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.

Is it Safe to Drink RO Water?

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Reverse osmosis is a water filtration technology that uses a semipermeable membrane to filter impurities from water. The technology was originally introduced to make seawater more drinkable and reduce heavy metals in water. Now, it’s commonly used for home water filtration systems.

Reverse osmosis systems are highly effective for filtration because they eliminate a wide spectrum of contaminants from water. They filter out contaminants like bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, fluorides, and hard minerals.

Reverse osmosis systems are great at what they do, but there’s a catch. The WHO says that the low mineral water produced by RO systems tends to negatively affect human health, especially after long-term consumption.

How is RO Water Harmful to Health

Since these reports, many homeowners who rely on reverse osmosis systems for clean drinking water have become concerned. People wonder if RO Water is really safe to drink and if it’s still a good investment. There are a lot of factors to consider before concluding on this.

Here we will discuss why RO water may be considered harmful. We’ll also weigh the pros against the cons to see if RO water is really worth it.

How is RO Water Harmful to Health?

Reverse osmosis removes a lot of impurities from water. Unfortunately, this includes a large percentage (90-99%) of beneficial minerals like calcium and magnesium. Based on several studies conducted by the WHO, demineralized/low mineral water is harmful to health. And according to WHO reports, the effects of drinking demineralized RO water start to show very quickly.

In several weeks or a few months, people who drink demineralized water may notice symptoms that suggest acute magnesium or calcium deficiency. Other complaints like cardiovascular disorders, muscle cramps, tiredness, and weakness also surface. Intake of low mineral water has also been associated with a higher risk of fracture in children, pregnancy disorders, and certain neurodegenerative diseases.

Demineralized water causes malnutrition and leaches away existing minerals in the body (meaning that minerals gotten from food the person eats will be urinated away).

Even when used for cooking, RO water leaches away important minerals from food.

Is RO Water Still a Good Option?

Although RO systems produce demineralized water, they still have some benefits. Reverse osmosis systems are one of the most effective filters available. If you choose to ditch RO filters, you may have to deal with contaminants like lead, arsenic, chlorine, bacteria, and high amounts of total dissolved solids (TDS) that come with tap water. Compared to demineralized water, these contaminants could lead to a longer list of health problems.

Reverse osmosis filters are a lifesaver in places with poor water quality. They make the water potable and prevent the spread of waterborne diseases.

Also, with a well-balanced diet, you’ll barely feel any effects of demineralized water. You can supplement some of the minerals missing from your drinking water with food. Ordinarily, water shouldn’t be your primary source of nutrients, so altering your diet to include more minerals and vitamins should sustain you.

But if you’re still worried about the demineralized water affecting your health, there are ways to go around it.

Some reverse osmosis filters have a remineralization stage where healthy minerals are added back into the water. Of course, the water will not contain the same amounts of minerals as regular water, but it’s better than having no minerals in the water at all. With some more minerals in your water, the adverse effects of RO water will reduce considerably.

Best Reverse Osmosis Filters

We listed mostly under sink filters since they are a more common type of RO filter. But if you prefer a RO filter with zero installation requirements, you can find at least 5 countertop RO filters that are just as effective.

We also tried to include filters with the remineralization feature since they are a better variety.

1. Home Master Artesian

Home Master is an under sink system with the remineralization feature. The filter adds beneficial minerals into the water at two different stages before finally dispensing it. It has easy-to-change filter cartridges and doesn’t come with a bulky filter housing. The system is also designed to reduce wastewater considerably.

2. iSpring RCC7AK

This filter is highly rated for its remineralization abilities. It works in 6 stages, with alkaline remineralization being the last stage. The alkaline filter needs to be changed twice a year, but the RO membrane can last up to 3 years before needing a change.

3. APEC Essence ROES-PH75

APEC essence also has a remineralization feature. It has a 6 stage filtration process, the last stage being an alkaline calcium filter which makes the water taste like bottled water. The filter is suitable for small cabinets. Its installation process is also simple and can be done without a plumber.

Reverse osmosis water may be deficient in a few minerals, but it’s still good to drink with the right precautions. If you have contaminants in your water, you should consider getting one. All that matters is that you take the necessary precautions to ensure that you don’t lack the nutrients you need to stay healthy.

11 Ideas for Easier Recycling at Home

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Going green isn’t just meant for Earth Day. Going green is a way of life. However, Earth Day is a day we pause and commemorate, acknowledge and support environmental programs and Earth-saving strategies. It is also a great day to commit or recommit to employ earth-friendly practices in your life, at home and in the office. There are countless things you can do to “go green.” Most of these things are ease to incorporate into your life. Recycling is one of the easiest ways to go green. Recycling is the process of obtaining or retaining waste and converting it into usable, new materials. Some things that can be used to recycle are:

Recycling is actually a great way to conserve raw resources and save energy. Recycling at least one ton of paper can save 7,000 gallons of water and 17 trees, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Hiring a skip would help recycle that amount of paper and you can click here for ideas for ideas on the size of the skip you could employ.

As you see, recycling is an effective and simple way to help the environment. It is something the entire family can do too. Before recycling, call your local waste management services. Determine how to you need to sort and pack items for recycling. In addition, you want to know what day or days the waste management services collects recycling. Check with them to find out where you safely dispose of light bulbs, hazardous materials and batteries. These cannot be recycled or put in the trash.

Your local waste management recycling service has different rules about how items must be sorted, cleaned and packaged. Metal, cardboard, plastics, aluminum, glass and paper can be recycled.

It can be tricky to recycle plastics because some can break down easier than other plastics. The number located on the plastic item will determine if it can be recycled. It will also determine if the plastic can be picked up for recycling.

Source: Fix.com

Although plastics are trickier to sort and recycle, it’s important to dispose of them properly. One important factor to establishing a recycling a program at work, school or home is to create a system that works for everyone. Here are a few ways to recycle at home:

Source: DIY Swank

Recycling is about convenience, convenience, and more convenience! When incorporating a successful program about which you can read in the essay about recycling, make bins easily accessible. They should be in an area that is easily visible and used like the utility room or kitchen where they can be seen and used

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Now, if you need a simple recycling system everyone can follow (even kids), use caster and baskets. These are easy to access and use. They slide out of site when not in use.

Source: Family Handyman

Use space by going vertical. You can hook bins on walls to utilize space. It will be easy to sort and store.

Source: Sweet Haute

Another way to make a successful recycling program is to make it fun. Use stylish bins and trash cans to recycle items.

Source: Sweet Haute

Another way to make a successful recycling program is to make it fun. Use stylish bins and trash cans to recycle items.

You may not have time to personally decorate trash cans by spray painting them. How about using printable labels. These labels can go generic bins to help separate recyclables.

Source: Lil Blue Boo

Batteries are not to be recycled. They cannot be put into a trash can for non-recycling either. Instead, they should be properly thrown away at a collection center or a participating auto part store. The same thing should be done with light bulbs.

Make a special area of your home or office to use as a personal sorting center. This is where you can sort and clean recyclables. You may want to look at some personal recycling centers to get an understand of what you need.

Source: I Should Be Mopping the Floor

Many people do not have an area they can keep bulky recycling or trash in the home or office. If this is the case for you, create a dedicated spot in the garage or other area. It won’t take long before your family or co-workers are pitching in to recycle.

Recycling is full of great ideas to help the environment. Find the ones you like. Used them in your successful recycling program.

Useful Resources

Environmental Benefits of Polyurethane

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Stated by urethane manufacturers, today’s manufacturing community is becoming increasingly mindful of environmental impacts that arise during industrial processes. Industrial recycling, waste to energy systems, and emissions improvements are just part of a wide-ranging effort to minimize the impact of manufacturing on the environment.

Plastics have become a lightning rod for environmental commentators, as pictures go viral of various waste being found in far-flung areas of our planet.

Something that is not discussed in these discourses is the wide variety of plastics currently available, and how not all plastics degrade in the same fashion. Polyurethane has been unduly spotlighted in these negative conversations.

With limited resources available to the public on the matter, there is plenty of misinformation which we hope to clarify in this article.

Plastic Waste & A Start to Policy Changes

There have been some extremely shocking photos and stories that have come out in recent years with regard to plastic waste. Photos of all sizes of plastic waste being found in rivers, oceans, and forests have been circulated millions of times.

Some cities and countries have started enacting policy changes in a reactionary fashion after seeing the widespread outpouring of anger on social media.

Most plastics that have been illustrated in these campaigns are thermoplastics, which amount to well over 95% of all plastic found during ocean studies. Polyurethanes, however, account for less than 2% of all waste detected during ocean surveys.

Damaging Thermoplastics

In thermoplastics, no molecular bonds are holding the individual strands of polymer together. It’s held together by weak ionic forces, called Van Der Waal forces.

Think of these bonds as a ball of yarn, essentially being held together by the tangled ends of molecular chains. Simply put, the plastic will break down until the last thing left is individual strands. These are the “micro-plastics” which are commonly talked about in the news.

Finer than a human hair, sometimes even microscopic, this is the smallest the material will degrade to. Individual atoms will not separate from the polymer strand and will continue to linger in the environment for decades.

Eco-Friendly Polyurethane

If you aren’t familiar with cast polyurethane it is considered a thermoset plastic. Do not confuse these with the thermoplastic we just discussed.

Polyurethane differs in that once the polymer has been reacted, the individual strands change on an atomic level and crosslink between each other. At these crosslinks, a new molecule is formed, entirely changing the properties of the material.

This molecular cross-linking is what makes polyurethane much more resilient in heavy-duty applications. Once the material has reached the end of its life, it can not be melted down and reformed.

Don’t think of this as a disadvantage since polyurethane materials will generally last longer than any thermoplastic equivalent. This minimizes the amount of polyurethane entering the waste stream right at the initial source.

Recycling Polyurethanes

There are multiple avenues that can be pursued when it comes to the recycling of polyurethane. Parts may be chemically reacted to turn back into their prepolymer state, however, the cost involved in this process can be quite steep.

When polyurethane breaks down in the environment, it will not break down into its individual polymer strands. Instead, individual bonds are broken down between molecules, releasing individual molecules into the environment.

These molecules are almost exclusively inert compounds that will not react or accumulate toxicity in natural environments.

Microbial degradation has become increasingly prevalent, especially in the area of fungi. Scientists have been able to find microorganisms that are well-suited for breaking downcast urethane products ecologically.

Polyurethane For the Win

The chemical makeup of polyurethane, combined with the increased lifetime of individual parts, means you can lower your commercial ecological footprint. Polyurethanes are non-toxic to the environment as they break down, and do not contain BPA or other chemicals which can interfere with endocrine systems.

The minimal effects on the environment will make this polymer even more desirable as we become increasingly environmentally conscious.

A Handy Guide to Choose a Good Therapist

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When seeking a therapist, you will come across a long list of professionals, and it will be really difficult to choose a good one. Therapists have a diverse range of qualification, skills and personalities which may or may not suit you. An effective therapy program is typically based on the relationship between therapist and client. So, what makes a good therapist? Let us explore the qualities of a good therapist to help you make the most out of your therapy sessions.

1. Strong communication skills

A good communicator exhibits confidence and assertiveness, and will make a new person feel comfortable during one-to-one session or on the phone or via email. Coupled with social skills, effective communication skills will help in creating a positive therapeutic bonding between the therapist and the client.

good-therapist

A good therapist will discuss issues in an honest, open and inquisitive manner using plain language, and will also ask for your feedback and opinion on those issues.

2. Effective listening and observation skills

A critical trait of a good therapist is to patiently and proactively listen to people. Your therapist should be skilled in deciphering your spoken words and silence, and in observing your body language. Your therapist should also have a good memory in order to remember things you told them earlier, and connect with what you are saying in the present.

An effective counsellor is not bored by conversation or have allow others to contribute to a conversation. They attentively listen to what you say and then reflect back to help you see new perspectives and draw your own conclusions.

3. Trustworthy

Mutual trust is a very important aspect of therapy and confidentiality is the cornerstone. During the sessions, you will be discussing very private and complex issues with your therapist, and policies should be in place to keep all the shared information confidential, both during and after the treatment process. Confidentiality is essential for the client to open up and feel comfortable in a safe environment without the fear of being betrayed.

Like any other relationship, building trust in therapy sessions is a time-taking process that cannot be rushed. A good therapist will operate within ethical limits, will respect your privacy and will never overstep your personal boundaries. In-session flirtation is among the top signs of a bad therapist.

4. Unbiased and non-judgmental

A good therapist is non-confrontational, unbiased and non-judgmental. Therapists demonstrate respect and will talk to you in a manner which tells they believe you. You are treated with empathy and your thoughts and feelings are not judged or made fun of.

The therapist suggests alternative ways of seeing and doing things and respects your outlook, thus acting as a source of support with whom you can share private things without any hesitation.

5. Flexible and optimistic

When it comes to therapeutic treatment, every client is unique and need a tailored approach.  A good therapist should be flexible in his approach and discuss a range of possible strategies to try in your unique circumstance.

marriage-therapy

Positivity is a critical trait of a therapist and you should feel confident that therapy will improve. Besides identifying the causes of stress, the therapist will also explore the things which can make you happy and peaceful.

6. Open to supervision

A good therapist should be willing to talk about clinical issues with a more experienced colleague in order to get the work quality evaluated. Supervision will help in getting new ideas or insights into a particular issue.

In high-risk situations, it is advisable for a good counsellor to avoid working in isolation and let access supervision to let others know they are doing with clients.

Conclusion

The qualities of a therapist play a crucial role in the successful outcome of therapy.  Every therapist may not meet each of the above-mentioned criteria, but if you are aware of the traits of a good therapist, you can decide whether you or your loved one is getting the best treatment.

Ethanol Production from Lignocellulosic Biomass

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Cellulosic ethanol technology is one of the most commonly discussed second-generation biofuel technologies worldwide. Cellulosic biofuels are derived from the cellulose in plants, some of which are being developed specifically as “energy” crops rather than for food production. These include perennial grasses and trees, such as switchgrass and Miscanthus. Crop residues, in the form of stems and leaves, represent another substantial source of cellulosic biomass.

Bioethanol_Pump

The largest potential feedstock for ethanol is lignocellulosic biomass, which includes materials such as agricultural residues (corn stover, crop straws, husks and bagasse), herbaceous crops (alfalfa, switchgrass), short rotation woody crops, forestry residues, waste paper and other wastes (municipal and industrial).

Bioethanol production from these feedstocks could be an attractive alternative for disposal of these residues. Lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks do not interfere with food security and are important for both rural and urban areas in terms of energy security reason, environmental concern, employment opportunities, agricultural development, foreign exchange saving, socioeconomic issues etc.

Production of Ethanol

The production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass can be achieved through two different processing routes. They are:

  • Biochemical – in which enzymes and other micro-organisms are used to convert cellulose and hemicellulose components of the feedstocks to sugars prior to their fermentation to produce ethanol;
  • Thermochemical – where pyrolysis/gasification technologies produce a synthesis gas (CO + H2) from which a wide range of long carbon chain biofuels, such as synthetic diesel or aviation fuel, can be reformed.

Lignocellulosic biomass consists mainly of lignin and the polysaccharides cellulose and hemicellulose. Compared with the production of ethanol from first-generation feedstocks, the use of lignocellulosic biomass is more complicated because the polysaccharides are more stable and the pentose sugars are not readily fermentable by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. 

In order to convert lignocellulosic biomass to biofuels the polysaccharides must first be hydrolysed, or broken down, into simple sugars using either acid or enzymes. Several biotechnology-based approaches are being used to overcome such problems, including the development of strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that can ferment pentose sugars, the use of alternative yeast species that naturally ferment pentose sugars, and the engineering of enzymes that are able to break down cellulose and hemicellulose into simple sugars.

Ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass is produced mainly via biochemical routes. The three major steps involved are pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, and fermentation. Biomass is pretreated to improve the accessibility of enzymes. After pretreatment, biomass undergoes enzymatic hydrolysis for conversion of polysaccharides into monomer sugars, such as glucose and xylose. Subsequently, sugars are fermented to ethanol by the use of different microorganisms.

Pretreated biomass can directly be converted to ethanol by using the process called simultaneous saccharification and cofermentation (SSCF).  Pretreatment is a critical step which enhances the enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass. Basically, it alters the physical and chemical properties of biomass and improves the enzyme access and effectiveness which may also lead to a change in crystallinity and degree of polymerization of cellulose.

The internal surface area and pore volume of pretreated biomass are increased which facilitates substantial improvement in accessibility of enzymes. The process also helps in enhancing the rate and yield of monomeric sugars during enzymatic hydrolysis steps.

Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass

Pretreatment methods can be broadly classified into four groups – physical, chemical, physio-chemical and biological. Physical pretreatment processes employ the mechanical comminution or irradiation processes to change only the physical characteristics of biomass. The physio-chemical process utilizes steam or steam and gases, like SO2 and CO2.

The chemical processes employs acids (H2SO4, HCl, organic acids etc) or alkalis (NaOH, Na2CO3, Ca(OH)2, NH3 etc). The acid treatment typically shows the selectivity towards hydrolyzing the hemicelluloses components, whereas alkalis have better selectivity for the lignin. The fractionation of biomass components after such processes help in improving the enzymes accessibility which is also important to the efficient utilization of enzymes.

Conclusions

The major cost components in bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass are the pretreatment and the enzymatic hydrolysis steps. In fact, these two process are someway interrelated too where an efficient pretreatment strategy can save substantial enzyme consumption. Pretreatment step can also affect the cost of other operations such as size reduction prior to pretreatment.

Therefore, optimization of these two important steps, which collectively contributes about 70% of the total processing cost, are the major challenges in the commercialization of bioethanol from 2nd generation biofuel feedstock.

A Glance at Woody Biomass Resources

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Woody biomass resources range from corn kernels to corn stalks, from soybean and canola oils to animal fats, from prairie grasses to hardwoods, and even include algae. Woody biomass may be used for energy production at different scales, including large-scale power generation, CHP, or small-scale thermal heating projects. Some of the major sources of woody biomass are being discussed in the following paragraphs:

Pulp and Paper Industry Residues

The largest source of energy from wood is the waste product from the pulp and paper industry called black liquor. Logging and processing operations generate vast amounts of biomass residues. Wood processing produces sawdust and a collection of bark, branches and leaves/needles. A paper mill, which consumes vast amount of electricity, utilizes the pulp residues to create energy for in-house usage.

Forest Residues

Forest harvesting is a major source of biomass for energy. Harvesting may occur as thinning in young stands, or cutting in older stands for timber or pulp that also yields tops and branches usable for bioenergy.

Harvesting operations usually remove only 25 to 50 percent of the volume, leaving the residues available as biomass for energy. Stands damaged by insects, disease or fire are additional sources of biomass. Forest residues normally have low density and fuel values that keep transport costs high, and so it is economical to reduce the biomass density in the forest itself.

Crop Residues

Crop residues encompasses all agricultural wastes such as straw, stem, stalk, leaves, husk, shell, peel, pulp, stubble, etc. which come from cereals (rice, wheat, maize or corn, sorghum, barley, millet), cotton, groundnut, jute, legumes (tomato, bean, soy) coffee, cacao, tea, fruits (banana, mango, coco, cashew) and palm oil.

Rice produces both straw and rice husks at the processing plant which can be conveniently and easily converted into energy. Significant quantities of biomass remain in the fields in the form of cob when maize is harvested which can be converted into energy. Sugar cane harvesting leads to harvest residues in the fields while processing produces fibrous bagasse, both of which are good sources of energy.

Energy Crops

Dedicated energy crops are another source of woody biomass for energy. These crops are fast-growing plants, trees or other herbaceous biomass which are harvested specifically for energy production. Rapidly-growing, pest-tolerant, site and soil-specific crops have been identified by making use of bioengineering.

For example, operational yield in the northern hemisphere is 10-15 tonnes/ha annually. A typical 20 MW steam cycle power station using energy crops would require a land area of around 8,000 ha to supply energy on rotation.

Miscanthus-Elephant-Grass

Herbaceous energy crops are harvested annually after taking two to three years to reach full productivity. These include grasses such as switchgrass, elephant grass, bamboo, sweet sorghum, wheatgrass etc. Short rotation woody crops are fast growing hardwood trees harvested within five to eight years after planting. These include poplar, willow, silver maple, cottonwood, green ash, black walnut, sweetgum, and sycamore.

Industrial crops are grown to produce specific industrial chemicals or materials, e.g. kenaf and straws for fiber, and castor for ricinoleic acid. Agricultural crops include cornstarch and corn oil soybean oil and meal wheat starch, other vegetable oils etc. Aquatic resources such as algae, giant kelp, seaweed, and microflora also contribute to bioenergy feedstock.

Urban Wood Wastes

Such waste consists of lawn and tree trimmings, whole tree trunks, wood pallets and any other construction and demolition wastes made from lumber. The rejected woody material can be collected after a construction or demolition project and turned into mulch, compost or used to fuel bioenergy plants.

A Beginner’s Guide to ULIP

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There are many ways to save money, but if you are looking for an investment that will make you money right away, it’s important to know what options are available.

Investing is a way to save money over the long term, but what if you need access to your funds right now? Maybe you just took advantage of a promotion and require proof of your investment before the tax year’s end or inherited money from a severed relative. Regardless of the reason, there may be times when you need an investment option that will save you money immediately.

Best ULIP Plans For Beginner

Unit linked insurance plan (ULIP) provides this benefit. A ULIP plan combines life insurance with mutual funds, allowing investors to build wealth over time while still having access to their money whenever they need it.

What exactly does ULIP mean?

A ULIP or Unit Linked Insurance Plan simultaneously offers life insurance and investment benefits. ULIP premiums are split into two parts. You will receive one part of the money for your life insurance, and the other part will be invested in the fund of your choice.

ULIP meaning is investing in a plan that provides flexibility in investment planning. Since ULIP plans have equity and debt components and options to switch as market conditions change, they help you safely manage your fund. The ULIP plan also protects your investments by providing life insurance coverage and a financial safety net.

Benefits of ULIPs You Should Know

Unit Linked Insurance Plan is an excellent way to save for the future, and they offer many advantages to its policyholders. ULIPs provide the following benefits to their policyholders:

  1. Maturity benefits – Policy owners can receive the accumulated funds as the maturity/survival benefit of a policy if they survive the policy’s maturity period. A maturity benefit is equal to the fund value of the policy.
  2. Death benefits – During the policy’s term, if the policyholder passes away unexpectedly, the death benefits are paid to the registered beneficiary of the policy.
  3. Tax benefits – A ULIP is an effective tax-saving tool. Section 80C of the Income Tax Act allows the deduction of the premium you pay for the policy.
  4. Long-term investment benefits – In the long run, the longer the investment horizon, the more you are protected from price fluctuations. A long-term investment in the market can help you achieve higher returns and cope with market volatility. Investing in ULIP means that you can receive high returns on your investments for the long term.
  5. Withdrawal benefit – A ULIP allows investors to withdraw part of their funds in an emergency. Depending on the emergency, investors can withdraw funds up to a certain amount after a fixed period.

Key feature of ULIPs

ULIP meaning is having a plan of insurance and investment policies that provide dual benefits. You will gain life insurance protection, and you will be able to achieve your financial goals over the long term.

Here are some of the critical features of ULIPs:

  1. A single plan for investment and insurance benefits – The goal of ULIPs is to maximise your wealth appreciation on your investment through a variety of market-linked instruments and returns. The ULIP plan also covers you and your family with comprehensive life insurance coverage throughout the policy’s life.
  2. Diversify your fund options – Throughout the Policy Term, you can freely select between equity and debt funds under your ULIP plan. A fixed number of switches can be made without additional charges within a financial year.
  3. Redirection of premiums – You may switch between different available fund options when investing in a ULIP plan. To redirect the premium, you must provide your Policy Number and indicate which fund(s) you wish to use. A percentage can also be specified concerning each fund.
  4. Partially withdrawing – The initial lock-in period for ULIP plans is five years. After the lock-in period, you can withdraw a fixed number of partial amounts from the accumulated fund value without incurring any additional fees.

Why buy a ULIP Plan

If you want to grow your savings through the use of market-linked funds while also ensuring that your family is protected with a financial safety net throughout their lives, a ULIP plan in India is a viable option.

You can make a smart decision by investing in ULIP plans for the long term due to the following reasons:

  • In the long run, ULIP meaning is investing in the plans can provide healthy market-linked returns.
  • ULIP plans allow you to change your fund allocations, protecting your money from market volatility.
  • According to prevailing tax laws, you can save significant tax amounts on both your investments and maturity/death benefits.
  • Ensure that your loved ones are protected with a robust insurance policy.

how premiums lead to better returns in long run

ULIP Plan provided by Canara HSBC Life Insurance

Online ULIP plan – Invest 4G Plan

Invest 4G Plan, a new age ULIP from Canara HSBC Life Insurance, is available online. Investments in this category are wise for young investors with long-term financial goals. You can boost your wealth and build loyalty with zero-commission investments. Invest 4G Plan offers better returns than other investment options because of its minimum charge structure.

The following are the key benefits of this ULIP plan:

  • Fund options can be switched and redirected as needed
  • Withdrawal in part
  • There are eight fund options and four portfolio strategies to choose from
  • Loyalty and Wealth Boosting
  • At maturity, mortality charges are returned

Conclusion

When you invest in Unit Linked insurance plan (ULIP), you have a plan that provides both life insurance and financial goals. In addition, it allows you to move between different types of fund options based on market fluctuations while also taking into account your changing risk appetite.

Things to Consider When Choosing an Energy Supplier

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When taking global warming into consideration, providing affordable and sustainable energy is a step towards a better future; however, the idea of spending energy differs from person to person. It is important to find an energy supplier that can meet an individual’s energy requirements.

Creating a strategic partnership with the right supplier can also help you deal with costs and improve the efficiency of your energy supply. Here are a few things you should consider beyond price while choosing an energy supplier.

what to consider when choosing an energy supplier

Sustainability options

A credible energy company will help you boost efficiency and choose the best energy supply alternatives. This can vary from Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to in-house generation and tailor-sourced renewable energy.

Choose a supplier like Origin Electricity/Origin Energy. Origin Energy has the expertise to seamlessly integrate renewable sources into your existing energy portfolio. Origin Energy can also assist you in achieving a sustainability certification. Often, these brands are committed to lowering (if not eliminating) the negative impact energy production has on the environment. Depending on the supplier, you can source between 25% to 100% of your electricity usage from renewable sources.

Contract

Nobody likes to read through lengthy contracts, but we also want to have the terms of the contract explicitly mentioned. Whenever you choose an energy supplier, ask them to mention all the essential points and keep the paperwork minimal. Make sure the provider explains how demand and supply components will impact your energy bills.

The best energy supplier will compare the cost imputation of pass-through elements and find the best fit for you. The best supplier will allow you to choose between a fixed rate, a market-based rate, or a calculated mixture of both. Some suppliers will also allow you to buy electricity monthly. Knowing the contract terms will enable you to understand the variable components of energy prices.

Credibility

A customer must know if the provider they are choosing is financially stable, reliable, and credible. A financially sound supplier ensures that they will be there to supply you with energy, even during the ups and downs of the market.

The price will vary, it is inevitable, but the energy supply should not be ceased. A credible supplier must have business longevity, a reputation, a credit rating, and good customer reviews.

Customer service

Look for an energy provider that provides reliable customer service and replies promptly to queries. Make sure that the company offers excellent post-sale customer service. A proficient supplier will help you know about fluctuations in energy supply, prices, and deals (which happens quite frequently). Choose an energy company that proactively suggests savings opportunities and programmes related to energy effectiveness.

Licensed supplier

First identify what energy (solar, renewable, electric, or natural gas) your home will require. Afterwards, you must look for a supplier that offers those energy sources within your region. Try to figure out if the price includes taxes such as a state sales tax, fees, or charges. All the crucial facts must be available readily and transparently. Check if the company has a licence to serve your locality. If the company is licensed, then the licence number should be easy to find in your state utility committee.

Ways to Make Your Business More Eco-Friendly

Industry suppliers

If selecting an energy provider for business purposes, your energy company should understand your business needs based on its size and industry. The energy provider should have experience assisting businesses like yours to succeed.

A total electricity management technique incorporates several energy resolutions with guidance from energy experts to create a personalised strategy that helps customers take advantage of both demand and supply-side elements.

Final Thoughts

While choosing the best energy supplier for your home or business, look for these factors listed above. Find a well-rounded company that prioritises your requirements and helps streamline energy success.

A Beginner’s Guide to Renewable Energy

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Renewable energy is all around us; we just need to figure out how to use it in our daily lives. We’ve all heard about renewable energy and the numerous benefits of switching from fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas to wind power, solar power, biofuels, hydroelectricity, and hydrogen fuel cells. But what is renewable energy? And where does it come from?

Well, not only can you harness renewable energy through wind turbines and solar panels on your own home or business, but you can also benefit from the fact that companies are required to generate a certain amount of their electricity by using clean sources of power.

beginners guide to renewable energy

Even if your utility company doesn’t offer a “green” program yet, you might be surprised at how easy it is to reduce your carbon footprint by simply changing what type of light bulbs or appliances you use. The first step in understanding renewable energy is learning about how it works. So, here is our guide on renewable energy for beginners.

What is Renewable Energy?

Renewable energy is a type of energy that can be replenished easily, unlike fossil fuels. Renewable sources include sun, wind, geothermal heat and water. Non-renewable sources include coal, oil and natural gas.

Renewable sources of energy

  • Solar Energy: the conversion of sunlight into electricity by photovoltaic cells or thermal radiation collectors (solar panels) used in solar heating systems.
  • Wind Power: generation of electricity by harnessing wind power through wind turbines.
  • Hydroelectricity: the production of electricity from falling water or moving water used as an energy source.
  • Biomass Energy: biomass includes plant matter such as agricultural crops and trees used to generate energy by burning them for their chemical components like ethanol.

How To Use Renewable Energy At Home or Work

Solar panels

You can make use of solar photovoltaic panels that you have installed on your roof to generate electricity for your home or office. These panels work by harnessing the sun’s rays and converting them into electricity, which can then be used for heating or powering lights and appliances.

Solar panels generate electricity during the day, even if it is an overcast day – although they do generate more power on sunny days. You can then store this electricity in batteries, which means you will still be able to use the power generated during the day at night.

You can save an estimated £700 a year by making use of solar panels and being less reliant on the national grid.

Solar heating

Solar heating also makes use of solar panels which have been adapted to generate heat in water stored in a hot water cylinder above the solar panel. You will require a few hours of direct sunlight to get really warm water, which can then be used to heat your building or for hot water in the faucets.

Heat pumps

Air source heat pumps use heat from the outside air to provide homes and businesses with heating and hot water. Heat pumps work in all temperatures – kind of like a reverse fridge.

green heating and cooling technologies

Air source heat pumps are much more sustainable than traditional heating systems and can significantly reduce your carbon footprint and make your home much more energy-efficient.

Despite high initial installation costs, this type of heat pump can save you more than £1000 a year on heating.

Wind turbines

Small wind turbines are available for homes and offices and can either be installed on a standing pole or on the roof of a building. When the blades turn, an internal turbine is activated, which generates electricity.

Biomass

Biofuel systems burn organic material to generate heat and provide hot water. Burning biomass (like wood chips or pellets) has a much lower carbon footprint than burning fossil fuels – it is estimated that burning wood in this manner only releases as much carbon as the tree absorbed during its life, making it a carbon-neutral heating solution.

IT in the bioenergy sector

Hydroelectricity

If your home or office is located near a flowing stream, you can use a small-scale hydroelectricity plant to generate power for your building.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Renewable Energy

Advantages

  • Clean source of energy.
  • Sustainable energy solution.
  • More affordable than fossil fuels.

Disadvantages

  • Not as cost-effective at producing electricity as fossil fuels.
  • Can be unreliable – for example, on many subsequent rainy days or days without wind, your solar panels and wind turbines will not be effective.

Final Thoughts

We hope this overview has given you a good background on renewable energy. Utilising renewable energy is a great step to reducing your carbon footprint and harnessing the power provided by nature.

Everything You Need to Know About a Paperless Office

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Businesses are the largest users of papers and this is taking a heavy toll on the forests and other natural resources. The paper production process consumes a lot of wood and water, besides generating effluents which are harmful for the environment.  One of the best ways a business can become environmentally-friendly is to minimize the use of paper in the workplace. Going paperless is one of the essential features of an eco-friendly office. The conversion of paper files into electronic documents is a key step in the journey towards a paperless office. But what is a paperless office and how can it benefit your organization? Read on to know more:

What is a Paperless Office?

A paper-free office uses the lowest amount of paper and relies heavily on digital documents, thus drastically reducing the use of paper in workplace.  But going paperless is not a magic wand and requires careful planning, organization and employee participation. The right set of tools and proper employee training is required to realise the dream of a paperless office.

paper-free-office

In addition to being eco-friendly, a paper-free office should also provide tangible benefits in order to motivate the office staff. Saving time and efforts through easier filing and document retrieval system is an important step in eliminating paper from the workplace. Another notable step is to replace individual printers with a centralized network printer to track paper usage and restrict the purchase of ink and toners.

The digital filing system is the heart of a paperless office. Digitizing your documentation like using an absence management software, for instance, will not only help in easy document filing but also aid in smooth and fast retrieval. Infact, a cloud-based document management system will enable employees to access important documents off-site, besides safe storage of documents.

Benefits of Going Paperless

Going paperless has numerous benefits for both the business owner and the employees, ranging from saving time and money to boosting security. It is important to analyse the use of paper in the workplace from an individual level upto the organizational level.

Let us analyse the major advantages of a paperless workplace:

1. Saves Time and Space

The filing, organizing and retrieval of paper documents is a time-taking process. Having an electronic filing system will enable file management to be done at the click of a mouse, thus helping business owners to assign employees to more productive and revenue-generating tasks.

Finding ample office space for the filing cabinets is a nightmare for many business owners as the files keeps piling up with each passing year. In particular, the problem is serious for industries having a long document retention time, such as government departments and financial sector.

A digital document management system allows you to store the documents in a cloud-based server with negligible physical footprint.

2. Saves Business Expenses

A paper-free office will reduce the business costs incurred on paper, printers, toners, files, filing cabinets and office space. Studies have shown that a paperless office has a better process efficiency and can handle a larger volume of documentation than traditional offices, thus making a significant savings in employee time with respect to repetitive tasks like expense reimbursements.

electronic-filing-system

3. Protects the Environment

The production of paper and related products leads to the emissions of greenhouse gases, causes deforestation and precipitates climate change. Paper recycling can reduce the environmental impact of paper in the workplace, but only upto to a certain extent. Employees may engage in group activities, like making paper bags from waste papers, to know the importance of waste reduction at work stations.

In the absence of source segregation, most of the paper ends up in landfills or waste-to-energy plant. In addition, toxic chemicals in inks and toners are detrimental to the health of the environment. The most sustainable solution to all these environmental problems is to transform your workplace into a paperless one.

4. Improves Security

A chronic problem in traditional offices is the hardship in tracking paper-based documents on account of misfiling, accidents etc. Moreover, it is difficult to monitor the access, printing and copying of sensitive business documents. A paperless office has a digital document management system with advanced security features to prevent such incidents by restricting access rights at different levels.

How to Tackle Stress in a Paperless Office?

A paperless office may create stress among employees due to increased exposure to technology. Static work postures may also lead to musco-skeletal health issues. An excellent solution to relieve stress is to use art therapy. But, what is art therapy?

Art therapy is a type of therapy that enriches the life of a person through art-making activities , such as drawing, painting, collage or sculpting. It helps in developing self-awareness, boosting self-esteem, trauma-coping and fostering social skills, under the guidance of a qualified therapist.

Conclusions

A paper-free office will not only save time, natural resources and money but also help in smoother and safer flow of information in an organization, thus helping in quick decision-making and responsible business growth.