1- Recommendations to help solve the Environmental Crisis

2- Convert into Green energy

3- Consume less, conserve more

4- Be a part of the change

5- The 10 worst ideas about Global warming

Recommendations to help solve
the Environmental Crisis

We at Rupa Wasi are compromised with the environment. Being aware of the impact we have on environment we are constantly trying to minimize it. One of the ways is transmitting our message, and that’s why; we consider it obligatory to promote and share the following information with who it might concern. By continuing reading and informing yourself we hereby invite you to take the first step in the environmental crisis that affects us all.

When one sees the magnitude of the environmental crisis, it’s easy to feel surpassed, diminished and sceptic about it.  But what we need to understand is that the changes start in oneself, is the only solution, we cannot wait for politicians’ to make changes. First we need to inform ourselves, minimizing our use of resources and energies; we need then to maintain these changes and try to communicate this to the rest.
A way to start applying these changes is to really be aware of the way we relate with the environment, from the decisions we make, the food and services we consume, to the cars we drive. We are individually responsible and contribute with the problem.

By following these simple recommendations we present, you will not only consume less energy, but surely you will also save a large amount of money. Turning to green means more efficiency, less waste which traduces in less expense.

Save energy at home

The more immediate and effective ways to reduce emissions, are really close to one, in your same home. Most of the next recommendations don’t require mayor investment, just minor changes and if they do so, be sure they will be paid off with time. We are sure the bills each month will be reduced, resulting in money saved and fewer emissions.

Choose a more efficient illumination system:

A very smart option is to change traditional incandescent light bulbs, to the more efficient lamps of low consume, they last much longer up to 10000 thousand hours and consume a much less resulting in fewer emissions.

www.efi.org   here you will be able to buy online efficient bulbs.

Choose more efficient appliances:

A major change is done when one chooses the appropriate electric appliance for home such as refrigerators, ovens, air conditioning, and water heating systems. The correct decision will make you save money, and reduce emissions.

www.energystar.gov   this web site will provide precise information and the latest innovations to help you make the best decisions.

Operate and maintain well your appliances

Even though buying efficient appliances is good, is also very important to maintain them well and follow simple procedures:

Place the refrigerator away from energy sources like ovens, dishwashers or radiators.
The thermal compensator should be free of dust and cleaned regularly.
The entire filter should be cleaned regularly.
Operate the appliances with a full load like dish washer and cleaning machines.
Dry your dishes with a fabric cloth

Visit http://eartheasy.com/live_energyeffic_appl.htm  this site will provide advise on how to maintain and operate more efficiently all the domestic appliances.

Warm up and cool down your house efficiently

The heating system and Air conditioning can represent the 45% of use of energy in an average house. Graduate well the temperature of any of these devices, a slight change of 1 or 2 degrees can represent a huge saving in a whole season. A programmable thermostat can also help.

Seal your home

A home well sealed is much more efficient in terms of keeping the heat in winter, and preventing the cold air to escape in summer. Check your home for any leaks and consider changing to better insulating windows, they will represent a saving in energy in the long term.

For more information visit:  www.simplyinsulate.com

Make an Energy revision at home

Make a complete revision at home and identify which areas are the ones consuming the most energy.  For precise information visit:

www.energyguide.com

Here you will be able to do a step by step evaluation, considering the house structure, number of rooms, heating system device. By doing this you will save up to US$ 450 a year, the average consume of a normal house is US $ 1500 in energy costs per year. By following simple recommendations, you will save good money.

Save the hot water

Heating up the water is one of the activities that consume the most energy; you can save money by fixing the temperature at 49 degrees.

You can also save money by taking a shower instead of a bath tub, and when you do so, you can turn off the water while you apply the soap and shampoo, you will clean better also.

Consider the necessity of the hot water of the cleaning devices like dish washer and washing machines, you can set it to warm water instead of hot, these will save energy and money.

Reduce the waste of Stand-by devices

Many home devices including TV, DVD, cell phone chargers or any other device that has a remote control or is battery charged. They consume energy even when they are turned off, in fact 25% of the energy consumed by a regular TV is when is off and plugged. The only way to be sure is to unplugging it or plugging into a multiple socket with a interrupter. This is what they call Ghost leak.

For more information about energy consumed by Stand-by devices visit:

www.standby.lbl.gov/index.html

Increase the efficiency of the Office at home

The computers are provided of a mechanism of energy saving control, that when activated, makes that the computer is in a low consume mode, saving up to 70% of the energy used by it. The lap tops are 90% more efficient than normal PC’S, and also inkjet printers consume 90% less energy than normal printers. Also printing in black and white consumes less energy and using multifunction devices that are printers, fax, copiers and scanners consume by far lees energy than each of them.

For more information please visit:

www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=equip.pr_office_equipment

Convert into Green energy

Most of the energy used at home, comes form burning of fossil fuels, but every time more and more people are switching to renewable and clean sources of energy. For more information related to these renewable energy sources visit:

www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/renewable_energy

For information specifically on solar energy visit:

www.ases.org/

For information related to wind energy visit:

www.awea.org

Many people have already started to switch to renewable sources of energy, like wind, sun or thermal not depending form any electric energy source.
Some house even produces more energy than they use, then they sell the rest, this is called “two way metering”.

For more information related to two way metering visit:

www.awea.org/faq/netbdef.html

For those not able to switch into green energy, there are other ways you can contribute. In many places you can choose to receive energy form renewable sources, most of the times with an extra charge, but as more and more people switch to it, sure the price will come down.

For more information visit:

www.epa/gov/greenpower 
www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower

Use less Transport

A normal car produces 300 grams of Co2 each kilometre, if you reduce only 30 km per week you will release half a ton less of Co2 each year.

Drive smartly, some slight changes in the way you drive will significantly reduce the gas consumption of you car. Try to travel in the normal hours, not in the rush hour. Respect the speed limit, not only by safety reason, but also for economic reasons. Above 90 km/hr the car consumes much more fuel. Keep you car in good conditions, periodically maintenance assures efficiency.

For more information about proper maintenance on the car visit:

www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/drivehabits.shtml

Buy your next vehicle smartly

The increasing price of oil is pushing consumers to buy more efficient cars, that way you save money and reduce emissions. For each extra litre that you consume, it adds 2 ½ kilos of Co2 into the atmosphere. Not necessarily you will sacrifice comfort to improve the efficiency.

For more information visit:

www.fueleconomy.gov

Hybrids

The hybrid cars work with a combination of fuel and electricity, being more efficient than normal cars. They can consume 21 km per litre. These cars have an increasing demand on the market.

For more information about hybrids visit:

www.hybridcars.com

Alternative Fuels

In the future fuel will come from nearly everything, fruits, wood, and herbs, nearly everything contains fuel. Now a day is very popular ethanol and bio diesel.

For more information about Alternative fuels visit:

www.afdc.doe.gov/advanced_cgi.shtml

Consume less, conserve more

Many of us are used to a lifestyle based on consumption. This way of life has a high price and load over the environment. Cultivating a new lifestyle based on respect over mother earth is necessary; here we present some simple ideas on how to achieve it.

Consume less

Nearly in everything we consume there is energy consumed to produce it and most of the times from the burning of fossil fuels. A good way to reduce this is by consuming less. Before buying something realize if you really need it. We have to aim towards a simpler lifestyle, and choose to consume less.

For ideas on how to reduce you’re consume visit:

www.newdream.org

Buy things that last

“Reduce, recycle, reuse” is the say of a increasing number of people, oriented to produce less waste and reduce the emissions; buying less, choosing products that last instead o disposable, repairing instead of disposing and passing to others the products that don’t result necessary for us, but for them yes.

For more information please visit:

www.epa.org.gov/msw/reduce.htm

For finding a new home for something you don’t use anymore visit :

www.freecycle.org

Precycle reduce the waste before buying

When you buy give preference to items that not exaggerate with the packaging. Some companies in order to make the product more attractive they put extra layers of packaging, useless. When ever possible buy in big quantities and look for products done of recycled material or glass.

For more ideas about this visit:

www.enviornmentaldefense.org/article.cfm?contentid=2194

Recycle

Most of the communities offer means and ways for the recollection and recycling of paper, plastic, aluminium, steel and glass. By doing so you contribute, with less emission, even though transporting, separating and recycling all this consumes energy, its by far less than producing new one.

For more information on how to recycle more efficiently visit:

www.earth911.org/master.asp?s=ls&a=

Don’t Waste Paper

The paper industry is one of the most harmful and polluting industries, especially over our forests. Thousand of acres are cut down in order to produce the daily newspaper. There are a few simple recommendations:
Besides recycling your paper, restrict you use of paper towels, use napkins made of cloth, use both sides of paper sheets and stop unwanted mail.

For more information about this visit:

www.newdream.org/junkmail

www.dmaconsumers.org/offmailinglist.html

Use reusable Cloth Bags for your daily shopping

Millions of barrels of Oil are used each year to produce plastic bags used only for shopping. These mainly end up in waste dumps and take centuries to decompose. Paper bags are also a problem there are not resistant enough and mainly done with virgin paper, the one that requires trees to be cut down.
Knowing this next time you go shopping take your own cloth bag, and when asked Plastic or paper say none.

To find more about reusable bags and were to get them visit:

www.reusablebags.com

Compost

When the organic waste en up in the garbage dumplings’, they usually get compacted in the bottom, they ferment and without any oxygen and air that contributes to the natural decomposition they release Methane, the most harmful and power full of all the toxic gases. It is 23 times more potent and damaging than Co2 .The Methane gas represents 1/3 of the total emission of Methane. But when the organic waste is properly managed in compost, it adds energy’s and nourishes the grounds, diminishing at the same time the volume dumped in garbage dumplings.

For more information on how to transform your organic wastes into Compost visit:

www.epa.gov/compost/index.htm

www.mastercomposter.com

Take your own Bottle container

Instead of buying plastic bottles of one single use, which to manufacture consumes lots of energy and resources, consider the energy used in transporting it. Get your own reusable bottle that you can refill. If you are concerned about the quality of the tab water consider getting a purifier or a water filter. Also you can use reusable big water containers.

For more information related to benefits of using water containers visit:

www.grrn.org/beverage/refillables/index.html

Modify your diet so it includes less meat:

Besides the health problems associated to the excessive consume of meat, this is traduce in a huge amount of Co2 released. It is needed much more energy from burning of fossil fuels, to produce and transport the equivalent of proteins form any vegetable source.
Also consider that a great amount of the world deforestation result form the slash and burning of forests, in order to produce more pastures for the cattle. This causes a greater damage due to the destruction of trees that otherwise would absorb Co2. Fruits and cereals consume 95% less resources in their production and when combined efficiently, they offer a complete and nutritious diet.
By consuming less meat we would also save large amounts of water and natural resources.

For more information related to cattle and global warming please visit:

www.earthsave.org/globalwarming.htm

www.epa.gov/methane/rlep/faq.html

Buy local products

Most of the times, more emissions result form transporting the food from large distances, than to actually produce it. Consider this when buying; try to buy products that grow near your area. Sure exist local markets nearby your community, and makes sense to modify your diet, consuming products of the season and region.

To find more about how can you contribute with global warming, using your fork and knife, please visit:

www.climatebiz.com/sections/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=27338

Buy bonus to neutralize your remaining emissions

There are many of our activities that result in emissions of Green house effect gases. It’s practically impossible to eliminate our emissions; we all contribute in different levels to global warming. There is something you can do in order to compensate your impact. You can level your impact to 0 by buying Carbon compensation bonus. When you buy this bonus you are financing projects that reduce the emissions of Co2, like projects that encourage the use of alternative energies, or restoring forests.

For more information visit on organizations doing this please visit:

www.NativeEnergy.com/climatecrisis

Be a part of the change

By informing ourselves we can be much more aware of our personal emissions. If we do so, we will be able to inform more people, friends, family, neighbours and communities. That’s why we feel deeply compromised with this matter and seek ways of promoting and spreading the knowledge. Know a days we don’t have the right to be uninformed and keep contributing with the problem, its no fair for future generations.  

Useful links related to Climate changes

www.weathervane.rff.org
www.climateark.org
www.gcrio.org
www.ucsusa.org/global_warming

This web provides precise information, in terms of the total emissions of harmful gases produced by each. By answering a questionnaire you will be able to calculate your impact. By being aware you will aim towards a neutral life in respect with the environment.

www.climatecrisis.net 

Encourage your business or school to reduce emissions

You can extend your positive influence also to communities, schools or offices. It’s just a matter of being creative and seeing how can one be a part of the change, that is why for example you are reading this information, we felt compromised to share it and promote it.

Have in mind the effect of your investment

If you invest you should have in mind the impact of your investment related to climate change. There are financial institutions that assure the money is invested in companies, products and projects that take actions against global warming.
Keep in mind sustainability, in your next investment, this doesn’t mean you will loose money; it is proven in fact that green investment result more profitable than normal investment.

To learn more about green investment visit and also learn how you can contribute and invest in projects to help reduce global warming:

www.socialinvest.org

Support an environmental organization

There are many organizations that do an excellent job contributing to solve the climate crisis and any support is welcomed to find more about it see:

www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/default.asp

www.sierraclub.org/globalwarming

The 10 worst ideas about Global warming

“There is nothing we can do against global warming, is too late”
This is the worst of the 10, there are many things we can do, as you just read but is necessary to start now, we cannot ignore this crisis and keep burning fossil fuels indiscriminately, its simply not fair.

“Scientist don’t agree that humans are the ones making the climate change in Earth”
There is solid consensus among scientist that human contribute greatly to global warming, and that if we continue bombarding our atmosphere with harmful gases the consequences will be bad.

“There are many factors that can affect global warming there is no reason to worry so much about Co2”
Is true there are many factors besides Co2, but this only shows how much we have to care about this and other harmful gases. We converted into the most powerful agent of change in nature.

“The climate varies naturally, so any change we see today is part of a natural cycle”
Is true climate varies naturally, but recent studies done in the artic ice, reveal that today the concentration of Co2 in the atmosphere is higher than in the last 650000 years. This clearly shows that we are far from a natural cycle, more Co2 means more temperature.

“The Ozone hole is the cause of global warming”
This is slightly related, but the main cause of the Ozone layer hole are the artificial substances called CFC. This hole allows a greater radiation to enter our earth contributing with global warming. Global warming increases the temperature of the inferior zone of the atmosphere, which can worsen the lost of stratospheric Ozone.
 
“The Ice barriers in Antarctica are growing, so it shouldn’t be true that global warming is reducing glaciers and ice”
It can be partially true but recent studies show that generally the ice casket are reducing. Globally speaking more than 85% of the world glaciers are shrinking. This is happening all the way from Greenland to the mountain glaciers of the Andes.

“The global warming is beneficial, because it will warm the cold winters and will make plants grow better”
This myth seems to never disappear, in fact this will happen in some areas, but the cost is fairly high. Many populations will be forced to abandon their cities and move inland as refugees, due to increase of the sea levels. Also we will expect long periods of droughts, flooding, forest fires, hurricanes’, typhoons; tornados which all combine represent a serious thread to mankind.

“The warming scientists find is only the hat that cities retain”
For some it result easier to deny the fact, rather than to take action. The measuring done in cities, parks, urban areas demonstrate an exaggerated increase of temperature, directly related to global warming.

“The cause of global warming, is due to a meteorite that felled in Siberia in the earlier XX century”
This might sound absurd but some people seriously suggest this. The effects of this natural disaster are of a short term and there are no registrations of major changes during that period.

“In some areas the temperature is not rising so global warming is a myth”
This might be true in some isolated areas of the globe, but global warming is measured, as it names suggest globally, is the average of world wide temperatures, and this undoubtedly are rising.

Important note:
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