When people think of western boots, the first images that might be conjured up in their minds are cowboys riding on the plains of America, … Read More ›
Solar batteries are the unsung heroes of the renewable energy revolution they seem to be like the power banks of the solar world, storing up all that sweet, sweet sun energy for when we need it most. So let’s take a look at what they actually are and what they do for us on the whole.
There are three main types of solar batteries: lead-acid, lithium-ion, and flow. But fear not, lead-acid batteries are actually relatively safe (just don’t try to drink the electrolyte, okay?). They’ve been around for over a century, so they’re kind of like the great-granddaddy of solar batteries. They’re reliable and affordable, but they have a shorter lifespan and lower energy density compared to the other types. Kind of like that old clunker car you keep around for sentimental reasons.
Plus, using stored solar energy during peak demand times can help you save on your electricity bills, which means more money for, I don’t know, avocado toast or whatever the kids are into these days.
Depth of Discharge
Depth of discharge (DoD) refers to the percentage of a battery’s capacity that can be used before it needs to be recharged. Higher DoD values mean more usable energy and a longer-lasting battery.
Round-Trip Efficiency
Round-trip efficiency is the ratio of energy used to the energy it took to store it. Higher round-trip efficiency means less energy is lost during the charging and discharging process, leading to greater overall efficiency.
Battery Lifespan
The lifespan of a solar battery is important because it can affect the long-term value of your investment, if it last longer it means your getting more for your money. Look for batteries with a longer lifespan and warranties that cover replacement or repair if the battery fails before its meant too.
Installation and Maintenance
Proper installation and maintenance of your solar battery system are crucial for optimal performance and safety. It’s important to work with a qualified solar installer to ensure your system is correctly set up and to receive guidance on ongoing maintenance requirements.
Solar Battery Costs and Incentives
While the upfront cost of a solar battery system can be significant, there are numerous incentives and rebates available to help offset these costs. Research your local and national government incentives and tax credits and any utility company programs to make your solar battery investment more affordable.
Future Trends in Solar Battery Technology
As the demand for renewable energy continues to grow, so does the development of solar battery technology. With that, we hope to see improvements in battery efficiency, capacity, and lifespan and the emergence of new, more sustainable materials that will make them more affordable for everyone.
Let’s not forget the environmental beneath solar panels generally. It is a renewable and clean power source, so using solar batteries reduces your carbon footprint and contributes to a greener future. And who doesn’t want a better world to live in?
if you are planning to have a new website built for your recycling business, one of the overriding questions will be what to include in it. According to skilled Perth web designers, there are some core elements of a website which are classed as ‘Must Have’, some features are ‘Nice To Have’, and others are most definitely ‘Ones To Avoid’.
We want to keep this article positive so we are going to take a look at ten of those ‘Must Have’ features which your recycling business’s new website should have as integral elements of its design.
Simplicity: When it comes to the design of a website the simpler it can be the better it is for all. This includes not only the business owner but more especially any visitors who will have a better experience on a simple website than an extremely complex one.
Logical Page Structure: To aid the cause of simplicity and to add further to the aim of a positive experience for any visitors, structuring pages, and sub-sections of the website in a clear and logical manner is always essential.
Landscape architecture, or landscape design, is at the forefront of many homeowners’ minds right now. While people are actively renovating their homes’ interiors, they are also setting aside funds to make sure the exteriors of their homes look just as smart.
But why is landscape design so popular? As it turns out, there are many reasons, which you can learn more about below.
To Solve Problems
Unless you have moved into a home with a bare yard and a blank slate, you may be faced with many problems left behind by the previous owners. These problems could be minor or significant, but many of them can be solved with landscape design changes.
For example, if one part of your property floods when it rains, you might need to dig holes, improve drainage, and make other changes. Or, if one part of your property sees much more shade than the rest, you might need to plant shade-tolerant plants or address the source of the shade.
Whenever someone books a holiday to Bali, the automatic assumption is that their accommodation is going to be either a hotel or a villa from Bali Villas. For 99% of the time, that is going to be the case, however, there is another form of accommodation that you should consider, and it is one that will provide you with a truly unique holiday in Bali.
What we are talking about is opting to stay with a local Bali family in their home. Obviously, you are not going to have all the mod cons and amenities that a hotel can provide, but in truth that is the whole point. Hotel rooms are more or less the same all over the world, but none can offer you the experiences and the advantages of living with a real Bali family.
In terms of the details, you will obviously have a private room, your meals will be provided, transportation will be provided too. Depending on the specific family and their location you may also have local sightseeing trips included in the price. As for what that price will be, it can vary, but surely any price is worth it to experience what real Bali life is all about and the other advantages outlined below.
Sustainability is all about reducing your carbon footprint, saving the earth’s resources and creating less waste to pollute the planet. But it is also different things to different businesses, depending on the industry, markets, supplies needed and processes used to manufacture goods or conduct business. This makes an SEO company or digital marketing business one of the easiest to ensure office sustainability is practiced. Here’s why –
- Digital marketing is all about being online. This takes a minimum amount of power and there are not many other costs used to conduct business
- Clients are found online
- Suppliers are found online
- Products needed are few and they can be purchased online
- Your service can be done online
All this means that your business can be set up at home and this, of course, is the ideal way to conduct a business because you don’t have to travel, thus saving the cost of fuel and the need for a conveyance with all its other associated costs. Fewer cars on the road also saves on the wear and tear on roads and the need to constantly upgrade and renew them. While you may think one car won’t make much difference, there are plenty of other people who can work from home too, so it all mount up.
If you know anything about sustainable living, the chances are that you’ve heard of something known as the three Rs – Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. The actual truth of the matter is that these have been extended to five Rs, with Rot and Refuse being added in recent years.
Now, if you run something like an SEO agency of other predominately digitally-based business, you’re probably wondering how these affect you. If you want to find out, continue reading about how you can implement the five Rs of eco-conscious living in the office.
- Reduce
Although it may seem obvious once you’ve finished reading this article, it’s generally extremely easy to reduce-your-use-of-consumable-items. Let’s take disposable plastic cups as a quick example.
These aren’t directly related to the day-to-day running of most businesses, but many offices have a water cooler with plastic cups in the lobby or break room. Rather than using these, reduce your waste by purchasing a nice stainless steel water bottle. It’s that easy.
- Reuse
Now, this one can be a little difficult to apply in the office, but there are still plenty of cases where it can be used. For example, if you’re a person who likes to take physical notes with a paper and pen, you could reuse scrap paper that has only been printed on one side. Over the course of a few months, you will likely end up saving kilos of paper.
Whether your office is for digital marketing or anything else, there are ways to make it green, not just in how you work, but in the physical aspects of the office. Here are some things you can look at and when it is time to replace or renew them, make sure you choose sustainable or green products that will both help conserve the earth and make your office a safer and more pleasant place to work in.
- Paintwork and other finishes. Make sure paint is free of toxic fumes that can waft through the office for everyone to breathe.
- Carpets often have similar toxic fumes to paint. If the smell of new carpet is strong in the morning it is not the best choice. Try it out with a sample at home before you choose one for the office. Choose a carpet made from natural fibres for the best result.
It is important to have as many offices using green practices as possible if we are to be serious about saving the earth’s resources. Even if you are only a small studio such as a web designer there are many easy ways you can achieve sustainability and reduce your carbon footprint. Here are just some of them.
- Use natural daylight as much as possible by choosing a room with a large window and locating your desk in a way that this can be utilised. Hint: don’t sit with your back to it as that will throw your shadow over your work. Facing the window can give you a glare headache, so sit at an angle.
- Use a computer monitor that is backlit so there is no light reflection on the screen from the windows.
With the ever-increasing focus around the world on green issues, dentistry has had to take stock, not just as an industry, but at a dental practice level, of how much each dentist does or does not contribute to the harm which is inflicted upon the environment. While dentistry might not be considered a ‘heavy industry’, it certainly does not qualify as a profession whose green credentials have always been up to the mark.
Yokine Dentists www.clearchoicedental.com.au tells us there are a number of processes, procedures, and ways of working within the dental field have been pinpointed as especially harmful to the environment. These include the amount of water used and wasted during appointments, the amount of mercury that is discarded within amalgam, and the harmful chemicals present in traditional x-ray photography and development.
Thankfully, as an industry, dentists have realised that they have a huge part to play in reducing the number of processes and procedures that cause harm to the environment and as such new treatments, apparatus, and processes are being introduced. The move to switch dentistry’s carbon footprint will not happen overnight, but as each dental practice amends its day-to-day procedures, the positive impact will be cumulative.
One point which might not immediately spring to mind with regards to how a dentist can improve their green credentials is that it is not just about what they do personally. They can also educate their patients how they can help. Oral health and hygiene is not something that only takes place within the confines of the dental practice, and much of what patients do at home has implications for the environment.
Even if you have a small business in web design or have some other talent that enables you to create and run a business there are ways to implement sustainability. Not only will you be doing your bit to help keep the environment safe and clean, you’ll most likely be saving money too, since so many such practices cause less wastage.
For instance, when your business can use less power and less water, the cost of paying for it is reduced. This is good news, especially when it doesn’t even decrease productivity. Once you decide to implement these changes it may not be so easy, especially if staff have to change their way of doing things. We are creatures of habit and habits die hard. Here are some tips to help ensure success.
- Keep programmes simple and easy to implement. If they have a health benefit or are fun for the participants all the better. For instance, one company implemented a wellness programme where participants could sign a non-smoker or smoking cessation affidavit at no cost, have an annual physical check-up covered by health insurance and take part in one wellness activity sponsored by the company, such as a charity walk, fun run or trail clearing in a National Park.
In recent years, sustainability has been a significant focus of those who are trying to do their part for the environment. More and more people are reducing their plastic usage, recycling, and saying goodbye to single-use plastic bags.
Then there are those who start looking at the materials they are using, such as cotton. How sustainable is cotton? Is it better to use than human-made fibres such as polyester? Read on to find out.
There is a significant demand for textiles in the world, and cotton is the most in-demand for many reasons. It’s sustainable, biodegradable, renewable, and environmentally-friendly. What’s more, it keeps this status throughout its lifecycle, unlike petrol-based fibres which often come from non-renewable sources.
Contrary to popular belief, cotton also doesn’t require a considerable amount of pesticides to grow. In each acre of cotton, around half a kilo of insecticides is used, and about one kilo of herbicides. As technology improves, the volume of herbicides and insecticides may drop.
When it comes to those industries that you think of being the most culpable for negative impacts on the environment you most likely would include the car industry, petrochemical plants, and power stations which burn fossil fuels. Whilst these may near the top, you might be surprised to learn that in this age of everyone seeking to enhance their green credentials, dentists have a huge role to play.
Now a dental practice might not seem the first place you would point the finger at for the harm that is done to the environment, however, there are many aspects of their activities that are most certainly not considered to be green. In fact, several practices and procedures, such as braces, which occur within dental clinics are extremely harmful to the environment.
If you are a dentist or run a dental practice this may or may not be news to you, but either way, we would hope that you are nevertheless keen to improve your green credentials. That being the case here are some positive ways your dental practice can operate in a more environmentally manner.
Reduce Patient Visits
Whenever a patient visits, they will have already contributed to greenhouse gases when they travelled to your office. So, to reduce this pollution you could look at changing your appointment system to accommodate, longer, but less frequent visits, whereby you combine treatments and consultations whenever possible.
Unless you’re a mechanically-minded person, you might not realise when your exhaust and other parts of your car are failing. Fortunately, there are numerous things that you can watch out for. Even if you don’t have the skills to fix them yourself, being aware of these signs that your muffler or exhaust is failing will allow you to get it fixed before it costs a fortune.
Although you might not realise it, a damaged muffler or exhaust system can result in significantly higher levels of pollutants being released into the atmosphere. This is harmful to both the local environment and the planet as a whole.
Because of this, we decided to put this short article together with the help of experts, Exhausts Perth. Below we’ve outlined a few tell-tale signs that your exhaust system could be failing, along with what you should do if you notice them.
- Excessive Exhaust Noise
One of the most common signs of a failing exhaust system or muffler is excessive noise. This could start gradually at first and build up over time, but a noisy exhaust basically means a compromised exhaust.
There are a number of problems that could be occurring. For one, your muffler could be failing. Or, your exhaust pipes might have a hole or crack somewhere before the muffler, which will make it sound like your engine is noisier than it should be.
Most people can say with honesty that stress is a constant factor in their life. Whether it’s because of life, work, or family; it rears its ugly head when you least expect it. If you have nowhere to relieve or recognise that stress, then it can bubble to the surface on a far more dramatic scale than you may have imagined. That’s why according to Western Australian landscape designbers Principal Landscapes say landscaping can be so important. It allows you to create a peaceful paradise to escape to when life gets a little too much. Here’s how to create one for yourself.
Use Water
When the time comes to begin landscaping for the sake of your mental health, Intreeg Landscapes Sydney recommend you include plenty of water in your plans. Water features, ponds, and pools are beneficial for your mental health in more ways than one. Even the gentle babbling of water on rocks can be enough to alleviate stress, improve your mood, and benefit your wellbeing.
What’s more, a water feature or pond can be a focal point in your yard, allowing you to build your peaceful paradise around it.
Create Seating Areas
A yard can be a peaceful place to look at from a distance, but getting up close and personal can be even more rewarding for your mind and soul. Create seating areas in different parts of your garden.
A patio area with seating is a pleasant place to sit with a book, but even among your flower beds can be an excellent idea. Consider landscaping with plenty of hardscape items such as benches so that your yard is both aesthetic and functional.
Australia is full of DIYers people who love mucking in and giving anything a try. While that’s okay for painting fences and changing lightbulbs, it’s not for landscape and pool design. If you do not have the expertise, knowledge, and qualifications, then you should leave it to an expert. Here are a few reasons why you should steer clear of pool design.
They Take Your Ideas and Bring Them to Life
When you have a whole lot of ideas to introduce into your new landscaping plan, it can be a challenge to bring them to life on their own. The same problem arises with trying to plan out a pool. You may know where you want to put it and what you want it to look like, but how will it look in person and work practically?
That’s where a pool design expert comes in. They listen to your ideas, check out any imagery or photos you have, then bring them to life. They can draw out proper sketches of how your pool can look, which may make you decide you’re happy with that or would like to make changes.
Green cleaning is the process of using sustainable cleaning products and practices with minimal impact on the environment. According to GleamClean WA, such services are becoming more sought after and desirable, which is why many cleaners today are looking into what it takes to be a green cleaner and be a part of the curve. So, what does it really mean to be a green cleaner? Read on to find out.
You Buy or Make Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
Forget harsh and caustic chemicals. To be a green cleaner means getting back to basics. You make more use of lemon, vinegar, and baking soda for cleaning products than you do in food preparation, and you see the value in using what nature gives you to promote a clean and tidy home.
Not only do you get to enjoy the peace of mind that your products contain no harmful chemicals or additives, but there are price savings to be made as well. If you choose to make your own products, the cost to do so is far less than the recommended retail price of many cleaning products.
To many people, the kitchen is the heart of the home. After all, it’s the place where the family gathers to raid the fridge and catch up in the morning for breakfast. However, the outdoor patio area or balcony, with garden pots, nature, and spectacular views, is coming in at a close second.
Many people are beginning to see the value in creating exceptional indoor-outdoor flow with their home. They want a property that’s as comfortable outside as it is indoors. Most importantly, they want an outdoor oasis with an emphasis on nature so that they can step out into a paradise on their doorstep. These plants might be able to help achieve that look.
Silver Lady Fern
When you start looking for plants to add to your garden pots gracing your balcony, a silver lady fern should be one of the first to consider. Even though it seems quite pretty and precious, it’s one of the more robust plants for an oasis environment. It can handle adverse weather conditions while standing out from the crowd with its lush fronds.
Imperial Bromeliad
If you have plenty of space and want to fill it with plants, garden pots, and nature for as far as the eye can see, then there are few better plants to start with than the imperial bromeliad. This plant is a real beauty and spans at least two metres wide.
People throughout Australia and the world are more environmentally aware than they have been at any time in the past. If you’re building a new swimming pool, then Australia law dictates that you have install pool fencing around it to secure it and reduce the risk to young children and pets. However, choosing the most sustainable fencing option can be hard, especially if you’re not really sure what your options are in the first place.
A lot of people would recommend glass pool fencing when it comes to eco-friendly options, but is this really your best choice? Eco-friendly pool fences are very important for anyone who wants to maintain a clean, sustainable garden, and below we’ll outline a few things that you can think about to help you choose the most environmentally friendly fence for your pool:
What Properties Should Eco-Friendly Pool Fences Have?
Basically, eco-friendly pool fences are fences which don’t contribute to climate change, which don’t release toxic pollutants and which don’t negatively impact local plants and animals. Environmentally friendly fences should have the following properties:
- They should be made from a material which is relatively easy to extract and turn into a useable form. Glass is the perfect example of this, as it can be made from three non-toxic natural ingredients – sand, limestone and soda ash.
- They shouldn’t leach toxic chemicals into the environment as they break down. Plastics, paints and even some metals can leach toxins as they are weathered. These toxins can enter waterways and impact wildlife throughout the world. Glass breaks down into small, stable and non-toxic particles when it is weathered, making it a great choice!
- They should be durable and easy to maintain. Fences which last for a long time won’t need to be replaced as often. Fences which are easy to clean and maintain won’t require a lot of resources or chemicals to keep them looking good. Again, glass is the perfect example of this.
Australia is one of the driest continents on the planet. Almost all of Australia’s major population centers suffer water shortages from time to time, and these come hand in hand with sometimes severe water restrictions. This means that we need to do whatever we can to reduce our water usage, especially in our gardens – this is one of the core concepts of sustainable landscaping – making sure you are watering your garden right.
If you’re serious about creating a truly sustainable and environmentally friendly garden with the help of Landscaping Sydney, water conservation should be at the front of your mind. I know how hard it can be to plan a garden that doesn’t use much water, so I’ve put together a few tips to help get you started:
Plant Drought-Resistant Species
Australia is full of beautiful native plants. In fact, we have some of the richest plant species diversity in the world. However, for some unknown reason, native plants aren’t very common in Australian gardens.
One of the best ways to reduce your water usage is to simply plant things that don’t need a lot of water. Most of our native plants are drought tolerant, which means that they only need watering occasionally – if at all.
Choose species which are native to your local area. They will be most suited to your local environmental conditions, and they will be the most likely to grow well and provide you with a beautiful, sustainable garden!
With increasing levels of awareness about the harmful effects of things like chemicals and cleaning products on both our physical and mental health, more and more people are choosing to eliminate as many chemicals from their life as possible. If you own or run a large building, you may employ commercial cleaners to keep it tidy, and you may be wondering if chemical free commercial cleaning is viable.
Well, the truth is that, in the modern world, technological advances and research have made chemical free commercial cleaning a reality. Although most commercial cleaners still use toxic cleaning solutions, they will usually be happy to go chemical free if you ask them to – especially if you tell them how to do so!
Why Would I Want To Eliminate Cleaning Chemicals?
Right now you might be thinking something along the lines of “Aren’t cleaning chemicals designed to keep things shiny and bacteria free?”. If you are, you wouldn’t be wrong. Most commercial cleaning products do their job just fine. They do keep things clean, and they do eliminate harmful bacteria and microbes. However, they can also have a lot of harmful side effects.
When it comes to fire protection, fire extinguishers are usually one of the first things businesses buy. Although you may not realise it, fire extinguishers actually contain an array of harmful substances that can cause significant environmental damage if not treated properly. They are also under pressure, and have the potential to cause severe injury. This means that it’s extremely important to dispose of used or unwanted fire extinguishers properly. Failing to do so can have significant environmental and legal consequences.
You Can’t Simply Throw Your Fire Extinguishers In The General Waste
Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t realise that fire extinguishers are classified as dangerous goods. They attempt to dispose of them in general waste or curbside collection. This simply isn’t possible, and you could find yourself in trouble if you try and do this.
Instead, you need to get in touch with a qualified, experienced fire extinguisher disposal service. Most fire safety companies will offer some sort of extinguisher disposal service, but you should be careful which ones you choose. Try and find a company who:
You may think that once winter hits and no one wants to go swimming, you’ll have less pool maintenance to do and can give your automatic pool cleaner a rest. Preparing your pool for winter is not difficult, but it is something that must be done, not just once but regularly over the winter months to ensure your pool water does not turn green.
Fortunately, in areas where the water doesn’t freeze, winterising the pool is much easier. If you have a pool blanket installed it will be even easier, but it still needs to be done, so there’s no getting out of it.
- The first thing to do before covering your pool is to make sure the water is still of good quality.
- Add a long-lasting algaecide so your water doesn’t turn green over the winter months.
- Remove all the sticks and leaves as they’ll stain the floor of the pool if left over the winter. This will need to be done regularly all winter if you don’t have a blanket.
Climate change, whether you believe it or not, has companies and manufacturers choosing to use more eco-friendly materials and products. The idea behind that is it helps to preserve natural resources for generations to come. Another result that stems from this decision is that there are reduced costs when using sustainable energy sources and materials.
Let’s talk Green Plumbing
What actually is green plumbing? It is an environmentally friendly and cost efficient plumbing service. By adopting green plumbing in your renovations with Bathroom Renovations Perth, you will reduce waste water, recycle used water and use eco-friendly and sustainable materials. Another aspect of green plumbing is the use of solar and wind power as alternate sources of energy to provide water.
By converting to a sustainable plumbing model water can be conserved as well as reduced in cost. Your worries over the summer months of water shortages, or no water at all, are greatly reduced.
Much has been written about how stress negatively impacts our well-being to the extent that it can lead to serious illness of both a physical and mental nature. In today’s world, one of the number causes of stress is worrying about money, so it seems logical to assume if we can alleviate our money worries we reduce our stress. For this reason, instead of rushing to their doctor for stress pills, many wise people are employing the services of a financial planner.
First things first…I am not suggesting that if you have a serious illness or the level of stress you are experiencing is extreme, that you should not seek medical advice. However, wouldn’t it be a wonderful feeling if you could ‘treat’ the cause of your stress (money worries) before it impacts negatively on your health? This is what a financial planner, such as Financial Planner Perth, would seek to do for you.
The same as: ‘Location is everything’ when we talk real estate, it also holds true for sustainable landscape design. According to a leading landscape architect Space Designs, a successful looking garden is going to need some very different elements to a garden in coastal Sydney. It all depends on where you are, your location, that determines the sensible use of local materials.
Some Common Denominators
Every landscape is unique. But to create a sustainable garden there are a few common aspects that apply. Things like:
- water usage
- native plants
- appropriate and well-designed irrigation
- the management of storm-water run off
- lawn reduction
are some of the elements to create a successful sustainable garden regardless of the customer or the climate.
The Right Plants
Whether the garden is built in Melbourne or Darwin, the main goal is to use plants that require small amounts of water. Just because you have drought tolerant plants doesn’t preclude you having a beautiful garden.
Less Lawn
The reduction of lawn is of paramount importance. Everybody loves the look of a beautifully manicured lawn, but they are high maintenance, requiring regular lawn mowing and high water usage. A better option is native grasses that require no watering at all. Sometimes to improve the aesthetics, some lawn is unavoidable, but it’s better used to break up different garden areas. Lawns are not yet on the way out, but as we develop smaller properties, they are becoming a luxury that homeowners can no longer afford.
Saving Water
Saving on water costs makes simple, economic sense, especially in drought prone Australia where most cities have summer time water bans and restrictions in place. In cities like Perth, constant sunshine results in a lot of expense to keep high-maintenance gardens in top condition.
Make Your Lawn Extra Green
When it comes to landscaping your garden having a green lawn isn’t all about how lush and literally green the grass is. It is lovely to have a well maintained lawn, and walking without shoes on over your well groomed turf is something special. However, with the dwindling amount of fresh water available on the planet, and the rising levels of harsh chemicals that are finding their ways into the planet and waterways each year, having a large lawn can be incredibly un-green if you’re not careful.
Choose the Right Grass
According to lawn care experts, you might not be able to choose a native type of turf, but finding something that thrives in your climate is important. This will reduce the amount of special attention that your lawn needs, such as cutting and watering. For example, if you live in a particularly hot part of the world, choose grass that does not need a lot of moisture to stay healthy. Talk to someone who is an expert in turf, so that you won’t plant the wrong type of lawn and have to rip it up and start again.
Every transport company carries many different kinds of goods and all are wrapped in some kind of packaging to protect them. As the world seeks to fine more sustainable packaging solutions for items that enter the freight system as do nearly all goods that are bought and sold, it is important to know why a certain product is considered sustainable.
Here are some of the reasons why bamboo is considered a sustainable raw product to make packaging from.
- Bamboo is a natural-resource that grows quickly. At about 2cm per day, it is hardly likely to become extinct, even though it is used to make many other things such as floors and furniture as well.
- It is strong, durable and also flexible, making it a good choice for timber floors, building boats and many other things, including packaging that needs to be flexible and strong.
- It is biodegradable, meaning it will break down in landfill or in the compost heap, making a great mulch for gardens.
- It is local to China where many goods originate from. Having the packaging supplies in the local area means that fuel in sourcing it and moving it to where it can be used is reduced. That said, it is also being grown in other countries now.
If you are looking for a way to increase your sustainability, you might want to consider just how eco-friendly shade sails are according to Shade Sails Perth. But not only do they help the environment through using less material than other building choices and by the materials being recyclable, they cost less than a regular building would.
Here are 5 ways to use a sail on your property that will not only ensure sustainability, but will enhance your lifestyle and add value to your home.
- If you don’t have a garage or carport for your car, adding a sail to the side of your home can be a solution. Sail cloth material also provides about 70% protection from rain, as well as the sun protection which varies depending on the material used. Since a car left in the sun constantly will suffer a lot of internal damage especially on the dashboard and back shelf areas, protecting your car will save you money in the long run.
The Transform Bar, by Hong Kong-based artist Kacey Wong, is a recycled wood hawker booth where you can grow wheat grass and Wong will make you healthy juices from fresh produce.
The Transform Bar footprint is only 3ft by 4ft (0.9m x1.2m), with wheat grass planters mounted on the exterior walls. The planters can be moved outside to provide more space inside the booth, display the wheat grass or to take advantage of sunlight to grow faster.
The wheat grass juice vendor blends apple juice and wheat grass, bringing awareness to our food source and extending art appreciation to the sense of taste and consumption. Healthy living choices go hand-in-hand with recycled sustainability.
Whether yours is a small web design business run by yourself, or a larger one with several employees, it’s important to understand what sustainability means for your business if you want to implement environmentally sound practices as simple as saving on electricity etc. There are three elements to be considered.
- Saving the earth’s resources. For business, this can mean simple things that are easy to implement, such as using LED lights, turning off lights when not needed – for instance, in meeting rooms or amenities blocks – using toner save mode on the printer and so on. There are many ways to save and often such practices save you costs as well. You can also choose to work only with suppliers or other businesses that follow similar practices, but this can get a bit more complicated. It all depends on how serious and dedicated you want to be.
The watchword today is sustainability and many people have chosen to live their lives with an awareness of how to save the earth’s resources at the forefront of their minds. According to the fencing experts, there are at least 5 eco-friendly options to choose that not only save the earth’s resource, but actually cost less when it comes to maintenance and replacement issues.
So what are these 5 options? Fencing contractors would tell you the following five are sustainable choices.
- Bamboo has the advantage of being pest and disease free, so no harmful pesticides, fungicides or other poisonous sprays are used in its growth. It grows very quickly – in some cases 90 centimetres per day, so is easily renewable. Styles available are reed or fence panels. It provides an attractive fence and background for your plants as well as some wind protection.
Everyone feels like a change of scenery after some time. Even the best homes will need to be renovated and updated after a while. Otherwise, they will start to feel dull, dreary, and uninspiring to be inside. The ideal situation would then be to move into a new home, perhaps one that is more environmentally friendly and efficient to keep running. But if you just don’t have the kind of money it takes to upgrade your entire home, or you are worried about the state of the economy, there are still earth-friendly home renovations that you can carry out on a range of budgets.
Deconstruction Beats Demolition
Are you planning to knock down whole walls, or perhaps even entire rooms and sections of your home? Maybe you’re planning to demolish the whole building and start from scratch. Even when going through such a drastic change, you can find ways to reduce waste. Look at the materials and sections of your existing home that could be kept and reused in your new home renovations. This is a great way to cut back on the cost of renovating, but it’s also the best way to look after the environment and make your new renovations green.
When summer begins to take hold, it becomes more important than ever to mow, water, and fertilize a lawn and tend to your landscape design to keep it looking great. However, that green, luscious lawn that you might work quite hard to maintain is not the best thing for the environment. “Green” is not always green, in this regard. More often, all your labor and expenses wind up producing a lot of waste and having a negative impact on Mother Earth.
Here are six great tips for keeping your garden eco-friendly:
- Plant more trees. This tip comes with a multitude of benefits. First, you can create shaded spots in your yard without having to install a costly gazebo or extend your verandah. The natural appeal of your property can also increase when you plant the right types of trees. Strategically placing those trees can also help to protect some parts of your home from the heat of the summer sun. This will keep your power bill down as you won’t need to spend as much on keeping your home cool.
- Start a compost pile. You can start turning your house’s organic waste into a valuable source of nutrients for your yard. If you would rather not have one yourself, you can find composting services that will take your waste materials and turn them into compost for you. The resulting compost is wonderful for keeping your lawn and plants lush and green during the warmer months, and this type of mulch-like substance can also help to retain moisture without the need for more watering.
- Cut down on your water use. Much of the water use for the average household goes into landscaping and yard maintenance. If you don’t have one, consider installing a water-saving irrigation system that will also reduce a lot of your manual labor. If you do have one already, make sure that there are no leaks and keep an eye on how much water it is using.
- Upgrade your watering system. Consider installing a greywater irrigation system. These recycle water that is put down the drain in your home. While greywater is not safe to drink, it is considered safe for use in landscaping and to put into the soil. You can seriously cut down on the amount of perfectly potable drinking water that will otherwise be used for your gardening needs.
Saving on the use of electricity is not only a way to save money, but great for sustainability. Many people these days organise an electrician to install solar systems for their power needs, but this is still quite expensive and it takes a while to recoup your investment. If you intend to stay in the house for 10 or more years, that will allow you to recoup, but if you are planning to move soon, don’t go to the expense; you are not likely to get it back in the sale price.
However, there are many other ways to save on the use and thus, the cost of electricity and in doing so, you help save the earth’s resources. Here are some of the best electrician tips to cut your power bill.
People looking for environmentally sound kitchens can start with eating things that are sustain-ably sourced, but that is not where you should stop. Using a range of cooking, cleaning, and even building methods that are low on resource consumption will help to keep the planet as healthy as possible. If you choose to use products that are free of harsh chemicals and made with renewable kitchen cabinets and materials instead, you can have a truly green kitchen that you will be proud of.
3 Quick Tips for Green Kitchens
- Electric or Gas Cooking? The choice between electric and gas can cause a lot of confusion. While natural gas is not a renewable form of energy, and it is drawn from the planet, the same can be said about most electricity that’s generated in the US. The same goes for a lot of other countries too. This comes from the burning of coal, which is not eco-friendly in the slightest. Many chefs prefer gas for cooking, making it an obvious choice. Since you can turn it on and off instantly, there is little waste there. If you prefer to use an electric stove and oven, go for one that uses induction technology. This uses electromagnetic power to transfer the heat right onto your pots and pans. Compared to a traditional electric cooking element, this will use around half as much power.
Have Plenty of Storage
If you really want to cut down on waste, and costs, buy in bulk when you can. This means that you’re going to need enough space to store extra cooking ingredients and other things. When you buy your food from the bulk bins at your local market, it means there is less packaging used in the process. On top of that, you won’t need to keep driving down to the store to buy smaller lots of food. This doesn’t just go for things that can be eaten either. You can buy your other kitchen products in bulk, like washable towels for cleaning up spills and wiping down your kitchen benches.
Cook in Bulk
According to kitchen designers Kitchen Professionals, many people don’t even factor in how they are going to cook when they’re working on a newer, greener kitchen design. Cooking large meals in bulk is so much more efficient than cooking just one meal at a time, especially if you are only cooking for yourself. It doesn’t use much more power, if any extra at all. However, you will need to have a kitchen area that can handle the larger pots and pans, and the extra washing up and preparation that comes with making huge meals all at once. You will need extra prep’ space, not to mention somewhere to store all of your extra food. If that means having a larger freezer, you’re going to need to consider how that will affect your eco-friendly kitchen design.
Most home swimming pools are a strange thing when you think about it. They are popular and inviting, but seem to stick out in the most unnatural way. They are essentially a large hole that is filled with water, where nothing living can survive for long after harsh chemicals have been used to clean the water. This is far removed from the swimming holes that earlier people use to enjoy. Do you ever stop to wonder if we needed to get so far from our natural way of swimming and relaxing in the water?
A new trend has emerged and it’s taking the world by storm. Green pools, which are also called natural pools, are changing the way that people look at the backyard swimming pool. You can have a pool that’s closer to the natural way, and create a private little oasis that isn’t going to destroy the world that you live in.
A green wedding reception is not about colour, but about saving the earth’s resources. There are several really easy ways to ensure you practice sustainability with your wedding reception apart from hiring photo booths for paperless, chemical free photos. That is certainly a good start and will save on the cost of the photographer as well, but don’t stop there when there are heaps of other great ideas to implement.
Use one place
For instance, you can have the wedding ceremony and the reception at one and the same venue. This will save your 100 or so guests making the trip from one place to another. Think how much fuel that will save. You could also choose a venue that offers accommodation so that those guests who have travelled a long way to your wedding won’t have to make even more trips; they won’t even have to drive back to their separate accommodation after the reception is over. This is an especially good choice if alcohol will be available at your reception as it is for most, and if the guests are known to consume lots.
Are you moving office building or moving home? We know that removal companies are not traditionally known for their low impact on the environment. When you see those fleets of big trucks and think about all the gas they must use each day, it is easy to assume they are slowly and surely destroying the planet. Put those notions out of your head, as it’s a new era of green-friendly businesses. That goes for your local movers too. Of course, not all of them have changed to more eco-friendly practices. So, where can you start when looking to hire a green company for your home removals needs?
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions
It is your right as a consumer to ask questions until you are satisfied that the job will be done to meet your needs. You will be spending hard-earned cash hiring a home removals company such as Brilliance Removalists Melbourne, so it is only fair to get what you want. And if that means hiring people who take the time and effort to show care for the planet we live on, then there is nothing wrong with that. The first step is finding a company that is fully certified. You should then be able to access their records to see if they have violated any safety laws or carried out any activity that is harmful to the environment.