How to Prevent Global Warming

You want to know how to prevent global warming quickly and easily?

There are actually many ways and I've included four below that are simple and easy for you to implement right away. All four of these recommendations focus on reducing your energy consumption in order to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases you are personally responsible for generating. When you look at this list you may think to yourself that these things don't have a big impact. If that's what you think, then you need to understand...

If you only pay attention to your own actions, then you are not going to be effective in preventing global warming!

If you are the only person to implement the following recommendations, you'd be right; your actions wouldn't have a big impact. But, by making these simple changes you show the people around you how to prevent global warming by leading by example.

By being the change you wish to see, you greatly increase your credibility in the eyes of your peers, which makes it much easier for you to enroll them in helping to prevent global warming with you.

So, don't underestimate the power of these four easy ways to prevent global warming!

Prevent global warming by minimizing drafts in your home.

One of the simplest and easiest ways to prevent global warming is to make sure all your windows and doors are draft free. Small gaps in your windows and doors can cause you to consume a lot more energy than you really need to in order to heat and cool your home. To make your home free from drafts wait until a cold day, then hold your hand along the edges of your doors and windows feeling for cold air.

If you detect drafts, buy weather stripping from your local hardware store and install it wherever it is needed.

Prevent global warming by reducing your waste electricity use.

Amazingly about 11% of residential electricity consumption is used by "phantom loads." A phantom load is caused when an electrical appliance draws electricity when it isn't in use. For example, a DVD player has an electrically lighted display that stays on even when you turn the power off. An easy way to eliminate these phantom loads is to plug your computers, printers, scanners, DVD players, televisions, etc. into multi-plug electrical surge protectors. Then, with one flick of the switch, you can make sure that the appliances plugged into your surge protectors are drawing no electricity at all.

Prevent global warming with more efficient light bulbs!

One of the simplest ways to prevent global warming is by using more efficient light bulbs. The Union of Concerned Scientists tell us that if every American household replaced just one incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent one, then over the life of the bulbs 90 billion pounds of CO2 emission would be prevented from going into the atmosphere. This is like taking 6.3 million cars off the road!

Prevent global warming by turning down your hot water heater.

Most of us have our hot water heaters turned up too high. If you turn down your hot water thermostat just 10 degrees Fahrenheit, you reduce 3% to 5% of your energy consumption. You'll have plenty of hot water if you set your water heater between 110-120 degrees Fahrenheit.

These four simple ways to prevent global warming can be implemented quickly, easily, and with little to no expense. If the potential effects of global warming are really scary to you, then you should implement these changes in your life today, but don't stop there!

Once you've implemented these solutions, share this article with your friends, and explain to your friends how you've made these simple changes. Be sure to offer your friends help and support in making these changes themselves to make it extra easy for them to prevent global warming with you.

Also, when you tell your friends about this article and the changes you've made, be sure to explain all the benefits you've received from doing so. Help your friends feel how these four simple solutions have helped give you more hope, save you money, etc! The more your friends can feel the emotional and financial benefits you've experienced from preventing global warming, they more likely they are to join you!

Lead by example, and help others to do the same!

The cumulative effect will be significant if you put dedicated effort into changing yourself while supporting those around you to do the same.

So don't delay, be the change you wish to see.

Implement these four recommendations so you can help in preventing global warming today, and then get others to join you in your efforts!

Nathan Brown is an activist creating a revoluationary movement by showing people how to prevent global warming with one easy change. You can sign up to help spread the movement: www.acoolerclimate.com/amsya

Article Source: Article Search Engine Directory at ArticleSphere.com

by Nathan Brown

Dont Slander the Sludge - Making Good Use of Bad Sludge

Sewage sludge. The mere thought almost puts you off your lunch, doesn't it? Ah, but convert it to biosolids, and that's another story!

Biosolids are the nutrient-rich organic materials that are left over after the disposed sludge is processed and treated. Biosolids contain nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium (the same ingredients found in chemical fertilizers) as well as magnesium, manganese, iron, zinc and calcium, all of which are desirable components for farmland.

In days gone by, municipalities would deal with their raw sewage by dumping it into a nearby river or lake. Truth be known, this practice still occurs in many areas. More and more municipalities, however, are now required to treat their wastewater, and dispose of the treated byproduct either through recycling it as fertilizer, incinerating it, or burying it in a landfill.

Applied to farmland, biosolids serve many beneficial purposes. The application of biosolids replenishes organic matter which is depleted during the crop cycle, reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, improves crop growth and yields, and reduces production costs of the farmer's crop. Biosolid application improves soil structure, reduces erosion and runoff, and increases the soil's capacity to hold water.

The Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs established guidelines to monitor and control the utilization of biosolids in Ontario that governs the actions of biosolids producers, haulers, and users. Producers must obtain approval of their material before it can be spread on agricultural land. The specific site must be approved and granted a Certificate of Approval. The materials must be shown to be of benefit to crop production or soil health, and not to degrade the natural environment.

Much of the onus is on the treated sewage sludge hauler to meet the guidelines. The hauler and applicator, or biosolids management company, must spread the sewage biosolids at the correct and approved rate, and must comply with separation distances from watercourses, groundwater, bedrock, residences and water wells. Done properly and with due care, recycling biosolids is an excellent use of sewage sludge.

If you would like to learn more about biosolids application then please visit this web site related to biosolids and manure management.

Article Source: Article Search Engine Directory at ArticleSphere.com
by Rob Parker

Why use Organic or Natural Paints in the Home?

My first thought was how can paint be organic? Isnt that for vegetables?

I did some more research and found that the term organic can be a highly misleading term when applied to paint so many companies dont use it and tend to use the term eco or natural instead. Unlike the food and textile industry, there is currently no legally defined standard or recognised certification scheme in place for organic paints just like soap pods (what are soap pods I hear you ask?).

It is possible for some organically grown plants to be utilised in the manufacture of some of the natural paints and to obtain organic pigments from some plants and insects, but these are not ideally suited to use in paint because they tend to fade.

It has been found that ingredients such as the solvents, acrylics and acrylic softeners used in most conventional paints are hazardous both to health and the environment as paints consist essentially of pigments (the colourant), the binding agent (which binds the colourant to the surface) and of solvents, (which keep the paint in suspension until applied). As the paint dries the solvent evaporates and leaves the dried paint on the surface. This process is the same with all paints.

But as the paint begins to dry, components called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released into the air causing toxic air pollution (that nasty smell) and increasing your chances of becoming chemically sensitive. These and other chemical compounds can cause chest complaints, aggravate allergies, contribute to the greenhouse effect and pollute the environment.

Most paint manufacturers set out to make a paint that is non toxic and doesnt give off VOCs so it will be a safe paint for humans as well as environmentally safe. Unfortunately, research has found that most organic paints and components release VOCs.

The vital difference between conventional paint and eco/natural paints lies in using as many eco friendly and natural ingredients as possible as pigments, binding agents and solvents.

People should also look to buy paints made in their own country as not only does it reduce the pollution caused by the transport of the end products and sometimes the raw materials, it also supports a more local approach to buying goods and services.
Organic, natural, paint, eco, varnish, solvent, house, repairs, decorating, toxic, chemicals, pigments, environment, friendly, DIY,


Article Source http://www.guidemegreen.com/

By Davinos Greeno Published 01/23/2007

2006 Cleantech Venture Investment $2.9 Billion

Cleantech Category Grows 78% Over 2005 Total

ANN ARBOR, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cleantech Venture Network^® reported today that North American venture capital investment in the cleantech category totaled a record $2.9 billion for 2006, representing a 78% increase over 2005 cleantech investment of $1.6 billion, and a 140% increase over 2004 investment of $1.2 billion. About $613 million was invested in cleantech in Q4 2006, a 22% increase over the Q4 2005 investment of $502 million. The fourth quarter 2006 was down from the record invested in Q3 2006 of $933 million.

Energy-related investment accounted for $2.1 billion, or 74%, of the total 2006 cleantech venture investment. This represented a 1.9x increase over the $739 million invested in the energy category in 2005 and a 2.9x increase over 2004 energy investment. The Energy Generation segment totaled $1.3 billion, a 2.1x increase from 2005. Energy Storage attracted $354 million, representing a 2x increase over 2005.

“While energy was certainly the top area of interest, some other categories posted good gains as well,” said Nicholas Parker, chairman and co-founder of the Cleantech Venture Network^®. Recycling & Waste deals totaled $192 million, a 2.9x increase over 2005, and Transportation investments hit $164 million, up 2.5x over 2005, indicating growing interest in other cleantech segments.

Cleantech Venture Network^® researchers will be presenting in-depth research data for North America and Europe as it relates to venture investing at the Cleantech Forum™ February 19-22 in San Francisco.

About Cleantech Venture Network^®, LLC

Technorati tags: Environment, Technology, Venture Capital, Finance, CleanTech

Venture Capitalists Flock to Green Technology

Companies producing environmentally friendly technologies are attracting more and more investment, according to a new report. As the nation’s energy crunch lingers on, small businesses in search of venture capital are finding it’s a good time to be green.

The money invested in North American companies producing green technology rose 35% in 2005, to a total of $1.6 billion, according to a new report by the Cleantech Venture Network.
In the fourth quarter of 2005 alone, green technologies, or “cleantech,?? made up 10% of all North American venture capital investment, totaling $502 million -- an 18% increase from the previous quarter.

“If you go back and look at the history of growth of emerging technology, like nanotechnology, cleantech is similar,?? said Craig Cuddeback, senior vice president of Cleantech Capital Group, an Ann Arbor, Mich.-based firm that organizes the Cleantech Venture Network. “But cleantech is broader than that. All the major energy companies are playing in this space now.??

Crediting an increased national awareness for cleantech -- which includes industries such as alternative energy, nanotechnology, water purification, air quality, and agricultural methods -- Cuddeback predicted that the recent strong growth may be part of a coming investment stampede in environmentally sound companies.

Although the report indicates that most of the “clean?? companies attracting venture capital still hail from the energy industry -- 35.6% of the total money invested -- large investments were also made in companies specializing in green materials and nanotechnology used in industrial and consumer electronics.

“If people take the word ‘clean’ too seriously or too literally, they will miss a whole slew of opportunities,?? said Rodrigo Prudencio, principal at Nth Power, a San Francisco-based venture-capital firm focused on the energy industry. Prudencio pointed out that clean technology as a concept includes anything that efficiently uses energy. His firm closely watches small businesses devising nanotechnology and material electronic innovations, which can be found in everything from electrical plants to cell phones.

“We’re very focused on small companies that will move faster than large companies with these solutions,?? Prudencio said.

Proven venture firms like Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, which gained notoriety for funding Internet boom standouts like Google and Amazon, are moving fast to snatch up clean and green innovators. The Menlo Park, Calif.-based venture-capital powerhouse announced in February the creation of a $100 million fund for backing green technology companies.

Cuddeback predicts the growth in green technology investment will continue to skyrocket. Cleantech Venture Network projects that North American green technology companies will require $3.4 billion in capital backing between 2006 and 2009.

Environment Headline News

Environment Headline News

Torrential rain and 100mph gales claim 10 lives as the winter finally blows in
Published: 19 January 2007
The violent storms that are becoming an increasingly common feature of Britain's unpredictable climate, killed at least 10 people yesterday, including a two-year-old boy.

American weather forecasters do battle over mankind's role in global warming
Published: 19 January 2007
A leading climatologist on the Weather Channel in the United States has caused a squall in the industry by arguing that any weather forecaster who dares publicly to question the notion that global warming is a manmade phenomenon should be stripped of their professional certification.

Hawking warns: We must recognise the catastrophic dangers of climate change
Published: 18 January 2007
Climate change stands alongside the use of nuclear weapons as one of the greatest threats posed to the future of the world, cosmologist Stephen Hawking has said

Snowdon will be snow-free in 13 years, scientists warn
Published: 18 January 2007
Those who originally named the peak spoke as they probably found it, calling it "Snow Dun", from the Saxon for "snow hill". But Snowdon may lose its snow cover within 13 years as a result of climate change, Welsh scientists say.

White House resists calls for carbon emission caps
Published: 18 January 2007
The White House has dashed hopes of a dramatic shift in climate change policy by George Bush, but says the President will lay out his strategy to combat global warming in next week's State of the Union address.

Carbon offsetting 'can be harmful'
Published: 18 January 2007
People who join the new fashion for buying carbon offsets will be urged by the Government today to check what they are buying before they hand over the money. Some schemes may be doing environmental damage in the developing world without curbing climate change.

Britain's Coasts: Troubled waters
Published: 18 January 2007
Britain's coasts harbour treasures from corals to porpoises. That's why some marine areas need special protection. By Kate Thomas

Watt a waste
Published: 18 January 2007
Helen Brown thought she knew all about saving energy. But a new device that shows exactly how much power her appliances really use had her reaching for the 'off' switch

Julia Stephenson: The Green Goddess
Published: 18 January 2007
Until now, I've been in two minds about the 2012 London Olympics. On one hand, I welcome any excuse for a bit of morale boosting razzmatazz. Sport, like music, is at best a uniting force that transcends race, class and creed. On the other, it's galling that we can provide more than £3bn for a sporting event while we shut down hospitals, post offices and schools.

American weather forecasters do battle over mankind's role in global warming

By David Usborne
19 January 2007

A leading climatologist on the Weather Channel in the United States has caused a squall in the industry by arguing that any weather forecaster who dares publicly to question the notion that global warming is a manmade phenomenon should be stripped of their professional certification.
The call was made by Heidi Cullen, host of a weekly global warming programme on the cable network called The Climate Code, and coincides with a stretch of severely off-kilter weather across the US this winter and moves by Democrats to draft strict new legislation to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Specifically, Ms Cullen is suggesting that the American Meteorological Society (AMS) revokes the "seal of approval" that it normally extends to broadcast forecasters in the US in cases where they have expressed scepticism about man's role in pushing up planetary temperatures.
"It's like allowing a meteorologist to go on-air and say that hurricanes rotate clockwise and tsunamis are caused by the weather," she wrote in her internet blog. "It's not a political statement... it's just an incorrect statement."

Ms Cullen is not alone in trying to marginalise doubters, who mostly argue that recent rises in temperatures are caused by normal cyclical weather patterns. They were described as "global warming deniers" by former vice-president Al Gore in his recent film An Inconvenient Truth.
Most Americans need neither Mr Gore nor Ms Cullen to know that something is up with the weather, however. This year's "wacky winter", as headline writers now describe it, continues to serve up unsettling surprises, the most recent of which was snow falling on the beach in Malibu, California, on Wednesday.

The freeze in western states is expected to have eased by the weekend, but already it may have devastated California's citrus harvest with as much as 75 per cent destroyed by ice and frost. Freezing rain and snow paid a rare visit this week meanwhile to Texas and Oklahoma.
However, it is the eastern states that have experienced the strangest conditions - a six-week period of temperatures far above their normal range for the time of year. The unusual warmth has been a disaster for ski resorts in the area, some struggling even to produce man-made snow that will stick for a second, as well as for retailers trying to sell everything from winter jackets to snow shovels and duvets.

Cherry trees are blossoming in Washington DC and in some parks in New York, where the temperature reached a bewildering 22C (72F) 10 days ago, the daffodils are in full flower. When a few flakes finally fell in Central Park a week ago - so few they could not be measured by instruments - it was the latest recorded snow fall since records began in 1878.

All of this will be political grist to Democrats on Capitol Hill, who are gearing up to take advantage of their new position as the majority party to make climate change a legislative priority.

Nancy Pelosi, the new Speaker of the House, is expected to call for a new select committee purely to devise new laws on combating global warming, probably to be headed by Representative Edward Markey of Massachusetts. "It's an issue that the Speaker thinks is critical to address," her spokeswoman said.

Any new legislation is likely to include mandatory caps on greenhouse gas emissions by American industries, a path that the White House has vigorously refused to follow. Democrats will also explore creating a market in emission caps, similar to the one that already exists in Europe. Under such a system, individual industries would be able to buy exemptions to exceed certain emission limits or acquire them and sell them to other industries.

It is clear that Democrats are intending to seize the issue from under the nose of President George Bush and embarrass him for his refusal to give the issue more credence. However, White House aides have indicated that the President will give climate change an important place in his annual State of the Union address to Congress next Tuesday. But few observers believe he is ready to go as far as some Democrats would like in imposing mandatory emission ceilings.

Extreme weather

COLD

* In California, a state used to mild winter weather, residents of Malibu Beach and West LA woke up to a light dusting of snow on Wednesday. Farmers say the unusually cold temperatures have devastated the state's orange and lemon crop.

* Texas, meanwhile, has seen a vicious ice storm descend across much of the state, causing blanket power cuts and traffic chaos. At least 10 people have been killed in the state since the weekend, thanks to the abnormally cold weather.

* Sixty winter-related deaths have been recorded across nine states in total as moist air coming from the Gulf of Mexico has met head-on with icy Arctic air from Canada, spreading snow storms as far afield as California and Missouri.

WARM

* Eastern America has seen a spell of freakishly warm weather. In early January, New York had record temperatures of 22C as New Yorkers strolled through Central Park in T shirts in a month when the city is usually covered in snow.

* The ski industry in America and Canada has been hard hit by the lack of snow. Although a recent drop in temperatures has finally brought snowfall, ski resorts across the continent have had to make do with artificial snow for much of the season so far