Archive for the ‘Green Living’ Category

Green Shopping can be fun and  eBay is a great source of Eco-Friendly products. Whether you are looking for a gift for your environmentally conscious friend or just something for around the house.

By using Vintage or Used products you are giving those products a new lease on life and at the same time reducing the use of new raw materials and the energy needed to produce them.

Look for items made from recycled, organic or sustainable materials like hemp, soy or bamboo. If you are feeling adventurous look for items that artists have given a second life to, like bags made from candy wrappers or soda can pop tops.

Don’t forget to look for items that can help us reduce our use of resources like solar powered phone chargers, or hybrid energy efficient computers.

Don’t overlook refurbished electronics, if you are not a slave to the “latest” fashion in electronics, you can often find great deals in refurbished electronic and at the same time keeping those materials out of the landfill.

bibi

Comments (4)

Raising Cattle is becoming a Green Business. Ranchers are adapting greener measures to leave less of a footprint while conserving water, protecting endangered species of animals, plants and the land from overgrazing. Check it out…

bibi

Post a Comment

Who would have thought that you could be green while cooking. Green cooking brings up thoughts of organic and sustainable products, natural and local ingredients, but there are also things that you can do around the kitchen that will keep you in the green.
This month’s issue of Better Homes and Garden put together a list of easy ways to be a greener cook:

• Fill the Freezer: Use less energy by filling up your freezer. Take advantage of the bountiful of vegetables of summer, by freezing them for the winter.

• Put a lid on boiling water: This little trick will prevent heat and energy from escaping.

• Don’t Open that door: Stop yourself from peeking in the oven while things are cooking, this can drop the temperature to drop from 25 to 50 degrees, and cause you to have to cook things longer.

• No-waste Baking: This is a great tip to avoid wasting foil and parchment paper, buy a reusable nonstick silicone baking mat.

• Choose the right cookware: Choosing the right size pot or pan for what you are cooking can help you save energy and time.

• Fill’er up: Not running the dishwasher until it’s full to the rim and skipping the drying cycle will conserve energy and water.

• Unplug: Unplug anything that is not in use especially small appliances, you’d be surprise how much energy is used by appliances while not in use, and this goes for anything around the house that is plugged in but not in use.

• Lights Out: and last but not least, lights out when you leave any room.

bibi

Comments (2)

Here are some great tips to greening your home and saving money at the same time… Green a home, by using drinking water filters instead of bottled water, shower filters and bath balls to reduce water consumption and chlorine intake, furnace filters, green cleaning products, organic sheets to reduce allergens. All for under $250 dollars.

bibi

Comments (2)

Join the movement on March 28th, wherever your are in the world, turn off all the lights and enjoy a quite moment with friends and family in honor of the earth.

Vote Earth Your Light Switch is Your Vote

bibi

Comments (1)

If your in Atlanta the weekend of November 14/15 go check out the Broadcast Atlanta ENVIRO EXPO USA. It will be held at AmericasMart Convention Center. This environmental event is free.
Enjoy…

BroadcastAtlanta ENVIRO EXPO USA
Nov. 14-15, 2008
AmericasMart
240 Peachtree Street N.W. Building 3
Atlanta, GA 30303

Attend the region’s most diverse display of eco-friendly products and services, and hear experts share how to live a green lifestyle. Experience eco-friendly food, apparel, cosmetics, household, furniture and lawn and garden products. Indulge in organic food and home products, including olive oil, baby food, chocolate, honey, fresh herbs, seasonal vegetables, granola, and organic soap at the region’s most diverse display ofeco-friendly food, apparel, cosmetics, furniture, and lawn and garden products. Learn about green businesses in the water, energy, transportation, remodeling, recreation, and green-financing industries.

Attend University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service gardening demonstrations.

The Broadcast Atlanta ENVIRO EXPO USA will also feature:

• Green Hall Meeting- Learn how to Green It Up with community sustainability leaders, a town hall-style discussion with sustainability experts from the Environmental Protection Agency, local government agencies and area environmental organizations on Saturday, November 15^th from 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
• More than 20 expert speakers discussing topics ranging from eco-conscious landscaping to everyday water conservation.
• Activities for kids including, an appearance by the Radio Disney Street Team from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Also, children can participate in a bicycle-recycle relay, a Nike shoe throw and learn how Nike turns recycled shoes into basketball and tennis courts.

The Green Hall Meeting- Learn how to Green It Up with community sustainability leaders, is being held in conjunction with the Broadcast Atlanta ENVIRO EXPO USA on Saturday, November 15, from 1:30-3:00 p.m. in the atrium of the AmericasMart facility. This town hall-style discussion gives attendees an opportunity to ask questions of and learn from sustainability experts from the Environmental Protection Agency, local government agencies and area environmental organizations. The Green Hall Meeting will focus on identifying the issues that Atlantans face on local, state, and national levels in terms of creating a more sustainable environment and identifying the key resources that can solve those issues. Lynette Young of Sustainable Atlanta will moderate the discussion, which will include:

· Joe Bassista, City of Atlanta,

· Randy Hartmann, Georgia Department of Community Affairs

· Shana Udvarsky, Atlanta Water Department.

Join in the family fun and activities. Children can participate in a
bicycle-recycle relay and a Nike shoe throw, and they can see how Nike
turns recycled shoes into basketball and tennis courts. They also can
watch UGA Coop Extension Service gardening demonstrations to learn how to  make compost.
Free and open to the public. Visit www.enviroexpousa.org or call 770-517-0447

bibi

Comments (2)

Don’t forget about Lights out America, and Earth Hour

March 29th 8-9 pm, turn out your lights, for just one hour!!!

Join the World…

Earth Hour Lights Out America Lights out movement

bibi

Comments (1)

And the winner is Reusable Bags… Have you ever put any thought into the implications of your answer? Now you may say to yourself, what’s the big deal, its just a couple of bags. But the big deal is that millions of bags, paper and worst yet, plastic bags end up in the landfill and rivers and oceans . Not to mention the natural resources that are being wasted in order to make these bags that will more than likely be used only once. Let’s look at the statistic: (source WallStreet Journal/ SFGate)

• A family of four in the US goes through 1500 plastic bags a year
• All together we discard 100 Billion plastic shopping bags in a year
• Less than 1% being recycled
• Plastic bags can take up to 1000 years to decompose
• 490,000 gallons of oil to produce 100 million non-degradable plastic bags
• 4-5 trillion Plastic Bags used Worldwide
• Making paper bags consumes millions of trees and it actually takes more energy to make paper bags than plastic.

Now some cities have started to do something about this problem, by just simply banning the use of plastic bags altogether. San Francisco and Oakland in California, were the first cities in the US to do this, and now a dozen other cities are planning the same. Internationally, Taiwan has banned both the use of plastic bags and plastic utensils. Here’s a list of cities and countries that have already banned the use of plastic bags or are planning a ban. (source: cbsnews.com)

• IN THE UNITED STATES

Cities that have adopted a plastic bag ban:

• Oakland
• San Francisco

Cities Considering action on plastic bags:

• Annapolis, Md.
• Austin, Texas
• Baltimore
• Berkeley, Calif.
• Boston
• Fairfax, Calif.
• Maui, Hawaii
• Malibu, Calif.
• New Haven, Conn.
• Portland, Ore.
• Phoenix
• San Jose, Calif.
• Santa Cruz, Calif.
• Santa Monica, Calif.
• Seattle

• INTERNATIONALLY

Countries that have adopted a plastic bag ban:

• Bangladesh
• China
• Rwanda
• Taiwan
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• Zanzibar

Cities or countries considering action on plastic ban:

• Australia
• Singapore
• London

What about “Reusable Bags” as the first option?

No it’s not a new idea, it’s an old idea, we just went away from it because we became a society of convenience. But it is still a very practical, and a very “good for the environment” idea.

If you pay attention, all the business are jumping on the bandwagon of selling reusable shopping bags. Everybody has them, from your local supermarket, to Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ikea, and other smaller companies that have taken off with the idea of reusable shopping bags and put a twist on it like Chico Bag, who makes them small enough to fit in your purse or glove compartment. Or people like Cyndi at MyRecycledBags.com who takes the time and effort to recycle those plastic bags and turn them into something beautiful and useful. On her site she also teaches people the Craft of making Bags out of recycled materials.

Plastic bags have been around for about 25 years. Which means that our mothers and grandmothers can still remember going shopping, with their own Reusable Bags. If they could do it, I think so can we…

paper bags paper or plastic? plastic bags recycle reusable bags

bibi

Comments (17)

As the old adage goes, one person’s junk is another’s treasure. You can turn your junk into a valuable commodity by “recycling” it in innovative and useful ways:

Share appliances with your neighbors. How often do you really use that steam carpet cleaner, shop vac, leaf or snow blower, circular saw or sewing machine? Chances are, many of your household appliances lie dormant until that time once or twice a year you pull them out for some special project. Why not start an appliance sharing program with some of your neighbors? You’ll save money, stretch scarce storage space and promote good will. Hold a yard sale. You’ll find plenty of relics that need a good home (yours not being one of them). Invite neighbors to bring along their vintage items, make it a community event and get ready to barter the day away! Give proceeds to your favorite charity or buy tree saplings to plant in your yard. Donate to your local non-profit thrift shop. Someone, somewhere will always find use for what you no longer need or want. Many local governments have created partnerships with Good Will, the Salvation Army, Purple Heart and other charities that encourage community residents to bag their donated goods and leave them for easy pick-up.   Earth Share, a federation of America’s leading non-profit environmental and conservation charities, promotes environmental education and charitable giving in employee workplace campaigns. For more tips or to find out how your workplace can help the earth, visit the “Get Involved” section of our website, or call (800) 875-3863.

environment recycle reduce reuse the 3 rs

bibi

Comments (1)

What happens to all this High Tech Trash? Or as it is now known, E-Waste.

According to an article in Nat Geo, in the US the estimate is that 70-80% of Computers, Monitors and TV’s end up in the landfill every year. According to the the EPA 30-40 million PC’s will be ready for the dumpster in each of the next few years, and 98 million US Cell Phones were discarded out in 2005 and the trend will probably continue.

The main problem with this is not that we are running out of room in our landfills but that these products carry “Not Healthy ” amounts of Heavy Metals such as: Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, Mercury, and Beryllium, and when they end up in the ground, they leech into the ground water, then back to us through the drinking water or our food.

Makes you wonder why Cancer has become the epidemic it is…

The following is a list of the long term effects of exposure to these metals:

• ARSENIC: Long term exposure to arsenic and its compounds can cause cancer. Inhalation can result in lung cancer. If swallowed, cancer is likely to develop in the bladder, kidneys, liver, and lungs. In large doses, arsenic and its compounds can cause death.
• CADMIUM: The effects of extensive cadmium exposure is not known, but are thought to include heart and kidney disease, high blood pressure, and cancer.
• LEAD: The lead in a person’s body can build up. This kind of lead poisoning can lead to nerve damage and problems with the gastrointestinal system (stomach and intestines). Over a long period of time, these children often suffer brain damage.
• MERCURY: Problems can include inflammation of the mouth and gums; loosening of the teeth; damage to the kidneys and muscles; shaking of the arms and legs; and depression, nervousness, and personality changes.
• BERYLLIUM: Chronic effects include diseases of the respiratory system (throat and lungs), such as bronchitis and lung cancer.

RECYCLE YOUR ELECTRONICS:

• There’s an easy way to recycle we just need to get on board. Collect your no longer used electronics, and make a drop off every six months. Make it a recycling project with friends or the whole neighborhood.
• The Consumer Electronics Assoc. created, mygreenelectronics.co to help you find a recycling resource in your area. It also provides a list of Eco-friendly electronics.

When you find the company that takes care of E-Waste in your area, ask them what they do with it. Taking it to a Recycler doesn’t guaranty that they will safely dispose of the E-Waste. Often times they sell the lots to E-waste Exporters that send the waste to developing countries where the labor is cheaper and the laws on disposal are not as strict. But that’s for another story. Make sure your Recycler is a responsible Recycler, if you’re not sure take it somewhere else.

electronics environment ewaste high tech trash recycle

bibi

Comments (1)

On Monday January 21st, the World Future Energy Summit was be held in Abu Dhabi, at which time the plan for Masdar City, the greenest city on earth was unveiled.

Masdar City will be the first carbon-neutral, waste-free, car-free city.

The city will consist of six-square kilometers (2.3 sq miles), that will eventually house about 50,000 residents and 1500 businesses. They will start construction in the first quarter of 2008, and will take approximately 10 years to complete, although it’s firsts residents will be able to move in by 2009.

No Pollution, No Waste… Now how will they accomplish this you ask? Here’s a list:

• ZERO CARBON: 100 per cent of energy supplied by renewable energy – Photovoltaics, concentrated solar power, wind, waste to energy and other technologies
• ZERO WASTE: 99 per cent diversion of waste from landfill (includes waste reduction measures, re-use of waste wherever possible, recycling, composting, waste to energy)
• SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT: Zero carbon emissions from transport within the city; implementation of measures to reduce the carbon cost of journeys to the city boundaries (through facilitating and encouraging the use of public transport, vehicle sharing, supporting low emissions vehicle initiatives)
• SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS: Specifying high recycled materials content within building products; tracking and encouraging the reduction of embodied energy within materials and throughout the construction process; specifying the use of sustainable materials such as Forest Stewardship Council certified timber, bamboo and other products
• SUSTAINABLE FOOD: Retail outlets to meet targets for supplying organic food and sustainable and or fair trade products
• SUSTAINABLE WATER: Per capita water consumption to be at least 50 per cent less than the national average; all waste water to be re-used
• HABITATS AND WILDLIFE: All valuable species to be conserved or relocated with positive mitigation targets
  
• CULTURE AND HERITAGE: Architecture to integrate local values.
• EQUITY AND FAIR TRADE: Fair wages and working conditions for all workers (including construction) as defined by international labour standards
• HEALTH AND HAPPINESS: Facilities and events for every demographic group
  

Source: The Masdar Initiative

C/Net News.com: Masdar City…

abu dhabi masdar city the greenist city on earth World Future Energy Summit

bibi

Comments (13)

Keep Warm This Winter Adding a sweater and keeping your thermostat set a couple degrees cooler are smart ways to save some energy. But there are many ways to save energy that will conserve energy resources and save you money. Install a programmable thermostat. Being able to turn down the heat for large chunks of time, such as at night or while at work, can make a difference in your overall energy consumption. Consider turning off the heat to rooms that are not heavily used.

Perform regular maintenance. If you have a forced air furnace, make sure to clean or change the furnace filter about once a month. Most furnaces will need to be professionally cleaned and tuned once a year. Insulate your home. The best way to quickly save energy is by installing good insulation. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends an R-49 rating for attics. Visit www.energy.gov to learn more about these ratings. Plug leaks and holes. In addition to insulating your attic and walls, another easy energy saving step is to add caulking and weather stripping. Feel for cool air around windows, electrical receptacles and pipe and wire entry points.

Cold Facts About Fireplaces

When you light a blazing fire on a cold winter day it looks and feels wonderful, but it can be an expensive and inefficient endeavor. A fireplace sends most of the heat in your house straight up the chimney. A fireplace can exhaust as much as 24,000 cubic feet of air per hour to the outside! But, there are ways you can limit the loss of heat when enjoying a quiet evening by the fire. * Reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox (if provided) or open the nearest window slightly - only about an inch - and close doors leading into the room. * Install tempered glass doors and a heat-air exchange system that blows warmed air back into the room. * Check the seal on the flue damper and make it as snug as possible. * Use grates made of C-shaped metal tubes to draw cool room air into the fireplace and circulate warm air back into the room. * When you aren’t using your fireplace, keep its damper closed! *If you are planning to install a new fireplace, consider a gas fireplace. These provide the enjoyment of looking at flames but can be 70% more efficient than regular fireplaces.Earth Share, a nationwide network of America’s leading nonprofit environmental and conservation charities, promotes environmental education and charitable giving in employee workplace giving campaigns. Click here to find out why hosting an Earth Share campaign is a good idea for your workplace and the world.

fireplaces insulation programmable thermostat

bibi

Comments (4)

 

If you are still using a traditional water heater, you are heating up and maintaining your water hot while it is not being used. That means you are wasting energy and it’s costing you money. A conventional water heater takes up 13% of your energy bill , a tankless water heater will save you about half of that energy use. Nevermind the space that a conventinal water heater takes up, think about all that extra space you’ll gain in the garage.

While a Tankless or Solar Water Heater will cost you more initially, it will save you tons in the long run.

How They Work:

• Tankless Water Heaters heat water directly as the water passes by the heating element, without the use of a storage tank. They can run either by electricity, or gas.
  • Tankless Water Heaters, because of their smaller size have many applications that most would never think of, such as:
    • Outside Showers
    • Outdoor sinks
    • Remote Bathrooms or Hot Tubs
    • They can be placed on different levels, to service larger homes.

• A Solar Water Heater, for those who want to be even more environmentally friendly, will save you an average of 50% in your water heating costs, and at the same time helping to reduce greenhouse emissions by reducing your dependency on your electric or gas water heater.
  • Another advantage of getting a Solar Water Heater is the Tax Credit you get from the Federal Government on your Taxes.

Both of these options are worth talking a look.

Tankless Water Heaters Guide

Solar Water Heaters Guide

energy savings solar water heater tankless water heater

bibi

Comments (1)

Found a great article on going green with your laptop. For those that need to be out in Nature for work or just those that can’t be away from their computers for more than an hour and love to go outdoors, there is a new way to enjoy both at the same time.

Solar power panels for your laptop are available at a reasonable price , can be used for direct use or storage and give you the flexibility that having to plug in to grid doesn’t.

Read More: Go Green and power your notebook for free.

off the grid outdoor computing remote computing rugged laptops solar power

bibi

Comments (1)

Respect the Great Outdoors

Each summer, scores of families, friends and nature lovers embark on the quintessential, all-American vacation: camping. But as harmless as it sounds, camping can still have a noticeable environmental impact if it is done carelessly. When you set out to enjoy the great outdoors, keep these guidelines in mind:

Stay on the right paths. Get good, established trail maps from the visitor center before you embark on your trip.

Minimize your impact on your campsite. Select a site that has already been used, to eliminate further expansion of the camp. And leave the campsite in as natural a state as possible.

Follow the Golden Rule for camping and hiking. “Take nothing but pictures; leave nothing but footprints.”

Wash yourself, your dishes and your clothes at least 100 feet away from rivers, streams, lakes or ponds. When using any soap to wash yourself or your dishes, use it well away from natural water sources and pour it into highly absorbent ground. That goes for tooth brushing, too.

Don’t Forget! During your camping trip, first check to make sure fires are permitted. Then, if you must build a fire, keep it small. Use only dead wood you find already on the ground and at the end of the evening, make sure your ashes are cool. Seek a park ranger’s advice if you have any concerns or problems with building your fire.

environment pollution recycle respect the earth

bibi

Comments (1)

Think about all the paperwork that is involved with your finances. If you didn’t have all this paperwork to go through and check and double check you might have more time to make your money grow and help the environment at the same time. You’ll get rid of a lot of clutter in your house and spend less time shredding and filing. You’ll have more room in your recycle bin too.

Find ways to go paperless:

• Bank statements: If you participate in On-Line banking already, why not have all your accounts go paperless. Most banks have that as choice for you in the On-line banking menu. It will save the banks money too and maybe they’ll stop Nickle and Diming us to death. (unlikely, but worth a try)
• Brokerage statements: As with the banks, the brokerage houses are more often than not on-line now, so ask your broker to stop sending you statements. You can access the same information on-line and you can always print something out that you have to have in black and white.
• ATM receipts: The ATM machine always asks you if you want a receipt. JUST SAY NO! you can always go home and check the transaction on-line.
• Yearly Reports: Again, this information is available on-line if you really want read it. Let’s face it most of us barely get through the summary, all we want to know is is our stock/mutual fund doing well, the rest is just too technical.
• Credit card Statements: Also available on-line along with ability to pay your bill, so why bother waiting for your bill to come in the mail, when you get the bill the information is old already. On-line you can get up to the minute info on your credit card usage.
• Utility Bills: most Utility companies and also City Utilities are going on-line. Same as with the credit card companies you can access your bill, pay it, look at usage, add or turn off services. You can even save on phone calls and do your business with them on-line.
• Mortgage Statements: On-line you can get info on your balance, payment, escrow account payouts, customer service.

I remember when computers started becoming common household fixtures, the “word” was that we would become a paperless society. But, it hasn’t happened yet. We seem to have an addiction to paper, as if, if it is not in black and white then it’s not real.

But let’s really examine what we actually do with all this paper. Why we save it.

1. If we’re organized: we’ve thought about going paperless, but we think we are going to need it someday, so we file it, then we shred it six months or a year later. And it ends up in the recycle bin or the trash heap.
2. If we are not organized: we haven’t even thought about going paperless, so we leave it laying around till one day we get tired of looking at it, or the pile just get’s too big . And it ends up in the recycle bin or the trash heap.

Either way we all know where that paper will end up, wouldn’t it be easier if we just didn’t have all that paper to deal with?

GO PAPERLESS!!!

Go paperless paperless recycling

bibi

Comments (2)

 

---

Next time you are out on the greens, think about whether your own actions are “green.” Here are some easy suggestions on what you can do to help the environment: Replace all divots. Walk the course instead of using a golf cart. If you do use a golf cart, keep your cart on the designated path. Urge your golf course to replace its carts with electric-powered ones, which greatly reduce both air pollution and noise pollution. Carry your trash with you until a waste container is available. Recycle glass, aluminum, and plastic on the golf course. If your course doesn’t have its own recycling program, urge them to start one. Adhere to local rules that may restrict access to environmentally sensitive areas on a golf course.

Buy recyclable products (e.g., biodegradable golf tees).

Accept the natural limitations and variations of turfgrass plants growing in a natural environment. (e.g., brown patches, thinning, loss of color).

Be willing to play on brown grass during periods of low rainfall.

Patronize courses that are environmentally friendly.

Recognize that golf courses are managed land areas that should complement the natural environment.

Respect environmentally sensitive areas of the course.

Support golf course management decisions that protect or enhance the environment and encourage the development of environmental conservation plans.

Support maintenance practices that protect wildlife and natural habitat.

Encourage maintenance practices that promote the long-range health of the turf and support environmental objectives. Such practices include aerification, reduced fertilization, limited play on sensitive turf areas, reduced watering, etc.

Commit to long-range conservation efforts (e.g. efficient water use, integrated pest management, etc.) on the golf course and at home.

Support research and education programs that expand our understanding of the relationship between golf and the environment.

Take pride in environmentally sensitive courses.

[Back to Tips Index] Earth Share, a federation of America’s leading non-profit environmental and conservation charities, promotes environmental education and charitable giving in employee workplace campaigns. For more tips or to find out how your workplace can help the earth, visit the “Get Involved” section of our website, or call (800) 875-3863.Green To Do List

environment golf presevation of wildlife and habitat recycling sports

bibi

Comments (2)

Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) were awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to make the public aware of the causes of man made global warming.

Both Al Gore and the United Nations Climate Panel will share the prestigious prize for 2007.

The chairman of the IPCC, R.K. Pachauri’s, initial reaction was “I would like to pay tribute to the scientific community, who are the winners of this award. The experts and scientists are the backbone of the IPCC and they provide the knowledge, which has contributed to the success of the IPCC.
I would also like to thank the governments of the world who support and facilitate the
work of the Panel. I hope, as the Chairman of the organization, I am articulating the
sentiments of the entire scientific community in acknowledging the enormous
appreciation implied in the award of the Nobel Peace Prize and this would energize all
the scientists and experts involved in the IPCC to do even more in the future.”

Read More: IPCC

Al Gores reaction, was “I am deeply honored to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. This award is even more meaningful because I have the honor of sharing it with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change…” Read More: Al Gore.com

Read More: National Geo: Al Gore, Climate Panel Share Nobel Peace Prize

al gore global warming ipcc nobel peace prize

bibi

Post a Comment

Did You Know?

• It takes seven gallons of oil to produce one tire. Five gallons of butadiene and styrene gasoline comprises the substances that tires are made out of, and two gallons of gas are used to generate the energy needed to manufacture the tires.

• Dumping waste tires in non-designated areas is hazardous to our health and to our natural habitat, AND it is against the law.

• An estimated 250 million waste tires are discarded every year.

• If you and your parents perform certain tire maintenance steps such as rotation, inflation, balance, and alignment, you can extend tire life and decrease waste tire generation by 15 percent.

• It is important to recycle your tires because improper disposal/illegal dumping can result in fires that are difficult to extinguish. When tire piles catch fire, the melted rubber generates oil that can pollute surface and groundwater. Furthermore, tire piles tend to collect water creating a perfect breeding space for disease carrying animals such as mosquitoes, snakes, and rats.
• 

How are they recycled, and what are they made into?

In the USA, reusing or recycling tires keeps them out of landfills. When buying new tires, leave your old ones with the dealer. Many communities have designated recycling drop-off centers where you can safely and responsibly dispose of your tires.

The majority of recycled waste tires are used as a source of energy, otherwise known as tire-derived fuel or TDF. When heated in combustion facilities, most notably in cement kilns, pulp and paper mill boilers, and power utility boilers, energy is produced and used as fuel to power these facilities.

Waste tires can also be used to make many useful objects. When all non-rubber material is removed from the tires, rubber chips are left over to make crumb-rubber modified asphalt, which is used to pave highways. Waste tires can also be made into doormats, water hoses, shoe soles, door stoppers, playground and athletic surfaces, non-slip products, sheet rubber for manufacturing products, and artificial reefs for marine life habitats.

Read More: Source of Information: Seminole County/Recycle Tires

rubber recycling solid waste tire recycling

bibi

Comments (1)

Earth Saving Tips from

Believe it or not!

According to a two-year study by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), many indoor plants absorb air pollutants through their leaves and roots and convert them into breathable air.
Within 24 hours, some plants can remove up to 87 percent of toxic indoor air.

Depending on the species, one plant can provide effective cleaning for every 100 square feet of space. For example, between 15 and 20 golden pothos and spider plants can refresh the air in an average 1,800 square-foot home.

Plants work equally well in homes, offices, and factories, as long as their requirements for sunlight, water, and soil are met.

 

 

clean indoor air pollutants stale air toxins

bibi

Post a Comment