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Laundry detergents are no exception to the mysterious world of vague labels and ingredients, leaving the consumer unaware of the potential harmful effects it may have on herself, her family, or the environment.
Specifically, there are certain toxins present in laundry detergents that take particular aim at the environment. Linear alkyl sodium sulfonates (LAS) are more commonly listed as 'anionic surfactants' on detergent labels. They are one of the more common surfactants found in laundry detergents. They are a synthetic product.
As they are manufactured, cancer causing or carcinogenic toxins, as well as reproductive toxins are released into the environment. Benzene is one such toxin, and if this were not detrimental enough, these also biodegrade very slowly.
Another harmful chemical that is frequently found in laundry detergents are phosphates. Used to remove hard-water minerals and as a preventive measure to keep dirt from settling onto clothes while being washed. Overall, they are used to make detergents more effective.
However, their negative impact on the environment is monumental. After their release into the environment, they can actually activate growth in marine plants. This can result in unbalanced ecosystems, forcing a lot of environmental changes that are not positive.
Since phosphates are so problematic, a lot of states have banned or limited their use. Some detergents even advertise their low or nonexistent phosphate level.
In essence, safer alternatives for the environment need to be utilized. Laundry detergents that contain these harmful products need to be altered or perhaps a new method of washing clothes can be implemented.
Since much of these products do not openly delineate the kind of harmful ingredients it uses, it may be difficult for the consumer to know just how detrimental they are to them and the environment.
Avoiding such products that contain anionic surfactants or linear alkyl sodium sulfonates, and phosphates is a move in the right direction.
Better alternatives are on the horizon for those who want to make a transition from the traditional way of washing clothes to a newer, safer method. The cause for concern with laundry detergents and other chemically driven products like it is real, but becoming informed of the hazards can aid in making a change for the better.
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Have you ever noticed how stressed you get behind the wheel of a car. We get upset when the person in front of us is driving to slow, traffic is backed up, a car cuts us off, or wishing the kids in the back would settle down. As we know stress causes many of the health problems we face today. Just think how a reduction in your stress while driving will make you healthier, especially when you think how many times we drive everyday.
bmwIf you live in an area similar to my parents in South Dakota you may be thinking to yourself what stress while driving. This article is for the rest of the world that has to deal with traffic, road construction, and more learner permit drivers than we know what to do with. The average person spends 1.5 hours a day behind the wheel of a car. Since we are not going to being spending this time exercising we can learn to lower our stress and improve our health while we drive.
The first secret to lower your stress while driving is to identify what cause you stress while behind the wheel. Most people have some daily event that causes their stress levels to rise. For some it is when they are stuck in traffic, getting cut off, changing lanes, or bad weather. These stresses are usually caused by fear that you may not be aware of. For instance when you hit gridlock in traffic is it really the traffic that upsets you or the fact that you are going to be late. You may find though you get upset at the traffic that it is really an underlining issue that causes your stress. The more you understand what causes you stress behind the wheel the better you can make a better choice to distress while driving.
I used to train a psychiatrist who talked about that one of the most common syptoms she would treat was road anxiety. She helped these people by having them eat a candy bar on their way home from work when they were the most stressed. What she didn’t know was that the reason people are so irritable on the way home from work comes a lack of proper eating habits. You body wants 5 small meals a day when it doesn’t get it your body finds unhealthy ways to get energy. In the case of our rush hour drivers, because they typically eat 3 meals or less, they have low blood sugar while driving home which causes them to be quickly go to anxiety and rage. You will find as your blood sugar is stable from eating throughout the day, your stress levels reduce substantially.
Tips for Better Stress Free Driving
1. Start your trip earlier: It will always take longer than you think to get some where, especially if you live in a big city. Most people’s stress rises because they didn’t give themselves enough time reach their destination if things don’t go perfectly. If you start early than you won’t be as bothered when traffic situations happen.
2. Relax while driving: Use the time while driving to unwind and reflect about your day. If you have a lengthy commute home spend the time being alone with yourself instead of racing to get home as fast as you can to only have plenty of stuff do once you get their. You have an opportunity to take a few minutes out of the rat race while you drive home.
3. Be courteous: We all hate it when someone cuts us off though I can’t throw the first stone from never cutting people off myself. A person once told me that how would you feel if that person was rushing a dying person to the hospital and that if they make it on time the person would survive. Every time I see a person driving dangerously I wish them well and hope that their need to drive fast has benefit for them. This works the same during accidents which if you live in Phoenix is an everyday occurrence. What calms me down is I truly hope the people are ok. Though I don’t like traffic slowing down, I don’t people hurt either. I find I lose my anger when I think of the poor people who are having it worse than my delay home.
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Organic is a new word used in the context of coffee, tea, cocoa and other food materials in recent times around local shops and super markets. Every year the word is being used by buying public more than the previous year and its use is growing year after year resulting in higher sale proportion of tea or coffee marked as 100% organically grown.
What is organically grown?
To simply put it, organic farming methods leave least or no harmful impact on the surrounding environment. Organic agricultural production systems are mostly traditional methods evolved through learning from nature. In the organic farming methods no synthetic chemical fertilizer or pesticide is used. So that organic production means natural, pure and healthy.
How coffee grows in nature
The coffee plant does not need much direct sun light and so it grows under the shade of large trees. The ground is never sprayed with any chemical insecticide or fertilizer and so the ground water remains pure and uncontaminated. From the canopy of trees leaves fall steadily and the ground is covered by fallen leaves layer on layer. The layers of fallen leaves work as a blanket and protect the moisture of the ground. The moisture in turn help the process of compost to turn the bottom layers of leaves into natural manure to nourish the land.
The thick foliage of shade trees over the coffee bushes house many varieties of birds and also attracts the migratory birds. The birds live on small insects and pests. So they work as natural pest controllers and keep the coffee plants healthy.
The coffee that grows in the shade of other local trees become original and pure in taste and flavor Organic Coffee.
The proposed plantation site is selected carefully. And if the site was being used to grow some other crop using chemical fertilizer or chemical insecticides, then a minimum period of three years are given as conversion years for the proposed site to get over the effects of the harmful chemicals.
After the conversion years coffee bushes are planted along with local shade trees. Care is given equally to the coffee bushes and shade trees and effort is put in to leave bird population to grow undisturbed.
The fallen leaves are left undisturbed to convert into manure to nourish the land and keep it fertile. The bird population effectively controls the pests and harmful insect and protects the coffee bushes. And finally for decaffeinating, approved processes are employed including the Swiss Water process. The coffee thus produced is organic coffee.
Organic vs. commercial production
Organic production methods along with producing coffee intend to protect environment. In this process of growing coffee, more and more trees are grown due to that local biodiversity is achieved. In this method, soil fertility and nutrients are sustained. No chemical pollution is created to harm the human health.
In contrast in commercial profit oriented method of growing coffee, the trees are felled and the cumulative effect is deforestation. Deforestation leads to soil erosion and severe depletion. The commercial grower cuts trees to allow direct sun light which increases production. As there are no birds to control pests and due to the absence of trees and its natural manure, farmers are forced to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides severely harming the environment.
Organic coffee - lifeline of future
Organic production process is eco friendly and helps to repair the environment spoilt by the greedy profit oriented approach of commercial growers of coffee through growing more and more shade trees.
Protecting environment locally helps to enhance the eco system. Rejuvenation and eco system alone can help the planet from disaster and help to sustain life on this planet.
Organic coffee is our responsibility, almost a human duty and life line to healthy future of mankind.
Naturesorganicmarket.com offers low prices on organic coffee, organic baby clothes, and more.
What is organic food? The term is becoming more popular. In the United States for a product to claim that it is 100% organic is has to produced following legally regulated guidelines and be subject to strict testing. Typically to because of the detail involve to get the ultra healthy organic food it costs more than the fertilizer and pesticide rich alternatives.
The term organic means that the food was produced without the use of conventional pesticides, synthetic fertilizers or sewage, and that no artificial additives to included in the process. When the term organic relates to animals like beef, the animals are free of antibiotics and growth hormones given typically to make the animals bigger.
In the beginning the only place to get organic food was from your local farmers market. Not any more. Now, family run farms are being over taken by commercial operations that produce still 100% organic food faster and meet the new demand for the products. The United States has grown by 17-20% in organic food sales in the last few years. You can now get organic products from online retailers to Wal-Mart.
In the United States, companies have to pass tough testing and regulations to call their products organic. The term certified organic means that the USDA has certified that the product in question is actually 100% organic. A farmer commercial or family run must apply for their certification. Not all organic food is certified. Food products can be organic and just not have gone through the approval process to be certified.
With the every increasing demand for organic products, more and more products are finding their way into becoming organic. Now, coffee, ice cream, and ketchup can all be found with organic labels and ingredients. There is now an overwhelming change from the overly processed foods that line our grocery stores to more all natural products.
The term all natural is not govern, so the only way to know a product is organic is to get it from a trusted source or grown it yourself. The ladder probably isn't going to happen for most of us. All natural products are not necessarily bad. They are just not going through the certification process to be considered 100% organic.
Looks for the organic label from your trusted places you buy your products. You will have to make the decision on the products that might be 70% or 35% organic. For some products that is as good as it gets for the time being. With the demand high more and more products will start becoming organic. They have to.
Natures Organic Market has low prices on organic baby clothes, organic protein bars, and more.
Natures Organic Market has found that many of their customers are now shopping online due to the energy crunch. As people want to live more "Green," they are looking for all ways that they can cut back on the energy their require for daily activities. Shopping online makes it convenient to get the things you want. It is better on greenhouse gases for one delivery truck drive carrying 500 packages, then 500 separate people all get in their cars and go to the store.
The best part is that shopping online also saves money. Products are typically cheaper online as they don't have to pay for brick and motor stores. So, before we go any farther you will typically save money just shopping online. Second, if you have been watching your money at the pump melt away, then you understand the total savings in dollars and sense for getting your purchases delivered to you.
As more people are going to Green Living it only makes sense to get your organic products online. The carbon footprint of hosting a webpage pails in comparison to the energy required to keep a large store open for 12 hours a day.
Overall shopping online saves money, lowers greenhouse emissions, and lowers the total carbon footprint of purchasing items.
Isn’t it crazy to think that everything we eat or use that comes from plants at one time grew completely wild? That’s right, rice, corn, beans, cotton, oranges, tomatoes… everything came from somewhere on the earth and grew there wild. It’s somewhat hard to believe.
Then, in the past several thousand years, humans selected the ones they liked best and found most useful and began selecting the best varieties of each. For example, I have this friend down in Costa Rica that recently planted 2000 rambutan trees (they are like a hairy lychee). He waited for four years until they all began to bear fruit and tasted the fruit from all of them. He selected the five trees he thought had the best fruit and then cut down 1,995 of them. He then grafted from those five best trees and refilled the plantation with the selected varieties. This type of plant selection went on all over the world and civilizations improved their favorite foods and plants. These different varieties of plants were selected for many reasons, ranging from the fewest seeds to the sweetest pulp, from the fluffiest cotton bunches to the brightest colored oranges. Varieties were selected for a whole range of reasons. Today, unfortunately, one of the most important traits plant growers strive for is shelf life, which is often more important than even taste.
The word diaspora means the dispersion or migration from a country or region and usually refers to the leaving of an ethnic group from their homeland. Here we are talking about different plants, their geographical origins and how and why they moved around the world. The most common movements happened as cultures began spreading to different areas of the world, during which time they often brought their favorite plants with them. Its interesting as well as fun to go on plant walks in port towns where it is evident that sailors from all over the world have briefly stopped in and spread seeds of their favorite foods. Let’s follow a few great examples of this movement.
The ancient Polynesians over 1000 years ago would set sail out into the open ocean on their long canoes seeking out new lands. Along with the necessities needed on the journey, such as food and fresh water, they would always pack shoots, roots, cuttings and seeds of plants for food, cordage, medicine, fabric, containers and all of life's vital needs. This included food bearing plants such as taro, banana, coconut and breadfruit, bamboo for building, turmeric and noni for healing, and kava kava for recreational use. Their relationship with these plants was deep. Bringing them along made inhabiting these far away lands more hospitable.
Another interesting example of plant diaspora is in the many plants that moved with the African slaves into the Caribbean Islands and eastern coast of Central America. In Costa Rica, for example, as you descend into the Caribbean lowlands from San Jose, the people are mostly descendants of Jamaica and Barbados and the plants and markets are full of foods brought with the slave trade from Africa via the Caribbean and then brought them to Costa Rica. These plants include such delights as breadfruit, ackee and tropical yams. They are rarely seen in other parts of Costa Rica outside of this region. Captain William Bligh, on his famous voyage of the “Bounty”, brought many of these foods to the Caribbean islands, with the intent of being able to feed slaves cheapily and easily.
Ackee.JPG
Like the fascinating movement of people and cultures around the world and their indoctrination into new lands, foods also go through trials in their new locales. Some have thrived and spread quickly into the landscape, and others would perish and not survive in these new conditions. It is a fun exercise to follow plants back to their origin and learn about their journeys and introductions into new lands. You can start with coffee and its birthplace in……….. Ethiopia. ☺
Stephen Brooks is a jungle tropical fruit farmer in Costa Rica, the co-founder of Kopali Organics and is the Food Field Reporter on Planet Green's G Word.
Some of us learn to live with our contradictions. We might talk corporate responsibility but still shop at Wal-Mart. Or worry about global warming but leave every light on.
While there's no substitute for more conscious living, you can reduce the impact of some of your bad practices.
That thought came to Ryan Legg and Meredith Nelson after they had planned, by their own descriptions, a rather environmentally unfriendly wedding.
Committed environmentalists, they try to live by their principles. They buy local foods, take public transport, don't use air conditioning and keep their home a chilly 65 degrees in winter.
But this was their contradiction: They wanted a traditional wedding — church ceremony, country-club reception, the works. They knew many of the 165 guests would drive three to five hours to get to the wedding. That's a lot of exhaust to pump into the atmosphere.
Plus they were serving steak and chicken, though fish would have used four times fewer carbon emissions to produce. And they wanted cut flowers on the tables, though potted plants would have been renewable.
They were feeling guilty, even with the hydrangeas and peonies coming from local growers. Then, as Legg put it, "We went, "Wait a minute. We should do something good for the environment!' "
They could, they realized, lessen their environmental faux pas by tallying up the energy expended in each guest's car or plane trip, hotel stay and meals, and from the wedding itself. Once they had a "carbon equivalent," they could buy an equal number of "carbon offsets" to be invested in renewable-energy projects such as wind farms and solar installations.
The concept is known as carbon trading, and it's the same principle behind the U.N. Kyoto Protocol treaty, which sets limits on each country's carbon emissions. Carbon dioxide is believed to be the No. 1 human-induced cause of global warming.
Countries buy credits in return for exceeding their limits.
The United States pulled out of the treaty before it took effect in 2005. But mitigating greenhouse gases can be done at the individual level, too. Each person has a carbon footprint, representing the amount of carbon dioxide we put into the atmosphere by using fossil fuels such as oil or coal to drive, fly or heat homes. Even the things we buy contribute because of the energy required to create and transport them. You can calculate your carbon footprint using the Web site they did, www.TerraPass.com.
The couple arrived at a carbon equivalent of 27,000 pounds. So they bought an equivalent amount of carbon offsets, which cost under $200. Cards on each table let guests know that this was in lieu of party favors. "Better than a little bag of M&M's," says Nelson.
Legg, 26, and Nelson, 25, are graduate students at Cornell University. Both went into engineering with an interest in improving living standards in the developing world. As a researcher at Cornell's Johnson School Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise, Legg has explored how the private sector is addressing environmental concerns.
The best way to reduce greenhouse gases and global warming, of course, is to conserve energy, use public transportation or drive more energy-efficient cars. But this is an alternative that promotes awareness and interjects an ethical approach into a major life event. It shows that doing better by the environment (and your conscience) doesn't have to be punishing. You can get pretty creative with it.
Rehka Basu is a columnist at the Des Moines Register.
If you have been to the pump lately it might be your wallet that makes you want to go more "Green" with your car then before. As it relates to the environment automobiles account for 20% of all greenhouse gases emitted into the air. How ecological friendly you handle your car is one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Still the only way to offset your carbon footprint is to plant trees. Listed below are the Top 10 things you can do to make your car more "Green."
1. Buy a Hybrid Car or Green Car
Yes, it doesn't take rocket science to understand that if you buy a more environment friendly car you have reduced your carbon footprint. Hybrids now come in sedans, SUV, and luxury vehicles. If buying a hybrid right now isn't in your budget choosing a car with excellent gas mileage is going to make a big difference.
2. How You Drive
You drastically increase the fuel you consume and the emissions your car gives off when you accelerate quickly and stop quickly. Driving the speed limit and more smooth as it relates to aggressive driving through the city will save on your gas bill. Also, the more you can take care of all your errands in one trip is better than many short trips to the store.
3. Keep Your Car in Shape
Regular tune ups of your car will keep your car producing less greenhouse gases, using less gas, and prevents future trouble. It is estimated that if every American's tires were properly inflated to the right level we would save 3 billion gallons of gas every year.
4. Offset Carbon Footprint
You can plant trees to offset the greenhouse gases you are emitting each year. Planting trees is the only way to offset your carbon footprint.
5. Carpool
If you have been on the freeway during rush hour you see all the commuters driving by themselves. Not only will you drastically lower your impact on the environment by carpooling you get to go in the carpool lane, as well.
6. You Don't Need a Car for Everything
For short trips you can take your bike or walk. With cars we don't even think about the other ways we can travel; we just hop in our cars and off we go. Many store items can easily be carried on a bike with a backpack. Also, you can get an electric scooter to get places faster.
7. Drive Half Way
For some trips walking or your bike isn't the complete answer. Driving your car and then getting on mass transit or driving your car and then parking to then go on your bike both work. Many times if you are going during rush hour, driving until the traffic gets thick and then going on your bike will get you there faster than sitting in the bumper to bumper traffic.
8. Use Less AC
Using a windshield protector can reduce how hot your car gets allowing you to use less air conditioner in the car. Turn your AC on low instead of high uses less gas. Don't forget to park in the shade to also keep your car cooler.
9. Use the Web
With the easy access to the web these days you can have video conferences, send email, and buy your products online. A video chat can be just as good as a face to face meeting without using gas and your car.
10. Go without a Car
For those that are willing to take it on it can be done. You would be surprised with a change in thinking how it is possible for some to go without a car. Using physical transportation like a bike and mass transit can get you around. Also, for those that want to it may be important to live closer to work or the stores you need or making your work day virtual so your home is your office.
Erase Carbon Footprint offers services to plant trees to reduce your carbon footprint.
To do that, the Taxi and Limousine Commission recently approved regulations will increase the fuel economy of all new "black cars" that service the city's business community to a minimum of 25 miles-per-gallon (mpg) next year and to a minimum of 30 mpg beginning in 2010.
The proposal to green the city's roughly 10,000 black cars is an obvious follow-up to last year's regulation that is, slowly but surely, converting the city's yellow cabs to fuel-efficient hybrids, thanks to Local Law 72 of 2005.
Switching to more fuel-efficient models (whether hybrid or not) cuts fuel costs for drivers and operators, while reducing the global warming impacts of the overall industry.
Though this new regulation is well intentioned, it may not provide as much global warming as possible.
The Myth of MPG
Here's why: the use of "mpg" ratings (set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for all cars sold in the U.S.) as the performance indicator is an imperfect way to measure the global warming impact of these vehicles. It's imperfect for two reasons.
First, the agency's mpg ratings are flawed because they are based on the agency's assumptions regarding the typical style of driving in cities and on highways across the nation. These assumptions bear no relationship to the way black cars are actually driven in New York City. To put it as simply as possible, EPA assumes cars drive faster, sit in less traffic, idle less, and use less air-conditioning than any city black car.
Second, mpg ratings are imperfect because there are significant, so-called "upstream" global warming emissions that stem from the manufacturing and transport of the vehicles to New York, as well as from the production, refining, processing and/or transport of whatever fuel is used (i.e., gasoline, diesel, biofuels, or alternative fuels such as natural gas or electric power). The agency's ratings govern only the amount of fuel that one can expect to use in typical city or highway driving, not the actual global warming pollution that comes from the driving (and the production) of the car.
A Footprint Approach
A more comprehensive approach would be to measure the full, life-cycle "carbon footprint" of the vehicles. Such an approach would ensure that the city is driving the black car industry towards the vehicles that provide the least amount of global warming pollution.
Of course, requiring car fleets to calculate their carbon footprint is a bit harder than simply reading the EPA mpg ratings. So, a practical solution would be to give fleets a choice: fleets could choose to comply with the regulation simply by using vehicles that meet the mpg threshold —- or they could use vehicles that provide, on a life-cycle basis, an equivalent or better carbon footprint. Providing this option would open the door to alternative fuel vehicles that may have very low upstream emissions, yet that do not meet the Environmental Protection Agency's mpg threshold of the regulation.
How could this work?
The city could add an alternative compliance mechanism to its newly approved regulations that allows (but does not require) fleets to use a full, life-cycle global warming analysis to demonstrate compliance with the new rule. With such an alternative compliance mechanism in place, a vehicle with low upstream impacts could comply with the rule, even if its mpg rating does not meet the 25 or 30 mpg threshold (or, as in the case of some vehicles that are retrofitted to run on alternative fuels, no EPA mpg rating at all).
Adding such a mechanism would move the city closer to the ground-breaking approach being proposed in California. In that state, regulators are considering a "low-carbon" approach to regulating fuels and vehicles, rather than regulating mpg or biofuels. The city should share California's goal: to encourage the fuels and vehicles that are the lowest in global warming impact on a life-cycle basis, rather than rely on the more-limited view of the miles-per-gallon of the vehicle, the amount of biofuels used, or the emissions at the tailpipe (all of which are used in various PlaNYC 2030 proposals).
Setting Standards
Lawyers reading this may say, "Wait a minute - the City cannot set its own emission standards."
That's right: only the Environmental Protection Agency and California can set emissions standards for vehicles, and other states can choose to follow them (New York tends to follow the more stringent California standards). But the approach summarized above would not run afoul of the federal restrictions on the city's ability to set vehicle emission standards, because it would not be a mandatory requirement on the fleets. Instead, it would simply be an alternative compliance mechanism that could be used by the fleets or not, as they wish. Thus, such a mechanism should comply with the federal restrictions on the city's ability to regulate vehicle emissions.
The Taxi and Limousine Commission deserves support for its plan to improve the environmental performance of the city's black cars.
Like the yellow cabs, these vehicles drive more miles, consume more fuel, and emit more pollution than other cars on city streets. However, the commission can make a strong plan even stronger by amending the final rule to enable fleets to use life-cycle analyses to unlock the potential of lower-carbon vehicles that could provide effective service in the five boroughs.
Rich Kassel is a senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council, where he focuses on urban air pollution and transportation issues. He also chairs the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, a regional transportation advocacy organization and blogs on a variety of environmental issues on the NRDC switchboard.
Would you like to change your vehicle oil only once a year or 25,000 miles whichever comes first, better protect your engine, save substantial money, get up to 8% better gas mileage, and help the environment by reducing waste oil by a factor of eight. All this can be done by a simple switch to the best synthetic oils and filters available today while enhancing your engine's performance and protection.
Let's first look at the economics of the oil change business. In some cases the auto repair and quick lube businesses use the oil change as a lost leader to be able to sell you the higher margin products they carry, such as; fan belts, air filters, PVC valves, windshield wipers, fuel filters, transmission oil changes, etc. They want you to come back every 3,000 miles to give your contributions to their cash flow. They take advantage of women, in particular, by selling them items that they could probably do without. The following will give you an idea of the direct savings by using premium synthetic oils. Conventional petroleum based oil with a 3,000-mile drain interval for 25,000 miles per year will cost you $148.00 (8 changes per year). Premium Synthetic Oil with a 25,000 mile drain interval (1 change per year) will cost you only $51.55.
Right away your saving, $96.45 per year on your oil change, 7 trips to the quick lube (your time and inconvenience), improved gas mileage, and reduced vehicle maintenance. 25000milemotoroil.com has further information on the synthetic oil products.
Most people do not want to change because they have been thoroughly indoctrinated to the 3,000-mile oil change interval. Let's change this falsehood because it is not good for our pocketbooks, the environment, or our dependence on foreign oil. The lubricating oil consumption in the US is estimated to be approximately 2.7 billion gallons by 2008. If everyone used premium synthetic oil, the US could save 2.315 billion gallons or 42 million 55 gallon drums of lubricating oil per year. If the 42 million drums were stacked end to end they would go for 23,863 miles or almost completely around the earth.
There is still another used and proven technology available to us today where we can eliminate oil changes altogether. This technology is the By-Pass Oil Filtration System that can be installed in all vehicles. This system uses two filters, a full flow filter and a by-pass filter. These are high quality nano-fiber filters that can eliminate particles below one micron in diameter and water from your engine's oil. Standard filters only remove particles down to 25 microns in size, but studies have shown that over 60% of all engine wear is caused by particles in the 5 to 20 micron range. This system is set up so the full flow filter provides the unrestricted flow that the engines needs, while 10% of the flow goes through the by-pass filter that removes the fine particles down to the one micron range. The oil capacity of the engine flows through the by-pass filter every five minutes while driving at approximately 45 miles per hour. Your engine oil is thoroughly and continuously cleaned every five minutes. A Mack truck with an E7-400 engine was driven over 400,000 miles without an oil change (only the oil filters were changed every 25,000 to 60,000 miles), the engine was torn down for inspection, and the engine wear was moderate and equivalent to the wear of an engine that had it's oil changed every 15,000 miles with conventional oil. This is some testimony to the performance of premium synthetic oil.
The environmental impact of reducing our country's lubricating oil consumption by 2.315 billion gallons is beyond our imagination and this environmental abatement can begin today if every one becomes aware of their ability to contribute by using premium synthetic oil and filtration products. The EPA estimates that 200,000,000 gallons of used oil are not disposed of properly each year. The cost of reclaiming and processing used oil is significant and affects all of us by higher prices and increased taxes. One gallon of improperly disposed of oil can render one million gallons of fresh water undrinkable.
The United States accounts for 26% of the world's consumption of lubricating oils. The economic growth in China and other parts of the world will spike the requirement for lubricating oils which will greatly contribute to the contamination of the earth's environment unless we make strides in using the most effective and efficient ways to keep our wheels in motion.
The United States uses an average of 385,000,000 gallons of gasoline each day. This amounts to 140,525,000,000 gallons of gasoline per year. If we can increase our gas mileage 4% by using premium synthetic oils we can save 5,621,000,000 gallons of gasoline a year. These are steps we can take now before we need to take bigger steps, such as going to a hydrogen infrastructure. Even with hydrogen replacing the gasoline, we will still need the lubricating oils to keep all the parts of our cars, trucks and equipment in motion without abrasion.
We can also do a better job of recycling our used oil. Do you know where our used oil goes now? Look at the following data.
40% is dumped on the ground or poured down the sewer. 21% is disposed of in our trash and goes to the landfills. 19% is reused for other purposes. 14% is recycled. 6% is burned.
With only 14% of our waste oil being recycled, there is a big opportunity to do more. It's a total neglect to have 61% of our used and contaminated oil seeping back into our water ways and aquifers. You can help by using premium synthetic lubricating oils and having them properly disposed of when they are replenished. Reducing your oil consumption by a factor of 8 times is a tremendous help to the environment, your vehicle, and your wallet.
More information about Synthetic Oil and Filters can be obtained from 25000MileMotorOil.com along with details on extended drain intervals. This will aid you in helping the environment, improving your engine longevity, and saving you lots of money.
You are contributing to a cleaner environment by upgrading to solar generated electricity. You are also taking a step toward energy independence when you begin using solar power in your home.
To better understand solar electric systems and how they work, you first need to understand the technical components making up a residential solar energy system.
New solar rental services are emerging that offer solar power in new and simple ways. These new solar equipment rentals offer system wide efficiency and control and make a home's electric service more responsive, more reliable, and more renewable.
The remainder of this article will explain and further define many of the common components making up home solar energy system.
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Panels
The primary components of a home solar system are the Solar (PV) panels. These panels utilize solar cells to convert sunlight directly into home electricity. A number of cells strung together to make a panel that generates about 250 watts (w) of electrical current at peak sunlight capacity. The panels then route power through an inverter where a controller determines how to distribute the power throughout your home.
Solar Energy Controller and Inverter
The controller is the device that monitors and manages the distribution of electricity produced by a residential solar energy system. Its capability extends even further by monitoring and managing the flow of energy between the house, the solar (PV) panels & system, and the local utility company. Often these controllers also have the ability to manage secondary storage through the use of batteries for more flexibility and control.
Coupled with the controller is the brains of the operation; the inverter. An inverter is in essence an electronic circuit that converts direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). An inverter allows the 12 or 24 volt DC power produced from solar panels to supply AC power to operate all of the electrical needs around your house.
Solar Array Mounting and Connection Components
Connection components are made up of electrical wiring and the rail mounting structure. Several solar panels are arranged into a grid, secured by a rail mounting device, and connected together to make a solar (PV) array. Electrical wiring is needed to connect the solar panels to the controller, then to your meter box, and then to your utility company via the existing electricity grid. Little additional solar energy equipment is needed, other than the panels, controller and inverters, wiring, and the roof mounting system.
The mounting rail is another simple structure that secures your solar (PV) array to your roof with the little need to drill holes through your singles. It is designed with maximum strength and allows for easy assembly of the solar array.
Rental Options for Residential Solar Energy Systems
Homeowners now have the ability to generate electricity right at home in safe, simple, and environmentally conscious way. Residential solar energy systems convert sunlight (i.e. photons) directly into usable home electricity. Residential solar energy systems, now offered to homeowners on a rental basis, provide a new source of reliable electricity and they enhance electric services without expensive investments in solar purchases.
In a future article, we will continue this series related to residential solar energy systems. We will explain in common terms how to measure the power of the sun. One objection often voiced by homeowners researching home solar power relates to the quality of the sunlight.
Is too cloudy? Is it too foggy? How does snow effect solar cell output? We will explain how to determine whether your geographic location receives enough sunlight hours to make solar suitable.
At Solargies, we plan to make the right Eco-friendly, green solutions available to the American homeowners. My role involves the leadership, communication, and the education related to the adoption solar energy system rentals. Learn more about residential solar energy.
To draw eco-awareness to our global home, the day is chock full of activities with much buzz around one campaign in particular—Together. The online resource is already a hit in the UK and was created by international NGO, The Climate Group, which works with governments and businesses around the world to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate a low carbon economy.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is saying 'Hasta la Vista' to climate change by helping bring Together stateside, providing American citizens with easy ways to fight global warming.
If you're in the New York-area today head over to Times Square where environmental heavy weights such as Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General, Steve Howard, CEO of The Climate Group, and environmental expert, Simran Sethi are gathering to celebrate the Together campaign. Otherwise, honor the day by checking out tips from Together and UNEP's World Environment Day Alphabet – 80 Ways to Celebrate—and then take action.
from Planetgreen.discovery.com
We regularly meet people at networking meetings and in our group calls who are making false assumptions about the Green Economy. These assumptions may have been true at some point, but times have changed. Are you letting some of these false assumptions hold you back from entering the Green Economy?
Myth #1: I won't make any real money.
This all depends on your interests and the choices you make. If you want to work in a non-profit or directly with wildlife and the environment, your income potential may be somewhat limited.
But if living close to the land or on a tight budget isn't your thing, you won't make choices that will put you in those situations. You'll choose to enter an industry that has good income potential and growth potential.
Supply and demand control the level of wages much the same way they control the price of goods. If you have a skill that is in high demand and there are not a lot of others with the same skill, your value will go up. If you are developing your green skills now, you'll be in high demand as this green economy takes off. It's likely you'll have more opportunities to name your price.
Myth #2: Green careers are only for scientists.
It's true that many environmental jobs, renewable energy jobs, and clean tech jobs require a scientific / technical background.
However, there are many other green careers that are outside the scientific realm. These jobs fall into areas such as advocacy, policy, finance, marketing, sales, education, manufacturing, distribution, green building, and green services such as ecotravel, event planning, real estate, and publishing.
Myth #3: There aren't any green jobs.
In the last year, the number of green jobs in several industries has started taking off. Hiring trends depend a great deal on where the industry / company is in the maturation process. For instance, a company in an R&D phase will hire more researchers than a company that is moving into production and distribution.
There are green jobs and there will be even more as time progresses; the real question is whether there are green jobs that fit your skills and abilities. Given that the green economy is just beginning, some industries are growing faster than others.
A recent article by American Progress outlines the number of green jobs that have been created and will be created in the renewable energies, clean tech, and environmental industries. Venture capital to these areas is skyrocketing. Switching over to new energy sources will create jobs in all areas of the country.
There are other industries that will be affected that aren't mentioned in that post. For instance, green, sustainable building for new construction and energy efficiency retrofitting is already experiencing rapid growth industry.
Furthermore, all of these changes will lead to ripple effect changes in other areas such as manufacturing, IT, services, and education.
Myth #4: I'll have to start over in an entry level position.
Under certain circumstances, if you want to make a dramatic career change, you may need to step back to build your experience, knowledge, and credibility.
In most situations, however, you have a number of other options.
-> Green your current job - explore ways to add a green component to your current job. Depending on the culture of the company, you may be able to have quite an impact by taking the initiative to give more focus to green issues within your workplace.
-> Use your expertise as a way to transition into a sustainable company. In this situation your expertise is the ticket that opens the door to a new company, field, or industry.
-> Build your green resume by becoming active in your community, volunteering, interning, or leading a green initiative.
-> Go back to school to get a green / sustainable certificate to help give you an edge in getting a green job.
Myth #5: I need a college diploma.
Not necessarily. Remember that many traditional companies are moving in a green direction. It's possible you can remain in your current organization, in your current job, and participate in the greening of your company.
Another option is to explore the green collar jobs that may soon be available in your area. As we make the shift from a fossil fuel economy to a renewable energy economy, a number of green collar trade jobs will become available. The great news about these jobs is that they will pay well, they won't be able to be outsourced, and there will be easily accessible training programs to earn the certificates that you need to get hired. For information about training programs, look at the community colleges in your area. These programs are just beginning to take form. Stay tuned.
Myth #6: I can't think about this now, I need to wait until I'm ready to make the leap.
Actually, the best time to begin to explore your green options is well before you are ready to make your move. Finding the right green career won't happen over night. You'll need time to explore your interests, your options, and create a plan for your transition.
By knowing where you want to go, you can begin to take advantage of opportunities to network, learn, and gain experience while you are in your current position. The more actions you can take before you start interviewing, the stronger your position will be.
Myth #7: Finding my green career is going to take too long. There's nothing I can do to speed up the process.
Actually, with a little forethought, you can be very strategic about finding a green career that suits you both personally and professionally. At Green Career Central we help people take the necessary steps to identify and achieve the green career goals that match their needs.
It all begins with identifying your green niche. With your focus in mind, you can make better use of your networking, training, and reading time. The more you immerse yourself in your target industry, the more opportunities you will see.
Green Career Expert, Carol McClelland, PhD, is the author of Your Dream Career For Dummies and founder and managing editor of Green Career Central. A comprehensive set of easy-to-use resources, programs, and events helps you identify your green niche, find a green job, start a green business or get a green education. Visit http://www.GreenCareerCentral.com to request our free report--Six Strategies to Find Your Green Career.