Tag: reuse reduce recycle

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Nicki Scott released the second edition of Composting For All in 2004; obviously it is a popular publication in the UK and it is certainly affordable. Here’s one brochure that practices what it preaches – the cover is printed with 80% recycled material and the inside pages are printed on 100% recycled paper. I thought the photo of mom, dad and young girl on the front cover happily composting near their generous garden and lush backyard was pretty cute.

Thirty-two pages and seventeen chapters (including introduction and resource sections) are filled with sketches and illustrations of Bob Gale. This short brochure makes composting simple and makes terms like vermiculture and aerobic bacteria less confusing. Learn how to safely start composting without any hassle. Discover old and new composting methods from hot and cold compost, fermentation methods and vermiculture. It even covers compost activators (the ones that increase the decomposition process) and how to reuse an old chest freezer to make a worm container. The brochure closes with a very small reference section where readers can contact eleven associations and publications to continue their journey in reducing waste.

I enjoyed his discussion of the incredible variety of life forms supported by composting and the end product that encourages healthier green spaces, gardens, balcony and roof gardens, and flower boxes in our communities. This results in a wonderful biological support system that helps other creatures that share our world, and healthy plants that purify our air.

The suggestion that I liked the most was to replace peat leaf compost in our gardens. I had no idea that a lot of commercially packaged compost contained peat. Environmentalists will tell you how important it is to avoid the use of peat-based products, and alternatives such as ground coconut husks have been around for a while.

Cities affected by landfill problems are offering compost bins or worm bins to help people deal with organic waste. Unfortunately, training available to citizens is not always readily available. This is what makes such books so valuable to our society.

Nicki Scott is the author of two brochures, one book and a video on composting and other methods that we can all use to reduce waste. He was the chairman of the Community Compost Network in Great Britain.

Author: Nicki Scott
Illustrator: Bob Gale
Publisher: Green Papers (UK)
ISBN: 1-903998-23-9

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Source by Lillian Brummet

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The use of heavy metals in paints has raised concerns due to their toxicity at high exposure levels and because they accumulate in the food chain.

Another harmful material that can be found in paint is lead. Lead is usually added to paint to speed up drying, increase durability, maintain a fresh appearance and resist corrosive moisture. The lead-based paint is still used in industry and the military. For example, lead paint is sometimes used to paint roadways and parking lines. Lead, a poisonous metal, can damage nerve connections (especially in young children) and cause blood and brain disorders. Due to the low reactivity and solubility of lead, lead poisoning usually only occurs when it is dispersed, such as when sanding lead-based paint prior to recoating.

The hexavalent chromium primer is still widely used in the aerospace and automotive industries. Zinc chromate has been used as a pigment for art paints known as zinc yellow or yellow 36. It is highly toxic and, thankfully, rarely used today.

Antifouling paint (or bottom paint) is used to protect boat hulls from fouling by marine life. The anti-fouling paint protects the surface from corrosion and prevents the vessel from dragging against the accumulation of marine organisms. These paints contain organotin compounds such as tributyltin, which are considered toxic chemicals with negative effects on humans and the environment. Tributyltin compounds are moderately to very persistent organic pollutants that bioconcentrate in the food chain of marine predators. One common example is the leaching of marine paints into the aquatic environment causing irreversible damage to aquatic organisms. Tributylotine has also been linked to obesity in humans because it triggers genes that cause fat cells to grow.

The oil paint label says “oil-based” or “alkyd” or will instruct you to clean your brushes with mineral spirits or turpentine. These types of paints are toxic and can cause enormous damage to the environment (including humans and animals) if not disposed of properly.

Latex or water-based paint, on the other hand, is not considered hazardous waste and can enjoy many reincarnations after its first use. Latex paints are those that are cleaned with soap and water. They are very common in both interior and exterior painting. However, even this type of breading must be properly disposed of or recycled. In particular, it is not recommended to pour latex paint into drains, on the ground, or into streams, streams or rivers. Disposing of paint in this way introduces pollutants into the air, soil and groundwater, which may eventually enter the food chain.

When figuring out how to get rid of a lot of unused paint, always get professional advice. Any reputable hazardous waste disposal company will be able to help you.

Here are some measures you can take to reduce the environmental impact of the paint you use.

1. If possible, choose a paint with a low VOC content

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are gases emitted by various solids or liquids, many of which have short and long-term adverse health effects. The solvents in traditional paints often contain large amounts of VOC. Low VOC paints can improve indoor air quality and reduce urban smog. The beneficial features of such paints are low odor, clean air and safer technology, as well as excellent durability and washable finish. Types of low VOC paints include latex (water based), recycled latex (water based), acrylic and milk based paint.

You can check the paint can labels for the following information:

To be considered low volatile, the paint should contain <50 g / l VOC.

To be considered VOC free, the paint should contain <5 g / l VOC.

Solids content typically ranges from 25-45%, higher percentages of solids indicate less VOC

2. Avoid over-buying paint

Each year, 10 percent of the paint sold in the UK is thrown away simply because too much is purchased for each project. You can avoid this mistake by using a paint calculator to help you figure out how much paint your project really needs.

3. Reuse your paint

If stored properly, the paint will last for years. To properly store it, you need to:

– Cover the opening of the paint can with foil.

– Replace the lid and make sure it is not leaking.

– Turn the can upside down so that the paint can create its own seal.

– Store the can upside down in a place that is frost-free and out of the reach of children and pets.

4. Recover unused paint

The best way to deal with leftover paint (after avoiding over-buying) is to find someone else who can reuse the leftovers. Try to be imaginative local councils, schools, universities and art academies, everyone can be happy to use some of your old paint on their projects.

Unused paint can also be recycled to obtain low-quality paint. Latex sludge can be recovered and used as a filler in other industrial products. Waste solvents can be recovered and used as fuels in other industries. A clean paint container can be reused or sent to your local landfill.

If a large amount of paint cannot be reused or recycled, it makes sense to call a professional chemical waste disposal company.

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Source by Stewart Gillham

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Good habits are formed in early childhood, and as an environmentally conscious parent you are probably always looking for ways to educate your children about the need to “reduce, reuse and recycle”. One of the easiest ways to achieve this is to schedule lunches and snacks without junk that produce no junk other than, say, an apple core that you can bring home and compost. Food containers are also brought home, washed and reused the next day, ensuring no litter is generated in your school or workplace.

While your first thought may be to use plastic containers that are passed from your mother’s kitchen to yours, think again. Plastic containers can well replace rubbish made from foil and sandwich bags, but stainless steel is a much better and more environmentally friendly alternative with several important advantages over plastic and even glass, especially when it comes to food storage and food safety.

• Plastics can leach harmful chemicals into food. Stainless steel is safe, non-toxic and not even reactive to acidic foods (such as tomatoes). Your family’s safety and health may be the number one reason to move to stainless steel food storage.
• Stainless steel is, well, stainless. Your plastic containers will discolor and stain with use. Although steel can scratch, it will always look clean if well cleaned.
• The steel does not break. Perhaps a stainless steel container may dent when dropped on a hard surface, but it will not break or break like glass, or break like plastic.
• Steel is a very hygienic material. Steel is not a friendly environment for storing or promoting bacterial growth. It will also not transmit odors, which is a common complaint with plastic containers.
• Stainless steel food containers can be airtight and airtight. By using locking clips and silicone gaskets similar to those found in plastic or glass containers, some stainless steel containers are also airtight and airtight, perfect for transporting yogurt, salsa or dip.
• Steel is durable and long-lasting. Although steel containers can cost two or three times more than comparable plastic containers, considering how stain resistant, hygienic and indestructible they are, they will easily outlast your plastic containers, proving that the initial investment was worthwhile. And as an added bonus, you know they will be safe for your kids!
• Steel is largely recyclable. Steel is a very sustainable material and the products you buy will most likely contain at least 75% recycled steel scrap. And if for some reason you decide you don’t want the product anymore, you can recycle it endlessly. In contrast, most plastic food storage containers are not accepted in municipal recycling programs.

So start replacing your old plastic containers with stainless steel food storage containers. You will feel better about helping our planet stay healthy if you help keep your family healthy as well.

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Source by Cynthia L.

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Glass is a key ingredient in many of our everyday products, serving a wide purpose with little thought. Tableware, light bulbs, mirrors, hobs, windshields, windows: the list goes on for something that hasn’t been thought of. Friend or foe, we must consider the environmental impact of glass production.

“What is” glass

Glass is a combination of three types of substances that naturally occur in North America;

• silica, the most popular is white sand
• bases such as sodium bicarbonate
• limestone

Sometimes a metal oxide (lead) is added to the mixture. Depending on the principle used and whether or not lead is added, the transparency or shade of the glass will change. The production cost and quality of the glass depends on the choice of bases and the percentage of content used in conjunction with the choice and percentage of silica used.

“How” glass production

The silica, alkali, and limestone are first crushed into a powder, sieving out any coarse particles. They are then mixed and placed in an oven at extremely high temperatures for up to 24 hours. This results in molten glass, which is then cooled down several hundred degrees, resulting in a thick liquid. The resulting material is called a frit, which is then blown, pressed, drawn, formed or rolled into glass objects. If the glass is to be formed, the molds are also heated to a high temperature so that the liquid poured into them does not wrinkle. The cooling process is washing with water.

The impact of glass production on the environment

The process of making new glass is not environmentally friendly at all. The initial crushing and grinding stage sends particles of metals, chemicals, acids and dust into the air. They are easily inhaled, causing irritation to the nose and throat, potentially causing lung damage. Metal particles are hazardous to the environment as they can enter the surrounding soil and water.

The need to use extremely high temperature furnaces to melt a mixture of substances makes the melting step of the glass making process very energy intensive. It is estimated that 15.2 million BTU of energy is needed to produce one ton of glass. During any forming process, the glass may need to be reheated to keep it liquid. This means that the heat in the furnace must be kept until the end of the process.

Discharges from the glass manufacturing process may end up in the aquatic environment during cooling and cleaning processes where the highest amounts of water are consumed. The discharges may contain pieces of glass, some of the soluble ones used in production, such as sodium sulfate, lubricating oil used in the cutting process, dissolved salts, and water treatment chemicals.

Glass manufacturing processes also emit a significant amount of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide. In addition, these processes spew out air pollutants such as nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter.

The benefits of glass

Glass is non-porous, making it impermeable to other substances. For this reason, glass is a very hygienic surface as no bacteria and germs that come into contact are absorbed into its structure. Glass surfaces require intensive cleaning with disinfectant and hot water without affecting their quality. For this reason, glass containers can be easily reused many times.

The impermeability of its structure eliminates any interaction with the stored content. This, together with glass made of non-toxic raw materials, removes concerns about leaching chemicals into the contained substances. In the case of food storage, this also ensures the freshness and uncompromising taste of the stored substance. Glass containers also do not absorb food odors in or around them.

Unlike other materials, glass used in a microwave oven does not leach any toxins into food or liquids. It will not stain, corrode or deteriorate no matter how many times it is reused.

Glassware and containers are very versatile as they can be moved from the freezer to the microwave or oven. Glass is very attractive and looks beautiful on a table top or as decorative items such as candy bowls, storage jars, vases and mirrors.

And the glass is 100% recyclable.

By turning an enemy into a friend

Many manufacturers have introduced practices aimed at reducing the negative environmental impact of glass production. More efficient furnaces were considered to reduce energy consumption, produce thinner glass to use lower temperatures and lower transport costs, use air and water purification systems, and use recycled glass to produce new glass.

Here are some ways you can reduce your environmental impact and enjoy the benefits of glass products.

• Reuse glass food and storage containers. Due to its natural properties, there is no chemical reaction with the glass container and its contents. Glass items in the home can be safely used repeatedly without losing the quality of the glass.
• Recycling. Glass is 100% recyclable and can be reused to produce new glass. Unlike other types of materials, reusing glass in no way degrades the integrity of the material. Glass can be melted and reused many times. A glass bottle that ends its life in a landfill can break for up to a million years. But a recycled glass bottle has about a 30-day lead time from the trash can to being a new bottle on the store shelf. Every ton of glass recycled saves over a ton of raw materials to make new glass. Because cullet (recyclable glass pieces) melts at a much lower temperature, making glassware from cullet consumes 40 percent less energy than making new glass from raw materials.
• Reduce the amount of new glass products you buy. Since it has found its way into so many commercial applications, it’s now easy to find products made from recycled glass. Look for cullet tableware, recycled glass jewelry, decorative tiles, counters and landscaping materials that use recycled glass.

Glass is a versatile and beautiful material that can be used in many aspects of our lives. Let’s do our part to turn glass production from enemy to friend.

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Source by Lynn Lavanga

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Whether you want to carry out a minor kitchen / bathroom remodel or even a major home renovation, here’s what you need to know about the latest home renovation trends.

Transition kitchen

Combining a functional kitchen with a dining room or living room is one of the things that are currently in vogue. In addition to improving the aesthetics, the open connection between the kitchen and the living space will make the cooking process more enjoyable as you will never feel isolated from your family. While it’s a good idea to tear down kitchen walls, be sure not to ignore the importance of adding clever storage options and attractive flooring, as well as backsplashes.

Mixtures of finishes and colors

This mainly indicates the mixing and matching of functional and artistic materials for cabinets, countertops and floors. The same goes for the colors. For example, neutral colors are now mixed with light patterns to create a visually pleasing decor and design. While classic white is an all-time favorite color, shades of gray and gray are also becoming the favorite colors in many home remodeling projects.

Spa style bathrooms

The contemporary bathroom is more like a spa, with separate or frameless tubs, freestanding showers with multiple heads and safety handles. The whole is complemented by eye-catching metal fixtures with amazing finishes, heated floors, LED lighting and high-quality batteries.

Functional outdoor spaces

Most homeowners now realize the potential of having a well-kept outdoor area, complemented by a beautiful garden and excellent features such as stone fireplaces. Besides increasing the resale value and enhancing the look of your home, it can also be transformed into an amazing meeting space with family and friends.

Strengthening the concept: reduction, reuse and recycling

Today, people largely prefer to build or renovate their apartments using ecological materials and energy-efficient appliances, thanks to the increased awareness of the importance of sustainable living. There are companies that sell recycled wood and other building materials that they find both attractive and durable. Alternatively, you can also choose to recycle the materials to use them in a more creative way than removing or replacing them altogether.

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Source by Andreas M Loppas

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Scientists have spent much of the decade trying to improve solar-powered panels that are used to generate solar energy. While modular panels are widely used in homes and commercial spaces, the idea of ??installing them on roadways is quickly gaining momentum. But the newest idea to take to the streets (literally) is to pave the roads with solar panels made of durable glass instead of regular asphalt.

Roads that pay for themselves

When it comes to solar technology news, while this plan seems a bit crazy and unconventional, it’s the idea of ??Scott and Julie Brusaw, who are Idaho residents. The husband and wife team developed their modular sidewalk system in 2009. Today, the couple claim that the solar panels that will be used in their design can support a load of over 250,000 pounds (which is four times the weight of the semi-trailer truck). ) and can last up to twenty years. The sturdy panels will also be able to melt both snow and ice on contact, as well as provide warm light using LED bulbs, allowing drivers to see debris on the road.

The solar panels are basically the same as those used in normal solar panels used in homes. The solar panels are then encased in a specially designed version of bulletproof glass that has been developed and tested in the best materials and research institutes at Penn State and the University of Dayton. The base layers of the solar panels that will be used in the project will be made of 10% recycled glass, which from a production point of view is the most cost effective way to compact the material for this monumental project.

After building and testing the prototype, courtesy of the Federal Highway Administration (FHA), the couple plans to install their solar panels throughout the United States, which will be a fairly large project considering the amount of highways and highways already in the US.

CO2 reduction

A network using solar paths will not only help generate electricity for street lighting and possibly surrounding houses, but can also significantly reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere, providing clean reusable energy measures. The couple’s long-term aspiration is to replace the power grid with an intelligent network that will help not only the environment but also the economy.

Latest update

According to the latest solar technology news regarding Solar Roadways, the project is already the most profitable campaign in the history of IndieGogo, and while its lead on the crowdfunding site still has a few days to complete, the Solar Roadways campaign is now over. way exceeded its initial million dollar goal. All this was possible thanks to the contribution of over thirty five thousand people from over forty countries. Yes, Scott and Julie!

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Source by Moe Tarhini

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Despite the fact that the main goal of the Vans Warped Tour is to make great music for people, being caring about the environment was an equally important priority for them. The Vans Warped Tour launched the Warped Eco-Initiative which made it the most environmentally friendly event in North America. With this initiative, the Vans Warped Tour has switched to biodiesel for driving tour buses and production trucks. Having more than 17 tour buses and close to 19 production trucks driving around the United States for two months meant using a lot of fuel. After converting to biodiesel, the Vans Warped Tour has significantly reduced the consumption of traditional fuel, thus reducing a lot of pollution. By harnessing renewable resources such as biodiesel, the Vans Warped Tour has proven that biodiesel can actually be used on a regular basis while meeting basic performance requirements.

Everyone involved in the Vans Warped Tour advocates and encourages adherence to the three principles of restoration:

A. Reducing the consumption of non-renewable resources.

B. Reuse existing items before discarding them.

C. Recycling of products and articles.

The perverted eco-initiative became a cult movement that greatly inspired youth to take the first step in restoring beauty to planet Earth. . The youth were overly motivated to stand up for the cause and make an attempt at a great change. And it’s not that the Vans Warped Tour has no incentive for them – volunteers get free entry to the tour and get a whole host of goodies such as T-shirts, hats, souvenirs, and more.

The Vans Warped Tour believes in dedication to society. In an open atmosphere, the tour builds stalls where you can find many vendors dealing with socially important causes. The sellers are environmental defenders, civil rights defenders and even anti-racist organizations. That aside, many charities are formed during the tour, such as Teen Suicides, the National Hope Line Network and many more. In fact, a tent called “Girl Garage” solves these problems in an innovative way. Fans visiting the tent are kindly requested to design their T-shirts and bid on Vans shoes. All proceeds from the sale of T-shirts and shoes go to charity suicide funds.

The Vans Warped Tour also contributes to causes such as the American Red Cross, Cancer Care, and even AIDS research centers. In fact, with every 4 tickets sold per tour, $ 1 is donated to Camp Hollywood Heart – an institution that looks after families affected by HIV / AIDS. In 2005, the tour grossed the victims of Hurricane Katrina over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. But money is not only about the way they contribute / donate – many times tour artists come together and deliver prefabricated homes to families in need.

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Source by C D West

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The noble slag balls are widely used as abrasives for industrial applications. They are created in the process of spraying liquid steel slag using a modern technology called Slag Atomizing Technology (SAT). The stream of liquid steel slag is converted into spherical slag balls of different sizes by supercooling the molten slag, using the rapid heat exchange of the falling liquid steel slag in a high velocity air flow. During this process, free CaO and Fe2O3 are dispersed to form a solid PS ball and thus produced in a stable spinel structure.

Characteristics of PS BBs

– They are environmentally friendly as the material is pollution-free and non-toxic.

– It has a natural, characteristic hardness.

– It is non-toxic due to its properties due to its structure, shape, physical and chemical composition.

– Its spinel structure ensures the stability of the physical and chemical composition, eliminating all causes of contamination.

– Compared to sand, it has better compressive strength, hardness and rainproof properties.

– PS Ball is an economical material compared to other mineral materials.

– The performance of the abrasive facilitates recycling, reducing wear and increasing efficiency. Depending on the hardness of the surface, it can be recycled up to 3-4 times.

– This material is easier to manufacture and supply compared to copper slag and garnet mineral abrasives.

– Storage is easy.

– Lower levels of dust and contamination make it less risky to use in various field operations and less harmful to the health of operators.

Applications of PS BBs

Unlike mineral abrasives such as garnet, the PS ball is completely dust free, making it suitable for use in surface preparation, rust removal and shipbuilding. It is also commonly used for ship maintenance.

PS balls are used in crude oil storage tanks, bridge construction works, in the construction of heavy steel structures, on drilling platforms, etc .; mainly for cleaning and surface preparation, and for cleaning welded surfaces in storage tanks prior to recoating.

It can be used as an abrasive to clean the surface of materials and prepare them for painting.

The typical features make PS BBs ideal for abrasive blasting applications as they provide adequate material atomization in terms of size, density, hardness and durability.

Due to their high mass specific gravity of 2.42 kg / l, the noble slag balls are widely used as a counterweight in many applications.

The PS ball is also used as a filter medium because it does not soak up water and is very durable.

Due to their anti-skid properties, PS Balls can be used as a surface on roads or as a surface for concrete and asphalt roads. It adheres effectively to asphalt or concrete and can therefore be used as an effective repair or reinforcement material for a variety of purposes.

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Source by Usha Sunil

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There are important problems in modern society, especially those that deal with the mass impact of things on the environment. In the real estate industry, it is becoming a trend to prefer technologies and systems to protect the environment. One of the common concerns today is the use of sustainable materials to build houses.

There are countless criteria that can be taken into account when talking about sustainable materials and how to classify such items into this category.

One of the main characteristics that sustainable and green buildings must qualify is their lower environmental impact. Since such actors have an impact on land use, water and energy consumption, as well as changes in the air and atmosphere, buildings must first and foremost reduce the consumption of natural resources, which are slowly depleted and are being eliminated with no chance of renewal. .

Sustainable materials are those that are recycled and reused in the construction or renovation of houses and buildings. This way you are not contributing to the depletion of natural resources to meet the demand for new materials and items for the construction and renovation of your property. There are many industries in the real estate world that cater to the idea of ??recycling and refurbishing materials instead of producing new ones to build new properties or improve old ones.

In general, remember that the process of building a building definitely generates a lot of waste. Accordingly, materials that are recycled and reused must be able to reintegrate any scraps or waste that has been produced and remixed or reused for other construction purposes.

Another important criterion to consider is looking at the sustainability characteristics of the material and checking that it is truly sustainable from harvesting or harvesting as a raw material to its final disposal.

The material must have a very minimal impact on the environment, especially in terms of waste, emissions, energy consumption and self-regeneration capacity, so as not to deplete the resources derived from nature through its production. Energy consumption, especially in terms of the material collection process, its actual processing and the required transport, are all the important characteristics that allow you to mark material that is truly not hazardous to nature.

There are different types of resources that cannot be recycled, but are still considered to be sustainable as they primarily have high replenishment capacity. Examples of such materials include, but are not limited to, straw, hay, bamboo, cork, brick, and clay. They are labeled with this type of quality because they can quickly replenish and replenish their quantity after being harvested. These materials also have low or very minimal emission factors and are highly regarded as energy savings.

Therefore, if you want to build an ecological and healthier property, you must consider using all natural materials that are sustainable and renewable in nature in every corner and foundation of your home.

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Source by Rose B

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Choosing the best roofing material is not as easy as buying kitchen cabinets, terraces, hot tubs or cars. However, it is the most important building block to protect the homeowner’s most important treasures: his family and homes.

Therefore, when selecting a product, you should always consider the following elements:

1. DURABILITY. Typical roofs last around 20 years, others last 50 to 100 years, and basically the longer they stay in use, the lower the cost for you. Therefore, it is best to choose roofs of lasting quality.

2. SAVING ENERGY. The best choice of insulation meets energy regulations, thermal requirements and long-term performance requirements. Choosing the best insulation can significantly lower your energy bills and reduce your carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions.

3. FIRE RESISTANCE. Preventive measures are important elements in ensuring the safety of your property. Choose products that have a fire resistance rating of A or B, because the idea of ??fireproof roofing is the most important investment you can make to protect your home.

4. WIND RESISTANCE. Strong winds are the main source of roof damage.

It can lift the roofing or damage it with debris blown away from other places.

Better yet, install a roof that can withstand strong winds.

5. RECYCLABLE / REUSABLE PRODUCTS. Many roofing materials are made from recycled materials. Recycled materials can reduce energy consumption during production and prevent useful ingredients from being wasted in landfills. Save your homes. Save your planet.

Regardless of the type of roofing material you decide to choose, the main thing is to do the correct installation. This is necessary, because without high-quality installation, the roof will not last long. You need to hire experienced and knowledgeable roof contractors to help you.

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Source by Gary S Gray