Green Tomorrow

Amazon Rainforest – Deforestation

Main and most important reason why tropical rain forests need to be preserved is the fact that they’re enabling life on Earth. Not only they’re absorbing carbon dioxide and creating oxygen in the process, they’re also regulating temperature and are producing important nutrients like nitrogen and phosphor and are protecting watersheds from erosion of salt as well. Tropical rain forests can be also quite helpful on field of pharmacology and new medication researching because between thousands of different plants that have their habitat here and perhaps they’re even hiding potential cure for menaces of the modern world like cancer and AIDS.

But what about their destruction, can this process be stopped? Between 1970 and now, Brazil lost more than 600,000 sq km (232 000 sq miles) of Amazon rain forest which is very disturbing information. Through this article main reasons for such deforestation will be presented and methods that could mean preservation of Amazon rain forest will be pointed out. First let’s point out the main reasons that are causing this high amount of deforestation.

Most important deforestation factor is clearing forest area for cattle pasture and it causes 60-70 % of total deforestation. Since cattle breeding is very profitable business and doesn’t require high maintenance expenditures and gives very solid profit, it’s very clear why such big percent of Amazon forest is being destroyed because of cattle pasture. Increasing number of cattle needs more area on which they can pasture and because of this reason forests are often being replaced by savannas and other coarse grasses.

Second great cause of deforestation is also connected with agriculture but this time with farms. Since most population in Brazil is still very much oriented on agriculture, large areas of forests are being cleared in order to leave more space to cultivable areas, where especially poor farmers are being stimulated by government politics to settle and work on these areas. Since farmers use fire in this process, whole procedure has its negative effect doubled, because not only forests areas are being destroyed but also large quantities of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are being released in atmosphere having negative impact on whole biosystem and polluting air we breathe.

Large growth of cultivable areas is also connected with advanced production of soybean because Brazilian scientists have discovered new sorts of soybean and soybean is very expensive and very appreciated on world market and Brazil has such rapid growth with soybean production that according to some predictions soon will go even past the USA which at this moment holds first place in soybean production. Although many people would think that logging is main cause for such huge deforestation that’s not true because it causes only 2-4 % of total deforestation. Tropical rainforests are presenting large source of expensive wood among which special place has precious ebony and that’s the reason why illegal logging is so much expanded and profitable business, namely because of high prices of this wood.

Just for example of that in September 2003, 17 people were arrested under incrimination that they destroyed 10 000 hectares of forest area and this is just small drop in the sea of illegal logging. Last factor that causes deforestation is infrastructure building, especially of roads and dams and it makes about 2-4 % of total deforestation.

Famous example of this politic is building of Trans-Amazonian Highway which had its purpose not only in connection between distant places but also in opening of new areas to farmers and easier exploiting of wooden riches. After this famous project was done, deforestation has gone to a whole new level and this presents a real example how building of infrastructure can cause complete ecological chaos. But can these factors be prevented or could they be at least slowed down until the level that could be more tolerable to environment?

There’s still hope but only under this conditions.

First of all, former forest areas should be rehabilitated which is not that difficult process if at least small part of former biosystem is saved. Rehabilitation also needs higher productivity of cultivable areas and intellectual approach to agriculture by using modern methods and by influencing on farmers and their ecological conscience which often brakes down the whole procedure. Number of protected forest areas should also be increased and for that strong and systematic politic is needed.

Laws should be very precise and very strict with huge punishments for its offenders, not only fines but also jail sentences for more severe lawbreaking. But the most important thing is to influence on ecological conscience of all people by trying to present them negative consequences of deforestation that could easily cause catastrophic effect to all life on Earth and result in even more expressed climate changes. Only fast intervention on all fields can have success, because humanity needs to find the right way while it still can. To make harmony between ecology and economy is very difficult task but by no means impossible.

Effective Cooling Tower Water Treatment

In the Phoenix metropolitan area, adverse water conditions require intelligent water treatment strategies to adequately maintain water cooled equipment. Proper management of the characteristics of the cooling tower sump water along with maintaining good tower hygiene in general accomplishes at least four positive things.

1) It avoids wasting excess water.
2) It inhibits scale formation.
3) It controls biological growth.
4) It reduces the corrosion rate of metal parts in the tower.

Let’s discuss how a cooling tower operates to understand why proper water treatment is important.

Most residents in the valley are familiar with an evaporative cooler. Water from the evaporative cooler sump is circulated by a pump over pads in the evaporative cooler and outside air is drawn through the pads. As the air is drawn through the wet pads some of the water evaporates and cools the air. The cooler air is then circulated into the space where cooling is desired. In the process of cooling the air, the water being recirculated across the pads is also cooled.

That is exactly the same principle being employed in the cooling tower, but on a much grander scale. Rejecting large quantities of heat from a building’s mechanical system requires a lot of water to be evaporated. For example, a one hundred ton water cooled chiller operating at full capacity for 24 hours would require the evaporation of more than four thousand gallons of water. That brings us to the subject of the characteristics of the make up water. Make up water is the water supply that replaces the water being evaporated in the cooling tower.

Here in the metro area, water conditions vary widely because our water comes from several different wells as well as surface sources. The water quality may change rapidly over a short period of time because different sources are utilized for the water supply. Each well has different water characteristics and they often vary widely from one side of town to the other. Water that comes from surface sources, like the Central Arizona Project will usually have significantly different characteristics than well water. Surface water quality may also be influenced by weather conditions such as drought or increased runoff.

As water evaporates in the cooling tower all of the non-volatile components stay behind in the sump of the cooling tower. There is actually a lot more in water than what we would call hardness (carbonates). There are also chlorides, suspended dust particles and biological microorganisms. As more and more water is added to replenish the water that is being evaporated, these dissolved and suspended components in the sump water continue to accumulate. If no measures are taken to control the concentration of these components in the water, the solution eventually increases in concentration to a point where “stuff” starts coming out of solution. This “stuff” ends up getting deposited on the surfaces that the water comes in contact with.

Have you ever seen an evaporative cooler where the pads haven’t been changed for a long while? I’ve seen them so encrusted with mineral deposits that the blower could no longer pull air through them. I’ve also seen them produce a bounty of biological growth in the sump water. That is exactly what will happen in a cooling tower without adequate attention to hygiene and an appropriate water treatment strategy.

When solids that are dissolved in water come out of solution they are deposited first on heat exchange surfaces and surfaces where the water is being evaporated. Heat exchangers, water cooled condensers, drift eliminators, the tube bundle in closed circuit cooling towers and the fill in open cooling towers are a few examples of surfaces where this occurs.

Deposition of mineral scale, dirt and biological fouling on any heat exchange surfaces can result in reduced heat transfer, reduced tower efficiency and increased energy costs. While reducing deposition of these is important with regard to the cooling tower, it is absolutely critical to avoid scaling or fouling in the water cooled condenser. Scaling and fouling in the condenser significantly reduces heat transfer capability and will seriously impact energy costs, performance and reliability.

A two part strategy is usually employed to manage the mineral content of the sump water. Part one is to maintain the sump water pH within allowable limits and to feed the correct type and amount of chemicals to help the water keep more of the dissolved solids in solution. Part two is intentionally sending some of the sump water down the drain (blow down). Blow down reduces the highly concentrated mineral content of the sump water by diluting it with the fresh make up water being added to replace the intentionally wasted water.

Biological growth can also become a significant health risk depending on the particular organism involved. Allowing mud and biological growth to accumulate in the sump of a cooling tower can accelerate corrosion of the sump and shorten the life cycle of the cooling tower. It can also provide a haven for microbes to escape the effects of a biocide.

Proper water treatment strategy and good cooling tower hygiene is not a one size fits all solution. The quality of the make up water will require an adjustment of the type of the chemicals and biocide utilized. It may also require changing feed and blow down rates for proper control. In addition, these requirements may be altered by the characteristics of each individual cooling tower installation.

According to Alan Bateman of DB Water Technologies, there are several things a good cooling tower water treatment program should address in order to be effective. They are total dissolved solids (TDS), hardness, pH, chlorides, suspended solids, an appropriate method for biological control and a proper blow down strategy. Each cooling tower manufacturer publishes recommendations for maintaining proper water conditions of the sump water. The advice of a qualified water treatment professional is advised to ensure that each item above is included in your overall strategy for cooling tower water treatment.

A New Kind Of Green Spirit

As society becomes more aware of the dangers that face our world we are embracing items and ideas that are beneficial to the Earth and the people that live on it. The Green Movement is gathering more and more followers each day as more and more products are introduced to the market place that claim to be eco-friendly and environmentally aware. This movement is now so large that entire nations are adopting policies and materials to reduce waste and reduce harmful emissions.

For the everyman, the regular Joe, making steps towards a greener tomorrow is no longer as far fetched as it once seemed. With the introduction of hybrid cars, solar paneling for homes, and the bountiful selection of recycled goods on the market consumers are now able to make an impact by exchanging a little green for a greener planet.

Eco-friendly products are not just limited to cars, light bulbs, and organic fruits and vegetables. New products from old companies are being introduced to the market place with green in mind. Vodka is the latest product in a long list of product to go green and with the wide selection of premium spirits already on the shelves it may be confusing to pick out the right bottle.

There are three major manufacturers of vodka that are forging the way for others in the new and greener market. These three are VEEV, Purus, and 360 Vodka. These brands are already well known to aficionados and casual drinkers as representing some of the finest vodkas on the market today but there is a difference between each.

The difference does not lay in taste alone, though it does play a factor, the real difference between the green vodkas is how they are environmentally aware. Each of the brands is going green in their own way and it is up to the consumer to decide which vodka is for them.

VEEV

VeeV is becoming a popular vodka at parties and restaurants as it boasts of a smooth taste. Ingredient wise, VeeV is set apart from the rest of the Vodkas on the market for its use of Acai, an exotic berry that is found in the Amazonian Rain forest and is the national fruit of Brazil. The fruit is revered for its natural properties and VeeV is the first spirit to use the Acai. Using the Acai fruit presents a great opportunity for VeeV to give back to earth from which it takes.

Consumers of VeeV may be concerned about the use of this Amazon resource and VeeV understands why. The Rain forest is being rapidly depleted by overuse and deforestation and in an effort to counteract their use of that resource VeeV gives $1 to the Rain forest for every bottle bought. While this may not seem like a large amount, the impact is huge. The money goes directly to the farming communities where VeeV receives the Acai berry and helps to ensure that the berry is organic diminishing any negative impact on this fragile ecosystem.

This is not all VeeV does. VeeV’s distilleries are carbon neutral, the first in its industry. Carbon neutral means that the company maintains a zero balance on their carbon footprint by using renewable energy sources, buying eco-friendly products, and taking other steps in an effort to reduce negative impact on the world. This is an important step in reducing Greenhouse gases that are depleting the Ozone layer and causing Global Warming.

Distilled Resources Inc, VeeV’s distilleries, is now using renewable wind energy, and using a renewable energy source is a major step for a major company.

VeeV is certainly setting the standard when it comes to the Industry. Along with trying to benefit the Earth in eco-friendly standards, VeeV is also taking social responsibility through the use of Co-op America, Planet Green, and Climate Clean among other companies interested in aiding the people of the Earth along with making the Earth a Greener place to live.

Purus

Purus Vodka is a family owned distillery in its third generation that has the ability to boast the fact that it is made from 100% organic wheat. Along with this, Purus is working with American Forests in an effort to replenish the dwindling North American forests. For every person that registers on the Purus website, the company vows to plant a tree through American Forest to replenish the loss of trees do the wild fires and deforestation that has plagued this nation for years.

Purus takes its environmentally conscious attitude to its packaging as well. With its concern over the state of the American forests, it only makes sense that Purus use labels that are 100% free of trees. The bottle is also 100% recyclable so it will have a new life as something else and will not just sit in a landfill. Even the ink and adhesives are environmentally friendly. Using soy based inks Purus has eliminated the use of harmful petroleum based ink and the adhesives used are water based.

Purus is relatively new vodka on the market but its impact is already being felt through its tree planting program and the use of environmentally friendly materials.

360 Vodka

360 Vodka has taken the title of Eco Luxury Vodka a title that it certainly deserves. 360 is a well respected vodka much loved for its taste and nature and now for its efforts for creating a Greener environment.

360 Vodka believes in taking cooperate responsibility for the planet and uses greener methods in the creation and packaging of its drink. The company promises to donate $20 from each case of 360 Vodka sold to the Coastal Conservation Association located in the Florida. The CCA is a non profit organization striving to protect the natural marine resources that can be found all around the state of Florida. This pledge of money has greatly benefited the CCA and its efforts. Along with this, 360 are also giving $1 to environmental causes around the world with every cap returned. This initiative is called the “Close the Loop” program and has already benefited many areas and people.

The packaging of 360 vodka is also eco friendly, with 85% recycled glass along with recycled paper and water based ink.

360 Vodka is also taking steps in its daily routine to help the environment. The company as a whole is taking steps such as recycling paper, ink cartridges, and other materials on a daily basis. 360 has even added an on site recycling center at the McCormick Distilling to make this process easier and convenient. Along with other measures, procedures, and methods McCormick Distilling and 360 Vodka are taking major strides in helping the environment and reducing their impact by researching other ways to go green.

While these three brands of Vodka take different methods in helping the environment, they are all great examples of ways that companies can make a positive impact on the world.

Consumers will have to make a decision in which to buy and take not only taste into consideration but how the brands are working towards a green tomorrow.

Environmental Products In The Home

The origins of personal cleanliness date back to prehistoric times. Our early ancestors lived near water, and understood the basic cleansing properties of it. That is to say, they at least realized that water would rinse dirt and mud from their skin. The earliest evidence of a “soap-like” material was found in ancient ruins of Babylon and date back to about 2800 B.C.

According to an ancient Roman legend, soap got its name from Mount Sapo, a place where animals were sacrificed. Rain would wash a mixture of melted animal fat, or tallow, and wood ashes down into the clay soil along the Tiber River. Women discovered this clay mixture and found it made their wash cleaner with much less effort.

The soap making process developed over the centuries but remained essentially the same, and “natural”, until 1916. In response to a World War 1-related shortage of fats for making soap, Germany developed the first synthetic detergent. The chemistry improved over the years, and the major breakthrough in development of detergents came in 1946 in the U.S., when the first “built” detergent (containing a surfactant/builder combination) was introduced to the market as an “all-purpose” laundry wash. By 1953 sales of detergents in the U.S. surpassed those of soap. The availability and lower cost of synthetic detergents has resulted in the use of these “chemicals” replacing natural ingredients in many of the home and personal care products you use every day.

The average adult uses nine personal care products a day, containing a grand total of 126 chemical ingredients. There are roughly 10,500 chemical ingredients (many of them with little or no testing) stirred into the personal care products that line shelves. Even more frightening is the toxic brew of chemicals found in many of today’s household cleaners. A simple glance at the labels on these products, and you will often see a picture of the skull and cross-bones. Yet every day, people spray or wipe these products on the surfaces we prepare food on, our windows, or even mist into the air to eliminate foul odors. The good news is…there are alternatives today. Thanks in a large part to the “green” consumer, willing to pay a premium for environmental products, an ever growing line of environmentally friendly products has been introduced to the marketplace. Everything from biodegradable, all-natural soaps, shampoos and toothpastes, along with non-toxic, natural cleaning agents continue to grow and thrive in today’s stores. As more and more people are making the choice go green with the products they bring into their homes, the quality, and price of these items have begun to rival, and in some cases surpass that of the traditional toxic choice.

As environmental awareness continues to grow, there are sure to be more and more new products developed without all of the toxic chemical ingredients found in today’s items. One of the biggest hurdles faced by environmental product manufacturers, is over-coming the perception that green products are inferior and more expensive than the common brands. Luckily, this is beginning to change. Increased public demand is driving down prices, and the large corporations are introducing their own lines of environmental products to meet the growing market. And in today’s internet age, word that a green product actually “works” well spreads quickly and can make it an instant hit with the public.

The 4 Most Powerful Greenhouse Gases

With global warming still in the fore and still a big issue, a lot of people are still uninformed properly about it! A lot of places are getting warm, forcing quite a number of people to head off to the beach or fan themselves endlessly. Many are still under the assumption that greenhouse gases, which contribute to making the planet warm, should really go. What they don’t know is that the primary purpose of those gases is to prevent heat from escaping into space, preventing the world from turning into one huge snowball! If they didn’t exist, we wouldn’t be able to live on this planet. This little article will tell you about the most powerful greenhouse gases in the world. Some may even surprise you.

1. Water vapor – Yes. Water. Right on top of the list. Water vapor contributes from 36% to 66% of the world’s greenhouse effect. It’s also the most abundant greenhouse gas! Concentrations of water vapor fluctuate throughout the world, and humans don’t affect it directly on a large scale. In addition, warm air caused by the greenhouse effect can carry more water vapor, amplifying the greenhouse effect further. However, humidity is constant. The net effect is overall positive, and also protects against the excess carbon dioxide.

2. Carbon Dioxide – Ah, the gas that many people blame for heating up the earth. It contributes 9% to 26% of the greenhouse effect depending on area. The world’s species and environmental cycles produce this gas naturally, up to twenty times that of what we contribute! Nature cycles the carbon dioxide through plants and weathering, but human production has sped it up more than nature can account for. Majority of man-made carbon dioxide comes from burning fossil fuels and deforestation.

3. Methane – This gas causes 4% to 9% of the greenhouse effect. Human methane production mostly comes from livestock. By itself, it is an effective greenhouse gas, but it can transforms to water and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which makes it quite effective in warming the earth! If that isn’t enough, it also turns into ozone, which is another greenhouse gas! This is why the amount of methane around is has been more or less constant, and it is why its effect is considered small since many who measure it do not include what it turns into.

4. Ozone – This gas we all know and love as protector against the sun rays is also a greenhouse gas. It causes only 3% to 7% of the greenhouse effect. Ozone causes irritation to the respiratory system at ground level, but is normally very light at that level, choosing instead to concentrate higher up. However, the concentration of ozone at ground level is increasing, because of pollution! This is especially concentrated in populated areas. It decays quickly to normal oxygen.

Now that you know a little bit more about these gases, the question remains. What can we do? What we can, of course. How about you? What do you know about greenhouse gases?

UK Food Shoppers Throw Away £10billion Each Year

The cost of needlessly wasted food to UK households is £10 billion a year, £2 billion higher than previously estimated according to new research.

The research gives detailed new insights into the nature and amount of food waste thrown away in the UK and is believed to be the most comprehensive study of its kind ever carried out.

It reveals that the average household throws out £420 of perfectly good food a year. For the average family with children it’s higher at £610 – money, which could have helped pay household bills.

Researchers found that more than half the good food thrown out, worth £6 billion a year, is bought and simply left unused or untouched. For example, each day 1.3 million unopened yoghurt pots, 5,500 whole chickens and 440,000 ready meals are thrown away in the UK. The study revealed that £1 billion worth of wasted food is still “in date”. It costs Council Tax payers £1 billion a year to dispose of food waste.

Stopping the waste of good food could avoid 18 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents from being emitted each year – the same as taking 1 in 5 cars off of UK roads.

The study, which is believed to be the first of its kind in the world, consisted of a detailed survey of households and a physical analysis of their waste.

A representative sample of 2,715 households in England and Wales was interviewed, and several weeks later, 2,138 of them had their waste collected for analysis – with their signed consent.

The research was designed so that it could quantify the amounts and types of food waste being produced, but also made links between this and the attitudes displayed by, and disposal options available to the household.

Key Facts

In the UK we are throwing away one third of the food we buy. That’s like one in three bagfuls of food shopping going straight in the bin.

We throw away 6.7 million tonnes of food each year in the UK, when most of this food could have been eaten. (Its not just peelings and bones -its good food). That’s equivalent to filling Wembley Stadium with food waste 8 times over!

In terms of environmental impact – producing, storing and getting the food to our homes uses a lot of energy. The carbon impact of food waste is enormous. Tackling it would provide a carbon benefit equivalent to taking 1 in 5 cars off of UK roads.

Most of the wasted food reaches landfill sites where it emits methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

High economic cost – at least £10bn worth of food that could have been eaten is thrown out every year.

We throw food out for two main reasons: food gets forgotten and is left unused; we serve up too much and don’t use leftovers.

The main reason for food being wasted is due to people throwing away food as soon as it has reached its “use by” date. This date is placed on the packaging by manufacturers as a ‘quality guide’ only. It does not mean that the food has gone off. In addition, many people operate their fridges at the wrong temperature. Fridge temperatures should be between 3 – 5 degrees Celsius. You can buy a fridge thermometer very cheaply.

By throwing away less food you can save money and help the environment.

Air Purifiers, The Ozone And Associated Dangers

A lot of stories are currently circulating about the adverse effects that air purifiers may be causing in people’s homes. It may be causing a form of indoor smog which is a lot more dangerous than the air that you get inside some of the dirtiest cities in America.

Studies that were carried out by the National Science Foundation have shown findings which have sent people in the air purifying manufacturing industry back to their research. According to the information that was available from the study, ozonolysis tended to create as much ozone in the area which was worse than the smog that could be found in smog-filled areas of Los Angeles, California.

Ionic air purifiers tend to operate by charging airborne particles in the air and then attracting them to metal electrodes. Although the system is being propounded by its advocates as an efficient means of cleaning the air and getting rid of pollutants and allergens, it has been found out that they emit minute amounts of ozone as a result of the ionization process. Although standard ionic air purifiers tend not to emit enough ozone to cause concerns in a home that has been well ventilated, models which use the ozonolysis process tend to remove pollutants from the air tend to emit more ozone which can accumulate in poorly ventilated rooms to an excess of at least 350 billion parts per billion. When these are measured outside these levels tend to trigger a Stage 2 smog alert in most U.S cities, a situation which hasn’t occurred in Southern California since the 1980’s.

Barbara Riordan who was acting chairperson of the California Air Resource Board (ARB), in 2006 warned that ozonolysis machines were dangerous and emitted the same chemical that the EPA in the U.S had been trying to remove from the air for decades.

What was much more devastating according to Riordan was the fact that a lot of people who were already suffering from the effects of respiratory problems such as asthma and emphysema are rushing to buy these dangerous devices in their homes because they can help their conditions.

The EPA has taken a stand by stating in its literature that the ozone has been found to have very little effects in the removal of indoor air pollutants. This makes the use of these devices quite unnecessary as science hasn’t found a basis or proof for the claims of these manufacturers regarding their own products.

Until a lot more research has been completed, experts have agreed that the safest means of purifying your air is to use an alternative air filtration system in order to get your home rid of any indoor pollutants and allergens which may be responsible for your discomfort. This may be to the chagrin of manufacturers of these devices but the truth is that consumers had better do the best to protect themselves as no one else will secure their own interests on such issues better. Prevention of a problem is much better that looking for a cure after the problem has occurred.

Eat For The Planet – Reduce Your Carbon Footprint Through Your Diet

While many people understand the impact their vehicle has on the environment, they rarely consider the impact their diet has. When one stops to consider that globally automobiles produce 10% of all CO2 emissions and livestock produce 18% of all CO2 emissions it is easy to see the importance of an environmentally friendly diet.

Evaluating Your Carbon Footprint

Your personal carbon footprint measures how many pounds of global warming causing CO2 you produce annually through activities in your daily life. Once you understand your personal carbon footprint and its implications on the environment at large, most people begin to wonder what can they do to reduce their footprint?

According to the United States Department of Energy, the average American produces about 20 tons or 40,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. How does your carbon footprint compare to the national average?

Using Your Diet to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

When you consider the global environmental cost of livestock the implications of our diets on the environment become clearer. Each item we consume has a life cycle that effects the environment. The dietary choices we make, give us control over these environmental effects.

Five Environmentally Dangerous Foods

A recent Los Angeles Times article lists the following environmentally dangerous foods. (The items are listed from most dangerous to least dangerous.)

• Beef/Steak
• Foreign Cheese
• Fresh Tuna
• Domestic Cheese
• Shrimp

Can Gourmet Food Be Environmentally Friendly?

Can gourmet food be environmentally friendly? Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay thinks so and he doesn’t stop there. According to a recent BBC interview Ramsay went on the record to say “restaurants should be fined if they serve fruit and vegetables which are not in season.” Ramsay feels “it would cut carbon emissions as less food would be imported and also lead to improved standards of cooking.”

Simple Dietary Changes Are The Solution

Reducing your consumption of these environmentally dangerous foods is can be easier than you think. Why not replace your beef with chicken? You would need to consume nearly 10 servings of chicken to cause the same environmental damage as a single serving of beef. Are you willing to try something new? Why not consider replacing your hamburger with something vegetarian such as a portabello burger or a black bean burger for even more dramatic environmental results. Instead of environmentally expensive exotic fruits and vegetables consider locally grown, seasonal produce. If you are unsure where to start your local farmers market can provide you a wide variety of locally produced fruits, vegetables and even proteins.

How Green Is Your Office?

Solar Pool Cover Is Recommended for Your Swimming Pool

There is one thing that you have to remember if you have a swimming pool at your home. It is important to have the pool heated. It is also good to have a cover for the pool to keep the water clean. There are ways to do both at one time but only one way is ecologically sound. Using the suns rays is a tremendous way of warming the water without using any electricity. This is why a solar pool cover is an indispensable product for any pool owner.

Many people are unsure about using solar energy but there is no reason for this. If you were asked what your favorite type of energy source was, what would it be?

There are many great ones to choose from and your answer could include:

- Coal

- Electricity

- Water

- Gas

- Wind

You wouldn’t use all of these types for a pool cover and a solar pool cover is definitely the best option to use. The more common types used in houses today are electricity and gas. These sources provide constant energy to households around the world. However, they do have a negative impact on the world in general. Creating these energies adds to the amount of gases in the air and the rise in climate change has been impacted on because of this. As more people are getting to be more aware of the environment, so the need for an alternative energy source develops.

Natural energy sources are usually better than using the more manufactured energy sources. Wind farms and hydro-power have pleased many people as they use the elements to develop renewable power sources. Another key potential energy source is solar energy. Using the suns rays of heat and light is a great way to generate enough power for many household appliances. The technology behind solar panels is being developed to make it usable on a much larger scale. And solar pool cover have been using this technology.

There are a large number of different types of pool cover and they differ by their size. Usually, the better quality covers would have thicker skin. They may be slightly more expensive but they last longer and provide more heat coverage. When deciding what solar pool cover is right for you all these decisions have to be factored in.

If you will be using it long-term, it’s wise to spend a little more cash upfront for a good product. If it just for one summer, a cheaper option will do just fine.