Earth Friendly

Not only is Twilight part of a money making book series it’s publishing company has committed to making an effort to go green. What this means for  The Hachette Book Group is promises to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by the end of the next decade and, by 2012. Also to increase tenfold the amount of recycled fiber used in their published books to 30 percent. The CEO of The Hachette Book Group  David Young says, “It is imperative that our industry be mindful of our impact on the planet, and we believe that our progressive policy will encourage other publishers to be equally focused on these important issues.”

I couldn’t agree more with Young. Our libraries and book stores are filled with paper, lots and lots of paper. The U.S. book publishing industry has consumed an average of approximately 20 million trees per year for the purpose of printing books.  Although sadly a majority of this paper is not recycled, but it could be. Things are starting to look up, as more and more publishing companies are using recycled paper in their products.  Publishers have the great ability to either negatively or positively impact the environment. They can reduce the impact on endangered forests, fight the climate crisis, conserve resources, and protect public health.

Initially when recycled paper came to the common market it had a higher price and that was an excuse consumers used for not using it but now the price is much lower and the slightly higher price is well worth the environmental benefits it has. Planet Green says, “That  papers containing recycled fiber used to cost 15-20% more than their conventional counterparts, but that is no longer the case. Many publishers are able to meet environmental goals while achieving cost parity, or paying only a few pennies more per book. So get quotes from multiple suppliers and use them along with a formal policy to negotiate the best price possible.”
Paper can only be recycled so many times unfortunately. It is estimated that paper holds a life of seven generations; meaning it can only hold up being recycled a maximum of seven times, as each time it is recycled the fiber length decreases. This though is tons of trees saved by recycling paper, using the trees to maximum usage.   80 percent of the nation’s paper mills use some recovered fibers in the production of new paper and paperboard products.

Recycling paper has no downfalls in my opinion. It creates less energy and thus less environmental damage, both great things. Paper is a big component of a book and by making the change to use recycled paper you keep paper from ending up wasting its value in a landfill. In addition to using recycled paper publishing companies are looking into using alternative inks that lack the chemicals like vegetable based inks or soy based inks; which uses soybean oil. These inks improve health by having no harsh chemicals that can make their way into your lungs. Vegetable and soy based inks may involve a specific printer.

By planning a little you can decrease unnecessary spending, so think hard and make a good list of what you will really need for your Thanksgiving.  Buy local meats and produce to make; so it decreases the amount of traveling your food has to endure.  The less it travels, the more healthy and eco-friendly it becomes. And appreciate the leftovers, don’t let any of your hard work go to waste. Freeze the extra food and one rainy day when you have nothing to eat you can just defrost some delicious thanksgiving eatings to brighten your day.

To reduce table scraps and uneaten food, only get what you think you will eat. You can always come back for more. It is Thanksgiving and sure it is a time to indulge a little on a once a year celebration. At least 28 billion pounds of edible food is wasted each year – more than 100 pounds per person. One of the best ways to reduce your waste this Thanksgiving is to plan ahead for the meal and practicing portion control.

Use Less Stuff created a handy list of approximate per person food and drink portions:

• Turkey- 1 pound
• Stuffing- ¼ pound
• Sweet potato casserole- ¼ pound
• Green beans- ¼ pound
• Cranberry relish- 3 tablespoons
• Pumpkin pie- 1/8 of a 9 inch pie

After the meal, evaluate how many people were present and how much of each dish was consumed. By keeping track each year, you can make a more efficient, less wasteful Thanksgiving meal in the future.

When distributing your leftovers out to your loved ones try and avoid using plastic wrap. The majority of all plastic wraps contain PVC, which quickly winds up in landfills. It has even been linked to harmful environmental consequences. Instead you can use aluminum foil, or better yet use glass or ceramic containers to lend out to relatives.  Another solution is you can encourage them to bring their own containers and they won’t have to worry about returning them.

Thanksgiving is a day where the majority of us are doing a lot of consuming, a time where we make the excuse of consuming more than usual, and that it is okay. We can do more to consume less, even a little less, well do some good. Have a great GREEN THANKSGIVING!!

Charity:water is the charity. All you have to do is answer a few short questions from the sponsors and gallons of water are donated to villages in need in Africa. It’s really easy and fun! I encourage you all to give it a try. A little effort creates clean water.

The year 2012 has been receiving a lot of hype lately most of which is due to the recent movie entitled “2012.” The year 2012 is significant because it is the year the Mayans predicted the world would end. It was thought that in 2012  Nibiru, a supposed planet discovered by the Sumerians, is headed toward Earth.

People are really taking this seriously, that our Earth is going to end on December 21, 2012. People have been reported as saying that they have contemplated suicide to put themselves out of life before the destruction that would be caused by the crashing of Nibiru in 2012. Regardless of NASA and scientists adamantly saying that nothing will happen in 2012, people are  still having great anxiety. People are also believing that this is just a government cover up that no one is supposed to know about. Why would the government try to hide the world ending, rather it is highly unlikely that they would ever believe claims that it was.

Scientist have been pointing out that our planet has been getting along just fine for more than 4 billion years, and that there is no known legitimate threat expected to occur in the year 2012. The last big impact was 65 million years ago  leading to the extinction of  dinosaurs. TodayNASA astronomers are carrying out a survey called the Spaceguard Survey to find any large near-Earth asteroids long before they hit. We have already determined that there are no threatening asteroids as large as the one that killed the dinosaurs. The intelligent people of NASA said we are clear of the end of the world. So we should not leave in fear, for the end is not near. The world could end unexpectedly at any day or time but the scientists have proven that the world will not end in 2012.

I think it is very silly and a waste of time to get caught up in this. Although it does make me think with others concerned, will the world still be turning on December 21, 2012? I guess we will all have to wait and see. The director of the movie “2012″ admits that the film is not to relay legitimate worry to people and its only for entertainment sake. We should not take it seriously because it is not meant to be, at least by the director of this film. We can take our opinion on this but we shouldn’t let it rule our lives completely. Regardless we should life our life as normal and see what happens a few years away in 2012.

The ozone layer is if you didn’t know, as I barely knew, a deep layer in the stratosphere, encircling the earth, that happens to have large amounts of ozone within it. The ozone layer shields the earth from the harmful ultraviolet radiation that comes from the sun. The ozoneba protects the amount of UV-B rays that reach the Earth’s surface. UV-B rays are bad to us humans because exposure to them increases the risk of skin cancer, cataracts, suppressed immune system. No body wants that.

Recently the ozone layer has been making news, as the threat of global warming is thought to weaken the ozone layer. As the surface temperatures rise , the stratosphere will get colder, which will make the repairing of the Ozone a much slower process.  Scientists have said that currently the ozone whole over Antarctica  is three times the size of the United States and growing.

So this is a problem. How can we as humans help this problem from becoming bigger? Well some useful tips are:

• use compact fluorescent bulbs. Replace 3 frequently used light bulbs  with the fluorescent bulbs and you will save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide as well as $60 per year.
• inflate your tires. Keep your car tires adequately inflated. Check them monthly. Savings you will receive are 250 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $840 per year.
• change your air filter. Check the car’s air filter monthly. Just by doing this and changing it when needed can make way for cleaner air and 800 lbs. less of carbon dioxide emitted in the air, saving you $130 per year.
• use recycled paper. 100% post consumer recycled paper can save you 5 lbs. of carbon dioxide per ream of paper.

We can all do a little more to increase the life of our planet and thus the life of ourselves. The threats are real and we just need to do our part and take them seriously. Take action.

Genetically modified organisms or GMOs, is a new form of technology that allows genetic information across the protective species barrier in an unnatural way. Genetic engineering or modifying these crops includes a process where bacteria, pesticides, and viruses are placed into plant cells. The reason why GMOs are being created is because it allows the ability for a longer shelf life for a crop. In addition GMOs able crops to be more resistant to droughts, disease, and other harsh conditions. Some countries have banned GMOs, but in the United States it is legal to sell GMOs crops to consumers in most areas. Although the goal of GMO crops is to make the crops less susceptible to pests, more resistant to drought and stronger overall, the actual reality is  that the stronger pesticides will be needed for the  increasingly stronger weeds and diseases, just like it has been seen in the overuse of antibiotics that has created a stronger strain of disease in humans.

Due to pressure put on the FDA Organic foods have to be non-GMO foods as well. Eat certified organic foods because genetically engineering is not allowed in the production of organic foods.  Although certified organic packaged foods are able to include up to 5% non-organic ingredients; which could be GMO. This didn’t used to be the case. But now consumers of organic foods can be sure than what they are eating is GMO free. Also it is advised to avoid all conventional soy, canola, corn, and cottonseed oils because genetically engineered versions of these products have been available since 1996. In other words pick organic oils when possible.  A big one is to avoid products that have nutrasweet or aspartame in them. Aspartame is a genetically modified chemical that has shown its presence the news as being a calorie-free controversy for causing diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s.  Although the FDA has cleared aspartame to be safe, in large doses of it is not safe.

Consumers should strive to eat natural, local, organic foods as this makes it more likely to consume more non-GMO foods and put less pesticides inside your body.

Above: Endangered Species Chocolate Bar

By eating a chocolate bar I managed to learn about sea turtles and how they need our help. The “endangered species dark chocolate bar with blueberries” taught me all about sea turtles. Endangered Species brand is committed to educating consumers and donating 10% of their net profits to go to helping to support the species’s humanity and habitats. Each kind of chocolate bar is dedicated to a different animal and the one I picked was to educate people about sea turtles.

Above: Sea Turtle caught in lobster catching net

Just by reading the inside of my wrapper I learned that sea turtle hatchlings face many dangers  as they are incubating deep in the sand.  Sea turtles safety remains at risk due to birds, dogs, beach vehicles, and people who  scower the beach on a daily basis.  Scientists estimate that only one in 1,000 hatchlings will survive to become an adult sea turtle. I remember years ago in grade school when I did a report on sea turtles and they were not get endangered. But now six out of seven sea turtle species are currently listed as threatened or classified as endangered.

Above: Endangered Sea Turtles

Future dangers that the sea turtles face include human consumption of sea turtles, habitat encroachment, irresponsible commercial fishing practices, and pollution. An Ocean Conservancy program called SEE Turtles strives to help link people to destinations that directly support sea turtles.

SEE Turtles suggests actions in form of:

- use reusable canvas shopping bags instead of plastic bags that often end up in oceans.

-participate in clean up efforts like the International Coastal Cleanup

-pick up litter every day-trash is often confused for food by mammals

Their has been efforts by fisherman by the introduction of the TED’s, or Turtle Excluder Devices that have reduced the amount of  sea turtles that are being caught and killed in trawl fisheries but this method has yet  to be regulated worldwide.

Bamboo once was contributed to mainly the food of pandas. As many people rely on bamboo for an income source in Asia, many people today are starting to look at bamboo as a renewable resource, being used a popular building material.

There are more than 1600 types of Bamboo, although only 50 types are commercially used. Bamboo is classified as a grass and one of the fastest growing plants. It is inexpensive and offers low upkeep. One of the few downfalls  is the growing population forces bamboo forests to get cut down more and more often.

Bamboo is a fast growing plant that is able to be used in a  array of ways.  Bamboo is able to construct but not limited to complete houses, furniture, flooring, carpets and mats, and blinds.

Above: Mason Lane Farm displays use of bamboo construction. The farm of the University of North Carolina.The open-ventilation that the barn offers creates a great environment to store hay and helps to reduce energy use. The bamboo that was used to make this barn was sourced within a 500 mile radius, making it even better for the environment. The barn was low cost and has low maintenance attached to it. 

Bamboo is surprisingly incredibly strong and flexible. Bamboo reproduces itself. The plant lives varying years and then dies and then regrows, continuing that cycle.  Bamboo holds no fear of extinction at this point and shows much promise for increase popularity in the future.

Our countries landfills are closing at a rapid rate of 2 per day. Landfills are closing all over. I can think of one in particular that closed near the town where I grew up in. I could never figure out why it closed.

People in the U.S. throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles an hour. Plastics are commonly thrown away and thus end up in our countries’ landfills. It only makes sense to recycle plastics due to the significant amounts of fossil fuel that making new plastics require. By recycling them you then combat the fossil fuels that are created by creating new plastics.  Studies suggest that 7-8% of the worlds fossil fuels are created by making new plastics.

All plastics are to be treated differently. With plastics numbered from 1-7 they are made differently and go into making different things when recycled.

For example:

Number 1 plastics consist of soft drink and water bottles, boil-in water containers, and condiment containers. After being recycled it becomes fleece and other fibers, tote bags, furniture, carpet, and paneling.

Number 2 plastics consist of milk jugs, personal care bottles, trash and shopping bags, butter/yogurt tubs cereal box liners. After being recycled they become detergent bottles, pens, floor tiles, fencing, and lumber.

Number 3 plastics consist of cooking oil bottles, windows, piping, and clear food packaging. After being recycled it is able to be turned into decks, paneling, mudflaps, and gutters.

Number 4 plastics consist of grocery bags, dry cleaning bags, clothing, and furniture. After recycling  they can be made into trash cans and liners, compost bins, shipping envelopes, and landscaping.

Number 5 plastics consist of yogurt containers, drink lids, caps and straws. After recycling they are turned into streetlights, battery cables, ice scrapers, bicycle racks, and landscape borders.

Number 6 plastics consist of disposable dishes, meat trays, egg cartons, carry-out containers, and CD cases. After recycling they can be turned into insulation, light-switch plates, rulers, egg cartons, and carry-out containers.

Number 7 plastics consist of bullet-proof  materials, sunglasses, DVDs, signs and displays, and nylon. After recycling they can be turned into plastic lumber and custom made products.

When possible plastics should be recycled if not avoided if possible. Now packaging is starting to incorporate glass, paper and steel more often.

Deforestation is caused by the clearing of trees by humans.  Sadly today it is estimated that more than 80 percent of all forests on earth have been evaporated due to deforestation. This is a reason to worry. Deforestation effects all of our health; humans, animals, and the environments.

Consumers in the United States are being mislead to the origin of where their merbau hardwood flooring, sold by retailers Home Depot and Lowe’s, comes from. According to a report published by the Environmental Investigation Agency the timber to make these floors comes from the forests of Indonesia’s Papua Province-where 80 percent of logging is illegal. Home Depot or Lowe’s were reportedly unable to prove if the merbau wood they sold was legal.  Yet, the suppliers of the merbau wood openly admitted that the wood came from the Papua region, making it likely to be illegal. The desire is high for this red tinted dark wood flooring, but rarely do ever people realize that this wood is likely to be illegally smuggled.

Greenpeace’s China office reported that China’s timber industry has been found to illegally of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea’s merbau trees. The logs are then sold to China where they are processed into floorboards sold in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe. China is notably the largest market for merbau. This highly desired and endangered tropical hardwood is on high demand in an international market that is leading to the destruction of the forests that contain merbau woods.

“In many cases, only one to five merbau trees are found per hectare (equivalent to 2.471 acres)… The challenge is, the logging industry is only interested in the merbau, but they have to clear huge swathes at the forest to get to those few trees.”

The fear of the extinction of this $600 per cubic metre wood is on the rise due to illegal logging. But even when done legally it is thought to be extinct within 35 years, and even sooner extinction will come by the popularity of  the  illegal logging.

With the lack of trees caused by deforestation, there is less carbon dioxide produced, which then creates less carbon in the environment.  Due to the recent increasing number of deforestation can explain the abundance of recent natural disasters, a result of global warming. When an area is logged for its trees the remaining area is commonly burned leaving an ash residue that is unfit for the planting of crops until years after.