KOMPASS  International Neuenschwander SA (the Mondial business to business search Engine) assigns A Non Profit Organization :the W.E.R.I's  NGO's, THEIR REPRESENTANTS, ALL FOUNDATION MEMBERS, RELIEF WORKERS to justice for communications, advertising and publicity of their cross-cultural understanding and Innovative Communications at the HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE and PROCEEDINGS - PARIS

DATE  : October 30 th 2008 ,09h00 AM

More news in few days

WATER AND ENERGY RELIEF

Let Your Heart Decide

Environment protection, Global warming and climate change are most priority of everybody – nations’, companies’ and individuals’. Reducing carbon foot prints is the topmost concern.

A. Carbon footprint is a ‘measure of the impact of human activities leave on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide’. It is meant to be useful for individuals and organizations to conceptualize their personal or organizational impact in contributing to global warming.

Reduce your carbon footprint. Whether in coal, oil or gas, carbon is the essential ingredient of all fossil fuels. When these fuels are burned to provide energy, carbon dioxide (CO2), a "greenhouse gas", is released to the Earth’s atmosphere.

As we’ve become more dependent on carbon-based fuels, we’ve seen a rapid increase in the atmospheric concentration of CO2; from around 280 parts per million (ppm) before the industrial revolution, to 370 ppm today. If current trends of fossil fuel use continue the concentration of CO2 is likely to exceed 700 ppm by the end of this century. According to experts, this could lead to global warming of between 1.4 and 5.8°C, which may results in more frequent severe weather conditions and damage to many natural ecosystems. Many believe that it is realistic to promote actions that ensure stabilization of atmospheric CO2 concentrations at around 500-550 ppm. This is a considerable challenge, given that global energy demand is expected to double between 2000 and 2050. To achieve carbon stabilization, we need to ask ourselves some tough questions:

a. What exactly is our current relationship with carbon?

b. How can we reduce our dependency on carbon emitting technologies and fuels - our carbon footprint?

c. What steps are others taking around the world?

B. As carbon footprint is the measure of carbon dioxide during the life of a particular industry, ‘life cycle’ concept of carbon footprint is familiar. The life cycle concept of the carbon footprint means that it is all-encompassing and includes all possible causes that give rise to carbon emissions. In other words, all direct (on-site, internal) and indirect emissions (off-site, external, embodied, upstream, downstream etc.) need to be taken into account.

The carbon footprint can be efficiently and effectively reduced by applying the following steps:

(a) Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to accurately determine the current carbon footprint,

(b) Identification of hot-spots in terms of energy consumption and associated CO₂-emissions,

(c) Optimisation of energy efficiency and, thus, reduction of CO2-emissions and reduction of other GHG emissions contributed from production processes,

(d) Identification of solutions to neutralise the CO2 emissions that cannot be eliminated by energy saving measures,

(e) The last important step includes carbon offsetting; investment in projects that aim at the reducing CO2 emissions, for instance bio-fuels or tree planting activities.

C. Calculating carbon footprints - Carbon footprints are calculated using a method called life cycle assessment (LCA). This method is used to analyze the cumulative environmental impacts of a process or product through all the stages of its life. It takes into account energy inputs and emission outputs throughout the whole production chain from exploration and extraction of raw materials to processing, transport and final use. The LCA method is internationally accredited by ISO 14000 standards.

D. Carbon footprints of power generation using various technologies -

a. Fossil fuelled technologies - The carbon footprint of fossil fuelled power plants is dominated by emissions during their operation. Indirect emissions during other life cycle phases such as raw material extraction and plant construction are relatively minor.

i) Coal burning power systems have the largest carbon footprint of all the electricity generation systems analyzed here. Conventional coal combustion systems result in emissions of the order of >1,000 gCO2eq/kWh. Lower emissions can be achieved using newer gasification plants (<800gco2eq/kwh),>

ii) Oil accounts for only a very small proportion (about 1%) of the electricity generated in most of the countries. It is primarily used as a back-up fuel to cover peak electricity demand periods. The average carbon footprint of oil-fired electricity generation plants is ~650gCO2eq/kWh.

iii) Current gas powered electricity generation has a carbon footprint around half that of coal (~500gCO2eq/kWh), because gas has a lower carbon content than coal. Like coal fired plants, gas plants could co-fire biomass to reduce carbon emissions in the future.

b. Low carbon technologies - In contrast to fossil fuelled power generation, the common feature of renewable and nuclear energy systems is that emissions of greenhouse gases and other atmospheric pollutants are ‘indirect’, that is, they arise from stages of the life cycle other than power generation.

i) Biomass - Biomass is obtained from organic matter, either directly from dedicated energy crops like short-rotation coppice willow and grasses such as straw, or indirectly from industrial and agricultural by-products such as wood-chips. The use of biomass is generally classed as ‘carbon neutral’ because the CO2 released by burning is equivalent to the CO2 absorbed by the plants during their growth. However, other life cycle energy inputs affect this ‘carbon neutral’ balance, for example emissions arise from fertilizer production, harvesting, drying and transportation.

Biomass fuels are much lower in energy and density than fossil fuels. This means that large quantities of biomass must be grown and harvested to produce enough feedstock for combustion in a power station. Transporting large amounts of feedstock increases life cycle CO2 emissions, so biomass electricity generation is most suited to small-scale local generation facilities,

ii) Photovoltaic (PV) - Photovoltaic (PV), also known as solar cells, are made of crystalline silicon, a semi-conducting material which converts sunlight into electricity. The silicon required for PV modules is extracted from quartz sand at high temperatures. This is the most energy intensive phase of PV module production, accounting for 60% of the total energy requirement. Life cycle CO2 emissions for photovoltaic power systems are currently 58gCO2eq/kWh. However, future reductions in the carbon footprint of PV cells are expected to be achieved in thin film technologies which use thinner layers of silicon, and with the development new semi-conducting materials which are less energy intensive.

iii) Marine technologies (wave and tidal) - There are two types of marine energy devices; wave energy converters and tidal (stream and barrage) devices. Marine based electricity generation is still an emerging technology and is not yet operating on a commercial scale.

iv) Hydro - Hydropower converts the energy from flowing water, via turbines and generators, into electricity. There are two main types of hydroelectric schemes; storage and run-of -river. Storage schemes require dams. In run-of-river schemes, turbines are placed in the natural flow of a river. Once in operation, hydro schemes emit very little CO2, although some methane emissions do arise due to decomposition of flooded vegetation. Storage schemes have a higher footprint, (~10-30gCO2eq/kWh), than run-of-river schemes as they require large amounts of raw materials (steel and concrete) to construct the dam.

v) Wind - Electricity generated from wind energy has one of the lowest carbon footprints. As with other low carbon technologies, nearly all the emissions occur during the manufacturing and construction phases, arising from the production of steel for the tower, concrete for the foundations and epoxy/fibreglass for the rotor blades. Emissions generated during operation of wind turbines arise from routine maintenance inspection trips. This includes use of lubricants and transport. Onshore wind turbines are accessed by vehicle, while offshore turbines are maintained using boats and helicopters. The manufacturing process for both onshore and offshore wind plant is very similar, so life cycle assessment shows that there is little difference between the carbon footprints of onshore (4.64gCO2eq/kWh) versus offshore (5.25gCO2eq/kWh) wind generation.

vi) Nuclear - Nuclear power generation has a relatively small carbon footprints (~5gCO2eq/kWh). Since there is no combustion, (heat is generated by fission of uranium or plutonium), operational CO2 emissions account for <1%.

The use of natural energy sources to provide heating and electricity is rapidly increasing in popularity among homeowners.

The use of more natural and renewable energy sources is needed to take the burden off our current dependency on fossil fuels. The high levels of fossil fuels we burn each and every day are contributing to climate change and the polluting of the air and surrounding environments.

We can attempt to save the earth from devastation if we act now, and by making the switch to natural and renewable energy sources, you will be doing your part. Although many other issues need to be addressed, making the switch is a large step forward in the fight against climate change, and the fight for a cleaner environment.

Some Advantages & Disadvantages Of Natural Energy Sources

Below are just a handful of the many advantages relating to the use of natural and renewable energy sources:

• The sun, wind, tides, and geothermal activity are all renewable and free to use.
• After the initial cost of; solar panels, wind turbines, and geothermal energy equipment, the only cost to the consumer relates to any required maintenance.
• No more price rises from gas, energy or electricity companies. You could be totally energy efficient, eliminating your dependency on the world's fossil fuel supplies.
• Use as much or as little of the renewable electricity of which you generate, without feeling guilty for any wastage.
• Oil, gas and coal supplies will most likely someday run out, if we have the infrastructure in place to generate energy from natural sources, this won't be as much of a problem.
• Government grants are available for some natural energy projects depending on your location.

Below, you can see a selection of the disadvantages relating to the use of clean energy sources as opposed to fossil fuels:

• The initial cost of renewable energy technologies may be expensive.
• It is unlikely you will be able to totally replace your current energy or power supply to the use of renewable energy, but you could get close with a realistic budget and the implementation of different energy technologies, such as a wind turbine and solar panel combination.

Reducing The Effects OF Global Warming

There are many other steps you can take in reducing the effects of global warming which are unrelated to the use of natural energy sources. Many of these steps are easy, affordable and start at home.

Something as basic as recycling can have a significant impact on the environment around us, and also save energy on the manufacturing of new, replica products.

Carbon emissions are a direct result of not only heavy industry, but also the average household. Energy efficiency is a key aspect in reducing the effects of global warming, and steps can be taken around the home to achieve this.

Few ways I could think of saving water:

• No leakages please: Water leakages are very common and we take them very easily without knowing that we loose almost equal amount of water that we use everyday. Check for leakages in your water pipes and stop them right away when you notice one. You can focus on the taps and toilet tanks that flows even when you dont flush.
• Low Flush is better than Full Flush: If installing your toilet newly, look for toilet tank that comes with Low-flush options. It saves water 3-5 times.
• Float Boosters: If you have a toilet tank with only "Full Flush" option, you can think about Float Boosters. Put some sand or pebbles in a plastic bottle and keep in the toilet tank. This way the water reserved in the tank will be less, eventually every flush will consume less water.
• Showers are costly: When you wish to go for a shower bath, consider the huge amount water that is being wasted. Avoid showers or atleast shorten your duration below the shower.
• How you brush your teeth?: Keeping the tap on - flowing the water - while you are still brushing your teeth is not necessary. You can turn on the tap, when you really required.
• You dont need running water to rinse the razor: You can think of using a container (or a jug) with water to rinse the blade which you shave. Still water can rinse the razor as good as running water.
• Washing Machines: Dont use washing machine with only few clothes. It consumes almost equal amount of electricity and water as the full load. There is a double-saving option here :).
• Dish Washing: If you have option go for Stoppered Sink for your kitchen. It saves lot of water.

Check out my article titled "CFLs: Are We Insane?" This video, a great follow-up to my article, was posted by BrasscheckTV, and made by CSPANJunkie.

A Texas Congressional Representative actually gets it! Outlawing incandescent light-bulbs and mandating that the public use toxic, mercury-filled CFLs that are only manufactured in China might just be a tad on the insane side!

Barb

And... this is me, I swear!

I feel better now, having done this 'earth hour thing'.

Mai suntem rugaţi să promovăm şi noi ideea, trimiţând mailuri marilor consumatori de electricitate din zona noastră. Vă puteţi imagina ca Real să închidă pentru o oră? Ca Petrom să oprească pompele? Ca OTL să frâneze tramvaiele? Coca Cola să oprească robinetul? Ca pista de aterizare pentru OZN-uri de pe pietonala Republicii să se stingă? Ştiu, mai avem mult de mers până în Australia, dar putem măcar încerca... Printre oraşele participante la acţiune se numără Atlanta, Bangkok, Chicago, Copenhaga, Dublin, Manila, Montreal, Phoenix, San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Toronto, Vancouver, şi bine înţeles toată Australia.

Ţin minte, acu vreo 4 ani, eram in pivniţa care se numeşte Chanson, când într-o seară ploioasă s-a luat curentul. Până în momentul acela atmosfera era lălâie şi lipsită de vlagă, dar când luminile s-au stins, parcă toată lumea s-a trezit, cu nivelul de adrenalină la maxim, şi seara s-a transformat într-un chef de neuitat. Ce mişto ar fi din nou un chef, cu muuuuuulte lumânări, chitări acustice, percuţie, şi alte instrumente unplugged, cu voci ascunse, şi bere caldă... pentru că frigiderul nu funcţionează...

www.earthhour.org - aici găsiţi toate datele problemei.

"The only way to check environmental pollution is to spread awareness. Many people in this world live without the knowledge of climate and their surrounding environs. They are immune to changes in the cycle of seasons and its variations. They have to be told before taking any remedial measures to save the ecology, measures to prevent environmental degradation range from planting more trees to saving water and using chemical free fertilisers on the fields. However, before putting any safeguard mechanism in place, people need to know about climate and the way it is changing."

Asked if it is possible to bring awareness about environment and the looming crisis by using ancient Indian texts and scriptures ?

Sri Sri said: Why not? Take the message to people through satsangs and religious discourses. It is easy for Indians to understand a concept or message conveyed through religion because they are spiritual beings by nature. They respond to the call of religion and greater good.

In the West, we have to go to the people through the media and talks. It is not just about the Indian philosophy, you have to give them the experiential feel to drive the message home"

Sri Sri is at the forefront of several social campaigns, including environmental protection, disaster and trauma relief and poverty alleviation. He is also engaged in peace negotiations in conflict zones around the world.

Pollution, explains Sri Sri, is not just physical. There is pollution of stress. People just sit in a place and think negative. It can bring anger, frustration and even frenzy and all those who are vulnerable can catch the anger in their minds. The mind just goes crazy. It sends out negative vibes that harm the ambience, including the environment.

One of the best ways to prevent polluting oneself and the surrounding environment is to remain joyful and stress free. It brings less greed, less conflicts and ensures more cooperation between people and environment,There is no absolute good or evil. It is tendentious. One can have proclivity to evil but cannot be completely evil. All human beings are intrinsically good. They resort to evil deeds because of extraneous pressure and circumstances. Evil is a distortion of nature and ultimately good will triumph. If every man is left the way he or she was born, there would have been no evil on this earth

Sri Sri added: "Modern society puts a lot of demand on our time and resources while spirituality gives enthusiasm and a sense of confidence to face the pressures modern society poses. The two together makes life pleasant, better and comfortable."

Asked what message he would like to convey to the youth of today, Sri Sri said: "Lead a happy, stress-free and violence-free life." And of course, listen to good music.

A great believer in the healing power of music, the guru said: "It is integral to my life and a part of everything in my Art of Living ashram."

"My cows milk more if there is music and the chikoos (sapodillas) in my garden grow bigger because of the music played in my ashram. The healing power of music is a mystery, but I guess it sets the harmony and rhythm in nature," the seer with childlike eyes laughed pointing to a basket of fruits plucked fresh from the orchard of his ashram in the outskirts of Bangalore.

Why a spiritual guru? He could have been anything. "Yes, I guess. But I never grew up. That's the secret of my spiritualism," said Sri Sri.

Source : Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS

You may want to visit a Squid Lens in Squidoo named How to Contribute to Environmental Protection . It's a new Lens and it is on the process of being built. We may find inspiration in it because small voices if we add it up can become an enormous force to reckon with.

One of these days, I will write articles that tackle topics on the environment.  It can be my simple contribution to Mother Nature.

Greece will not have a separate Environment Ministry for another two or three years, Environment and Public Works Minister Giorgos Souflias told Parliament this week, citing the need to complete EU-funded works still in progress. Greece is lagging way behind its other European Union partners with regard to its political agenda and its citizens’ awareness of environmental issues.

At their recent meeting in Luxembourg, EU Environment Ministers sought ways to persuade the international community to take stricter measures to prevent climate change and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.

While Greeks are beginning to become aware of the real benefits of protecting their natural wealth, this has yet to be translated into specific policies. In Western Europe, these issues are high on the political agenda and on voters’ electoral criteria. To cite a recent example, at the Luxembourg Council meeting, where Greece was represented by Deputy Environment Minister Stavros Kaloyiannis, the participants worked on an action plan aimed at reaching a new international agreement on climate change by 2009, in view of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali this December. They also decided to make efforts for a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from the use of fuel in road transport. That is, to amend Directive 98/70/EU on specifications for gasoline and diesel fuels and to establish a mechanism for monitoring the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from fuel in road transport.

In Greece, a shift in public opinion after the catastrophic summer wildfires appears to be slowly making its mark on policy. Until recently in favor of a joint Environment and Public Works Ministry, Souflias appears to have changed his mind somewhat, recently announcing a study on the possibility of splitting the Ministry within the government’s current term.

Generally, in Greece the environment is still seen as a nuisance factor for economic and development plans, which are not known for their transparency, nor are they usually made known to the public in any systematic fashion.

Five organizations, Technical Chamber of Greece, Panhellenic Medical Association, Geotechnical Chamber, Economic Chamber, Greek Bar Association, issued an announcement ahead of this week’s parliamentary debate, calling attention to a lack of political will to tackle the country’s chronic environmental problems.

They say this is evident even in the attention given to the fire-stricken areas, where they observed “significant omissions on the part of the relevant ministers and organizations, particularly with regard to the overall handling of the current situation, planning strategy and the coordinating body implementing the measures that had been announced.”

Henri Masse, visiting Athens, is proposing the creation of a “working group” comprising high-ranking members of Greece’s special fire service, EMAK, and France’s equivalent, Brignole, to tackle fires and other natural disasters in both countries and further afield. If the project works, it could become the model for a future European fire service, Masse said.

Masse attributed the scale of the August fires in Greece to a “lack of central planning.” Greece can learn from the experience in France, where the civil protection agency has the central supervisory role for crisis management, but the French can also learn from Greece, Masse said. “What happened this year in Greece will happen in France over the next years,” he said.

According to sources, Greece and France will share their countries’ fleets of water-dropping aircraft and pilots will receive joint training.

The U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency are promoting the use of CFLs that are mainly supplied by China through the Energy Star program. Here is an excerpt from the Energy Star site:

If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.

This government-sponsored Energy Star promotional program, and environmental sites such as Earth Easy at http://www.eartheasy.com/ that sell CFLs are prime examples of the two-faced environmental sword that is tearing us apart. The Earth Easy site promotes "Ideas for environmentally sustainable living." In other words, it promotes the following, according to it's website:

Eartheasy strives to:

• help us reduce our impact on the earth's resources
• help reduce our contribution to global warming
• bring more simplicity to our lives
• bring us closer to nature

Sounds great, doesn't it? Finally, the government and the environmentalists agree, so it must be a good idea. Wrong!  

How will unleashing mercury-filled light bulbs on the general populace actually help us rid the earth of toxins? How will this supposed "environmentally friendly" program reduce our impact on the earth's resources, reduce our contribution to global warming, bring more simplicity to our lives and bring us closer to nature?

Here is a warning on the handling and disposal of CFLs at the Earth Easy site:

Important Note: Handling and Disposal of CFLs

The mercury in compact fluorescent bulbs poses no threat while in the bulb, but if you break one:
- open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more
- immediately use a wet rag to clean it up and put all of the pieces, and the rag, into a plastic bag
- place all materials in a second sealed plastic bag
- call your local recycling center to see if they accept this material, otherwise put it in your local trash. Wash your hands afterward.
- if bulb breaks on a carpet, pick up pieces using sticky tape. If any debris remains, use the vacuum and dispose of vacuum bag by sealing it in plastic bags (as above), before disposal.

Although household CFL bulbs may legally be disposed of with regular trash (in most US states), they are categorized as household hazardous waste. As long as the waste is sent to a modern municipal landfill, the hazard to the environment is limited. However, CFLs should not be sent to an incinerator, which would disperse the mercury into the atmosphere.

The best solution is to save spent CFLs for a community household hazardous waste collection, which would then send the bulbs to facilities capable of treating, recovering or recycling them. For more information on CFL disposal or recycling, you can contact your local municipality.

The Energy Star site contains a similar warning, and is very careful to point out that the amount of mercury in one bulb is minimal. Now I ask, just how many small amounts of mercury does it take to make a large amount of mercury? My house contains at least twelve light bulbs, probably more. Multiply that by every household in America. Now, think of these mercury-filled bulbs being thrown in the trash. When thrown in the trash they break! This creates a hazard not only for the people whose house the trash is in, but also the trash collectors who handle it and dump it at the nearest refuse station. Not only are the trash collectors exposed, but these broken light bulbs spill their contents on whatever is around them. Mercury piles up in the environment and eventually reaches our water supply. But wait, this is an environmentally sound promotion, isn't it?

Sorry, but dumping mercury into the environment to sustain that environment is absurd, and thinking that we are immune to its effects is simply arrogant.

Mercury's Long Half-Life In The Central Nervous System

Mercury in the central nervous system (CNS) causes psychological, neurological, and immunological problems in humans. Mercury bonds very firmly to structures in the CNS through its affinity for sulfhydryl-groups on amino acids. Other studies have shown that mercury is taken up in the periphery by all nerve endings and rapidly transported inside the axon of the nerves (axonal transport) to the spinal cord and brainstem. Unless actively removed, mercury has an extremely long half-life of somewhere between 15 and 30 years in the CNS.

This is not safe, environmentally friendly stuff. In fact, it is a time-bomb that will leave future generations wondering if their relatives were insane when they unleashed this peril on society and the earth under the pretext of saving humanity through energy efficiency. The environmentally friendly mercury bulb. If you believe that, I've got some ocean-front property in Arizona you might be interested in.

Copyright 2007, Barbara H. Peterson

- nu arunc guma de mestecat pe pamant
- nu cumpar pungi noi de fiecare data cand merg la cumparaturi, ci sa iau de acasa din cele folosite
- nu mai arunc cartusele de imprimanta direct la gunoi ci sa le trimit la reciclat (si sa mai primesc si bani pentru ele)

- duc bateriile goale la orice magazin de electrocasnice, unde acestea sunt preluate gratis
- arunc flacoanele si ambalajele PET goale la tomberoanele speciale care au aparut mai nou in cam toata Oradea (chiar daca tanti care vinde lapte la piata se 'aprovizioneaza' de acolo)
- nu las nici un fel de mizerie dupa mine cand ies in natura
- sting becurile dupa mine

- cumpar becuri compacte fluorescente
- nu mai las tv-ul, monitorul si combina in stand-by
- circul mai putin cu taxiul, si mai mult cu tramvaiul
- renunt sa imi cumpar masina
- gasesc un loc in Oradea unde se recicleaza hartie
- imi cumpar un frigider mai nou, care consuma mai putin curent electric

- nu las apa sa curga din robinet cat timp ma spal pe dinti

- cumpar cat mai putine chestii inutile

- reusesc sa il fac pe Adam (care are 5 ani) sa inteleaga ca nu e bine sa striveasca buburuze si sa rupa pomii abia plantati pe strada lui

- pot sa il conving pe tata sa dea drumul pestilor prinsi de el inapoi in Cris

…

Cateodata reusesc.