material – Green Total

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It’s Time To Go Green

Going green is a big trend nowadays. 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.

Eat real food

Eat seasonal, local, organic foods. This way we can enjoy fresher, tastier foods and improve our personal health. Organic milk has 68% more beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids than conventional milk. Making green food choices also has global consequences. Buying local reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, and reduce packaging and energy used for processing.

Better transportation, better global climate

Anytime you choose to walk, ride a bike, or try public transportation, you reduce the carbon dioxide and particulate emissions created by your own vehicle. You help combat global warming. Choosing greener options such as a train over air travel for long-distance trips can also greatly reduce your carbon footprint.

Simply recycle

Utilize the recycle bin near your neighbourhood. Reducing the amount of stuff we consume is important; finding a practical use for waste materials is the second. Remember, nothing is ever really thrown “away” – it all has to go somewhere. By recycling and reusing, we reduce the amount of waste that occupies in landfills (where trash takes years of time to degrade.). Recycling materials also reduce the use of new materials for making new products.

Smart clothing choice

Making clothing needs a large amount of materials, energy, and labour. By choosing eco-friendly clothing (let’s say the organic one), you also choose a better product that gives less burden to our land. Also use cold water in the washing machine and eco-friendly detergents can all reduce the environmental impact. Secondhand clothes can also save the energy and your pocket.

Atmosphere, climate, and weather

A Survival Water Filter – Part 1

In the world we live in, we never know what is coming next. Fires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters can lead to disastrous situations. That is why we should always be prepared to be able to survive in many conditions. One key factor to survival in all situations is to get clean and safe water for drinking. In this article I will share how to build a filter for water purification, using only materials found in the wilderness (with the exception of cloth). I will also show you how to finally boil your water for purification in the wilderness.

So let’s get started!

First, gather all needed materials. you will only need one tool – A knife. Here is the list of the materials we will be using:

– Birch Bark

– A Small Live Branch or Small Live Plant

– Charcoal

– Gravel

– Stones

– A piece of clothing

The first thing we are going to need is the birch bark. We will use this bark to hold the filter together in a cone shape. Cut the bark in a half circle with a diameter of roughly one foot. Then, roll the bark into a cone. Of course, you could also use the top of a waterbottle that is cut in half (if you can find it during emergency situations).

The second item is a small live branch. Normally I wouldn’t suggest to cut live branch, but we are talking about a survival situation. We need to use the live branch or plant to tie the cone shape together.

What’s next? Continue on Part 2.

Life

Get Away Pollutants During Home Reconstruction

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Remodelling can make an older home feel new again. But it’s at the same time filling the air with dangerous chemicals and other contaminants that put your family’s health at risk. That’s why it’s important to protect your home’s Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) throughout the entire reconstruction process.

Demolition is generally the least pleasant and most dangerous step in reconstruction, at least in terms of IAQ. Dangerous pollutants are released by tearing, stripping and sanding paint. This is especially true for homes built before the late 1970s, when lead based paint and asbestos insulation were still commonly used in construction.

Solution: Seal off remodelling areas before you begin. Try to enter the room from the exterior only.

After the completion of demolition, the installation of new components comes. This process has its own IAQ issues. If materials such as stone, tile and wood are cut inside the home, this can create dust that triggers breathing problems, runny nose and watery eyes, especially in those with allergies.

Solution: Protect the indoor air from unnecessary contaminants. Ask your contractor to cut materials and tile outside so that most dust stays outside as well. Leave windows open at least a crack at all times until the fumes are gone.

The key is to plan ahead and pay attention to Indoor Air Quality at each critical stage of reconstruction. When the project is done, “fresh” your new home with a high-quality air purifier to reduce risks of leftover pollutants.

Matter and energy

Carbon FAQs – What raw materials can be used to made carbon?

Basically, any carbonaceous material can potentially be activated. The common raw materials include, for example, wood (soft & hard), coal, coconut shells, peats and others. Since activated carbon is manufactured from naturally occurring raw materials, its properties will vary. It is necessary to understand the nature of these raw materials, if you would want to purchase carbon for whatever your purpose.

Wood may be activated by one of two methods, i.e. steam or chemical activation, depending on the desired product. The carbon is usually supplied as a finely divided powder which since produced from waste materials such as sawdust, is relatively cheap and can be used on a “throw-away” basis.

Coal is also a readily available and reasonably cheap raw material. The type of activate obtained depends on the type of coal used and its initial processing prior to carbonisation and activation. It is normal procedure to grind the coal and reconstitute it into a form suitable for processing, by use of a binder such as pitch, before activation. Generally, coal contains bigger pores that make it a fairly well adsorbent for gas and air application.

Coconut shell is another common type of raw materials. It contains about 75% volatile matter that is removed largely by partial carbonisation, to minimise shipping costs. The iodine number is high of coconut based carbon, which indicates a higher adsorption capability for molecules. The ash content is normally low and the hardness is relatively higher that makes the carbon hard to breakdown in water. Because of these features, coconut-carbon is a very good filter media for water, beverage and air industries to produce cleaner liquid and air.

Find more about charcoal made from coconut shells http://www.cocarb.com/

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