Its time to make a difference to our Future ?

CO2 production is one of the major causes of global warming and if we contribute a little, in just about everything we do: watching TV, sending an email, boiling a kettle and even going on holiday...

By plantation it is possible to counterbalance this impact. We can offset our contributions by planting a tree, buying a gift for a loved one and learning how to reduce your CO2 levels.

One step closer to reversal.

In a time where we're flying more and more, did you know that 1 short haul flight can produce up to 0.50 tones of Carbon Dioxide (CO2)?

We all need a holiday from time to time, and often have to take more business trips than we would like, so what's the solution?

Balance out your CO2 emissions by planting trees which will absorb your CO2 contribution, producing oxygen and renewable fuel instead

Depending on where you live in the world, the average human can produce up to 22.0 tones of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) each year. That's the equivalent of 30 trees which would need to be planted to offset your personal CO2 contributions.

A car has become an essential part of most people's lives, but did you know that a 1.8 liter car produces around 4.30 tones of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) every year?

Some journeys are unavoidable. For those that aren't, there are greener forms of transport like walking or cycling. You can also reduce CO2 production by car sharing and keeping your speed down.

Lets Join Hands Together to Make a Global Statement

Earth Hour was a great success around the world, so let us all join hands and contribute to save energy, only we can make a differnce its for our future

Earth Hour results around the world

London, Mar 29 With millions of people in over 2,800 cities across the world turning off lights for one hour in a symbolic gesture to highlight concerns over climate change, environmentalists say the global initiative was a huge success.Lights went off across the world yesterday as millions of homes and businesses went dark for one hour at 8:30 p.M. Local time for the third annual Earth Hour -- a day-long energy- saving marathon spanning 83 countries and 24 time zones.India participated enthusiastically in Earth Hour, with official activities taking place in the cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Cochin, Thiruvananthapuram, Dehradun, Shimla, Chandigarh and Hyderabad as well as numerous smaller communities, according to Earth Hour's Web site.Mumbai's best known landmarks, the Reserve Bank and Air India buildings and the Indian Tourism Development Corporation's flagship Ashok Hotel, went dark along with hundreds of other buildings across the city. Indian IT giants such as WIPRO and Infosys also joined in, it said.In Washington, the lights went out at the Capitol dome at 8:30 p.M. The same time the Empire State Building, Central Park and the George Washington Bridge in New York went dark.The Philippines topped this year's participation for Asia, with more than 650 communities taking part in the event, Earth Hour's Web site said.In London, the light illuminating the face of the landmark Big Ben clock tower was switched off.

Earth Hour Reports Energy Savings

“It was a huge success,” says World Wildlife Fund spokesman Dan Forman. Twenty major cities and other municipalities participated, many of them soliciting corporations in their locales to turn off their lights as well. Lights at landmarks such as Niagara Falls and the Seoul Tower in South Korea also went dark.
In North America, cities including Toronto, Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, San Francisco and Vancouver participated in the shutdown.
In Chicago, lights on more than 200 downtown buildings were dimmed Saturday night, including the stripe of white light around the top of the John Hancock Center. The red-and-white marquee outside Wrigley Field also went dark.
According to electric utility Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd), during the 8 pm to 9 pm duration, Chicago saved about 7 percent in energy. The 818 megawatt hours of electricity saved are equivalent to nearly 1.3 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions or taking two 400-megawatt coal plants offline for one hour.
Georgia Power customers in Atlanta reduced their electric load by about 4 percent, for an average reduction of 7.05 megawatt hours, or enough electricity to serve 1,750 homes. Ireland saved a reported 1.5 percent in energy the same evening.
Forman says results have been slow to come in because electric utilities aren’t geared to calculating energy savings and making those reports. That itself may be a damning commentary on our electric grid in a time when we need to focus on energy reduction.
The first Earth Hour was in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 and inspired 2.2 million people and 2,100 corporations to shut off non-essential lights and other electric loads. The city reported a 10.2 percent energy reduction during that one hour, the equivalent of taking about 48,000 cars off the road for an hour.
It seems like the United States and North America has some catching up to do. Though as Forman says, “The goal [of Earth Hour] was not energy reduction. The goal was to raise awareness and put [energy savings] on our national radar. It changes the way people think of how they can get involved.” Let’s hope so.
And although the WWF isn’t focused on the results, they are worth looking at just to see what we can do in one hour. Imagine what we could with more constant energy vigilance.

Protect our Forests

The world's ancient forests are truly diverse. They include boreal, temperate and tropical forests, coniferous and broadleaf forests, rainforests and mangroves. Together they maintain environmental systems that are essential for life on Earth. They influence weather by controlling rainfall and evaporation of water from soil. They help stabilise the world's climate by storing large amounts of carbon that would otherwise contribute to climate change.These ancient forests are home to millions of forest people who depend on them for their survival - both physically and spiritually.These forests also house around two-thirds of the world's land-based species of plants and animals. That's hundreds of thousands of different plants and animals, and literally millions of insects - their futures also depend on the ancient forests.These magnificent ancient forests are under threat. More than 87 human cultures have been lost in Brazil alone; in the next 10 to 20 years, the world looks set to lose thousands of species of plants and animals. But there is a last chance to SAVE these forests and the people and species that depend on them.

EARTH DAY

Make Earth Day an everyday affair

The choices for recycled goods are extensive and the products are readily available. Earth Day is almost upon us and many people are focusing on what they can do to make the world a better place. But after Earth Day, sporadic environmentalists go back to their usual routine and the desire to protect the environment fades. An easy way to keep the spirit of Earth Day alive throughout the rest of the year is to buy recycled content products.

The Buy Recycled Business Alliance contends that most recycled products are equal in quality, appearance and performance to virgin products. In addition, recycled content products undergo stringent testing and exacting performance documentation, which take the guess work out of buying decisions. And, most are priced the same as virgin.

The choices are extensive, and the products are readily available. Items ranging from cars and appliances, to cereal boxes and bathroom tissue, or cabinets and tile flooring are available in recycled content, and most can be found right alongside virgin products. According to the Buy Recycled Business Alliance, the key to shopping wisely is to "Look, Ask and Persist." Here are some tips to help do this.

Look:

• Look on the product's packaging for information about recycled content. Although manufacturers are not required to label products which contain recycled content, many are doing so to make it easier for the consumer to make choices.
• Look for recycled content versus a product that is recyclable. Just because a product is labeled as recyclable does not mean that it is made from recycled materials. Recyclable products are good, but recycled content ones are even better.
• Look for the amount of recycled content in the product. There is no right or wrong amount, but the more, especially "post-consumer content," the better. So, compare the products you are considering to see which one has the most recycled content and select the one with the higher percentage.

Ask:

• Don't hesitate to seek help when in doubt. The Buy Recycled Business Alliance at the National Recycling Coalition is one resource.
• Ask the seller, vendor or retailer to provide you with information about the manufacturer's program for a product that interests you. Usually a company with a successful recycling operation can provide details about its program.
• Ask for references from people who have used the product. This information should be available, especially for major purchases. Most people will be happy to share what they know. Then, ask how long they have used the product. Question how it is holding up. Ask if they are pleased with its performance. How was its price compared to what they used before?
• Ask about warranties, satisfaction guarantees and other proof-of- performance claims. Most manufacturers automatically back their products with these types of warranties.

Persist:

• Be persistent. Request that your favorite retailer or supplier carry recycled content products. Seek a supplier who knows the facts about recycled content products and request samples. Don't accept "it's not available." Suppliers usually have extensive networks, and recycled content products are available in most categories.(ENN)