Category Archives: Environment

Here’s What To Expect With Your First Environmental Inspection

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An environmental inspection gives the organization crucial information that will help it create a successful program for ongoing environmental improvement. All investigations, from on-site visits to data gathering and analysis, are taken into account to control their environmental impact. It also assists in finding ways to improve waste management, and eventually comply with environmental laws. The process may seem daunting if you are a business owner undergoing an environmental inspection for the first time. Here is a brief guide to the entire environmental inspection process to calm your nerves.

environmental inspection process

Steps in Environmental Inspection

Environmental inspections cover various domains. Although the procedure may differ slightly, the standard process of an environmental inspection follows 7 steps. These are:

1. Planning

  • Defining The Context

It’s crucial to establish the inspection plan’s context. According to the mission’s goals, statutory tasks, and competencies, the inspection authorities determine the mission’s scope according to the context. Setting the backdrop is crucial to focus on the dangers that must be examined.

  • Establishing Priorities

Conducting a risk analysis is crucial to preparing for an environmental inspection. Priorities are established by determining the hazards associated with the various installations and activities at the inspected facility. The risk level is then categorized into high, medium, and low risk.

  • Settings Goals And Objectives

The inspection’s goals can be decided upon once the priorities have been established. Performance indicators should be used to keep track of the output and outcomes to determine whether these goals can and will be met. Compliance with relevant environmental regulatory requirements is always one of the goals.

  • Planning And Review

Based on the preceding processes, the inspection plan and schedule are established. The strategy, the objectives, and the pertinent conditions under which the inspection is to be conducted are all covered in depth in the plan. On the other side, the schedule contains the logistical information on the inspection and the appointed inspector(s).

2. Framework And Protocols

The framework for the inspection activities is established in this step. It is crucial to guarantee that the investigation will be conducted efficiently, expertly, and consistently. At this time, working guidelines and protocols are created.

3. Execution

Activities designed to confirm compliance are included  to carry out the inspection efficiently, and in accordance with the protocols established in the earlier steps. Everything is carried out in accordance with the protocols established in the earlier steps. A searchable database contains all the details of the inspection activities, findings, and follow-ups. The inspector(s) conclude their inquiry by issuing a report in which all the information and earlier reports are examined and analyzed.

How To Pursue A Career In Environmental Management

4. Performance Analysis

Performance analysis enables the inspecting authority to determine whether goals and targets have been met and to report either internally or externally. Performance indicators show which methods and tactics are most effective in ensuring compliance and whether the inspection authority is carrying out its duties. The data provided in this stage can be used to analyze the inspection plan and potentially generate reports for usage by outside parties.

How Can UAV Benefit Inspections?

Drone technology offers access and insight that some individuals are unable to obtain on their own. There are several ways that UAVs benefit the environment. Besides wildlife conservation and reporting climate change, drones are quite helpful for gathering inspection data. The ability to gather data provides the opportunity to make more informed decisions. Drones primarily record, monitor, and take images of what is going on in the environment. Several organizations, like soar consulting, are now actively utilizing UAV technologies for environmental inspection.

Final Thoughts

Conducting an environmental inspection can reveal the precise state of an organization’s compliance with environmental laws. This enables proactive businesses to anticipate new regulations and set up businesses in accordance with the established regulations and compliances.

Ways to Lower Your Carbon Footprint in Life and Death

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As global warming threatens our planet, an increasing number of people are becoming conscious of how daily life creates a significant impact upon the environment. But have many people considered how their death can affect the environment? Death is the only certainty in life, and it is time that humans think about how they can protect the planet for future generations after they die and when they are alive. Here are some ways to lower your carbon footprint in life and death.

green-burial

Life

There are many ways to lower your carbon footprint in daily life. One of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions is carbon dioxide from motor vehicles. We can remedy this by walking, cycling or taking public transport instead of driving. If a car is necessary, consider buying an electric car or drive more efficiently by taking your foot off the gas and maintaining your car.

You can reduce your footprint around the house by turning down your heating and water temperature, replacing traditional light bulbs with LED ones, and turning off appliances and gadgets when they aren’t in use. Opt for Eco Mode on devices that allow it and buy energy-efficient kitchen appliances.

energy-monitor-for-home

Insulating your home is essential. Choose high-quality insulation for roof and walls, install energy-efficient windows and doors, and ensure that all gaps are completely sealed. Learn about carbon emissions in order to make a meaningful contribution in the global fight against climate change.

Recycling paper, plastic, and aluminum where possible will ensure you are doing your part in reducing the amount of landfill produced in the world.

Death

You can remain environmentally friendly even when you have shuffled off this mortal coil by having a green funeral.

Some conventional cemeteries and crematoriums have designated green areas within their grounds. The first green cemetery opened in the USA in 1998, and now close to 100 exist in the country. Some environmentally friendly burial grounds consist of vast expanses of land, giving homes to many species of trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and animals. The land becomes hallowed ground and cannot be touched for eternity. It truly is a place of eternal, peaceful rest. Instead of a traditional stone or concrete headstone marking the grave, a tree can be planted as a beautiful, green alternative.

To reduce your carbon footprint in death, every aspect of a funeral should be considered. The memorial ceremony should be at a place close to the deceased’s home so that travel emissions are kept to a minimum. The body should be contained in a coffin made from wicker, cardboard, sustainably harvested wood, or wrapped in a cotton shroud. Steel caskets, brass and gold handles, and adornments should be eliminated in favor of 100% biodegradable materials.

Chemicals used to embalm bodies so as to preserve them for mourners to view them prior to burial or cremation can be harmful to flora and fauna as they may leech into the ground. Alternative preservation techniques are now being considered, such as embalming the deceased’s body with dry ice. Any human-made materials should be kept to a minimum.

Benefits of Wide Access Doors for Green Buildings

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Are you considering green technology or green buildings? If you plan to incorporate designs that will help the environment, you should consider wide access doors in your planning! There are various ways to increase the energy efficiency of your commercial buildings to decrease damage to the environment. As the years progress, experts continue to create practical solutions to global warming, and they start with commercial buildings known to be one of the highest contributors to greenhouse gases in the world.

wide access doors for commercial buildings

Know More About Green Design

Green design is a term for sustainable architecture and structural designs. It incorporates simple yet helpful materials, designs, and technologies to minimize the effects of the building on the environment. It is still a progressing technique that not all commercial buildings are using, but to those that are, it is already a significant contribution to the environment.

Role of Wide Access Doors in Green Buildings

You might now be wondering what role doorways play in green buildings. It may not seem much, but if you want to attain that green building title and certification from LEED, you must consider everything, including the doors and hardware.

While you might not consider doors and other hardware as top contributors to the expenses of constructing a building, these components have a higher impact on lessening the energy consumption of your commercial building and improving the overall thermal performance.

Purpose of an Access Door

To understand how wide access doors contribute to green buildings, you must first understand the many uses of access doors. They can vary depending on their type and size, but the primary purpose of an access door is to conceal and protect essential components in a building. When it comes to commercial buildings, you can think of plumbing systems, HVAC systems, and even central wiring.

In hospitals, the purpose of access doors is not limited to concealment but also insulation, proper pressure control, and airflow control from one room to another. Knowing the different goals of access doors can help you determine what type of access door can be more useful to you and your green design. By choosing to install a wide access door, you are not only increasing accessibility but also convenience.

Why It Helps in Green Buildings

Depending on the material of your wide access door, you can help minimize its negative environmental impact. Bigger and broader access doors are not only for convenience, but they are also for safety. For example, if you choose to install oversized fire-rated access doors, it will increase protection during a fire and ensure that there would be no blockage when people access it to escape. These wide doors also come with insulation of their own, lessening the energy consumption of the building. Know more about the benefits of wide access doors below:

Wide Access Doors in Green Buildings

1. Insulation

Access doors can come with their insulation if you choose it. Access doors are often a requirement in most commercial buildings. Having one not only adheres to building codes but can also contribute to the energy efficiency of your structure. An access door can ensure that the air outside does not seep into the building and vice versa. It does not only contribute to energy efficiency and thermal control, but it also ensures the concealment of your building’s essential components.

2. Convenience and Accessibility

Another thing you can benefit from an access door that has its insulation is the convenience and accessibility it gives you. Compared to an ordinary door that does not come with insulation, the properties and features of an access door are worth the cost because of the additional benefits.

You do not have to create significant changes regarding green design immediately. Sometimes, starting with the small things like your doors and windows can help with the overall green rating of your building. Green building is still a progressing idea that not everyone can immediately follow. If you have the means, starting small can already create an impact.

The Benefits of Green Building

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Each year, we see the effects of global warming drastically increase. The World Meteorological Organization reported that in the last 50 years, the number of climate-change-driven weather calamities increased by five. With this information coming to light, we must act now to prevent these disasters from worsening.

One simple step is to integrate sustainable practices into your establishment. While this may seem like an expensive proposition at first glance, did you know that going green also benefits your bottom line?

In this article, you’ll see a few benefits of green buildings:

advantages of green buildings

1. Healthier Environment

Unsurprisingly, we spend a large portion of our time indoors when working in an office. In these cases, you may experience exposure to several air pollutants, such as mold, volatile organic compounds from air fresheners, and even secondhand smoke from cigarettes. Regular contact with these air pollutants poses a significant health concern leading to decreased performance and absenteeism.

Introducing steps to improve indoor air quality to combat these health risks is essential. One source of air pollutants is mold growth due to moisture build-up in areas such as behind walls. One of the ways you can reduce mold growth in these areas is to have gasketed access doors like those from Elmdor Access Doors and Panels.

Harvard also studied how effective green buildings are at improving cognitive functions. The result was that workers had a 61 percent higher performance when in green building conditions. You can trust that you and your officemates will make more intelligent decisions when breathing cleaner air.

Economic Benefits

You may have seen the words “LEED certification” thrown around the industry in the past few years. For a bit of context, LEED Certification is one of the best frameworks to follow if you want an environmentally conscious building. Compared to traditional buildings, LEED Certified buildings are proven to use less energy, less water, and lower overall operational costs. Lower operating expenses and utility bills ensure you can focus on growing your business to become a leader in the industry.

With lower maintenance costs and massive health benefits, you could enjoy a 6.6% increase in property asset valuation by going green. Additionally, laws have been getting stricter over the past years as we get closer to the 2030 sustainable development goal. Slowly introducing eco-friendly features to your building today can save thousands in fines and expensive overhauls in the future.

Better Infrastructure

With concrete being our primary building material of choice, it’s no surprise that the market for one of the most versatile construction materials has also grown. This demand comes at the cost of our environment, though, as cement is the third-highest producer of carbon dioxide. Because of this, you need to start thinking of ways to incorporate sustainability in your next construction project.

solar-leasing

What if there was some way to use other materials in concrete? You’ll be glad to know that some companies have already begun offering such products. From using Fly Ash (found in coal-fired powerplants) to capturing the carbon dioxide from the air directly, it’ll be easy to find low-carbon concrete for you to use.

You’ll be glad to know that it won’t just be the environment that’ll benefit from using low-carbon concrete. For example, concrete that utilizes fly ash in its mixture has high compressive strength and better sulfate resistance. You aren’t just using concrete that can bear heavier loads; you’re also set to enjoy it for longer than traditional Portland cement.

It Takes All Of Us

Hopefully, these points have convinced you of the potential benefits of having a sustainable building. Clean air and clear skies don’t need to only exist in far-away lands. You can also enjoy them in your city as soon as we have done our part in having an eco-friendly society.

We get the better living environment we want through concerted and unified efforts towards this goal, and it all starts with your choice in taking the first step.

Pet Waste Management in the UK – Prospects and Challenges

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Pet waste is a growing public health and environmental risk. According to a report commissioned by the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association, 13 million UK households (45%) keep pets of some kind. Cats and dogs are each kept by 8.5 million households (these numbers are not additive, as some will of course keep both).

pet-wastes

Can those of us who want both the joys of animal companionship and waste minimisation, find ways to cut down, or better manage, the huge amount of pet waste generated in the UK every year? With so many cats and dogs in the UK, pet waste must represent a significant mass of organic matter within the residual waste stream.

Does this waste represent a floater in the residual waste stream by necessity—due to inherently unpleasant and possibly dangerous characteristics of the waste—or is it only there out of convention and squeamishness?

I’ve written before about the relationship between waste management and squeamishness, and talking about faeces really brings the point home. There are some undoubtedly nasty pathogens present in pet faeces, notably the parasites Toxocariasis and Toxoplasmosis. But might these be safely killed off by the temperatures reached in anaerobic digestion (AD). If so, provided any litter and bags were made of organic matter, might pet waste be collected along with food waste?

I began by contacting a local authority waste officer, but was told that no one had asked this question before, and that I might be better off talking to AD plant operators. This I did, but most seemed similarly baffled by my query. However, one mentioned that AD digestate goes through a pasteurisation process, where it is heated to a temperature of 70oC for one hour, in order to make it safe for land application. I also attempted to contact some technical specialists in the field, but to no avail.

There are some theoretical indications that this pasteurisation should be sufficient. Hanna Mizgajska-Wiktor and Shoji Uga’s essay Exposure and Environmental Contamination states: “Anaerobic waste treatment kills Toxocara spp. eggs at temperatures in excess of 45oC”, well below the 70oC mentioned by my operator. The susceptibility of Toxoplasma to heat is less clear, although numerous internet sources suggest this can be killed in meat by cooking at 66oC. So far, then, I haven’t confirmed or falsified my initial inkling, and so the collection of pet waste in the municipal organic stream remains a theoretical possibility.

Motivated dog owners can already turn their pet’s waste into a resource within their own home. The website London Worms explains how you can turn your dog’s poo into rich and useful vermicompost, although it warns that the results will only be suitable for use on non-edible plants.

Foul Pay

Household pet droppings may still be largely fated for disposal, but even when binned this waste is at least moving through proper waste management channels. Unfortunately, not all pet poo is binned, and we have real data measuring public perceptions of the disamenity resulting from dog fouling. For most, the presence of this unwelcome waste in our streets, parks and footpaths is of much higher concern than its diversion from landfill. Therefore, it is necessary to make use of biodegradable dog poop bags to keep our environment clean.

A 2011 Defra-funded study on local residents’ willingness-to-pay — via an increase in council tax — for improvements across a range of environmental factors found that dog fouling was the third most important issue out of the presented range (with litter and fly-tipping taking first and second place). Surveys were conducted in inner-city, suburban and rural/semi-rural areas around London, Manchester and Coventry.

In order to move from the current level of dog fouling to the best possible scenario, it was found that inner-city residents would on average be willing to pay £8.87 per month, suburban residents £7.79 per month, and rural residents £2.72. Combining these figures with population statistics allows us to place a disamenity value on dog fouling. National statistics only allow for an urban-rural split, but based on a 2012 Defra rurality study which found that 18.9% of the population lives in rural areas, we can calculate that across England we would collectively be willing to pay £462m per year to achieve best case scenario improvements in dog fouling.

This somewhat crude calculation gives an indication of the perceived disamenity of dog fouling. Presenting the matter in terms such as these may allow economically minded policy makers a means of engaging with this important street scene issue and evaluating the costs and benefits of interventions.

Food for Thought

Let’s wash our hands of poo (with plenty of soap and warm water) and look to the other end of the pet waste problem. According to a report published by WRAP, the UK uses around 75,000 tonnes of primary packaging annually. This holds 1,263,000 tonnes of wet and dry cat and dog food, of which 9,000 uneaten tonnes are thrown away. Although this wasted food constitutes less than 1% of the total sold (if only we were as careful with food for human consumption) the estimated cost to the consumer is still £21m a year.

WRAP examined a number of designs intended to cut to down on the amounts of both pet food and packaging thrown away. A major problem with packaging design is the need to account for portion sizes, which vary from animal to animal and change depending on age and level of activity. Single serve packaging may actually lead to regular food wastage if the portion provided is too big for a particular pet; indeed, this is a problem I am experiencing with my own cat, whose appetite seems to fluctuate wildly. Re-sealable packaging that allows owners to dish out meals in accordance with the changing appetites of their pets is therefore preferable.

The material that packaging is made of is also significant: for example, relatively heavy tins are recyclable, whereas lightweight plasticised plastic foil packets are not. Pet food and its packaging can be pushed up the waste hierarchy by simply choosing a recyclable and resealable container which will allow them to adequately provide for the appetite of their pet. However, these issues are likely to be given less weight compared with health, convenience and cost in the minds of most householders. The onus has to be on manufacturers to develop packaging which is both low cost and easily recyclable. A recent development in this area for cat owners includes durable stainless steel litter boxes, which eliminates the need to purchase and replace plastic boxes.

Love pets, hate waste?

People love animals, but are rather less keen to engage with pets as an environmental issue. Leaving aside questions of whether it is sustainable for so many of us to have pets at all, there are clearly ways in which we can reduce their impact. The convenience of single serving pouches of pet food seems to win out over more recyclable and waste-avoiding alternatives, although pet owners might be willing to change their choices if presented with a better option.

While worrying about recovery options for cat poo might seem somewhat academic, it may be easier to tackle than dog fouling. It might even help to tackle the common psycho-social root of both issues. Cultural distaste perhaps lies behind the lack of information available on dealing with household pet waste, and the persistence of dog fouling as a street scene issue.

Things were very different in Victorian London when “pure finders” earned a living by seeking out doggie doo to supply the tanning trade. But for us this kind of waste is a disagreeable fact of life which we deal with as simply and with as little thought as possible. But as a nation of animal lovers, it’s our responsibility to engage with the waste management issues our pets present.

Note: The article is being republished with the kind permission of our collaborative partner Isonomia. The original article can be viewed at this link

Everything You Need To Know About Green Hosting and Green Hosting Providers

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The Internet has outgrown its infancy and is expanding tremendously at previously unheard-of rates. Originally just plain text, user-generated content has developed into a variety of multimedia formats, including audio and video.

The bulk of the servers hosting this material is located in data centers. Numerous servers in these enormous facilities manage everything from business websites to individual blogs. However, these servers consume a lot of energy and emit much carbon dioxide (CO2) since they need to be maintained running in cool, regulated surroundings. They are, therefore, not the best for our ecosystem. That is why we need green hosting. Fortunately, many web hosting providers offer such solutions, and you can read more on the following link. Let’s dive into more details.

Why Is Green Hosting Important

What is Green Web Hosting?

Web providers who actively work to implement eco-friendly strategies to lessen their influence on the environment are known as “green web hosts.”

Unfortunately, a data center will only be occupied to a minimal extent by even the biggest web hosting firms. Therefore, expecting them to set requirements for eco-friendliness in data centers is rather unrealistic. Fortunately, many of them have come to a conclusion that, even if this may be the truth, there are still ways they can support environmental health. The main ways that web hosts support the environment are through carbon offsets or renewable energy.

Why is Green Hosting Important?

While the benefits of green hosting are somewhat endless, here are the top three advantages to be aware of.

  • Protection of the environment – The fact that green web hosting causes no harm to the environment is its main benefit. It is an excellent method to lessen your carbon imprint on the environment and a safe, sustainable way to run websites and transmit data.
  • Excellent for your professional profile – The reputation and status of your business will benefit greatly from choosing an eco-hosting service. You may boost your reputation by encouraging sustainable living and working methods by choosing a green web hosting for your domain name. It makes a terrific first impression on your clients and the professional community.
  • Cost-effective compared to regular hosting – Green web hosting is not only economical but also environmentally beneficial. It’s a more affordable solution than traditional hosting for running your servers. Standard web hosting uses a lot of power, which raises the price of its service and bundle. Green hosting, on the other hand, has lower operating expenses since it is powered by renewable resources of energy like solar and wind. As a consequence, the client pays less for their hosting plan.

Trends in Solar Energy Technology

Types of Green Web Hosting Certification

There are two different types of green hosting certification.

1. Renewable Energy Certificate (REC)

Renewable Energy Certificates are known as RECs. The most common name for RECs is Green Tags; however, they are also referred to as Tradable Renewable Certificates. US businesses bought them to demonstrate that a renewable energy source produced one megawatt-hour of electricity, which was subsequently released into the power system. In return, the businesses who sell these Green badges get money. They may pay their expenses and invest the proceeds in more green energy projects. 

2. Carbon Offset Certificate (COC)

Making up for already created carbon is referred to as carbon offsetting. You’ve probably seen choices for carbon offsets while purchasing an airline ticket. Airlines will ask whether you want to buy a certificate to offset the carbon you emitted while flying. For green hosting businesses, the same reasoning holds true. You may demonstrate that you are removing the carbon your company created from other areas of the environment by obtaining a VER.

How To Check If You’re Using A Green Web Hosting Provider?

Web hosts who provide green shared hosting packages make a big deal out of it. Web providers must make a significant financial commitment to become active participants in the fight for responsible environmental conservation.

Your hosting company will be happy to show off its green hosting certifications or discuss its green policies on its profiles. In either case, you’ll be able to see right away if your shared hosting package is green.

How To Choose A Green Web Host?

Before purchasing green hosting services, you may verify the many procedures that a web hosting company uses. Among them are, but are not restricted to:

  • Keeps up with sustainable work – This covers everything from recycling to supporting paperless work to utilizing energy-efficient lighting.
  • Uses only renewable energy – This includes using alternative environmentally friendly power sources and 100% renewable energy to run web hosting. For instance, Bulk Infrastructure offers sustainable data centers in Norway, sourcing their energy from hydropower turbines, ensuring a renewable and environmentally friendly energy supply.
  • Owns green business certificates – This includes renewable energy certificates (RECs), which attest to the supplier’s adherence to green energy standards.
  • Offers carbon-free website hosting – Hosting companies exchange a certificate or credit for carbon offsets that attests to the reduction of CO2 or other harmful emissions to the level specified in the certificate.
  • Follows green office practices – Using low-power and energy-efficient systems is a part of this. There are mechanisms in place that allow the servers to function for extended periods of time while producing less heat.

The Environmentally Friendly Way Is The Future Of Web Hosting!

Your company or personal website can profit from green web hosting, and it is definitely the future. Your guests will also be aware that you’re doing your part to protect the environment, which will make you happy too!

Your website’s green status may be publicly displayed, demonstrating to visitors your concern for the environment. You could even succeed in persuading a few folks to adopt a green lifestyle. You may inspire a “green revolution” in which everyone places a greater emphasis on energy efficiency and ecologically responsible living by spreading the news to the rest of the globe.

And remember, if everyone contributes, we can have a significant impact.

Top 5 Most Popular Green Buildings In The World

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The world is becoming more environmentally conscious today, and people are beginning to see the importance of sustainable living. One way this is being manifested is in the construction of green buildings. These structures are designed with the environment in mind, using materials and strategies that minimise their impact on the earth.

Here we will look at 5 of the most popular green buildings in the world!

empire state building

1. The Empire State Building, New York City

The Empire State Building is listed among the most popular green buildings in the world. The building is an icon of American architecture in New York City. It was the termed tallest building in the world after completion in 1931.

Today, this building remains one of the tallest skyscrapers in the United States. It remains one of the most known tourist destinations in New York City. I’m lucky to have been able to tour the building, even with my demanding school schedule. The fact that there are professional writers I can pay to do my homework for me is beneficial.

Interestingly, the building has an Observation Deck on the 86th floor. The Observation Deck offers visitors a panoramic view of New York City.

The Empire State Building houses several offices and businesses. The building has a total of 102 floors. This building is deemed one of the most popular green buildings in the world because of its sustainable design and operations. The building has a LEED Gold certification. The LEED Gold certification is given to establishments that meet strict environmental and energy efficiency standards.

The Empire State Building uses 25% less energy than a traditional office building of its size. The building also has water-saving fixtures, and recycled materials were used in its construction. In addition, the building has a roof garden that helps to insulate the building and reduce the heat island effect.

2. Taipei 101

Next on our list of famous green buildings is Taipei 101. Taipei 101 is located in Taipei, Taiwan. It is the tallest skyscraper in Taiwan and the second tallest building in the world until the completion of the famous Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

Taipei 101 is one of the world’s most famous green buildings for various reasons. First and foremost, the building was designed with sustainability in mind from the beginning. The architects took into account that Taipei is located in a subtropical climate, and they used that to their advantage by incorporating features like a double-skin façade and an atrium that help naturally ventilate the building.

As a result, Taipei 101 uses 30% less energy than a traditional skyscraper of its size. In addition, the building also has a rainwater harvesting system that recycles greywater for use in the toilets and landscaping.

Finally, Taipei 101 is home to an ample open space on its ground floor that serves as a public park – another rarity in a city where space is at a premium. All these factors combined make Taipei 101 one of the most popular green buildings in the world.

3. Hearst Tower, New York

Located in New York City, Hearst Tower is the headquarters of Hearst Corporation. The building was completed in 2006, and Norman Foster designed it.

Hearst Tower is one of the most popular green buildings in the world because it was one of the first skyscrapers to be certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

The building features a rainwater harvesting system, which recycles water for use in the cooling towers. The building also has a double-skin façade, which helps to regulate temperatures inside the building.

What’s even more impressive is that the building was designed to use 30% less energy than a traditional skyscraper of its size.

4. The Crystal, London

The Crystal is located in London, and it is a sustainable development that focuses on urban living. The building was completed in 2012, and Grimshaw Architects designed it.

The Crystal has also been certified by LEED and features several sustainable design elements. For example, the building has solar panels, which provide power for the common areas of the building. There is also a green roof, which helps to insulate the building and reduce energy consumption.

most sustainable building in the world

In addition, the building has a rainwater harvesting system, which recycles water for use in the toilets and landscape irrigation.

5. Shanghai Tower

Last but not least is the Shanghai Tower, completed in 2015 and stands at a whopping 2073 feet (632 meters). The tower has several sustainable features, including rainwater harvesting, solar panels, and double-skin facades.

The Shanghai Tower is undoubtedly an impressive feat of engineering and a great example of what’s possible when it comes to green buildings.

Conclusion

The list mentioned above is endless when it comes to notable green buildings around the world. These are just some of the most popular ones that offer sustainable, eco-friendly design elements worth learning from!

Role of Environmental Human Rights and Our Responsibilities

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There is a broad consensus that human beings have the right to enjoy an environment suitable for personal development. In reality, this right is also a duty since it requires for its viability that human activity itself does not impede the enjoyment of this right. It is moving from mere enforceability to the sphere of responsibility and duties.

But to enter into the logic of responsibility implies for those of us who are culturally conditioned to advance towards a cultural change.

In today’s entry, we will carefully analyze our responsibilities towards our environment and nature itself. To do so, we will analyze the different aspects of environmental law and our responsibilities to respect it. Here are the four most vital components of that law.

environmental-justice

Credits: Photo by Sarah Dorweiler, Aesence

Human Responsibility in the Natural Environment

An ecological cultural change is nourished by our modern-day behaviors. Like in many cultures, welcoming the gift of creation invites us to continue to show the love that orients and promotes all lives. However, this gift allows and also demands respect for the equilibrium of the environment itself.

This balance is not only the fruit of a simple random and fortuitous evolutionary course but must be recognized as a gift that makes human life as a whole possible. A rupture of this dynamic is what scientists are warning about, the abuse of the environment. Introducing changes that break its balance, such as the current climate change process resulting from human activity and a cultural model that allows the abuse of resources. Thus, disrupting the natural balance.

Responding to this imbalance implies recognizing and practicing some duties that are marginalized in the present culture.

Our Responsibility of Conservation

The first responsibility is the conservation of creation. Today, witnessing the signs of the globalized ecological crisis throughout the planet, it is clear that the appropriate framework for “cultivation” is guardianship or conservation.

Without conservation, there can be no responsible and fair human cultivation. From this understanding, nature’s cultivation cannot lead to its “exploitation” because it cannot be abused, breaking its balance. A current concretization of this responsibility implies fighting against climate change and the various ecological disorders.

The signs of a development that has not always known how to protect nature’s delicate balances are evident when talking about air pollution. Before it is too late, severe measures must be taken, not only when writing an air pollution essay or article, but in real-life, to re-establish a strong alliance between man and the earth.

Therefore, we need a decisive “yes” to the protection of creation and a strong commitment to reverse the trends that could lead to situations of irreversible degradation.

The Responsibility not to Alienate Nature

The second responsibility that lies in our hands is to “respect the grammar of nature”. Nature is not an “untouchable taboo.” The natural environment is not only matter subjectively available to human beings, but an admirable work of nature itself that carries within itself a “grammar” that indicates purpose and criteria for intelligent, non-instrumental, and arbitrary use.

Today, many harms to development come from these distorted ways of thinking. Completely reducing nature to a set of simple factual data ends up being a source of violence towards the environment, provoking behaviors that do not respect the nature of man himself.

The latter, insofar as it is composed not only of matter but also of the spirit, and therefore rich in meanings and transcendent ends, has a normative character even for our culture.

Integration of Justice

Third, the need to integrate ecological justice and social justice. This need implies using resources that are respectful of nature and equitable with present and future human rights. Thus, the responsibilities we have towards the environment are related to those we have towards the person and his relationship with others. We cannot demand some and violate others. This is a severe antinomy of today’s mentality and praxis, which debases the person, disrupts the environment, and damages society.

For example, the desertification and productive impoverishment of some agricultural areas is also the fruit of the impoverishment of their inhabitants who suffer resource consumption damages. These have been crucial topics that show up regularly in a water pollution essay by environmental protection advocates due to the impact it causes in our occidental society. This impoverishment includes energy, air, and water pollution, which damage their natural environment (the effects of climate change on their lands, for example) and the inequitable consumption in its enjoyment and hoarding by influential minorities of humanity. The fruit of social justice must be held at peace among our societies and also with nature.

Social injustice is the occasion for social war and natural destruction. Many natural resources are devastated by wars. Peace among peoples and between peoples would also make it possible to safeguard nature more effectively. The hoarding of resources, especially water, can lead to serious conflicts between the populations concerned. Thus, a peaceful agreement on the use of resources can safeguard nature and, at the same time, the well-being of the societies concerned.

Pursuing Sustainability

The fourth responsibility is to improve efficiency and sustainability when dealing with nature. Responsible governance of creation implies, among other things, improving energy efficiency and the search for alternative energies to reduce their harmfulness to the environment and the harm to humanity itself. But it has to be framed in a global project of relationship with nature in the key of “alliance between human being and a healthy environment,” which adequately weighs the path to the future. That considers the approach to be followed in each aspect.

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This is a global responsibility: The international community and each government must know how to counteract effectively those ways of using the environment that is harmful to it. And the competent authorities must also make the necessary efforts to ensure that the economic and social costs arising from the use of common environmental rights and resources are recognized transparently and borne entirely by those who benefit, not by others or by future generations.

The protection of the environment, resources, and the climate require that all international decision-makers act together and demonstrate a readiness to act in good faith, respect for the law and solidarity with the weaker regions of the planet.

Responsibilities that can help us to assume our responsibility towards ourselves. Towards the present and future of humanity, and towards the whole of creation.

Addressing India’s Waste Management Problems

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Out of all the measures that are necessary in addressing India’s impending waste management crisis, the most efficient will be changes at the national policy and planning level. It is well-known among the small but growing waste management sector that urban India will hit rock bottom due to improper waste management.

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Unfortunately, they think such a crisis is required to bring about policy changes, as they generally tend to happen only after the damage has been done. This attitude is unfortunate because it indicates a lack of or failed effort from the sector to change policy, and also the level of India’s planning and preparedness.

An average of 32,000 people will be added to urban India every day, continuously, until 2021. This number is a warning, considering how India’s waste management infrastructure went berserk trying to deal with just 25,000 new urban Indians during the last decade. The scale of urbanization in India and around the world is unprecedented with planetary consequences to Earth’s limited material and energy resources, and its natural balance.

Rate of increase in access to sanitation infrastructure generally lags behind the rate of urbanization by 33% around the world; however, the lack of planning and impromptu piecemeal responses to waste management issues observed in India might indicate a much wider gap. This means urban Indians will have to wait longer than an average urban citizen of our world for access to proper waste management infrastructure.

The clear trend in the outbreak of epidemic and public protests around India is that they are happening in the biggest cities in their respective regions. Kolkata, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, and Srinagar are capitals of their respective states, and Coimbatore is the second largest city in Tamil Nadu. However, long term national level plans to improve waste management in India do not exist and guidance offered to urban local bodies is meager.

Apart from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM), there has been no national level effort required to address the problem. Even though JnNURM was phenomenal in stimulating the industry and local governments, it was not enough to address the scale and extent of the problem. This is because of JnNURM is not a long term waste management financing program, sorts of which are required to tackle issues like solid waste management.

Are Cities Hands-tied or is Change Possible?

In the short term, municipal corporations have their hands tied and will not be able to deliver solutions immediately. They face the task of realizing waste management facilities inside or near cities while none of their citizens want them near their residences. Officials of Hyderabad’s municipal corporation have been conducting interviews with locals for about eight years now for a new landfill site, to no avail.

In spite of the mounting pressure, most corporations will not be able to close the dumpsites that they are currently using. This might not be the good news for which local residents could be waiting, but, it is important that bureaucrats, municipal officials and politicians be clear about it. Residents near Vellalore dump protested and blocked roads leading to the site because Coimbatore municipal officials repeatedly failed to fulfill their promises after every landfill fire incident.

Due to lack of existing alternatives, other than diverting waste fractionally by increasing informal recycling sector’s role, closing existing landfills would mean finding new sites.  Finding new landfills in and around cities is nearly impossible because of the track record of dumpsite operations and maintenance in India and the Not in My Backyard (NIMBY) phenomenon.

However, the corporations can and should take measures to reduce landfill fires and open burning, and control pollution due to leachate and odor and vector nuisance. This will provide much needed relief to adjacent communities and give the corporations time to plan better. While navigating through an issue as sensitive this, it is of the utmost importance that they work closely with the community by increasing clarity and transparency.

Municipal officials at the meeting repeatedly stressed the issue of scarcity of land for waste disposal, which led to overflowing dumpsites and waste treatment facilities receiving more waste than what they were designed for. Most municipal officials are of the sense that a magic solution is right around the corner which will turn all of their city’s waste into electricity or fuel oil or gas, or into recycled products. While such conversion is technologically possible with infinite energy and financial sources, that is not the reality.

Despite their inability to properly manage wastes, the majority of municipal officials consider waste as “wealth” when approached by private partners. Therefore, a significant portion of officials expect royalty from private investments without sharing business risk.

Waste Management in Olive Oil Industry

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The olive oil industry offers valuable opportunities to farmers in terms of seasonal employment as well as significant employment to the off-farm milling and processing industry.  While this industry has significant economic benefits in regards to profit and jobs; the downside is it leads to severe environmental harm and degradation. In 2012, an estimated 2,903,676 tons of olive oil was produced worldwide, the largest olive oil producers being Spain, Italy, and Greece followed by Turkey and Tunisia and to a lesser extent Portugal, Morocco and Algeria. Within the European Union’s olive sector alone, there are roughly 2.5 million producers, who make up roughly one-third of all EU farmers.

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Types of Wastes

Currently, there are two processes that are used for the extraction of olive oil, the three-phase and the two-phase. Both systems generate large amounts of byproducts.  The two byproducts  produced by the three-phase system are a solid residue known as olive press cake (OPC) and large amounts of aqueous liquid known as olive-mill wastewater (OMW).  The three-phase process usually yields 20% olive oil, 30% OPC waste, and 50% OMW.  This equates to 80% more waste being produced than actual product.

Regardless of system used, the effluents produced from olive oil production exhibit highly phytotoxic and antimicrobial properties, mainly due to phenols.  Phenols are a poisonous caustic crystalline compound.  These effluents unless disposed of properly can result in serious environmental damage.  There is no general policy for waste management in the olive oil producing nations around the world.  This results in inconsistent monitoring and non-uniform application of guidelines across these regions.

State of Affairs

Around 30 million m3 of olive mill wastewater is produced annually in the Mediterranean area.  This wastewater cannot be sent to ordinary wastewater treatment systems, thus, safe disposal of this waste is of serious environmental concern.  Moreover, due to its complex compounds, olive processing waste (OPW) is not easily biodegradable and needs to be detoxified before it can properly be used in agricultural and other industrial processes.

This poses a serious problem when the sophisticated treatment and detoxification solutions needed are too expensive for developing countries in North Africa, such as Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, where it is common for OMW to be dumped into rivers and lakes or used for farming irrigation.  This results in the contamination of ground water and eutrophication of lakes, rivers and canals.  Eutrophication results in reductions in aquatic plants, fish and other animal populations as it promotes excessive growth of algae. As the algae die and decompose, high levels of organic matter and the decomposing organisms deplete the water of oxygen, causing aquatic populations to plummet.

Another common tactic for disposal of olive mill wastewater is to collect and retain it in large evaporation basins or ponds.  It is then dried to a semi-solid fraction. In less developed countries where olive processing wastes is disposed of, this waste, as well as olive processing cake and SOR waste is commonly unloaded and spread across the surrounding lands where it sits building up throughout the olive oil production season.  Over time these toxic compounds accumulate in the soil, saturating it, and are often transported by rain water to other nearby areas, causing serious hazardous runoff. Because these effluents are generally untreated it leads to land degradation, soil contamination as well as contamination of groundwater and of the water table itself.

Even a small quantity of olive wastewater in contact with groundwater has the potential to cause significant pollution to drinking water sources. The problem is more serious where chlorine is used to disinfect drinking water. Chlorine in contact with phenol reacts to form chlorophenol which is even more dangerous to human health than phenol alone.

Remedial Measures

The problems associated with olive processing wastes have been extensively studied for the past 50 years.  Unfortunately, research has continued to fall short on discovering a technologically feasible, economically viable, and socially acceptable solution to OPW.  The most common solutions to date have been strategies of detoxification, production system modification, and recycling and recovery of valuable components.  Because the latter results in reductions in the pollution and transformation of OPW into valuable products, it has gained popularity over the past decade. Weed control is a common example of reusing OPW; due to its plant inhibiting characteristics OPW once properly treated can be used as an alternative to chemical weed control.

Research has also been done on using the semisolid waste generated from olive oil production to absorb oil from hazardous oil spills.  Finally, in terms of health, studies are suggesting that due to OPW containing high amounts of phenolic compounds, which have high in antioxidant rates, OPW may be an affordable source of natural antioxidants. Still, none of these techniques on an individual basis solve the problem of disposal of OMW to a complete and exhaustive extent.

At the present state of olive mill wastewater treatment technology, industry has shown little interest in supporting any traditional process (physical, chemical, thermal or biological) on a wide scale.This is because of the high investment and operational costs, the short duration of the production period (3-5 months) and the small size of the olive mills.

Conclusion

Overall, the problems associated with olive processing wastes are further exemplified by lack of common policy among the olive oil producing regions, funding and infrastructure for proper treatment and disposal, and a general lack of education on the environmental and health effects caused by olive processing wastes.

While some progress has been made with regards to methods of treatment and detoxification of OPW there is still significant scope for further research.  Given the severity of environmental impact of olive processing wastes, it is imperative on policy-makers and industry leaders to undertake more concrete initiatives to develop a sustainable framework to tackle the problem of olive oil waste disposal.