30 June 2010

Create Home Accessories From Discarded Items



Reusing and recycling are two keys to green living. Before you throw anything away, give careful thought as to how the item might still be used. In some cases, donating unwanted items to charity is the best approach. You could also consider selling the item in a garage sale or on an online auction site. However, if the item is broken or too worn to be used in its normal fashion, you might need to get a bit creative in order to find a new use for it.

Fortunately, there are many different kinds of home accessories that can be created from discarded items. By using items in this fashion, not only will you reduce waste, but you can also gain some decorative and useful items for your home for little or even no cost. Always give some careful thought to any item before you discard it. Many times you will be able to think of new and creative uses for it.

Utilizing Scrap Fabrics
Fabric scraps can be used in many different ways to create home decorating accessories. You can utilize worn or damaged clothing, old bed linens, towels, and anything else made from fabric for this purpose. If you know how to sew, you can make many different items from fabric scraps, such as pillows, quilts or even window curtain toppers. However, even if you don't sew, you can cut up old clothing and linens to create dust cloths and rags, which will also help to prevent the needless use of paper towels. For those who enjoy crafts, scrap fabrics can also be used in a number of ways, such as creating a braided rug from discarded clothing.

Using Paper Scraps
Most households generate a lot of paper scrap. If this excess paper is still good on one side, such as is often the case with junk mail and used printer or notebook paper, you can make attractive and useful notepads for your home. Simply use a paper cutter or scissors to chop the paper up into uniform pieces, stapling them together at the top to form a pad. You can embellish your paper pads however you wish, such as using an ink pad and stamp to add an attractive design. Then, keep one of these notepads beside the telephone, on the family bulletin board, or in any other location where you frequently need to write things down. This will allow you to get double-duty from your used paper, while preventing the use of new paper for notes.

If you enjoy arts and crafts, you could also investigate methods of making your own paper from paper scraps. This generally involves using a blender to create a paper and water mixture from the discarded paper. This slurry is then poured over a framed screen so that the water can drain, after which you can allow the new sheet of homemade paper to dry. This paper is often very decorative and can be used in a number of creative ways as part of your home decor.



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29 June 2010

Google's Green Software Can Track Deforestation



Google's Green Software Can Track Deforestation
Google is pro-active in the green energy business. It has introduced a new software that can track and monitor know the global level of deforestation.

Developed in conjunction with Greg Asner of the Carnegie Institution for Science and Carlos Souza of Imazon, the software analyzes the level of deforestation through satellite image data.

Past, present and future data combine to offer realistic info on the tree cover.

Via: Inhabitat


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28 June 2010

Mana La Solar Car On Display At Peterson Automotive Museum



Mana La Solar Car
Mana La, the solar car that revolutionized the automotive arena when it was made in the late 1980s, is now on display at the Peterson Automotive Museum till May.

John Paul DeJoria, chief executive of Beverly Hills-based hair care products company John Paul Mitchell Systems, donated this car to the museum.

The 19-foot-long and 6.5 feet high and wide Mana La had participated in the inaugural World Solar Challenge in Australia too.

However, due to terrain failure and low wind power, it was eliminated from the race. Now, the solar car is on another mission i.e. to enlighten masses with the essentials of sustainability.

Via: LA Times


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27 June 2010

Solar Energy On Your Subaru



Solar Energy On Your Subaru
Issa Awawdeh, an engineer from the West Bank, has added a solar panel and an electric motor to a Subaru. Now, the $4,000 modification allows him not to rely on petrol anymore. Instead of it, he connects his car batteries to the mains and runs the electric circuits, lights, wipers and stereo via solar energy.


I installed an electric motor, but otherwise it is a normal car and is not different from other cars. It cost me about $2.50 to drive from home to work. Now with this car, it costs me 30 cents. That means I save a lot.

The modification has indeed helped him to reduce the car’s running cost by 90 percent. He wishes that his next solar-powered car could be fueled â€Å“by 70 percent solar power,” and could offer him a top speed of 120 km per hour and a 200 km range, given that he gets the funding in time.

Via: NTDTV


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26 June 2010

Aerolabe – A Solar Powered Airship



Aerolabe solar powered airship
A new concpet airship has been designed to fly green on solar energy.

Introducing the Aerolabe, brainchild of painter and sculptor Gaspard Schlumberger, who believes that solar powered aircarfts will replace current gas-guzzlers to provide a clean and green environment.

The cigar-shaped Aerolabe has solar panels and wings to make it take to the skies.

Gaspard estimates that three and a half million euros will turn his dream into a reality - with the goal of sailing over the Atlantic in the Aerolabe without polluting the airspace.

I applaud his concept but I am just curious to know what a week of thunderstorms or foggy weather will do to Aerolabe. Will passengers be stranded in mid-air?

Via Treehugger


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25 June 2010

Indian Army Install Windmills And Solar Panels At Siachen Glacier



Solar Panels at Siachen Glacier
The Indian Army is adopting eco-friendly windmills and solar energy at Siachen glacier, lying between India-Pakistan and the highest battlefield of the world.

The green energy move is part of their effort to save the glacier from pollution, and to cut down on the cost of the fuel and logistic efforts.

With the installation of eco-friendly windmills and solar panels, the soldiers are no longer dependent on kerosene and diesel for running generators to heat their huts and lights.

The government has sanctioned Rs 3,000 crore to realize the green energy plan. There are also plans for renewable energy at other frontier areas in Ladakh region.

Via: Hindustan Times


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24 June 2010

'beam Down' Solar Energy Project At Masdar City



'Beam down' Solar Energy Project At Masdar City
Masdar, Abu Dhabi̢۪s multifaceted renewable energy initiative along with Japan̢۪s Cosmo Oil Company and the Tokyo Institute of Technology has launched a new project at Masdar City.

The advanced concentrated solar power (CSP) Central Tower research and development project will test ‘beam down’ technology. The beam down technology is known to have the capability of transforming solar irradiation into electricity more efficiently in comparison to other technologies.

The beam down process does just the opposite of what the conventional solar tower technologies do.

Unlike other traditional solar tower technologies, which uses mirrors to direct the sun̢۪s rays onto a receiver at the top of a central tower, to heat a heat transfer fluid, the beam down technology can reduce energy losses resulting from pumping the fluid to an elevated receiver, which would raise operational efficiency and lower electricity generation costs.

This research agreement is the most recent component of an ongoing effort by the UAE to position itself as a global leader in the area of renewable energy technologies.

Via: Utilities-me


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23 June 2010

Duron Solar System Provides Rural Homes With Clean Electricity



Duron is a $130 solar home power system that stores solar energy by the day while providing clean electricity in the night.

The solar system includes a 5 watt solar panel that has dedicated ports for a cell phone charger connection, three LED lights and an AC grid charger.

Duron not only powers the LED lights, but is also used for charging other gadgets as well. Once it̢۪s fully charged, it offers three hours of bright lighting or 10 hours of dim lighting.

Via: Inhabitat


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22 June 2010

Eco Living Quiz



The wasteful using up of the earth̢۪s resources will ultimately impact not only on ourselves but also on future generations. If we each develop good green habits we really can make a huge difference.

Take this quick quiz to see how well you̢۪re doing.
* Do you use bio-degradable cleaning products?
* Do you consistently recycle all your household rubbish you can?
* Do you walk short distances rather than using the car?
* Do you switch your computer off over night?
* Do you have a vegetable garden?
* Do you avoid buying highly packaged products?
* Do you intentionally buy locally produced products where possible?
* Do you use a cold water cycle to wash your clothes rather than hot?
* Do you reuse the other side of photocopy paper for rough prints or drafts?
* Do you hang your washing out when possible rather than using the dryer?
* Have you put a notice on your letterbox to stop junk mail?
* Do you turn the tap off when you brush your teeth?
* Do you donate good, unwanted clothes and possessions to charities?
* Do you turn the lights off when you leave the room?
* Do you ride a fuel efficient car?
* Do you car pool when it is possible to do so?
* Do you keep pockets of your home warm in the winter by keeping the doors closed?
* Do you compost you food scrapes and/or garden waste?
* Do you use energy saving light bulbs?
* Do you use recyclable bags for your shopping?
* Do you recycle your computer print cartridges?
* Do you wipe up spills with a reuseable cloth rather than paper towels?
* Do you reuse plastic shopping bags for other things?
* Do you cook two or more meals at the same time to save power?
* Do you dispose of any hazardous waste (EG paint) appropriately?
* Do you switch appliances off at the wall rather than leaving them in the stand by mode?
* Do you choose your home appliances based on their energy efficiency rating?
* Do you pass magazines on to others when you have finished reading them?
* Do you keep yourself informed about issues effecting our environment?
* Do you belong to an organization that actively supports green living ideals and practices?

The Score:
For every question you said ‘Yes” to give yourself a point. Here are the ratings:

25 – 30 - Well done! You’re doing your bit to save resources. Keep up the good work!

10 – 25 - Room for improvement here. A few habit changes will make a big difference over time.

10 or less - Maybe it̢۪s time for a rethink? Of course it̢۪s up to you, but if you would like to practice green living try introducing these behaviors into your life one by one.

Remember it only takes 28 days to create a new habit. This means that is we make a conscious effort to practice a new behavior for 28 days after that we will find ourselves doing it automatically.

How easy is that?



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21 June 2010

How To Have An Energy-efficient Home



Going green is the â€Å“in” thing nowadays and this does not only applies to cars or certain materials people use everyday but also to how a particular home use energy efficiently and how it reduces its carbon footprint. However, people should realize that going green is not a fad that would die out after a couple of years but a new way of life and mindset that they should embrace not only to protect the environment and themselves but to prepare a future for the next generations to come.

There are already several initiatives put forward by various sectors in this regard, including energy deregulation in various states like Texas, which gives people the power to select energy providers. However, unless scientists find ways of producing significantly cheap electricity that are both renewable and environment-friendly, residents should find ways how they can have energy-efficient homes. This not only would be good for their wallets but would also be good for the environment - and the following tips can show them how.

The Home Energy Rating System Program

Residents can make their homes more energy efficient by following a few simple suggestions. To help people understand the energy efficiency levels of their homes, they can make use of the Home Energy Rating System or the HERS program.

The HERS program involves physical inspection of the various elements of a home, after which a rating scale that indicates zero to a hundred is provided the home. 100 is the reference home standard and the farther your mark is away from this reference point, the higher your home̢۪s energy efficiency is. Not only that, a HERS inspection can identify various issues and problems in your home which you can improve on.

How to Make Your Home Energy-Efficient

An energy-efficient home can help you reduce not only your Texas electric bills but your homes carbon footprint as well. The following describes some of the more popular tips that could help you have an energy-efficient home.

* Harness the power of the sun not only by using a solar power calculator̢۪s but in every aspect in the home where solar power can be utilized. This includes solar heaters and lighting systems. You can also save more energy by designing your homes in a way that you can maximize natural light and save on energy consumption.

* Heat/cold-air loss is one of the primary reasons why your electricity bills goes way up, so it is vital that you properly insulate your homes from cracks, fissures and openings where heat/cold-air loss can occur. In relation, you can also make use of quality, energy efficient windows that have special coating and structure that can keep hot/cold air from transferring to.

* If possible, change your old appliances with energy efficient models that require less energy consumptions in order to function well. This includes refrigerators, washers, dryers, furnaces and other electrical appliances used regularly at home.

* Thermostat settings need not be too hot or too low. Just set it at comfortable levels that would still be convenient to the inhabitants of the house.

There are several other methods and home modifications that one can do in order to turn your homes into energy-efficient domicile. You can either study these things on your own or seek the assistance of professionals to help you on your green journey.

About Shop Texas Electricity- Shop Texas Electricity helps consumers and businesses compare and shop for their electricity plans in Texas. Learn more about Shop Texas Electricity by visiting us at www.ShopTexasElectricity.com



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19 June 2010

Going Big in Renewable Energy Projects



From their very modest beginnings, renewable energy projects around the world are now growing in size to the point where the biggest ones rival the size of traditional fossil fuel powered electrical plants. There are many reasons for the increasing size and capacity of these renewable energy projects. These reasons include:

1) Advances in generating capacity – The technology behind renewable energy projects continues to deliver higher generating capacity at lower costs. Combined with economies of scale, large renewable projects can deliver power with more efficiency than ever before.

2) Faster returns – renewable energy projects have huge upfront costs including regulatory paperwork, studies, and construction expenses. Building larger projects allows for faster amortization of those costs.

3) Government policies - Federal, state, and local governments continue to raise the bar on renewable energy objectives and are backing them up with financing models that favor large projects. These incentives are now drawing utilities into the game with proposals and designs on large projects drawn up to meet mandatory renewable energy portfolio standards.

A proposed project doesn’t equal a completed project, however. Even large projects with high profile backing can end up pulling the plug for a variety of reasons. The wind farm proposed and then shelved by T. Boone Pickens is just one example. In May of 2008 Mr. Pickens announced plans to construct the biggest wind farm in the U.S., as measured by the amount of installed megawatts. The Pampa Wind Farm project, which was to be located in the Texas panhandle, was shelved eight months later due to financing difficulties brought on by low natural gas prices. Another factor in the project’s postponement, until at least 2013, was the breakdown in the negotiations for the building of transmission lines which would have been necessary to get power generated at the wind farm to the grid.

Still, there are massive projects in the pipeline for energy alternatives including solar, wind, wave, geothermal, and tidal power. Here’s a list of the largest proposed project in each category:

* Solar - Desertec, located across North Africa and the Middle East, the Desertec project will generate 100 gigawatts (GW), the equivalent of 100 nuclear generators.

* Wind – Dogger Bank located in the United Kingdom. If completed as proposed, the wind farm will generate up to 13 GW, dwarfing the output of the largest producing wind farm; the 782-megawatt onshore farm in Roscoe, Texas, which went online in October 2009.

* Wave - Costa Head is the wave farm proposed for Orkney, Scotland. The project will generate 200 MW.

* Geothermal – Proposed for Sarulla, Indonesia, this project will generate 330 MW.

* Tidal – Proposed for Incheon, South Korea, this tidal power project will generate 1.32 GW, five times more electricity than today’s largest producing plant, France’s 240 MW Rance plant.

While not all of these plants will succeed, the sheer size of the proposals provides some validation of these technologies. These are promising steps on the path toward turning fossil fuels into the “alternative”.



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18 June 2010

Wind Power Role As An Alternative To Fossil Fuel



Albeit from a small base, wind power continues to grow at a steady pace, doubling in production from 2006 to 2008. Wind farms in the U. S. generated a total of 52 billion kilowatt hours in 2008, making up approximately 1.3% of the total of electricity generated in the country. Despite its small representation in the total of electrical production, wind-generated power provided enough electricity to serve 4.6 million households. The production number is also the equivalent of the total of electrical usage for the state of Colorado.

Wind power’s production growth is being fueled by advances in technology which continue to cut the cost of production. Additional factors include tax breaks, pricing options which allow consumers to elect for premium pricing for energy provided from green sources, and other incentives.

The location of wind farms around the United States is largely controlled by three factors:

1) Geography – Areas with temperature differences in relatively close proximity, moderate altitudes, the lack of natural wind breaks, and areas where wind can be funneled are desirable locations for wind farms. Tehachapi, California is an example of a wind farm located between two areas of disparate temperatures. The intense heat of the Mojave Desert in the east forces air to rise which is replaced by cooler air from the coast, located to the west of the wind farm. The area’s rounded hills do not act as wind breaks but do provide funneling action in certain parts of the wind farm.

2) Wind seasonality, consistency, and speed – The Tehachapi wind farm experiences its highest and most consistent winds from April to October which coincides with the area’s highest demand for electricity. In this situation the demand is spurred by air conditioning needs. Montana, on the other hand, experiences its highest winds in winter when demand is driven by heating requirements.

3) Local politics – Despite its status as a clean energy alternative, wind farms have a relatively large foot print and are highly visible, which can bring resistance by locals. Recent examples of local opposition to wind farms has been seen in Louisiana and Oregon, where similar concerns included wind farms’ effects on tourism as well as scenic, aesthetic, and property values.

Wind farms are now considered to be the most cost effective alternative to fossil fuel for power generation but the limitations described above indicate that wind power will have to be supplemented by other clean options such as solar and alternative fuels. Still, should energy costs rise dramatically, the cost-effectiveness of this alternative could spur its growth further, even in areas where local opposition is currently strong.



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17 June 2010

Install Solar Panels – Enjoy the Benefit of Solar Energy



The sun is one of the most fascinating parts of our lives. The sun does so much for life on the earth. Without the power of sun our water cycle would not occur and the temperature on this planet would be so cold that we would not be able to support life. Because of Sun we have Light on the earth. So Solar Panels produce electricity from sunlight. It makes use of renewable energy from the sun. They are actually comprised of an array of photo voltaic cells. The sun’s light strikes the individual cells, each of which emits electrons in response. The individual cells can be placed in either a parallel or chain circuit and those circuits connected into an array in order to produce the amount of power required. They are clean and environmentally sound means of collecting solar energy.
Solar panels produce direct current .DC is the type of current which is used by any battery operated apparatus like: Cell phones, cars, calculators, watches, etc. It is valuable to do investment on Solar Panel .It will also increase the value of your property. It will also helps in pollution free environment.
There are three types of solar panels.
1.single crystal
2.multi- or poly-crystalline
3.Amorphous silicon.
The most efficient type of solar panel used is Single-crystal. They produce maximum power per square foot of module. Their cells are fragile so they must be mounted in a rigid frame and they usually have a polka dot or checkered pattern.
Before installing them you must know solar energy benefits. The most important benefits of using this are:
1.It does not produce any waste or pollution.
2.It is safe to use and install.
3.It reduces cost
4.Depending on the size of system you install, you may not ever receive an electric bill again

Installing them at home is a great way to use the natural elements of the Earth to create energy. They are used to collect sunlight and convert it to energy that can be used for electricity.



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16 June 2010

What You Don't Know About Wind Power



Wind is amongst the neatest renewable energy resources accessible to us. Most people are not aware about the fact that wind energy is the fastest prospering energy sector.
As you know, wind is an indirect adaptation of solar power. Various surfaces on the Earth respond distinctly to being hit by sunrays, mainly with context to the heat. As sunrays heat up the lands, they get heated up at variable rates. The air surrounding the lands also heat up at distinct rates, enabling the wind process. Temperature above the sea or lake would always be cooler than temperatures over lands. When the air heats up, it rises and the cooler air takes its place. Whenever this happens, the air fills up the void with a rush which generates an amazingly cheap and clean energy source.
The main advantage of wind energy is that it is a natural event which makes it an amazing energy source. Take a look at these wind power fun facts:
1. Wind is a renewable energy source as it will remain as long as there is sun.
2. For centuries, wind has been utilized by human beings as an energy source.
3. The initial windmills were utilized to move wheels to mince grain in Iran.
4. The American colonists utilized windmills to slash wood, crush grain and move water.
5. In the 1920s, wind energy exploited by windmills was a major source of energy in rural areas of America.
6. These days, California is the major consumer of wind power and generates double the amount of electricity as any other state.
7. The modern windmills are offered in two models: horizontal and vertical.
8. Horizontal windmills are the conventional edition which comes to your mind whenever it is mentioned.
9. Vertical mills give you an impression of inverted egg beaters, but are fascinating when they rotate.
10. Most energy generated by wind is operated by private enterprises and auctioned to utilities through an electric grid hookup.
11. An enormous 17 billion kilowatts of power is produced by wind every year, more than enough to offer all the electrical requirements for the city of Chicago.
12. Over 30 states have wind farms producing and delivering electricity to utility firms.
13. Texas, Iowa, Minnesota, Wyoming and California are the major giants in generating energy from wind.
14. The greatest energy generator from wind is Germany, which also plays a main role in solar power generation.
Many will be astonished with these wind power fun facts. The fact that there is adequate power generated by wind energy to manage a city the size of Chicago is outstandingly noteworthy. As we head towards a greener world, new technology is moving in the course of producing wind energy platforms for private homes and businesses. To learn how you can produce your own wind energy check out wind power fun facts.

Author's Bio

Shaye Michaels is the creator of http://www.SimplyGreenLife.com, a blog dedicated to teaching others how to live a simple green life. Discover tips and tricks on how you can live green everyday.



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15 June 2010

The Anatomy of Environmental Fraud: The anti-palm oil scams of Greenpeace and FOE



"In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act." —George Orwell


It all started with the Club of Rome. Founded at the Rockefeller's estate in Bellagio, Italy, in 1968, some of the fraternity brothers and sisters include Henry Kissinger, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Al Gore, David Rockefeller, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, and Mikhail Gorbachev.


And there is no one better to give you the short version of the Club's agenda than Gorby himself:


"The threat of environmental crisis will be the ‘internal disaster key' that will unlock the New World Order."


Who let this guy out of the asylum?


Their more precisely stated goal is population control. The solution? Create an environmental catastrophe like, oh, say, "global warming" and blame it on the planet's most heinous villain—man himself.


"In searching for the new enemy to unite us, we came up with the idea that pollution, the threat of global warming, water shortages, famine and the like would fit the bill. . . . But in designating them as the enemy, we fall into the trap about which we have already warned, namely mistaking symptoms for cause. All these dangers are caused by human intervention and it is only through changing attitudes and behaviors that they can be overcome. The real enemy, then, is humanity itself."


Sounds like a good plan . . . if you're Darth Vader.


In 1972, the Club took the world stage with the publication of a book they had commissioned to be written by a group of MIT scientists. It was called The Limits to Growth. Examining the planet's population growth in relation to available resources, the report concluded that the planet would run out of resources sometime in the next 100 years, resulting in a catastrophic decline in population and industrial production.


As one reviewer put it, the authors examine ". . . the impact of humanity on the world ecology and of steps taken toward remediating the accelerating approach to a train wreck that is mankind's ill-managed and uncontrolled ‘footprint' on this planet's environment."


Still, these trends and their consequences could be altered, it argued; we had to be less, do less and have less. The brand for this Orwellian path to planetary salvation was sustainable development.


Heavily promoted, the book reached opinion leaders in political, scientific and economic circles as it exploded around the planet like the Harry Potter of environmentalism. It sold 12 million copies in thirty languages despite the fact that the research had all the scientific rigor of a plagiarized term paper for a freshman biology class.


Assailed by top scientists, the research was shoddy in the extreme. Population expert and author Professor Julian Simon said, "The Limits to Growth has been blasted as foolishness or fraud by almost every economist who has read it closely or reviewed it in print."


Yale economist Henry Wallich reviewed the book saying, ". . . the quantitative content of the model comes from the authors' imagination, although they never reveal the equations that they used."


But it is a PR world and with the publication of this book, the modern environmental movement was born. Midwifed to life in a blanket of deceit, it was hailed as the savior, not of mankind, but of the planet it claimed was being fried to a crisp by humanity's toxic binge of carbon dioxide.


The scientific fraud is its own malice, but few were able to see the underlying strategy—that the book would serve as the foundation of a global public relations campaign that would mesmerize legislators, educators, and countless organizations of goodwill and would eventually set the stage for the biggest rip-off in human history. But I am getting ahead of myself.


This then was the ultimate con: The scientific basis of the book that launched the environmental movement calling for "sustainable development" and a reduction of man's leper-like carbon footprint on the planet was, and is, a scam, a hoax, a falsehood—environmental snake oil!


A plethora of green groups emerged, sensing the opportunity to make a killing. All with euphemistic sounding names, like Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth (FOE) and Rainforest Action Network (RAN), the FOE's and RAN's alphabet soup green groups together with Greenpeace ran wild.


Altruistically cloaked as not-for-profit organizations, these charlatans went about with collection bowls in hand to governments, corporations and even the public to knock them up for funds to pursue their agenda, which unbeknownst to the willing donors were really to fill their coffers to fund the lavish lifestyles of their office bearers.


Any doubt about their modus operandi is instantly dispelled when you do a little digging. Do a little googling and the gullibility of the donors are laid bare. These "not-for-profit" green groups pull in a staggering amount of funds worldwide, running sometimes into the hundreds of millions of dollars, organization wide. For instance, Friends of the Earth has combined global funds in excess of US$300 million.


Although they are listed as not-for-profit, it does not stop the office bearers from paying themselves handsomely and awarding themselves perks that would make some corporate captains blush. In short, these organizations are set, not as a profit making business, but to make their conveners rich through massive salaries and perks and enable them to live the life of the rich and famous without having to pay a single cent in corporate tax!


However, to loosen the purse-strings of donors, these green charlatans needed a suitable target and which target was more opportune than palm oil?


Here was a commodity that was planted by developing countries that was taking the world by storm and developing country producers have not proven to be too conversant with or adept in the nether-world of industrial espionage and economic sabotage!


Extremely productive with a yield of 4-5 metric tons per hectare which is close to ten times that of its nearest competitor, palm oil was the world's cheapest cooking oil! On top of that, the oil was blessed with inherently healthful qualities being naturally packed with heart friendly anti-oxidants and phyto-nutrients like, inter alia, beta-carotene, CoQ10 and cholesterol busting toco-trienols! Moreover, the oil proved highly popular with food manufacturers when it was found to be trans fats free and yet had a naturally longer shelf life, without the need for hydrogenation or preservatives. However, what really tipped the scale and made palm oil the target of these green sharks was when palm oil's usefulness as a feedstock for the blending of biofuels and biodiesel became apparent.


Palm oil's growth had to be stopped and it's competitors could not sit idly by whilst palm oil was decimating their market share.


The most glaring recent finding revealed that the EU, via its environmental ministries and commissions, had actively funded up to 70% of the operating budgets of environmental NGOs - many of which were mostly the same groups viciously campaigning against palm oil imports into the EU. Among the major recipients include the Friends of The Earth.


Now why would the EU fund green NGOs who proceeded to mount what was tantamount to a trade protectionist scheme in the guise of environmental activism? It does not take a genius to figure this one out. The EU has homegrown oilseed industries like rapeseed and sunflower that were unfortunately not quite as productive as palm oil. In fact, their typical yield is just 10% that of palm oil!


And so a renewable energy directive (EU RED) was issued in 2008 by the European Union parliament on biofuel content which imposed strict regulations on carbon emission.


The EU RED has also put many palm oil-based biodiesel producers in a limbo as the directive distorts the commodity price and its trade. Many trade observers see the directive as a tactical unfair business ploy and a non-tariff trade move by the EU to single out palm oil for not able to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and preserving biodiversity.


According to the EU scientific and technical research, palm oil biodiesel - which has only about 19% GHG - failed to meet with the EU RED requirement. The directive states that biofuel must result in GHG savings of at least 35% versus fossil fuel in 2009 and also increase over time to 50% by 2017.


This claim, however, is contrary to many research views, indicating that palm oil biodiesel actually has an estimated GHG savings of 55%!


While many palm oil biodiesel producers were doubling their efforts to convince the EU on the sustainability of palm oil, there have been a continuous slew of anti-palm oil campaigns launched by Western environmental NGOs.


Amid the attacks and boycotts, however, there have been many positive independent researches and reports on palm oil from Europe starting to surface lately.


Many are questioning the EU RED's actual motive and its unfair treatment to single out palm oil which needs to be certified as sustainable, whereas rapeseed, soybean or olive oil which are produced in the developed countries had been given preferential treatment despite not being sustainably produced.


The sheer incongruity of that should have alerted the mass media to the uncomfortable scenario that environmental organizations like Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth are really proxies used wittingly or unwittingly by the EU in a cleverly planned and well coordinated trade war against palm oil.


It has often been said by cynics that the easiest way to rob a bank is to own one, except in this case the bank is the treasury of the green NGO. Palmhugger is compelled to ask whether the likes of enviromental NGOs such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth are using a commodity like palm oil as a cause celebre to fill their coffers? THE END.


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14 June 2010

Have a Simple Green Life - It All Starts With a Green Home



A house which is green is constructed and run keeping environment in mind. With the danger of global warming becoming more pronounced with every passing day, the average family needs to do their part to make as minor effect as possible. A simple green life should be the first step. The greener your house; the healthier ambience it will posses. You can utilize environment friendly items from paint to curtains and other components which will append to the complete decoration of your house.
The most likely green materials to be utilized:
In case you are willing to construct a brand new house, think about the environment as well. You can utilize renewable resources such as lightweight concrete, manufactured, stone, straw, earth or wood.
What makes a home green? Well it will directly depend upon the amount of usage of these raw materials. Our planet itself is an abundant resource. The dirt beneath our feet is very environment friendly. You can select from earthen sources like cob, adobe, and rammed earth.
Since last 50 years, lightweight concrete has been utilized for construction of buildings. Its potency is not as much as the usual concrete normally used for construction, but you can be definite about the fact that the final product will match the standards. Benefits of using this building material are that it can be utilized for insulation as it has outstanding fire resistant attributes. It also asks for a smaller foundation and there isn't too much requirement of structural steel. This effects the environment positively.
Manufactured building materials make an impact on those who care for the environment but don't like living in a home built of dirt, tree parts, straw etc. Mostly a home built with this kind of material once constructed with prove to be an excellent house that is energy efficient with concern to the planet.
If you desire to live a simple green life, wood is amongst the most flexible resource for construction. Earlier it was considered as a sustainable material for building, but with the excessive harvesting of forests throughout the planet, the people's greed has beaten the capabilities of trees to regenerate. You can construct a green house keeping in view the environment by using timber farmed, log wood and stick farmed if you require wood.
There are numerous models of green homes available. Models can vary from square to rounded, earth-sheltered and organic. Every mode has many styles you can select from to make your home distinct, soothe and environment friendly.

A square mode home often indicated that it will accommodate the usual idea of a home with respect to the opinions of the Western World. Houses that are judged as conventional frequently have vertical walls and rectilinear floor plan. Modes that can be judged as conventional are modern, bungalow, tradition, Victorian or southwestern.
A house which is curved or rounded in outlook is judged as rounded styling. This indicated that the idea foe the home has a major part which is rounded or curvy. This kind of house is an example of simple green living.
Green homes covered with earth can be positioned either partly or completely into the earth. There are many benefits to you and your environment whenever you decide to make your home green with the selection of this style. Whenever you stay six feet below the surface of the earth, you will observe that the temperature only oscillates a few degrees in the whole year. The advantage of this is that it will need much lower energy to warm up and cool your home, setting aside the environment from draining natural resources.

Living a simple green life can help the environment a lot more than you may think. Our planet and its natural resources is something which should be given to our children. If we don't bother about the future, there will be nothing left of the environment to pass on.

Author's Bio

Shaye Michaels is the creator of http://www.SimplyGreenlife.com, a blog dedicated to helping people live simple green lives. Our free articles and tips will help you to live life green everyday!



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05 June 2010

Biodiversity and Environmental Issues



The amount of species of plants, animals, and micro organisms, the extensive variety of genes in these species, the diverse ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs are all part of a biologically divergent Earth. Biodiversity promotes ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an essential role to play. Maintaining species and their home grounds is important for ecosystems to self-sustain themselves. One type of ecosystem that maybe is overlooked to a greater extent than any other is perhaps also the richest in biodiversity is the coral reefs. Coral reefs are functional to the surroundings and to people in a number of ways. It is feared that very soon, many reefs could perish.

The climate is modifying. The earth is warming up, and there is now extreme scientific consensus that it is occurring, and man-evoked. With global warming on the increase and species and their home grounds diminishing, chances for ecosystems to adapt by nature are diminishing. Global Warming will lead to a frailer Ozone layer, because as the surface temperature grows, the stratosphere will get colder, causing the normal repairing of the Ozone to slow.

Anoxic waters are regions of sea water or fresh water that are depleted of dissolved oxygen. This condition is mostly found in regions that have confined water exchange. Anoxic waters are a natural phenomenon. When oxygen is depleted in a basin, bacteria first turn to the second-best electron acceptor, which in seawater is nitrate.

Over the path of millions of years, the motion of tectonic plates reconfigures global land and ocean areas and establishes topography. This can impact both worldwide and local patterns of climate and atmosphere-ocean circulation.

Fluctuations in solar action during the last several centuries established on observations of sunspots and beryllium isotopes. The cyclical nature of the sun's energy output is not yet amply understood; it differs from the very slow change that is happening inside the sun as it matures and develops. While most research suggests solar variability has brought on a small cooling result from 1750 to the present, a few studies aim toward solar radiation increments from circular sunspot activity affecting global warming.

The hominid population of the planet is estimated to now have passed 6 billion people. Existing consumption patterns as seen in Europe and North America can put stress on the surroundings and natural resources. Anthropogenic elements are human activities that change the environment. In some cases the chain of causality of human influence on the climate is direct and unambiguous, while in other cases it is less clear. Human action is very probably the cause for the fast increase in global average temperatures over the past several decades. Of most concern in these anthropogenic factors is the increase in CO2 levels due to discharges from fossil fuel burning, followed by aerosols (particulate matter in the atmosphere) and cement manufacture. Other factors, including land use, ozone depletion, animal agriculture and deforestation, are also of concern.

In recent years there has been a movement towards the use of assorted renewable energy sources, and hopefully mankind can at least do its part in reducing our impact on our environment.



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04 June 2010

Environmental issues can be a touchy subject



Whether the subject is global warming, clean energy sources, or toxic chemicals environmental issues are almost always a “point of contention” among those who discuss them. Like politics and religion, it is another subject that has a wide assortment of opinions regarding the many facets or sides of the issue. Even the so called experts can’t seem to agree on what’s best for us and our planet.

Global Warming is killing the people and the planet

Many environmental experts contend that our earth’s atmosphere has become overloaded with carbon dioxide which traps in heat and threatens to disrupt the planets climate permanently. Even though the temperature change may amount to a mere three to nine degrees it can have disastrous effects on the world as we know it. Solving the issue of global warming will bring about improvements in our lives by clearing up the air pollution. As we invest in sources of clean energy and adapt energy saving solutions there will be less risk of global warming and other environmental issues that are plaguing us today. Some say the polar ice caps will melt and flood the planet, warming the earth and creating diseases. They do not consider the fact that this planet has done quite nicely for millions of years before we came along and that man’s actions are inconsequential when looking at the big picture.

Renewable energy sources result in clean energy

There is no doubt that fossil fuels are a major contributor to the global warming issue our planet faces today. It creates toxic air that threatens to smother us in smoke and ash. Finding ways to invest in more energy efficient methods of power and energy is necessary for the health and welfare of each of us. Wind, biomass, and solar are clean alternatives to coal and oil for powering our world and will help cut down on global warming as well.

What part of toxic don’t you understand?

Asthma, cancer, birth defects, infertility, brain impairments, and learning disabilities offer only a small picture of the amount of destructive power in the toxic chemicals we are surrounded by. Those chemicals can be found in furniture, electronics, beverages, food, toys, cleaning products, personal care products, and many children’s products. Among all the environmental issues currently being debated and studied, the one that should concern us most is the toxicity of our surrounding environment. With the dramatic rise in Autism and ADHD in children in the past few decades we have come to realize there must be an underlying cause and it is most likely in the chemical pollutants our youth must face from time of conception on.

Eliminating the toxic elements will take time and must be addressed before it’s too late. Testing of all new or existing chemicals is currently being conducted to learn which ones are safe and which must be replaced or even eliminated.

Toxic chemicals like dioxin, lead, mercury, and PCB’s are allowed to contaminate our environment every day and that must be stopped. Many of these chemicals enter the system of fish, birds, and mammals which we then consume. Children especially must not be exposed to these deadly contaminants.



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03 June 2010

Various ways for Eco-Friendly Affiliate Promotion Programs



There's lots of ways in which an site owner can contribute to a greenery to the planet Earth, and joining an environmentally conscious affiliate promotion program which is one of the simplest and rewarding programs to be recommended.

Eco-Discoveries
The purpose of Eco-Discoveries is to provides household cleaning products which healthy and safe for the environment as well as for the individuals who use them. This has been managed by the process of the Performance-Based green affiliate network, Eco-Discoveries has many popular products lines which includes baby-safe cleaner, fabric deodorizer, glass cleaner & mildew or mold remover.

Mountain Herbs
Such organic
herbs, spices, teas and oils offers good percent of sale made from online store. These product provide a free associates program with complete online access & with no obligation towards activity, the reports and payout information, which provides setup assistance and high-level support from their qualified staff. Mountain Rose also provides visually appealing banners and graphics that will add a pleasant earthy touch to any web-site.

Eco Stylish Holiday Cards
Such cards are made from the recycled stock and designed with the use of vegetable inks, such approved customizable cards are printed using 100-percent wind power in order to reduce the carbon footprint to further. Such Eco Stylish plants a tree for every order placed through its network.

Lily Organics Product
From almost three decades now, Lily Organics has been handcrafting & award-winning skincare products which is herbal not use any synthetic chemicals. Lily organics is the only facial care item on the planet to grow itself and every-week make fresh products. Such product are herbal and with no bad effect for any skin type.

Eco Mugs
This Affiliate helps in generating the most Eco-friendly mugs and custom-design, reusable product on the planet. Affiliated company focuses on massive, custom orders for offices, organizations and clubs, offering great potential for massive commissions. Such Eco product is an exclusive market share for merchant at the Share-a-Sale network.

Itzy Ritzy
This product is Specialized in kid supplies, which is made of organic cotton and sustainable bamboo, such product sells blankets, cloths, chair covers, automobile chair covers and more. The products are not only fashionable but quite sustainable as well, supply of such product is energy-saving home products which are the focus of Neutral Existence business, and they are one of the only Solar and wind-power supply systems which are among the hard-to-find green home building products available in the market.

Sea Chi Organics
Product like this focus and passionate about the purity to its ingredients, Sea Chi makes high-vibrational organic and wild crafted skin and hair products from Kombucha Tea. This product has hundreds of products to pick from, all related of them are rich in vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 and Vitamin C, and generating an antibiotic effect to promote bodily cleansing and a healthy lifestyle.



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