People in Britain got a welcome break from their usual rain and misery recently when a heatwave broke out across the country. During the end of June and beginning of July temperatures rocketed to a whopping 35 Celsius (95F), the hottest in three years. It was also the hottest temperature in June for many years - the average for June is 19-22 degrees Celcius (66-72F).
Yet one of the things that’s bound to happen in a country which hardly ever sees a ‘proper’ summer, people start to go a bit loopy.
Sunburn City
First thing you see when the sun comes out in the UK is people stripping down to bikinis to make the most of the sun. Any English town or city on a hot day will be littered with bodies lying around trying to get as much sun on as much of their pale flesh as possible. Several months down the line you can be sure of a few melanoma scares resulting from the overexuberant sun-worshipping.
The Grumbling Begins
True to form, the British mentality can’t deal with simply being happy and counting there blessings for more than a few days. Inevitably complaints about it being too unbearably hot and sticky soon became commonplace, and people started longing for cooler conditions again. And, inevitably, there were petitions to demand the government do something about the awful hot weather and lack of air conditioning in public places!
Fan Stampede
With one section of the British population are stripping down to their underwear, the rest rushes down to the high street and sucks up the entire stock of desk fans like some sweaty, many-headed monster. According to Google, searches for the term “portable air conditioner” in the UK went from 9,900 in May to 49,500 in June!
Is That a Storm Cloud on the Horizon?
Sadly the tropical heatwave didn’t last and since this scorching seven days the country has been hit by equally severe rain and thunder storms.The yo-yoing between extreme weather patterns is certainly worrying for environmental campaigners as an example of climate change in effect.The funniest part of it is that the same people who were complaining about the heat the previous week, are now complaining about the heavy rainfall. You just can’t win.
Climate modification is essentially the excessive heating of the planet, which results in dramatic climatic changes. So, are there ways to prevent climate modification? Yes! one of the most dramatic ways you can help prevent climate modification is to build a wind generator and produce clean energy for your household. Because of the changing societal conscience about renewable energy, more and more homeowners are looking to do-it-yourself kits to build a wind generator. Wind has been harnessed for for centuries for many uses including as a powerful souce of energy. More and more scientists and researchers are saying that when power within the moving air can be harnessed properly, wind can be effectively used as a renewable energy source.
A common question asked when you build a wind generator is how can wind be converted into energy? The answer is using a wind generator. A wind turbine is really just like a huge fan that can take the kinetic energy available in the wind and convert it into mechanical energy. When this mechanical energy is used by any type of machinery like a pump then such a machine is known as a windmill. But don’t just do this without a kit created by a certified professional. Electricity is really dangerous if you use the wrong kit. Make sure you read reviews if you build a wind generator for your home.
In many ways, the climate modification debate is benefiting from the current highly volatile issues concerning energy. Coal and oil have powered the world’s industrial revolution. Oil is not available in many countries while coal is. Circumstances being what they are, the largest concentrations of oil are found in areas with significant political and armed conflict. One needs only look at the situation in Iraq to understand this fact. Now that China is exploding in the world economy, there seems to be a growing consensus that alternatives to oil are needed.
Perhaps proving the concept of Karma, nearly all oil alternatives are favorable ways to reduce climate modification. Whether we are talking about hydropower, solar, wind, geothermal or even nuclear energy, each alternative power source produces significantly less pollution than classic fossil fuels. There is one very simple reason why less pollution is the key.
The notorious greenhouse gas is a major byproduct of using fossil fuels for energy. Whether using oil to produce electricity or just to gas up the car, the use of this medium produces carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas. Reducing the volume of it in the atmosphere will greatly reduce the greenhouse effect. We should see improvements in the atmosphere as our energy production evolves away from oil. The bigger issue, of course, is whether we will get around to this anytime soon.
Secondly, a highly effective way to help prevent climate modification is to cease deforestation. Large areas of forests like the one found in the Amazon River Basin in South America are being leveled. This has a devastating impact on climate modification. Nature has a natural way of filtering toxic gases like carbon dioxide from the air. It does this through photosynthesis with plants. Dense, huge forests are the biggest and best filters of carbon dioxide. By cutting them down, we reduce the ability of the planet to filter out the bad gases while we continue to pump more of the gases into the atmosphere. Any way you measure it, it is a formula destined to cause trouble.
Are there ways to prevent climate modification? Yes. We need to kick our oil habit and stop wiping out our forest areas.
You can make a difference! Start with education and make the choices that will prevent climate modification like choosing to build a wind generator for your source of power.
During this economic crisis and continued global warming, the need for sustainable development has become a today issue instead of a tomorrow issue. Both private and government entities (including the EPA) have come up with programs and products that promote “green” production and consumption. These environment-friendly practices are now being used in numerous firms and industries.
But what about our homes? Are our homes as "green" as they should be? Continued efforts to sustain the environment should first and foremost be undertaken under our own roof. These can be done with the use of products that consume less energy and other resources. Over time, the use of these products can result not only in savings but also in the reduction of waste and materials harmful to our homes and the environment.
Here’s a quick list of 10 items I’ve discovered that can make a world of a difference.
1.Heat-energy recovery system
· Sensible Heat Energy Recovery System (SHERS) uses heat generated from an air-conditioner or refrigerator to heat water. Payback period is anywhere from six months to two years
2.The Eco Bio Block
· Made of volcanic stones and beneficial bacteria, is used to purify water in home aquariums, water tanks and big bodies of water such as ponds, lakes and marshes. When placed in aquariums around 20 gallons or less, there is no need to filter, clean or change water for a period of one to three years.
3.Biowash ball
· Washing clothes without using a detergent may seem strange. Introducing the Anabess biowash ball, it’s made of natural ceramics & alters the chemical composition of the water so it can wash clothes more effectively without liquid detergent. It should last over 3 years. Think of the peace of mind you'll have by not ever running to the store for more detergent at the last minute again.
4.Air-con with inverter technology
· The Panasonic Envio series of air-conditioners makes use of an “inverter technology” that changes compressor operation speed to match a changing room temperature and adjust power output accordingly, which leads to reduced energy consumption of up to 50 percent, while product only costs about 14% more than the average AC. The payback period may be expected in about seven months..
5.Low Flow faucets
Moen has mother natures call for water conservation by coming up with a line of WaterSense-certified bathroom faucets. With the help of new aerator technology these Moen faucets use 30% less water than other models but still feel just as powerful on your hands.
6.Compact fluorescent lamp
· Much has been said about the efficiency of compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs. They have a lifespan 5x longer than incandescent lamps and consume 80% less energy with the same level of lumens. Companies such as Purely Products even carry CFLs that double as ionizers for the room, eliminating the need for an unsightly ionizer on the floor.
7.Reusable shopping bags
· The impact of just one person changing to reusable bags over a two-year period is significant. Used twice a week for two years a consumer would save 832 plastic bags from going in a landfill.
8.Biodegradable Cellulose Sandwich bags
· Typical plastic bags are derived from petroleum and take well over a lifespan to decompose. These biodegrade in 30-90 days in soil BUT actually keep food lasting longer, unlike plastic, they don't release gases which spoil food taste.
9.Smart Surge Protector
· Green Home introduced a smart surge protector. The power strip is able to 'sense' the flow of electrical current through the strip's control outlet. This unique feature enables the Smart Strip to turn off selected equipment when it’s not in use saving you money and time!
A small electronic device inside the Smart Strip monitors the current on a single outlet. Let’s say the computer is plugged into that single outlet. When your computer is finished shutting down, the current draw from the computer drops to its idle current -- and the Smart Strip monitors the current change, automatically shutting off all of the computer peripherals.
The Smart Strip Power Strip is the only surge protector in existence with energy saving electronics. The 10 outlet version has 1 Control Outlet, 3 Constant Hot Outlets, and 6 Switched Outlets.
10.Compostable Trash Bags
· These BioBags are made from GMO free starch and are 100% biodegradable and 100% compostable.
Now that you know these products exist start using them daily. We each can do our part by being "green" aware during our purchase cycles.