using products that are free of harmful chemicals whenever possible. Common household materials such as baking soda and vinegar can be used for cleaning instead. The average home actually contributes more to global warming than the average car. This is because much of the energy we use in our homes comes from power plants that run on fossil fuels. There are many ways to cut energy use, including replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs; buying energy-efficient home appliances; caulking and weather-stripping homes; and installing solar panels for heating and cooling. Recycling paper, glass, and plastic cuts down on harmful waste. Read on to learn more about energy savings, air quality, and home furnishings.