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How to Save the Environment at Home

Turn off appliances when you are not using them. Up to 30% of power used by TV's is used while they are turned off, so buy power strips and just flip the switch on the power strip, because they use far less energy while turned off.


Lower the thermostat by a few degrees in winter. An extra layer or blanket will not only keep you cozy but will help to reduce your electricity bill significantly.


Make sure that the house is fully insulated. Insulation keeps the heat and cool on the correct side of your living space. Consider not only the ceiling but also the walls and under the floors.


Try to Use LED Bulbs which will reduce the power usage.

Try to use 5 star rating home appliances/fans/geyser etc these also will save lots of power and enarge.
 

Use windows to regulate the temperature.

• Keep windows and doors closed properly to avoid the loss of heat in winter.
  
• Open the windows in summer. The cross breeze will often keep you cool and flushes out stale air (indoor air is often more highly polluted than the air outside). Importantly, the use of fresh air to cycle through your home saves the cost of running an air conditioner.

Turn off the lights. Always turn off the lights when you are not using them. Rooms that are lit with nobody in them are wasteful.

Buy rechargeable batteries for devices used frequently.

@ Kitchen 

Avoid Creating Trash. Avoid disposable products, such as plates, cups, napkins and cutlery. Use reusable towels and dishwashing cloths in place of paper towels and disposable dish sponges.

Update your refrigerator. Fridges are the most energy intensive appliance in a house. This means that a poorly maintained and energy inefficient fridge is costing you money, let alone adding its burden to the atmosphere. Recent fridges use 40% less energy than fridges of 10 years ago. If you do decide to upgrade the fridge, make sure that you buy for its excellent energy rating, longevity and durability and that you have the old fridge recycled

Prefer showers over baths. Showers use less water. Don't forget to install an efficient showerhead

Install low-flush toilets in your home. These use 1.6 gallons per flush, instead of 3.5 gallons, cutting water 

consumption by more than half.

@ Office 

Use recycled paper in your home office and printer. Double side your printing and give scrap paper to the kids or turn it into note paper for the phone table.

Turn off the computer every day. Even if it feels like it is not making much of a difference, it is. You also reduce any risks of overheating or shortcircuiting by turning computers off overnight.

Plant native species. They need less watering, are hardier (hence, less products needed to protect them) and they attract the local wildlife.

source: http://www.wikihow.com/Save-the-Environment-at-Home

Top 10 Things You Can Do to Reduce Global Warming

Burning fossil fuels such as natural gas, coal, oil and gasoline raises the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and carbon dioxide is a major contributor to the greenhouse effect and global warming.

You can help to reduce the demand for fossil fuels, which in turn reduces global warming, by using energy more wisely. Here are 10 simple actions you can take to help reduce global warming.

1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Do your part to reduce waste by choosing reusable products instead of disposables. Buying products with minimal packaging (including the economy size when that makes sense for you) will help to reduce waste. And whenever you can, recycle paper, plastic, newspaper, glass and aluminum cans. If there isn't a recycling program at your workplace, school, or in your community, ask about starting one. By recycling half of your household waste, you can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.

2. Use Less Heat and Air Conditioning

Adding insulation to your walls and attic, and installing weather stripping or caulking around doors and windows can lower your heating costs more than 25 percent, by reducing the amount of energy you need to heat and cool your home.

Turn down the heat while you're sleeping at night or away during the day, and keep temperatures moderate at all times. Setting your thermostat just 2 degrees lower in winter and higher in summer could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year.

3. Change a Light Bulb

Wherever practical, replace regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. Replacing just one 60-watt incandescent light bulb with a CFL will save you $30 over the life of the bulb. CFLs also last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, use two-thirds less energy, and give off 70 percent less heat.

If every U.S. family replaced one regular light bulb with a CFL, it would eliminate 90 billion pounds of greenhouse gases, the same as taking 7.5 million cars off the road.

4. Drive Less and Drive Smart

Less driving means fewer emissions. Besides saving gasoline, walking and biking are great forms of exercise. Explore your community mass transit system, and check out options for carpooling to work or school.

When you do drive, make sure your car is running efficiently. For example, keeping your tires properly inflated can improve your gas mileage by more than 3 percent. Every gallon of gas you save not only helps your budget, it also keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

5. Buy Energy-Efficient Products

When it's time to buy a new car, choose one that offers good gas mileage. Home appliances now come in a range of energy-efficient models, and compact florescent bulbs are designed to provide more natural-looking light while using far less energy than standard light bulbs.

Avoid products that come with excess packaging, especially molded plastic and other packaging that can't be recycled. If you reduce your household garbage by 10 percent, you can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.

6. Use Less Hot Water

Set your water heater at 120 degrees to save energy, and wrap it in an insulating blanket if it is more than 5 years old. Buy low-flow showerheads to save hot water and about 350 pounds of carbon dioxide yearly. Wash your clothes in warm or cold water to reduce your use of hot water and the energy required to produce it. That change alone can save at least 500 pounds of carbon dioxide annually in most households. Use the energy-saving settings on your dishwasher and let the dishes air-dry.

7. Use the "Off" Switch

Save electricity and reduce global warming by turning off lights when you leave a room, and using only as much light as you need. And remember to turn off your television, video player, stereo and computer when you're not using them.

It's also a good idea to turn off the water when you're not using it. While brushing your teeth, shampooing the dog or washing your car, turn off the water until you actually need it for rinsing. You'll reduce your water bill and help to conserve a vital resource.

8. Plant a Tree

If you have the means to plant a tree, start digging. During photosynthesis, trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. They are an integral part of the natural atmospheric exchange cycle here on Earth, but there are too few of them to fully counter the increases in carbon dioxide caused by automobile traffic, manufacturing and other human activities. A single tree will absorb approximately one ton of carbon dioxide during its lifetime.

9. Get a Report Card from Your Utility Company

Many utility companies provide free home energy audits to help consumers identify areas in their homes that may not be energy efficient. In addition, many utility companies offer rebate programs to help pay for the cost of energy-efficient upgrades.

10. Encourage Others to Conserve

Share information about recycling and energy conservation with your friends, neighbors and co-workers, and take opportunities to encourage public officials to establish programs and policies that are good for the environment.

These 10 steps will take you a long way toward reducing your energy use and your monthly budget. And less energy use means less dependence on the fossil fuels that create greenhouse gases and contribute to global warming.

source:http://environment.about.com/od/globalwarming/tp/globalwarmtips.htm
Cracking the AP Environmental Science Exam, 2010 Edition (College Test Preparation)

Ten Commandments for the Environment: Pope Benedict XVI Speaks Out for Creation and Justice

Save Water (Environment Action!)

Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai will sink

Major study doubles sea level rise projections

Days before the Copenhagen conference on climate change kicks off, a major study by a group of 100 international scientists has said that sea

levels are likely to rise by as much as 1.4 metres (more than 4 feet) by the end of this century. That's twice as much as previously predicted in IPCC's fourth assessment report of 2007.

The report released by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) is the first comprehensive review of the impact of global warming on Antarctica. The IPCC's 2007 report had projected that sea-levels could rise by 18cm to 59cm by 2099. Subsequent studies of glacial melts in Greenland and Antarctica had raised fears that sea rise could be much higher than that.

``We can see the west Antarctic glaciers are shrinking at a rate fast enough to contribute to a sea level rise of 1.4 m by 2100, but it will be no more than that,'' SCAR executive director Colin Summerhayes told reporters at a media briefing in London.

If these projections come true, most areas in low-lying island nations like the Maldives would go under the sea. Based on earlier studies, the UN's environmental panel has already warned that sea levels would be high enough to make the Maldives uninhabitable by 2100. The new study also significantly enhances the threat to the Indian coast — and cities like Mumbai, Chennai and the low-lying Kolkata.

``Anybody who lives in coastal cities needs to be slightly worried by projections of 1 metre or more,'' Summerhayes said.

Since 1870, global sea level has risen by about 20cm at an average rate of 1.7 mm/year. But in recent decades, the rate has risen sharply to 2.5mm/year, according to the latest figures. The rise in sea level is mainly a result of thermal expansion of the ocean due to global warming as well as increased water inflows from melting glaciers and ice caps.

The reports says that central Antarctica, that has so far been protected from warming due to a hole in the ozone layer, will also see the full effects of greenhouse gas increases as the ozone hole heals.

The scientists found that there has been significant thinning of the west Antarctic ice sheet and 90% of glaciers across the Antarctic peninsula had retreated over recent decades. But the bulk of the Antarctic ice sheet has shown little change over recent decades.

However, the report says, historically, small-scale climate variability has caused rapid ice loss, shifts in ocean and atmospheric circulation in the continent. This shows Antarctica is highly sensitive to even minor climate changes. It says studies of sediments under recently lost ice shelves suggest ice shelf loss in some regions is unprecedented during this time scale.

Simple ideas to save our environment

Simple ideas to save our environment

Using home water instead of plastic bottle

Hi there..it will be better to use home water! There was a lot of plastic waste and energy consumption into making plastic bottles (also for recycle them)

Please donnot purchase water bottle when travel, instead of that please use home water to reduce the plastic waste

If you purchase water bottle every time when you travel, our earth will become earth of plastic

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) are seen as an environmentally friendly product compared to incandescent lamps. According to the Department of Energy, CFLs use approximately 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs to produce the same light output, yet can last up to 15 times longer.

Switch off your Mobile phone chargers when you unplug the charger from phone and switch off your lights and fan when you leave the room. When not using your computer frequently and you want the computer to be on, just switch off the monitor and donot use stand by mode

Think before you print - save energy and paper

A Letter from CPU

I am with you all day long, whenever you look at me, i do give a bright radiation in response, i don’t mind you being with me for more than 11 hrs on some days though i don’t understand y u stare at me continuously. Still i continue to expect you to be back and stare at me when u go for your tea breaks, lunch / dinner but sometimes you don’t tell me that you are leaving home and i end up waiting for you to be back for a long time. Sometimes even 2 or more days. My vision and brain get tired. Please switch me off when you leave for the day so that i will be able to get up cheerfully to welcome you when you wake me up the next morning.

From the heart of computer

Yours sincerely,

your System's CPU :-)

Note: "Let your computer too have its nights and weekends.".

Start today!! Do switch off your CPU’s towards end of the day everyday!

1. Save energy to save money.

• Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer to save on heating and cooling costs.
• Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) when your older incandescent bulbs burn out.
• Unplug appliances when you're not using them. Or, use a "smart" power strip that senses when appliances are off and cuts "phantom" or "vampire" energy use.
• Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.
• Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying.

2. Save water to save money.

• Take shorter showers to reduce water use. This will lower your water and heating bills too.
• Install a low-flow showerhead. They don't cost much, and the water and energy savings can quickly pay back your investment.
• Make sure you have a faucet aerator on each faucet. These inexpensive appliances conserve heat and water, while keeping water pressure high.
• Plant drought-tolerant native plants in your garden. Many plants need minimal watering. Find out which occur naturally in your area.

3. Less gas = more money (and better health!).

• Walk or bike to work. This saves on gas and parking costs while improving your cardiovascular health and reducing your risk of obesity.
• Consider telecommuting if you live far from your work. Or move closer. Even if this means paying more rent, it could save you money in the long term.
• Lobby your local government to increase spending on sidewalks and bike lanes. With little cost, these improvements can pay huge dividends in bettering your health and reducing traffic.

4. Skip the bottled water.

• Use a water filter to purify tap water instead of buying bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive, but it generates large amounts of container waste.
• Bring a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminum rather than plastic, with you when traveling or at work.
• Check out this short article for the latest on bottled water trends.

5. Think before you buy.

• Go online to find new or gently used secondhand products. Whether you've just moved or are looking to redecorate, consider a service like craigslist orFreeSharing to track down furniture, appliances, and other items cheaply or for free.
• Check out garage sales, thrift stores, and consignment shops for clothing and other everyday items.
• When making purchases, make sure you know what's "Good Stuff" and what isn't.
• Watch a video about what happens when you buy things. Your purchases have a real impact, for better or worse.

6. Borrow instead of buying.

• Borrow from libraries instead of buying personal books and movies. This saves money, not to mention the ink and paper that goes into printing new books.
• Share power tools and other appliances. Get to know your neighbors while cutting down on the number of things cluttering your closet or garage.

7. Buy smart.

• Buy in bulk. Purchasing food from bulk bins can save money and packaging.
• Wear clothes that don't need to be dry-cleaned. This saves money and cuts down on toxic chemical use.
• Invest in high-quality, long-lasting products. You might pay more now, but you'll be happy when you don't have to replace items as frequently (and this means less waste!).

8. Keep electronics out of the trash.

• Keep your cell phones, computers, and other electronics as long as possible.
• Donate or recycle them responsibly when the time comes. E-waste contains mercury and other toxics and is a growing environmental problem.
• Recycle your cell phone.
• Ask your local government to set up an electronics recycling and hazardous waste collection event.

9. Make your own cleaning supplies.

• The big secret: you can make very effective, non-toxic cleaning products whenever you need them. All you need are a few simple ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon, and soap.
• Making your own cleaning products saves money, time, and packaging-not to mention your indoor air quality.

Avoid using use and throw glasses

We should all avoid using Use and Throw glasses for serving water and juices. Rather we should replace those with Steel tumbles. People call these as Disposable Glasses but these are non bio-degradable. I have attached the image.

Stop Global Warming

Problem----We are all personally responsible for releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels for transportation (driving and flying) and home energy (electricity, heating, and cooling). This leads to global warming, which is destroying Earth's biodiversity and native ecosystems.

Solutions

1. Reduce your use of fossil fuels
2. Protect native forests as "carbon storehouses"
3. Help plant native trees in urban and deforested areas

Benefits of planting native trees

1. They help stop global warming by reducing greenhouse gases
2. They reduce soil erosion and water pollution
3. They provide habitat for native wildlife (including songbirds)
4. They improve human health by producing oxygen and improving air quality
5. They reduce home energy needs by providing shade in summer and a windbreak in winter

Facts about the benefits provided by planting one tree

1. Absorbs over a ton of harmful greenhouse gases over its lifetime (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
2. Produces enough oxygen for four people every day (Tree Canada Foundation)
3. Provides the equivalent cooling effect of ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
4. Provides an estimated $273 of environmental benefits in every year of its life (American Forests)

Say No To Plastic Bags

Say No To Plastic Bags

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Say No! - to Plastic Bags

Say No! - to Plastic Bags

By

V.KRISHNA MOORTHY

WHAT ARE PLASTICS?

Plastics are synthetic substances produced by chemical reactions. Almost all plastics are made from petroleum, except a few experimental resins derived from corn and other organic substances.

"Plastics" derived their name from their properties to be molded, cast, extruded or processed into a variety of forms, including solid objects, films and filaments. These properties arise from their molecular structure. Plastics are polymers, very long chain molecules that consist of subunits (monomers) linked together by chemical bonds. The monomers of petrochemical plastics are inorganic materials (such as styrene) and are not biodegradable.

Plastic has many properties which has made it a raw material of choice for Manufactures of plastic Bags and packing materials. Cost of production, light

weight, strength, easy process of manufacture, and availability are few of the properties. There is nothing wrong with plastic as a material. Man has simply not put the plastic to the right use/ or using it without taking proper care of other related norms of usage.

PLASTIC AS PACKING MATERIAL

Plastic has replaced the traditional material ( paper/cloth etc) as packing and carry bags because of cost and convenience which is possibly a wrong choice of material for such use. Even though plastic bags can preserve food and can be used for growing vegetables in a controlled environment, their method of disposal has creates unprecedented pollution problem.

Plastic has many more uses other than Plastic Bags and Packing material. It is used for manufacturing of protective covers and parts for many machines, which should be the preferred utility for plastic.

SHOPPING CULTURE IN EARLIER DAYS ( Pre Plastic age 1970 + )

Before the advent of poly-bags, people did shop, buy things, bring eatables from the market, and did the same marketing as is done now. How did they did it? The raw material for the bag was decided by its usage. Cloth bags for lighter items, Gunny bags/Jute bags for voluminous and heavier goods. The cost did not justify use and discard attitude. These bags were washable and reusable lasting for six months to a year.

PLASTIC HAZARDS

The hazards plastics pose are numerous. The land gets littered by plastic bag garbage presenting an ugly and unhygienic seen. The "Throw away culture" results in these bags finding their way in to the city drainage system, the resulting blockage cases inconvenience, difficult in maintaining the drainage with increased cost, creates unhygienic environment resulting in health hazard and spreading of water borne diseases. This littering also reduces rate of rain water percolating, resulting in lowering of already low water levels in our cities. The soil fertility deteriorates as the plastic bags form part of manure remain in the soil for years.

It has been observed that the animals eating the bags sometimes die. Plastic goes into the ocean which is already a plastic infested body of water. Fish and other marine species in the water ways, misunderstanding plastic garbage as food items swallow them and die.

SHOULD PLASTIC BE TOTALLY BANNED?

Many household utility items like needle, scissors, blades can heart if not handled properly. Children need to be trained in their proper handling. These utility items are not banned. But because of throw away culture and no objection from passer by, the advise on sensible disposal of plastic bags are not heeded by general public forcing the government to consider banning of plastic bags all together.

"Should plastic carry bags and bottles be banned in totality?" - is a heated issue today. Average Indian uses one kilogram (kg) of plastics per year, the world annual average is a alarming 18 kg. But too many do it as our cities have huge population. The country yet to take a serious view of the issue and have a uniform nation-wide law for indiscreet disposals of plastic bags. People should be educated on the proper ways of plastic bag usage and the disposal. The teaching should start right from the primary schools.

"Plastic is an eco-friendly material. The real problem is littering", some claim. But there is hardly anybody who agrees with such viewpoint.

Thinking rationally, the whole idea of educating people about plastic bags, although very ambitious, and it is as difficult as banning smoking The conventional older and tested alternatives offers an easy, if not fully equitable and practical solution.

And all the hype that poly-bags pollute is not totally false. It is not that poly-bags are responsible for the ills, of course not, it is the humans. It is ignorance ( or who cares attitude). We have not banned sewing needles they pierce through the skin. It's a stupid idea. Whether it is the common citizen, the government official or the hard-hit plastic bag manufacturer, all of them agree on one point - firm steps are required to be taken against littering of plastic bags and bottles all around.

THE GLOBAL DIMENSION

More than a 100 million tonnes of plastic is produced world-wide each year. Though plastics have opened the way for a plethora of new inventions and devices it has also ended up clogging the drains and becoming a health hazard. Many countries, including India, are trying to increase the amount of plastic that is recycled. But commercial interests create hindrance for effective legislation to remove plastics from goods where they can threaten public health. Also there is a clear trend of shipping off the plastic waste of developed countries to under developed and developing countries. India imported 7,841.8 metric tonnes of plastic waste from the US in the first half of 1994. India is the fourth highest Asian importer of plastic waste behind Hong Kong, Philippines, Indonesia.

FUTURE ALTERNATIVE - ECO-FRIENDLY PLASTICS

However newer technology is also being developed in this regard. This entails the use of DEGRADABLE PLASTICS. The principal is to incorporate into the plastic some chemical that is photodegradable/biodegradable or chemically treatable.

By adding starch, biodegradable plastics are generally made. On burial such plastics are attacked by bacteria feeding on starch, which breaks these down into tiny particles that disappear harmlessly into the soil. Some common examples of biodegradable plastics are the use of "non-removable" suture materials in surgery or capsules for drugs, which dissolve slowly in body fluids.

Chemically degradable plastics can be broken up by spraying them with a solution that causes them to dissolve. For example such material can be used as a protective wax covering for new cars, that washes off at the dealer's garage by a specially formulated spray. This spray reacts with one of the components of the plastic and causes it to dissolve into harmless materials which can be flushed down the drain.

Photo-degradable plastics contain chemicals that slowly disintegrate when exposed to light. In France, strips of photo-degradable plastic about 3 ft (1mtr) wide are used to retain heat in the soil and produce early crops. They last for about 1 to 3 years before rotting into the soil. But they have to be used in places with consistent amount of sunshine so that they decay at a predictable rate. In the USA, about one quarter of the plastic yokes that link beer cans in a six pack are made of plastic called Ecolyte, which is photo-degradable. But to stop them decaying too early, they must be stored away from direct sunlight, which can be of some inconvenience to the retailer.

However degradable plastic can have a few other problems. For example, it cannot be recycled because there is no easy way to measure it's remaining life span. The biggest drawback is the cost of it's production. Japanese scientists however claim that they will soon be able to produce much cheaper multipurpose biodegradable plastic. In order to obviate the disposal problems and to prevent

Environmental pollution caused by routinely used polythene packaging materials, it would be prudent , for the present, to use eco-friendly paper packaging. The manufacturers of plastic packaging like soft drink bottles/mineral water bottles etc must come forward and develop appropriate methods of disposal/own responsibility for disposal.

A ban on plastic bags (below 20 microns) has already been imposed by various states and also in a few towns and districts in India. It is going to extend this to other parts of the country also.

Plastic bags are so light and strong that they can carry normal weight, cheap and is used in all types of shops in our daily life. For example: bakeries, medical shops, grocery stores, hotels, etc. People are so accustomed to it, that they find it very difficult to part with it. Plastic bags have made it possible for people to go without bags to market or work place as these bags are availably for asking and can be thrown without a second thought.

People who go on picnics, visiting historic places, hill stations etc., to enjoy their holidays or just for a change carry with them eatables in containers, plastic bags, mineral water bottles (plastic), plastic plates and plastic cups and generally leave it in the open air after consuming the contents. One can find this in tourist centres scattered all over. Road-side vendors also use plastic cups to serve coffee or tea. The customers throw these cups on foot paths or near drains after consuming the contents.

These plastic materials are so light that they are carried away by the speed of the moving vehicle, wind etc., scattered all over, making the surroundings look ugly. There are instances wherein these materials have clogged the underground drains. People are in the habit of throwing things they don't need wherever they like irrespective of the final result. People should be specially educated regarding the use of plastic in our daily life, as it is environment unfriendly. Boys and girls, men and women with bags on their backs and a stick in one hand walking long distances, picking up plastic waste, paper, bottles etc., from dust bins, road sides, is a common sight in Bangalore. These rag pickers sell the waste collected, to the collection centre to earn their livelihood. These materials are recycled. Bangalorians must be grateful to them, as they dispose off a part of non-degradable waste material, 'plastic', in particular. The BMP has given on contract basis, the cleaning of roads in residential areas and other parts of the city.

The waste materials collected are of all types including plastic materials, such as plastic bags, plastic cups, plastic bottles etc. Instead of carrying these wastes away, they are burnt on the road side polluting the area with thick smoke which produce toxic gases (because of burning of plastic material) posing a health hazard. Inhaling of such gases causes lung diseases and even cancer. They resort to burning of waste material with the main intention of reducing the number of trips a lorry has to take. Burning of waste material in public is a serious offence and violation of Corporation bylaws.

This should be properly monitored by the Health Department of the BMP and immediate action taken on violators. Arrangements must be made to segregate recycling items such as plastic, paper, glass etc. Leaves and other degradable waste can be converted into manure. While traveling in trains, we generally find coffee and tea being served in plastic cups (use and throw) which the traveling public after consuming it throw them away in village fields and field channels on the way. There is the likelihood of this collecting near the outlet of the channel obstructing the free flow of water into the fields. Plastic being non-degradable, when buried under the ground, arrest the percolation of water into the ground. Animals grazing in the field consuming this plastic waste along with grass cannot be ruled out. Now-a-days, in almost all functions, it has become a practice to use thin plastic sheets to cover the dining tables to give it a good look and also so that it is easy to clean the table, as left over can be removed by rolling the sheet at a stretch. These are thrown near the dust bin.

Besides this, thin plastic cups are also used for drinking water, which also finds a place in the dust bin. One can find near the dust bin, waiting slum children, crows, stray cows, dogs to share the leftovers. In this process, they fight amongst themselves and stray cows in majority of cases have consumed thin plastic sheets along with left over, leading to untold sufferings and also found dead on many occasions. It is therefore, suggested that a ban be placed on the use of plastic sheets, plastic cups, along with plastic bags. Plastic industries manufacturing plastic bags (below 20 microns) thin sheets, thin cups and thin bottles, should be informed about its ill-effects on the environment and advised not to manufacture such items.

If the industry is located in a residential area, action should be taken to shift it immediately. The factory management should take all measures to control the pollution created, within the stipulated norms by the KSPB and the pollution board should monitor it regularly. The public should be educated regarding littering dumping and unnecessary burning of wastes. The Health Department of the BMP, municipalities of cities and towns, Karnataka Pollution Board has a greater role to play in making Karnataka eco-friendly and a place to live in safely for the future generation.

THE SOLUTION

The solution lies in finding

1. alternative suitable for making Bags and packing material at competitive rate and convenience without having any negative aspect.
2. R&d to make plastic more environment friendly.
3. Educate users to the right disposal methods.
4. Reduce the no of users by reducing the population in the long run.
5. Process vegetable. etc to higher density so as to reduce the no of bags required to pack and carry. 6. Encourage reusable bags from traditional materials by suitable advertisements to make it fashionable. ( this may be the overwhelming factor in favour of traditional material). ( Ladies use bags made of snake skin/ rabbit skin/lion skin etc only for fashion and looks )
7. Cost of mfg bags with traditional material can be subsidized by printing advertisement on the bags.

In recent times due to widespread awareness drive by NGOS and government and to lesser extent by educational institutions has resulted in increasing the consciousness among few shopkeepers they have shifted back to the old system of wrapping up goods in paper bags or newspapers, Some people are slowly getting habituated to going to the market with cloth bags. Besides a few NGOs, even school students have come forward to take up a promotion campaign for the use of paper or cloth bags.

It has also been suggested "Rather than spending money on anti-plastic campaign, the authorities should gear up its machinery for effective waste management and disposal of plastic".

Unfortunately, many states do not have units to recycle the plastic while the plastic manufacturers are not prepared to take it up as a social responsibility.

The plastics industry is jumping on the "green" bandwagon with a new line of "environmentally safe" products. In reality, these products are no friend of the environment.

Each year, as industry produces more and more nonessential products individually and excessively packaged, we throw away more and more trash. To a large extent, our garbage problem is a result of a corporate ethic that puts profits before people -- and the environment. Industry is pushing disposability because it pays. Plastic razors can only be used a few times before disposal, then more must be bought, making the plastic and razor industries rich and happy. Appliances designed to become obsolete guarantee you'll have to buy new ones next year.

Over 84 percent (by weight) of municipal solid waste could be reused, recycled or composted instead of being buried or burned. An exception is plastic, which comprises about 7 percent by weight or 20 percent by volume of municipal solid waste. Due to technical and financial limitations, less than ten percent of plastic is currently "recycled." Furthermore, "plastic recycling" only defers the plastic disposal problem, since most plastic items can only be manufactured from virgin plastic. Recycled polystyrene foam (also known by the brand name Styrofoam) can be used to build marine docks but not to make a new polystyrene foam cup. New plastic will have to be produced from non-renewable oil stocks to make those cups, and eventually all the plastic will have to be disposed of.

The Plastic Panacea

In 1989, the U.S. used over twelve billion pounds of plastic for packaging designed to be thrown away as soon as the package is opened. In the 1990s, this figure doubled. Fortunately, more and more people are becoming aware of the damage plastic does to the environment. They are speaking out against it, protesting irresponsible industries and getting laws passed banning polystyrene and other plastics.

However, the plastic itself, which generally comprises over 90 percent of the material, is not biodegradable. Although so-called "biodegradable" plastic products typically contain chemicals that help them fragment, the additives do not render the plastic biodegradable.

The second technique is simply bad science. Manufacturers conclude from poorly designed tests that the actual plastic in a "degradable" plastic product is converted to fragments that can be consumed by microorganisms. Having examined data from actual tests of biodegradability, we only find evidence that plastics are not fully metabolized by microorganisms. Therefore they are not legitimately entitled to the term "biodegradable" and may leave behind harmful fragments of plastic and plastic additives.

Plastic Production: Environmental Nightmare

While the plastic industry promotes its new "environmentally friendly" products, they deliberately ignore the highly toxic nature of plastic production, whether the product is called "degradable," "recyclable" or any other "green marketing" catchword.

Among the 47 chemical plants ranked highest in carcinogenic emissions by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 35 are involved in plastic production. Certain plastics such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), used for indoor and outdoor plumbing, electrical cables and countless other products, are potential sources of highly toxic dioxins when burned in municipal incinerators or in accidental fires. Polystyrene foam products are often made with chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), both of which are ozone-destroying chemicals.

In sum, there is no good evidence that "degradable" plastics actually eliminate the environmental hazards associated with ordinary plastics. But there is good evidence that the real purpose of marketing these products is not so much environmental improvement as it is to cash in on the American public's desire for environmental improvement.

"[Degradable bags] are not the answer to landfill crowding or littering . . . Degradability is just a marketing tool. We're talking out of both sides of our mouths because we want to sell bags. I don't think the average consumer even knows what degradability means. Customers don't care if it even solves the solid-waste problem. It makes them feel good." -- Mobil Chemical Company spokesperson.

Educated choices by both producers and consumers, followed by efficient recycling, can drastically reduce worldwide pollution. Right now we are recycling only one percent nationwide, although some communities do far better than that, recycling 50 percent or more of their solid waste. Every year, we throw out enough aluminum to quadruple the size of our air fleet, enough steel to literally rebuild Manhattan and enough wood and paper to heat 5 million homes for 200 years.

With current technology we can recycle newspaper, office paper, cardboard, glass bottles, aluminum cans, scrap metals, large appliances, automobile tires and motor oil.

Paper bags: expensive but biodegradable

A CASE STUDY -

POLYTHENE BABA: BABA WHO MAKES PLASTICS DISAPPEAR !!

Prabhat K Upreti, a college, lecturer lovingly called the "polythene baba" after his successful campaign against polythene bags in the Pithoragarh valley in Uttar Pradesh. Prabhat K Upreti, along with seven other residents of Pithoragarh have proved that where there is a will there is a way, even without the help from the local administration. They have also shown that sustainable campaigns can be successful even with meager funds.

Pithoragarh is around 215 kilometres from Kathgodam. When Upreti, a lecturer, was transferred to the Government Post Graduate College in Pithoragarh, he found that the Chandrabhaga river, which flows nearby, was clogged with plastic bags. Upreti then approached the municipal corporation but it did not respond.

Therefore, he decided to take help from the local people and slowly started cleaning drive which gained momentum with time. His colleagues as well as people from all walks of life teachers, journalists, ex-army officers, doctors, shopkeepers and school children all joined his drive against the menace of plastic bags. After a report on Upretis campaign was published in Amar Ujala, a local newspaper, and its internet edition he received numerous letters and phone calls supporting the campaign.

"We targeted the shopkeepers first, especially the wholesalers of plastic bags," says C S Negi, one of the members of Upreti's anti-plastic campaign group. The wholesalers understanding the gravity of the problem stopped supplying plastic bags in Pithoragarh.

"Every Sunday we would go to various residential areas and pick up plastic bags from the roads and clear clogged drains with our own hands. At first the residents were a little amused but once the area was cleaned they understood the importance of our work and started joining the movement. Our belief was that we have to show the way and then only people will listen to our message," reminisces Negi. The team with the help of schoolchildren also painted posters, distributed leaflets and organized meetings to sensitize people about the harmful effects of plastic. The members paid all expenses from their own pocket.

They also took the anti-polythene message to the neighboring areas like Munshiyari, Julaghat, Chandag and Champawat. The message spread to Almora, Haldwani and Nainital as well.

This is not the first campaign that Upreti has been a part of. Earlier he had campaigned against plastics in Gopeshwar in 1998. "I saw the ponds in Gopeshwar littered with plastic bags. Several cows were found dead with bloated stomachs full of polythene bags," he says.

"I met a farmer in Gopeshwar who told me that birds were destroying their crops because they could not eat garbage, since everything was being packed in a polythene bag before being thrown," he added.

However, at Gopeshwar shopkeepers were not enthusiastic about Upretis campaign. "The then district magistrate Uma Kant Pawar helped me a lot and he imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on anyone found dumping plastic bags. After the fine was announced people started listening," he said.

But for now, Upreti is happy. After seven months of hard work Pithoragarh is polythene free except for some stray cases. "Paper bags are more expensive, but since the customers have said an emphatic no to them we have to abide by their wish," says a shopkeeper. For some the cause was more important than their business interests. Mahesh Joshi, a printing press owner is one of them. "I get a lot of orders to print logos on plastic bags but I refuse to do it. Of course this means loosing a lot of money but as it is for a good cause, I do not mind," says Joshi.

The movement has also created job opportunities for many poor families, as they are able to make paper bags and sell them. However, the activists are sad that the local administration has not done much about their cause. Upreti fears that in the coming days things might change if the campaign is not sustained.

Biodegradable Plastic

Once upon a time, household plastic products stayed unchanged in landfills, in forests, in oceans and along the side of the road for hundreds of years, creating environmental issues throughout the world. Finally, the technology is available to put this problem to rest.

Recycling is beneficial when natural resources are truly saved. However, in many cases the recycling of products such as trash bags and food packaging consumes more natural resources than simply throwing the products away and making new.

ECM Bio-Films, Inc., located in Painesville, Ohio, produces an additive that enables common plastics to naturally biodegrade. Since very small amounts of the additive are needed during manufacturing, the physical properties, functionality and appearance of the finished products remain the same.

This biodegradation process can take place aerobically and an aerobically. It can take place with or without the presence of light. These factors allow for biodegradation even in landfill conditions that are normally not conducive to any degradation.

Polythene bags pollution

Every year, around 500 billion (500,000,000,000) plastic bags are used worldwide. So many that over one million bags are being used every minute and they're damaging our environment. India's plastics consumption is one of the highest in the world. Yet, precious little has been done to recycle, re-use and dispose of plastic waste. Plastic bags are difficult and costly to recycle and most end up on landfill sites where they take around 300 years to photo degrade. They break down into tiny toxic particles that contaminate the soil and waterways and enter the food chain when animals accidentally ingest them. But the problems surrounding waste plastic bags starts long before they photo degrade.

Our planet is becoming increasingly contaminated by Plastic pollution and by our unnecessary use of plastic carry bags. Big black bin liners, plastic carrier bags carrying advertising logos, clear sandwich bags, vegetable bags and a variety of other forms used to carry our daily food items and other items are all polluting our environment. Just take a look around you. Plastic bags can be seen hanging from the branches of trees, flying in the air on windy days, settled amongst bushes and floating on rivers. They clog up gutters and drains causing water and sewage to overflow and become the breeding grounds of germs and bacteria that cause diseases.

Animals and sea creatures are hurt and killed every day by discarded plastic bags - a dead turtle with a plastic bag hanging from its mouth isn't a pleasant sight but mistaking plastic bags for food is commonplace amongst marine animals. Plastic clogs their intestines and leads to slow starvation. Others become entangled in plastic bags and drown. Because plastic bags take hundreds of years to break down, every year our seas become 'home' to more and more bags that find their way there through our sewers and waterways. Given India's poor garbage collection facilities, tons of plastic bags litter the roads, preventing rainwater from seeping into the ground. Hundreds of cows die in New Delhi alone every year when they choke on plastic bags while trying to eat vegetable waste stuffed in the garbage.

Every bag that's washed down a drain during rainfall ends up in the sea every bag that's flushed down a toilet (many mall bags are), ends up in the sea - every bag that’s blown into a river will most likely end up in the sea. Besides choking drains, plastics are highly toxics. When burned they release cancer-causing gases. Lying in the garbage, polythene bags also find their way in gut of cattle, asphyxiating the animals. The cheap bags contain chemicals such as cadmium- or lead- based chemicals that are harmful to health. They leach into vegetables, meat and food. An estimated 15 lakh computers and 30 lakh mobile phones are disposed of every year in India. “Computers, mobiles and other electronic items generate hazardous e-waste like lead, brominated flame retardants and chromium which can cause cancer,” There is another problem: India has more to deal with than just the waste generated at home. The Environment Protection Authority of Britain recently said 23,000 tonnes of e-waste was dumped in India, China and Pakistan. Several countries have already banned their use and more will doubtless follow. Several Indian states such as Maharastra, Dehli, Punjab, Rajasthan, Himanchal Pradesh, Goa , West Bengal etc. banned their use. Mumbai's storm water drainage choking with accumulated plastics waste, making the floods unmanageable, is an old story. The Environment Ministry has banned manufacture and use of plastics carry bags less than 8 inches X 12 inches in size 20 micron in width. The ministry has also asked State Governments to register all plastics manufacturing unit, so that these can be regulated. However, the implementation of the order has been tardy, evident from the large number of polythene bags strewn in every major town and city. The alternative to plastic bags are paper bags, jute bags and cloth bags. Paper, Jute and Cloth are eco-friendly. Jute bags are most suitable substitute then paper and cloth, because it is cheaper then cloth and reusable. Though paper bags are cheaper then jute bags but less durable. The Rajasthan Government, has put a ban to use plastic bags for food stuffs in Rajasthan. A Mumbai resident who lived in the United States for many years says every grocery store there offers the option of paper or plastic carrybags. Besides, “large bins are kept outside the stores to collect used plastic bags’’ . Closer home, Delhi’s Shyamala Mani, programme director, waste and resource management, Centre for Environment Education (CEE), advises : “Malls are the best places to easily promote paper, jute, even non-woven cloth bags and other materials which are biodegradable.’’ The main reason of plastic bag pollution is that the poly-bag comes free. Shop-keepers blindly hand out polythene carry-bags, even if you buy just a tube of toothpaste or a pencil, little caring that the bag will be in the dustbin after some time. The shopkeepers should include the cost of poly bags in the bill, along with other billed products. People will then finally take some steps to reduce the dependence on polythene and try and reuse them or carry cloth bags. The Government will be able to generate extra revenue through polythene tax and the environment will be less polluted with polythene.

100 Ways to Save The Environment

In Your Home – Conserve Energy

1. Clean or replace air filters on your air conditioning unit at least once a month.
2. If you have central air conditioning, do not close vents in unused rooms.
3. Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120.
4. Wrap your water heater in an insulated blanket.
5. Turn down or shut off your water heater when you will be away for extended periods.
6. Turn off unneeded lights even when leaving a room for a short time.
7. Set your refrigerator temperature at 36 to 38 and your freezer at 0 to 5 .
8. When using an oven, minimize door opening while it is in use; it reduces oven temperature by 25 to 30 every time you open the door.
9. Clean the lint filter in your dryer after every load so that it uses less energy.
10. Unplug seldom used appliances.
11. Use a microwave when- ever you can instead of a conventional oven or stove.
12. Wash clothes with warm or cold water instead of hot.
13. Reverse your indoor ceiling fans for summer and winter operations as recommended.
14. Turn off lights, computers and other appliances when not in use.
15. Purchase appliances and office equipment with the Energy Star Label; old refridgerators, for example, use up to 50 more electricity than newer models.
16. Only use electric appliances when you need them.
17. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs to save money and energy.
18. Keep your thermostat at 68 in winter and 78 in summer.
19. Keep your thermostat higher in summer and lower in winter when you are away
20. Insulate your home as best as you can.
21. Install weather stripping around all doors and windows.
22. Shut off electrical equipment in the evening when you leave work.
23. Plant trees to shade your home.
24. Shade outside air conditioning units by trees or other means.
25. Replace old windows with energy efficient ones.
26. Use cold water instead of warm or hot water when possible.
27. Connect your outdoor lights to a timer.
28. Buy green electricity - electricity produced by low - or even zero-pollution facilities (NC Greenpower for North Carolina - www.ncgreenpower.org). In your home-reduce toxicity.

In Your Home – Reduce Toxicity Eliminate mercury from your home by purchasing items without mercury, and dispose of items containing mercury at an appropriate drop-off facility when necessary (e.g. old thermometers). Learn about alternatives to household cleaning items that do not use hazardous chemicals. Buy the right amount of paint for the job. Review labels of household cleaners you use. Consider alternatives like baking soda, scouring pads, water or a little more elbow grease. When no good alternatives exist to a toxic item, find the least amount required for an effective, sanitary result. If you have an older home, have paint in your home tested for lead. If you have lead-based paint, cover it with wall paper or other material instead of sanding it or burning it off. Use traps instead of rat and mouse poisons and insect killers. Have your home tested for radon. Use cedar chips or aromatic herbs instead of mothballs. In Your Yard Avoid using leaf blowers and other dust-producing equipment. Use an electric lawn- mower instead of a gas-powered one. Leave grass clippings on the yard-they decompose and return nutrients to the soil. Use recycled wood chips as mulch to keep weeds down, retain moisture and prevent erosion. Use only the required amount of fertilizer. Minimize pesticide use. Create a wildlife habitat in your yard. Water grass early in the morning. Rent or borrow items like ladders, chain saws, party decorations and others that are seldom used. Take actions that use non hazardous components (e.g., to ward off pests, plant marigolds in a garden instead of using pesticide). Put leaves in a compost heap instead of burning them or throwing them away. Yard debris too large for your compost bin should be taken to a yard-debris recycler. In Your Office Copy and print on both sides of paper. Reuse items like envelopes, folders and paper clips. Use mailer sheets for interoffice mail instead of an envelope.Use mailer sheets for interoffice mail instead of an envelope. Set up a bulletin board for memos instead of sending a copy to each employee. Use e-mail instead of paper correspondence. Use recycled paper. Use discarded paper for scrap paper. Encourage your school and/or company to print documents with soy-based inks, which are less toxic. Use a ceramic coffee mug instead of a disposable cup. Ways To Protect Our Air Ask your employer to consider flexible work schedules or telecommuting. Recycle printer cartridges. Shut off electrical equipment in the evening when you leave work. Report smoking vehicles to your local air agency. Don't use your wood stove or fireplace when air quality is poor. Avoid slow-burning, smoldering fires. They produce the largest amount of pollution. Burn seasoned wood - it burns cleaner than green wood. Use solar power for home and water heating. Use low-VOC or water-based paints, stains, finishes and paint strippers. Purchase radial tires and keep them properly inflated for your vehicle. Paint with brushes or rollers instead of using spray paints to minimize harmful emissions. Ignite charcoal barbecues with an electric probe or other alternative to lighter fluid. If you use a wood stove, use one sold after 1990. They are required to meet federal emissions standards and are more efficient and cleaner burning. Walk or ride your bike instead of driving, whenever possible. Join a carpool or vanpool to get to work. Ways to Use Less Water Check and fix any water leaks. Install water-saving devices on your faucets and toilets. Don't wash dishes with the water running continuously. Wash and dry only full loads of laundry and dishes. Follow your community's water use restrictions or guidelines. Install a low-flow shower head. Replace old toilets with new ones that use a lot less water. Turn off washing machine's water supply to prevent leaks. Ways to Protect Our Water Revegetate or mulch disturbed soil as soon as possible. Never dump anything down a storm drain. Have your septic tank pumped and system inspected regularly. Check your car for oil or other leaks, and recycle motor oil. Take your car to a car wash instead of washing it in the driveway. Learn about your watershed. Create Less Trash Buy items in bulk from loose bins when possible to reduce the packaging wasted. Avoid products with several layers of packaging when only one is sufficient. About 33 of what we throw away is packaging. Buy products that you can reuse. Maintain and repair durable products instead of buying new ones. Check reports for products that are easily repaired and have low breakdown rates. Reuse items like bags and containers when possible. Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones. Use reusable plates and utensils instead of disposable ones. Use reusable containers to store food instead of aluminum foil and cling wrap. Shop with a canvas bag instead of using paper and plastic bags. Buy rechargeable batteries for devices used frequently. Reuse packaging cartons and shipping materials. Old newspapers make great packaging material. Compost your vegetable scraps. Buy used furniture - there is a surplus of it, and it is much cheaper than new furniture. Source:www.seql.org/100ways.cfm