Archive for July, 2009

Eco-Friendly and Renewable Energy Primer

Today we hear the phrase renewable energy more than ever.  However, there are many people that are not sure what this really means.  Some are not even sure what renewable energy sources are available today and what the pros and cons are to each one.  So, here is a look at what renewable energy is, why it's important, and the types of renewable energy out there. What Exactly is Renewable Energy? Renewable energy is energy that comes from sources that are natural and that can be naturally replenished in a quick amount of time.  It also has the potential to offer energy in the future as well. The Importance of Renewable Energy While you may have heard of renewable energy over and over again, you may not be sure why this type of energy is so important.  Well, energy that comes from fossil fuels causes a lot of problems in the environment.  When you burn fossil fuels, they generate various greenhouse gases, which get trapped in the atmosphere, which leads to a warming of the climate.  Also, fossil fuels will eventually run out and it takes many years to naturally reproduce ...

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How to Stop Impulse Buying and Start Helping the Environment

Impulse buying is a major issue for many people.  Seeing something that seems so great and becoming a victim to clever marketing is at the heart of impulse buying.  Impulse buying, though, has a very negative effect on the environment as many of these impulse buys end up laying in landfills because we never really needed or wanted them in the first place.  Not to mention, buying such things only encourage the manufacturer to make more of them, thus producing more environmental damage.  To do your part, you have to get impulse buying under control. Curbing the Impulse One of the only ways to stop yourself from buying something that you do not need is to think through every purchase you make.  Instead of simply tossing items in your shopping cart, think about each item first.  Ask yourself if you really need the item. You also need to consider what you need versus what you want.  Most often we buy things because we want them, not because we need them.  This is just a waste of money and is the true example of an impulse purchase.  You should be buying things that you ...

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Help the Planet and Your Body by Exercising

You may not think there is an intimate connection between your physical health through exercise with the health of the environment.  Well, think again.  Aside from the fact that whatever you do in your daily life affects the environment simply because you live in it, you use its resources, and you throw your waste into it, you can also make it better by making your exercise tie up with taking care of the environment! There are many ways with which you can get your daily exercise and feed your passion for the environment.  Often, it’s just a matter of getting on your feet, looking around you, and finding the things that need to be done for the environment while using moderate to intense physical activity. Environmental Clean-Ups You can volunteer for environmental clean-ups in your local parks, beaches, reserves and even your neighborhood streets.  You will get your exercise by walking to your clean-up areas, which can often stretch for miles at time, as well as climbing the hills, swimming to the floating debris and hauling recyclable materials to the bin.  Just imagine the number of calories you will burn and the number ...

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Canned Food Environment Effects

Supermarkets boast of them – rows upon rows of canned products from canned apples to canned zucchini paste. It seems that we have accepted store-bought canned goods as part of modern life without giving deeper thought to their effects on the environment and to our health. Well, now is a good time to secure information on their advantages and disadvantages! Advantages You might not realize it but canned goods have advantages beyond serving convenient functions for those times when cooking is a chore, or when you are camping, or when you are living on a budget. First, with the thinner materials used for the cans, greater energy savings can be had. In olden days, cans were 40 percent thicker and heavier, which means that the energy consumed was at least 40 percent greater than it is today.  Still, you will contend that the raw materials used would have to mined and processed, which will consume vast amounts of energy.  Luckily for us eco-conscious individuals, recycling just one aluminum can translates to energy savings of 95 percent while recycled steel cans will save at least 60 percent energy.  Basically, the more ...

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Organic Perfumes & Fragrances

We all like to smell good and perfume and other fragrances are a lovely way to give ourselves that alluring smell we desire. Did you know that most of those perfumes are made with chemicals that come from crude oil? That is not very safe, nor is it good for the environment. There is a better solution to make you feel good – organic perfumes and fragrances. Benefits of Going Organic Organic materials are generally safe and they are derived from natural ingredients. There are no chemicals and no harmful substances in an organic perfume. This comes with many benefits. Benefits that include being safer for you and the environment. You may never even know what is in your perfume since labeling regulations are not that stringent. A manufacturer can leave ingredients out or not disclose the actual name of an ingredient if it is considered a trade secret. Many times the most harmful ingredients are covered as a trade secret and so you will never know the true nature of what is in your perfume. Have you ever seen someone have an allergic reaction to a perfume? It can be horrible. ...

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