Browse Tag by emission
Earth

It’s Time To Go Green

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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.

Oceans

Harmful Emissions From The Ships

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Today ships are responsible for 13 percent of diesel emissions worldwide. Until 2050 this number could even triple, says a current study of the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). The situation in the Arctic is especially dramatic. It is expected that the emissions from ships in arctic waters will be six fold until 2025 and accelerate the melting of the ice.

 

The expected rise in emissions would eliminate much of the effort achieved on land so far. While exhaust fumes from cars, trucks and power plants are filtered, the shipping industry is incredibly excused from anti-pollution. To make things worse, even if the emissions happen in the air on the high seas – it can be blown several hundred kilometres inland. Just in Europe air pollution from ships causes about 50.000 premature deaths.

 

There are still solutions. The ICCT study estimates that emissions could be reduced by 70 percent with the currently available measures – and that’s even a conservative estimation. If all ships would use soot particle filters, 99,9 percent of soot could be filtered from the fumes. The use of marine diesel with a better quality and effective exhaust gas emission systems needs to become compulsory for all ships.

Earth

Clean Air Project in Europe

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It is not surprising to see the bleak pictures from Beijing clearly showing what happens when protection of air quality is not taken seriously. Good air means good quality of life. As a matter of fact, every person breathes in around 15,000 litres of air per day.

 

Although the air quality in Europe is better than that in China, Europeans should continuous their effort to keep their air clean. The air in Europe contains a lot of nitrogen oxide and fine particulate matter that make people sick. That’s why nine European NGOs are now collaborating on a new project called Clean Air. They are mainly focusing on transportation and want to show how air quality can successfully be improved.

 

Indeed, it’s time for us to fight against air pollution. The continuing violations of the limits, and the resulting damage caused by emissions, fine particulates and threaten both the climate and public health. The fact is: even if particulates and nitrogen oxide are not visible to the naked eye, it is estimated that in 2010 alone, over 420,000 people died prematurely as a result of air pollution.

 

Clean Air Project started in 2013. The partners have been directing their efforts at many different parties involved in air protection, such as local and regional government offices, transportation companies and the general public. The project spreads examples of best practices and provide forums where experts, decision makers and representatives of civil society can come together to share experiences and expertise. We need clean cars, buses and ships and the right transportation policies — so that everyone can breathe freely.