Facts about Cigarette Butts



Now you’ll know why you need to quit smoking once and for all. Quitting this deadly habit is not all about you anymore; apparently, it is killing our environment as well and I am not talking about air pollution which is very apparent; this is about harmless looking cigarette butts contaminating our Earth’s marine life and poisoning fishes all over the world.

Obviously, cigarette butts are not biodegradable. Try as one might, it will not break into smaller particles; most likely, they will end up in some hungry fish’s stomach which will gradually kill the poor fish. By the way, one cigarette butt contains numerous hazardous chemicals that can kill its unknowing victim in no time. Even those dubbed as “eco cigarettes” will take time, years and even decades before they’re broken down to smaller particles. Although one small cigarette butt couldn’t very well make a large impact to the environment, consider all those butts smokers flick after each cigarette stick.

Cigarette butt breaks the ecological cycle. It has no role whatsoever in the natural cycle of things hence it just hinders the flow therefore producing mild to severe environmental effects. Even if a smoker doesn’t directly toss his cigarette butt to the ocean or any body of water for that matter, those butts littering our streets will most likely find their way into the water, no matter what. It doesn’t matter how small you think a cigarette butt may be, the bottomline is, everything you throw away will make our environment suffer.

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Demand for Hybrid Cars Still On the Rise



To hybrid car manufacturers’ delight, the demand for such cars is steadily rising and still expected to grow in the years to come. This only proves that people are now more conscious of their environmental impact and they are actually finding ways to lessen their ecological footprints once and for all.

The reasons why car users are making the big switch to hybrids are fuel-efficiency and environmental concerns. With rising costs of fuel, it is but natural for people to find something that is cost-effective but will deliver the same result—or even something close to it. Moreover, due to the economic hardships we are facing today, it is not hard to notice how car fuel takes up too much money out of our pockets but a car is something we can’t live without hence we seek the next best thing:  hybrid cars.

There is a strong demand for such cars that car manufacturers are scrambling to develop their own line of hybrid cars in all sizes and shapes. This is in response to the long waiting line for hybrids today. Large car manufacturers such as Toyota, Ford and Honda are continually improving their lines to meet consumers’ needs and wants. These cars make owners feel good about themselves considering they are contributing to a better Earth—something that requires an all-out effort from everybody.

Although hybrid rechargeable batteries are still a subject of concern for most environmentalist groups, manufacturers are looking forward to developing a more ecofriendly alternative for this matter and hopefully launch the perfect hybrid car in the near future.

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Sustainable Living for Your Home



Everywhere you go, you’ll see that people are taking steps in adapting a different kind of living. Sustainable living is definitely on its peak as people are exerting conscious efforts to push through sustainable living. Apparently, this conscious effort has been around for some time now but it’s only now that people are starting to notice—partly because of the threatening effects of Global warming and Earth destruction we have been experiencing these past few years.

Many innovative products for your home are being released to the market nowadays that answer directly to sustainable living. Concepts and ideas flow in minds of developers; not only are they helpful for the environment but also it brings them an alternative source of income. Here are some examples of new sustainable living, eco friendly products to hit the market today:

·    SinkPositive is a water saving sink attached on top of a regular toilet tank. The concept behind the design takes after a traditional Japanese toilet which was developed to meet American standards by its designer Nashvillian Carl Brown. Currently, the design is patented to the designer.
·    The very eco friendly corn carpet boasts of low VOC emission, biodegradability and durability. Naturally, this carpet is made from corn fibers and it is very resistant to wear and stains. This carpeting alternative is good because of its many environmental benefits including the reduction in CO2 emission. By the way, VOCs are very harmful for our bodies since they are gases emitted by most solid and liquid substances. When inhaled, they can bring adverse health effects to the body.
·    EcoTop countertops were included in the Top 10 Green Home Products for 2007 and have been the choice for green homes eversince. These countertops are made from recycled paper and wood composite. The resin that is used for binding fibers is 100% water based so there’s no VOC and best of all, it’s petroleum free.

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How To Green Your Cleaning Products



Green is very IN nowadays.  People are stepping up and taking responsibility for the damage our environment has sustained after years of abuse and neglect.  And we should be right to be concerned.  The Earth after all, is the only planet where human beings can live.  Without our planet, we would not only have a home but we would also cease to exist.

This is one of the primary reasons why we should do everything we can to green our way of living.  As usual, change begins at home and it is there that we can slowly initiate the change needed in order to take care of our ailing planet.

The home is actually a very good source of environment damaging chemicals.  We often forget that there are harmful chemicals that we dump on to our waterways every time we do the laundry, wash the dishes or do some household cleaning.  Start by taking a look at the cleaning agents under your sink.  Chances are these chemicals do more harm than good.  Yes, they make our home smell fresher and cleaner but at the price of damaging and harming our environment.

Throw away these cleaners and detergents as they have chemicals which damage and harm our planet. Use natural products which are not only biodegradable, they are safe and contain no toxins.  This means that you and the environment are safe whenever you clean your home.

Instead of using chemical based cleaners, you can substitute these for baking soda which is a natural abrasive and won’t scratch surfaces.  Baking soda is great for soap scum and works as a disinfectant too.  For bleach, you can use lemon juice instead.  Lemon juice is nature’s bleach and is a very effective stain remover.  For best results, mix one cup lemon juice to a gallon of water and soak stained garments overnight.  White vinegar is slightly acidic and works as a disinfectant too.  You can use this to deodorize utensils, cookware and other house hold items.  Borax is a good laundry additive and is environment friendly.  Club soda is another very good stain remover.

Being Green does not cost more or will cause inconvenience.  If you look closely at the products mentioned above, you can probably find them inside your cupboard right now.  The internet is also a very good source of Green cleaning solutions and certain websites have a list of products, detergent and other household needs that are certified as Green or environment friendly.

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Glaciers and Global Warming



Perhaps the best sign that global warming is upon us are the melting of most of the world’s glaciers.  Glaciers are large moving masses of ice.  They are our souvenirs from the last ice age.  Glaciers are the earth’s largest reservoirs for fresh water and the threat of global warming has triggered a phenomenon called glacial retreat.

Scientists site the increase of greenhouse gasses as the main cause of glacial retreat.  Studies show that glaciers all over the world have shown significant shrinkages over the years mainly due to the rapid rise of the earth’s temperatures.  Mountain ranges in the Andes, Himalayas, Alps, Rocky Mountains and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania have shown the most drastic glacial loss.

One of the first effects of glacial shrinkage is the loss of water supplies.  Aside from this water levels will continue to rise which will mean a lot of danger and trouble for people living near the coast or those below sea level.

The key to making sure a glacier does not retreat is mass balance.  This means that a glacier has to be able to renew itself as fast as it melts.  Climate change has greatly varied the temperature and amount of snow fall the earth experiences which in turn contributes to glacial loss.

Aside from threatening potential water supplies used for drinking, irrigating crops, supplying dams and other fresh water reservoirs around the globe, glacial loss will also impact the ecological diversity in various regions.  Plants and animals dependent on glacial fed streams and lakes are potentially threatened.  For example, some species of salmon need cold water in order to reproduce.  Reduced glacial flows to the lakes and streams where these fishes breed will have a drastic impact on human food consumption too.  Huge numbers Polar bears have been dying from drowning as a result of glacial shrinkage.  These animals have had to swim greater distances in order to hunt for food and often drown because glaciers are becoming few and far in between.

Ski resorts in Germany have resulted to covering parts of their ski slopes with plastic in order to stave off melting.  While this solution may be plausible at some stage, it is neither economical nor practical.  Covering ski-slopes in plastic is a one sided and unrealistic way of solving the problem.

Global warming has affected our glaciers which in turn impact our ocean which also affects our weather systems and has brought forth climate change.  The evidence is staring us right in the face.  Ice melts when it is heated.  This is a fact!

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