Author Archives: Salman Zafar

About Salman Zafar

Salman Zafar is the CEO of BioEnergy Consult, and an international consultant, advisor and trainer with expertise in waste management, biomass energy, waste-to-energy, environment protection and resource conservation. His geographical areas of focus include Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Salman has successfully accomplished a wide range of projects in the areas of biogas technology, biomass energy, waste-to-energy, recycling and waste management. Salman has participated in numerous national and international conferences all over the world. He is a prolific environmental journalist, and has authored more than 300 articles in reputed journals, magazines and websites. In addition, he is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management and environmental sustainability through his blogs and portals. Salman can be reached at salman@bioenergyconsult.com or salman@cleantechloops.com.

5 Easy Ways to be Greener in Your Marine Business

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Do you run a marine-oriented business? If so, then you may have a unique opportunity to practice environmental conservation. Water, as you know, plays a major role in sustaining life on Earth. Anything you can do to preserve and protect water goes a long way in helping to combat climate change. Marine work covers a wide range of fields, but we found a few tips and tricks that may be applicable to most relevant businesses. Here are a few easy ways to make your marine business greener.

1. Use Less Chemicals in Pools

Here’s a tip for those who work in pool maintenance: use less chemicals. You can use fewer chemicals and also maintain a clean and healthy pool. This may take some strategic planning on your part, but it’s possible.

There are two main chemicals that are used to kill bacteria in pools: chlorine and bromine. Chlorine is more commonly used because it’s cheaper. But bromine is a longer-lasting chemical. Chlorine requires weekly doses because it’s neutralized quickly. You don’t need to dose the pull with bromine every week because bromine is more resilient. When you use bromine, you’re using less chemicals, which is better for the environment.

The downside to bromine is that it’s much more expensive than chlorine. If you have clients who are passionate about the environment, you could explain this to them and ask if they’d be willing to pay a slightly higher fee for bromine chemicals. Remember that you might be able to reduce the number of visits to that pool if you use bromine on it, which could reduce your operational costs.

2. Use Pool Covers

Water naturally evaporates from pools, and pool owners spend a lot of money having to top-off the pool with water every month. It’s a bigger problem in warmer areas, like in Nevada or Southern California. Water is a resource that’s taken for granted, and some of those aforementioned regions experience severe water shortages in times of drought. You should try and limit how often your clients’ pools are re-filled.

Convince your clients to use pool covers during months when they don’t use the pool as frequently. Covers reduce the amount of water that evaporates from the pool. You may be able to charge clients for having your employees cover and uncover the pool. You can use pathos to argue your case; pool covers also prevent young children and small animals from drowning.

3. Practice Eco-Friendly Boating

Do you run a business that involves boating? Be careful about which chemicals you use when you’re cleaning and maintaining your boat. Some chemicals contribute to harmful emissions, while others can pollute the ocean or lakes and kill marine life.

You should use marine foam and marine paint when you’re doing maintenance on the hull and exterior features. Those materials are eco-friendly. You should avoid using antifouling paint, which is very dangerous for marine life. You should also limit your use of household cleaners. You don’t want these chemicals spilling into the ocean. Try and use natural cleaners instead, like vinegar, lemon, and baking soda.

It’s illegal to dump sewage in any body of navigable water because sewage is bad for the ocean. Always properly dispose of sewage at a pumpout facility. Be proactive in fixing leaks, and always have absorbent towels on hand to clean oil off the bilge.

4. SCUBA Conservation

If you run a dive shop, be vigilant in protecting the reefs where you take divers. Educate divers—especially new divers—about not touching coral reefs, and about being careful where they kick their fins. Most scuba divers are respectful of the underwater ecosystems, but there’s a bad apple in every bunch. If you have to, threaten to end dives short if any diver knowingly disobeys your environmental rules.

5. Recycle

Last, but certainly not least, recycle! Recycling is one of the easiest and most simple ways to make your marine business more eco-friendly. Regardless of whether you’re a contractor or if you work on a boat, you should always have recycling bins where you can toss used plastics and glass. Take these materials to recycling facilities so that they can be properly re-made into new items. Some recycling facilities even pay you for bringing in materials.

If you run a marine-based business, you have the potential to protect the environment in a huge number of ways. Practice eco-friendly cleaning methods and sustainability, and educate your clients on how they can contribute.

How to Increase Welding Safety?

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Welding can be particularly dangerous to those operating the equipment and others around the site if proper safety procedures aren’t used, risks aren’t considered, and safety standards aren’t met.

If you are reviewing how you can conduct welding tasks in a safer way, here are some major hazards to bear in mind and the personal protective equipment (PPE) designed to combat them.

Think about common hazards when welding

1. Welding in confined spaces

When operating in a confined environment, there is a serious risk that there could be a lack of oxygen that could result in an accident or injury.

dangers-of-welding

The gases which are used in welding, such as argon, CO2, and nitrogen, can displace the air within an enclosed space, creating a risk of passing out.

Consider whether the work can be carried out without needing to enter the space, and if this isn’t possible then use a safe system of work and establish a rescue plan.

2. Exposure to gases and fumes

As well as gases creating suffocation risks, other gaseous fumes can damage your lungs. The level of damage will depend on the gas, but occupational asthma, pneumonia, and even cancer are all associated with specific fumes.

3. Electric shock

This is potentially the most serious risk with arc welding. Both TIG and MIG welders carry a risk of electric shock when used improperly, as live electrical circuits are utilised to heat the metals for welding.

Whether through a direct shock or through touching part of the welding, it could result in serious injury or fatality. Certain conditions, such as wearing damp clothing or being surrounded by metal flooring, can increase this risk.

4. Burns

As you’d likely expect from working with high-temperature welding arcs and molten metals, severe burns can occur when welding. These can happen incredibly fast if you’re not careful and skip safety protocols.

5. Fires and explosions

In addition to burning the person welding, sparks generated can fly as far as 35 feet away from the welding area. Combined with the extreme temperatures created, this can start fires if given the chance.

Inspect for and remove any flammable materials from the nearby areas – this could be liquids like petrol, solids such as wood and paper, or gases including hydrogen and propane.

6. Excessive noise

Prolonged exposure to loud noises exceeding 85dB(A) can do permanent damage to your hearing, with welding being capable of reaching over 100dB(A). Without proper hearing defence, you could experience noise-induced hearing loss.

7. UV exposure and infrared radiation

When welding, the bloom of UV light which is produced can damage your eyesight. This is why welders need eye protection and welding curtains to prevent this. Long-term effects could lead to a loss of vision, cataracts or foreign bodies entering the eye.

Wear proper welding PPE for safety precautions

Employers have a responsibility to provide proper PPE to any employees tasked with carrying out welding tasks, helping to prevent bodily harm and keep people safe.

welding-gear

1. Welding helmets

This will shield you from all manner of hazards – UV radiation, debris, chemical burns, etc. Ensure your helmet is fitted with the correct lens to combat the type of work you’ll be doing and adjust the filter to get a balance between visibility and proper protection.

2. Respirators

Use the right form of respirator mask to protect your respiratory system from the oxides and fumes which will be generated by the work you will carry out.

3. Fire resistant clothing

As burns can occur quickly in a welding environment, fire resistant clothing is needed to shield you from heat, fire and radiation. This needs to cover any pockets and feature no cuffs where things could get caught inside. Do not roll up sleeves or the ends of trousers as the folds could trap molten metals.

4. Ear defenders

Make sure that ear protection is worn to protect you from noise generated in your workplace and use fire resistant earmuffs where there could be a risk of something entering your ear canal.

5. Worker boots and gloves

These need to meet the required standards for the workplace to provide adequate protection. Gloves need to be insulated and flame resistance to protect from shocks and heat, while boots should be rubber-soled and feature steel-toecaps to further insulate from electricity as well as shielding your feet from heavy objects.

Welding gloves don’t offer enough mobility for delicate tasks, so the welder should have options. A well-fitting pair of chemical-resistant nitrile gloves is essential for work that requires precision and a soft touch, such as mixing chemicals and applying paints, stains, and other solvents.

Conclusion

By being aware of the potential hazards and what PPE is needed when welding, you can implement further safety measures that take these things into full consideration, whether you’re in an industrial environment or working at home in a workshop.

5 Tips for Successful Land Development Design

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Land development design is a complex process that requires expertise in architecture, engineering, and other disciplines. Challenges such as sustainability, regulations, and cost considerations can be difficult to navigate. Add this to the demands of stakeholders, and it’s clear that a successful land development design is no easy feat. Fortunately, there are some key strategies that you can use to increase your chances of success. Here are five tips for a successful land development design:

Guide to land development design

1. Conduct Thorough Research

Before designing, ensure you understand the local context, legal requirements, and other relevant information. Investigate the land’s history, its current use, and what regulations you must comply with throughout the process. Without this knowledge base to build upon, your design decisions may be misguided or ill-informed. Environmental site assessment is also an important consideration. Find out as much as possible about the ecosystem and wildlife in the area, as well as any potential risks to human health or safety.

2. Involve Stakeholders Early On

Stakeholder involvement is critical for a successful land development design project. Make sure you identify your stakeholders and try to bring them into the process early. Ask for their feedback throughout, and make sure they are aware of any changes along the way. This will help ensure that all parties are on board with your design decisions and reduce potential conflicts.

3. Consider Sustainability

Sustainability is more important than ever when it comes to the land development design. Ensure you consider energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, and other environmental considerations. This will ensure that your design is compliant with regulations and helps protect the environment for future generations. Ideally, the site should be designed to take full advantage of the natural environment and resources. This means considering nearby bodies of water, wildlife habitats, and renewable energy sources.

How To Create A Strong Sustainability Culture

4. Focus On Cost-Effective Solutions

The success of any project depends on how effectively you manage the budget. Look for cost-effective solutions throughout the design process, such as using recycled materials, maximizing energy efficiency, and utilizing local resources whenever possible. This will help you stay within your budget while creating a successful land development design.

Hiring professionals can also help you save money. An experienced architect or engineer can provide valuable insight and help ensure that your design is cost-effective and meets all the necessary requirements.

5. Develop an Implementation Plan

The goal of the design phase is to create a plan ready for implementation. Create a timeline, identify resources, and anticipate any risks or challenges. This will ensure that you’re prepared to move forward with your project efficiently and cost-effectively. You should involve professionals such as architects, engineers, and legal experts throughout the process. This will help ensure that all your design decisions comply with local regulations and best practices while also helping to keep costs down.

However, your plan should not dictate every step of the process. Instead, it should provide a framework that allows for flexibility and adaptation as needed. Keep an open mind and be willing to adjust your plans according to the changing landscape.

Many factors can influence the success of a land development design project. By conducting thorough research, involving stakeholders early on, focusing on sustainability and cost-effectiveness, and developing an implementation plan with the help of professionals, you can increase your chances of creating a successful project.

Making Your Home More Green in 2022

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Several years ago and nobody had quite caught onto the phenomenon. Now, climate change is completely real – and everyone is attempting to take responsibility for their own impact on the world.

Home-occupiers certainly don’t fall outside of this category and there are umpteen ways in which you can make your home greener if you put your mind to it. Let’s not forget that this doesn’t just benefit the environment, but it should also have a healthy impact on your back pocket as well. Bearing this in mind, let’s now take a look at some of the easiest ways to make your home green in 2022.

Plan your renovations accordingly

If the media are to be believed, we’re in the era of renovations. In other words, homeowners are preferring to stay hold of their home and improve or remodel it, rather than move somewhere else.

However, there are good and bad renovations when it comes to staying green. We’re not talking yet about doing the right amount of planning and if you will consider storing your belongings, but other practical issues.

For the purposes of an example, let’s look into the notion of open plan living and being aware that this is going to have significant heating ramifications. This is something that a lot of people forget, and they find that their radiators are working overtime in a bid to heat their new space.

Always dry line your clothes

Sometimes, the best new technology isn’t actually that beneficial for the environment. This is certainly the case when it comes to drying your clothes.

For example, while great strides have been made with washing machines and energy efficiency, the same can’t be said for dryers. They can use five times more electricity, and little else needs to be said on the matter.

Instead, line-dry your clothes, and the benefits are there for all to see.

Make the most of the rain

Next, it’s onto the garden. This is something that is often not thought of when it comes to sustainability, but particularly if you are based in a country where it rains frequently you can make a difference. Rainwater collection tanks might not be overly fashionable, but they can collect enough water over time which can allow you to maintain your garden without tapping into the mains water supply.

A lot of the modern options allow you to hook the tank up to your castiron guttering system as well, meaning that it becomes all-too easy to collect any water that accumulates around your property’s roof.

Use your kitchen intelligently

How many times have you left the fridge door open as you venture across the room to grab another ingredient? Or, how about leaving the oven door open for similar reasons?

Put simply, this is resulting in a lot of lost energy. It might be small at the time, but it does build up and it can result in your home becoming a lot less green than it really should be.

Read this article if you want a few expert tips on how to make your kitchen more sustainable.

5 Small, Positive Environmental Differences You Can Make in Your Backyard

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We’re all struggling to find ways to reduce our carbon footprint and make a difference in the fight against climate change. However, sometimes it feels like a lost cause – how can one person change things?

The truth is that everything makes a difference. The better each person looks after the Earth, the more the environment can sustain itself and recover. Here are a few small changes you can make in your own garden.

Positive Differences to Make in Your Backyard

1. Look After Your Soil

A vegetable patch is one of the great delights of a garden. Growing your own produce is satisfying, sustainable, and delicious. However, soil that fosters crops year after year gets tired, just as we do when we work our jobs for too long without a break.

Regenerative agriculture is a farming practice that takes care of the soil used to grow crops. This is achieved by giving the soil a break once in a while. This can be done by rotating crops, so one patch of soil isn’t used for one especially labor-intensive crop each year, or by simply giving a field a year off.

You can do this on a smaller scale in your yard. If you’ve been using the same part of your garden as a vegetable patch for a few years, consider switching it out with another one. Refertilize the soil in your veg patch and give it time to rest. Let the worms improve it and perhaps grow some less intensive crops like wildflowers in that patch for a year. It’ll be ready to grow crops again the next year, and they’ll be all the better for being grown in rested, regenerated soil.

Also Read: Home Improvement and Eco-Conscious Plant Care

2. Get a Compost Bin

One of the easiest ways you can benefit the environment is by composting waste rather than throwing it away. Landfills have a devastating impact on the environment, and the less we put in them, the better.

Composting fruit and vegetable waste along with recyclable material like cardboard is a great start. It also means you’ll have a ready supply of high-quality compost to mulch through your soil once it breaks down, which regenerates the soil and helps you grow healthier plants!

benefits of applying compost in garden

3. Grow Plants That Attract Pollinators

Another excellent tip is to grow more wildflowers and pollinator-friendly plants. The best choices may surprise you – garden centers and bees don’t always agree on what the best plants are for your garden. Some wildflowers look slightly unkempt compared to neat hedgerows, but your local bee population will appreciate it. And the bees need help!

Likewise, it’s not just the pretty, dopey bumblebees that act as pollinators. Hoverflies and even wasps play a critical role in local ecosystems. We know – attracting wasps is a hard sell. But these insects are crucial to our environment’s survival. They’ll appreciate the help.

bee-friendly garden

4. Avoid Pesticides and Weedkillers

Pesticides and weedkillers are terrible for the environment. Some organic options are less harmful, but ultimately, the less you can use these, the better.

There are exceptions. An ant infestation needs to be dealt with as soon as it appears. But if you can avoid spraying pesticides and weedkillers over your garden, it’ll be a happier place.

5. Nurture Fungi

If you see mushrooms growing in your yard, it’s a sign of a healthy ecosystem! Fungi break down dying plant matter, and they’re to be welcomed. Again, exceptions can be made – for example, if you have small children who might get a bit too inquisitive.

Final Thoughts

Your yard is the best place to start doing your bit for the environment. A few small changes make a big difference – nobody is too small to help!

Asia Pulp & Paper Driving Stronger Sustainability Goals

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Ways Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) Sinar Mas is Driving Stronger Sustainability Goals in the Pulp & Paper Industry

Robust sustainability goals are imperative to creating a brighter, more resilient, and more responsible organisation. Some business leaders consider such targets an impediment to their financial objectives. Yet designing and implementing an effective organisation-wide sustainable development plan can drive growth, reduce risk and enhance capital while protecting the earth.

How APP Sinar Mas is Driving Stronger Sustainability Goals

Research has even found that businesses actively addressing their environmental impact benefit from an 18% greater return on investment; and these financial gains aren’t just coming from eco-conscious consumers, but investors and stakeholders who recognise the value of sustainable development in a dynamic and changing world.

Many organisations often look to the United Nations and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) when producing their sustainability plan. Launched in 2015, these objectives help address numerous global environmental, social and economic issues. While implementing sustainable business practices is undoubtedly complex, the SDGs provide a practical framework that helps organisations plan and deliver meaningful changes that align with larger and shared sustainability targets.

For corporations and organisations based in Hong Kong and beyond, considering and shaping your business practices in line with the 17 SDGs could help you address crucial organisational issues that affect success. Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) Sinar Mas is one such company that has used these SDGs to develop its Sustainability Roadmap Vision 2030 – a comprehensive long-term company-wide sustainable development framework that sets ambitious targets for 10 key impact areas throughout its supply chain.

This integration of the SDGs provides the business and its stakeholders with a benchmark to measure and assess Asia Pulp & Paper’s sustainability performance over time. For organisations working in the pulp and paper industry, displaying a sincere commitment to sustainable forest management practices, community engagement and energy-efficient production methods ensure you work towards a better society that satisfies the demands of all stakeholders – including your own business goals.

Here, we explore some steps businesses must take to meet their sustainability targets now and in the future.

Create a positive work environment

Simply setting robust sustainability targets isn’t enough to secure employee buy-in. Achieving transformative organisation-wide cultural change requires leadership to actively engage employees and show how their individual efforts make a cumulative difference. Many organisations inadvertently discover success by making sustainability the job of everyone in the business hierarchy, with a collaborative and unified mindset helping to produce incredible results.

It’s important to keep in mind that this process doesn’t happen overnight, regardless of the size, scale, or resource availability of your organisation. Instead, management must inspire employees to take part in this journey by defining their long-term goals and highlighting how positive changes can deliver a powerful impact. In many cases, employees often understand the need for a more sustainable approach through an economic lens. Convincing workers to engage becomes natural if you can show how delivering on SDGs improves the company’s bottom line.

Moreover, creating lasting sustainable change within a business is impossible without a happy workforce. Ekamas Fortuna, a business unit of Asia Pulp & Paper, recently received the Gold Awards: Zero Conflict 2022, an accolade that recognises the organisation’s employee satisfaction through workplace agreements and practices that enhance welfare and comfort. While setting impressive sustainability targets is key to creating a better world, persuading your workforce to participate is just as important – and in fact, forms a key part of a sustainable outlook for your business as a whole.

Develop a safe workplace

If businesses are serious about their sustainability targets, employee safety must remain a primary concern.

Every business in the pulp and paper industry, no matter how big or small, must contend with dangerous hazards throughout the supply chain. On the factory floor, the accumulation of combustible dust is a significant problem, as it can lead to major fires and explosions if left unaddressed. Plus, heavy machinery and chemicals can also cause injury to employees when mishandled

In fact, employee safety and welfare are addressed across several of the 17 SDGs – including 3.9, 8.8 and 16.6 – which consider issues ranging from hazardous chemical exposures to labour rights and transparent institutions. Asia Pulp and Paper has taken significant strides in these areas, with 28 of its business units and supply partners recognised by Indonesia’s Minister of Manpower at the recent OHS Management Awards.

These awards are given to organisations that successfully implemented the Occupational Health Safety Management System (SMK3) – a certification designed to control workplace risks and deliver a safe, efficient and productive environment. The Asia Pulp & Paper business unit, PT IKPP Tangerang, was especially highly regarded, receiving extra recognition for its effective COVID-19 policies and for having zero work accidents during the assessed period.

Master social responsibility

Delivering stronger sustainability targets isn’t just about what you can do internally. Organisations with the power to influence communities near and far should also plan and execute targets through the corporate social responsibility (CSR) model. This self-regulatory approach is ideal for proving your sustainable development credentials with the public, business stakeholders and yourself.

So, how do you align a CSR strategy with your business goals?

First, your corporate hierarchy must define what corporate social responsibility means to the organisation. Then it can identify strategies that realise this definition by partnering with like-minded charities, social enterprises and other philanthropic endeavours. Alongside tangible goals that detail the meaning of success, a well-defined CSR strategy can offer numerous business advantages.

For example, businesses with an effective CSR plan often experience increased customer loyalty, enhanced revenue and employee commitment. As more consumers in Hong Kong and around the globe want to support businesses that aren’t solely driven by profit, creating and delivering a meaningful CSR strategy can help your organisation stand out from its competition in the pulp and paper industry.

Awards, certifications, and other third-party assessments are easy ways for companies to ensure that their sustainability goals are feasible, traceable, and transparent.

At the Top CSR Awards 2022, three Asia Pulp and Paper business units received awards for their commitment to corporate social responsibility. Based on implementing ISO 2600 – an international standard for social responsibility – PT OKI Pulp & Paper Mills and PT Indah Kiat Pulp & Paper received the “Excellent” four-star award. Meanwhile, PT Paper Factory Tjiwi Kimia received the “Very Excellent” five-star designation.

Achieving such accomplishments not only enables you to assess your own progress via impartial third-party criteria, but holds you accountable to a wider group of stakeholders as well.

sustainability in pulp and paper industry

Deliver sustainability targets

Adopting sustainability targets is only the beginning when building a better and more responsible business. You also have to show stakeholders how your efforts have delivered tangible change. With a transparent and mindful approach, you can set measurable targets that give internal and external stakeholders a way to assess your performance.

Four of Asia Pulp and Paper’s business units were recognised at the recent 2022 Indonesia Asia Green Awards for their dedication to sustainability. In the Water Resources Savings category, PT OKI Pulp & Paper Mills received an award for its work in South Sumatra. Here, the company used reverse osmosis to process peat water into ready-to-drink water for 21 remote villages, reducing local spending on drinking water by up to 50%.

In the Pollution Prevention Pioneering category, PT Kertas Tjiwi Kimia Tbk transformed coal waste into paving blocks for local infrastructure, including roads, mosques and school facilities. Elsewhere, PT Indah Kiat Pulp & Paper repurposed waste from paper rope machines to provide the women of Tegal Maja village with extra materials to increase their craft-making income.

These initiatives reflect that business growth, sustainability, and community development can be interconnected, rather than disparate and disconnected. In fact, it’s when organisations are able to address all three considerations simultaneously that they are able to see the biggest payoffs in terms of long-term sustainable change.

With a dedicated approach to sustainable development, empowering local communities while increasing business outcomes is more than possible. Asia Pulp & Paper is just one such organisation in the pulp and paper industry taking a forward-thinking approach to its sustainability targets, making them a possible blueprint for other companies in Hong Kong and beyond looking to strengthen their sustainability goals.

Waste Management Perspectives for Military

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Waste management has a profound impact on all sections of the society, and military is no exception. With increasing militarization, more wars and frequent armed conflicts, protection of the environment has assumed greater significance for military in armed conflicts as well as peacetime operations. Tremendous amount of waste is generated by military bases and deployed forces in the form of food waste, papers, plastics, metals, tires, batteries, chemicals, e-waste, packaging etc.

waste-management-army

War on Waste

Sustainable management of waste is a good opportunity for armed forces to promote environmental stewardship, foster sustainable development and generate goodwill among the local population and beyond. Infact, top military bases in the Western world, like Fort Hood and Fort Meade, have an effective strategy to counter the huge amount of solid waste, hazardous waste and other wastes generated at these facilities.

Waste management at military bases demands an integrated framework based on the conventional waste management hierarchy of 4Rs – reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery (of energy). Waste reduction (or waste minimization) is the top-most solution to reduce waste generation at military bases which demands close cooperation among different departments, including procurement, technical services, housing, food service, personnel. Typical waste reduction strategies for armed forces includes

  • making training manuals and personnel information available electronically
  • reducing all forms of packaging waste
  • purchasing products, such as food items, in bulk
  • purchasing repairable, long-lasting and reusable items

Due to large fraction of recyclables in the waste stream, recycling is an attractive proposition for the armed forces. However, environmental awareness, waste collection infrastructure, and modern equipment are essential for the success of any waste management strategy in a military installation.

recycling-in-offices

Food waste and yard waste (or green waste) can be subjected to anaerobic digestion or composting to increase landfill diversion rates and obtain energy-rich biogas (for cooking/heating) and nutrient-rich fertilizer (for landscaping and gardening). For deployed forces, small-scale waste-to-energy systems, based on thermal technologies, can be an effective solution for disposal of combustible wastes, and for harnessing energy potential of wastes. In case of electronic wastes, it can be sent to a Certified Electronics Recycling and Disposal firm.

Key Aspect

Management options for military installations is dependent on size of the population, location, local regulations, budgetary constraints and many other factors. It is imperative on base commanders to evaluate all possible options and develop a cost-effective and efficient waste management plan. The key factors in the success of waste management plan in military bases are development of new technologies/practices, infrastructure building, participation of all departments, basic environmental education for personnel and development of a quality recycling program.

Military installations are unique due to more than one factor including strict discipline, high degree of motivation, good financial resources and skilled personnel. Usually military installations are one of the largest employers in and around the region where they are based and have a very good influence of the surrounding community, which is bound to have a positive impact on overall waste management strategies in the concerned region.

The Evolution of Distance Learning in Higher Education

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Distance learning is not a new phenomenon by any means. This concept has been around since the early days of formal education. But the computer age ushered in a new era of distance learning, which was further boosted by the internet age.

But in 2020, the evolution of distance learning reached exponential levels. Tech companies are now tripling their efforts to meet the current demands of the reimagined academic system.

In this article, we not only delve into the history of distance learning but also address the challenges faced by students and educators in this fast-paced digital age. As online education becomes the new norm, students may seek dissertation editing help to ensure their research papers and projects meet the highest standards of academic excellence, even in the virtual learning environment. Moreover, we explore future changes awaiting online education and the potential impact on traditional educational practices.

online-learning

A Brief History of Distance Learning

Some people credit the coming of the internet as the precursor to distance learning. But some clarification is necessary to trace the roots of online learning.

Distance learning refers to any form of education outside the walls of a traditional academic institution. Essentially, this education format doesn’t require a student’s physical presence in a classroom setting.

On the flip side, online learning is any form of education that takes place via the internet. By definition, any distance learning approach that existed before the internet cannot be classified as online learning. Instead, they all form part of distance or remote learning.

See the difference?

Correspondence Education

Correspondence learning refers to a form of education without face-to-face interactions. Teachers used to send schoolwork to students, who then returned the completed work. This back-and-forth was facilitated by postal services in the early days.

Imagine how difficult and time-consuming it was to complete a course if the teacher had to correct the work ten times.

Nowadays, correspondence education is still applicable to situations where students communicate with teachers via email or text messages alone. Students can also hire an essay writer to help them in completing their academic assignments.

Learning from Home

When schools started gaining popularity, royals often hired specialized tutors for their children. These tutors lived with them in castles and focused on educating members of royal families. This was the first instance of organized learning from home.

Later, homeschooling became a fringe option for families that didn’t fancy sending their children to crowded schools — for health and personal reasons. These parents also hired teachers to provide a state-approved syllable for their kids. Sometimes, they even handled the teaching themselves without a certified educator.

Today, e-learning online education has become more popular than ever.  Students can now acquire e-learning creative education without seeing their classmates at least once.

Correspondence learning in the 1800s

Let’s take a trip back to the origins of e-learning and education.  In 1840, Sir Isaac Pitman used the postal service to keep correspondence with his students. He would send out shorthand courses to his pupils and receive the solutions by mail a few weeks later.

Later in 1873, Anna Eliot Ticknor adopted Pitman’s model in creating the “Society to Encourage Home Studies” in Boston, marking the start of correspondence learning in America. In essence, this laid the foundation for homeschooling.

Distance learning from the 1900s – 1980s

Radio and television technologies came into existence in the early 20th-century, but they didn’t become teaching tools until the late 1920s. 1n 1948, the Federal Communications Commission supported an NBC mass education project focused on distance learning. The project was headed by John Wilkinson Taylor, who was also the president of the University of Louisville.

During the 1960s, television programs like “Dr. Posin’s Universe” and “Out of This World” became household entertainment. The Emmy-winning Dr. Posin presented scientific content that played on TV networks in America.

However, these courses were never accredited by universities because they didn’t meet academic standards. But the invention of the personal computer and electronic mail marked another turning point in remote learning. Instead of using the postal services, students could now communicate with teachers via email.

This was the first step in e-learning school education.

E-learning in the 1990s

Although sending emails became possible in the 1980s, the internet age made it a widespread phenomenon. Once the internet became part of everyday life, people could now send messages instantly over dial-up connections.

By 1999, the first fully online university — Jones International University — gained full accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The learning curriculum featured video conferencing, phone calls, and other online education e-learning tools available at the time.

Eventually, institutions around the world began to emphasize e-learning in teacher education. This change in approach addressed the changing academic and socio-cultural landscape.

Eventually, other advanced academic solutions found more use in the school system. Homeschooling even became more mainstream because students could now connect to lectures from different parts of the world.

The COVID-19 Transformation of Distance Learning

Before 2020, the growth of distance learning was gradual and on pace with technological advancements. But once the lockdowns started, educational systems across the world had to make rapid changes to accommodate new regulations. And these adjustments were centered around eliminating physical contact in school.

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Furthermore, the absence of technology to address issues like lab practices and medical practicals highlighted the unreadiness of colleges to move to remote learning. To address these gaps, institutions are currently investing in various digital solutions. The estimated investments in e-learning solutions will reach 350 billion USD by 2025.

Also, teachers now need to acquire advanced technical skills to use classroom management portals. These skills will also help them address technical issues during classes.

However, these changes are unfavorable for e-learning for special education. Disenfranchised students without learning aids now struggle to keep up with their peers. As a result, academic performance in e-learning special education is witnessing a rapid decline.

As the global pandemic persists, students struggle to learn courses that require face-to-face interaction. E-learning in medical education and applied sciences are struggling to cope with the pressures of the lockdown.

The Future of Distance Education

At the moment, this online learning trend will continue even when the pandemic subsides. Students from low-income households will drop out in massive numbers because of financial constraints. Also, teacher training programs will focus on technical skills alongside teaching abilities.

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More so, e-learning sites online education will gain more popularity, especially among students uninterested in full-scale formal learning. Platforms like Coursera and Udemy will become mini-universities for skill acquisition.

Furthermore, cybersecurity will become a pressing subject for school administrators. Since most academic portals run on centralized platforms, they are prone to malware attacks. Therefore, schools will have to organize online orientation programs on ways to avoid ‘phishing’ and ransomware attacks.

Ultimately, the current situation and response will provide a crisis playbook for future pandemics.

Final words

We’ve not seen the last of distance learning’s evolution. If history is any indicator, future technological advancements will also affect distance learning in higher education. But at the moment, schools should focus on the best ways to improve student performance across the board.

How Much Energy Do Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies Consume?

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With its value skyrocketing in recent years, Bitcoin is a hot topic right now. But the value of a Bitcoin is not the only thing that is growing. In fact, Cambridge University research suggests that Bitcoin uses more electricity on a yearly basis than entire countries. Mining for cryptocurrency uses a lot of power, and requires heavy computer calculations to verify cryptocurrency transactions. According to the researchers, this consumes over 120 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually, and this power use is unlikely to fall unless the value of Bitcoin drops.

Is Bitcoin Bad for the Environment?

Many believe that cryptocurrency is the currency of the future, but is it bad for the environment? Will Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies undo the hard work that has been put in around the world so far to improve the condition and health of the planet? According to some critics, Tesla’s decision to make heavy investments in Bitcoin undermines the environmental image displayed by the electric car company.

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The rising price of Bitcoin offers even more incentive to miners to run even more machines and consume more power. As the value of Bitcoin increases, so does the energy consumption that is used to mine it, according to researchers at the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance.

Exactly How Much Energy Does Bitcoin Consume?

How much energy is consumed due to the increasing popularity of cryptocurrency trading? According to the online tool developed by the Cambridge researchers, Bitcoin’s electricity consumption is currently ranked above several countries including Argentina, the Netherlands, and the United Arab Emirates. It’s using a very similar amount of energy to the amount that Norway uses on a yearly basis.

In the UK, the energy that Bitcoin uses could be used to power all the electric kettles in the country for almost three decades. However, in comparison, the amount of electricity that is consumed on a yearly basis by devices that are left switched on but inactive in homes around the US could power the entire Bitcoin network for a full year.

How is Bitcoin Mined?

Mining Bitcoin requires often specialized computers which are connected to the cryptocurrency network. They are used to verify transactions by people who sell or purchase Bitcoin. As part of the process, Bitcoin miners are required to solve puzzles that are not integral to providing verification, but ensure that there is a hurdle to cross to ensure that the global record of all Bitcoin transactions is not edited fraudulently. As a reward for completing these, Bitcoin miners will occasionally receive small amounts of Bitcoin.

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Higher prices have increased the value of these rewards, and fueled wider interest in buying and selling crypto via increasingly diverse methods beyond using exchanges. At the same time, some miners have expanded their networks to consist of multiple computers. Some will even set up entire warehouses of computers that are there for mining Bitcoin alone. Since the computers are working to solve the puzzles on a constant basis, this uses a huge amount of electricity.

While Bitcoin is becoming more and more popular as an alternative currency and investment option around the world, how efficient is it really?

Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Solid Waste Management

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Entrepreneurship in solid waste management can be instrumental in environment protection, decentralization, economic restructuring and job creation. Entrepreneurial opportunities in solid waste planning are available in the areas of waste collection, waste handling, waste sorting, waste storage, waste transport, waste transformation and energy recovery from waste.

Entrepreneurship begins with the generation of an idea and culminates in realization of the project objectives. Historically, the improvement of waste management services by the public sector has been hampered by lack of funds in both developed and developing nations.

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Waste materials destined to be processed to generate electricity

Entrepreneurs can not only invest money in solid waste management sector, but also infuse new ideas, technologies and skills which can transform waste from being a liability into an asset. The efficiency of solid waste management increases with the involvement of entrepreneurs. Infact, it has been observed that involvement of entrepreneurs in solid waste management planning can reduce the service cost by half in Latin American cities with higher employment generation and vehicles productivity.

Entrepreneurial ventures in solid waste management can range from a one-man project to a mega-scale project involving thousands of skilled and unskilled workers. It has been observed that solid waste management is a labour-intensive process with tremendous potential to generate new jobs, depending on the type of project and the level of creativity. The major areas of entrepreneurial involvement include waste collection, transportation, reuse and recycling, upcycling and power generation.

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Basic safety equipment is essential to minimize health risks to informal recycling sector.

According to the World Bank, municipalities in developing countries typically spend 20 to 50 per cent of their annual budget on solid waste management, but only 40 to 70 per cent of solid waste is collected and less than 50 per cent of the population has access to municipal waste collection services.

Solid waste planning is an integral component of urban development as it contributes to public health, resource conservation and environment protection. Scientific disposal of domestic waste can prevent environmental degradation and harmful public health impacts while recycling can help in conservation of precious natural resources and energy.

Entrepreneurial activities in solid waste collection can not only increase waste collection efficiency but also improve waste management services for the marginalized sections of the society. An excellent example is the case of Nigeria-based Wecyclers which is aiming to building a low-cost waste collection infrastructure in Lagos by offering cheap and convenient domestic waste recycling services using a fleet of cargo bikes.