Environmental/Social Issues Archives - Page 2 of 3

20 Universities That Encourage Green Living

1) Nanyang Technical University – School of Art, Design and Media - The architectural structure of this building maximizes interior daylight, makes smart use of lack of space and land in the local area, minimizes materials, and uses lower water and electricity uses. 2) Yale University – Kroon Hall - Kroon Hall at Yale University is made from 80% certified timber, 16% recycled content. Also, 34% of the purchased materials came from regional sources. As a result, there is an 81% reduction in annual potable water use, which saves an average 500k gallons of city water a year. They are also seeing a 61% reduction in energy use compared to a similar building and program. It features rooftop photovoltaic panel providing 25% of the building’s electricity. Half of the red oak paneling came from a forest in northern Connecticut that’s managed by the school itself. 3) Carnegie Mellon University – Gates and Hillman…

California Officially Joins the War on Plastic Bags

Great news for the environment occurred last night, when CA government voted to ban single-use plastic bags across the state. “The bill, SB 270, will phase out single-use plastic bags in grocery stores and pharmacies beginning July 2015, and in convenience stores one year later, and create a mandatory minimum ten-cent fee for recycled paper, reusable plastic and compostable bags” states Stephanie Spear, author at EcoWatch, who wrote California Bans Plastic Bags. If the already agreed upon bill is signed by the CA governor, California will be the first state to ban these environmentally un-friendly products.

“More than 120 California local governments have already banned single-use plastic bags with more than 1 in 3 Californians already living somewhere with a plastic bag ban in place, in an effort to drive consumers towards sustainable behavior change,” affirms Spear. With such a large amount of the population already embracing the plastic ban bag, this measure will …

Jellyfish: Menace to Medicine

Recently, jellyfish have found themselves in the news as causing quite a bit of havoc among the seas. Fishermen, tourists, and even some power station workers are finding themselves negatively affected by these slimy characters. The Environmental News Network, reported on such issues this week; yet, they went a little further and found a research group who has discovered, and is working on, helpful aspects drawn from the jellyfish’s biological properties.

The Trouble with Tentacles

“Jellyfish have overwhelmed the marine ecosystem as a result of the overfishing of more competitive species [and] consuming fish eggs and larvae of weaker specimens…” claims ENN. This is causing a damaging imbalance among the seas. By blocking up the systems of power stations using seawater, jellyfish are causing a bump in the road for productivity. Furthermore, “jellyfish have had a dramatic impact on the world fishing industry, snagging and blocking fishing nets …

World Humanitarian Day: What will you do for humanity?

Today, August 19, 2014 is World Humanitarian Day. A day designated to honor those who dedicate their lives to humanity’s betterment, most especially those whom have lost their lives for the cause. According to WorldHumanitarianDay.org, “World Humanitarian Day falls on August 19, the day in 2003 when 22 aid workers were killed in a bombing at the UN headquarters in Baghdad. It's a day to commemorate all people who have lost their lives in humanitarian service and to celebrate the spirit that inspires humanitarian work around the world.” Today, we say, “thank you”; today, we say, “how can we help?”; today, we say “enough’s enough!” Be brave and compassionate. People all over the world need your help in more ways than one. Many need financial help, many need shelter, many are starving and need food, many are persecuted for their own beliefs or race and need relief. Relief – a word most of us take for granted. I’m not talking about relief on your lunch break, or relief the sc…

Saving The Planet, One Green Surfboard At A Time

by Amanda Crater. See her full article at MainandPCH. It is no secret that surfers love the ocean and want to protect the environment, but who knew that surfing can be toxic? In a sport that is constantly evolving, in a town at the very heart of the surfing industry where pros and brands are born, Larry Bertlemann -- Hawaiian surfing legend who shook up a generation of surfers with his unique style and approach to the industry in the 1970s -- is once again carving his mark onto future generations of surfers through his company, "Be Better Boards" by Bertlemann. Larry "Rubberman" Bertlemann was on the scene of this year's US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, getting inducted into the surfing Walk of Fame and drawing attention to an issue that is near and dear to the heart of surfers everywhere: the health of the ocean and the people who love to be in it. "There are only two types of people in this whole world, leaders and followers, and I don't follow nobody," Be…

Food Safety Alert: Salmonella Outbreak in Chia Seeds

I have received a food safety alert from NutritionAction.com. It seems there has been an outbreak of Salmonella in Chia powder that has sickened and hospitalized people in the U.S. and Canada, over the last few days. This outbreak has led to the recall of “Organic Sprouted Chia Powder products produced by Health Matters America, Inc., … and by Navitas Naturals.” If you have purchased one of these products, throw it away or return it to the store for a refund. The article, Food Safety Alert: International Outbreak of Salmonella in Sprouted Chia Powder by Caroline Smith DeWaal (June 18, 2014) describes the symptoms too look out for, the investigation of this outbreak, and more. If interested, read her words below: Twenty-one people in 12 states have been sickened and two hospitalized after eating sprouted chia powder contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. In Canada, 44 have become ill and five hospitalized. Sprouted chia powder is used as a gluten-free…