Electronic Waste, or e-Waste, is a common term used to describe any electronic product that is not used anymore and is destined to be thrown away somewhere. This can vary from monitors, scanners, printers, mouses, televisions, LCD’s to cables, wires and pretty much anything else that is used within the industries’ doors.

E-Waste is the second largest contributor component for global warming and other major ecological crises. Many heavy metals are being spilled over to our landfills and the water gets more and more polluted as the days go by. We should immediately treat this issue if we care for the future generations to come, since their health is about to be effected directly from that. I believe we can make a change. It just requires awareness.

What Can We Do To Minimize The Amount of Electronic Waste ?

If you have been convinced so far, that’s good. There are certain things you can do in order to minimize your E-Waste footprint on our planet:

• Recycle. Don’t just throw away every piece of electronics you stop using. Take responsibility and drive to the closest green recycling center near your house and hand it to them. There are even some companies which will come all the way to your house if you have a fair amount of electronics to get rid off. They get money out of it, so it’s worth it for them either, and you get the piece of mind you deserve having.
• Buy less. If something works – there’s no need to buy a new one. Think about it, practically.
• Raise the awareness. Talk about the issue with your peers and let them be aware of the ecological problems involved with electronic waste.

I would like to personally thank you for your interest if you’ve read so far. Ecological issues are close to my heart and I really hope we can solve that issue soon enough, or at least minimize its damage. We have only one planet to live in, let’s take care of it. Living green should be a privilege to have for our future generations as well.

Author: Regev Elya, project manager at E-Green Israel, and author of RegevElya.Net. E-Green is a project we are working on in Israel for the sake of fulfilling planet Earth’s main will, which is – minimize the pollution we keep injecting to its grounds and waters every day. I personally believe that our planet existence is greatly overlooked today, and is a vital ingredient for the future of our next generations.

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Here are a few ways that you can start cutting your energy bill by up to 20-30% just by making a few simple changes.

1. Appliances.  When looking for a newer, updated appliance, check for the Energy Star logo.  This means that this particular appliance meets energy regulations and shows how much energy it will use per year.  Older appliances are more apt to use more energy, so these newer appliances will definitely help put some more money back in your wallet.

2. Turn off appliances.  We’re all guilty of it.  Leaving the computer on, forgetting about the DVD player, etc.  Try to make it a habit to turn off gadgets that you aren’t using and you should see a difference in your next bill.

3. Lights.  Turn them off.  Replacing your light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs will also last a lot longer than regular light bulbs. CF bulbs actually will last at least 3 or 4 times longer than your standard light bulb.

4. Laundry.  Try drying your clothes outside on the line.  You will drastically decrease the amount of energy you use by taking the extra time to air dry your clothes.  Use full loads when cleaning laundry and try using shorter cycles and save the longer cycles for really dirty clothes.

5. Hot water.  Try taking shorter showers instead of baths.  Install aerators on low-flow shower heads.

6. Ovens.  Using a microwave requires less energy than a standard oven.  If you have to use the oven, don’t preheat it longer than absolutely necessary.  Also, with the oven, try to resist opening the door.  Heat escapes rapidly when the door is opened to check if dinner is done.

By following some of these easy steps, you will be well on your way to saving some extra bucks and helping out the environment in more ways than you know.

Green Living

• Cutting your Energy Bill is as easy as 1, 2, 3…4.

While your water faucet is gushing like a fire hydrant, you don’t realize what perfectly fine drinking water you are wasting.

By doing this, you are effectively wasting up to a gallon of drinkable water just for one glass of cool water.

We don’t realize how much water we are wasting on a daily basis.  It’s not until you figure the numbers and factor in how many people live in your house that let the water run for a cold glass of water. Even the smallest amounts of water waste adds up over time.

We don’t fathom how much water we waste because it simply just “disappears” down the drain.  If we were to plug the drain and run the water like we usually do, we would have a totally different outlook.

So, what can you do to help reduce this water waste?  How about this:

Adding a small sink that capture excess water.

This smaller sink is placed underneath your kitchen sink to gather the water that otherwise would go directly to the sewer. This collected water is then known as “gray water”.  This water can be reused to water plants or your lawn as it is still relatively clean and contains minimum soapy residue and is ready for immediate use.

Gray water also has it’s other side.  Water collected from washing machines and bath water needs to be treated before it is reused because of the chemicals and detergents mixed in.  This doesn’t mean you can’t reuse it, it just means it will take a little more effort to be able to reuse it.

The planet is covered in water, we all know this.  But, less than 1% of the earth’s water supply is actually drinkable.  Think about this next time you are at the sink waiting for colder water.  A little change can make the biggest change overtime.

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Going green can save you a lot of money in time.  The thing that scares people away from starting to go green are start-up costs.

You don’t have to worry too much about this factor.  The best way to tackle this fear is to sit back and think about what is realistic for you.  What are you able to change and put into your lifestyle on a day-to-day basis? Can you sustain these changes for the long run?

There are a few steps you can take to help preserve our environment and save a little money, too:

1. Change out standard light bulbs for compact fluorescent bulbs.  CF bulbs will cost more than regular light bulbs, but have a greater lifespan.  They last for around four years and in time end up paying for themselves instead of you paying for more regular light bulbs.

2. Use a clothes line instead of a dryer.  Give it a shot.  If it’s a nice day outside, hang up your clothes on a line.  It may give your clothes a refreshing air smell, too.

3. Wash your clothes in cold water.  Hot water needs electricity to warm up.  Save some electricity and use colder washes.

4. Always wash a full load of laundry.  Using water for a few pieces of clothing wastes not only water, but electricity. Check out this article for how to do your laundry while conserving energy.

5. Clean a full dishwasher.  It’s alright to wait to wash your dishes until your dishwasher is full.  Also, try using an energy-saver mode instead of a standard mode.

6. Car pool or take public transportation. By driving with some friends or taking the bus, you could save on gas emissions.

7. Walk or ride a bicycle.  This will save some money on gas and will also keep up your health.

8. Add insulation to your home. By adding insulation in your attic, your home will be warmer in the winter and help reduce air leaks through the roof. By conserving energy you won’t need to use as much in the first place.

9. Get a programmable thermostat.  These thermostats automatically adjust to your home set time temperatures. For example, you can program the thermostat to turn off when you go to work, but you can also program it to turn on before you get home so the house is comfortable when you walk through the door.  Pretty amazing, no?

Simple changes can be made in daily lifestyles that will help you save money and save the environment. They may seem insignificant, but over time, the changes are incredibly significant.

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Here are five simple tricks to reduce the amount of energy you are using:

1. Turn off unnecessary lights in your home.  You may believe that it’s not really that big of a deal and it doesn’t make a huge difference, but take a look at your bill.  Give it a shot for a month where you turn off unused lights and really stick to it. In a month’s time, compare bills and see how much of a difference it really does make.
2. Get a programmable thermostat.  With these new thermometers, you can program it to turn on and off at convenient times for you so you can eliminate energy that you don’t use.
3. Rely on solar power whenever possible.  Switch outdoor lights for solar energy and try using portable solar chargers that can charge your laptops, iPods and cell phones.
4. Reduce water consumption.  Cut back on watering your lawn, fix leaky faucets and turn off water when it’s not in use.  You’d be surprised how much water is wasted on a daily basis.
5. Switch your regular light bulbs for low voltage compact fluorescent light bulbs.  By switching to compact fluorescent bulbs, you can save more money and energy.  These light bulbs can last for around four years and will pay themselves off in no time.

By following these five easy tricks, you can drastically cut back on your energy consumption.  Give it a try.  You’ll see a difference.

Green Living

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Electrical usage has an incredibly vast impact on the climate.  Not many people are aware of this, resulting in a lack of concern in finding alternatives. The need for finding renewable and sustainable forms of energy has grown dramatically over the past few years.  The energy sources that we use today are not renewable and are also harming our atmosphere.  Eventually, we will run out and create more damage than we need to.

Recently, energy companies have exerted their time in exploring solar and wind energy options on a wider basis.  Currently, hydro power can only be used by dams only in areas that have confined lakes and rivers as an energy source.  Wind energy, on the other hand, can only be captured in areas of consistent wind gusts.  Most areas do not fall into this criteria and may not have access to enough wind for their energy needs.

Research is being conducted all over the globe for different sources of energy.  Nuclear power is the most common, yet most controversial form of alternative energy.  Nuclear power does not release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, but has high prospects of melt downs and contamination, which ultimately has postponed larger scale development.  It takes millions of years to break down the byproducts of nuclear power and can only be stored.  This poses a severe problem as storage is finite today and these nuclear byproducts can unfortunately leach into the environment.

Until there is a remedy for this energy crisis, the only thing that we can do to help is to attempt to cut back on our energy usage on a daily basis. Research is showing that if everyone at least took the time to turn off their lights in their homes, 25% of energy that we are consuming could be cut back.

It’s the little things that we can do to help make our environment a little greener and cleaner.

Green Living

• Are you being affected by the Global Energy Crisis?

We often feel powerless when it comes to the world’s energy crisis, believing that there was never enough that an individual could do to make even the slightest difference.  Remember this:  Collectively, we can make a powerful difference. Collectively, we have all contributed to the crisis we are in today, and together we can pull back and make significant changes for the future.

We have gathered some lifestyle changes for you to glance over that could definitely help create a better world for future generations.

1. Read e-news.  Think about this for a second…how many trees are manufactured on a DAILY basis to print newspapers, gazettes and magazines? Try subscribing to an online newspaper.  Spare a few trees and still stay informed of the daily events around the world.

2. Transportation.  Another easy fix.  Think about the congestion on highways and city streets filling the air with carbon dioxide.  Consider riding with a few buddies to work or even riding your bicycle.  Even if you cut out driving at least once or twice a week, you’ll be making more of a difference than you could even fathom.

3. Cut down on you’re A/C usage.  Not only would you be helping the environment, but this easy change could cut how much you spend on gas. If you are going under 40 mph, put your windows down.  You will honestly burn less fuel.  If you are going over 45 mph though, A/C will burn less fuel.

4. Don’t drive upset.  As silly as this sounds, you tend to burn up more than 50% of your fuel caused by that lead foot on the gas and breaks.  I know, sometimes those office hours are very stressful, but be aware of your mood when you get into your car. Not only will you save a little extra gas money, but you will be more aware of your surroundings.

5. Recycle!!  How many times a day to you see signs to recycle, recycling bins or signs to conserve paper, plastic and glass?  It’s all over the place.  Plastic is the largest culprit of harmful junk.  Most plastics are non-biodegradable.  The environment cannot naturally break it down.  Try to avoid using plastic bags in the grocery store.  If you can’t, then recycle them or reuse them as often as you can.

6. Plant a tree.  One tree can breathe in close to 1 ton of carbon dioxide in its lifetime. Plant one in yours! It’s an easy process and has more significant benefits than we realize.

1. Avoid harmful products.  Look around your grocery store next time you’re shopping.  Look for the “greener” alternatives rather than spending more money on name brand products that are continuing to harm our environment.
2. Educate others!  Start right at home with your own family.  Help the younger generation come into a healthier planet by teaching them healthier lifestyles.

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If your home is an energy efficient home, you will notice a lesser use of power, saving you money as well as contributing to the environment’s wellbeing.

Here are a few tricks you can do to make your home an energy efficient home:

1. Check for air leaks.  By cutting out the drafts in your house, you can cut out 30% on your next energy bill, saving you a considerable amount of money over time.  Also, by reducing these drafts, you will reduce the chance of mold spores growing in your home causing illnesses.  Another advantage in checking for air leaks—your home will be at a more controlled temperature, reducing the need to use heating or air conditioning.

Remember that when checking for drafts, don’t forget to include some of these commonly missed areas:

• Windows and window frames (If you can rattle your window, then it isn’t properly insulated)
• Door frames
• Baseboards
• Fireplaces
• Attic doors
• Window air conditioning units
• Electrical outlets
• Light switch plates, and
• Mail slots

2. Measure the amount of insulation in your attic.   It’s entirely possible that if you have less than the recommended amount of insulation, you are losing heat from the roof of your house.

3. Check your hot water heater.  Adding insulation traps heat in the cylinder instead of allowing heat to escape around the heater.

4. Check the ages of your appliances.  Older appliances are not as energy-efficient as newer appliances.  Appliances that you may want to consider replacing are those that are at least 15 years or older. If you choose to keep your older appliances, makes sure you maintain them so they operate as efficiently as possible.

5. Check your light bulbs.  Make sure you are using bulbs of the correct wattage for your appliances.  If you are using a bulb with a higher wattage than necessary, you are using more energy than you need to.  Consider swapping out regular light bulbs for compact florescent bulbs as well.

Other green posts you might be interested in:

• E-Green – Electronic Waste (e-Waste) Green Living Solutions – What Is So Dangerous ?
• Living off the Sun! Is it really possible?
• Driving Green and SAVE yourself money!
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Solar energy has gained a lot of attention because the sun is the one element that is not likely to disappear anytime soon.  Also, the sum emits at least one thousand watts of energy per square meter!  Impressive, right? Because of the sun, this energy is equally distributed over the globe and is renewable on a daily basis.

Even though solar energy is an excellent resource, today’s technology isn’t developed enough to adequately capture as well as process the solar energy successfully.  Technology, however, is evolving to allow solar panels to process more energy that is passes through them.  The ultimate goal though is that we can fully rely on more sunlight as a sustainable energy source instead of using more of our natural resources and fossil fuels.

Today, there are more people in the process of converting their homes to using solar energy.  Now, it may not be possible right now to create solar energy to power entire communities and cities, but at the individual level, people are capable of successfully capturing energy to use.

Nuclear power is another renewable form of energy that is becoming more known.  There are still many concerns and dangers related to nuclear power also including the potential of contamination and melt downs. The problem with nuclear energy though is that the byproducts created by nuclear power cannot be destroyed or reabsorbed.  Fact: Byproducts from nuclear energy take millions of years to break down.

Nuclear power does give us an immediate answer to energy needs, we aren’t taking into consideration the consequences our future generations will encounter.  Yes, nuclear energy is capable of running massive amounts of energy and will continue to do so for years to come, but the drawbacks are serious and we need to realize the larger scale of the future.

For now, scientists are continuing to find different ways to implement renewable energy forms that will not harm the environment.  Energy companies are experimenting with solar, wind and hydro power where possible.

Unfortunately for the time being, we have to count on fossil fuels and non-renewable resources until we can find a solution.  Right now, what we can do is to reduce our usage on these natural resources to make sure that they last a little bit longer.

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We’ve all heard of the recycle, reduce, and reuse cycle. Sometimes we just don’t feel as if this is adequate.  You as “one person” may not realize or notice the effect, but by doing the simple things every day, you are helping eliminate the bigger problems we are facing.  Think about this:  if everyone did the small tasks on a day-to-day basis, combined efforts would result in a drastic deduction in global energy usage.  So your “I am just one person” concept creates a collective effort making a collectively huge difference.

Look around your house, apartment or office building.  How many lights are turned on and they really don’t need to be?  Most people would argue that it really doesn’t hurt that much to keep the lights on.  No big deal, right?  This couldn’t be more wrong.  If everyone were to start turning off lights that were not in use, over a quarter of the earth’s energy would be reduced!! TWENTY FIVE PERCENT—AUTOMATICALLY cut out! That’s an impressive number.  By reducing our own consumption, we could start saving money that could be used somewhere else.

In comparison, if you were able to reduce the amount of money you owed on your bills by 25%, you can’t deny there would be a huge financial impact on your household. By reducing the total amount of energy across the globe, we could measure the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere using the same standards.

Think of it this way, by turning off your lights that aren’t in use, you are helping the rest of the community around you start a new movement in creating a better environment for tomorrow.

Green Living

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