Environmentalists
Eco Friendly Products
The categories of eco friendly products have become a lot more numerous and versatile with the increased insistence on green lifestyles. If very few green products were available ten years ago, now we can shop for gift ideas, green services, organic foods, green gifts, green clothes and even green appliances. Reuse, reduce, recycle, this is the fundamental motto of a green lifestyle. Yet, not everybody knows about the wide offer of eco friendly products, which is usually a matter of personal awareness and consciousness about the environment and the personal impact on it.
The sad truth is that more than half the globe’s population has not heard of eco friendly products as alternatives to the items they use daily. A housewife may not be thrilled about using a bio-based solvent instead of her efficient chemical bleacher. Poor efficiency is what we fear most in eco friendly products, and hence the reluctance to use them.This is one of thousands of other examples that can be found in daily life. In fact, some ‘impossible to make’ changes may be encountered with the most convinced of environmentalists. Unless we change mentality, it will be long before people start using eco friendly products regularly.
A massive change of paradigm is necessary before making Earth a cleaner planet and a safer place to live. A person who is interested in using as many eco friendly products as possible, will also adapt the rest of the lifestyle habits to the green trend. When you become committed to the Earth’s cause, you’ll feel guilty wasting water, electricity or consuming lots of fuel resources.Eco friendly products are just one part of a larger phenomenon that touches on all aspects of our lives. It goes hand in hand with replacing incandescent bulbs with energy-saving alternatives or it corresponds to the trend of buying hybrid or electric cars instead of fuel-powered vehicle.
Turn the environmental exercise into a daily practice. When families behave ecologically responsible, children receive the green education necessary for supporting the environmental efforts required from the next generations.Hence, green education starts at school by direct example. A child who knows the importance of eco friendly products will make environmentally safe choices in his or her adult life afterwards.
The Great Bottled Water Swindle
For the past ten years or so, the level of bottled water sales has been steadily growing by 7 – 8% every year. The level of consumption worldwide is estimated to have more than doubled between 1997 and 2005.
Approximately 200 billion bottles of water are consumed worldwide each year. The US market is the largest by far, with 25% of all sales worldwide.
However, there has been a recent backlash against the use of bottled water. One of the main concerns is the environmental effect which bottled water has. The actual bottles are usually manufactured from Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is a recyclable material – but the actual level of recycling is held to be lower than 25%.
The energy required for production, transportation and disposal of the bottles is also a source for concern among environmentalists. When compared with tap water, bottled water creates carbon emissions which are three orders of magnitude greater on a per litre basis.
Despite the very effective marketing of the bottled water suppliers, there seems to be no evidence that bottled water is, in developed countries at least, any better for your health than plain old tap water. Certain bottled waters have been found to contain estrogenic chemicals and even uranium. Most bottled waters contain salt to some degree– not good for your blood pressure.
In terms of taste there is little firm evidence that bottled water is any better than tap water. London tap water came third out of 24 different waters used in a UK blind taste test. In the USA, a 2007 episode of Penn and Teller (which may have been more entertaining than scientific – but still merits a mention) showed that diners could not distinguish between bottled water and water sourced from a garden hose.
In terms of cost to the consumer the exact ratio will vary according to the brand of water under consideration, but generally speaking bottled water costs several hundred times more per litre than tap water.
So, in terms of environmental impact, health, taste and cost, bottled water really doesn’t have a lot going for it. If you really dislike the taste of your tap water then you could always try some type of home filtration system. The cost will be greater than for tap water, but very much less than bottled water. If you go for a solution such as the Brita water filter jug then you will know that it’s better for the environment as all parts of the filters are recyclable.
Of course, if home filtration systems are great for when you’re at home – but if you like to carry water with you when you’re out and about then you could use and reuse a bottle which you fill at home, or the office, before you leave. Again, Brita Water are a good example having combined with international designer Orla Kiely to produce the Wottle – which claims to be the world’s first designer reusable bottle and is manufactured from 100% recycled material. Or do your own recycling and use an old soda bottle.
Home Solar Panel Installation
Home solar panel installation is steadily becoming more popular here in the US and in other developed countries throughout the world. If you are still living entirely on the grid then perhaps home solar panel installation is something you might wish to consider at some point in the near future. There are actually numerous benefits to investing in home solar panel installation.
The Environment
If you consider yourself to be an environmentally conscious individual then you should definitely invest in home solar panel installation. People who live completely on the grid get all of their electricity from the burning of fossil fuels. When fossil fuels are burned poisonous gases are released into the atmosphere and this adds to the problem of climate change. By contrast solar power is a completely clean and renewable energy source. People who live entirely off the grid and use solar power do not damage the environment so their consciences are clear.
No Escalating Electricity Bills
Some people have reservations about home solar panel installation because they are convinced that it is too expensive. First of all the cost of home solar panel installation is set to drop in the near future. When it comes to living on the grid the opposite is true. If you are living on the grid then you will no doubt have noticed a massive increase in your monthly electricity bill during the past five years or so. Given that fossil fuel supplies are beginning to run low and environmentalists are exerting pressure, the cost of grid electricity is only going to increase in the future. Who knows how much it will cost to live entirely on the grid ten years from now. One thing is for sure, the cost of living on the grid will surpass the expense of home solar panel installation very soon if current tendencies are any indication.
Other Incentives
There are many financial incentives for home solar panel installation. You may be eligible for state and federal tax rebates if you install solar panels. You may also be able to apply for a government sponsored home improvement loan at very low interest rates. In the United ! States, the government has recognized our need to reduce our dependance on fossil fuels. Our economy has become too tied up in imported fossil fuels and we have to find domestic alternatives. The financial incentives offered by the government can make alternative energy sources like solar panels very attractive. Being independent of the power grid means no more worrying about high bills or scheduled power failures. It could earn you the envy of all your neighbors.
