Environment Portal

In a world that is challenged with the debate of global warming and general pollution to every part of the environment, going green with our choices is a collective initiative that must be taken regardless of what side of the arguments one may be on.

A great way to go green is to consider the use of charter buses verses a fleet of vans or cars to haul groups of people to destinations.

In a hypothetical situation, two groups are transporting 45 people each, from Grand Rapids Michigan to Chicago Illinois for a one night stay. Group A is renting three Ford 250 SuperDuty 15 passenger vans and group B is renting a Van Hool T2145 charter bus. The destination starting point is in Grand Rapids and the ending point is in Chicago, Illinois. These destinations are roughly 150 miles apart by taking the I-94 and the I-196.

With Group A and the three 15-passenger vans, they will have had to spend more money filling up the three 35 gallon gas tanks (which in most cases must be filled up before it is returned). Upon stopping at gas stations, it becomes a major temptation to exit the van, shop, use the restroom and generally waste unneeded time. The trip can also be taxing on the trip from policing activity in the back of the van, to navigating or keeping track of their convoy.

Although the environmental protection agency states that Gasoline creates 357 grams of carbon content per gallon, the carbon dioxide output is actually tripled in this case from the number of vans. Even a brand new 2010 F250 Ford 15 passenger van will only get between 15-19 mpg. The bigger the van is, the bigger the engine, and the more carbon created.

The burning of fossil fuels for an automobile’s energy creates many terrible side effects for ourselves and our environment. Besides the depletion of these limited resources, harmful emissions are subsequently released into the environment. The exhaust gases released from automobiles account for almost three quarters of the nitrogen oxides and over half of the reactive hydrocarbons released into our constantly depleting ozone. This is the leading cause of global warming. Air pollution has also been estimated as the cause of approximately 30,000 deaths in the United States each year alone. When considering the cities with the dirtiest air, one U.S. study revealed a mortality rate 17-26% higher than those with the lowest levels of air pollution. Although these statistics are staggering, automobiles are necessary to our way of life and can not be completely removed from our society. One way to considerably lower these harmful emissions and preserve our fossil fuels is to substitute the traditional, petroleum based oils used in our vehicles with synthetic motor oils.

Unlike the conventional oils that are refined from crude oil, a precious limited resource, synthetic motor oils are chemically engineered in a laboratory for their specific purpose. Using synthetic fluids helps decrease natural resources from being depleted for use. They are also more effective than traditional oils by lasting longer and withstanding engine stresses better between drain intervals. This means that drain intervals can be extended, and less waste oil is accumulated over time. Synthetic oils are infused with additives and detergents that keep engines running cleaner and smoother. Traditional oils burn off faster and leave behind harmful byproducts or hydrocarbons in the form of deposits inside engines. These harmful byproducts produce more harmful emissions which are released into the environment when burned. These deposits also create more unnecessary engine wear which lowers engine performance and longevity.

With energy resources dwindling fast and global warming changing climates across the globe, more people look towards renewable energy sources for reducing their carbon footprint. However, even the most environmentally passionate person cannot pursue such endeavors without the proper financial resources. The professional installation of solar panels for home use can cost many thousands of dollars, so many resourceful individuals are turning to much less expensive resources that help you build your own solar panel.

It is possible to completely build your own solar panel, but for the most part, these panels are small and do not produce the wattage necessary to power more than a simple lamp and only for a couple of minutes. The most effective way to produce power from the sun, when you can’t afford to hire the professionals, would be with home solar power kits. These build your own solar panel kits come with everything you need to successfully build your own solar panel in the comfort of your own garage or yard.

Surprisingly, home solar power kits are not difficult to find. With large companies like GE producing these kits, building a solar panel is very affordable and offers a much quicker return on your investment than purchasing and professionally installing a home solar power system. In general the instructions are easy to follow, even for teens and children, and in no time you are on your way to your own solar power system.

If you are looking to build your own solar panel, there are numerous resources and guides available to help you through the process. By involving the whole family in the building process, every one will learn how a home solar power system works and exactly how the components are put together. Also, when you build your own solar panel, you are giving yourself the knowledge to expand your system on your own and the ability to adapt your current system to meet new design needs when necessary.

In the wake of growing concerns over global warming, the Indian government is all determined to generate 20,000 MW of solar power capacity by 2020. The plan currently being formulated, assures that solar power will be cost-efficient by 2020.

Currently, the cost of electricity generated from solar photovoltaics is around Rs 15/kwh while coal-based electricity costs a meager Rs 4/kwh. According to the experts, this cost gap will be covered, because in the future the price of solar power costs will drastically decrease from Rs 150/watt now to Rs 30/watt by 2020. And moreover, increase in demand for fossil fuels in future will only lead to increase in its costs.

In the new world order, both India, and China, are emerging as the economic powerhouse. So naturally, the demand for coal, oil and gas will be all time high in both these countries. According to a report, India’s dependence on imported oil will be exceeding by 90 percent by 2030. The demand for coal will predictably will be billion tonnes by 2030. Moreover, much of the coal reserves fall in the protected forest areas, so mining in the areas is next to impossible.

China has even larger demands-oil over 15 million barrels a day and coal demand of over 800 million tonnes- and so a massive price rise seems to be an inescapable reality. And God forbid, if a turmoil ensues in Gulf and in case green groups put a restrain on Australian coal supplies, then naturally the prices of fossil fuel-based electricity will shoot up and will cost more than Rs 4/kwh by 2020. So depending on fossil fuel does not seem to be a viable option for the future.

So, India’s challenge is to put together an energy supply system that will be successfully tackle the price and supply shortfalls of fossil fuels that we in all probability will confront in the future.

The world is now in danger. There is global warming, which transforms the rest of the world like a boiling kettle. We also have pollution, damaging our air, water, and land. More people are getting sick, and mortality is getting shorter.

It is time to make a move. One of these is to promote eco-friendly printing. Here are some great ideas on how you can do that:

1. Go for recycled paper. This is a very simple green printing solution, and yet not a lot of people are practicing it. It just entails you to use those used papers for printing. Usually, only one side of it is being written, leaving the other totally free. You can also practice eco-friendly printing by purchasing recycled paper. The wasted paper, or the one that is being thrown away, will be reprocessed until it becomes new paper again. With this method, you will not only lessen pollution, but you can also save plenty of trees.

2. Use vegetable-based inks. Rather than continuously using ink jet cartridges, go for vegetable-based or soy inks. The problem with the former is that they emit volatile organic compounds, which are not only dangerous to the environment but also to your health. Soy ink and vegetable-based ink are more environment-friendly and are available in wide variety of colors.

You must understand, though, that they cannot be useful in personal printers and ballpoint pens. It will also take much longer time for them to dry up. If you want something more efficient, you can settle for UV-reactive inks. They can be more expensive—you may have to change your equipment—but they can save you thousands of dollars later. You can also promote eco-friendly printing.