Keeping the environment - Be selective with the garbage
- Environmentally friendly Consumes
- What countries do for the environment?
- walk Environmentalism at home
- The weight of the construction on the environment
- The sun as an energy source
- Green Cleaning
- ecosystem deterioration
- Land rebels
1. Be selective with the garbage Recycling Waste passes through a new phase: learning to be selective with the waste. The National Waste Plan expected to be retrofitted by 2006 49% of municipal waste and only go to landfill to 32%. The 18% energy efficiency.
If you live in a town of over 5,000, since 2001 has had to begin to familiarize themselves with the system of garbage collection. If, however, lives in a village of over 1000 people, have time to do so until 2005.
These dates are established by the National Waste Plan adopted by the Council of Ministers, which has been developing since 2000 and runs until 2006.
In practice .- All this means that most people in Spain will have to get used to using more than one bag of garbage, the lifetime for organic matter and the yellow-brick and tin containers.
addition, as already happens in big cities, glass, paper, cardboard and batteries, will have special containers on the streets. To achieve that in 2001 all municipalities with more than 5,000 people start doing garbage collection, transfer stations were set up and settled for paper and glass containers per 500 inhabitants.
Recycling and reuse .- Another customs that are intended to implement the mandatory use of recycled paper for all brochures and fact sheets for the mailing. Nothing can be recycled should go to landfill. Now yields 74.4% of waste, when the average of OECD countries is 60%.
packaging Each sector is assigned a target of recycling at the end of the plan: the beer will increase from current 65% to 70%, and soft drinks, from 18% to 35%, the bottled water from 11 , 6% to 25% and wine, from 3% to 15%.
In turn, each type of waste recycling will fulfill a goal, from wood to plastic, steel, aluminum or cartons. On the 3,800 existing uncontrolled landfills in this country, it is expected that they are all closed within a maximum period of three years.
Plan Objectives .- The 85% of the 552,000 million which is costing implement the action plan is funded by European Cohesion Funds and the remaining 15% manage to autonomous regions and municipalities.
This plan is intended that each day is recycling more waste. If in 1996 ended up in landfills 70% of waste and recycled only 25.5%, the objective of the National Waste Plan is that in the coming years will recycle 38% of 17 million tons of waste generated annually in Spain.
agreements and disagreements .- The plan was necessary since 1991. European courts have drawn attention to this matter to the English authorities on several occasions. They came to remember to adjust its policy of waste to the existing European directives.
As for the reception that is taking this waste policy, it appears that no environmental or consumer organizations are very consistent with it, as they believe that the reduction of waste that arises is very limited, be used much incinerators, lead horse Battle of environmental organizations like Greenpeace, the high amount of dioxins generated.
2. Environmentally friendly Consumes English people, especially youth, are increasingly sensitive to the environment and this position begins to be reflected in their consumption habits. His inclination to actively collaborate has increased significantly.
Concern for the environment is growing ever greater, at least this is what shows a study by the Environment Foundation.
In particular, the English are most sensitive to the deterioration of the environment around them and the consequences that may occur in the future. Among the priorities include cleaning and environmental conservation.
are people aged between 18 and 24 years, who are more aware, about 40% places it in the first social objective to be achieved.
Increased collaboration .- If in the year 1996, a population 86% of consumers cited as the group with poor environmental image in a general and placed him second only industries in 2000 the percentage of responsibility attributed to the consumption had risen to 88%.
In general, consumers are willing to work from their personal commitment. This trend has been evident in recent years. For example, water savings in 1995 showed a 10% partner and worried, in 1999, the percentage had risen to 28.1%. As for recycling systems, the collaboration grew from 23% in 95 to 50.1% five years later.
Among the concrete actions that citizens would be willing to improve the environment include: no littering (almost 70%) recycle waste (50%) and saving water (almost 30%).
What worries .- Of the more than 2000 respondents, the majority considers it a priority to work with environmental policies to eliminate air pollution. At this point, the English feel the same way as their French neighbors, Germans and Italians, for those who breathe clean air is a priority.
As evidenced in this report of the Environment Foundation, 59% of respondents considered that the effects of pollution are a problem whose solution needs to engage all people in the world, and that has little sense to worry about only by the small space we live in a global village like this, where everything has a great relationship.
addition, 75% of those who have had their say in the report, expressed his fear that environmental problems can affect your health to a greater or lesser degree. For its part, the remaining 21% show little concern about this fact. Low
information .- Despite this concern for environmental issues, citizens complain that the information they receive on the subject is quite low, both from the standpoint of cause and effect as behavioral choices would be most appropriate.
is considered 55% reported little or no environmental problems and their causes. Almost half of the population, calls on the competent authorities to make an effort in information campaigns to warn of the dangers of certain substances.
The greatest concern is how to handle hazardous products (25%) and recycle household waste (22%). At the moment, where more information citizens receive the care of the environment is through the media (51%) and the campaigns promoted by environmental groups (18%).
3. What countries do for the environment? The population density in Europe and its high standard of living are the cause of much of global pollution. Laws protecting the environment does not solve the problem.
European countries host 15% of world population, which means they take more than one fifth of the earth's surface. Covering 11,000 km between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, in fact, only the Russian Federation comprises 60% of this area. Too
consumption .- Many of the environmental problems faced by European countries due to high consumption of natural resources and the large amount of waste generated in this part of the earth so densely populated. This situation is exacerbated by a consumerist lifestyle.
A typical European city of one million people consume every day, about 11,500 tons of fossil fuel, 320,000 tons of water and 2,000 tons of food. It also produces 300,000 tons of wastewater and 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide.
European average annual waste generated by municipalities has risen significantly in recent decades, which has led to the adoption of alternative methods to eliminate waste, clean production and a higher level of recycling. The efficiency of energy and materials has improved in recent years as a result of the introduction of clean production processes.
Figures for reflection .- According to the report Global Environment Outlook (GEO-I), emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxide emitted in the European continent are responsible to a great extent, the damage caused 50% of the forests of Central and Eastern Europe. Furthermore, according to consta también en dicho informe, aunque Europa ha aumentado en 10 millones de hectáreas sus áreas protegidas desde el año 1982, el 52% de sus peces, el 45% de sus reptiles y el 2% de sus mamíferos están amenazados.
Por otro lado, cerca del 60% de las aguas subterráneas próximas a los centros urbanos e industriales de Europa están sobreexplotadas. Este desarrollo está amenazando al 86% de los ecosistemas costeros europeos localizados al oeste de los Urales. El desarrollo que están experimentando las fuentes agrícolas ha generado un aumento de la producción de alimentos en toda Europa, lo que a su vez ha producido efectos negativos en las zonas costeras.
Panorama
committed .- The outlook for the inhabitants of the Old Continent is not very flattering, the GOE-I pointed to Europe as responsible for 36% of global emissions of chlorofluorocarbons, 30% of emissions of carbon dioxide and 25% of sulfur dioxide emissions.
One of the major priorities in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe's air quality. However, their lifestyle goes against these principles. In many countries, the road network has been saturated by the increase of private vehicles, and between 1990 and 2010, both public transport and freight will have almost doubled.
Other developed countries .- Canada and the U.S. are the world leaders in production and consumption of goods and services. Both nations are concerned about the implications that can have the use of their resources and are making an effort to try to alleviate this situation as far as possible.
Rapid economic growth is the main cause of environmental concern. In the past 25 years, the gross national product of U.S. has increased fivefold. As a result, the country consumes more than 4,500 million tons of materials annually. With only 5% of world population, the inhabitants of this nation consumes 25% of energy.
Despite the growing consumer concern about energy conservation, lifestyle contradicts him. The trend toward single-family homes and the growing number of private cars-one for every two people, contributes significantly to increasing energy consumption.
4. homespun Environmentalism Learn how to reuse, recycle, reduce and recover all the everyday objects that are commonly used at home.
The theory of the three Rs-reuse, reduce and recycle-making power in the light of saturation landfills or incinerators cause damage when discharged into the atmosphere by the smoke from burning garbage.
20 gestures caring environment .-
1. Choose products with less packaging and remember that, generally, the wrappers of cardboard or paper and glass containers are the least harmful. Avoid foods presented in Styrofoam trays.
2. When you go shopping, take your own bag or car. Ultimately, take the bags that you might use.
3. Rely on family-sized products, generate less waste and, generally, are more economical.
4. Avoid battery-button. If you need to buy, choose the lithium, zinc air or silver oxide, which have no or very little mercury.
5. Use paper on both sides and then place in a specific container.
6. Give medications at the pharmacy expired or no longer in use.
7. Use phosphate-free detergents and surfactants.
8. When you do dispose of waste in a responsible manner: separate paper and cardboard, glass, cans and organic waste and place them in containers.
9. Use sparingly aluminum foil and cling film. One option is to store food in lunch boxes or glass jars.
10. Replace bath taps shower and lie close brushes his teeth.
11. Choose appliances with energy label type A.
12. When choosing your health, choose those with dual button (can choose between two different volumes of water discharge: 6 to 8 liters or 3 to 4 liters).
13. Reject throwaway products: tissue paper ...
14. Disconnect the network appliances when not in use. Some appliances (like TVs) are still spending up to 33% of energy.
15. Avoid aerosols containing CFCs, which cause the destruction of the ozone layer, or other gases also contribute to the greenhouse effect. The sprays are a good alternative and are rechargeable
16. Do not plug appliances such as washing machines or dishwashers if not complete. In any case, look for models that have half-load programs.
17. In the kitchen, take advantage of residual heat from the fires.
18. Turn off lights when not needed and to bid for the light bulbs, although more expensive, ultimately saving on electricity bills and they do not blend well.
19. In winter, turn off radiators in unused rooms and set the thermostat at a moderate temperature. Do not exceed 20 degrees during the day for each additional degree will spend about 5% more energy.
20. If you have mixed devices (battery and mains) plug them whenever possible. Note that the battery power costs up to 450 times more than that supplied the network.
5. The weight of the construction on the environment Construction is one of the activities with greater capacity for pollution. Many carbon dioxide emissions come from this sector. Some European countries are already taking action on the matter so that the environmental impact is at least possible harm.
Studies indicate that 20% of the world population accounts for 75% of the pollution. The Rio Conference in 1992, became echoed the need for an overview of pollution phenomena and responsibility of all countries in them.
Small changes .- In the world of construction, although most do not seem to realize all this activity affects the environment, some architects and builders are beginning to advocate for sustainable construction.
According to the Worldwatch Institute in Washington, almost half of emissions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are produced directly by the construction and use of buildings. In this sense, it is estimated that every square meter of housing is responsible for issuing an average of 1.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide during its lifetime. Increase
toxic waste .- In addition, current construction consumes significant amounts of natural resources. Buildings use about 60% of materials extracted from the planet. In addition, many building materials used for processing require high consumption of energy and natural resources fired ceramic, steel, aluminum, etc..
Moreover, the high volume of waste must be added the potential toxicity and there is little control of their discharge. An example is Barcelona, construction waste generated annually in Barcelona occupy the surface of a football field and the height of the Sagrada Familia.
Seeking environmental quality .- In France construction waste amounted to 24 million tons annually. Recycling and recovery of waste from new construction, rehabilitation and demolition is already common practice in several European countries and gradually being introduced in Spain.
"This comprehensive approach to the impacts that may result in a building, requires a rigorous methodology to analyze the materials used, the construction process, energy consumption, costs of demolition, the upgrading of waste, etc.. "says Ramon Graus Rovira, Technical Architect Rehabilitation Service and Environment College of Technical Architects of Barcelona.
By now there are experiences in European countries to certify what is called High Environmental Quality buildings. One of the most developed is the BREEAM, prepared by the Building Research Establishment, United Kingdom. Evaluates the global atmospheric pollution, the rational use of natural resources and the internal conditions of the building.
6. The sun as an energy source The sun shining takes 5,000 million years and will continue for another 6,000. Sheds on the earth 4,000 times more energy than can be used.
The sun has always been a source of life and energy to the Earth. Now arises as a means of alternative energy, clean and cheap. It also has the advantage of avoiding dependence on other pollutants and ensure its longevity at least another 6,000 million years.
Solar power has two main forms of use: to produce electricity and heat. In the first case will be achieved through solar photovoltaic and solar thermal energy second. These processes have nothing to do with each other in terms of technology or application.
Solar photovoltaics .- Although not yet fully developed, it is possible to get electricity from the sun. The price is still high, but its uses are varied and growing profitability. Sunlight is transformed into energy through fuel cells and photovoltaic panels.
These cells were developed in the late 50's, to be used by satellites. They are made from silicon. Several PV cells connected in series forming a photovoltaic panel. The energy generated by these panels can be used to power homes, electric cars or businesses. The cells are also used individually for small machines such as calculators.
Multiple applications .- photovoltaic solar energy, is proposed as a solution to the problem of rural electrification, as it is unaltered over time, not consume fuel and requires no maintenance. No need to look sun to produce energy on cloudy days because the light is captured Clouds filter, albeit with less performance, and can be stored in batteries for use at night.
uses the energy gained through this medium are varied. Since the electrification of rural housing, irrigation pumping system, water treatment plants, to the lighting of roads. In case of further reducing the price of solar cells use significantly grow in the rich countries in sunshine, like Spain, USA and Australia.
Thermal Collectors .- There are two main components of a heating system: the solar collector and storage tank. Cold water from the storage tank passes through a coil that is inside the solar collectors, so that is heated by the heat trapped by the absorber. The hot water is at the top of the deposit by the thermosiphon effect, so the warmer water is always ready for use.
The heat produced has many practical uses: warm water for personal use, for use in heating systems, circulating hot water through radiators or other heat emitters, or to heat swimming pools. Paradoxically, this heat is beginning to be used in Arab countries cooling of rooms, being more necessary when there is more sun. It is also very practical use on farms and solar greenhouse, water purification or drying.
Regarding its use as heating, it is always advisable to complement it with a conventional system. Even in countries with plenty of sunshine this period is limited to a few weeks a year. The cost of such installation is not expensive, being within reach of any average family.
7. Green Cleaning Spots difficult still exist and are only seen when the garment has been soaked and rubbed with a vengeance. Everything today is white eventually turn yellow, and soft fluffy towels, over time, will only serve as cloths for cleaning windows.
However, everyone would like to believe in the promises of the pack and used the detergent brand new shirt each day waiting. It is true that many of the products used in cleaning the clothes they can manage the look and feel, but so is that they get so many leaving their mark on the environment.
often, products that are added to the clothes do not wash help to clean, simply change color or touch. Instead, they can be harmful to people. Products such as softeners are cationic surfactants that can adhere to the fibers by electrostatic attraction and the effects on health are still poorly understood. White
yes, but how hygienic? .- In addition, the chemicals in some products used to make casting around the garment to create a protective film which eventually hinder the transfer of moisture. At the end of the clothing is covered by an impermeable layer, which is not appreciated, but that causes stagnation of moisture. This "microclimate" that generated in the tissue can support the growth of bacteria and the appearance of allergies, inflammation or fungal infection.
For the environment, however, the damage is not just potential. Surfactants, in proportion to few milligrams per liter, are very toxic to aquatic organisms and accumulate in the intestine and bile of the fish.
launderers .- All detergents have in their composition a certain amount of elements that seek to achieve an effect "bleaching". They are very aggressive substances such as perborate and percarbonate, which may also have a very rapid wear tissues.
His action, besides being harmful to the environment and health-studies in Germany suggest that may be carcinogenic, it is also not as effective. Bleach, in fact no role detergent, but only transform a part of ultraviolet radiation, which the human eye can perceive, in visible light. That is, cheat.
.- Clean and sometimes dangerous, especially when adjusting the cabinets to the change of seasons, you have to wash clothes that need special care or are unwieldy. While there are "green cleaners", as is usual in such establishments methods and products used too careless.
dry cleaning, for example, is achieved using toxic products such as perchlorethylene that pollutes the air and may affect employees of dry cleaners. Sometimes also used CFC, which is one of the causes of the destruction of the ozone layer.
Then there is the detail of perfume inside the cabinets. Are usually placed air fresheners and other products, such as naphthalene, which protect the clothes moth action. These same features also meet the pouches of herbs such as lavender, thyme or rosemary.
Back " Lizard soap? .- If almost everything is sold has a dirty side, is to know what is most suitable for clothing and, especially, for the media. Not that I have to go back to making soap at home from caustic soda, but we must learn to be moderate with what is used.
It is best to avoid products such as bleach and other phosphates as surfactants. Buy concentrates, which reduce waste, eliminate or restrict those sold in aerosols and use appropriate doses. Perhaps the solution to many of the problems is in a laboratory. There are those who work in the design of fabrics treated with gas, are almost impossible of fouling.
8. ecosystem deterioration The natural resources available to man could become depleted. Some productive sectors, aware of the need not deplete natural resources have been working with green consciousness and are now beginning to see the fruits.
The environment is sick and is primarily the responsibility of the man who has failed to take care of their habitat conditions. The deterioration of ecosystems is currently suffering a bit worrying, because it can actually damage social welfare. This is at least what the experts say on the subject.
The alarm the leaders launched the United Nations Program for Development, World Bank and World Resources Institute, international organizations, which gave a warning through the World Resources Report 2001-2002. The study recorded the environmental situation around the world and major threats to suffer. Poor
ecosystems .- In this regard it is noted that the capacity of ecosystems is becoming alarming as to continue declining, they can not cope with the needs of the population. For Klaus Töpfer, director Executive of the UN Programme for the environment, "each of the measurements made by scientists to assess the health of ecosystems in the world shows us that we are extracting from them more than ever and degrading them at an increasingly rapid pace" .
Another aspect that touches the report is the lack of information available about it. In a presentation on progress of the report, the president of World Resources Institute, Jonathan Lash said: "The scale of this gap information are large and still increasing rather than decreasing, as expected in this age of satellite images and the Internet ". According to Lash, now the man has the knowledge necessary to start properly manage ecosystems to do so in a sustainable manner.
Is time? .- Still has time to repair some of the natural productivity that have been lost, many repairs are simple. But urging radical changes in existing forms of using knowledge and experience available. In fact, some measures have already begun to take and so is reflected in the report that includes some of the experiences that have taken place in the world to restore various ecosystems. Highlights
recycling initiatives. Although not directly related to the reconstruction of ecosystems, if they are to a healthy and environmentally friendly way of living and not depleting natural resources. This is the case of aluminum recycling, an activity that today is already profitable. The production of this material from scrap, is a clean process, cost-effective and efficient. The cost of the energy used to produce aluminum from recycled scrap is 5% of the derivative of the primary aluminum production.
According to the companies in this sector, the use of recycled aluminum is increasing compared to the primary. In 2000, 30% of the material used was recycled and it is expected that by 2030 this increase sharply, because then there will be some 300 million tons of recyclable aluminum market.
9. Land rebels alarms have already jumped. All countries are aware, the earth starts to complain: the greenhouse effect, global warming, the ozone layer ... Despite good intentions and international summits, the solution is not practical and the patient worsens.
Natural disasters have always existed, volcanoes, earthquakes, hurricanes and typhoons have left always behind desolation, victims, destroyed homes. Or as countless lesser evil material losses, crops destroyed, ...
The origin of these natural phenomena has always lived in the very nature, the man merely suffered and prevent as much as possible. But in recent times, humanity is faced with some adversity whose origin is the man himself. Global warming or the reduction of the ozone layer are directly related to the issue of abusive amounts of CO2, aerosols and other substances which are direct consequences of climate disturbances translated into various catastrophes.
The greenhouse effect .- Water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone and methane, are greenhouse gases responsible for a phenomenon essential for human life on the planet, and that through this process is returned to space of the energy received from the sun. If the land returned directly to the energy, the average temperature would be 30 degrees lower, and uninhabitable for humans.
The problem comes when the balance is broken. The volume of carbon dioxide has risen from 280 parts per million before the industrial revolution, to 360 today. This greatly reduces the energy that the earth has to give space. It can not stored without further, and amounts to retain the energy content of 3 million tonnes of oil per minute. These excesses come mainly from the use of coal, oil, natural gas and the gradual disappearance of forests and other "sinks" that absorb CO2.
warming .- The direct consequence of the greenhouse effect is global warming the planet. The decade of the nineties has been the warmest of the last millennium. The continuous rise. It is estimated that by 2050 the average temperature will have risen between 1 and 2.5 º C and 1.5 º and 3.5 º for the 2,100. The consequences have not left waiting.
Besides the persistent drought in many areas Animals and plants can not adapt to these temperatures. The poles are melting and sea level has risen between 10 and 25 cm, but could double or even quintuple the climb to 2,100. This may cause flooding in coastal cities. Increase the risk of forest fires and pests. Also endanger natural wetland and cold as Russia or Canada.
.- The ozone layer is a gas composed of molecules of three atoms of oxygen. Surrounding the planet Earth as a layer that absorbs ultraviolet rays, act as a screen that filters such rays. The ozone layer, according to scientific research, is being reduced by between 2 and 3% each year. Tested appears to be due to increased emissions of Freon (chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs), a gas used in the aerosol industry, plastics, and the cooling and air conditioning.
The CFC is a light gas that rises into the stratosphere and, because it is very stable and can remain there for hundreds of years. However, ultraviolet rays, contact the CFC, produce a chemical reaction that releases chlorine and bromine, leading to the destruction of ozone.
implications of the emerging ozone hole is the proliferation of skin cancer and other skin diseases, eye disorders or difficulty in plants to develop, and that ultraviolet radiation difficult to capture light for photosynthesis. Other effects include climate change, global warming and all that it entails.
PERU 
