25 August 2008
16 August 2008
Articles on Recycling Plastic
This is what I stumbled across today -
High price of plastics raises prospect of rubbish mining in dumps - The value of plastic would soon rise high enough that entrepeneurs would find it worthwhile to scoop out the estimated three million tonnes that was swirling around the Pacific Ocean . (Click link for more)
In the 19th century Gold Rush took the world by storm. The act of scurrying for gold became prevalent in manh parts of the world. Now, rubbish is fast becoming the new gold as cost of raw materials rises. We're talking about a possible Rubbish Rush here!
Looks like the old adage one man's garbage is another man's treasure will seem more true than ever.
Read more...11 August 2008
Water Wastage
Over the years of my existence on Earth, I have spotted a bad habit of people's. Camps after camps, sleepovers after sleepovers, it has not failed to escape my notice that the profligate use of water is ubiquitous.
I once saw a girl turn on a water tap and execute her facial regime - washing, scrubbing and exfoliating - for about 5 minutes and while she was at it, she left the tap running at full blast. What was worse was that she wasn't even using the water.
I have witnessed a similiar scenario while people are brushing their teeth. If you are one of them, please reconsider. Do you really need to let all that water flow down the sink while you are brushing your teeth? Perhaps to rinse and gargle your mouth, but all the water that flows while you're brushing your teeth will be a complete waste.
Bruneians in general are not too concerned about water wastage since its scarcity is not a major issue here. But perhaps bringing some statistics into light will make you more aware of how wasteful we are with water compared to our neighbouring countries.
That is indeed a staggering, mind-blowing figure. It is equivalent to 300 large water bottles.
According to a survey by the Department of Water Services, half of our daily water usage is spent in the shower or bath. Toilet flushes constitutes 12% of our water consumption.
So here are ways to reduce water usage. As subtle as it seems, it will cut down water wastage drastically in the long run.
1) Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or washing your face. Letting the water run can waste up to 9 litres of water per minute.
2) Take short and quick shower. For bath lovers, filling your tub half full would be sufficient.
3) Use a bucket of water and a sponge to wash your car as opposed to blasting the car with water. If you insist on using a water hose, you can still save water by using ones with nozzle in which you can shut off the water supply.
4) Water plants early in the morning when the day is cool. This reduces rapid evaporation of water.
5) Clean the ground by sweeping, not by using a hose.
Cheaper water tariffs have encouraged us to waste water mindlessly. The extra costs are being cushioned by our government, just like our other commodities. Behind the palatable water we are so accustomed to everyday, money is involved to produce clean water and to transport it. If you are anti-environment and pro-economy, then help ameliorate our nation's debt.
There's no good excuse for the extravagant use of water. If you are guilty of the aforementioned bad habit, break it. It's not a difficult one to break; all it takes is to close the tap when you don't need water. Cut water usage, conserve energy, save money.
6 August 2008
Facts About Plastics
Worldwide over 1.2 trillion plastic bags are used a year, an average of 300 bags for per person. That’s over 1 million bags being used every minute.
Plastic bags may take one thousand years to decompose. Do you realise the implication of this? That means they'll keep accummulating over the years in landfills to mountains of plastics that will be here to stay for centuries ... There is no way of purging them from our environment.
It is estimated that between 1 - 3 % of plastic bags produced worldwide end up as litter. A small percentage you may think, but we are talking about that percentage of trillions of plastic bags!
You have been taught that plastics are do not biodegrade. That's right, but what many of you don't know is that they PHOTODEGRADE. That is, break down into smaller toxic bits contaminating soil, waterways, oceans and entering animal food chains.
86% of all known species of sea turtles have had reported problems of entanglement or ingestion of marine debris. Nearly 90% of floating marine litter is plastic (Algalita) (MSC) Creating floating islands of plastics now, aren't we?
Plastic production uses 8% of all the world's oil production. At the current rate the world produces 200 million tons of plastic a year (waste online)
The campaign, themed 'Reducing the Use of Plastic Bag Towards A Low Carbon Economy' was launched yesterday at the Giant premises in Rimba by Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdullah Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar, Minister of Development.
Yusrin Hadi Ghani, an environment officer at the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation (DEPR) said the campaign was held in cooperation with two large retailers, Giant and Supa Save, to provide reusable shopping bags for the public.
The department is planning to get other supermarkets to be involved in the drive. "For a start, the department would approach these supermarkets and distribute reusable bags for them in a bid to encourage their consumers to use these bags. We also hope to expand the campaign to the three other districts Belait, Tutong and Temburong," he said.
Source : http://www.bt.com.bn/en/home_news/2008/06/10/choose_reusable_bags_not_plastic_ones
30 July 2008
Green Plans
So those who have been green, stay green =)
Those who haven't >=( , start being green!
Read more...