If you are already a die-hard recycler, you probably know all about recycling newspapers, cardboard and other such waste. But there are many other household items which you can recycle and put to good use.

Print cartridges. You can buy a refill kit, or get print cartridges refilled from qualified vendors. This will save costs and also help the environment. Alternatively, you can dispose of your used cartridges in an environmentally safe way by giving them to qualified disposal units.

Grass and other plant debris. These can all be composted and used as fertilizer, which is both environmentally friendly and great for your garden plants!

Plastic containers or tubs. These can be washed, cleaned and reused in refrigerators, freezers or as containers for takeaway food or lunches. You can also use them to grow plants from seeds after punching a couple of holes and filling them with soil.

Wine corks. You may be surprised to learn that these can be cleaned and used to make a corkboard after sticking them on cardboard or wood.

Eyeglasses/frames. If you need a new pair of glasses, you can donate the old lenses and /or frames for use by people who cannot afford new ones. If frames are still usable, you can get them fitted with newer lenses.

Bulbs. Old light bulbs these can find new life as plant holders. Or you can paint and embellish them and use them as Christmas ornaments.

Old sheets and blankets. If these are torn or worn out, you can cut out the torn bits and use them to line pet beds and baskets. If sheets still have some wear in them, you can recycle them into pillow covers or make those patchwork sheets or quilts.

Furniture. If still in good condition, furniture can be donated or sold in garage sales. Alternatively,  you can spend a bit of money and repair the furniture.

If there are things which you simply cannot reuse or recycle, there are places which accept goods of different kinds for recycling.

Picture copyright: Roman Milert – Fotolia

Much has been said about the warming of the earth’s surface and how industries and the liberal burning of fossil fuels have contributed it, but there are many who still are not convinced that global warming is a real threat. Politicians, scientists and environmental experts continue to debate this matter giving contradicting information concerning increasing temperatures in the atmosphere. There is enough information, however, to confirm that global warming is a major concern and is affecting the world in which we live.

Global warming evidence

There are a number of signs that indicate definite climate change worldwide. According to the institute for space studies, since 1880, the average temperatures have increased across the world by 0.8 degree Celsius (1.4 degrees Fahrenheit). According to various studies on climate the rate for temperatures increase are rising the last 2 decades of the 20th century being the hottest in a period of 400 years. Additionally, eleven of the past twelve years are among the warmest years in history according to reports by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

According to a report compiled by multinational Artic Climate Impact Assessment in 2000 and 2004, the average temperature for western Canada, Alaska and Eastern Russia have increased twice the global average temperature. It shows that the effects are most felt by the Artic. The melting of Artic ice has been observed and it is believed that by 2040, ice free summer may be experienced in this region. Sea ice loss has caused suffering to the indigenous cultures in the area also.

Rapid melting of the mountain snows and glaciers is an evidence of global warming. For instance in 1910, Montana’s Glacier National Park had 150 glaciers but now there are only 27 remaining. Melting in the Northern Hemisphere occurs one week earlier during the period of spring and freezes starts one week later.

The worst bleaching was recorded in 1998 and it highly affected the coral reefs. Coral reefs have much sensitivity to water temperature changes hence the suffering. According to experts, the temperature of the sea is expected to increase in terms of intensity and frequency for the coming 50 years. Heat waves, strong tropical storms and wildfires are also expected to increase according to experts.

Two billion tons of carbon dioxide is absorbed each year by the top layer of the ocean and the amount of acidity in ocean water has increased by thirty percent since the beginning of industrial revolution.

Curbing global warming

It is important that people understand that the warming of planet Earth is a real thing. Immediate action needs to be taken to stop warming of the earth’s surface and protect the natural ecosystem. To stop warming of planet Earth people need to reduce their dependence on fossil fuel and opt for clean energy for example solar energy.

Business and industry are the biggest contributors to the deterioration of the earth’s environment, which is why it is essential for business owners to introduce environmentally friendly processes within their workplaces. Making your business environmentally friendly is not only good for conserving nature but also for your prosperity in terms of conservation of resources as well as reduction of wastage.

First, always ensure that all taps are properly turned off after use. Did you know that just a drop of water wasted every second equates to a thousand liters wasted per year? It is also advisable to put in place displacement toilet dams inside the toilet reservoirs. This would enable the cutting down of amount of water used annually.

Give email communications a priority and only use offline documents when absolutely necessary. Also, encourage the use of fax modem as it enables the direct sending of documents from your computer without printing. Only use the fax cover sheet when it is really needed. If you do need to print documents, make sure you make the most of your paper resources. It saves a lot to print on both sides of the paper as it will cut down the paper usage and consequently the number of trees being cut.

Consider the refurbishment of the present office furniture instead of placing an order for new ones. It is not only much cheaper to refurbish but also saves the destruction of more trees. Whenever making a purchase, it is also a good practice to choose those suppliers who collects the packaging for reuse.

One of the ways in which you can ensure that less energy is used in the form of transportation is by selecting suppliers who operate within your locality. Also give a priority to papers with the highest possible amount of recycled substance. Finally, make it your habit to turn off all your equipment whenever you are not using them. In a normal office environment, these equipment would include computers, photocopiers, printers and faxes. Did you know that this practice could lead to reduction of energy usage for up to 25 percent?

Picture copyright: Sergio Dona

When it comes to disposing of ink and toner cartridges in a safe way, first we must look at what ‘in a safe way’ really means. Ultimately, this involves keeping the cartridges away from our environment, which is increasingly challenged by human wastage. As they are often made from plastics that are non-biodegradable, discarded ink cartridges frequently end up on landfill sites, where they will remain, essentially, forever. The world can only hold so much trash so we must step it up when it comes to recycling.

The Possibilities

There are many companies who have taken to the Internet to make disposing of ink and toner cartridges both safe and easy. Usually the process will begin with you applying for envelopes or boxes that can be returned to the company free of charge. Once these arrive you send off your used cartridges and the rest is taken care of by the company. Simple.

Some stores will also have deposit schemes and you can make disposing of cartridges a part of your daily routine if you prefer. As if ease and simplicity weren’t enough incentive, many companies and stores offering these services will also offer financial rewards for personal gain or donations to a charity of your choice.

Some Advice

One thing to be aware of when disposing of ink and toner cartridges is the type of cartridge you use as some companies will only accept particular brands. A quick search through the available companies on the Internet should be all it takes to navigate your way around this issue.

If you prefer to drop them off at a store you may need to do a little research as to which stores participate in this type of programme. Again, an Internet search or a few phone calls will sort this out and you may find better deals this way.

Whichever way you choose to do it, recycling ink cartridges saves on the resources used to make them in the first place and lessens the burden on landfill sites. Recycling cartridges – safe, simple and easy.

Picture copyright: luchschen@web.de

The increased rate of global warming worldwide has made it necessary for people to look for ways to reduce their personal impacts on the environment. The most effective way to achieve this is to decrease the size of your “carbon footprint”, which will involve small, but significant lifestyle changes.

What is your carbon footprint?

An individual’s Carbon footprint is defined by the total amount of greenhouse gases they use every single day. This includes driving your car, using electricity and using harmful chemicals (such as cleaning products).

Use less electricity

One of the ways to reduce your carbon footprint is by minimizing the amount of electricity that is used in your home and office. This can be achieved by using energy saving light bulbs rather than standard bulbs. These bulbs use up to 75% less energy. Family members also need to be advised to switch lights off in their rooms when going out. Unplugging electronics when they are not in use can also help reduce greenhouse gases emitted to the atmosphere.

Drive with friends

The method that we use to travel also can contribute to carbon footprint. If people can start using public transport, greenhouse gases can be reduced greatly. Personal vehicles are really inefficient since they are used by single passengers and they use fuel that pollutes the environment. If you can decide to use the same car with your friends and colleagues to travel to work it will help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that is emitted to the atmosphere since only one vehicle is being used. Flying can also be replaced by using public buses and train to travel.

Plant more trees

Planting trees is another great way to reduce carbon footprint. Trees play a major role in reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which they use to make their food. Nowadays people worldwide are advised to plant more trees each day to reduce greenhouse gases.

Reduce, reuse and recycle

Another tip that can help reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted to the environment is by reducing the amount of plastics that we use, reuse these plastic materials and recycle. Making efforts to recycle plastic materials instead of buying new one contributes greatly in reducing carbon footprint.

Let’s all work together to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Earth is in great danger and immediate action need to be taken to curb the amount of carbon dioxide emitted to the environment.

Picture copyright: Thaut Images – Fotolia

For people who live in areas with high flood risk, personal preparation is perhaps the key to evading a major disaster. It is best to take suitable steps to ensure family safety and minimize loss of property in case a flood should hit your home. Just by following some basic safety guidelines, your home and family will be prepared when the water hits your doorstep.

Important Steps to Mitigate the Hazards of Floods

There are a number of steps you need to take if you live in an area susceptible to flooding, but the first and most significant is to stay informed about the risks of flooding in your region. It is possible to find out from the local Red Cross or the emergency management office if there are any imminent risks. The higher the risk, the more imperative it is to be ready for any such emergency. You should also have flood insurance in place to ensure economic safety.

The National Weather Service regularly declares different degrees of watches and warnings and you need to keep an eye out for these. It is vital to know that floods can develop over few hours or a few days, so don’t get complacent. It is also possible to have a flash flood situation which develops in a few minutes or hours.

Keep a disaster kit ready with items including first aid kit, essential medications, canned or long lasting food in packets and bottled drinking water. All things which are precious or you hold sacred should be moved to higher grounds. Once you have secured all valuables get ready to evacuate.

During and after a Flood

When your area is flooded, monitor the news regularly and remain in a safe place. It is important to keep away from flood water and drinking flood water should be completely avoided.

Once the water recedes contact your insurance company. All windows and doors should be opened to air the house and dehumidifiers should be turned on. If possible dry and disinfect wet objects immediately. Call water damage restoration experts if there is extensive water damage in the house.

Picture copyright: djano – Fotolia