Sustainable development blog : ecology and humanitarian aid

Going “green” doesn’t mean daubing yourself with green paint. It simply denotes that you have decided to embrace eco-friendly products and practices in your daily life.

To some people green is just a color; for others it symbolizes a clean environment and natural things. Adopting a truly “green” lifestyle involves owning and doing things that are ecologically friendly. By being conscious of the environmental consequences of the things you buy and the way you live, you can help create a “greener”, healthier world for all people around the globe.

Picture credit: mywonderfulworld.org

There are “green” products available for almost every aspect of your daily life.  Products which

are non-toxic to you and your surroundings should be a preferred part of your daily routine. Incorporating such things into your busy schedule is healthier for you and helps negate the impact that other, more polluting substances have upon the planet.

A lot of the products which you purchase from the supermarket are packaged in some kind of plastic. Plastics are made from chemical compounds, some of which have been shown to leach out into the human bloodstream. The Federal Department of Agriculture in the United States this year expressed concerns about one such compound, bisphenol-A (BPA), which it said could have "potential effects on the brain, behavior and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children.” BPA is present in bottled water containers and many other types of common packaging materials.

Plastics also do not biodegrade, so they can persist in the environment for thousands of years.  Around 300 million tons of plastics are produced globally each year, and most of that ends up in landfills.

A growing portion of discarded plastics are also ending up in the world’s oceans. Both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans now have huge plastic “garbage patches” that can cover an area the size of Texas. These accumulations of plastic particles have had extremely negative impacts upon marine wildlife such as fish, birds, seals and other animals that eat it or become entangled in the debris.

So, if you want to help save your environment and yourself you can buy products which incorporate recycled packaging that is free from phosphates, artificial fragrances, colors and chlorinated components, making it truly bio-degradable. You can also look out for greener ways to do things, both at your workplace and home, and provide yourself with more eco-friendly surroundings.

Many individuals are also seeking ways to create a greener working environment. They are trying to make use of recyclable materials in their offices and workplaces. Reusing paper or buying recycled paper products can have a hugely positive impact upon the environment.

*It is estimated that if every household in the United States bought just 25 lbs or 2500 sheets of recycled copy paper every year, instead of new fibre-based paper, it would save approximately 33,500,000 trees, enough energy to fuel around 250,000 homes, reduce CO2 emissions equivalent to taking over 267,000 cars off the road and save around 18,486 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of water.

Other ways you can help to create a “greener” earth are eating healthy, local food, using herbal or natural products daily and using fewer electronic gadgets in your hectic, everyday life.

*Source http://www.secret-life.org/paper/paper_environment.php