Green Homes
A few easy ways to be green.
Eco-Update
Hey, I have an Eco-Update today that is centered on the fact that the Earth is in a HUGE crisis. This is new to all of the would because America has fought out anything blocking it with wars. But this time we cant battle with war. We must use consciousness for our environment and scientifically developed solutions if humanity is going to survive. :(
Transportation
Many people in the world believe that transportation it the biggest reason for global warming. Strangely that is not true. Although it is in the top three, energy (electricity) and the materials we use are larger causes of global warming. Americans waste the most rescources in the world. If everybody lived like americans it would require 5 earths resources. We need to promote electric cars, wind, solar, and hydropower. Bonneville Dam in Portland, Oregon provides portlanders with all of their electricity. Some is even channeled into the San Francisco power grid! All the electricity from one dam. It would take approximately 3 coal fired powered plants to produce that much electricity! Overall, people (especially Americans) need to cut down on their usage of materials.
Greenists
Greenists are people who are Eco friendly and support our environment. The will do almost anything to help our planet. They would sacrafice their life to help our environment. How that would help... I don't know. But anyway, I mainly want to acknowledge my viewers from the United Kingdon, India, and a few other places around the world. It means a lot to me that people are looking my site up and show ing that they care. It gives me hope. Thanks again to all my viewers!
Green Homes
Green Homes is a blog that helps promote environmentally friendly actions that help the planet. We want to help fix this huge problem we have created and make it as fun as possible. I understand that money doesn't grow on trees but if we don't correct our mistakes there won't be any trees at all! Even if all you can do to help is using one less sheet of paper a day, it makes a difference. We get it. Money is tight, but little actions can make a big impact. To fill the huge whole that we have dug ourselves into, everyone in the world will have to compost, everything must be recycled, and energy must be solar, wind, geothermal, wave, hydropower, etc. It sounds big. Even to me as I write this. But it is possible, all we have to do is care enough to try. No, not "I recycled this week so I never have to do it again," I mean everyone must try and keep on trying. So save the world one piece of paper at a time.
Greenhouse Gases
Many people in the world believe that CO2 emissions from cars are the biggest contributors to global warming. Strangely that is not true. Transportation accounts for only 25% of the pollution that humans as a whole put out into the atmosphere. Energy is roughly 33% and the materials we consume is a whopping 42%. The reason for that is the four stages.
The Four Stages
- Extraction of natural resources - drilling up oil for plastic
- Production of materials - turning cotton into a shirt
- Consumption - washing/maintaining our clothing, homes, etc.
- Disposal of used materials - throwing away food scraps
If we composted we would lessen the need for garbage trucks which emit CO2. That would shrink our landfills preventing the production of anaerobic bacteria that produce methane. (methane is 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at trapping the suns rays in the atmosphere).
Recycling
- Recycling would prevent the need of extraction and disposal.
- It would shrink our landfills.
- Prevent the killing of trees.
- Create a cycle. Right now it is all going one way.
- Prevent the destruction of animal habitats.
There are way more ways that recycling would help our environment. If you have any ideas for me to add please comment below. Also you can do the social vibe to the right and help our environment.
The Earth
Why do I care about the environment? Is it because I love the polar bears or the penguins? Or because I don't like mosquitoes and the warmer the earth gets the more bugs? Maybe I care because I love nature and wildlife. Sometimes these questions revolve through my head and make me think about life. What would life be like without clean water or without fresh air to breath? Without fresh fruits and vegetables that we dine on every night. Imagine the world full of fast food chains. Everyone around you overweight including you. What I mean is to cherish and love what you have. Picture the world around you without everything you love. Don't take anything for granted. Always treat others how you would want to be treated. Then life will have a meaning.
Renewable Energy
Different types of renewable energy are more prosperous in different climates and locations. For example, solar energy would produce more electricity if it were in Tuscon, Arizona than if it were in Portland, Oregon. Wind turbines would be more effecient in North Dakota than in Los Angelas, California. There is always a renewable energy that suits your climate whether it is solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, wave, or biomass. Research your location and find out what works for you!
Earth Day
April 22nd is Earth Day! Get ready to help the planet! Remember that everyday can be Earth Day! Tell me what you did on Earth Day and comment below! :)
Wind Mill at Skyline
Recently, Skyline Middle School got a wind turbine to generate electricity for their school. The wind turbine will eleminate 3% of their electricity consumption. Now they consume less electricity and it will save them money. Oregon also has a new wind farm to compete with Bonneville Dam which is located East of Portland.
Rain Barrels
Why not get a rain barrel? They cost almost nothing! Yet they have the possability of changing our world along with solar panels and wind turbines. So why not get them. They might even move you to starting a garden! The possabilitys are endless! So buy a rain barrel especially if you live in a dry place like Tucson, Arizona.
Quick and Easy Tips
1)Turn off lights after you leave a room.
2)Grow fresh fruits and vegetables in your own back yard.
3)Plant trees in areas around your home to reduce carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere.
4)Support local organic farms that don't use pesticides and other toxins.
5)Use both sides of a piece of paper. More paper is being thrown away rather than recycled.
6)Limit yourself to only one or two magazine subscriptions.
7)Replace incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent lighting.
8)Don't buy individually wrapped candies on Halloween. Instead purchase a tub of Red Vines that do not use nearly as much plastic.
9)Supreme fuel burns cleaner and more efficiently than regular. Even though it costs more, if everybody used supreme there wouldn't be nearly as much carbon being released into the atmosphere.
10)Instead of turning up the thermostat, throw on a robe and slippers.
11)When it is hot outside invite friends and neighbors over and then turn up the AC. That way only one home is consuming energy while the others are not. (not including lighting and other electronics.
12)Instead of using plastic bags for your kids lunches use http://www.reusablebags.com to decrease the plastic flow into landfills.
13)Buy rain barrels and connect them to your gutter system. Then you can use it to water plants. (beware of mosquitoes)
14)Rather than driving your children to school and contributing to the traffic jam you can have them take the bus. The bus is meant to make it easier for parents while reducing the amount of CO2 that goes into the atmosphere.
15)Group your groceries so you don't have to make more than one trip out. For example go to the store where you but non-perishable items first and then go to the other store with perishable items.
16)If your job is far away ask a friend from work if they want to carpool with you. Even if everyone only carpooled one day a week it would still make a big difference.
17)Recycle Your Motor Oil -- In the United States we use about a billion gallons of motor oil each year
18)Instead of driving a regular car, if possible drive a hybrid which will reduce pollution and consume less fuel.
19)Unplug your phone charger when it's done charging. Appliances still consume electricity even if they are turned off. Unplugging them cuts the current and stops the flow of electricity.
20)1 time a month you should go around your neighborhood and pick up trash and stuff to keep your environment clean.
21) Use cloth diapers! (see "Fun Facts" for why)
22) Instead of throwing away items such as furniture, appliances and clothing, look for a place to donate them like Goodwill.
23) Make recycling easy by putting bins in the rooms where you use the products that can be reused. The kitchen is a good place to have one!
24) Use vinegar and water as a replacement to glass cleaner which has toxins that can hurt the environment.
Fun Facts
1) Cigarettes pollute the world 10 times more than diesel engines!
2) Cows consume 816,600 gallons of water in their lifetime!
3) One pound of potatoes takes 60 gallons of water to produce!
4)Motor Oil can seep down into our ground water supply. One quart contaminates 250,000 gallons of water.
5)Over 6.5 million dolphins have been killed by tuna fisherman. Fisherman's nets can reach 3/4 miles long and whatever gets trapped in them, dies!
6)Americans trash over 18 billion disposable diapers a year, this amount can go to the moon and back seven times. Diapers take up 1% of America's landfills and they take 500 years to decompose!
7)In fact three million tons of untreated feces and urine does not go through our sewage system but into our landfills.
8)Balloons cause the death for countless numbers of sea turtles and whales. Balloons cause them to suffocate or starve to death. Also metallic balloons can cause power outages when they get caught in power lines!
9)Americans wear out nearly 50 million pounds of rubber off their tires. This is enough rubber to manufacture 3 and a quarter million new tires from scratch!
10)Lighting consumes 1/5 of the electricity used by the U.S.
2)Grow fresh fruits and vegetables in your own back yard.
3)Plant trees in areas around your home to reduce carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere.
4)Support local organic farms that don't use pesticides and other toxins.
5)Use both sides of a piece of paper. More paper is being thrown away rather than recycled.
6)Limit yourself to only one or two magazine subscriptions.
7)Replace incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent lighting.
8)Don't buy individually wrapped candies on Halloween. Instead purchase a tub of Red Vines that do not use nearly as much plastic.
9)Supreme fuel burns cleaner and more efficiently than regular. Even though it costs more, if everybody used supreme there wouldn't be nearly as much carbon being released into the atmosphere.
10)Instead of turning up the thermostat, throw on a robe and slippers.
11)When it is hot outside invite friends and neighbors over and then turn up the AC. That way only one home is consuming energy while the others are not. (not including lighting and other electronics.
12)Instead of using plastic bags for your kids lunches use http://www.reusablebags.com to decrease the plastic flow into landfills.
13)Buy rain barrels and connect them to your gutter system. Then you can use it to water plants. (beware of mosquitoes)
14)Rather than driving your children to school and contributing to the traffic jam you can have them take the bus. The bus is meant to make it easier for parents while reducing the amount of CO2 that goes into the atmosphere.
15)Group your groceries so you don't have to make more than one trip out. For example go to the store where you but non-perishable items first and then go to the other store with perishable items.
16)If your job is far away ask a friend from work if they want to carpool with you. Even if everyone only carpooled one day a week it would still make a big difference.
17)Recycle Your Motor Oil -- In the United States we use about a billion gallons of motor oil each year
18)Instead of driving a regular car, if possible drive a hybrid which will reduce pollution and consume less fuel.
19)Unplug your phone charger when it's done charging. Appliances still consume electricity even if they are turned off. Unplugging them cuts the current and stops the flow of electricity.
20)1 time a month you should go around your neighborhood and pick up trash and stuff to keep your environment clean.
21) Use cloth diapers! (see "Fun Facts" for why)
22) Instead of throwing away items such as furniture, appliances and clothing, look for a place to donate them like Goodwill.
23) Make recycling easy by putting bins in the rooms where you use the products that can be reused. The kitchen is a good place to have one!
24) Use vinegar and water as a replacement to glass cleaner which has toxins that can hurt the environment.
Fun Facts
1) Cigarettes pollute the world 10 times more than diesel engines!
2) Cows consume 816,600 gallons of water in their lifetime!
3) One pound of potatoes takes 60 gallons of water to produce!
4)Motor Oil can seep down into our ground water supply. One quart contaminates 250,000 gallons of water.
5)Over 6.5 million dolphins have been killed by tuna fisherman. Fisherman's nets can reach 3/4 miles long and whatever gets trapped in them, dies!
6)Americans trash over 18 billion disposable diapers a year, this amount can go to the moon and back seven times. Diapers take up 1% of America's landfills and they take 500 years to decompose!
7)In fact three million tons of untreated feces and urine does not go through our sewage system but into our landfills.
8)Balloons cause the death for countless numbers of sea turtles and whales. Balloons cause them to suffocate or starve to death. Also metallic balloons can cause power outages when they get caught in power lines!
9)Americans wear out nearly 50 million pounds of rubber off their tires. This is enough rubber to manufacture 3 and a quarter million new tires from scratch!
10)Lighting consumes 1/5 of the electricity used by the U.S.
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