Tag Archives: Air Pollution

The Big Question: Why are Electric Cars the More Sustainable Choice?

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By now, everyone living in the UK should be aware that by the end of 2030, non-electric passenger cars and light commercial vehicles will no longer be sold, imported, or manufactured in the country. Even though the plan seemed quite ambitious at the time of its announcement in 2020, recent stats tell us a different story altogether.

Why Electric Cars are the More Sustainable Choice

Excellent Sales Numbers Indicate Willingness to Welcome the Shift to EVs

According to data revealed by the UK Transport Department, the electric vehicle (EV) industry generated 173.5% more revenue during Q3, 2021, as compared to Q3, 2020. By the end of 2021, not only did the EV sector manage to sell the number of cars they needed in order to meet the necessary adoption curve, but they also exceeded their annual target by 60,000+ more electric vehicle sales.

These stats and figures more clearly indicate that people in the UK are both aware and willing to take the road needed for creating a more sustainable future for everyone. That being said, not everyone is ready or willing to support a shift to EVs yet. There are several social, economic, and political factors behind their unwillingness to adopt an electric car. Some of those causes are very real hurdles that the government hopes to overcome in the coming years.

Alongside other serious obstacles in the path of incomplete understanding of an EV’s benefits is a core problem that must be addressed. We are often informed that an electric vehicle is the more sustainable choice, but that statement is seldom explained properly. Whether you already own an electric vehicle or not, this post will help you understand why and how EVs are indeed the better choice for a cleaner, sustainable future.

Preparing for a Future without Fossil Fuels

More recently, the European Union (EU) has also declared its plans to slowly phase out fossil fuel vehicles by 2035. While we don’t yet have details regarding how they plan to go about it, it’s another step in the right direction. Despite the tremendous effort and investment it will take to create and maintain an automotive industry that’s not primarily reliant on fossil fuels, relevant governing authorities are still planning to go through with it. If successful, the entire movement will be tantamount to ushering in a new industrial revolution.

However, when multiple world governments decide in favour of reducing their dependence on non-renewable energy sources, the deeper implications are there for us to ascertain. People were running out of coal and petroleum from the very first day they started using it, but that time was still set in a very distant, vague future. As a result of globalisation, overpopulation, and over industrialisation, our energy consumption needs have increased beyond all previous estimations. Furthermore, that need continues to grow unchecked in several parts of the world. Consequently, we are now dangerously close to putting a date on a dystopian future!

It would take decades to build a reliable, new infrastructure that can effectively replace/reduce the need to rely on fossil fuels for an entire demographic. When the world finally runs out of easily accessible sources of fossil fuel, a well-developed alternative fuel industry must be present to keep us from reverting to the dark ages. Therefore, preparations to move away from non-renewable fuel sources must start now.

In conclusion, it can be said without a doubt that electric cars are the more sustainable and practical choice because that choice helps in building an infrastructure capable of surviving a future without easy access to petroleum. If we focus on the fact that running out of fossil fuels is an inevitability and not just a possibility, the current push towards adopting EVs begins to make a lot more sense.

That shift does not have to be difficult for anyone in the UK, although it may seem like a confusing change to many. Visit ElectriX to learn everything you need to learn about electric vehicles and find a good lease on your favourite model. They will even help you find cost-efficient insurance policies for your new EV. Leasing electric cars is the smarter choice right now because between now and 2030, EVs will improve exponentially with each passing year. A lease makes it much easier and more economic to shift to a newer, better, and more energy-efficient model, every time you need to.

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Decreased Contribution to Air Pollution

In 2020, the Covid-19 lockdowns reduced vehicle usage across the world. Just a few weeks of decreasing traffic saw nitrogenous air pollutants plummet down to unforeseen percentages in the UK, Italy, China, India, and pretty much the entire world. It was confirmed by NASA in 2021 that the earth’s ozone layer also started to repair itself during those same periods. Given that the ozone layer protects us from extremely dangerous and highly carcinogenic cosmic and solar radiation, that was a startling discovery for the scientific community. Despite the core reason behind the environmental improvements being a very undesirable and unfortunate one, these events did manage to reveal some undeniable facts in plain sight.

It seems that just a few weeks of reduced traffic can lead to massive improvements in air quality, climatic conditions, and even ozone repletion. Therefore, we can only imagine how positive it would be for the environment if we shifted permanently to electric vehicles. Over time, even the infamous London smog can be eliminated if the majority of all vehicles running on its streets did not emit toxic fumes anymore. It should also be noted that regular exposure to urban smog is officially documented by the European Environment Agency (EEA) as a confirmed reason for killing over 400,000 people in Europe every year.

advantages of electric cars

One may argue that electric cars have electric batteries, and they will contribute to the growing problem of dumping electronic junk in the future. It’s also true that electric cars are not completely emission-free either. In other words, EVs contribute to environmental pollution as well. This is, in fact, one of the chief arguments against adopting electric cars. However, that argument is not as valid as it may seem initially. The fact is that transportation across all formats is essential, and it cannot be stopped.

Therefore, the choice is about how we decide to power our vehicles and not whether we should be using vehicles. This leads us to an obvious comparison of available choices. Despite EVs also being responsible for harming the environment to some extent, that harm is almost negligible compared to the negative environmental effects of any vehicle running on fossil fuel.

Furthermore, we are close to reaching the peak of efficiency with combustion engines. This means that there’s not much that science can do at this point to make a traditional car engine more efficient than it is right now. On the other hand, we have only scratched the surface of what we can really do with electric car motors. In just a few years, electric vehicles will have more efficient, yet powerful electric engines, which will pollute even less than they do now. In other words, the electric vehicle is not just an eco-friendlier choice, but it is also our next step in automotive evolution.

All You Need to Know About the Benefits Of Natural Gas

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All areas of our lives are literally run by energy. And with various options of energy consumption choices, it’s always good to know the benefits of each one of them so that you make a great consumer choice. Today, in this article, we are focusing on natural gas and are going to take you through some of its top benefits. So if that’s what you have been searching for, then you are at the correct place. Let’s get started!

1. Clean Burning Fuel

When compared to coal, oil, and diesel, natural gas is cleaner as it emits the least percentage of carbon dioxide and other related harmful chemicals. So when you use one, you don’t have to invest in emission lowering technologies as the efficiency is top notch. Also, since it’s odorless, it makes little contribution to air pollution and doesn’t cause any harm when inhaled by people and animals.

2. Versatile

There is a given sort of flexibility and convenience that comes with the use of natural gas. With it, you enjoy the ease of starting and turning off as it won’t take much of your time. Also, since it isn’t dependent on the wind or the sun, it can function pretty well when used with solar and wind powers. It’s a source you can depend on no matter the weather conditions outside.

So if this seems like something you would like to try out, then it’s advisable to carefully go through an apples to apples comparison of the various natural gas providers and settle for one according to your needs and financial capability.

3. Affordable

With the current hard economic times, people are always on the lookout for affordable but efficient options when it comes to products or services affecting their billings. So natural gas couldn’t have been easily accessible at a better time. In fact, it’s by far one of the cheapest energy options in the current market. This is because, even as you calculate the long-term costs of seemingly cheap options such as generators, you will realize that they aren’t as affordable as they might appear in the beginning. Take the fuel and maintenance costs, for example, you will end up spending much more than you can ever imagine.

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But this isn’t the case with natural gas. According to recent findings, its cost is expected to remain constant or relatively unchanged at least even for the next decade. So you can be sure that it’s a long-term investment, worth every cent. You make one and forget about unnecessary expenses.

4. Reliable Delivery Infrastructure

This is probably one of the natural gas‘s primary benefits. This is because you can still receive your delivery of natural gas even during extreme weather conditions such as storms, through the pipes. A case that’s different from other energy sources. Also, the infrastructure is already established in most urban areas.

Final Thoughts

Natural gas is a clean fuel that can be used in various places while keeping the air fresh and clean. Together with this, there are various benefits associated with its use and this includes the affordability, reliable infrastructure, versatility, among others. The above list isn’t exhaustive.

Air Pollution and its Invisible Danger – What You Need to Know

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If you’ve been observing the ongoing and high-profile protests from Extinction Rebellion over the course of the last few years, you’ll be aware that air pollution offers a significant threat to the human population.

This is supported by the statistics, which have revealed that almost a quarter of the people in the UK have been exposed to dangerous levels of air pollution with potentially devastating health consequences.

More specifically, a study by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) found that about 15 million in the UK live in areas where the average levels of the toxic particle PM2.5 exceeds the World Health Foundation’s guidelines. But what do you need to know about this invisible danger?

air-pollution-repurcussions

What is Air Pollution and How is it Caused?

In simple terms, air pollution is defined as the presence of substances in the natural atmosphere that may be harmful to the health of humans and other living beings.

Air pollution may also cause long standing damage to the climate or individual materials, while there are different types of air pollutants including particulates, gases and biological molecules.

Historically, the history of air pollution can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution, as developed nations such as the UK began to leverage fossil fuels such as coal to drive economic growth and expansion.

As a result of this, large and industrialised nations have produced high levels of smoke and sulphur dioxide for a range of domestic and industrial purposes, creating an omni-present threat to clean air and one that has worsened incrementally over time.

Substances such as nitrogen oxide are also impactful in this regard, with this produced from the reaction of nitrogen and oxygen in their air during combustion.

The threat of this has become increasingly prominent in highly congested areas packed with high motor vehicle traffic, creating a huge and growing pollution challenge.

Health Impact of Pollution and the Reaction of Governments

According to the WHO, air pollution contributes to an estimated 4.2 million premature deaths globally, with conditions such as heart disease, stroke, acute respiratory infections and lung cancer.

Interestingly, worldwide ambient air pollution accounts for 29% of all deaths and disease that involve lung cancer, along with 25% of similar cases related to ischaemic heart disease.

Incredibly, air pollution also contributes to 43% of all deaths and diseases that arise from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which causes significant breathing difficulties and long-term inflammation within the lungs.

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Fortunately, countries across the globe are beginning to take steps to tackle air pollution, even serial offenders like China. Here, the government is taking direct action to clean up smog-choked skies from years of relentless industrial expansion, primarily by investing $83.4 billion in the renewable energy sector in 2019.

Nations like China are also drawing on innovation and technological advancement, with firms such as ERG Air Pollution Control providing various tools and measures to help tackle air pollution directly.

This includes everything from industrial gas cleaning services to comprehensive air pollution control systems, which help to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change without compromising on economic growth.

Sustainability Standards in Oil Palm Industry: An Overview

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The palm oil industry is particularly involved in the development of sustainability standards. Driven by growing global demand, palm oil production has expanded rapidly in the last few years. Palm oil is the most widely consumed vegetable oil in the world, and its popularity has grown even more with the emergence of new market opportunities in the biofuels sector, in addition to its traditional food and oleochemical uses.

This strong growth has unquestionably contributed to the economic development of the main producer countries – Indonesia and Malaysia – which account for 87% of global production. Palm oil cultivation provides income for many smallholders, whose produce accounts for around 40% of world palm oil output.

Environmental and Socio-economic Concerns

However, the expansion of palm oil cultivation has also generated serious environmental concerns. It results in tropical deforestation and thus has a major impact on biodiversity loss, with the decline of emblematic species such as orangutan in Southeast Asia. It contributes to climate change through deforestation, but also through the conversion of peatlands, which are of vital importance in soil carbon sequestration.

The huge forest and bush fires in recent years in Indonesia which are associated with clearing lands for agricultural or forestry plantations caused severe air pollution and public health problems across the sub-region. In addition, industrial plantations are sometimes responsible for polluting waterways, into which chemical inputs and processing plant waste are dumped.

Moreover, this expansion has sometimes resulted in social abuses and human rights violations, in the form of land grabbing by plantation companies at the expense of local and indigenous communities or of the exploitation of plantation workers.

Sustainability Standards in Oil Palm Industry

Condemnation of these abuses by NGOs and growing consumer awareness of the adverse impacts of the expansion of palm oil plantation have driven the development of sustainability standards. Such standards are aimed at transforming production practices in order to mitigate their adverse environmental and social effects.

The expansion of palm oil cultivation in Southeast Asia has also generated serious environmental concerns.

In 2001, representatives of the food processing and distribution sector launched a dialogue with WWF and plantation companies, leading to the creation in 2004 of the first voluntary sustainability standard in the sector, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).

There are now 2.41 million hectares of RSPO-certified plantations, while sustainable palm oil accounted for 20% of world trade in this product. Meanwhile, several other initiatives proposing a vision of palm oil sustainability have emerged, positioning themselves as either a complement or an alternative to RSPO.

New Challenges to Overcome

The development of these initiatives demonstrates the growing awareness among producers, the industry and the public authorities of the need to transform the sector to enable it to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But this proliferation of sustainability standards itself poses new challenges, even though the environmental and social problems that motivated their emergence remain unresolved.

At the institutional level, the proliferation of sustainability initiatives since the creation of RSPO reflects a real fragmentation of the regulatory framework. This proliferation also raises the question of the articulation of these voluntary standards with the public regulations and national sustainability standards that producer countries have adopted.

Finally, measures to ensure the sustainability of palm oil cultivation need to bolster their credibility by guaranteeing better inclusion of the millions of smallholders, and by contributing in an effective, measurable way to mitigating the adverse social and environmental impacts of growth in palm oil cultivation. In this field, the role of collaborative and multidisciplinary research in providing strong evidence-based impact evaluation of standards is crucial.

5 Ways Solar Energy Positively Impacts The Environment

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Solar energy is one of the most eco-friendly power sources out there. And because of the environmental benefits of solar energy, an increasing number of homeowners and business owners are having solar panels mounted on their properties.

As a green alternative, solar power doesn’t only help reduce power costs but also provides numerous benefits to the natural surroundings. Below you’ll find just a few of solar energy’s most notable impacts on the planet.

solar-energy-diy

 

1. Promotes Water Conservation

Water is an essential natural resource, and if people continue to use it unabatedly, it may run out sooner rather than later. Traditional power generation and transmission processes use significant amounts of water to cool generators and refine and transport fuel through pipes. The same is true whether the facility uses natural gas, nuclear power, or coal power to meet massive electricity demand.

Solar energy, however, doesn’t require water to produce electricity, so it doesn’t further strain water resources. Residential solar panels maintenance works only require periodic rinses and removal of debris and other types of obstruction. In addition, it doesn’t give off wastewater, so it doesn’t contribute to water pollution.

2. Reduces Greenhouse Gases And Carbon Emissions

Most of the energy we use on the planet is produced from burning fossil fuels, which release carbon dioxide. This chemical compound generates heat once released into the atmosphere, that’s why it’s called a greenhouse gas. It’s said that carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere for more than a thousand years, worsening global warming and negatively impacting the weather systems.

With solar panels meeting residential and commercial electrical needs, fossil fuels don’t have to be burned to make appliances and other power-hungry devices work. Making your home more self-sufficient by mounting solar panels on your roof isn’t only a way to reduce your electricity expenses but a planet-saving measure as well since it relies on a stable and renewable energy source.

3. Avoids Strain On Earth’s Non-renewable Resources

The majority of the world’s current power sources, such as natural gas, oil, and coal, aren’t infinite like the rest of the Earth’s natural resources. As the population continues to grow, so are the demands for those assets. This imbalance continues to strain the Earth’s finite resources, such as fossil fuel. In the face of fast-depleting natural reserves, humans should tap other means of renewable energy sources and minimize their use of the current supply available.

Solar Energy Guide for Students

Switching to solar energy is one great way to preserve the planet’s power resources and lower the demand for them. The sun is nature’s main energy reservoir. It’s said to generate about 173,000 terawatts of solar energy per second. Comparatively, the world’s electricity consumption for 2018 was pegged at 23,398 terawatt-hours. Best of all, solar energy is accessible as long as the sun’s still shining.

4. Helps Slow Down Climate Change

When released into the atmosphere, dangerous emissions from burning fossil fuels damage the environment. What’s more, they can contribute to global warming and extremely erratic climate patterns.

Methane, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrous oxide can amplify the greenhouse effect. Under normal circumstances, the greenhouse effect is a natural process of warming the earth, making it suitable for life. Unfortunately, processing fossil fuels to generate energy has led to abnormally warmer temperatures at unprecedented rates. As a result, the planet has experienced highly dramatic weather disturbances, including unpredictable atmospheric conditions, violent storms, extreme flooding, and severe drought.

Solar panels produce electricity without emitting dangerous chemicals or toxic gases. As more homes and buildings are switching to the use of solar panels, the current power generation practices are expected to become more environment-friendly. With solar energy, you don’t need to burn fuel and exacerbate the greenhouse effect.

5. Minimizes Air Pollution

Besides the environmentally harmful carbon dioxide, burning fossil fuels can generate other hazardous gases such as methane and sulfur dioxide. These toxic chemicals are released into the air and decrease air quality.

air-pollution-repurcussions

Such gases can endanger people’s health and well-being. Various health problems are linked to long-term exposure to air pollution. These include lung cancer, asthma attacks, allergies, lung diseases, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and headaches, to name a few. Inversely, you won’t have any of those problems with solar energy since it doesn’t produce toxic emissions that harm people and the environment.

Wrap Up

Energy use is essential for human existence. But common power generation methods, for the most part, have proven to be detrimental to the planet and human beings. Access to sustainable and eco-friendly energy sources should be a priority for everyone, and you can do your part by harnessing solar energy for your own power requirements.

3 Home Designing Tips To Promote Cleaner Air Quality Indoors

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While much of the focus has been on the damage air pollution can do, it turns out the air within our homes maybe even more detrimental. Last year’s Clean Air Day campaign showed that particle pollution levels are a staggering 3.5 times higher indoors than they are outdoors. With the average person spending 93 percent of their lives indoors, every effort must be made to promote clean, safe indoor air quality – including when it comes to designing homes.

Designing a home that promotes good indoor air quality not only encourages better health for you and your family but can save you money on heating costs in the long run.

If you exert effort to promote safer air quality indoors, your home will become healthier and cleaner. Contrary to popular belief, promoting cleaner and safer air quality indoors through the right home design isn’t taxing. Making small changes in different areas of your home and investing in the right tools, such as the Needlepoint bipolar ionization, can go a long way for you and your family to enjoy healthier air indoors. To make this process easier, consider the following tips to promote safer air quality indoors:

safer-air-quality-in-home

Control Outdoor Sources Of Air Pollution With Minimal Cracks, Leaks Or Uncontrolled Openings

A large determinant of indoor air quality is the transmission of outdoor pollution into the home. In an Indoor Quality Survey by UCL, nitrogen dioxide accounted for 84 percent of the variations in air quality. Nitrogen Dioxide is linked to asthma attacks and is majorly attributed to traffic emissions. The presence of nitrogen dioxide inside your home can worsen the symptoms of asthma or can increase your susceptibility when developing such disease.

The report went on to highlight just how important a role the airtight design of a building plays in maintaining optimal air quality. When designing an airtight home, ensuring there is adequate insulation and choosing the right insulation material is important.

New home builders can also benefit from new construction methods like insulation within the home’s frame or the use of structural insulated panels. Final checks for unsealed leaks or cracks should also be done. However, homeowners and contractors should also keep in mind that ventilation is also just as paramount in maintaining good indoor air quality. Therefore, the inclusion of ventilation points, such as appropriately placed windows, should be kept in mind.

Moreover, common entryways such as doors and windows should be free from any kind of cracks and leaks. Homebuilders can now install silicon in the frames of doors and windows, so make sure that you use this material when designing your home.

Ensure You Have An Effective Ventilation System Design And Components In Place

A carefully designed ventilation system ensures that there is a free flow of air throughout the home and that any internal pollutants are flushed out. Ventilation is also important in the prevention and control of mold spores, which can have a large and potentially toxic impact on indoor air quality. Since molds thrive in humid or moist environments, proper ventilation can prevent their growth and the resulting health complications of mold exposure, such as the triggering of asthma symptoms or lung infections. Molds can also become an eyesore indoors, which is why you should ensure that your home has proper ventilation. A well-ventilated home can also increase the comfort of the people living in it, making the space more relaxing.

When designing your home’s ventilation system, you will want a contractor that is experienced and an NICEIC approved ventilation installer for the installation. In addition to adhering to building regulations, be sure to include mechanical switches or CO2 powered sensors for your MVHR unit so the speed can adapt according to changing conditions, such as seasons of the year. You should also consider the air filter size: larger filters allow for greater airflow, but those made with a thinner material can come with an extended life and dust loading abilities.

There are many ways on how you can improve the ventilation of your home. For instance, you can install extractor fans and attic vents or invest in a home ventilation system. There are several products available in the market today that can provide ventilation indoors so make sure to ask your contractors about your options. For you to end up paying and using a ventilation system that fits your needs and budget, do some research online on how these products work.

Choose Non-Toxic Building Materials And Furnishings For Your Home

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are one of the leading types of indoor air pollution and commonly stem from certain liquids or substances such as paint varnishes, building materials, and the finishes on indoor furniture. Research has also shown that concentrations of VOCs can be up to 10 times higher indoors than they are outdoors. Exposure to VOCs can result in both long and short term health complications, including headaches, skin conditions and liver damage.

To avoid this, homeowners can opt for chemical-free building materials such as formaldehyde-free boarding, Rockwool for insulation, and low VOC paints for painting and interior designs. Since you’ll be designing your home, make sure that the contractors understand your needs and will only use these materials.

When it comes to furnishing, choose second-hand furniture over new. Preowned furniture is more likely to emit lower levels of VOC when you buy them, since they stop emitting VOC after the first few initial years. As a bonus, it is much easier on your home design budget as preowned furniture is cheaper than buying brand new ones. For you to score great deals, you just have to exert effort when searching for secondhand pieces.

Key Takeaway Points

With so much time being spent in our homes, it makes sense that homeowners would want to design a home that is as safe as possible, including the indoor air quality. Incorporating simple hacks like these into your home design process can help you design the home of your dreams – and a healthy one at that.

How Renewable Energy Can Solve Smog Problem in China

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China is currently facing serious environmental problems, with potentially few solutions. Currently, this is mostly taking the form of serious smog issues plaguing North China, with more than 24 cities on red alert. However, with airports being shut down due to lacking visibility and the economy of China being heavily disrupted, action needs to be taken to solve this serious smog problem. While limited action has been taken, perhaps renewable energy is the key to cutting down China’s smog.

smog-china

How Bad Is the Problem?

The smog problem in China has become increasing worse from 2015 to 2017, with more than 90 micrograms of pollution per meter squared. These levels of air pollution are similar to the levels recorded previous to 2014, when the Chinese premier declared a war on pollution due to the health dangers posed by rising air pollution levels.

However, since 2015, levels of air pollution have risen once again. This pollution has had hard hitting effects on urban areas, especially the Chinese capital Beijing, and has caused widespread disruption to the lives of Chinese citizens and economy of the country.

The air pollution leads to the cities becoming hotter than ever. Urban Heat Island effect, which refers to buildings absorbing the sun’s heat well, is exacerbated by the smog. In fact, a car in the heat can reach temperatures of 114 degrees Fahrenheit after just 20 minutes, making travelling on hot days nearly unbearable for any living creature. In order to decrease the heated condition of China, it is essential to decrease the amount of smog covering the cities.

What Has the Chinese Government Done?

The Chinese government has taken limited action in an attempt to minimize the air pollution being created in the country. This includes the Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Plan, which acknowledged the danger posed by air pollution levels and aimed to reduce coal usage in urban areas like Beijing.

However, this is not representative of the main action the government has taken. Primarily, the Chinese government has focused on individual areas and attempting to reduce local pollution levels through efficient coal burning and banning the burning of waste materials, especially on farms. These solutions, while effective on a short-term basis, are not all that is needed, though.

Investment in renewables can reduce China's dependence on coal for power generation

Investment in renewables can reduce China’s dependence on coal for power generation

China needs to reduce its overall usage of coal produced energy, which currently stands at 64 percent of total energy consumption. While this has already been happening in China, the further introduction of renewable energy could be of great help to China’s pollution levels.

How Could Renewable Energy Help?

Many people believe renewable energy to be a small affair, something undertaken by the Western world in a vain attempt to reduce our collective guilt concerning climate change and wastage levels. This is simply not the case. Renewable energy is a $120 billion industry that receives investment and application across the world. This includes solar energy, waste-to-energy technology, wind energy, hydroelectric energy and many more attempts to reduce overall energy usage.

Through investment in renewable energy, China could reduce its dependence on coal and increase the efficiency of its energy production and economy. Smog is directly created by China’s use of coal for its energy production, and by investing in other renewable means, China can simultaneously improve its health situation.

In fact, the obviously positive nature of investment in renewable energy can be clearly seen through the Chinese government’s already existing plans to further incorporate it into the economy. In the five-year plan announced in 2016, the Chinese government explicitly stated it would decrease air pollution levels through investment in wind, solar and biomass energy production technologies.

While the plans additionally included investment in making the coal industry more efficient and reducing emissions on an industrial and commercial level, clearly renewable energy is believed to be a valid alternative energy source.

Overall, it is clear that renewable energy can certainly help with China’s serious smog problem. Whether this should be in tangent with further investment in the coal industry or necessitate the end of widespread coal usage in China is still a question for debate.

About the Author

Emily Folk is freelance writer and blogger on topics of renewable energy and conservation. To get her latest posts, check out her blog Conservation Folks, or follow her on Twitter.

5 Ways Artificial Intelligence is Helping to Save Our Planet

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It takes a high level of data analysis to predict the effects of climate change and the implications of our actions to stop and adapt to it. Often, scientists have terabytes of data, but not the computing power to make sense of climate issues like hurricanes. But this level of analysis is possible with artificial intelligence (AI). In fact, AI may be the best weapon we have to combat and adapt to the effects of climate change. That’s because it can analyze large chunks of data from past events and make accurate predictions about future ones.

Today, AI is helping to monitor and predict everything from glacier retreat to commercial waste management. As innovations in “deep learning” march on, AI’s prescience will help inform scientists about climate impacts and policymakers on the most prudent steps for adaptation. Here are some critical ways AI is helping to preserve our planet.

1. Smarter Home Energy Use

AI is helping save the planet by assisting homeowners through energy-efficient smart homes. The Internet of Things and today’s “smart devices” let homeowners control their energy use and lower their monthly bills. Smart thermostats can adjust temperature settings for specific rooms in a house. Smart water sprinklers can change water usage based on weather forecasts. And smart security systems can cut down on false alarms calls — so fewer gas-guzzling trips by first responders. The automation, connection, and prediction power built into these smart devices allow homeowners to lower their carbon footprint.

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But smart energy use is not just about conservation — it’s also about the best time to use energy. Peak energy hours like evenings are higher-demand, higher-cost times. Smart devices can automate energy use for low-demand hours. Plus, off-peak times like mid-day are when alternative energy sources like solar and wind contribute the most. Therefore, smart technology promotes renewable energy.

2. Soil Conservation

Soil degradation is a problem often overlooked in the media. But it has serious consequences for humanity’s ability to adapt to and survive climate change. It takes a millennium to generate only three centimeters of topsoil, and soil degradation is happening at a much faster rate. Chemicals, deforestation, erosion, and global warming are major contributors to soil degradation. And if the current rate of degradation continues, the planet’s farmable land could disappear within 60 years, according to United Nations officials.

sustainable agriculture

But farmers and scientists are using AI to help conserve the soil by marshaling complex algorithms along with robots and drones to detect erosion and monitor soil health. For example, one company has developed an agricultural app to help farmers identify nutrient deficiencies within their soil. And farmers are using machine learning to predict the best times to plant, irrigate, and harvest crops based on weather changes. Accurate predictions mean less need for pesticides and fertilizers, which degrade the soil.

3. Exploring and Protecting Oceans

Scientists watch and test the health of oceans because they’re the best indicators of Earth’s health. Microplastics, increased CO2 levels, and ocean acidification are changing the surface of the planet. The key to protecting oceans is exploring and monitoring them for changes. Climate scientists and oceanographers are using AI technology to drive autonomous marine vehicles to the deepest depths. And some companies are developing autonomous garbage collection systems that would help remove plastics and floating debris.

garbage in ocean

Another emerging technology — blockchain — is helping to track fishing and identify illegal behavior. Blockchain is the same technology that powers cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. The technology acts as a transparent ledger for transactions. Blockchain is a decentralized system, which means it operates autonomously and isn’t subject to misuse and abuse. Trust is critical to international treaties that regulate fishing quotas and manage overfishing. Blockchain technology can record each fish (e.g., tuna) with a scannable code uploaded to the ledger. Therefore, retailers, customers, and regulators can confirm that fish are legally caught.

4. Air Pollution Detection

AI is becoming an invaluable tool for tracking our air quality and identifying sources of pollution. During accidental emissions, city air quality officials need to identify and respond quickly. Some European cities are using leak sensors and AI to help create emission maps, predict mortality rates, and estimate financial costs of emergency responses. These data points give decision makers a more accurate view of the air pollution along with more targeted remediation.

air-pollution-repurcussions

In addition to monitoring air pollution, AI is also cutting tailpipe emissions. AI manages self-driving cars to make getting from point A-to-B more efficient. Self-driving automobiles can cut oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 2% to 4% annually. AI and global positioning systems operating driverless tractor-trailer rigs will make deliveries non-stop, faster, and less costly to the planet. Complex algorithms, sensors, and traffic lights are directing traffic flow in some cities. These systems are currently reducing travel time by 25%, braking by 30%, and idling time by 40%.

5. Evaluating the Efficacy of Action

AI is bringing powerful ways to monitor and predict threats to our environment. Synthetic thinking adds value for scientists, officials, and policymakers by giving them deeper looks into current environmental situations. Perhaps, more than anything, AI’s biggest potential lies in figuring out where solutions hit the mark and where they miss. It’s counterproductive to invest resources and time into bad solutions. But that’s highly likely, given the complexity of climate change and adaptation.

Where do we invest? Which coastline needs saving the most? What communities are at a higher risk? With dwindling resources and bigger dangers, we will face some hard decisions in the future about where to deploy our efforts. At some point, those decisions will mean life or death. We will need quick thinking and accurate data. Evaluating our options and predicting their implications is where AI will bring the most value.

Top 5 Environmentally Friendly Construction Materials

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Whether you are a custom home builder, or you are designing your own custom home, it’s worth your while to know about eco-friendly construction materials. Eco-friendly construction materials are becoming increasingly more important as more and more people are realizing the importance of creating a more sustainable world.

Eco-friendly construction materials are a great way to minimize the negative environmental impact that building a home may have. Additionally, homes that are constructed with sustainable building materials are increasing in popularity because of the vast amount of benefits that they have to offer.

An expert from a custom home builder in New Jersey pointed out, “There are a variety of benefits of using sustainable materials when building a home; the most notable is that green materials ultimately save the homeowner money down the line; in addition to the amount of waste that they [green materials] eliminate.”

Sustainable construction materials save homeowners money because they typically keep a house more insulated; cutting down on the use of heating and air conditioning systems, therefore using less electricity, gas, and oil. Below are some environmentally friendly construction materials to consider including in a custom home design.

Top Eco-Friendly Construction Materials

Eco-friendly construction materials should not only be sustainable, but they should also not cause any negative effects on the environment. Typical construction materials are detrimental to the environment because of the harsh chemicals they produce; directly causing air pollution. Or, they are detrimental because they use resources that are limited. Here are some safe alternatives to typical construction materials:

1. Hemp Concrete

Hemp concrete is a biocomposite material which is made up of hemp and a lime-based binder. Hemp concrete is a great alternative to regular concrete because it’s biodegradable and more sustainable.

Not only does hemp concrete act as an insulator and moisture regulator, but it is also extremely durable and will last just as long as regular concrete. Hemp concrete is a great sustainable material to include in your custom home design and will keep both cool and warm air, reducing the need to run heating and cooling systems, therefore also conserving energy.

2. Sheep’s Wool

Sheep’s wool is a great construction material because it can be regrown quickly and the sheep are not harmed in the process. Sheep’s wool can be used for its insulating benefits in ceilings, attics, and walls. In fact, sheep’s wool is a great insulator for both thermal and acoustic insulation purposes.

Though sheep’s wool is slightly more expensive than other insulation options, the longevity of this insulator is much longer and will reduce electricity bills significantly by keeping cool and warm air in.

3. Recycled Steel

Rather than using new steel during construction-which uses natural resources during production – consider using recycled steel. Recycled steel will produce less amount of waste in the environment, and will prevent the use of resources that are necessary to create steel.

Steel is relevant in the construction process, especially for beams that will hold up the house, therefore it’s practical to choose steel that is kind to the environment.

4. Bamboo

Bamboo is an eco-friendly building material that can be used for a number of different things. Some of the main benefits that bamboo has to offer include:

  • A durable surface
  • Strength to support other materials upon construction
  • It grows quickly, so is a very sustainable option

Bamboo can be used for both flooring and walls of a home and has a long lifespan, meaning, walls and floors that are designed with bamboo will not have to be replaced often, creating less waste in the environment.

5. Cork

Similar to bamboo, cork is a fast-growing material and is harvested from a living tree, so no trees need to be cut down in order to produce this material. Cork is most commonly used for flooring because of its resilience and durability. However, cork is another insulation option too because it is impermeable, meaning water will not make its way into it; it’s also soundproof.

Cork, if left uncoated, is naturally fire-resistant so it will not produce toxins if it is burned after replacing it with new cork later down the road.

Make Environmentally Informed Choices in Your Home

If you are a home builder or if you are simply a homeowner that wants to assist in the building process, it’s’ important to know how to make environmentally informed choices when it comes to custom home building. These eco-friendly building materials will not only benefit the environment, but they will also positively impact the homeowner. Keep these sustainable and green building materials in mind as you begin your custom home design.

How to Minimize Air Pollution While Growing Cannabis

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As the medical marijuana, recreational marijuana and CBD markets each grow into multi-billion dollar industries, the demand for cannabis is at an all-time high — and canny entrepreneurs across the country are starting commercial cannabis grow operations in earnest. However, institutions like the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) are studying the potential effects of cannabis farms on air pollution and finding worrying results.

Aurora, Colorado, which is the second most popular locality in the nation for commercial cannabis farming operations, currently has the country’s 8th worst air quality according to the American Lung Association. The CDPHE asserts that this has much to do with cannabis farms and their output of what are known as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.

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What are VOCs, and why are they a problem?

VOCs are naturally released by a wide range of plant life, and are generally harmless on their own. An example of well-known VOCs are terpenes, which are present in everything from lavender to black peppercorns. The terpene profiles of different cannabis strains give them their respective identities, like the Lime OG strain which is incredibly popular among consumers.

The problem with VOCs occurs when they combine with combustion gases and become harmful to the ozone. Cannabis farms are commonly positioned along stretches of highway, with frequent car traffic through all times of day. This makes them uniquely problematic, as unlike other VOC-emitting plants like lavender, they are positioned to release VOCs en masse to combine with automobile exhaust and produce air pollution.

We can’t alter the release of VOCs in agriculturally and industrially-grown crops like marijuana at present, but there are ways farmers can offset these emissions with the use of environmentally-friendly alternatives to onsite operations. In this post, we go over three important examples of how cannabis farms can reduce or counter their own VOC emissions with little to no impact on productivity.

Strategic Positioning of Cannabis Farms Using Road Hierarchy

The first and most obvious step that can be taken to reduce the harmful interaction of VOCs produced by cannabis farms with motor vehicle exhaust is to position them along less traffic-intensive roads. The current road hierarchy within the United States and Canada is as follows:

  • Freeways are categorized as interstate or intercity roads, limited access roads and on- and off-ramps.
  • Arterial roads are designed to accommodate plenty of traffic throughout the day, and are subdivided into minor and major arterials for urban and rural areas respectively.
  • Collector roads are the convergence points for local roads, ultimately distributing local street traffic to different arterials.
  • Local roads carry low traffic volume and can typically be found in residential areas or specialized districts. In rural areas, these are sometimes unpaved depending on budgetary constraints or development timelines.

Cannabis-friendly states like California, Oregon and Colorado would benefit from the creation of more specialized farming counties and districts, where cannabis farms are positioned along local roads connected to a single collector a respectable distance away. This would prevent anything other than essential traffic, such as transport or supply vehicles to and from the farms themselves, from being in frequent proximity to the VOCs produced by onsite crops.

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Use of Biofuels in Tractors, Tillers & Other Onsite Utility Vehicles

Continuing on from the concept of using road hierarchy in positioning cannabis farms: the risk of VOC conversion from approaching transport or supply vehicles could be further diminished if they were either electric vehicles (EVs) or made use of currently available biofuels.

This also applies to utility vehicles operated onsite, such as tractors, diggers and tillers, all of whose emissions are in contact with VOCs far more often than those from logistics vehicles.

Green Energy to Power Onsite Machine Processes

While they may not yet have the output specifications to effectively power entire farms, solar panels can provide ample energy for common onsite machine processes, such as the extraction of cannabinoids and terpenes to make isolates or the wet-mixing of hemp hurds to make hempcrete.

Depending on the products onsite facilities are purposed to manufacture, the use of green energy could be feasible for several farms across the country that haven’t already made the switch.