Environmental Rants!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
HEYYYY THERE YOU ALL ENVIRONMENTAL HEROES OUT THERE!!! I'VE JUST CAME BACK FROM MY HOLIDAY AND LOOK AT THE STATE OF THAT COUNTRY...HAZY ISN'T IT??ITS KUALA LUMPUR .THE CAPITAL OF OUR NEIGHBOURING COUNTRY-MALAYSIA.IT SURE DOESN'T LOOK VERY HEALTHY TO ME...AND THIS BETTER NOT CARRY ON...
on the 8th of june this year,my family and I made our way up to KL for a short holiday and as we were driving towards the city ,we thought we had driven the wrong way and were lost because we couldn't see the usual sight of the twin petronas towers!but...we later saw a road sign that indicated that we were on the right track..Anyway,the whole thing is that THE HAZE COULD BLOCK OUT OUR VIEW OF A BIG.TALL. TOWER!which means that THE HAZE IS SOOOO THICK!!!
Haze often occurs when dust and smoke particles accumulate in relatively dry air. When weather conditions block the dispersal of smoke and other pollutants they concentrate and form a usually low-hanging shroud that impairs visibility and may become a respiratory health threat. It has been a particularly acute problem in southeast asia...
so,use some of the tips my friend/other environmental hero Xinying has given you to prevent air pollution and contribution to haze.OK?and who wants to breathe in dirty dusty air??you must be crazy if you say yes...
-Esther Ou(Environmental Hero)
Little enviromental heroes are everywhere,
they're everyone, me and you.
2:56 PM
Sunday, June 7, 2009
air pollution
( just read althought it is quite long >.< )
Causes of Air Pollution:
Carbon dioxide is one the main pollutants that causes air pollution. This is because, although living beings do exhale carbon dioxide, this gas is harmful when emitted from other sources, which are caused due to human activity. An additional release of carbon dioxide happens due to various such activities.
Carbon dioxide gas is used in various industries such as the oil industry and the chemical industry. The manufacturing process of most products would require the use of this gas. There are various human activities that add to the increased proportions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The combustion of fossil fuels and the harmful effects of deforestation have all contributed towards the same. show that amongst the various gasses emitted during a volcanic eruption, carbon dioxide remains to be at least 40% of the emission. Scientists have now therefore identified carbon dioxide as one of those elements that have contributed to global warming.
Causes of air pollution are not limited to this. The combustion of fuels in automobiles, jet planes etc all cause the release of several primary pollutants into the air. The burning of fossil fuels in big cities which is seen at most factories, offices and even a large number of homes, it is no wonder that air pollution is increasing at an alarming rate. The release of other harmful gases all adds to the state that we see today.
Although carbon dioxide plays an important role in various other processes like photosynthesis, breathing an excess of the same also causes harmful effects towards one’s health. The various causes of air pollution that releases harmful gases into the atmosphere are caused due to the increasing number of power plants and manufacturing units or industries that mostly have activities related to the burning of fuels. Besides, as mentioned earlier, most automobiles, marine vessels, activities that involve the burning of wood, fumes that are released from aerosol sprays, military activities that involve the use of nuclear weapons, all are the numerous causes of air pollution.
Carbon monoxide is another such gas which, although was present in the atmosphere earlier, is now considered to be a major pollutant. An excess of the same has a harmful effect on our system. There are many reasons why carbon monoxide can be released into the atmosphere as a result of human activities. This is also produced due to any fuel burning appliance and appliances such as gas water heaters, fireplaces, woodstoves, gas stoves, gas dryers, yard equipments as well as automobiles, which add to the increased proportion of this gas into the atmosphere. Sulfur dioxide is yet another harmful pollutant that causes air pollution. Sulfur dioxide is emitted largely to the excessive burning of fossil fuels, petroleum refineries, chemical and coal burning power plants etc. Nitrogen dioxide when combined with sulfur dioxide can even cause a harmful reaction in the atmosphere that can cause acid rain. Nitrogen dioxide is one more gas that is emitted into the atmosphere as a result of various human activities. An excess of nitrogen dioxide mainly happens due to most power plants seen in major cities, the burning of fuels due to various motor vehicles and other such sources, whether industrial or commercial that cause the increase in the levels of nitrogen dioxide. These and a number of other hazardous air pollutants are emitted with the various numbers of activities that we carry out during the day which are the main causes of air pollution.
How you can help to prevent Air Pollution:
Carpool- This will help to reduce the number of vehicles on the already congested roads.
Always keep your car tuned properly so that it remains in a good condition.
Save energy- Try to use minimum amounts of natural gas and even electricity. Whenever possible, avoid the use of air conditioner and use a fan instead.
Always buy recycled products.
Reuse things such as paper and plastic bags, paper etc. This will contribute a lot towards reducing the effects of air pollution and global warming.
Avoid the use of firecrackers. You don’t really need it to express your feeling of happiness.
Go in for water-based paints instead of varnishes.
Carpool- This will help to reduce the number of vehicles on the already congested roads.
Always keep your car tuned properly so that it remains in a good condition.
Save energy- Try to use minimum amounts of natural gas and even electricity. Whenever possible, avoid the use of air conditioner and use a fan instead.
Always buy recycled products.
Reuse things such as paper and plastic bags, paper etc. This will contribute a lot towards reducing the effects of air pollution and global warming.
Avoid the use of firecrackers. You don’t really need it to express your feeling of happiness.
Go in for water-based paints instead of varnishes.
If you really cannot avoid using your car, plan your work systematically to reduce air pollution.The causes of air pollution can be many to name if one really scrutinizes this subject closely. With a little effort from our side, we can help to reduce the harmful effects of air pollution so that we can breathe in a clean and healthy environment.
My opinion time ( pardon for grammar and spelling mistakes >.< )
Air pollution is counted as the main cause for global warming . For water pollution and land pollution is mainly harmly on the animals and ourselves . However , air pollution is harming our atmosphere which provides us for oxygen and also provide too much UV rays from entering the earth . There are more and more air pollution nowadays. If we continue letting things like this goes go , we can say bye to the earth soon . I even had a dream regarding to the end of the world . It was on 2030 . Maybe it will come true ...
- Xin Ying(Environmental Hero)
Little enviromental heroes are everywhere,
they're everyone, me and you.
9:45 PM
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
the POLLUTION article
Humans like us were the ones who caused it.
now's the time they cleaned up the mess they'vemade.
NO one likes to do it.
but someone has to clear it up.
and doing it starts with you.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY.
Help stop POLLUTION.
here's someone doing their part.
you can learn from it and be one of them too:)
Friday, May 1 , 2009
A Boat Ride to Rid the Bays of Debris
By JAMES KINDALL
FLOATING through the South Shore estuary with members of Operation Splash is sort of like being on a meandering party boat, except that this party collects empties instead of tossing them overboard.
“Ladies first, Joanie,” said Robert Weltner, president of the nonprofit organization, as the boat approached a bottle bobbing near Nautical Mile in Freeport. Joanie Barone, a 10-year Splash volunteer who said garbage excites her, grabbed a net.
“I’m such a cheap date,” she said.
Such give and take is characteristic of the group, which fights debris and pollutants collecting in South Shore bays with dedicated effort and a touch of humor. It’s a dirty job, but somebody might as well have fun doing it.
“I’ve fallen in twice,” Ms. Barone said. “I have pictures.”
The group, whose name stands for Stop Polluting Littering and Save Harbors, was started 19 years ago by a Freeport boat captain. Splash was recognized for its efforts recently with an official Splash Day proclamation read by the Freeport mayor, Andrew Hardwick. Three years ago, it received a stewardship award from the South Shore Estuary Reserve for its cleanup work.
“It’s awesome what they’re doing,” Mr. Hardwick said. “They’re angels.”
Other organizations tend to ocean pollution, like the American Littoral Society, a national environmental group that conducts an annual beach cleanup, as well as local organizations with similar missions. But few have the zeal of the Splash guardians.
Each day for nine months of the year, members climb onto one of the three Splash boats to prowl the canals and serpentine waterways that stretch over about 17 miles from Long Beach to Amityville. Some days, it’s a flotilla.
During the March cleanup — the first and usually largest haul of the year — members showed up with seven additional boats to collect 31,000 pounds of waste, which was loaded onto a barge. The barge was provided free by the Town of Hempstead and, after recyclables were removed, the contents were taken to a waste-to-energy plant.
Over all, the organization’s “aqua-garbologists,” as Mr. Weltner jokingly calls them, have removed 342 tons of debris, testimony to the fact that they do more than just talk about curbing pollution, he said.
Money for the group’s fuel and boat maintenance comes from donations, membership dues and grants, Mr. Weltner said. The Village of Freeport chips in about $20,000, he said.
Mr. Weltner, 53, a retired construction manager, has never minded getting his hands dirty. He grew up in the bays fishing with his father and wanted to share that experience with his own sons, but realized the area was being overrun by flotsam. A veteran diver, he also saw pollution cloud the bay over the years.
At a catch basin at Mill Road and Main Street in Freeport — a spot where Splash installed a ring of docks to catch highway runoff and “floatables” that cascade down the Meadowbrook watershed — Mr. Weltner tossed a boat anchor into the water to pull up a glob of oil-soaked soil.
“People look across the water on a clear day and think everything is fine,” he said. “They can’t see beneath the surface. Nothing is alive down there. This is a dead zone.”
The group also campaigns for related environmental issues, like reducing pollution from storm-water runoff, improving sewage treatment plants and banning copper-based paint for boat bottoms that kills marine life when it erodes.
“This is our passion,” said Capt. Don Harris, a boat instructor who has been with Splash since its inception. He said he would like to see Splash used as a template for other conservation groups, helping them learn how to work with local governments and educate the community.
Everyone could use more awareness, Ms. Barone said. “I’ve seen people throw out pillows, diapers, all sorts of things,” she said. “What are they thinking?”
Splash members have recovered abandoned boats, cash registers, big-screen TVs, guns, washers and dryers, shopping carts, engine blocks, an all-terrain vehicle and — yes — the kitchen sink. “It was the catch of the day,” Mr. Weltner said.
So, is Splash winning its battle against environmental damage in the bay? Mr. Weltner thought for a moment.
“I always say it’s like a big ship in the ocean,” he said. “It takes a long time to stop and turn around, but we feel like we’re beginning to make the turn.”
-Esther Ou(Environmental Hero)
Little enviromental heroes are everywhere,
they're everyone, me and you.
8:47 PM
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Sving the trees the smart way!
Saving trees the smart way!Instead of using paper to send message,try using fax online as it is much more faster and most importantly, it does not use paper!
Do you know that we are losing more and more forest and trees as people use tons of paper without having much thought. Expert estimate that the last remaining rainforest could be consumed less than 40 years.
*1.12 500 sheets of paper can be made from 1 tree
*2.210 billion are consumed by faxing in US copanies every years
*3.10 000 sheets of paper per year are used by a single US office worker
*4.4 trees per years are cut down to feed the fax requirements of an average US company
*5.17 million trees per year are cut down to supply fax paper the for US as a whole
Did the truth startle you? So,try using fax online than faxing using paper.
For more information,you can visit:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/3051137/Best-way-to-Save-Trees
-Si Ting(Enviroment Hero)
Little enviromental heroes are everywhere,
they're everyone, me and you.
7:11 PM
Sunday, May 31, 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W74aPF5cH6U
I tried putting up a video but fail . If possible, please go to this website to watch the video . It about animals and plants, just like my posts last time . ( how come cannot put up the video =.= )
Please dont blame me !!
-Xin Ying(Environmental Hero)
Little enviromental heroes are everywhere,
they're everyone, me and you.
11:00 PM
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Reflection - Global Warming
Firstly, I apologize if there's any grammar mistakes..
^^
Nowadays, our earth is getting warmer everyday..
In my opinion, we, as humans, have to do something about it..
We heard about the ice bergs that will melt,
we also heard that our earth will be in a 100% water state with no islands..
Maybe we cannot stop it from happening,
however, we can prevent it.
Teenagers, I am sure you want to live longer to enjoy your life,
so let's contribute in helping to prevent global warming.
it's always better to take actions now than regret later.
For example, we can use public transportation like the bus instead of a car.
So it can reduce the number of cars
and the exhaust (carbon monoxide) that is given off by the vehicles..
Personally, i will do anything i can, to save this earth..
As earth is our home and we're responsible to take good care of it..
It's better to be late than never..
But it doesn't mean that we should relax..
So, let's work together!
Thank you =DDD
-Dorothy Cynthia Suma(Environmental Hero)
God bless!
Little enviromental heroes are everywhere,
they're everyone, me and you.
7:54 PM
Monday, May 25, 2009
HELLO ppl out there!!! its about time YOU played your part...
HERE'S SOME SIMPLE TIPS THAT WILL COME IN HANDY FOR YOU ALL ENVIRONMENTAL HEROES OUT THERE......#1 Make it a point to copy and print on both sides of paper.
#2 Choose a time to run your washing machine only when your clothes that need to be washed are on full load.
#3 Change your current light bulbs to compact flourescent light bulbs(CFLs) which do not emit heat as incandascent light bulbs do.
#4 Install low flow shower heads to your bathrooms.
#5 Use the 3Rs-REUSE,REDUSE & RECYCLE.
#6 Never put your computer on stand-by mode.Always switch it off when it is not in use.
#5 Use the 3Rs-REUSE,REDUSE & RECYCLE.
#6 Never put your computer on stand-by mode.Always switch it off when it is not in use.
-Esther Ou(Environmental Hero)
Little enviromental heroes are everywhere,
they're everyone, me and you.
7:53 PM
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Do you want to suffer with them ?
Global Warming Effects:
Animal and Plant Life
When we hear about global warming on the TV, radio or read about it in newspapers and magazines, we usually think about our families and friends and how we will have to work together to fight the onset of global warming. However, most of us do not stop long enough to worry about the future of plant and animal life on this planet. Most news reports are filled with dire reports of the future, including nightmarish scenarios of violent storms and blazing droughts. But the truth is that global warming is already happening, and we can see how it has already begun to the animal and plant life on this planet.
When we hear about global warming on the TV, radio or read about it in newspapers and magazines, we usually think about our families and friends and how we will have to work together to fight the onset of global warming. However, most of us do not stop long enough to worry about the future of plant and animal life on this planet. Most news reports are filled with dire reports of the future, including nightmarish scenarios of violent storms and blazing droughts. But the truth is that global warming is already happening, and we can see how it has already begun to the animal and plant life on this planet.
Most of us have not stopped to consider the effects of global warming on the animal and plant life that exist on this planet with us. However, many researchers and scientists have started to warn that many of animal and plant species are currently being threatened by the impact of global warming. As the earth continues to warm and the global climate temperature continues to increase, it has become clear that many animal and plant life species are already beginning to become affected by the effects of global warming.
We have heard a lot about how the polar ice caps and glaciers have begun to melt, but we have not heard as much about the animals that live in the environment that are also becoming threatened by the effects of global warming. One example of an animal species that is already being threatened by the effects of global warming is the polar bear that inhabit parts of Canada as well as the Arctic. In both cases, it appears that polar bears are already beginning to suffer as their environment becomes threatened by the onset of global warming. A recent report put out by Canadian scientists shows that many polar bears along the eastern shore of Canada may eventually starve to death as their main source of food (fish) begin to disappear due to the disappearing glaciers and polar ice caps. There are also many other forms of animal life that are currently being threatened due to the effects of global warming. Moreover, many aquatic ecosystems may be among the world's most threatened ecosystems as the impact of global warming continues to be felt throughout the world.
Plant life is also threatened by the growing threat of global warming. As with animal life, much plant life thrives in specific ecosystems. As a global climate change begins a global climate shift, many ecosystems on earth may not be able to survive these sudden shifts in climate change. This means that many delicate plant ecosystems are already being threatened by the rise in global temperature, and more plant species and their ecosystems will surely be threatened as the effects of global warming are more widely felt throughout the world.
What can we do about global warming? Global warming is a complicated and multi-faceted problem and it will take the entire world working together to get a hold of this problem. In order to stop the growing menace of global warming, people must be willing to change the way they look at the world and we must all be willing to seek out renewable energy sources in order to change the direction the world is headed in. Many researchers and scientists continue to make dire projections and predictions about the way global warming will continue to affect the world's ecosystems, and we can already see how global warming is affecting certain plant and animal species. We must do something about global climate change before it is too late to save the first animal and plant species that are being threatened by the weight of global warming.
Just wanted to say something ...(sorry for grammar or spelling mistakes )
As we have known, both the plant life and animals are suffering due to global warming . I admit that many of you will think that it is none of your business so who cares about it . Starting i also have the same thoughts,but think about it , if animals and plants were extinct,what will happen to our food sources ? We will also suffer and die.So if we also don't want to suffer, we should help to save our earth . The most common ways are the 3R .
In addtion,if you want to learn more about saving the earth, look up of the links on our blog . Let us all take one steps at a time .
(I also have diffuculties on cutting down on natural resources . :)
-Lee Xin Ying(Environmental Hero)
Little enviromental heroes are everywhere,
they're everyone, me and you.
1:02 PM
Friday, May 22, 2009
SAVE THE EARTH!!! ( And save $)
Ever wondered why your parents are yelling at you 'bout the electricity bills but have no idea why,cause the only thing(s) you are hogging is the computer and/or the TV ?
Here's my suggestion (it may not apply to all as I'm mostly referring to myself):
1) Instead of turning on the air-conditioner for the whole night, on the air-con for around half an hour and then switch to a fan. The fan will circulate the cool air.
2) Switch off idling equipments such as handphone chargers, forgotten hair-dryers and microwaves.
3) Do not open the door of your fridge for too long (make up your mind on what to take out or put in).
4) Instead of using the dryer (definitely NOT the hair-dryer. How could one live without it?) hang your wet clothes outside, just make sure it is not dripping.
And here's a news article for you...
World News
Clinton tells world city chiefs to act swiftly to save planetPosted: 19 May 2009 1419 hrs
SEOUL: Former US President Bill Clinton on Tuesday urged leaders of the world's cities, which produce over two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions, to act swiftly to save the planet for their grandchildren. Executives from the 40 largest cities plus 17 affiliate municipalities attended the C40 Large Cities Climate Summit which opened in Seoul, the third such event since 2005. The former US leader, whose Clinton Climate Initiative develops programmes to help cities cut the emissions blamed for global warming, called for commitments and concrete action at the meeting which ends Thursday. "You do not have the luxury of just debating what we are going to do and how much money we are going to spend on it," Clinton said in a keynote speech. He warned that if the world fails to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, it would pay a high price in food shortages, drought and public health dangers. "It is absolutely certain (that) if we let the worst happen, then the consequences will be so severe that we won't be able to save the planet for our grandchildren unless we are willing to undertake enormously expensive projects which can now be avoided," he said. Half the world's population lived in cities last year and that figure is expected to grow to 70 per cent by 2050, said Clinton, citing UN statistics. Cities occupy just 2 per cent of the world's land mass yet are responsible for more than two-thirds of global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. The issue of how cities "find a way to continue to thrive and prosper while reducing greenhouse gas emissions is one of the central questions in the whole struggle", Clinton told a press conference earlier. He said his initiative focuses on creating "communities that can both provide a greater quality of life and generate more clean energy than they use". Mayor David Miller of Toronto, who chairs this year's summit, said he was confident it could find balanced ways to combat climate change. "We will be able to demonstrate not only how you can fight greenhouse gas emissions, but how you can also build green sustainable neighbourhoods, create green jobs and contribute back to the fight against climate change," Miller said. "To continue the momentum, all cities must be resolute in working together. It's not a matter of choice but necessity," he added. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-Hoon said the South Korean capital would develop a pilot residential and industrial district that would use 20 per cent less energy than the national average and cut carbon emissions by more than 40 per cent. Oh said new technologies and renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic, solar and geothermal energy would be used to fulfil the commitment. - AFP/so
------------------------------------------channelnewsasia------------------------------------- -Alayne Loo(Enviroment Hero)
Little enviromental heroes are everywhere,
they're everyone, me and you.
8:37 PM
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Reflection on BAGS!
I feel that it is important to bring my shopping bags when visiting the market, as this will help us to use less plastic bags and lesser harm will it bring to our Earth.The government also encourages us to bring our own bags to the market by promoting a campaign every wednesday where we will have to bring our own bags to the markets as every plastic bag used will cost $0.10. This campaign helps my mother to save plastic bags and bring her own shopping bags to the market. I hope this campaign also let others know that we as Enviromental Heroes could also do our part to save our Earth.
-Lee Si Ting(Enviroment Hero)
Little enviromental heroes are everywhere,
they're everyone, me and you.
9:23 PM
OMG!!!! What Is Wrong With Our Earth???
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Global Warming
Subhankar Banerjee/Associated Press
On Feb. 2, 2007, the United Nations scientific panel studying climate change declared that the evidence of a warming trend is "unequivocal," and that human activity has "very likely" been the driving force in that change over the last 50 years. The last report by the group, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in 2001, had found that humanity had "likely" played a role.
The addition of that single word "very" did more than reflect mounting scientific evidence that the release of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases from smokestacks, tailpipes and burning forests has played a central role in raising the average surface temperature of the earth by more than 1 degree Fahrenheit since 1900. It also added new momentum to a debate that now seems centered less over whether humans are warming the planet, but instead over what to do about it. In recent months, business groups have banded together to make unprecedented calls for federal regulation of greenhouse gases. The subject had a red-carpet moment when former Vice President Al Gore's documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," was awarded an Oscar; and the Supreme Court made its first global warming-related decision, ruling 5 to 4 that the Environmental Protection Agency had not justified its position that it was not authorized to regulate carbon dioxide.
The greenhouse effect has been part of the earth's workings since its earliest days. Gases like carbon dioxide and methane allow sunlight to reach the earth, but prevent some of the resulting heat from radiating back out into space. Without the greenhouse effect, the planet would never have warmed enough to allow life to form. But as ever larger amounts of carbon dioxide have been released along with the development of industrial economies, the atmosphere has grown warmer at an accelerating rate: Since 1970, temperatures have gone up at nearly three times the average for the 20th century.
The latest report from the climate panel predicted that the global climate is likely to rise between 3.5 and 8 degrees Fahrenheit if the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere reaches twice the level of 1750. By 2100, sea levels are likely to rise between 7 to 23 inches, it said, and the changes now underway will continue for centuries to come.
The addition of that single word "very" did more than reflect mounting scientific evidence that the release of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases from smokestacks, tailpipes and burning forests has played a central role in raising the average surface temperature of the earth by more than 1 degree Fahrenheit since 1900. It also added new momentum to a debate that now seems centered less over whether humans are warming the planet, but instead over what to do about it. In recent months, business groups have banded together to make unprecedented calls for federal regulation of greenhouse gases. The subject had a red-carpet moment when former Vice President Al Gore's documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," was awarded an Oscar; and the Supreme Court made its first global warming-related decision, ruling 5 to 4 that the Environmental Protection Agency had not justified its position that it was not authorized to regulate carbon dioxide.
The greenhouse effect has been part of the earth's workings since its earliest days. Gases like carbon dioxide and methane allow sunlight to reach the earth, but prevent some of the resulting heat from radiating back out into space. Without the greenhouse effect, the planet would never have warmed enough to allow life to form. But as ever larger amounts of carbon dioxide have been released along with the development of industrial economies, the atmosphere has grown warmer at an accelerating rate: Since 1970, temperatures have gone up at nearly three times the average for the 20th century.
The latest report from the climate panel predicted that the global climate is likely to rise between 3.5 and 8 degrees Fahrenheit if the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere reaches twice the level of 1750. By 2100, sea levels are likely to rise between 7 to 23 inches, it said, and the changes now underway will continue for centuries to come.
-Esther Ou(Enviromental Hero)
Little enviromental heroes are everywhere,
they're everyone, me and you.
8:41 PM