Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Green Living means Green Power

Green Living has become more of a necessity today than when it was an emerging celebrity trend not too long ago.

More corporations are shifting their sights to ‘eco-friendly’ products and services to fill the ever-growing consumer want to ‘live green’.

One such company is Sustainable South Bronx (SSBx) located at 890 Garrison Avenue in the Bronx, NY. This company provides a multitude of services that benefit a 'Green Lifestyle’. The company was founded in August 2001 and has crossed, advocated and won awards in it’s mission to help save the planet and it’s inhabitants.
They have created a variety of programs, policies, employment and material to help educate and advance the lives of individuals who believe in taking care of our planet.

Here is but a small list of what they offer:
  •     Community council for education
  •     Youth Development - LIFT
  •     Vocation training
  •     Green Technology
  •     Advocacy programs such as ‘Green Equity’ and ‘The Solid Waste Program’
  •     FabLab
  •     Toxic Tours
  •     Green The Ghetto
  •     SmartRoofs LLC
  •     BEST Academy
Their relentless work has brought them numerous honors and awards every year they’ve been active.

If you wish to learn more about this extraordinary organization, go to http://www.ssbx.org/ for more information.

Our planet Earth is our home and it is the responsibility of every human to keep it clean and keep it alive. It can no longer continue to thrive in our method of taking and not returning to the Earth. We are currently starting to see the results of this abuse by the number of life-threatening storms and natural disasters happening around the world.
Earth was also meant to be our classroom where we learn and grow. It is essential to try to bring it back, at least close, to the natural splendor it once was.

I recently saw on television a program featuring a chinese scientist discussing his vision of people living under the Earth, in the ground. He was proposing ways of how we could grow trees and grass underground and use artificial lighting which resembles the sun as much as possible.

There have been past movies made of this concept and to actually see someone seriously considering this step does not follow the original concept of how we are to live on this planet.

It is better to restore the air and beauty of above ground before even thinking of moving underground to live.

Live a green lifestyle can certainly help in restoring our home and making life worth living again.


Source:

Marge Graulau
Green Living Examiner


A Return to a Simple Life: Ways to live Mindfully

Couples spend an average 12 minutes a day talking to each other. We spend 40 minutes a week playing with our children. What's wrong with our lives?


Consider these facts:
The average American is now subjected to over 3,000 adverts per day. Over 90 percent of teenage girls say that shopping is their favourite activity. Over 31% of teenagers sincerely believe they will be famous. By the age of 70, the average person will have spent four years of his life watching TV commercials. On YouTube, Nick Bailey, a 17-year-old boy was so enamoured with his newly purchased Nintendo Wii gaming system that he filmed himself removing the packaging. Seventy thousand people watched the video in the first week alone. Now there are websites devoted exclusively to the thrill of unpacking and unwrapping.
In Japan, young busy couples can hire a family to visit their parents. The parents need to save face, so they would rather have a hired family visit than none at all. For a fee, you could request two staff members at a popular London hotel to come up to your room and recreate the magic of childhood by starting a pillow fight with you (with the other staff member acting as a referee).
 
Couples spend an average of 12 minutes a day talking to each other. We spend 40 minutes a week playing with our children. Around half of the population complains they don’t get enough sleep. 
 
What’s going on with our lives?
Jean Baudrillard a French philosopher believed “the masses aren’t the Social. They absorb all the social energy, but no longer refract it. They absorb every sign and every meaning, but no longer reflect them. They never participate. They wander through meaning, politics, representation, history, ideology, with a somnambulant strength of denial.”
What Jean Baudrillard was commenting on is the poverty of meaning, the embrace of mind-numbing prime-time television and the cultural deadening of the Western conscience. If, after slogging away at a hard day at work, you return home to watch television religiously night after night, you may just understand what Jean Baudrillard was worried about. The undertow of the idea is that people can numb out and lead non-participatory lives. They’re not excited by much and feel they have little control over their existence. “As soon as you notice the slightest sign of indifference, the moment you become aware of the loss of longing, of enthusiasm and zest, take it as a warning. You should realise that your soul suffers if you live life superficially,” wrote Albert Schweitzer.
So what can you do about it?
  • Turn off the television. It’s not as hard as you may think once you get into the habit. If that’s difficult to achieve, unplug your roof aerial. You’ll find that you will still watch movies, but at least now you have the choice about what to watch.
  • Join a Simplicity Circle. Simplicity Circles are for people who are interested in rekindling their sense of joy while reducing their ecological footprint. They’re for people who want to live a balanced, happier, and more genuine life. As part of a Simplicity Circle you will be invited to rethink your life balance and work on ways for improving you and your family’s well-being.
  • At a Simplicity Circle, people are not focused on disparaging success, rather focusing on the potential emptiness of success if it is motivated by greed. You will discuss with other group members about how to simplify your life so that your life feels validated and feels more "your own." The philosophy of a Simplicity Circle is Mindfulness, not Mindlessness. You will be encouraged to make something of your life in unique and satisfying ways.
  • Think about your attachment to objects – the things that you use to clutter-up your life. Think about your shopping habits and your consumer behaviour. How can you be more mindful in your buying choices?
  • Look at other ways that you can cut back on being so busy. Decide on one thing each week that you will cut back on. For example, cut back on your time commitments, cut back on clutter, cut back on the dryer and hang out the washing instead.
  • Write up your goals and plans for the future. Think about short-term and long-term goals. Discuss your goals with others. Find local resources and research how to turn your goals into reality.
  • Have fun! You only have one life! Live it meaningfully! Live it mindfully!
References:
Baudrillard, J. (2007). In the Shadow of the Silent Majorities or the end of the Social. Semiotext(e): Los Angeles.
Andrew, C. (2008). The Circle of Simplicity: Return to the Good Life. Harper Collins.
See also:
CecileAndrews.com. "Circle of Simplicity: Return to the Good Life" (accessed January 30, 2011).

Source:
Suite101:  
First Posted on Jan. 30, 2011

The Benefits of Organic Cleaning Products

A popular movement towards green cleaning has been underway for the past few years.
  • What is Green Cleaning?
    This is cleaning that is done with organic cleaning products; these are toxin free products that do not present the harmful chemicals of common commercial products. Green cleaning companies are supposed to be held to much higher standards than are required by either federal or state regulations.
  • What is the Purpose of Going Green?
    The purpose is to finally address the large variety of illnesses that have sprung from exposure to commercially branded cleaning products. Not only have people suffered from the use of such products; our environment has taken quite a toll from them as well.
  • What is the Benefit of Green Cleaning?
    The benefit of green cleaning is that we discover and use healthful and safe ways to maintain our clean environment. We protect our health when we live green because we minimize if not eliminate toxins in our environment. Often by living green we can avoid illnesses that toxins can present, and allow our bodies to heal if we've already gotten sick from toxin exposure.

Dangers of Toxin Chemical Cleaning Agents

When we are exposed to chemical cleaning products, it increases our risk of developing allergies, contributes to the development of cancer, and reduces our immunity.¹ With all of these potential health risks facing us, it's no wonder that we are all searching for healthier alternatives.

What, do you suppose, drives the push for more research? Suits, probably. These toxic chemicals are making people sick. They go to the doctor as a result of falling ill only for the doctor to determine that these toxins are the cause. Research has shown that benzene, formalin, and other solvents are all harmful to our health. This has caused our legislators to enact regulations to limit our exposure to them.²

Still, it's surprising, however, that many of these chemicals have not been banned at this point since their dangers are known. For this reason, we see the movement toward organic cleaning materials.

Organic Cleaning Products - Did You Know?
Did You Know?
The DEA found that many cleaning products can cause asthma in children.

Organic cleaning products are a safe, natural alternative to the harmful chemicals found in traditional cleansers. For the most part, they are relatively easy to find. Though you might have a bit of difficulty in locating organic cleaning agents at one of your favorite retailers, you should not have any trouble finding them at health food stores or online. In fact, many people prefer shopping for organic cleaning products online because the internet offers a greater number of products from which to choose.

Shop for Organic Cleaning Agents


As you search for organic cleaning products, keep in mind that you still need to carefully read product labels. Some products might say they are "natural" or "organic", but in reality, they might not actually meet this claim. Become familiar with the ingredients that are most commonly used in both traditional and organic cleaning products so that you can become an informed consumer, and learn how to choose the safest products for your home.

In the United States, one way that you can be more confident that you are purchasing truly organic cleaning products is by looking for the National Organic Program on products before buying them. Organic cleaning products, on the other hand, might still have a stamp of approval from an accrediting agency indicating that they have gone through a standard regulatory process in order to certify that they only sell true organic items.

When you take the time to become better informed about the choices that are available to you, you'll learn that organic cleaning products are easy to find, and will probably fit nicely into your budget. The overall benefit to you and your family will make you wonder why you didn't make the switch sooner.


Source:
Global Healing Center
Natural Health and Organic Living
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/organic-cleaning-products.html

REFERENCES

  1. It's Easy Cleaning Green. Deirdre Imus. http://coaches.aol.com/kids-and-family/Deirdre-imus/clean-green.
  2. Green Cleaning. Green Glossary (One Source). http://www.one-source.com/en/features_greenglossary.html.

Why are organic home products important?

Organic home products

Why are organic home products important? We may not be aware of the toxic substances that we expose ourselves to at home. Our health and our quality of life can be adversely affected by cleaning products, pesticides, house paint, and certain building products. Asbestos, composite decking, fiberglass, lead, PVC and other synthetics can still be found in many products. Young children are particularly susceptible to these chemicals. Knowing what chemicals to avoid can help us avoid the biggest contributors to toxicity in our homes. 

One of the biggest culprits is a class of compounds called VOCs, or volatile organic compounds (See our “Organic terms” page). Other household products like aerosol disinfectants are not only toxic to us, but they deplete the ozone layer. We may be familiar with the hazards involved with mixing chemicals; when ammonia is combined with chlorine bleach, a toxic gas is released which can seriously damage the respiratory system.

How can we minimize these hazards?
There are many alternative products on the market today – organic home products which are effective, biodegradable, and non-toxic. 
These products can be divided into a few major categories – organic cleaning products, organic pest control, organic furniture (mattresses and seating), and organic home improvement products (which will include things like bedsheets, paints, and decorative items).


Source:
Organic News Nature.Com
http://www.organic-nature-news.com/organic-home-products.html

Monday, February 21, 2011

10 Tips for Living Green

You Can Help the Environment with Easy Lifestyle Transitions

To live green means to help our environment from the dangers that are destroying it. It is an eco-friendly way of life, and many people are hopping on-board.

Living green is a way that some people have found to help save planet Earth from a fast approaching disaster. Being eco-friendly is a way of life that many people have chosen to live because it helps slow down the process of destroying the earth. It means buying "green products" that are environmentally friendly, along with other endeavors that will help save our environment.

 How Can I Help Right Now

Here are 10 tips for living green that you can implement immediately:
  1. Purchase fruits and vegetables that are organic. Organic foods avoid the use of pesticides. This is better for the environment, as the produce is grown naturally.
  2. Cut down on fuel usage. Try walking to places instead of taking your car. If that is not possible, consider carpooling or taking public transportation systems, such as buses or trains when you can. The less fumes in the air the better for all of us.
  3. Recycle household items. Give old clothes as a donation to places like Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Use rechargeable batteries. Organize a neighborhood yard sale to get rid of things you no longer want or need.
  4. When gardening, create a compost pile for fertilizer. Don't opt to buy fertilizers from stores.
  5. Use a canvas bag that can be used over and over again when you go grocery shopping. Do not accept the plastic or paper bags that the store offers.
  6. Invest in a water-saving showerhead. You can find these low-flow types online at Enviro Friendly Products. Help conserve water by taking this step.
  7. Consider buying things in bulk. It saves you money and requires less packaging materials.
  8. Save energy by installing a programmable thermostat to heat and air condition your home.
  9. Pure soap is biodegradable and breaks down completely. Choose a soap that is pure, such as Dove. Avoid soaps with synthetic scents or colors.
  10. Make a bird feeder out of recyclable products, such as a milk carton. Feed the birds and help the environment at the same time!
Of course, there are multiple other ways to help protect the environment, and this is just a small list of the things you can start doing right now. Take time to research other ways that you can "go green."

Source:
Dennis Oliveri
Suite101: 
First Posted on Oct. 15,2007

8 Ways to Green Your Morning Routine

We often focus on things, products, or stuff when we write about going green, disconnecting them from people’s daily lives a bit.
I think this limits the degree to which people incorporate green practices or green products into their lives. So, rather than just randomly create a list of some things you can do or buy to go green, I thought I’d focus such a list around the story of your day a bit.


1. Wake Up with the Sun. The day starts for us when we wake up, and the day starts for nature when the sun comes up. Lining up these two “days” is one great way to green your life.
No, not because the early bird gets the worm or anything like that, but because if we are awake when the sun is up, we are asleep more when the sun is down, and that means we use lights less and save energy.
Of course, some people have to work late, or get up super early, and this doesn’t work for them, but many of us (myself included!) could shift our daily schedules to save energy.
2. Eat a Vegan or Vegetarian Breakfast. As you must have heard by now, eating vegan or vegetarian food is one of the greenest things you can do.
It is quite easy to eat vegan or vegetarian at breakfast – you can have fruit; cereal (perhaps even with non-dairy milk); toast; apples, bananas or something else with peanut butter (or some other nut butter); pancakes; waffles; scrambled tofu; or a host of other creative options.
3. Eat Local Food for Breakfast. OK, this may limit your breakfast options a little more than eating vegan or vegetarian, but it can also help a lot — cutting some of the pollution and CO2 emissions created from transporting food around the world.
Nonetheless, you should be able to find local fruits fairly easily in most parts of the world much of the year and I think every city I’ve ever lived in has had farmers markets and local food stores that offer plenty of other local food options as well.
4. Eat an Organic Breakfast. Alright, this is the last food suggestion, I promise, but it is quite conclusive that organic food is much better for our environment than non-organic food.
This has to be on the list. (And yes, you can eat organic without going bankrupt. I lived on organic food with a minimal monthly salary for years, so I know it’s possible.)
Organic food doesn't have to just be food, you can even find great places to buy organic maple syrup too.
5. Use Green Personal Care Products. Another part of our daily life is brushing our teeth and using some combination of personal care products to ensure that we smell and look good around others. Whole Foods and most local healthfood stores offer eco-friendly personal care products and many large, conventional stores even offer such products these days.
So, whatever freshening up you do in the morning, look into doing it with green and eco-friendly options (often, these are better for your health, too).
While such products may be a little more expensive than their chemical-laden alternatives, you normally don’t have to purchase them all that often and if you spread out the price difference across a couple of months, it is quite negligible. And, again, you’ll probably save on healthcare costs in the long run anyway.
6. Minimize Your Water Use. You can easily get yourself into the habit of using less water when you brush your teeth, wash the dishes, or take a shower (you might even consider shower-pooling – fun and eco-friendly). It just takes a tincy tiny bit of thought and effort.
7. Put On Green Clothes. They don’t have to be the color green, of course, and don’t go changing your entire wardrobe if your clothes aren’t eco-friendly yet (since that would just use more energy), but when you have the opportunity, buy organic cotton clothing, recycled clothing, hemp clothing, bamboo clothing, swap clothes with a friend, or get clothes at a second-hand shop.
8. Don’t Drive. Transportation is one of the top three contributors to global warming, cars are the largest net contributor to global warming, and cars are also a leading cause of numerous other environmental problems (i.e. water pollution and air pollution).
Depending on your circumstances, take public transit, bike, or walk to wherever you need to go in the morning. Or telecommute. (You can often save money and will be healthier taking one of these options as well.)

Of course, we all have unique lives and maybe some of the suggestions don’t fit yours, but hopefully these rather general tips come in handy for you and help you to green up your life.

How do you go green in the morning?


Source: 
Zachary Shahan
Living Green
The Fun Times Guide.com
http://green.thefuntimesguide.com/


Nigari Mineral Supplement - Features and Benefits


Nigari contains 100% Natural Minerals which are readily absorbed by our body. It shall replenish the lost minerals in food and purified water. With more minerals, it keeps the body property hydrated, sustains stamina and brings back life's energy throughout the day. 


Nigari is a mineral supplement, particularly rich in macro and trace minerals needed for optimum health and nutrition.  It contains magnesium (anti-stress), sulfates, chlorides, and potassium.  It is known that Nigari contains more than 40 trace elements like selenium (anti-cancer), boron, manganese, chromium and zinc.

Why do we need Minerals?

    All nutrients such as vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates and fats require minerals for proper cellular function.
    Minerals are the spark plugs of life. They are required to activate thousands of enzyme reaction in the body.
    We lose minerals through sweating (perspiration), exercise, suffering from diarrhea, and consumption of laxatives.



Source:
Salinas
http://nigari.salinas.com.ph


Why to Go Green

You’ve probably noticed that green is everywhere these days--in the news, politics, fashion, and even technology. You can hardly escape it on the Internet, and now with the Planet Green TV network, you can even enjoy eco-friendly entertainment 24 hours a day.   

That’s all great as far as we’re concerned, but with a million messages and ideas coming at us from all sides, it can be easy to get caught up in the quotidian stuff—switching to organic foods, turning down the thermostat, recycling, say -- without thinking about the big picture of how your actions stack up. Worse, you could even be suffering from a little green "fatigue" -- that is, tuning out the green messages due to their ubiquity.

While it's easy to get overwhelmed, it's also simple to begin making a positive impact. Since it's helpful to understand the big picture when it comes to setting to smaller goals, we’ve adjusted our focus for this guide—a departure from out typical "how to go green" content, which typically tackles very specific topics such as kitchens, cars, or pets -- to take a broader look at the reasons behind why we should go green.

As globalization makes the world become smaller, it becomes increasingly easy to see how the lives of people (and plants and animals and ecosystems) everywhere are closely synced up with one another. So toys made in China can affect the quality of life in Europe, pesticides used in Argentina can affect the health of people in the U.S., and greenhouse gas emissions from Australia can affect a diminishing rainforest in Brazil.

The truth is that everything single thing we do every day has an impact on the planet -- good or bad. The good news is that as an individual you have the power to control most of your choices and, therefore, the impact you create: from where you live to what you buy, eat, and use to light your home to where and how you vacation, to how you shop or vote, you can have global impact. For example, did you know that 25 percent of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from flora that come from the Amazon rainforest? And that less that one percent of these tropical trees and plants have been tested by scientists?

These numbers suggest that we all have a large (and growing) personal stake in the health and vitality of places far and near. In addition to protecting biodiversity (and inspiring medicine), rainforests are also excellent carbon sinks. Bottom line: It benefits everyone on the planet to help keep our wild spaces alive and growing.

But embracing a greener lifestyle isn't just about helping to preserve equatorial rain forests, it can also mean improving your health, padding your bank account, and, ultimately, improving your overall quality of life. All that and you can save furry animals, too?
Why wouldn't anyone want to green? Keep reading for all the important, big-picture details.


Source:
PlanetGreen.com
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/ultimate-go-green/




Sunday, February 20, 2011

Harmful Home Cleaning Products Exposed!

It definitely no big secret that one spends a reasonable amount of time cleaning up their home. But then it is essential to note that just cleaning homes while harming health and environment is not enough.  

Did you ever know that the products you use at home to keep it clean can be infectious and can cause some major health hazards to you or your children or even your environment? Well accept it, for the truth says that majority of the indoor pollutants can be attributed to the domestic cleaning products. These cleaner products emit harmful toxins that pollute the air indoors, leading to an adverse effect on the health of your beloved at home.

Now, you don't believe that! Do you?

Well it is of no surprise that one takes time to accept this fact that home cleaning products that one might be using for years can turn out to be so harmful! But then, one needs to discover for oneself and gobble the reality. A step towards your realization and safety is made by us... read ahead some of the most popular cleaning products used by you that are harmful!

Dish washing detergents: In order to keep your dishes and utensils well cleaned and tidy, one most probably picks up one of the most popular brands that has an attractive cover and priced reasonably, available in the market shelf. Even among them, one can choose for either the automatic detergent or the hand dishwashing detergent or even both as per convenience.
TRUTH: The crucial element contained in dishwashing detergents is phosphate and for those who are not aware of the evils of phosphate note that- phosphate irritates the skin and leads to burns. Even though the hand-wash ones are milder, they do irritate the mouth and throat when inhaled.

Laundry detergents: To keep your linen fresh and fragrant, again one selects the best brand advertised and available. You know what...?
TRUTH: Laundry detergents contain 2-3 OSHA graded harmful elements such as soda ash or linear alkyl benzene. These irritate the skin and are a major cause of reactive dermatitis. And children are most easily affected by such harmful reactants.

Toilet cleaners: A yet another cleaning facet of home cleaning is keeping the toilet hygienic and for that one uses a good disinfectant cleaner. Right?
TRUTH: One wouldn't imagine that these could too contain toxic pesticides but they actually do. It is the pesticide called antimicrobial pesticide that acts as the detergent and these usually contain sodium hypochlorite or bleach. Now since this arena is inevitably a must kept-clean place, use some precautions because these detergents release poisonous gasses and cause difficulty in breathing along with infuriating the skin while cleaning it. So ventilate your bathroom well and use latex gloves while cleaning.

Window or glass cleaners: Maintaining the windows and glass of the house clean and hygienic is as important as keeping the toilet clean for these areas are directly exposed to both the indoor and outside air, thus creating maximum contamination. So one has to adopt some cleaning detergent here too.
TRUTH: The essential elements of these cleaners are ammonia and iso-propanol. These do create irritation in the eyes, skin, nose and throat. And if swallowed it can be fatal! Ensuring the room to be well ventilated and using gloves while cleaning can reduce the perils.

Keeping surrounding clean is essential but with safety and protection measures kept in mind. We gladly present to the reality of the perils around you that you might not be even aware of along with their stead-fast solutions.

For the truth says that majority of the indoor pollutants can be attributed to the domestic cleaning products. These cleaner products emit harmful toxins that pollute the air indoors, leading to an adverse effect on the health of your beloved at home.

Why Pinoy Global Store was set up?

 









Source of inspiration:
Output of science and technology, research and inventions can be transformed into greater opportunities for our economic development.

WHY WWW.PINOYGLOBALSTORE WAS SET UP:

An increasing number of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) have locally made products that can be marketed locally and globally. They deserve a chance to market their products effectively.  

We want to promote E-commerce within the Philippines. We want to utilize the internet to connect with local and international buyers, trade facilitation bodies and government institutions.

We hope to enable Filipino SME’s to cement a place for them in the on-line world and get their share out of this fast growing channel. The web based way of doing business is now the demand of the times.

We will focus on marketing products whose raw materials are all locally sourced thus helping the local economy grow.


You may visit our website to see more of our own
Philippine made Organic Products.
http://www.pinoyglobalstore.com


3 Reasons Why You Should Use Organic Beauty Products

Are you having trouble what to choose whether organic or non organic? It is very important to choose the right one that will give you the best.

When you want to get the best for your body, it is important to rightly get a healthier one. Do you want to have you skin brighter? Or your hair shiny? Beauty products must be chosen correctly if you want to have the best result.If you are thinking of buying non organic beauty products, think again. 

Below are reasons why you should choose organic beauty products:
  • Healthier
Organic produce are richer in nutrients, vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and trace elements.  Because you are using naturally manufactured products, you will find the best of the beauty secret you want to have. Organic elements present in the beauty product can greatly help in making the best of your body; most organic products can do wonders for throughout many aspects of body. You can easily find an all- in- one item for your beauty system.
Natural products don’t pose a big deal of side effects which could adversely bring havoc to your face. While synthetically created beauty products may have counter effects, organic beauty products don’t give you a problem with that.
  • Environment friendly
You are helping damage the Earth. With the best of organic beauty products, you can easily get the best of the beauty you want to have without endangering the immediate environment where you live and the entire ecosystem as a whole.
The key ingredients in the organic products are not harmful to the environment but rather, it can help to facilitate the best of the immediate environment that you have. Because most of organic beauty products are biodegradable, you will have ease in putting of used item. You are both helping yourself to reach the best while protecting the environment.
  • Safer
You don’t have to worry about allergies and rashes of the beauty products. Organic beauty products are formulated with the best elements in nature that do not harm body parts. You don’t have to get yourself with so many products to fight each adverse effect of the other.
It is a big thing that organic beauty products contain the best of natural elements and you don’t have to worry about after math effects when you stop using the item. Synthetic products contain chemicals which may give adverse effects when you stop using them. It is really a good thing that you can make use of the best item that will not damage your body parts if you stop the application.

You can find several products in the market. You can find affordable organic beauty products for the best. It is a big thing that organic beauty products can give you the best result for a good price. But you can also get expensive organic beauty products depending on the usage of the item. All – in – one product are more expensive than focused ones.

SOURCE:
The Organic Foods
http://www.theorganicfoods.net
First Posted on Sept 06,2010

Why Pinoys Need Green Lifestyle?

MANILA, Philippines--Growing up GROWING UP in the years after the war, I was taught to recycle things. Curtains morphed into tablecloths and aprons, clothes were handed down from sister to sister or from brother to brother, and oil containers became sprinklers. Of course, in those days we didn’t call what we were doing recycling. We thought we were simply and sensibly making the most of everything, since various resources were scarce after the war.

I remember that the garden was my favorite spot, and even then, I held close to my heart the principle of “waste not, want not.” We grew our own vegetables on the compost soil that we generated. There were no garbage collectors (basurero) back then, so we put our garbage to good use. Kitchen waste and yard waste (dried leaves and twigs), mixed with a little bird poop, made good fertilizer, and out of the rich compost soil came the vegetables that nourished us. The garden pots were used cans and the compost was mixed in used rubber tires. It was a natural cycle that we appreciated.

New perspective
This is precisely the reason why I wrote a book, “An A-Z Guide for a Green Pinoy.” I want Filipinos to look at their garbage bin in a new perspective. I hope that it will make them ask these questions the next time they shop: “Where does this product come from? Is it made or grown locally? How far has it traveled? Who made it? Will it last? Can I recycle it? Is it toxic? Is there a better alternative? Where will it eventually end up? Is it at the dump?”
For generations, we have been hauling our garbage to open dumps. It took the July 2000 Payatas tragedy and some 200 lives for the government to come up with Republic Act No. 9003 (The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000). The spirit of the law is very clear: To see the things we do not use or no longer need as waste, not garbage. They are valuable resources that need to be managed.

Experience tells us that the most sustainable way to manage solid waste is at the local level—as close to home as we can get. The law has identified the modes by which solid waste should be managed: Reduce, reuse and recycle. The strategies: Segregate at source, recover and compost.
It has been more than 10 years since the RA 9003 was passed, yet despite the simplicity and clarity of its implementing rules and regulations, it still is waiting and wanting serious enforcement. Compliance is only about 10 percent. But if the law won’t pursue us, nature eventually will, and the penalty it will exact is more than what any man-made law can ever impose.

Homage to nature 
Solid waste management is paying homage to nature. It is an affirmation of our commitment to life and the whole creation. In a world where environmental challenges seem so overwhelming, the easiest way for us to have a large impact is to reduce our individual waste, recycle and compost. However, it is not too late. The book also has a section called “champions for the environment” which details successful green programs of various companies, organizations, NGOs and individuals which can be replicated and serve as a guiding example.

Some of the “champions” include Holcim Philippines Inc. which promotes effective waste management with Geocycle, the Isko Cleans UP student group which is taking the lead for a ‘Zero-Waste’ Campus, the Kilus Foundation which transforms trash to fabulous fashion bags sold all over the world, the Meralco Development Center which perfectly illustrates how a training center can attain world-class standards yet become environment-friendly at the same time, SM Supermalls, Jollibee Foods Corp., NestlĂ© Philippines Inc., Unilever Philippines, among others.

3 Rs
There’s also a story about the outstanding efforts of environment activist Leonarda Camacho. Every positive contribution, no matter how small, is going to help. You, yes you, can make a difference!
Here are some tips on how to implement a successful waste management strategy: 
“Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” also known as the 3Rs, is the cornerstone of environmental philosophy.

REDUCE
REDUCING WASTE is the best option. It’s a simple concept, but it is often the most overlooked of the 3Rs. Simply put: If you buy less stuff, then you will have fewer things to dispose of. It will save you time and money, conserve natural resources and reduce pollution, including greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change.

It is very alarming how much of what we throw away is still useful.

Fifty years ago, there was virtually no plastic in the garbage can. Bottles were returned or reused since households had their milk delivered. Other bottles had a deposit on them. This practice kept the streets clear of bottles.

Through the years, our society has become increasingly wasteful. The amount we wasted grew, along with the changes in the way we shopped, especially now that packaging has become very attractive. Dependence on processed food and home-meal replacements grew, which in turn meant more packaging will be thrown away. Now, garbage trucks heading to the dumps are just not big enough to contain all our increasing waste.

To reduce waste, consider the following tips:
Buy less stuff. Consider secondhand stuff. Most of what we throw away could be useful to other people. Flea markets, ukay-ukay and thrift shops do a great service in giving our unwanted items another lease on life.

Refuse packaging when possible. Almost every time we go shopping, we are offered over-packaged items. The products we buy are placed in a small plastic bag, then into a larger plastic shopping bag. Get into the habit of refusing those bags! Instead, carry your own reusable shopping bags all the time! It’s not difficult to have one or two foldable bags in your handbags. Many countries in Europe routinely remove excess packaging at the checkout for the shop to sort out.

Buy quality goods. One way to reduce waste is to buy products of better quality. Avoid goods that won’t last. A well-made, durable product will outlast a cheaper, inferior product.

Buy local and support our domestic economy. This decreases carbon footprint and encourages livelihood.

Avoid disposables when possible. Try to avoid items that are only used once and then thrown away, such as plastic cutleries, cups and plates, cameras and razors.

Avoid anything you can’t reuse or recycle.

Refill. Whenever possible, buy products in refillable containers. Some restaurants and coffee shops offer products at a discounted price when customers bring their own container for takeout.

Buy in bulk. If you buy some of your food in bulk, ask your friends if you can buy together and reduce cost for all of you.

Set your printers and photocopiers to print on both sides of the paper by default. This will automatically reduce the amount of paper a business uses and reduce paper costs.

Use modern technology to your advantage. Why send out marketing material in the post when it can be done more effectively by e-mail? Not only are your materials more likely to reach the right person, but you will also save money on paper, envelopes and postage.

Carefully proofread documents on your computer screen first before printing. This will enable you to immediately catch mistakes and avoid the need to print the document again.

Instead of throwing away printer toners and cartridges, have them refilled. You save a lot of money in the process.

Store your company letterhead on your hard drive, and print the letterhead when you print the letter. This eliminates the need to print and stock separate stationary, and makes changes to company information easy, fast and free.

REUSE
WE ARE so used to throwing things away without a second thought. Why not reuse the items instead? Reusing is one of the best practices for a cleaner environment. 

 Consider some best reuse practices:
Turn your lunchbox into a sustainable feast and waste-free meal. Use washable cloth napkins instead of paper, a stainless steel thermos instead of juice boxes or plastic water bottles, and steel cutlery instead of plastic ones. Doing all this on a daily basis reduces deforestation and toxins, and you incur less waste in the long run.

Instead of using disposable containers or materials such as aluminum foil and zip-lock bags, use reusable food containers to store leftovers and other food in the fridge and cabinets.

Repair, refurbish or reupholster furniture to give a new lease on life. Your neighborhood craftsman can do it for you.

Donate or sell. Many thrift shops or secondhand stores are now becoming extremely good at marketing a whole range of products. Some thrift shops are becoming specialists in a particular merchandise. Some focus on designer bags, shoes and clothes, while others specialize in “retro” knickknacks, such as old telephones, odds and ends, furnishings and decors, selling alongside china and flatware. Some specialize in books, such as Book Sale, with hundreds of outlets nationwide. Browsing in thrift shops is a trendy habit.

Reuse envelopes if possible, such as for distributing internal mails. Make it a practice to reuse file folders by reversing and re-labeling them. Reuse paper that has only been printed on one side. Use other side as scratch pads or for printing out drafts of reports and other documents.

Circulate newspapers, magazines, technical journals and other publications within your office so that you don’t have to receive multiple copies of the issues.

Reuse paper clips and fasteners. There is no reason why a paper clip must be thrown away.
Use durable boxes for shipping among your company’s various branches, warehouses or stores. This will enable you to reuse the boxes for as long as possible.

Store manuals, policies, and other documents online. Don’t print out huge employee handbooks. Allow employees to access PDF copies at their own time.
Contact and sell to junk buyers segregated office supplies that are no longer useful.

RECYCLE
WE ALWAYS say that necessity is the mother of invention. In times of war and political upheaval, the struggle for survival has triggered an extraordinary flow of creativity around the world. Some of the best recycling ideas are the products of thrift and self-reliance that flourished during hard times. But in the emergence of the modern “throw-away society,” those diverse traditions of recycling and reusing are being revived by artists, designers and eco-warriors alike.

From the wisdom of bygone days to innovative ideas from contemporary artists and designers around the world, recycling ideas are boundless if only we let our creative juices flow.

Recycling in our country is still evolving. We have a long way to go, but recycling is moving from its supporting role in waste disposal to a preferred method of getting the maximum return from a shrinking supply of limited resources.

Home composting is by all means encouraged; it’s the easiest recycling that we can do and this greatly reduces our garbage. Nearly two-thirds of our garbage consists of materials that could be composted.

Sustainable packaging is a buzzword in the packaging industry and among companies that heavily use various types of packaging materials in their day-to-day operations. It involves, among other things, the use of packaging that is compostable or recyclable, made with recycled contents or renewable materials, or manufactured without using toxic chemicals.
 These types of packaging materials are now being used by a growing number of companies as part of their efforts to limit the environmental impact of their products.

In essence, this is the tenet of the recycling industry: reduce air, water and land pollution, especially at dumps; reduce the demand for water used in processing paper, plastics, glass and steel by 50 percent; save energy such as fuel oil at the factories because recycled wastes melt at lower temperature; save space at dumps; conserve raw materials; save further destruction of forests, oceans (for oil), mountains (for minerals), and quarries (for silica); keep the surroundings clean and tidy; give jobs to people; save pesos/dollars that will otherwise go to importation of raw materials; and earn money for the industry.

Recyclability is one particular criterion that is considered important not only for a packaging material but for the product itself. The fact that a product is recyclable facilitates the job of saving it from being dumped on a landfill.



Source:
By Annie P. Guerrero
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 22:19:00 01/01/2011

Filed Under: Lifestyle & Leisure, Environmental Issues