Why Should People Recycle Paper?

26/02/2010

Thankfully, paper is not a difficult material to recycle, and there are excellent benefits for the environment when the procedure is completed. Once it has been collected (by either your local authority or a recycling company acting on their behalf), it is taken to a paper mill, who take care of the rest of the recycling process.

Once at the mill, the scrap paper is added to water and then turned into pulp. The recycled paper is then screened, cleaned and de-inked through a number of processes until it is found suitable for papermaking. The final stage of the paper recycling process is for the pulp to be turned back into rolls of paper, which can then be used for newspapers, toilet rolls, etc.

So, now that you know how simple the recycling process for paper is, lets look at benefits that it brings…

Saves Trees – The less brand new (referred to as ‘virgin’) paper that is needed, the less trees have to be cut down. Vast areas have already been ruined as a direct of deforesting for paper, and this needs to stop as by doing so we are unbalancing eco-systems and the atmosphere.

Wildlife Preservation – More often than not, the wildlife that lives in the trees that are cut down to make ‘new’ paper, die quickly because they cannot adapt to living anywhere else. Recycling paper means that they can die natural deaths instead of forced ones.

Saves Space – Recycling paper reduces space in landfills. 1 ton of recycled paper made from scraps can save 3 cubic yards.

Less Pollution – Burning paper in waste incinerators pumps masses of pollution into the air. That means that we are unnecessarily causing the air that we all breathe to be of a lower quality.

Creates Jobs – Think about all the people who work within the paper recycling industry. Collectors, sorters and machine operators being just a few of them. The more that we recycle, the more of these jobs there will be created.

Paper Logs – Many people are now turning to paper logs as a supplementary fuel source. Consisting of tightly compressed briquettes of paper, these logs can be thrown on a fire or used in a wood burner to provide heat for free.

Cheaper Paper – Recycled paper is often cheap to purchase. Buying cheaper, recycled goods encourages more recycled goods to be manufactured, sustaining the recycling industry.

http://www.paperlogmaker.org.uk is a website dedicated to the recycling of paper. At their site you can find out what a paper log maker is and how it can help you recycle paper.

By Mark Walters | Posted in environmental | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Go Green By Sharing

22/02/2010

Are you constantly thinking about ways that you can go green? If so, there is something simple you can do to help – sharing. You probably never have thought of that before, but often we purchase things that we never use again. Instead of keeping them around or throwing them away, sharing them is a great way to go green.

Too many people purchase items and just use them a couple of times. Sure, the companies benefit from this, but the environment definitely doesn’t benefit from it. If you’re like most people, you probably have tools, and some other items, at your home you haven’t used in months or even years.

You’ll find that sharing services exist today. They are a lot like libraries. You can borrow different tools and gardening implements as well. The tools are donated to the service or they may be loaned. Then the members of the service can check them out for a period of time. This is a whole lot like using a library to take out books for a time.

Most of the time you’ll find that the membership is free or very cheap. There are neighbors and community groups that come together and organize these types of services. This way tools that people won’t use again can get some more use in the future.

Try looking around in your area to find out if there is a tool sharing service or other sharing options in the area. If you don’t have a local one, you may want to consider starting one yourself. If you decide to do this, make sure you do your research before you start it up.

There are definitely some pitfalls to avoid when you start up a sharing service. You probably will want to avoid using tools in the service that take a lot of repair on a regular basis or tools that are very delicate. You don’t want to have to constantly service tools that you are loaning out.

Maybe starting a sharing service isn’t your thing. You can still help. Considering donating your tools to a service in your area or donating other items that you never use anymore. This will allow you to give your tools to someone that will use them so they don’t just sit idle. It keeps them out of the trash as well.

You can go even further than just sharing the tools you have. Other sharing options are available for you to get involved in. Many communities have special vegetable sharing programs for people who have gardens to benefit everyone.

It’s easy to see that you can share items and work on saving the environment at the same time. Don’t just throw items away or put them in storage after using them once. Instead you can go green and share. It’s a nice thing to do for others and it’s definitely a great choice for our environment.

Thomas Erikson is a cycling nut who has found a way to go green, keep riding a bike and out of his car every day. You also can avoid rush hour traffic, breeze up hills with ease and have fun with an electric bike. To learn more about these environmentally friendly bikes, visit ElectricBikeChoice.com.

By Thomas Erikson | Posted in environmental | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Easy Wind Power Systems

26/01/2010

As our society matures and we begin to understand and appreciate that everything we do will have an impact on our environment, we are starting to look for better ways of supplying our energy needs. Using wind turbines might just be one of those alternative sources of energy. Harnessing the power of the wind is nothing new, and now both countries around the world and the typical homeowner can produce electricity using the wind and household wind turbines.

Converting wind energy into electricity is done with a wind turbine. You’ve probably seen these behemoths in fields across the country. Recent advances in the technology have made it possible to downsize the turbines and make them viable for home use. If you’ve been noticing funny looking ‘wind mill’ things popping up in your neighborhood, you may have wondered if your neighbors have lost their minds or if they just know something you don’t. The truth is that there are wind turbines made especially for home use which are small enough to be mounted in the backyard or on a roof.

For many people, spending $600 to $10,000 for a home wind turbine is simply too much for the budget. Even if you were to save a lot of money on your electric bill, it would still take years to recoup your investment. However, you don’t need to give up. The truth is that many homeowners are building their own wind turbines for only a few hundred dollars.

More and more homeowners have decided to build a wind turbine. It is far easier than you might have imagined. The supplies you need to build a wind turbine can be found in any hardware store and will cost about $200, and the whole building process won’t take more than a few days. A good instruction manual with easy to follow directions will guide you every step of the way.

Since one turbine can be enough to generate almost 60% of the electricity you’ll need for your home, you can start to realize significant savings. Every day your wind turbine is working means another day of savings.

So if you want to save yourself some money while doing your part to help out the planet, you should consider building and installing your own home wind turbines. You can easily and inexpensively build a wind turbine in just a few days, and enjoy the savings for years to come.

A wind turbine can reduce your electric expenses by as much as 50 percent. Why not join the green revolution and learn how to build wind turbines for your home. Find out how to make your own wind generator and free yourself from the electric grid by visiting Make A Wind Turbine today!

categories: wind energy,wind power,alternative energy,energy efficiency,renewable energy,global warming,home improvement,home remodeling,environment,do it yourself,DIY,home and garden,planet green,home repair

By Dan Allanson | Posted in environmental | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

The Benefits of Feed In Tariffs

16/01/2010

With the ever increasing oil and gas prices, the effects of greenhouse gases increasing the rate of global warming, countries around the world have realized the necessity of adopting environmentally friendly energy practices. Many governments are now promoting and implementing the use of non-polluting renewable energy resources. One such energy program is Feed-In Tariffs.

A Feed In Tariff program is a rate that consumers and businesses pay for electricity which is returned to the electricity grid from a renewable energy source such as solar energy, hydro energy, and wind turbine energy. The purpose of the tariff is to increase the use of renewable and clean energy sources. A power company will buy energy produced from renewable energy sources at rates established by the government. The rates tend to vary among different governments. Currently, there are feed-in tariff regulations for renewable energy in more than 40 countries.

There are many benefits of using feed-in tariff programs. There is a guaranteed rate payment for all electricity that is produced. There is also a guaranteed price for any electricity conveyed onto the electricity grid. As well, feed-in tariff programs encourage the development and implementation of renewable energy sources which reduces dependence on oil and other polluting energy sources. Less green gases are being emitted in the atmosphere which lessens the impact of climate change. It also helps a community secure their own supply of energy such as when they use hydro, solar, or wind, to power homes and businesses. As well, it reduces dependence on unfriendly oil producing countries which helps with improving global and domestic security.

Moving to renewable and environmentally friendly energy sources will also help to create a new ‘green’ industry, which in turn will create millions of jobs. As well, there is more technology driven innovations which is beneficial to everyone. During these difficult economic times, a boost to the economy is very much needed. The amount of money you can save will depend on the amount of electricity that you produce and how you use this electricity in your home or business. For instance, if you can minimize your electricity consumption during the day, you will save a lot of money. By creating an environmentally sustainable as well as a job sustainable future, we are ensuring a bright and healthy future for our children.

The Feed-in Tariff system has proven to be an effective ‘green energy’ program with more countries now implementing the program. Canada, United States, Australia, Germany, Denmark, and Spain are a few of the major countries embracing feed-in tariffs. Although the criteria and measures used in the programs can vary, they are all having a positive impact when it comes to energy conservation, reducing the emission of green house gases, and increasing the use of renewable energy sources. Feed-In Tariffs have been connected with the increased production and use of solar power and wind turbine power. With so much concern about the state of the planet and its natural resources, it is expected that more Feed-In Tariffs programs are going to be established in many more countries around the world. It will become an essential component of slowing climate change and making the planet much healthier.

The Feed in Tariff program will provide environmentally friendly sources for energy. In order to promote a greener society, alternative energy (wind) should also be considered.

By Adriana Noton | Posted in environmentally-friendly | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Basics Of Carbon Offsetting

12/01/2010

Carbon offsetting deals with reducing the effects of greenhouse gas emissions by individuals or corporations caused either unknowingly or with awareness. In this system, you take measures to nullify whatever adverse effects your emissions have on the environment by stopping atmospheric pollution in some other place in the world. This way the total emissions across the globe will remain within prescribed limits, which will reduce the damage to the environment.

In theory, leading or participating in ecological campaigns in your locality, planting saplings in your backyard, or doing anything that will negate the harmful effects of CO2 and other toxic gases in the atmosphere, are good ways to practice carbon offsetting. Personal action is not always practical, and thus the carbon offset system was suggested, in which people who consider themselves guilty of polluting the environment can contribute money to an organization to compensate the damage done to the environment. Your money is then donated by the organization to companies running environmental projects.

Companies and governments play a lead role in carbon offsetting and under the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol, the developing countries are generally paid by the more advanced countries for keeping the total rate of emissions within prescribed limits.

Sceptics believe that carbon offset fails to rectify the problem of the ecological harm that an an organization is responsible for. In both carbon trading and carbon offsetting, you just make a monetary compensation for your harm done to the environment without actually preventing it.

However, the supporters of theses systems argue that monetary incentives in carbon trading are adequate to motivate firms to adopt greener methods of carrying on business. Likewise, in case of ordinary people, a system like carbon offset permits them to promote their eco friendly image and spread awareness about this issue. People have been inspired to opt for carbon offset as several public figures have endorsed and embraced it. The success of the system is reflected in its fast growth over the last few years and most people now acknowledge the immense potential that it holds.

Learn more about Carbon Trading and Carbon Offset and get a deeper understanding on how you can help in saving the environment. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

By Brandy Russel | Posted in environmental | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (0)

New Recycling Facts

21/12/2009

The following article lists some simple recycling facts, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with recycling. We consider the question: how does recycling affect the environment?

Recycling reduces energy consumption, since it generally takes less energy to recycle a product than to make a new one. Similarly, recycling causes less pollution than manufacturing a new product, and conserves raw materials. Recycling management software is becoming increasingly important to operate an effective recycling business. The most advanced software enables the users to perform a variety of tasks crucial to effective business planning. Recycling your cell phone means more cash and less trash! We all want to do our part to make this world a better place and live more “green”.

Recycling means to take a waste product, a used plastic bottle for example, and reduce it back to a raw material (plastic pellets/chips) to make new products, such as new plastic bottles. Reuse means to use a waste product in its current form for a different purpose. Recycling can take many forms. On a small scale, any time you find a new use for something old, you’re recycling. Recycling centers and landfills across the country are preparing for a surge of unwanted sets in coming months. Next February, most TV broadcasts will be available only in digital form.

See how much you can learn recycling facts when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don’t miss out on the rest of this great information.

Compost leaves at home if you have the space. Shredding first with a lawn mower helps them break down faster. Composting is an aerobic, oxygenating process that does not produce methane. Composting several municipalities supply residents with subsidized compost bins so organic waste (otherwise destined for landfills) can be recycled into a usable soil conditioner. Five years later it had distributed more than 15,000 compost bins ($25 each) to householders, thus diverting about 3,800 tonnes of organic material annually.

The Environmental Protection Agency launched a working group to establish responsible recycling practices. Known as R2, the practices that have come out of the group so far are “a set of guidelines” and “not legal requirements” according to the EPA’s web site. Environmental impact numbers are for average American household switching to electronic statements, bills, and payments.

Reusing or recycling should be a major part of our eco living today. Some people would question how eco friendly anything made from plastics can be, but otherwise they would be landfill. Reuse your carrier bags, use them as bin liners or even invest in a bag for life. Even by reusing your carrier bag once more makes a massive difference.

Don’t limit yourself by refusing to learn the recycling facts. The more you know, the easier it will be to focus on what’s important in answering the question “how does recycling affect the environment”.

Kenneth Aiken is the author of this article. EnergySavingSite.info delivers the latest recycling facts and considers the question how does recycling affect the environment?

By Kenneth Aiken | Posted in environmental | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)