Urban Green Living

Urban Green Living is a site dedicated to the common urban folk. One of the main authors in this blog made the initiative to create a separate blog discussing practical tips and hints in living a greener lifestyle without moving out of the big city.

Urban green living is actually a lifestyle change that requires greener options for the urban community. There was even a notion that when you live in the metropolis, there is no chance for it to become more Eco-friendly. But I disagree with that. Being human as we are, we tend to think of things that can help our lives easier and being Eco-friendly is not an issue. Therefore living in the big city and hoping to have a more cleaner environment is not just a hope but a possibility.

When you have the time, please visit http://urbangreenliving.blogspot.com and bookmark it so that whenever you need tips for a greener lifestyle then it's just a click away.

The author told me that he will be posting his research regarding simple things that we tend to disregard since living a life in the big city requires full attention. He will soon post relevant issues and how to battle them using simple tools or make use of the things that surrounds us. 

For more info, go to urbangreenliving.blogspot.com

Urban Homesteading

URBAN HOMESTEADING

We rural folks always refer to living in the big city (manila) as "kada-galaw, may bayad" (every action needs payment). I believe that the reason behind this is because in the big city, in order to survive, one has to embrace the true meaning of capitalism and make sure that each individuals rights are properly met. Some even exploit this social structure just to get ahead. Granting this is the city life, one thought always pop in my head - "how can one be self-sufficient in an environment where everything has a price tag?" As a boy growing in a rural community, I did not adjust to the urban life immediately.

Urban Homesteading is a process of being able to provide for oneself despite living in an urban community. Simply put, urban homesteading means self-sufficiency. A lot of people in first world countries are now getting into this new habit. You can see on high rise apartments several organic farms being cultivated to provide basic needs for a family. Depending on the season, one can see different varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables being planted.

This initiative by urban folks is a major step in getting back to our organic roots where fruits and vegetables are organically grown from dirt. Unlike today, where majority of the can goods being sold at supermarkets are genetically modified to last longer. The problem with GMO's is that the consistency of the nutrients are no longer present therefore it poses a great threat to the health of the consumers. Corporations in the food industry are now taking advantage of GMO goods because it is not only efficient in their part but also it's efficacy to generate huge amount of money is unstoppable.

Urban homesteading is a great way in going back to our roots and also assuring the environment that there is still hope in making this world a better place to live in. Being a homesteader means being an environmentalist by heart because you are making sure that the life you want to live is as organic as possible. A greener life means appreciating all the things the environment has to offer. And when you look at it at a macro perspective, eating and producing foods from your own backyard is a great way in helping the environment. For one thing, you don't need to drive your car and burn fossil fuels just to go to the grocery or local market just to buy a piece of vegetable that you could organically grow. This will also make sure that imported goods are no longer patronize which will make these foreign companies to rethink their marketing strategy in disposing their goods. And by practicing urban homesteading, this will also lessen the importance of eating can goods and other meat products that require heavy machinery to produce. And most of this will make sure that your health is at optimum level because you know what is entering your body.

I found this one website that has a great collection of resources pertaining to urban homesteading. For more info, click here.

Pandas No More...

I have always been a fan of panda bears and how exotic these species are in the bear family. With their black and white fur, you just can't stop yourself cooing these adorable asian bears.

Sad to say, these animals are facing extinction because of climate change. A recent study done by York University shows that climate change is actively redistributing plant and animal life.

A joint study done by York University and the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh, with Sichuan University and the Kunming Institute of Botany in China focused on the effect climate change in bamboos, which is the main source of food of these giant pandas.

Researchers found out that while some species of bamboos decreased in number due to global warming, other types significantly increased. The findings will help safeguard these endangered animals and hopefully determine sustainable action steps to conserve this type of bear specie.

Professor Steve Blackmore, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh said: "Pandas spend 14 hours a day eating, and bamboo forms 99% of their diet, so they are completely reliant on the right bamboo species being present in order to survive".

Pandas No More - click for full report.

Saving The Environment Through Self Reformation

I have always been an activist by heart and the environment is one of my cause. I participated in several group discussions trying to influence legislators to create simple, doable, clear actions that can help make this world a better place to live in.

After 25 long years, I realized that no matter what you do, there is always an opposing force of the things that your really believe in. People tend to get their morals twisted just to feed the hungry flesh. Now, I know better. After 25 long years, I realized that what we really need are good values that can give results of good actions from ourselves.

That's why I am proud to be part of the White Flag Revolution. A group that believes in one thing - true reformation starts from within. A very good friend introduced me to this group and from the moment I heard the goal of this group, I immediately signed up because I firmly believe that in order to save the environment and to save almost everything that is good in the world, we have to go back to our roots and understand the true meaning of goodness.

We might be running a fool's run but one thing is certain... at least once in my life - I know I did something right.

8 Ways of Becoming a Zero-Waste Society

There has always been a series of discussions regarding zero-waste societies and how we can achieve it. Some goes against the idea but I think there is still a way in attaining a society with zero-waste. It all depends on how we define the term waste and how we look at it.

According to www.dictionary.com, waste used as a verb actually means - being gradually consumed. Therefore in a much micro-perspective, to be consumed means to be used as much as possible as long as it is still usable to some living thing. Whether it is between both humans or between bacterias, as long as it serves it's purpose, I think that is the best way in understanding the word waste.

So, I made up a list that I think is the best way for us to attain zero-waste culture, and here they are.

8 Ways of Becoming a Zero-Waste Society:

1. Minimize Product Packaging - Whenever I go to any store, whether an appliance store or a retail store of shoes, it seems that the packaging of most items are made to impress people just to make them feel that what they are buying is pure quality. I believe that minimizing the product's packaging will zero the waste since while maintaining it's allure to the consumers. Added benefit is that the manufacturer can save a lot from raw materials in packaging their products. There are brands that are commendable in reducing the total cost as well as the raw materials used when they are packaging their items. I believe as consumers, we can influence the manufacturers way of producing these packaging by being effective product stewards in choosing the most cost-effective and eco-friendly items in the stores.
2. Go For Biodegradable Items - if you are planning to go for a camping trip or family picnic, or do something that you only do once or twice, try purchasing biodegradable items so that just in case your friends or family members throw it away carelessly, you are assured that somewhere in time, those items are eco-friendly and are easily converted to biodgradable form.
3. Composting: Not Rocket Science - some won't go for composting because they think they can't do it or it's difficult. Well, I say it's not and it's actually fun when you get used to it. All your compostable waste will turn into FREE FOOD for your plants. :) Just follow the proper waste seggragation scheme.
4. Reusable Containers are the Future of Pack Lunches - I went to the supermarket the other day and I just found out that there is a dedicated rack for reusable, microwavable containers in different sizes and colors. I think this is a good way in zeroing out waste since it will help us reduce our consumption of plastics.
   
5. Recycle - this is an obvious suggestions.Try to recycle all items that you think is recyclable. If you are unsure of an item if it can be recycled then go online. Search for the product specifications and where is the nearest factory that can disposed of that item in your area.
6. Go for Long Term - when buying a product, go for brands that you think will last you the longest. I know that there is an economic crisis today but when you look at it at a bigger perspective, the longer you have it, the more savings you will have since you won't go buying the same expensive item over and over again.
   
7. Effectively Dispose Non-Usable Leftovers - for items that are no longer usable, try to separate them from your other usable items and practice searching for best ways in disposing them. Online communities are great when it comes to that. Your junk might be a treasure for someone else. :)
8. TAKE THE FIRST 7 STEPS AND PUT IT IN YOUR HEART - the first 7 steps are useless if you don't take it yourself to care. So start caring!

A Low Impact Woodland Home

Ecological crisis is not a future possibility but a current reality. As we open our doors to globalization and free trade, we also allowed the technological changes that comes with it. But it was not foreseen that technological changes is not equal to a sustainable environment. Majority of our human lives are dependent on fossil fuels to motorized our community. As we urbanized our environment, we also increased our usage of hazardous materials in order to maintain a comfortable lifestyle.

Now as I stumble upon websites, I managed to see this site named A Low Impact Woodland Home. It features a house created by a family to fight global warming. I know it's not a five star type house but it really helps the environment and also teaches us (human beings) how to be sensitive in the world we live in. It teaches us how we should adapt a lifestyle that is productive and efficient while assuring the future generations that we can still live comfortable lives.

Anyway, visit the site and be amazed on how these people put up this "green" home together with friends, family, and even travelers who happen to pass by their area.

Climate Change May Drown Cities

Is this photo familiar? Yes, you got it right! It is a scene from the movie, A Day After Tomorrow - a horrifying version of the world drowning because of sudden climate change.

This movie made me realized how valuable the environment is and how we should focus our attention in downsizing the effect of greenhouse gasses. Erratic thunderstorms and rising of sea levels are some of the signs that there is indeed a shift in our temperature and it's not good. More obviously, it is not good when it comes to cities that are near the ocean or are residing near the sea.

According to a recent study, half of Asia will suffer if a rise in sea level happens. This will force third world countries to evacuate their sea-residing cities and move it somewhere high which in return will cause another problem of overpopulating these areas.

The people of Dhaka, main city of Bangladesh, are now aggressively using CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) in their vehicles in order to battle global warming. This alternative is producing less greenhouse emissions and way more environmentally cleaner than petrol. Dhaka is one of the 3,000 cities identified by UN Habitat's State of the World Cities 2008/2009 as cities that are faced with the possibility of sea-level rise and induced-flooding. A very alarming situation since what the photo above is showing is most probably will happen in the near future if we do not act today.

Now looking at the demographics of these cities, Asia will cater 50% of the cities facing this "possibility" while 27% comprises Latin America and the Caribbean, 15% in Africa, 2/3 in Europe and 1/5 of all cities in North America are in the low elevation coastal zone.

Just think, if ever this world faces the tragedy depicted in "The day after tomorrow" - no policy or legislation will ever save us then... Only Action can spare us from this and only Action can minimize the effect of global warming... So ACT now! Stop Global Warming!

Starbucks Wastes Millions Of Litres of Water a Day

I just recently read an article over the Internet that Starbucks are wasting millions of litres of water everyday. The report indicated that as part of their company policy, they have to keep the tap water on in order to prevent bacterial infection and build up in their utilities. I was shocked when I read this article because I often go to Starbucks for my hot coffee. And just right now, I realized that these people are really leaving the tap on and since I'm just buying coffee, it did not occur in my mind that they do not intend to close it for the whole duration that their coffee shop is open.

So I went immediately to the nearest Starbucks and saw that the tap was on. I asked around why do they have to leave it on and they did confirm that it was company policy. That no one in the working staff may touch that valve to close the faucet. I was really irritated when they told me that since I know that most African countries and other countries who are experiencing drought has less water to live on.

A recent study before showed that 3 minutes of carelessly wasted tap water is equal to a whole day of drinking water for an average African to live. What a shame for Starbucks since they have so many credentials telling people how "green" their business is and how they ensure people that a part of their earnings go to the environment protection and preservation.

Little do they know that they are causing more harm than they think they don't. Which also made me realize the other coffee shops who followed Starbucks structure as a successful coffee chain around the world.

So if I were you, I stop buying from Starbucks! Stop patronizing these companies who do not value the importance of the environment. Go to the Starbucks near you and witness for yourselves the countless water being wasted in their drainage just to give you the ultimate "frap" of your life.

For more information on the subject, please visit and click this Link.

Solution To Climate Change - Virtual Assistants

The Internet surely changed the way we see things. Started as a military device, it was cropped down to consumer levels in order to build a whole new sector in the market place. Today, you can almost do anything with it. You can surf for information, see places in just a few clicks, shop on an online store open 24/7, and now you can even let someone do your job or personal things for you - ONLINE!

Virtual assistance is now an in thing for most people specially the younger generation. It offers a lot of benefits since the only money the person has to shell out is his/her electric consumption and provisions for high-speed Internet connection. One can accept jobs literally from all over the world. Like me for example, I live in the Philippines but I have a part-time job doing Marketing Research for a US based company and we only communicate through my web messenger account. We negotiate through an online website that host this kind of activities so that both parties are ensured when it comes to the output work.

Some say it's a solution to climate change since majority now will only have to stay at home to do work cutting down the usage on oil when commuting towards their offices. Since renewable energy is a hit thing today, most power providers are now looking for cheaper and more Eco-friendly alternatives therefore one can now assure himself of the electric consumption are now being produced from renewable sources.

In the long run, I can see that this can be an additional aid in lessening greenhouse emissions since majority can now stay at home with their families. Virtual assistants can go beyond limits when you look at it at a bigger perspective and I hope that someday, we can all start telecommuting and start being productive where we are.

Stop global warming! Start acting! Help the environment heal itself by lessening the chances of potentially increasing dangerous climate change.

To Slow Global Warming, Install White Roofs

If you ask an architect or a civil engineer regarding cost-efficient roofs, they will normally tell you to paint it white. Obviously for two reasons - white colored roofs will reflect heat, meaning lesser chances of using the air conditioning unit, and it's cheaper to paint it white (since you only need one color unlike other colors, which needs white as a primer or initial color before applying it). But scientist today found one more benefit - slowing global warming.

According to a data released during the Fifth Annual California Climate Change Research Conference, if the 100 biggest cities installed white roofs and change their pavements from asphalt-based materials to reflective materials, the global cooling effect will be massive.

Since 2005, the Golden State has required all flat commercial infrastructures to have white roofs. Next year, new and retrofitted residential and commercial establishments, whether flat or sloped roofs, will have to install heat reflecting materials in compliance of the energy-efficient building code. But still, there are no provisions or legislation pertaining to heat-absorbing asphalt pavements, which is a cheap byproduct of oil refining.

According to Hashem Akbari, a physicist with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a 1,000 square-foot roof - the average size of an American home - offset 10 metric tons of planet-heating carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere of dark-colored shingles or coatings are replaced with white material.

According to recent statistics, Globally - roofs account for 25% of the surface of most cities, and pavements account for 35%. Considering these data, if all major urban cities shifted to these kind of materials, an estimated 44 metric gigatons will offset the production of greenhouse gasses, which have been trapping heat in the atmosphere and altering the climate for a potentially dangerous scale.

That is more than all the countries emit in a year. Installing these heat-reflective materials will induce cooler atmospheres thus offsetting 10 years of emission growth even without slashing industrial pollution.

"I call it a win-win" Akbari said. "First, a cooler environment not only conserves energy but induce comfort. Second, cooling a city by a few degrees dramatically reduces smog. And third, is offsetting global warming."

Apple Did it Again!

Apple did it again! Introducing their newly engineered notebooks, Apple is proud to release their latest line of portable notebooks that adheres to the highest standards of environment protocols. Redesigned to minimize energy consumption and allowing 100% recyclable materials, these new gadgets are changing the way we see computers.

The new gadgets are the 13-inch MacBook and 15-inch MacBook Pro portable notebooks. Significantly changing the industry standards, these handy gadgets are slimmer, hipper, and more cost-efficient than previous laptops.

Apple believes that improving their environmental performance of their business will start from their products. From ipods to iphones to notebooks - Apple indeed set the standards for this industry.

Some of the environmental feature of their new notebooks are:

• Mercury-free LCD display
• Arsenic-free display glass
• Brominated flame retardant-free
• PVC-free internal cables
• Highly recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure
• 37% smaller packaging
• Meets Energy Star Requirements
• Reduced electric consumption equalling 1/3 power of a light bulb

For more information of their new products, go to the Apple website. For the environmental report, click here.

Climate Change Triggered Human Evolution?

Climate change triggered human evolution - some scientists believe that ancient climate changes acted as powerful evolutionary drivers for human beings forcing our ancestors to stand tall on two legs, grow large brains and develop other human traits. (for related reading: "was Darwin Wrong")

When you look at the environment section of the newspaper (global or local), climate change is mostly the central issue everyone is focused on. Whether rightist or leftist, both groups agreed that there is a movement of dangerous climate change all over the world that needs immediate attention.

Now deviating to a lighter side - I realized that there are also positive side effects of climate change (according to some scientist). And I want to discuss the aspect of human evolution as a byproduct of climate change.

According to a recent study posted by National Geographic, the early human species, so the theories go, was concentrated in periods marked by fluctuating environmental changes. Other theories suggests humankind emerged independently of climatic swings, with adaptations arising, for example, out of competition between or within species.

While more evidence is needed to settle the debate, experts say that the answer may lie at the bottoms of ancient African lakes. Now the challenge for researchers is to prove and find out that prehistoric shifts in climate coincides with key stages of development in the early human fossil record.

Records of ancient global climate change come mainly from ocean sediments. These suggest cooler, drier, and more variable conditions kicked in some three million years ago.

Did climate change trigger human evolution? some say yes, others no. Just like the people who believe that climate change is either man-made or independently evolving by itself with no contribution from man-kind or whatsoever. Personally, I believe that whether or not we evolved from erratic climate changes, still we should know best on how to mitigate its effects just to make sure that our environment - the world we live in - is still a safe place for our kids and for future generations. That's what we have to thank for during the prehistoric climate changes - it gave us large brains therefore we should use it to the full extent to do what we can today to save what is already at the brink of despair (our environment).

To read more about the topic posted by National Geographic, click here.

Carbon Tax to Solve Global Warming

According to a top US economist last Thursday that in order to fight global warming, carbon taxes and not cap and trade market alone will lead the technological changes the world's energy system needs.

Spending almost $65 billion a year for permits to emit greenhouse gasses, cap and trade has been the dominant choice to slow global warming. The European Union, under the Kyoto Protocol, even adopted the policies as well as other US companies who volunteered for the program which by the way, are the major carbon polluters.

Jeffrey Sachs - a special advisor to the U.N. Secretary General and director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University - told a panel last Thursday that it is much more cheaper and simpler to put carbon tax on energy production rather than  putting a cap on tens and thousands of polluters. This carbon tax will somehow focus at an oil wellhead or refinery. 

As the world prepares to form  a successor agreement for the Kyoto Protocol by the end of next year, focus is sharpening on how well is the cap and trade markets are fighting emissions. Carbon taxes will quickly cut emissions across all sectors of the economy, including vehicles and manufacturing, said Sachs. It could be more efficient than spreading the trade of permits across the financial system.  

Clean Energy Act of The Philippines

Manila, Philippines - with the passing of its Renewable Energy Act - the Philippines can save over US $2.9billion according to a recent study by WWF and the University of the Philippines. This legislation took 19 years in the making and now, the senate has reach a decision to push with the bill.

The savings would come from increasing the country's renewable energy share in its power generation mix from 0.16% to 41% from wind, solar, ocean, run-of-river hydropower and biomass. Today 26% of the country's power comes from burning oil. Last year the country has imported 101.4 million barrels of oil alone, costing a staggering US $7.5billion.

In passing this landmark legislation, the senate has paved the way in attaining energy independence and low-carbon growth. By tapping into massive clean energy sources - the Philippines is now moving towards an era of sustainable development while contributing to the global efforts in to prevent dangerous climate change. This will also give the Philippines an advantage in focusing the $3 million rebate into other programs that needs attention.

The landmark legislation aims to accelerate the development and use of the nation's vast renewable energy resources through fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to investors. It also assures investors in wind, solar, biomass, ocean, and run-of-river hydropower of premium rates in electricity generated from these clean sources through feed-in tariffs.

Other incentives include duty-free importation of equipment, tax-credit on domestic capital equipment and services, special realty tax rates, income tax holidays, net operating loss carry-over, accelerated depreciation, and exemption from universal change and wheeling charges.

A Cleaner Way In Turning Sea Water To Drinking Water

Dr. David Kreamer's vision is to return old ships to the seas where they belong. Together with a new purpose, he wished to see these ships produce drinking water from sea water using desalination facilities installed aboard.

Having a PHD in hydrology, Kreamer's goal is to produce potable drinking water for areas in the world scarce of water supply. He has addressed the issue of contaminating the seashore and nearby habitats by land-based factories using the desalination process. He claims that if these are mobile ships producing water then they could evenly spread out the extra salt content all over the ocean to minimize the effect. Also, he adds that being a mobile ship, one major advantage is that it can automatically moved to different locations making sure to avoid catastrophic typhoons and the like. He also wants to use renewable energy to run these ships, suggestions are wind and solar power.

For more information, click here.

Sarah Palin on the Environment

This coming November of 2008, the world will witness history in the making as democrats and republicans fight again to claim the presidency of the United States of America. Bush will no longer run this time and will allow two parties with different viewpoints clash and seek supremacy at the end of this year. But let me cut down the chase and focus on the stand of republican Governor Sarah Palin running for the vice-president position regarding the environment.

She claims that "climate change is not to be attributed as man made" during an interview with news week. Her state (Alaska) is by far the one who is affected most of it but still she insist that this is a natural phenomenon that is not solely blamable to mankind's actions. Now my position on that... BULL@#$%!

Looking at her platform on "environmental reforms", she is pro-oil drilling in the ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) because according to scientist, Alaska holds approximately 10.3 billions bbl of "recoverable undiscovered oil," which will make it the largest onshore oil deposits in the US. With her running mate Mccain who was quoted "if you want to drill, drill, drill, ANWR is where you will start" . 

ANWR is home of bears, gray wolves, sandhill cranes, and a herd of caribou. Now when you look at it in a very simplistic manner, opening up an oil-drilling center in that area will cause a domino effect in the ecology. You have to realize that in order to establish that oil-drilling activity, one must invest in transportation (thus creation of unwanted service roads), waste disposal and operation of heavy machinery that can add to the daily carbon emissions. Even though she promises to tapped only a portion (19 million acre) of the undiscovered oil, this will still make a dent in the surrounding areas. 

She is now even with Bush when it comes to environmental reforms and when you look at it, Bush even change his position today regarding climate change. He is now pro to capping the gas emissions of major companies to a minimum in order to minimize and eventually decrease the production of these gasses. 

There was even an instance that Sarah Palin sued the Federal Government for stating a fact that the polar bears are threatened species due to warming. Her act of suing is no doubt self-service since this statement can stop the policy in opening the ANWR for oil-drilling. 

Even though she claims that this will help the Americans solve the energy problem, most economist claim that this action can only cause a minimal change in the long-run. There is no guarantee that pushing for the onshore drilling will cause a rising effect in their economy.

To know more about her position for the environment, click here.

As for me, I say NO to Sarah Palin!

8 Ways to Practice Product Stewardship

Product Stewardship is the process of evaluating the life cycle of the products we buy and use. It involves how they are made, how they arrive at stores, how you use them and what happens to them when you no longer need them. As a consumer, it is our right and obligation to know these things because this will not only help the quality of products being manufactured but also helps in improving the manufacturing process for a greener earth. Here are 8 ways to ensure that you are being a good product steward.

1. Stay Informed  - wherever you are, as a consumer you are being bombarded with different marketing campaigns telling you how "green" their product is or how their product qualifies for an "environmentally-safe" insignia just to sell their goods. We also have to understand that there are different levels of being "green" to keep in mind. While a carbon offset is a nice gesture by the company to think of the environment, a change in manufacturing to remove harmful chemicals is probably more meaningful in the long run. Companies play a huge role in product stewardship but without the proper endorsement of informed consumers, these means nothing.
2. Extra Spending Won't Hurt You - price is a huge factor when you are shopping, but keep in mind that product stewardship costs everyone money. Companies spend more to manufacture eco-friendly products so if you can afford the extra cost, the environment (and the future generations) will thank you. 
3. Locate Your Products  - imported cheese from France may taste great, but what is the cost for the environment when it is shipped to you. Consumer products list where it comes from on the package, so take a look the next time you buy a product. An eco-friendly solution is to shop at a farmer's market at least once in a while. This will not only lessen the toll on the environment but also supports the local economy.
4. Check the Ingredients - with all the fad diets today, almost everybody is checking the nutritional panel at the back cover to check for carbohydrates and trans fats. Why not do this for other consumer goods. The next time you buy a product, check for it's composition. One thing to look out here are the products that contain lead and mercury which are chemicals that can wreak havoc to the environment. 
5. Reduce Your Packaging - when was the last time you bought something not wrapped in paper or plastic? To be more eco-friendly, try using a reusable canvas bag when you shop at the groceries or try buying in large quantities the products that you normally use to lessen the packaging being thrown into landfills. This will also help the companies to change their packaging cost to a minimum to be more environmentally friendly.
6. Recycle - do I need to say more? :)
7. Take Advantage of Take Backs - a lot of companies today, specially electronic goods (like laptops, mobile phones, pda's, etc) offers a free service of taking back the used battery or any part that can be recycled so that consumers need not to worry about disposing this hazardous parts. Some even offer monetary compensation for old parts.
8. Close the Loop  - the recycle symbol has two purposes: first is to tell you how the recycling process is done and the second is what is being made of that recycling procedure. The recycled content will then be sold again to maximize profit and at the same time helping the environment. Buying recycled is how you close the loop; otherwise it becomes less important that it was recycled in the first place.]

So what are you waiting for? Start being a productive and efficient Product Steward today!!!!

Schwarzenneger to Host Climate Summit

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenneger has announced plans to host a climate-change summit in Los Angeles in November in an attempt to form an international climate alliance of local, regional, and world leaders ahead of United Nations climate talks in Poland in December. 

The summit invitees include governors from all 50 states, as well as officials from Australia, Canada, China, Europe, India, Mexico, and more. "The real action for any new ideas is always on the local level. This is how we can push the agenda," Schwarzenegger said. "We are not waiting for the federal government." 

Schwarzenneger announced the summit a day ahead of the second anniversary of California's landmark climate law that aims to cut the state's emissions 25 percent by 2020. 

Clogged Beijing Unveils New Traffic Controls

Beijing - flushed with the success of Olympic traffic controls and struck by the painful return to congested normality, Beijing on Saturday unveiled plans for smaller-scale but permanent controls on its drivers. 

Cars will be banned from the roads one out of five weekdays, in a system based on the number of their license plate, and 30% of government cars will be taken off the road entirely. the official Xinhua agency reported. 

The new rules will kick in for a six-month trial on October 11. Department stores will open and close and hour later and the government will encourage companies to allow flexible working hours or change their shifts to ease the rush hour traffic that brings part of the city to a near standstill. It is also considering raising downtown parking fees. 

After the clearer skies and smooth roads of the Olympics, the city has been buzzing with discussions of whether the traffic controls that grounded cars on alternate days for two months could be extended. Under the new system all cars will be free to circulate at weekends. 

On Mondays cars with license plates ending with 1 or 6 will be banned, on Tuesdays those ending in 2 or 7, on Wednesdays 3 and 8, on Thursdays 4 and 9 and on Fridays 5 and 0.

Now why can't the Philippines follow this? What I like the most is the reduction of government cars to 30%. If we do that here it could seriously change traffic and at the same time lessen the gas emissions that's causing the air pollution. 

7 Ways To Be Energy Efficient At Home

On the advent of rising fuel cost and high increase of demand in energy production, a lot of power-generating plants are looking for more raw materials to convert to energy. As a result, the environment suffers from these industrial plants and at the same time, these power plants can dictate the price of generating and transmitting this energy to consumers' houses. And looking at our economy today, more and more companies are finding ways to eliminate high usage of electricity simply because it can cut down their cost to more than 40% of their total annual budget. 

Looking at an ordinary consumer with an average monthly salary, it is only imperative to cut cost in order to survive in this community. One way to do it is by cutting down the usage of our electricity.  When one decide to do this, there are a lot of benefits that will follow through. 

But the questions is, how do we do this? How can one be energy efficient at home? So here are 7 simple ways that you can contribute in greening the earth.

1.  Replace your OLD Refrigerator - The older the fridge, the higher in consumes energy to maintain the desired temperature. There has been a lot of significant changes in this industry in improving energy efficiency so that it can both benefit the consumers as well as the environment. Direct Energy spokesperson Lisa Dornan said "If you look at the top-rated refrigerator in 2001 that was Energy Star, and one that you would buy today with an Energy Star rating, there would be a 20% to 40% difference in energy efficiency" during a press conference about minimizing energy consumption. Her firm performs home energy audit and energy retailer. As a rule of thumb, when buying refrigerators, always look at the energy efficiency ratio (EER). The higher it is, the better. Also, anything that has a motor in you appliance set, try to have it replaced with newer models and make sure to check the EER.
   
2. Install programmable timers and thermostats - When buying appliances, make sure it comes with a timer or thermostat sensor in order to make it more efficient. This is helpful because it can minimize the usage of appliances when not in use. Best example is your air conditioning unit that can be programmed to switch on and off the time you leave your house and the time you come home so that it will not keep on removing the heat of the house all the time. 
3. Don't let the heat escape - Caulk your windows and door frames to make sure they are airtight. Also, try to install honeycombed-type shades in order to trap the heat before it goes inside your house.
4. Use compact fluorescent bulbs - this is a no brainer kind of suggestion. This kind of bulbs are very efficient and easy to produce. It can dramatically decrease your power consumption as much as $400 per 10 incandescent bulbs.
5. Change the filter of your air conditioner unit- this will help you AC units to function properly and detect thermostat changes in order to require it's machine to operate. This will also help minimize wear and tear on your unit. 
6. Invest in an attic fan - for regular homes, try installing an attic fan, it is more energy efficient and it can remove unwanted heat to make your house feel cooler. For people who live at apartments or condo units, try buying an energy efficient fan in replacement of your AC unit during the cooler season. 
7. UNPLUG all appliances not in use - even though your TV set is not switched on, by merely plugging it to the power outlet inducts energy thus increasing your bill at a certain level. Try unplugging unused appliances and switching off lights when not in use in order to cut down on the cost and minimize energy loss.

So these are some ways that can help you be energy efficient at home that can benefit you, your family and the environment. But before I end this article, I would also suggest to look for those power savers being sold at hardware stores. These are devices that cuts down the energy loss being transmitted in your home by reusing it in the system. These are somewhat expensive devices but when you look at it in the long run, it will help you cut down on your cost.

Proud To Be A Paperless Company!

I have been a closet activist when it comes to environmental issues and I try to reform the world in my own little way. Wherever I am, I try to help out as much as I could in making the world a greener place to live in. I may not be first in line when it comes to public demonstrations but I make sure that my contribution to the environment is significantly helpful.

I have been exposed to different industries and so far, I am proud to say that my current employer is adhering to eliminating the use of paper in the office. Yes, we still use paper but it has been minimized to a certain percentage that the company is now benefiting from these practices.

According to some research done by Tom Soder, then a graduate student in the Pulp and Paper Technology Program at the University of Maine, he calculated a rough average of 24 trees to produce a ton of printing and writing paper. This is based on a mixture of softwoods and hardwoods 40 feet tall and 6-8 inches in diameter using the kraft chemical pulping process. And base on statistics, 500,000 acres of trees are being cut down per year to meet these demands.

To minimize the growing demand of papers, most companies today are doing a paper-recycling program to decrease the risk of deforestation. According to Nobile, Philip. Complete Ecology Fact Book, p. 379. - 1 ton (907kg) of recycled paper spares 17 trees. Imagine that...

There were countless research and propaganda that called out for a reduction of paper consumption in most companies but to no avail, a lot did not adhere. Until today, majority of these titans are still consuming way too much paper. Most of them used it to file confidential data and information.

On the advent of modernization, everyone is now equipped with modern ways in dealing with data. Companies are now pressured to use the Internet to communicate and send large size data because it is faster and more efficient. They are now investing in services like colocationand virtual/physical servers that houses all company files. But still, the issue of decreasing the paper consumption is questionable. I believe that most companies are still not looking at the bigger picture when it comes to the benefits of digitizing their data. And some are most likely not to care.

Digitizing these massive amount of data requires time and training since most employees are used to the old ways. This however is a cost not all companies want to invest in. As a result, a prerequisite in hiring people is to know the fundamentals of using a personal computer. But there is a loophole here in the hiring process. Yes, companies are hiring tech-savvy people in doing the job but what lacks is the follow up trainings that teaches how to be productive and efficient when using these gadgets at work.

Looking at the scenario I presented, I came to think about the natural resources being put to waste because not all of us are educated in doing our part for nature. I know being uneducated is not a crime but it is not an excuse. We can all participate in greening the world by doing our own initiatives in helping mother nature. So as a personal mission to help gaia, we are now maximizing our technology in the office to lessen the usage of paper.

To give you an idea how we operate, let me itemized the things we do (and don't) in the work place.

• Everyone is given a wifi enabled laptop
• The company premises is wifi ready so that everyone can work anywhere comfortably
• All employee table is equipped with an Ethernet cable to connect to the Local Area Network via cable
• All employee records are digitize and filed under a secure server that only our HR can access
• All approvals of collateral are done via email
• Filing of leaves and status request are done electronically
• All tasks are listed on a customize website
• We maximize our office tools by using Microsoft Office Suite for calendars, email, documents, spread sheets, even note taking.
• The only time we use paper is if we need it to get a printed copy of our records for other purposes. (like filing for a utility bill, etc.)

As a result, we reduce our paper consumption by 90% from the original number when there was still limited number of laptops and computers.

We believe that "printing" is a privilege and not a right so that no one abuses the printer :)

So there you have it, I am proud to be part of a paperless company! As of the moment, I am helping out in the company to achieve an ISO 9000 and 14000 certification and I hope to make it happen soon (preferably next year). But I know there are a lot of things that still needs fixing and we are taking it one step at a time... 

BYEE 2005 Profile

5 years after the first batch of young envoys came the largest group of participants in the annual Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Program. A staggering 18 participants all over the Philippines were gathered to learn the fundamentals of environmentalism and how each one can contribute from their own respective fields in the conservation and protection of the environment. 

Students from different sectors shared views and opinions about current environmental issues during a 5 days eco-camp that was held at the Lake Caliraya Resort located at Lumban Laguna, Philippines. 

Also selected from this group was the first participants of the first Eco-Minds forum that gathered great thinkers from 9 Asia-Pacific countries. BYEE 2005 will always share the same vision to protect and restore the earth.

BYEE 2005 Members: 

1. Ayson, Ivan Lester
2. Bautista, Alita Criselle
3. Buccat, Ryan Anthony
4. Cabral, Jonathan Francis
5. Dagoc, Frandel Louis
6. Darong, Jo-Dan
7. Dimaano, Exequiel
8. Dumancas, Gerard
9. Jardinero, John Rex
10. Ledesma, Maria Krizia
11. Lopez, Lester Louis
12. Mabano, Love Joy
13. Manuel, Ryan
14. Mora, Jeffrey
15. Nabong, Tristan Kirby
16. Tan, Nicco Joselito
17. Tayawan, Romulo
18. Zamoranos, Jordan

Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Program Profile

As a research-based enterprise, Bayer place great emphasis on promoting science education for your people and has therefore been committed to promoting youth environmental programs for many years. In cooperation with the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Bayer organizes and promotes a number of specific projects which aim to improve knowledge about the environment among young people and support them in their environmental commitment. One of these is the "Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Program".

Under this program, selected students go to Germany on a weeklong study tour to experience how environmental protection is practiced by people, government and industry in one of the leading countries with regards to technology and environmental awareness.

The visit to the global headquarters of the Bayer Group in Germany demonstrates how companies - through product development and responsible manufacturing processes - contribute to sustainable development.

Initiated in 1998 as a local project in Thailand, the program included participants from the Philippines and Singapore from 2001 on. The program was further extended to India in 2002, China in 2003, Poland, Indonesia, Korea, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador in 2004, Peru as well as Kenya in 2005 and to Vietnam and Malaysia in 2006. In 2007, Turkey joins the program for the first time.

For more information about the program, click here.