There’s no question that there is quite a bit of buzz around organic and sustainable gardening along with permaculture. Everyone wants access to safe veggies, fruits and even eggs, which means that many of the older “Victorian” style practices of gardening and keeping animals and poultry are really making a comeback. There are more and more people practicing urban agriculture in backyards and vacant lots across the country.
If you are interested in joining this group of eco-conscious individuals, then be sure to implement the top sustainable gardening ideas found here.
1. Reduce the Size of Your Lawn
Rather than having your entire property covered in grass and plants, consider adding more hardscape fixtures as time passes. As you do this, you can minimize the upkeep, water, and other maintenance that your lawn needs. It will also minimize the tools that you need to care for your garden and make the use of smaller, more green hand tools, like the ones at Easy Digging, a viable option when it comes to caring for your lawn.
2. Gather Water On-Site
In the past, people would say that “rainwater does magic on plants.” This is a phrase that has some truth to it. There is nothing quite as effective as rainwater when it comes to encouraging your garden to grow. Rather than letting the water runoff your property before it can soak in, why not gather some and use it for your plants. This is a great way to reduce the amount of water that you have to use from public or drilled sources, thus helping with water conservation.
3. Create a Compost Pile
You can create your own compost pile by using non-meat kitchen scraps and other plant materials. When done properly, you can create rich black soil. Rather than putting grass clippings and leaves in your garbage, add them to your compost, too. If you don’t want to start this from scratch, you can purchase a “starter” compost pile and then add to it.
4. Mulch with the Materials You Have Available
You can mulch with the materials that are readily available to you, such as wood chips, pine needles, and leaves. These are going to help keep the soil moist while enriching it and minimizing the presence of weeds. Avoid using cypress much because this is usually made from grinding and harvesting younger trees which is not a sustainable gardening method.
5. Use Native Plants
Only use the plants that are native to your area. This is going to help ensure they can grow with little intervention from you.
Are You Using Sustainable Gardening Practices?
As you can see, there are several ways you can make your gardening efforts more sustainable and more eco-friendly. Consider implementing the tips here and see how your property can flourish while you are still doing something good for the planet. It’s a win-win situation that will help you save time, money, and effort while still having a beautiful lawn.
Lead-acid batteries are used on a mass-scale in all parts of the world for energy storage. Lead-acid batteries contain sulphuric acid and large amounts of lead. The acid is extremely corrosive and is also a good carrier for soluble lead and lead particulate. Lead is a highly toxic metal that produces a range of adverse health impacts particularly among young children.
Exposure to excessive levels of lead can cause damage to brain and kidney, impair hearing; and lead to numerous other associated problems. On average, each automobile manufactured contains approximately 12 kilograms of lead. Around 96% lead is used in the common lead-acid battery, while the remaining 4% in other applications including wheel balance weights, protective coatings and vibration dampers.
Recycling Perspectives
Recycling of lead-acid batteries is a profitable business, albeit dangerous, in developing countries. Many developing countries buy used lead-acid batteries (also known as ULABs) from industrialized countries (and Middle East) in bulk in order to extract lead. ULAB recycling occurs in almost every city in the developing world where ULAB recycling and smelting operations are often located in densely populated urban areas with hardly any pollution control and safety measures for workers.
Usually ULAB recycling operations release lead-contaminated waste into the environment and natural ecosystems. Infact, Blacksmith Institute estimates that over 12 million people are affected by lead contamination from processing of used lead acid batteries in the developing world, with South America, South Asia and Africa being the most affected regions.
Associated Problems
The problems associated with recycling of ULABs are well-documented and recognized by the industry and the Basel Convention Secretariat. As much of the informal ULAB recycling is small-scale and difficult to regulate or control, progress is possible only through cleanup, outreach, policy, and education.
For example, Blacksmith’s Lead Poisoning and Car Batteries Project is currently active in eight countries, including Senegal, the Dominican Republic, India, and the Philippines. The Project aims to end widespread lead poisoning from the improper recycling of ULABs, and consists of several different strategies and programs, with the most important priority being the health of children in the surrounding communities.
Lead poisoning, from improper recycling of used batteries, impacts tens of millions of people worldwide.
There is no effective means of tracking shipments of used lead-acid batteries from foreign exporters to recycling plants in developing world which makes it difficult to trace ULABs going to unauthorized or inadequate facilities.
The Way Forward
An effective method to reduce the hazards posed by trans-boundary movements of ULABs is to encourage companies that generate used lead batteries to voluntarily stop exporting lead batteries to developing countries. These types of voluntary restrictions on transboundary shipments can help pressure companies involved in recycling lead batteries in developing to improve their environmental performance. It may also help encourage policy makers to close the gaps in both regulations and enforcement capacity.
Another interesting way is to encourage regeneration of lead-acid batteries which can prolong its life significantly. The advantage of battery regeneration over regular recycling is the reduced carbon footprint incurred by mitigating the collecting, packing, shipping and smelting of millions of tonnes of batteries and their cases. Most importantly, it takes about 25kWh of energy to remake a 15Kg, 12V 70Ah battery and just 2.1KWh to regenerate it electronically.
Most people have heard about concepts such as single-stream recycling, but there’s another approach known as zero waste. People who support the concept of zero waste agree that, in a broader sense, it means reducing dependence on landfills and increasing reliance on material recovery facilities. But, after that, the definition varies primarily based on industries, manufacturers and even entire countries.
Even so, there are inspiring trends that show how people and companies are working hard to reduce the amount of waste produced, thereby getting ever closer to that desirable zero benchmark. Below are some of the major trends taking place across the world in the field of zero waste:
More Reusable Packaging
We live in a world where it’s possible to order almost anything online and have it quickly arrive on a doorstep — sometimes the same day a person placed the order. And, society loves the convenience, but the dependence on delivered products causes an increase in packaging materials.
It is often astounding how many packing peanuts, layers of bubble wrap and cardboard cartons come with the things we buy. And, the manufacturers and shipping companies consistently bring up how boxes get dropped or otherwise mishandled during transit, making the extraordinary amounts of protective packaging products necessary.
Packaging that adorns your product can have serious environmental impact.
On a positive note, a company called Limeloop makes a shipping envelope designed from recycled billboard wrapping people can reuse thousands of times. Another company called Returnity communicates with distributors to urge them to use the establishment’s boxes and envelopes, both of which people can rely on dozens of times instead of throwing them away after single uses.
If you are a business looking to adopt eco-friendly practices, you should read this article on green packaging methods.
Ceramic Mugs in British Coffee Shops
In some regions of the world, customers who visit coffee shops don’t get asked whether they’ll be drinking their coffee on site or taking it with them to go. However, many leading coffee shops in the United Kingdom find out that detail from customers who order drinks, then serve the beverages in non-disposable mugs to people who’ll enjoy their purchases on the spot.
Also, all 950 Starbucks locations in Great Britain recently began charging customers five cents for getting their drinks in disposable cups. Conversely, it rewards them by taking 25 cents off the costs of their orders when they bring reusable cups into the stores.
Creative Ways to Cut Down on Farm Waste
Manure (or fertilizer) is a reality on farms around the world. And, the commercially bought versions of it contribute to excessive waste and inflated costs. Some even harm future growth when farmers apply manure too heavily and negatively affect the soil’s balance.
But, besides avoiding commercially-sold manure and not applying it excessively if used, what else can people in the agriculture sector do to make farm waste more manageable? They can look for unique outlets that may want to buy it.
One startup uses a detailed manure-refining process to extract the cellulose from cow dung. Business representatives then use the cellulose — a byproduct from the grass and corn cows eat — for a new kind of fabric.
These unusual solutions highlight unconventional use cases for animal droppings, such as poultry litter, that support zero-waste goals, provided farmers want to explore them.
An Uptick in Reusable Food Containers
People often pack their lunches in plastic containers before heading off to work, but when they get food delivered or pick it up from a provider to eat at home later, the associated containers usually fill up garbage cans after people chow down.
Some facilities are trying to change that. At The University of California Merced campus, a pilot program occurred where students who stopped by dining halls for meals to take away brought reusable containers with them. After people ate the food from them, they could return them to get washed and ready for future meals.
Moreover, a pizza restaurant in Wales provides an aluminum box for people to use again and again when taking their pies home. One of the problems with cardboard pizza containers is they can’t be recycled when contaminated with grease. However, people can buy the metal ones for a small, one-time fee.
Opt for reusable containers for food and beverages
Then, by using them, they get 50-cent discounts on their pizza. The restaurant also backs the boxes with a lifetime guarantee and will replace them for no charge if necessary due to breakage or damage. Also, because metal conducts heat, the material helps pizza stay hotter for longer than it would in cardboard boxes.
Innovations to Complement Commitment
Adhering to a zero waste lifestyle undoubtedly requires dedication and a willingness to look beyond old habits. However, for people who show those characteristics, numerous inventions and improvements make it easier to do away with the throw-away culture.
Installing solar panels in homes is becoming more popular due to increase in the efficiency and availability of solar panels, besides the public concern for environmental preservation. According to experts, “green” energy should eventually replace the traditional sector of the world economy. Solar panels for the home combines several modules of photovoltaic cells that convert solar energy into electrical energy.
The excess energy generated by solar panels during the day is stored and used when needed. Batteries can be used as a backup power source in the absence of a centralized power supply. They allow significant cost savings when utility rates are too high. For example, the price of residential electricity in 2022 averages 14.6 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh), up 6.1% from 20211.
Solar energy accounts for 3.7% of global electricity production and this figure will steadily increase over time2. According to statistics, every second buyer of solar panels is interested in purchasing them in addition to the system already working in the house. These energy sources are a long-term and significant investment in home improvement. Therefore, the service life of a home solar panel is an important factor for manufacturers and buyers. Manufacturers must ensure that their products are reliable and durable.
Most homeowners prefer power system brands that supply the best solar batteries with a guarantee of reliability and durability. The service life of home energy storage is 5 to 15 years. Solar panels are made from recyclable materials with a guarantee of their operation for 25 years. They can be replaced after the warranty period of use.
Factors Affecting the Lifespan of Home Solar Panel
The service life of solar panels is an important factor for both manufacturers and owners. It shows how the modules are durable, reliable and make it easy to produce power when needed. The lifespan of solar energy storage devices is affected by the following factors:
1. Degradation of panels (gradual loss of efficiency of modules)
The duration of their operation depends on the degradation factor of the solar energy storage. This indicator is influenced by the manufacturability and quality of the manufacturer’s products. The best manufacturers estimate the annual power loss of the solar panel in the amount of 0.8-1%. This guarantees the buyer that in 20-25 years his solar installation will produce at least 80-85% of the originally installed power rating per year of production.
2. Features of the operation of the solar battery
The life span of a solar panel depends on the cycle of use. The solar panel is a deep cycle unit that can discharge up to 80% of stored energy before recharging. Batteries charge level depends on characteristics such as model and size, which increase their potential. When buying a device, you should pay attention to the manufacturer’s depth of discharge (DoD): the larger it is, the longer the battery will last.
3. The impact of adverse environmental factors
The relevant environmental factors include difference in night and day temperatures, the influence of ultraviolet radiation, overheating in the daytime, strong gusts of wind. When the air temperature rises, the material of the battery expands, and when the ambient temperature drops, it contracts. Such a temperature difference leads to the formation of microcracks on the panel, which reduces its performance. The air temperature and excessive ultraviolet radiation eventually destroy the hermetic elements of the module, causing loss of their elasticity and mechanical damage.
4. Properties of the material from which the module is made
Polycrystalline systems wear out more than mono crystalline modules. The payback period for batteries made from polycrystalline modules is much faster. However, they also require replacement faster after 25 years of operation. This is especially true for solar panels of the middle and low price segment. Therefore, polycrystalline modules are not recommended to buy and install.
5. Type of solar battery
According to the chemical composition, lead-acid, lithium-ion, salted (with sea water) batteries are distinguished. Among them, lithium-ion panels are characterized by greater depth of discharge (DoD), durability, lightness and compactness3.
6. Heating temperature of the solar battery
The battery pack lasts longer in moderate ambient temperatures. In this case, it is better to install it on the roof of the house. At low temperatures, the battery will work fine if it is operated in a garage or basement. The higher the air temperature, the more the solar panels power generation performance decreases in summer.
7. Quality assurance and regular maintenance of the solar battery
They play a leading role in ensuring the durability of the device. Manufacturers must guarantee the performance and life expectancy of a solar power system. Regular maintenance always costs less than replacing or buying a new battery. For example, maintenance of a battery costs between $150 and $300 per year, but you can spend $100 to $3,200 to repair it4.
In addition to these factors, the performance of a solar station is affected by the presence of a shadow, the orientation and angle of inclination of the batteries, the quality of design and installation work carried out by the installer. When choosing a contractor who will mount your station, you should contact companies with experience in the field of solar energy. A professional installation company will offer you solar energy system maintenance and repair service.
timely cleaning of panels after snow sticking to them;
avoid damage or scratches to the module;
protection from strong winds by barrier structures;
regular cleaning of panels from dirt and dust with water from a hose;
continuous battery charging, as a battery that is not charged for a long time wear out prematurely;
regulation of the optimal number of batteries in the solar system, which contributes to its uniform charging.
The solar company Aion.solar offers a full range of services from materials for the production of home energy systems to their installation. Convince yourself of the efficiency and quality of home solar installations offered by this company.
Are you passionate about the environment? Do you want to work on climate change or try to create sustainable buildings or make a career in waste recycling? Maybe you hope to work in national forests or affect government policy on environmental issues. There are plenty of opportunities for green-oriented jobs. Keep reading for more on careers that can be good for both you and the planet, whether you are changing careers or just finishing high school.
1. Consider Your Focus
You should start thinking broadly about what kind of renewable energy career you’d like to have. With a few years of school ahead of you or a career change, you’ll have time to learn more and decide, but it can help if you at least have a general idea about the direction you’ll pursue.
Maybe you’d like to work in science, or perhaps you want to write about the environment. You may want to pursue renewable energy degree or become an entrepreneur, founding sustainable companies. Start doing research as early as possible.
2. Plan for School
If you already have a degree, you may not need to go back to school. It depends on how different your new career is from your old one and whether your skills will transfer or if you need further education. If you don’t have a degree, it will be much easier to break into most fields with one, and in most cases, it will be necessary.
If you are worried about money, keep in mind that there are grants, scholarships and loans available. You can shop for a low interest rate on private loans to make sure that you get the best deal available for you.
3. Start Now
You should start as soon as possible to learn about the issues and get involved. There is probably a community group near you that you can join. This can also help you get started networking and meeting other people who have the same interests and ambitions as you as well as professionals who may be well on their way in their careers.
You can learn a lot through volunteer work about the issues that you are most passionate about and what types of jobs you enjoy doing most.
4. Networking and Internships
If you are a student, talk to your professors, your advisor and the career center at your school about your ambitions and what career paths might be right for you. Whether you are a student or a career changer, see if you can set up informational interviews with people doing the types of jobs that interest you.
5. Stay Balanced
Doing environmental work or another job that you feel passionately about does not mean that you have to throw your entire being into it. It’s still important to maintain a work-life balance, perhaps doubly so when you work for a nonprofit or in another field that tends to attract people who are as interested in the issues they are working on as in what they are being paid.
Be sure to carve out time for friends, family and hobbies so that you don’t burn out while trying to save the world.
As we strive to shrink our global carbon footprint, society must alter its energy sources. Solar panels and wind turbines are two familiar types of green power that contribute to protecting the planet. Investing in renewables can improve the environment and lower the cost of electricity.
As scientists look for efficient and sustainable solutions to non-renewable energy use, they turn back to basics. People used to rely on fire for fuel. Today, we can utilize these age-old practices to limit our reliance on environmentally polluting fuel sources.
The Importance of Renewable Energy
Nearly 80% of our current energy comes from coal, oil and gas. The use of fossil fuels in power production harms human health and the planet.
About 2.6 million Americans experience health issues from oil and gas exposure from fossil fuel transportation and processing facilities. Benzene and formaldehyde are two toxins associated with nonrenewable energy production that contribute to leukemia and blood disorders. The workers who mine oil and gas also risk exposure to airborne pollutants that cause lung cancer and breathing difficulties.
The production of fossil fuel energy affects the environment by emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is a natural process that the Earth uses to maintain life on its surface. It keeps the global temperature consistent to protect the ecosystem’s functionality.
Adding pollutants into the atmosphere changes its composition. These greenhouse gases absorb the sun’s energy, convert it into heat and release it back to space. Excess contaminants make it difficult to allow heat to escape. This increases the global temperature over time.
Renewable energy sources act as an alternative to greenhouse gas-emitting power. Various companies are working on producing a chemical-free solution known as biomass energy.
What is Biomass?
Biomass is a form of renewable energy derived from organic materials. Wood was the original source used by the first humans for survival. Now, we can rely on wood pellets, sawdust, black liquor and more to create commercial and residential fuel options.
We can also utilize agricultural matter to produce biomass. Soybeans, corn, algae, sugar cane and other plants can create fuel to power our homes, electric cars and devices. Scientists are also using refuse for energy production. Municipal solid waste, like cotton, paper, yarn and food, can transform into biomass power. A less appealing way to produce this renewable energy derives from animal manure and human waste.
Companies take these materials and create energy through a direct combustion process. It forms a refined liquid or gas to burn for power. Because plants grow naturally and indefinitely on Earth, biomass is a renewable source.
Environmental Effect of Biomass
Although biomass production and use emit no direct carbon into the environment, it may be less sustainable than other renewable power sources. When burned, these fuels release toxins like nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter into the atmosphere.
Biomass production also contributes to deforestation. Many companies use soybeans to create the renewable fuel, which affects forests in Argentina. The country produces 15% of the global soy source, using 16 million hectares of forest land for production.
As Argentina increases production to meet international demands, it must cut down trees and vegetation to make space for agricultural growth. The monoculture of soy also leads to soil depletion. To reverse these environmental impacts, farms use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides on their land.
Because biomass crops are water-intensive, they contribute to runoff pollution. When farmers water their plants, the synthetic fertilizers and pesticides drain into the ocean, contributing to oxygen depletion and dead zones. The significant amount of water used to produce these crops leads to resource exploitation. It takes nearly 4,000 gallons of water to grow a bushel of corn for biomass energy.
Is Biomass Worth the Destruction?
Biomass can effectively reduce the carbon footprint. The renewable energy source also limits the adverse health effects associated with conventional energy production. However, it emits air pollutants into the atmosphere, causing deforestation and water exploitation, which decreases its sustainability.
The answer is complicated. Every renewable energy source has its downfalls. When you use a bit of energy from each green resource, you can limit your environmental impact and still power the planet.
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.
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.
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.
The 2020s are a time of transition for the global economy. In addition to a switch from manufacturing to services as the central component of business activity, the decade is ushering in an era of environmentally aware entrepreneurs, owners, founders, and consumers. Everybody, from the most powerful mogul down to the modest retail buyer in a discount store, realizes the importance of building a sustainable planet and economic system.
In the transport industry, telematics systems are helping fleet managers reach peak efficiency and meet strict emissions standards at the same time. Homeowners are finally reaping the benefits of solar energy after decades of slow growth in the alternative energy sector.
A long list of smart devices is bringing conservation to offices, houses, and apartments. Following the trend, automakers are rolling more all-electric and hybrid electric vehicles off the assembly line than ever before. Consider the following environmental trends among private citizens and business owners.
Transport Fleets Using Telematics
Transport companies are using sophisticated telematics systems to meet emissions obligations more effectively. Managers who operate government fleets in California must follow a precise set of guidelines related to smog checks. Compliance is required, but supervisors understand how telematics systems can minimize vehicle downtime while adhering to the smog check rules during routes.
Not only do telematics programs help government fleet management teams keep expenses low, but they’re also invaluable in transmitting a wide variety of information and statistics about every truck in real time. Without the technology, California’s emissions rules could deal a serious blow to government fleet profitability.
Solar Panels for Roofs and Yards
Homeowners have plenty of choices when it comes to solar energy resources. The industry has advanced significantly in the past decade as efficiency levels for panels has risen steadily. Along with more productive rooftop panels, one of the newer offerings from sellers is ground mounted solar. Some homeowners either can’t place units on their roofs or prefer to double up by putting them on the roof and in the yard.
Ground panels need to be mounted on special brackets so they can be easily moved whenever needed. However, the option to include more coverage in a given property can nearly double the amount of electricity available from private solar arrays.
Personal Transportation
With electric cars being the more sustainable choice in both the public and private sectors, there’s an ongoing transition to electric vehicles. For large corporations, the switch to all or partially electric fleets can save vast sums. The same is true for municipal, state, and federal government vehicle fleets. Individuals have had access to EVs (electric vehicles) and PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles) for more than a decade.
But in the 2020s, consumers and companies are finally making a major transition to energy-efficient transportation. There’s national legislation that incentivizes automakers to offer more non-combustion cars, trucks, buses, vans, and motorcycles by 2030.
At the same time, consumers are buying e-bikes, driving less, opting for public transportation, and carpooling more than ever before. Companies that sell and rent e-scooters in major metropolitan areas have had to increase purchases from manufacturers just to keep enough inventory on hand for unexpected surges in consumer demand.
Are you looking to make your business more sustainable? This is something that every business owner should be looking to do even during the discovery phase of project and it can bring a multitude of benefits in addition to the ethical reasons, so here are 10 of the best ways that you can go about doing this.
1. Eco-Friendly Products
First, you need to make sure that you are both producing and sourcing eco-friendly products and trying to reduce plastic use as much as possible.
2. Green Energy
Switching to a green energy provider is one of the most effective ways that you can reduce your impact, plus you can make huge energy savings over the long-term on your energy bills, so it is a smart financial move to make.
3. Encourage Cycling
It is important to encourage staff to use green forms of transport as opposed to driving. One way to do this is with bike parking outside of the office and to start a cycle to work scheme.
4. Reduce Food Waste
You should try to reduce food waste as much as possible and the best way to do this is to educate your staff on the importance of only bringing in what they need and using up spare food.
5. Watch Water Usage
Water usage is another area to address and you will want to try to cut down on if possible, particularly when it comes to washing and cleaning.
6. Increase Recycling
Recycling is one of the best ways to be more sustainable but often an area where businesses could improve on. You can do this by educating staff on what they can and cannot recycle and making it easier for them to recycle items, such as placing recycling bins in the office.
7. Reduce Paper Usage
You should also try to minimize paper usage throughout the business. Where this is not possible, you should instead look to eco-friendly alternatives. As an example, you could have loyalty and business cards from eco-friendly supplier.
8. Use Energy-Efficient Equipment
Switching to energy-efficient equipment is smart as it will reduce your energy consumption, which will also help to reduce your utility bills too.
9. Green Shipping and Delivery
Opting for green shipping and delivery can greatly reduce your impact and costs, which can be achieved through green packing materials, minimizing packing materials, and using compact packaging. Also, using a routing app will make delivery more efficient and fast, encouraging the use of bicycles, and reducing air pollution from cars and motorcycles.
10. Charitable Contributions
Business can also be more environmentally sustainable through charitable contributions, such as starting a promotion, donating a percentage of profits to charity or starting a fundraiser.
Hopefully, this post will inspire you to make positive changes to your business and play your role in preventing environmental damage.
A heavy metal analysis can be a useful tool for evaluating soil contamination. It determines the amount of elements in a sample, which indicates the dispersion and level of contamination. Fortunately, there are several methods available for environmental analysis. In this article, we will discuss some of them.
Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS)
ICP-MS is a method for quantitative analysis of heavy elements. It uses a laser ablation system to analyze solid samples, requiring minimal sample preparation. The method has a single side-effect, minor depletion of the sample material. However, this side-effect is acceptable for most applications.
ICP-MS is a highly sensitive method for heavy metal analysis, and it is widely used for determining concentrations of elements. The method works by introducing a fine aerosol of the sample to a plasma containing 6000-10,000 K. The plasma causes the atoms of the analyte to be ionized at the same time. The ions are then sorted and quantified.
The ICP-MS is capable of detecting the smallest particles, and it is also able to detect elements with very low ppt (parts-per-trillion) levels. Although the method does not have the accuracy of ICP-OES, it is able to detect elements with a much lower ppt (parts-per trillion).
ICP-MS is a fast and reliable technique for elemental analysis. It is particularly useful for measuring the isotopic ratios of elements with multiple isotopes. Click here to learn more about isotopes. Its high speed and low detection limits make it a highly versatile analytical tool. Because of these characteristics, ICP-MS is considered a mature technique that requires strict quality control.
ICP-MS is used in both primary and secondary tissue analysis. It can also be used to analyze inorganic nanoparticles. The technique has shown promising results for simultaneous determination of the concentration and size of inorganic nanoparticles in environmental and food samples.
Single-particle ICP-MS is also capable of detecting single-element elements in a single sample. It has a high degree of sensitivity, and it can also distinguish between particulate and ionic forms of analyte.
ICP-MS has numerous applications, and is one of the fastest growing trace element techniques. It was first commercialized in 1983, and today, over 16,000 systems are installed worldwide. This technology is used for industrial, pharmaceutical, environmental, and nuclear applications.
ICP-MS is the fastest elemental analysis technique available today. It can detect almost every element in the periodic table in parts per billion concentrations. This technology works by passing small amounts of material into plasma, which operates at approximately 8000 degrees Celsius. The plasma is then cooled and a mass spectrometer separates the sample ions according to their mass/charge ratio.
Atomic absorption spectroscopy
Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) is another analytical technique used in this field. The technique is suitable for identifying and determining the concentrations of several metals. Table 3 provides examples of samples that are analyzed using AAS. Lead and cadmium are among the metals that have been determined in this way.
Atomic absorption spectroscopy is a technique that uses light to determine the concentration of specific metal atoms in a liquid or solid. The light is excited by a specific wavelength and the atoms in the sample absorb energy. The amount of energy absorbed is proportional to the number of atoms in the sample. The sample is then compared to a standard solution to determine the concentration of the element.
The advantages of AAS over classical gravimetric methods include increased sensitivity and selectivity. This technique has many applications in mining, oceanographic studies, drinking water, and soil analysis. There are also various types of spectroscopy used in the pharmaceutical industry. An AAS is used to determine the concentration of contaminants in soils and other materials.
Atomic absorption spectroscopy is also used in clinical samples. This technique can determine the concentrations of various materials in human muscle, liver, hair, and brain tissue. It can also help determine the levels of mercury in fish. Mercury is an extremely toxic element that can build up in the environment and pose a risk to the food chain.
Methods to analyze heavy metals
Determining the level of metals in the environment is essential in creating an action plan to help mitigate their presence. Methods of heavy metal analysis are a major part of environmental pollution control. They can help ensure that toxic metals are not present in drinking water and are a reliable indicator for pollution prevention. Methods to analyze metals are widely used for monitoring the presence of heavy metals in a wide range of samples, from soil to solid waste.
The first step is to identify the metals that are present in a particular sample. This will determine their concentration. Using inter-element analysis, these metals are compared with the levels in waste water. If the correlations are high, the source of the heavy metals is likely to be anthropogenic.
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