Want your children and their children and so forth to be able to experience coral reefs?

Climate change is having an enormous effect on our planet. If no action is taken, coral reefs will disappear from the Coral Triangle by the end of the century. This will greatly influence the region’s ability to feed it’s people and the livelihoods of these people will be either lost or severely damaged.

The Coral Triangle accounts for just one per cent of the earth’s surface, yet includes 30 per cent of the world’s coral reefs, 76 per cent of its reef building coral species and more than 35 per cent of its coral reef fish species as well as spawning grounds for other economically important fish such as tuna, sustaining the lives of more than 100 million people.

However, there is still hope. Economic growth, food security and natural environments can be spared by significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions

Coral reefs aren't just pretty decoration, without them millions of people will lose their livelihoods and food sources will shrink.

Yet, even with such reductions, communities will face loss of coral, sea level rises, increased storm activity, severe droughts and reduced food availability from coastal fisheries. However, these communities will remain reasonably intact. Ultimately, reducing greenhouse gas emissions will obviously be the best way to sustain both these environments and communities.

Thinking of switching to solar energy? Take these steps first.

Looking to make the switch to Solar Energy? Start-up costs may be discouraging, but they don’t need to be. The primary reason a solar power system can be so expensive is because of bad energy usage habits. People often don’t realize how much energy they are actually consuming before they take a good, hard look at it. So, before you make the admirable switch over to solar energy, try to lower your energy consumption with a few simple, life-style changes.

1. Check insulation
Gaps under doors or in windows can greatly increase heating and cooling costs.

2. Replace old appliances
Older appliances are not as energy efficient and should be removed or replaced.

3. Unplug anything you aren’t using
Anything that is plugged in will use energy, so make sure to unplug any items not currently in use.

4. Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes

5. Look for the ENERGY STAR label on home appliances and products
ENERGY STAR products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.

These are just three options to help you decrease your energy usage. With time and experience, you can easily become an energy efficiency pro. Who knows, solar energy may be an part of your future after all.

American Apparel Organics:

Finished without the use of optical brighteners (bleach)
Scoured for necessity to remove excess contaminants (dirt, natural waxes, oils)
4.3 oz. 100% ultra-fine combed organic ring-spun jersey
Made in America (downtown Los Angeles)

Could sea-based nurseries be a solution to developing alternative energy sources?

Like coffee, algae is currently being explored as a biofuel.  Recently, NASA has been getting in on the act. NASA wants to farm algae at sea for multiple reasons. Benefits to this plan include the fact that algae is oil-rich and easy to grow, that ocean nurseries leave land free for food production and that process should take out more carbon than it contributes from the environment. Another benefit is that this process purifies waste water pumped into the ocean.

Algae is typically grown in a bioreactor. NASA is currently exploring other environments in which to grow algae.

Algae is typically grown outdoors in large tanks of moving water, or inside bioreactors. The plants produce far more oil per acre than other biofuel products as soybeans. One problem, however, with algae farming is efficiently draining the water in which the algae grows.

Jonathan Trent, a researcher at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California plans to to grow freshwater algae in nutrient-rich waste water inside semi-permeable plastic membranes. The membranes will keep salt water out so that it cannot kill the plants. The waves will keep the algae mixed and thriving. This process also treats sewage water. The plastic bags are recycled once the algae has been harvested.

This proposition has already has been tested in laboratories, partially supported by $400,000 from Google for NASA sustainable energy projects. Meanwhile, the city of Santa Cruz expressed support for letting its municipal waste water be used in a pilot demonstration project in the Pacific Ocean, Trent said. Currently the project is being considered for an $800,000 alternative energy grant from the state of California.

However, this idea has never been done before, other than laboratory experiments and the Santa Cruz pilot. Several problems face this concept. One problem is that it will take a large amount of algae to replace traditional oil sources, perhaps more than can be produced. In addition, treated waste water probably wouldn’t have enough nutrients to grow algae, and untreated waste water could pose a threat if the membrane rip. Algae farms could also be an issue for boaters.

Only time will tell how effective algae farming will be.

Overwhelmed with plastics? Don't be! Recycling plastics is easier than once thought.

Do you often find yourself wanting to recycle but not knowing which types of plastic can be recycled? If so, you are not alone. There is a lot of confusion in regards to which plastics can be recycled and which cannot. However, recycling plastics does not have to be difficult, in fact, there is a simple trick to help you determine if a type of plastic can be recycled.

There exists a symbol code with a single digit ranging from 1 to 7 and surrounded by a triangle of arrows. This symbol was designed by The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) in 1988 to allow consumers and recyclers to differentiate types of plastics while providing a uniform coding system. 39 U.S. states now require to be imprinted on all eight-ounce to five-gallon containers that can accept the mark.

1.
The easiest plastics to recycle are made polyethylene terephthalate (PETE) and is classified as “1″. Examples include soda and water bottles, medicine containers, and many other common consumer product containers. Once recycled this plastic can be used for fiberfill for winter coats, sleeping bags and life jackets, bean bags, rope, car bumpers, tennis ball felt, combs, cassette tapes, sails for boats, furniture and other plastic bottles.

2.
Number 2 is reserved for high-density polyethylene plastics such as heavier containers that hold laundry detergents and bleaches as well as milk, shampoo and motor oil. Plastic labeled with the number 2 is often recycled into toys, piping, plastic lumber and rope. Both plastics labeled 1and 2 are widely accepted at recycling centers.

3.
Polyvinyl chloride, commonly used in plastic pipes, shower curtains, medical tubing, vinyl dashboards, and even some baby bottle nipples is classified as number 3.

4.
Number 4 plastics include wrapping films, grocery and sandwich bags, and other containers made of low-density polyethylene.

5.
Number 5 plastics include polypropylene containers used in Tupperware, among other products.

Plastics classified as 3,4,or 5 are rarely accepted by recycling centers because they often cannot be recycled.

6.
Plastics numbered 6 are composed of polystyrene (Styrofoam) and include coffee cups, disposable cutlery, meat trays, packing “peanuts” and insulation. They are widely accepted because they can be reprocessed into many items, including cassette tapes and rigid foam insulation

7.
These are the most difficult to recycle and therefore are rarely collected or recycled. One option for this plastics is to return them to the product manufacturers to avoid contributing to the local waste stream, and to put the burden on the makers to recycle the items.

Coffee fuels you every morning, could it fuel your car as well?

Most of us drink coffee daily. It wakes us up and helps us start our day. Could it help us start our car too?

According to theAmerican Chemical Society used coffee grounds can be used as sources of bio fuel. The grounds contain a huge amount of oil, and can be used further after the oil has been extracted. The dried grounds can become fuel pellets for stoves, be converted to ethanol or be used as compost, therefore eliminating all waste. The antioxidants in coffee help to prevent the coffee-based bio fuels from going bad, giving the grounds a longer shelf-life than most bio fuels.

Growers produce nearly 16 billion pounds of coffee each year, providing ample supply of the potential bio fuel. As of now, most of this ends up in the trash or being used as a soil conditioner. Bio fuels have become increasingly popular. The idea is that making fuel from plants, which absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, will produce fewer emissions than burning fossil fuels. Production of bio fuel from used coffee grounds would be best suited to large scale production rather than individual production. Researchers have estimated it to cost about $1 per gallon to make in a medium-sized installation. If companies such as Starbucks, Peet’s, and other coffee shops were to donate the grounds from the mass amounts of coffee they produce each year, there’s no telling how much fuel could be obtained.

As this is a relatively new idea, there are no general companies or institutions to donate these used grounds to for fuel. Your best bet for now is to use these grounds as compost until coffee grounds can more readily be used for bio fuel.

Stay cool this summer while reducing energy costs and climate change.

Want to stay cool this summer and help the environment? Read below for more details!

With summer on its way, expenses for cooling are bound to increase. With this comes a higher rate of greenhouse gas emission.The Environmental Protection Agency has just released several tips to help Americans reduce both energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions by one third through Energy Star. Summer cooling is both costly and wasteful. Following these tips will help you reduce expenses and benefit the environment.

Here are several helpful tips to save energy and fight climate change released by the EPA:
* Set your programmable thermostat to save while you are away or asleep. Using it properly can save up to $180 per year in energy costs.

* Run ceiling fans in a clockwise direction to create a wind-chill effect that will make you “feel” cooler. Remember that ceiling fans cool people, not rooms — so turn them off when you leave the room.

* Inspect your duct system for obvious signs of leaks and disconnections (most houses leak 20 percent or more). Seal any leaks with foil tape or a special sealant called “duct mastic.” Also consider insulating ducts in unconditioned areas (like the attic, basement or crawlspace).

* Seal air leaks around your home to keep the heat out and the cool air in. The biggest air leaks are usually found in the attic or basement, but also come in around doors, windows, vents, pipes and electrical outlets. Use caulk, spray foam or weather stripping to seal the leaks. And add more insulation to keep your home cooler this summer.

* Maintain your cooling system. Check your system’s air filter every month at a minimum and change the filter every 3 months. Remove leaves, dirt and other debris from around the outdoor components to improve air flow and efficiency. Have a qualified professional tune-up your system with a pre-season maintenance checkup and, if it’s time to replace your old system, look for models that have earned EPA’s Energy Star.

* Turn off office lights and equipment when not in use so they don’t generate unnecessary heat.

* Replace incandescent light bulbs in your desk lamp with Energy Star qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs which use two-thirds less energy and generate less heat than conventional bulbs.

To learn more, visit Energy Star

According to Population Connection, population growth since 1950 is a key force behind the destruction of 80 percent of rain forests, the loss of countless plant and wildlife species, an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and an upsurge in commercialization of up to half the earth (1).

What can be done to counteract the harm our growing population rate is having on the earth? Can anything be done to curb population growth? By providing contraceptives such as birth control to developing countries, the increasing population rate could be slowed. Developing countries such as India and Africa tend to have high population counts due to a lack of access to birth control and cultural practices and traditions that encourage women to have many children. Making birth control available to these women could help control the growth of population and therefore have a positive effect on the environment.

High consumption is another cause of resource depletion and other environmental problems. Americans, who represent only 4 percent of world population, consume 25 percent of all resources (1). Industrialization also adds to an increase in greenhouse gas emission, climate change, etc.

By better managing our consumption of resources and our population rate we will be able to contribute positively to our world, rather than causing harm to it.

1.http://environment.about.com/od/biodiversityconservation/a/population_grow.htm