VEROECO TIPS

Earth Hour

2010-03-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

Mission, History & Earth Hour 2010
On Earth Hour hundreds of millions of people, organizations, corporations and governments around the world will come together to make a bold statement about their concern for climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour. In the U.S. where we are already feeling the impacts of climate change, Earth Hour sends a clear message that Americans care about this issue and want to turn the lights out on dirty air, dangerous dependency on foreign oil and costly climate change impacts, and make the switch to cleaner air, a strong economic future and a more secure nation.

Participation is easy. By flipping off your lights on March 27th at 8:30 p.m. local time you will be making the switch to a cleaner, more secure nation and prosperous America. View the toolkits, to find out what else you can do to get involved including leading the Earth Hour movement in your community.

Set Your Clock
On Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 8:30 p.m. local time, Earth Hour will once again cascade around the globe, from New Zealand to Hawaii

Sparking a Movement
Since its inception three years ago, Earth Hour’s non-partisan approach has captured the world’s imagination and became a global phenomenon. Nearly one billion people turned out for Earth Hour 2009 – involving 4,100 cities in 87 countries on seven continents.

Last year, 80 million Americans and 318 U.S. cities officially voted for action with their light switch, joining iconic landmarks from around the world that went dark for Earth Hour, including:

•Empire State Building
•Brooklyn Bridge
•Broadway Theater Marquees
•Las Vegas Strip
•United Nations Headquarters
•Golden Gate Bridge
•Seattle’s Space Needle
•Church of Latter-Day Saints Temple
•Gateway Arch in St. Louis
•Great Pyramids of Giza
•Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens
•Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro
•St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City
•Big Ben and Houses of Parliament in London
•Elysee Palace and Eiffel Tower in Paris
•Beijing’s Birds Nest and Water Cube
•Symphony of Lights in Hong Kong
•Sydney’s Opera House

the secret is out. spread the word

2010-03-09T11:42:00.000-08:00

The Secret is Out. Spread the Word.
The Cove exposes the slaughter of more than 20,000 dolphins and porpoises in Taiji, Japan every year, and how their meat, containing toxic levels of mercury, is being sold as food in Japan and other parts of Asia, often labeled as whale meat. The majority of the world is not aware this is happening as the Taiji cove is blocked off from the public. The focus of the Social Action Campaign for The Cove is to create worldwide awareness of this annual practice as well as the dangers of eating seafood contaminated with mercury and to pressure those in power to put an end to the slaughter.

And it’s been working. The film has been making waves since it premiered last year. Critical praise and audience awards worldwide have focused international attention on Taiji and the annual dolphin drives off the coast of Japan. Under intense pressure, Taiji called for a temporary ban on killing bottlenose dolphins. The film, which was originally rejected, was shown at the Tokyo Film Festival due to public outcry. Residents in Taiji are being tested for mercury poisoning, and for the first time Japanese media are covering the issue.

Close to a million people have signed on to the campaign, but this is just the beginning. The fisherman are clearly rattled, but haven’t stopped killing dolphins.

Lo que esconden las pinturas convencionales

2010-02-03T22:24:00.000-08:00

Hola a todos desde el Blog verde. Os voy a ir poniendo articulos que considere interesantes y que nos enseñen un poco más en la vida diaria. Un besoteeeeeeeeee

Este articulo es sobre las pinturas convencionales y fue Publicado en el Boletín Salud y Medio Ambiente nº 38 de la Fundación Ecología y Desarrollo

Las pinturas convencionales esconden sustancias tóxicas dañinas para la salud de las personas y del medioambiente, especialmente los compuestos orgánicos volátiles (COV: minúsculas partículas que se despegan día a día de las pinturas). Las pinturas naturales garantizan un ciclo de vida respetuoso con la naturaleza y nuestro bienestar respetando los criterios medioambientales logrando unos resultados similares.

Según la Federación de las Industrias de Pinturas, tintas, colas y adhesivos francesa (FIPEC), existen cuatro grandes familias de compuestos para pinturas:

- Los aglutinantes, que aportan consistencia y transparencia a la pintura.

- Los disolventes, que dan fluidez a la pintura para permitir su producción y aplicación. Sus componentes orgánicos volátiles son especialmente nocivos (white-spirit, tricloroetileno, o la acetona).

- Los aditivos, que modifican ciertas propiedades de la pintura o aportan otras nuevas (aditivos antiespumantes, absorbentes de ultra violetas, fungicidas, secantes etc).

- Los pigmentos que aportan propiedades ópticas como la opacidad o el color o propiedades anticorrosión, resistencia al fuego etc. Los más peligrosos contienen metales pesados como el plomo, cadmio, cobalto o cromo y contaminantes que resultan tóxicos incluso en pequeñas dosis.

Pinturas de agua

La mayoría de consumidores creen que las pinturas al agua no presentan ningún riesgo. Esto es en parte cierto dado que la gran proporción de agua en su formula las hace menos agresivas para la salud si se comparan con las pinturas en “fase disolvente”. Sin embargo, no hay que olvidar que este tipo de pinturas, aunque menos dañinas, también contienen un porcentaje variable de disolventes, pigmentos y coadyuvantes que son fuentes de riesgos, según el Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Seguridad francés, que estudió la composición y los riesgos toxicológicos de las pinturas al agua así como y las medidas de prevención contra los mismos.

Elegir una pintura ecológica

Las materias primas para la elaboración de las pinturas naturales provienen en su mayoría de recursos naturales renovables y no son tóxicas. Las pinturas naturales y ecológicas no emiten prácticamente ningún COV y por lo tanto, son inofensivas para la salud.

Su fabricación es mucho menos dañina para el medioambiente que la de las pinturas de síntesis: las pinturas naturales son ecológicas y biodegradables. Su fabricación necesita poca energía y produce pocos residuos. Su impacto sobre el medioambiente es mínimo. Las pinturas naturales y ecológicas se aconsejan para las estancias en las que pasamos mucho tiempo: habitaciones, despachos, guarderías, escuelas, hospitales etc. Este tipo de pinturas no contaminantes se aconsejan especialmente para las habitaciones donde hay recién nacidos o niños.

Los riesgos derivados de los pigmentos, aglutinantes y aditivos son los mismos sin que importe el tipo de pintura, aunque el riesgo debido a los disolventes es:

- Elevado en el caso de pinturas en fase disolvente (sintéticas).
- Moderado en pinturas en fase hidrosoluble.
- Débil en las pinturas solubles en agua.

El éter de glicol tiene un efecto nocivo sobre la fertilidad del ser humano. La toxicidad de los pigmentos minerales depende de la presencia de metales en su fórmula: el contenido en cromo puede ocasionar irritaciones cutáneas, de las mucosas o respiratorias como el asma. El plomo y sus derivados pueden causar afecciones renales, del hígado o del sistema nervioso (saturnismo). La acumulación de compuestos de cadmio puede afectar a los pulmones, al tubo digestivo, a los riñones y los huesos. El cobalto pueden causar problemas de piel, respiratorios (asma o eczema). El Centro Nacional para la Investigación del Cáncer, (CIRC) los califica como posibles agentes cancerígenos para el hombre.

Los pigmentos son microcontaminantes tóxicos incluso a bajas concentraciones. Arrojados a los desagües o en la tierra, contaminan el agua y la cadena alimentaria. Además, se concentran progresivamente y pueden provocar intoxicaciones crónicas o agudas. Los gases liberados por estos pigmentos durante su combustión son cancerígenos

Cuando aplicamos este tipo de pinturas en el hogar, cierto número de productos nocivos se expanden en el aire e impregnan los tejidos y moquetas de nuestro hábitat. Su presencia puede durar meses y pueden causar diversos tipos de irritaciones y una disminución de la capacidad respiratoria. Debido a su inflamabilidad se deben tomar medidas de precaución en su almacenaje y posterior uso. La “toxicidad” de las pinturas sintéticas implica un tratamiento específico de sus residuos.

Una pintura natural respeta el ciclo de vida, garantizando un medioambiente menos contaminado en sus diferentes fases desde la elaboración hasta la aplicación en los hogares. Las pinturas naturales se fabrican libres de derivados del petróleo, de disolventes, de dióxido de titanio y de agentes contaminantes en sus embalajes.

En su mayoría, los componentes de las pinturas naturales son: aceites vegetales, agua, tintas vegetales, goma natural y caseína. Este tipo de pinturas ecológicas evitan los (COV), compuestos orgánicos volátiles en su producción y generan los residuos mínimos. Indicadas para las personas alérgicas, las pinturas ecológicas logran actualmente unos resultados similares a las convencionales.

Publicado en el Boletín Salud y Medio Ambiente nº 38 de la Fundación Ecología y Desarrollo

styrofoam is not biodegradable

2009-10-12T09:14:00.001-07:00

Styrofoam is not biodegradable, which means it's here forever. Next time, get your coffee to go in a reusable coffee mug or thermos. Skip the fast food, and use glass and metal storage containers whenever possible.

THE ISSUE OF ORGANIC VS. CONVENTIONAL

2009-10-07T20:21:00.000-07:00

There has been much talk of organic products lately and there seem to be as many opinions as there are participants in the discussion. Thus, there is truly no easy way to judge whether organic is really the best way to go. However, the more information one possesses, the easier it is to make a decision for oneself.

Here are some issues surrounding the organic vs. conventional battle:

•Organic products are better for the Earth—this is one of the most important reasons to go organic since the certification criteria demand organic products to be grown promoting biodiversity, minimizing pollution and using agricultural methods promoting cultural, biological and mechanical means instead of synthetic materials. This means eliminating all chemical pesticides and fertilizers (that are harmful not only to humans but the animals and the environment in general) as well as incorporating methods improving the soil, e.g. using cover crops, manure and crop rotation, conserving water and energy, grazing animals on mixed pastures etc. However, transporting organically grown products emits nearly the same amount of greenhouse gasses as transporting conventionally grown food, which nearly defeats the purpose. Hence, the best way out is to find a local farmer’s market and find out what methods the farmers use to grow their produce. Chances are, most small farmers are responsible enough to use environmentally friendly methods.

•Organic food is better for the consumer—this is not quite so clear. While some organic products may contain more nutrients (e.g. organically grown kiwis have more disease-fighting polyphenols than their conventionally grown counterparts), others actually suffer a decreased amount, e.g. organic tomatoes may have less antioxidants. Thus, the jury is still out on that one.

•Organic packaged food is not better for the consumer—this is true in case of any processed, packaged food, be it organic or conventional. Usually processed food items are full of trans fats (to prolong their shelf life) and sugar, which is metabolized exactly the same way, regardless of its origins. Unfortunately, some companies use “organic” as a marketing device packing their products with organic high fructose corn syrup, which clogs the arteries the same way conventional HFCS does. And believe or not, HFCS made form organic corn falls under the FDA’s guidelines for organic!

•Organic produce taste better—again quite difficult to judge since so much depends on when the fruit or vegetable was picked. If it was picked in the height of the season after it had a chance to grow and ripen in the sun, then it will definitely taste good (whether organic or not). If, however, it was picked before it ripened and then traveled for miles to find its way to the supermarket, the taste may have a lot to be desired, even if we’re talking about organic products. Here, again, the best way to go seems to be finding a farmer’s market and purchasing your produce locally.

HOME MADE RAIN BARREL SYSTEM

2009-10-07T20:19:00.000-07:00

HOME MADE RAIN BARREL SYSTEM

printing

2009-10-05T14:10:00.001-07:00

The printing press is often claimed to be one of the greatest inventions of mankind. It has given us a way to store and pass knowledge, ideas, and adventures to each other and to future generations and that truly is an accomplishment worth some major press, but there is a negative side to the printed word which comes in the form of lost resources and gained waste. Books are one of the most obvious products of paper and print, but are not the most numerous by a long shot. Every day we print miles worth of paper, glossy or matte, just to turn around and toss it in the trash tomorrow. Newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, and games all add up to one big stack of clear cut trees. Here are some tips to make your quick information fix a little more eco-friendly.

Newspapers may be being replaced slowly by the internet but there are still more than ten million tonnes of newspaper thrown into landfills every year or about 30% of the newspapers printed. Consider getting your news and Sudoku fix online and you’ll be saving yourself a lot of money over time and you don’t have to sort through all the sections that you don’t want. Think about how many sections in the newspaper you actually read, chances are you aren’t interested in the whole thing anyways and news online is updated as it happens. If you just can’t give up the physical news fix consider subscribing, you’ll save money, time, and a lot of fuel in trips to the newsstand if you drive, and always make sure you recycle your newspaper when you’re done.

Magazines are an impulse buy for many people including myself on occasion, but if you find yourself buying the same magazine a few issues in a row consider taking out a subscription. More than 50% of magazines on newsstands are never sold and end up hauled off to landfills or recycled which is really a waste of time and energy. If more people subscribed stores would order less magazines. A lot of magazines also have online versions which often have more information than the physical magazine and less annoying advertisements. If you don’t like the online option try your local library, they usually have a great selection of current and past issues. If you buy magazines you could also consider donating them to the library when you’re done or to local schools for crafts projects just make sure any with adult content don’t make it into art class that could get awkward.

A lot of puzzle books contain a variety of different games that some people never end up using and even if they contain only one type of puzzle it is rare for a person to finish all the games in a book. Once the book is finished with it is tossed out and can’t be reused by someone else. The best way to avoid this is to find your puzzles online and either complete them there or print off only the ones you want and take them with you to finish. This could end up saving a lot of paper and time in the end.

The printing press was truly one of our most useful inventions and led to the opening up of education for a lot more people than was previously possible, leading to very rapid progress and innovation all over the world. However we live in a world today where information is spread and shared like a virus because of the internet and a lot of what we print on paper can be found online instead. It is easier to access, requires no disposal, costs little to nothing, and less resources are used in the process

Going Green: Downloading Music is Good for the Environment

2009-09-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

Downloading music, software applications and video has become commonplace, reducing the need for consumers to drive their cars to buy DVDs, CDs and the like. This ConsumerGram focuses on the positive environmental impact of buying online and finds that just downloading music has resulted in 6.5 billion fewer miles driven each year. Less driving benefits the environment. Specifically, we estimate that music downloads alone have spared the emission of 23.6 million tons of greenhouse gases in the last 10 years, and is likely to contribute another 9.8 million in the next ten years. Similarly, as consumers download software and videos, additional environmental benefits will occur. Furthermore, other benefits are realized throughout the supply chain from the avoidance of production and transportation costs associated with manufacturing and distribution of physical products.

Contribution to the Environment

Last year at a roundtable discussion at the National Press Club, the American Consumer Institute released a study entitled “Broadband Services: Economic and Environmental Benefits.” The study found that the widespread adoption and use of broadband applications – including telecommuting, teleconferencing, e-commerce, telemedicine and distance learning – could lead to a 1 billion ton reduction in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions over 10 years. Prior to its release, the study was shared with and vetted by environmental groups concerned about the link among greenhouse gas emissions, global warming and climate change. This ConsumerGram adds yet another benefit of IT and broadband services to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Music Down the Pipe

According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), there were nearly 1.1 billion music CDs, cassettes, LPs, singles and music videos shipped in 1997 and growing. In fact, if the growth rate of shipments had continued, the industry would have shipped arguably 1.8 billion physical units in 2007. Because broadband consumers are downloading music to their computers, IPods and other devices, physical shipments actually fell to 544 million units in 2007 from 1997. To put this drop in shipments in perspective of where 1997’s trend would be today, shipments in 2007 have fallen 1.3 billion units below the trend.

Interestingly, RIAA data shows that downloaded music, including music videos and sales through kiosks, subscription and mobile services, accounted for 1.2 billion units sold in 2007, suggestion that consumers are substituting away from physical recordings to downloaded recordings en masse. Of course, piracy and illegal downloading continues to hurt the industry.

It’s the Hard Drive, Not Overdrive

The substitution of digital downloads for the purchase of physical recordings means that consumers no longer need to drive to the store. That means that fuel and time can be saved, as can the emission of harmful greenhouse gases. Using the estimate of the reduction in shipments (off the trend), assuming that a trip to the store averages 10 miles roundtrip and assuming that two units are purchased for every trip to the store, we estimate that 6.5 billion driving miles were saved in just 2007. Accumulatively, the reduction in driving amounts to a savings in greenhouse gases of 17.6 million tons in the last 10 years. Because physical recordings are being replaced by downloading, demand for plastic cases (made mostly from petroleum) are also reduced. Using the methodology from the original study, we estimate that 6 million tons of emissions have been saved in the last 10 years by reducing the demand for plastic cases. In sum, 23.6 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions were avoided by consumers downloading music in the last 10 years.

As consumers continue to substitute from physical units to digital downloads, the savings will continue. In the next 10 years, we estimate that 7.3 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions will be avoided by reducing driving miles and 2.5 million tons will be avoided by the elimination of plastic CD cases, resulting in an additional 9.8 million tons of environmental savings.

However, the benefits cited here can be far greater, since games, videos, DVDs and computer software can also be downloaded too, saving more driving time and reducing other plastic media, none of which were estimated here. Furthermore, not only does the environment save when a consumer avoids a trip to the store, it saves energy associated with manufacturing, transportation and distribution of the product to the store.

Since IT services consume energy, of course, it is also important that consumers power down their equipment when not in use, use power strips to turn off chargers and the like in order to maximize the environmental benefits of using broadband-connected applications.

IT Services is a Green Machine

To summarize, the American Consumer Institute estimated that Internet-based technologies, such as telecommuting, e-materialization, distance learning and other applications, would reduce greenhouse gases by one billion tons over the next ten years. While the study provided a comprehensive look at the benefits of information technologies on the environment, it admittedly noted that much more work was needed to quantify the full benefits of these technologies on the environment. For instance, the study estimated that telecommuting could cut greenhouse gas emissions in the United States by about 600 million tons over the next ten years, while increasing consumer benefits, investments and jobs. This ConsumerGram finds that downloading has become another way consumers avoid trips to the store to buy software, games, music and movies. In fact, from music alone, we estimate that downloading has spared the emission of 23.6 million tons of greenhouse gases in the last 10 years, and is likely to contribute another 9.8 million in the next ten years.

And, did we mention, consumers can save money and time too?

En resumen el artículo habla sobre los siguiente:
Bajarse música, aplicaciones informáticas y vídeos reduce la necesidad de los consumidores de conducir sus coches para comprar DVDs, los Cds y similares. Este ConsumerGram se centra en las consecuencias positivas para el medio ambiente de la compra online y encuentra que apenas la transferencia de música ha dado lugar a 6.5 mil millones pocas millas conducidas cada año. Menos conducción beneficia al medio ambiente. Específicamente, se estima que las transferencias directas de la música solamente han ahorrado la emisión de 23.6 millones de toneladas de gases de efecto invernadero en los 10 años últimos y parece probable que se contribuirá con otros 9.8 millones en los diez años próximos. A medida que los consumidores transfieren música, software y videos, aumentan los beneficios medioambientales. Además, otras ventajas se producen en la cadena de suministro,evitando los costes de la producción y del transporte asociados a la fabricación y de la distribución de productos físicos.

Suggested Reading

Joseph Fuhr and Stephen Pociask, “Economic and Environmental Benefits, the American Consumer Institute, Reston, Va, October 31, 2007.

Articulo de "theamericanconsumer.com

Environmental T-shirts and reusable bags

2009-08-30T08:39:00.000-07:00

Native Indian Proverb/ Proverbio Indio

2009-08-11T08:11:00.000-07:00

There is a Native Indian proverb that says we don’t inherit the Earth, we borrow it from our children. Children have a boundless enthusiasm, energy and optimism fot tackling issues and finding solutions. We want to catch them before they lose their curiosity about the natural world. But in protecting our children we’ve also made it very hard for them to go out and experience nature.

Hay un proverbio indio que dice que no heredamos la Tierra, que la tomamos prestada de nuestros hijos. Los niños tienen un entusiasmo ilimitado, la energía y optimismo necesarios para hacer frente a problemas y encontrar soluciones. Queremos capturarlos antes de que pierdan su curiosidad sobre el mundo natural. Sin embargo en la protección de nuestros hijos, hemos hecho muy difícil para ellos salir y vivir la naturaleza.

Bolsas Reusables

2009-08-05T21:15:00.000-07:00

Bolsas Reusables
Siempre la misma pregunta: Papel o plástico?depende del supermercado, pero la respuesta es NINGUNA POR FAVOR. Las Bolsas reusables están lentamente llegando a todos los rincones. Yo llevo un par de ellas como mínimo en el maletero del coche. Es la forma de estar preparada siempre y que no haya opción de plástico o papel. La bolsa de papel gasta mucha energía en el proceso de reciclaje, la de plástico en cambio consume menos pero tarde cientos de años en degradarse, en comparación con la de papel que tarda menos. Al principio es una pequeña inversión el comprar una bolsa reusable pero luego las acabaras usando muchísimo. Además hay supermercados por lo menos en USA que al llevar la bolsa te descuentan una pequeña cantidad. Ya sabes pon un par de ellas en el maletero de tu coche y así no tendrás escusa.

Reusable tote bags
Paper or Plastic? How about neither, please? Reusable Earth totes are slowly popping up everywhere. I carry a pair of earth-friendly totes in my trunk at all times. That way I am always prepared and don't have to opt for the lose-lose option between paper or plastic.
Paper Bags
Paper bag is made from trees, a renewable resource
Paper Bags take only one month to biodegrade, whereas plastic takes 100 years.
Paper bags can be reused in a number of ways, from ripening fruit to preventing onions from sprouting.
Plastic Bags
Plastic Bags consume 40% less energy to produce.
They generate 80% less solid waste than paper bags.
It takes 91% less energy to recycle a pound of plastic than it takes to recycle a pound of paper.
TEH BEST CHOICE IS TO BRING YOUR OWN REUSABLE TOTE BAGS WITH YOU TO THE STORE. KEEP SOME IN YOUR TRUNK AND YOU'LL ALWAYS BE READY

Rebel with a cause!!

2009-08-01T10:12:00.000-07:00

Hola soy Verónica Romeo y quiero que seas un "Rebelde con Causa" y lleves tu compromiso medioambiental más lejos conmigo.

Me siento orgullosa de formar parte una vez más de Proyectos Ambientales. Continuo mi misión apoyando la causas sociales, en este caso ambientales con mi nueva canción "Hola Mundo" que donará los beneficios de las descargas obtenidas a proyectos medio ambientales en Africa y Latino América a través de la Fundación Alfalit Internacional www.alfalit.org

“Te animo a tomar pequeños pasos en tu vida cotidiana y me gustaría recordarte, que no es todo o nada. Incluso con pequeños pasos para un medio ambiente más sostenible, estás haciendo una poderosa declaración para el mundo. Se Diferente, Haz la diferencia!”
One sOng One wOrld

Hi this is Verónica Romeo and I want you to be a “Rebel with a Cause” and start taking your greening to the next level with me.
I’m proud of being involved one more time in Social Projects. I continue my mission in support of environmental causes with my new song “Hola Mundo” giving the profits obtains with the downloads to support environmental projects in Africa and Latin America through Alfalit International www.alfalit.org

“I encourage you to take small steps in your daily lives and would like to remind you that ’s not all or nothing. By taking even one small first step toward environmental sustainability you are making powerful statement to the world. Be different, Make a Difference!!”

“One Song One World”