Tips for Teachers to Encourage Students on Saving the Environment

March 23, 2013 by Leave a Comment

The statistics are staggering and we have to do something about it or else we will all be buried one day with a serious bulk of garbage and inhaling toxic air all the time. As of 2010, America has accumulated a total of 250 million pounds of trash. Not only that, as far as total amount of emissions is concerned, there are about 4 metric tons per person each year.

It may be a long shot but it has to start somewhere. Instilling upon the young minds of children can be a great start for things to come. Green education is crucial. Information dissemination and constant reminders can create awareness and build a send of accountability. In essence, universities, secondary schools and elementary schools from all over the world should be able to teach students to help save the environment.

Tips for Teachers to Encourage Students on Saving the Environment

Talks and dialogues may vary depending on the age and level of the students. As for teachers and administrators and those belonging to the academe, taking part in this endeavor brings hope and enlightenment that the Earth can be saved from total damnation. Here are some tips for teachers and administrators to talk about in their dialogues to empower and encourage students to go green:

The Impact of Sustainability – There is a great need to expound on sustainability. Discuss what living sustainably means and create an idea of what green living is all about. What can sustainable living do and how important is it to the environment in the light of issues on hunger, poverty, conflict, pollution, deforestation among others. Then the next step should be introspection on the part of the students. Ask them and let them know their views. Gather suggestions and opinions.

The Full Support on Green Projects – The school is the model for students to follow. It is the school’s sole responsibility to initiate the awareness campaign in saving Mother Earth and everything will follow. Projects in school and the community that are eco-friendly should be actively participated in by the students and the whole school.

Consider Green Transportation Choices – Try to impart the importance of living sustainable through the use of buses and local trains instead of using own cars. Carpool can be very advantageous which can result to energy savings and lesser emissions. The school should be able to provide enough buses to cater to the students when they opt to leave their cars and choose to go green in this aspect of commuting.

Share the Essence of Waste Reduction – Tell students what waste can do to the environment and how it can greatly affect the lives of millions. Make a list of the different kinds of things that turn to waste like discarded paper, empty bottles, product packaging and many more. Then, discuss ways and strategies on how to minimize trash and recycle others for a much greater use.

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Cascading “Green Living” To Kids

March 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment

What exactly is green living? Of course, we all know that this is not literal. Although it is quite a complicated subject to tackle and talk about especially to children, it can be cascaded successfully given a few tips. Sometimes green living can be better understood with more action and less talking. By showing kids a first-hand experience from your end, they will be able to grasp the awareness pretty quickly. How to live sustainably is important and letting them know the essence is not done through lectures but better comprehended through good example and role modeling. It is detrimental to make drastic changes to the way you live so you can show your kids that you love your environment and you are doing something to save it big time.

Cascading “Green Living” To Kids
The first approach to living green or “green living” is by living it in your everyday life. Give the kids something to see and think about and even partake with. In the house, introduce an eco-friendly diet like taking organic foods and vegan diets. Then, a simple way to teach them to discard waste is to segregate the bio-degradable and the ones that are not. Another example is when you are at the grocery store, advise them bring your own eco-friendly bag to put the grocery items instead of using plastic bags. With this, you can add some explanation and seek to answer their queries.

Another thing that you can do is to plant trees with your child together. This can explain the whole activity that planting trees can affect generations and more generations to come.

You can also opt to bring your child at the vicinity where there are factories, mills and production warehouses. Show them the smoke and the fumes that get out the vents. Let them stand in disbelief as they see the black smoke expelling from the balcony. Then, you can now explain where the smoke goes, not into space but just within Earth, which is very dangerous.

Another great way is to take your child into the forest or wilderness. Let them appreciate the forest and the green environment and what it has to offer and tell them that if everything is destroyed because of technology and pollution, the Earth will no longer be the place to live in.

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An Eco Friendly Camping Trip Is Possible

March 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment

For others, spring break is just around the corner while others are already experiencing the much-awaited time of the year to have fun and relaxation. Going outdoors and making the most of what Mother Nature has to offer this spring break is just the perfect thing and most likely thing to do!

Most often, campers enjoy camping, going through their daily camping drills without much thought to the environment. Building campfires through cutting some wood stuff, in one way or another can harm the environment. However, you can plan-out an eco-friendly camping trip and make a whole lot of a difference to the environment.

An Eco Friendly Camping Trip Is Possible

Research and Know More about the Camping Site – You need to choose a destination. If you already have one, then get to know the place by doing some research. Before doing the planning, (especially if you are the one in charge), take into account all information about the area. Check out campgrounds, tour information, directions and maps, recreational activities and board and lodging selections.

Choose an Eco-Friendly Mode of Transportation – It can all start from the way to get there. What are you going to ride? Most of the time, going camping requires driving. Prepare everything needed and try to use and eco-friendly gas. If you need to rent a vehicle, try to avoid renting a car. Just go ahead and use the public transportation to lessen the use of cars.

Follow the Camp Site’s Instructions – Most camp sites have dos and donts. There are certain areas in the camp that are restricted for a reason. So, stick it out with the designated campgrounds. You could harm the other area in the camp site which was disallowed for entry in case you become so curious.

Keep the Camp Site Clean at all times – Camping usually causes people to have their trash. One of the more serious problems with camping is the amount of trash being collected. Being a responsible camper goes out to bringing your own trash bag to put food away carefully and cautiously. There are times that campsites do not even have bathrooms and comfort rooms so prepare for the worst!  Do not lose heart. You can still be eco-friendly by even digging a hole and burying your own waste. When taking a shower, as much as possible do not use other soaps and beauty products that can harm the forest especially when there is no proper drainage.
Be responsible during Campfires – Think first before lighting the campfire. Never cut twigs, figs, branches and trees. Only use the branches that have fallen. Stay within the area where campfires are allowed and not go far to avoid forest fire.

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Being Eco-Friendly at Work

March 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment

The hustle and bustle of everyday work may seem impossible to even think about saving the Earth and doing something to make our world a better place to live in. Going green in the workplace may not be a very cool idea since most are not really into it, but enforcing and initiating eco-friendliness at work can improve the company’s image, help save some money and at the same time, attract potential clients who are conscious of keeping the environment alive and clean.

Being Eco-Friendly at Work
The Use of Paper – Paper is used every single day God knows how much paper is used in the U.S. alone and all areas in the world. You can make a difference in saving paper and reduce the use of paper. Cut back on the use of paper and do messaging or email instead for inter-branch communication. Manuals and training materials can be disseminated via PDFs instead of printing. Bills can be viewed online instead of printing the statements of account.

The Use of Office Equipment – Your Company can start going green just by simply choosing the right office equipment that are eco-friendly. Make your computers and other office equipment more efficient and energy saving by using LCD monitors which have less energy as compared to the old ones. Try as much as you can to save power by selecting only the built-in energy management systems on your printers, computers and even copiers. By simply reducing the brightness of your computer screens and turning off your screen savers, you can already save energy.

Reduce Amount of Travel – If your company or business requires travelling especially during meetings, client appointment and product presentations, you can reduce the amount of travel instead and opt for teleconferences and instant messaging. This can some travel expenses and at the same time contribute greatly for the greater good.
There are indeed no limitations to going green. It just takes commitment and driving motivation to make a difference. Being eco-friendly at work is not at all a daunting task.

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Oh My! A Corpse Turned into Compost

March 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment

There is essence in dying these days. Dying to go green can be the most satisfying and useful death one can have. Once can still go green even in death. Ever since the 12th century, the most common way of disposing of a dead body is putting it in a casket and burying it several feet underground.  However, we have all known of the ill-effects of decomposing bodies with its embalming fluids affecting the environment.

Since we cannot easily just get rid of a dead human body and bury into the backyard to turn to compost pile, surprising, there is such an interesting and more eco-friendly option. A Swedish company has heeded the call to keeping the environment safe from harmful bacteria brought about by the slow-rotting process of the human body six feet beneath the ground. The bacteria eventually harm the nearby drinking water and God knows what happens next.

Oh My! A Corpse Turned into Compost
With this, Swedish Company Promessa Organic AB has revolutionized the way we actually bury the dead. The company’s founder and biologist, Susanne Wiigh-Mäsak has brilliantly developed an ecological burial process that lets the dead body get restored to the earth where it belongs, as eco-friendly as possible. The company has adapted the approach in which the corpse is virtually transformed into compost for duration of about 6 to 12 months.

This process, primarily disallows the use of embalming fluids which in turn can help lessen the environmental impact on air, water and the soil. The burial method which is highly ecological requires the removal of the water from the body. Since the body is made up of up to 70% water, what Promessa does is freeze the corpse in liquid nitrogen for one week and a half right after death.

The ecological process starts with the corpse being frozen to -18°C (0°F), and then submerged in liquid nitrogen. The next step is specifically turning the corpse into organic white powder utilizing sound waves that vibrate in a highly specific amplitude good enough to break the corpse into, believe it or not, powder. With this, the powder is now sent through a vacuum chamber that allows water to evaporate making the corpse less massive. If however, there are surgical implants and metals, they use a metal separator to remove these metal parts from the dry, white powder. Depending on the requirement of the family, the powder can also go through a disinfection process to assure its bacteria-free state. The powder can now be cremated or buried. In fact, it can be used great alternative to keep plants and garden very fertile and healthy.

According to Promessa, this process “can instill greater insight in and respect for the ecological cycle, of which every living thing is a part. The plant stands as a symbol of the person, and we understand where the body went.”

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Now There is More Reason to Switch from Cans and Bottles

March 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment

These days, there had been many methods used to replace cans and bottles to help save the environment and minimize the use of landfills, but now, there is definitely more reason to switch from cans and bottles! An innovation that practically turns water into soda in seconds is flooding the market by storm.

Cans and Bottles
This is not only a great move to go green but also turn an unhealthy lifestyle of drinking too much soda into an alternative way of health and wellness. SodaStream is the manufacturer of a consumer home carbonation product basically involved in producing carbonated water. This equipment is so amazing that it permits the users to use ordinary tap water and go through the process of carbonation and voila, it creates soda water just in seconds! Of course, it is as good as the real cola available in the market with the inclusion of different kinds of concentrated syrups as well as flavorings to make it more attractive and thirst-quenching.

Aside from the syrups, there are also fruit-flavored concentrates like Fanta and Sunkist. In early 2012, they have collaborated with Kraft Foods to bring to the table a variety of flavors just like Country Time’s pink lemonade and Crystal Light and lately, the Kool-Aid flavors. The health buffs could also avail of sugar free carbonated drinks using Splenda into the drink.

Most significantly, it has geared towards environmental friendliness by using tap water and returnable gas cylinders. In fact, the company has spearheaded several environmental projects which concentrate on waste reduction, reforestation and clean-up of numerous beaches.

To top it off, it has reduced the use of bottles and cans by utilizing an innovative packaging called the Bio Bottle. Partnering with Bio-Tec Environmental to make the use of biodegradable technology, SodaStream is now featuring and offering to the market eco-friendly flavored syrup with plastic packaging that will easily decompose compared to plastic and other materials.

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Opt For Handmade Jewelry

March 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment

If you are very much aware of what is going around us, the environment in general, you will be pretty surprised that just about anything we do can directly or indirectly affect the world we live in. With this in mind, let us, might as well do something right since this, will one or another, still affect the environment. Hence, it is imperative to at least do something positive for the environment in what little way we can.

Opt For Handmade Jewelry
The moment we wake up, we go to the bathroom, take our morning coffee then off to work. In the “busy-ness” of our lives, what can we actually do to make a difference? Do you know that even the way we dress up affects the Earth? Choosing organic cotton instead of the inorganic and synthetic can make an impact. That is why fashion has a big say in making the world a better place to live in. With pompous lifestyles and fashionable senses, the impact of fashion on the environment is great.

If you are concerned about what you can actually do for a start, then consider wearing handmade jewelry. This is easy to do and not hard to ask from a concerned and responsible citizen. Handmade jewelry is very attractive, finely and manually crafted and its fabrication takes less of a toll on the environment as compared to the other commercially produced jewelries. The people behind the creation of handmade earrings use methods and raw materials that are eco-friendly and at the same time, making it in such a way that the finished products become more stylish, unique and definitely remarkable-looking.

Handmade earrings are usually derived from recycled components and materials like recycled magazines, bits of broken glass and containers or even salvaged wire to create unique works of artistic jewelry. Aside from its component parts, renewable resources are also utilized to create handmade jewelry. Bamboo, flower petals, seed and seed pods, leaves, trees, wood can be perfect and useful sustainable sources of this finely crafted and beautiful handmade jewelry. Production process required is also lesser than other big corporations, resulting to less pollution and garbage plus smaller carbon footprint.

So, you see, opting for Handmade Jewelry may not be too taxing to do yet can make big difference to save the Earth.

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Infant Pacifiers and Teethers Can Be Eco-Friendly, Too!

March 17, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Most often, children especially infants and toddlers love to put just about anything in their mouths and apparently, this is not doing them any good. Although these pacifiers ease babies’ sucking cravings and let them sleep quietly and peacefully at night or used at any time of the day, are these pacifiers safe for baby’s physical health?

Infant Pacifiers and Teethers Can Be Eco-Friendly, Too!
Pacifiers, also commonly termed as a paci, a nuk, a dummy or a binky are useful suckers to help babies sleep quietly and provide them another way to gratify their sucking cravings.  Although this is due to teething and oral development, there are pacifiers that may be harmful and may be choking hazards for baby. Pacifiers can be very helpful, allowing a good night’s sleep for both mom and baby. However, it can also be disadvantageous when baby refuses to let go of it until 5 years old! Imagine a pre-school student or grader with a pacifier!

There are lots of pacifiers and teethers available in the market today but how sure are we that they are safe for baby’s use? It is a fact that many of the conventional teethers and pacifiers contain Bishpenol or otherwise known as BPA.  BPA is a chemical that is usually found in hard plastics of food and drink cans which can actually perform the functions the way estrogen and other hormones perform in the human body. BPA is harmful to the health because it is an endocrine disruptor – one that disrupts the production, secretion, action, transport and elimination of natural hormones. It takes the place of our own body’s hormones and function in a way that is not helpful, but detrimental to one’s health. In fact, babies and young children are very much sensitive to the effects of BPA because of their rapid growth and development.

In searching for the best pacifier and teether for your baby, always look for one that is BPA free! There is no need to purchase toxic baby products anymore; always be conscious of the ingredients, materials and labels shown. Say no to BPA and continue to support the bandwagon against BPA. After all, infant pacifiers and teethers can be eco-friendly, too!

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Go Green in Controlling Pests

March 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment

There comes a point that parents resort to pesticides to get rid of pests at home. This affects the children and they become more susceptible to inhaling different kinds of pesticides that hamper the air quality at home. Why have this option when there is a safer method of pest control – one that prevents insects and pests from infiltrating the home rather than just annihilate them when they are all over the place?

The Integrated Pest Management or IPM is a much eco-friendly and safer method to control pests from entering the home in the first place. By applying the principles suggested by IPM, you can do your part in saving the environment and at the same time, protecting your children from undue pesticide inhalation.

Go Green in Controlling Pests
Beware of Pests – Do not allow these pets, whatever the kind, to get inside your house. Naturally, if they are not there, there is no use of worrying the use of pesticides to kill these stubborn pests.

Clean thoroughly and Keep Places Dry – Pests need a place to stay and thrive with food and water to survive. Search the house and get rid of places that can easily be accessed by pets. Keep moist areas dry. Clean and dry areas are not welcoming sites for pests to stay, so they cannot hang around your place too long.

Seal Cracks at Small Corners – Insects love to live in corners, small cracks and crannies. Seal those open areas so no insects will choose to live in that nook that constantly attracts them.

Continue to do Constant Monitoring – You cannot just do checking around every nook and corner once a year. Who know, there is a crack somewhere that you have missed. Constant and continuous monitoring is the key to guarantee a clean house free from pests and other insects.

Address Pest Problems ASAP – Do not prolong and delay the annihilation of pests around the house. You can use traps, vacuums, baits to get rid of pests easily. If not, you can opt to have an organic pest control or perhaps hire a company that uses non-toxic pesticides.

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Some Safe Substitutes to Bottled Water

March 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Pollution has brought about rampant contamination especially on ground water where we actually get our water for drinking. There had been increased levels of lead, mercury, arsenic and other harmful contaminants through the years that is why more, if not, most people have resorted to the use of bottled waters. With this, no doubt, the contamination has been prevented but then, millions of bottled waters that had been thrown have also produced huge and serious environmental issues concerning the rising piles of litter and landfills.

Yes, these bottled waters can be recycled, but if we closely introspect, the energy used for the actual recycling plus the cost of materials and transportation expenses to transport the newly recycled bottled waters still tantamount to enormous amounts of energy and money involved. If recycling is environment-friendly, yet it takes so much energy and resources to recycle, what have we gotten, so far? Still more spending and no savings as far as energy and other notable resources are concerned.

Some Safe Substitutes to Bottled Water

You know, bottled waters are the safe alternatives to contaminated water, but there is a perfect solution to an even wider problem to energy crisis. There are safe substitutes and alternatives that do not entail much energy and expenses, making every effort environmentally beneficial.

Why not consider a household water filter straight from the faucet? Because it would be impossible to purify the water of the whole city, maybe a household can voluntarily choose to take part in some purification substitutes that can help cleanse drinking water into purification that is at par to the level of safe drinking.

Hence, here are some purification options that can not only save some money but can be a whole lot helpful, a proven safe substitute to bottled water.

Filters

One can simply put a filter trap which practically traps and filters particles in a somewhat porous and rough material while still letting the water pass through the faucet. This is the simplest approach one can use and is considered to be the most inexpensive way although it takes regular checking and maintenance prompting more filter changes from one to another.

Use of Carbon Filters

Coal, charcoal and wood are filters that can be used to reduce chemical contaminations especially tastes and odors. There are carbon filter cartridges available in the market that are not so costly and can still purify water at the level for safe drinking. However, this method also requires frequent replacement of filter cartridge since it can gather bacteria in the long run.

Devices with Reverse – Osmosis

This device can be tedious to install but once installed under the sink, the membrane with small pores can filter and screen injurious chemicals like chlorine and sulfate. The downside of these reverse-osmosis devices is the wastage of water which can reach to a ratio of 3:1 with 1 gallon that is only drinkable.

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