Manage Your Waste

Option	Example
Avoid creating waste	Ask suppliers not to package the goods they provide, where appropriate. Also buy used stuff when you can.
Re-use waste	If goods have to be packaged, ask the supplier to take back the packaging
Recycle waste	Use packaging and other waste for making new products/materials.
Recover energy from waste	Burn waste in a legal incinerator to generate energy, this is expensive and not always efficient or safe.
Dispose of waste safely	Bury waste in a pit or in a landfill

The environmental impacts of cigarette butts

The environmental impacts of cigarette butts are nothing to sneeze at. The toxic butts can be ingested by children and animals, especially birds and marine animals. Tossed cigarette butts are also a major fire risk. (Credit: Len Matthews via Flickr)

By David Suzuki with contributions from Ian Hanington, Communications Manager

Not long ago, dining out, going for a drink, working in an office, riding an airplane or intercity bus and going to a movie meant being subjected to second-hand smoke. Cigarette smoking was a fact of life, and smokers were everywhere — indoors and out.

In many countries, including Canada, that's changed. But it wasn't without a fight. Restaurant and bar owners fretted loudly that regulations to limit smoking would destroy their businesses, and tobacco companies lobbied and launched massive PR campaigns to convince people that smoking wasn't harmful, that new laws were an infringement on smokers' rights and that reducing smoking would devastate the economy.

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Through a combination of public education and government regulation, including taxation, profound societal change took place over a relatively short time. In 1965, half of Canadians smoked. By 2011, that had dropped to about 17.3 per cent, or 4.9-million people, with only about 13.8 per cent daily smokers. Unfortunately the downward trend has levelled off in recent years, and tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death in Canada, according to researchers at the University of Waterloo. "More than 37,000 Canadians will die prematurely this year due to tobacco use. Each day, 100 Canadians die of a smoking-related illness," the 2013 report, 'Tobacco Use in Canada: Patterns and Trends', says.

With increasing regulation, high cigarette prices driven by "sin taxes" and the current stigma attached to smoking, it's bewildering that people take up the pointless habit in the first place. Smoking prevalence is still highest among young adults, especially those aged 25 to 34, although education is a factor, with smoking rates for university graduates less than half those for people with less education.

I sometimes wonder if it's lack of education that causes many smokers to litter their butts without giving it a second thought. It's astounding how many people who would likely not otherwise drop garbage on the ground see nothing wrong with flicking butts without regard for where they land. It may seem trivial, but it's not.

According to the Surfrider Foundation's Hold on to Your Butt campaign, cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world, with 4.95-trillion tossed onto the ground or water every year. The U.S. spends about $11-billion a year on litter clean-up, and 32 per cent of that is butts. They're washed from the streets into storm drains and rivers and eventually to oceans and are the most prevalent type of debris collected in beach clean-ups around the world.

The environmental impacts are nothing to sneeze at, either. Surfrider notes that cigarette butts are made of "cellulose acetate, a non-biodegradable plastic, which can take up to 25 years to decompose." The toxic butts can be ingested by children and animals, especially birds and marine animals. Tossed cigarette butts are also a major fire risk.

Obviously, the best way to reduce cigarette butt pollution is to step up efforts to prevent people from starting smoking and help those who have to quit. But we aren't going to stop everyone from smoking overnight, so we have to find ways to address the litter problem. Again, a combination of public education and regulation will go a long way.

In San Diego, Surfrider installed outdoor ashcans and gave smokers pocket ashtrays. Many places, including Vancouver, have banned smoking on beaches and in parks. Stepping up enforcement of litter laws also helps. Some people even recommend banning filtered cigarettes or at least requiring filters to be biodegradable, arguing they're more of a marketing ploy than a safety feature. In Vancouver and other cities, some people have been pushing for a deposit-and-return system similar to those for bottles and cans.

Besides reducing litter and environmental damage, methods that also increase the price of cigarettes have proven to be effective in reducing smoking rates.

Some consider tobacco a sacred herb. It's used by many indigenous peoples for ceremonial purposes. With widespread use spurred by marketing, it became a costly and unhealthy addiction and a toxic blight on the environment. Smoking trends in countries like Canada show that societal change is possible and — with education and regulation — people will do what's best for themselves and for the world around them.

First aid for snake bite

Source:http://www.indiansnakes.org/snake%20bites/snake%20bites%20first%20aid%20treatments.html

First Aid
It is important to remember that snakes do not bite out of whim. They are usually forced to bite. The good news is that venom has evolved as a mechanism to subdue prey and Snakes need to conserve their venom for that purpose. Most snake-bites occur when the snake is accidentally provoked. In some cases (getting more frequent these days), the victim has simply asked for it. If you find yourself in a snake‐bite situation, simple protocol and presence of mind could end up saving the victim’s limb or even life.

First Things NOT to Do:
•Never try to suck out the venom.
•Never make an incision.
•Never go to traditional healers or try home remedies.
•Tie tourniquets or use ice.
•Never clean out or tamper with the site of the bite.
•Never try and catch the snake or kill it.

All the above actions do not work and often cause more damage than good.

Here are things you SHOULD do:

• Make sure the victim and others are a safe distance away from the snake and Try to memorize its appearance .
• STAY CALM and in control.
• Take charge of the situation and reassure the victim.
•Remove Watches, rings, bangles and anything else that will become constrictive if the limb was to swell up.
•Try to immobilize the victim. Never let him/her run and only allow to walk if unavoidable.
•In case of neurological bites (All elapid's and hydrophilic: Cobras, King Cobras, Kraits, Coral snakes and Sea Snakes), pressure immobilization (Sutherland method - with Long crepe or other stretchy bandage (5 - 10 cm wide, several rolls) and splint to be applied immediately to the bitten limb, starting at the digits and working up to the groin or arm pit.

Do NOT waste time with trying to get any elaborate first aid.
•Get to hospital as soon as is safely possible.
•Note the time of the bite and the progression of any visible symptoms.
•Give the doctor a brief and detailed description of the bite and symptoms.
Anti snake venom serum is the only proven cure for venomous snakebites.

(A) Apply a broad pressure bandage from below upwards and over the bite site as soon as possible. Do not remove trousers, as this will help the venom to enter into the bloodstream. Keep the bitten limb still. (You can splint the limb)

(B) The bandage should be as tight as you would apply to a sprained ankle. The patient should avoid any unnecessary movements.

(C) Extend the bandages as high as possible (ideally up to the groin or in the case of arm, up to the armpit).

(D) Apply a splint to leg, immobilizing joints on either side of the bite.

(E) Bind it firmly to as much of the leg as possible. Walking should be restricted.

(F) Bites on the hand and forearm : bind to the axilla, use a splint to the elbow and use a sling.

Pressure immobilization (Sutherland method) - courtesy David A. Warrell

Snakebite Prevention
• As always, prevention is better than cure.
• Take care when clearing vegetation, raking dry leaves in your garden.
• Supervise kids in the outdoors, especially in a green neighborhood.
• Use torch/flashlight at night and keep wearing those shoes.
• Check shoes before wearing them.
• Watch your step and see before you sit!
• Keep your backyard free of junk and make sure your solid waste is managed properly. 
• If you see a snake, do nothing. Let it go. 
• Do not try to pick it up or kill it. 
• If a snake has entered your premises, call professional snake rescuers.

Power in Hands

Rack it

guide to buying the perfect car bike rack

Pam Warhurst: How we can eat our landscapes

IS ECONOMIC GROWTH GOOD FOR US?

July 9, 2012 · by Natalie Mayer · in Book review, Economics for sustainable development. ·

In the world today, we are brought up on the idea that “growth is good”. We rejoice when we hear that the economy has grown, because it means we’re getting richer as a country and hopefully as individuals. But is this really the case?

The problem with the business-as-usual approach

This business-as-usual approach is based on a belief that economic growth must continue indefinitely in order to support a growing population and push people out of poverty. This seems logical at first glance. However, there is one crucial thing that supporters of the business-as-usual approach are ignoring: the natural environment on which the economy (and society) relies for survival.

Natural resources are being treated as if their supply is endless, and the environment is expected to cope with increasingly large amounts of pollution. But the truth is that many natural resources are limited in supply, such as crude oil and coal. Those that are renewable, such as forests or fish stocks, can only renew themselves at a particular pace. In addition, land, air and water resources can only absorb certain types of pollution, at a particular rate.

Globally, as well as in South Africa, we’re already suffering from resource overshoot. In their Living Planet Report 2010, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) found that we are using the earth’s resources at a rate 50% faster than the earth can produce them, and releasing more carbon dioxide than ecosystems can absorb.

Thus, an economy based on finite resources, and which exceeds the capacity of the environment to renew and restore itself, cannot keep growing indefinitely.

Economic growth: What is it really measuring?

The other concern is that economic growth doesn’t necessarily translate into greater prosperity for a country’s citizens. Firstly, the economic growth figure itself is only a neutral measure of spending. Besides housing and food purchases, for example, it also includes money paid for “negative” services such as cancer treatments or the cleaning up of oil spills. A rising economic growth figure could in fact mean that human health in the country is deteriorating, or pollution is increasing. So, economic growth alone cannot be a measure of increasing prosperity or quality of life.

In addition, economic growth doesn’t necessarily mean that the increased wealth is shared fairly across the population. In fact, the UNDP’s Human Development Report in 2011 noted that income inequality is deteriorating at a country level across much of the world. So the supposed “trickle down” effect of economic growth to the poor is not taking place as predicted.

If not business-as-usual, then what?

Tim Jackson’s book, Prosperity Without Growth: Economics for a Finite Planet is a reality check for business-as-usual supporters. No fringe scientist or tie-dyed hippie, Jackson is Economics Commissioner on the Sustainable Development Commission, an independent advisory body to the UK government. He presents a well-argued, lucid case for a sustainable economy, and explains what that would look like and how we could get there. He also skilfully ties this in with the current economic crisis and the problem of debt.

Jackson begins by examining the goal behind the goal, which is not economic growth itself but the prosperity it is supposed to bring. This is something we frequently forget as we conduct business and put all our focus on the bottom line. He looks at the link between wealth and happiness (which is a lot weaker than you might have expected) and why rising incomes are accompanied by an increasing frequency of depression. The factors affecting our perception of the quality of our lives are varied, and surprisingly our financial situation has only a little direct influence when compared to partner and family relationships, for example.

Jackson notes that while growth is unsustainable, de-growth is no more sustainable as it leads to a spiral of recession. A steady state economy needs to be achieved, but how? The author explores the solution of decoupling, which in essence is the decreasing of reliance on natural resources – a strategy of efficiency. While necessary, decoupling may only ever reduce the rate of growth, not eliminate it. Searching for other solutions, Jackson investigates the impact of consumerism, Keynesian economics and the Green New Deal, and ecological macro-economics. Finally he offers a plan to allow society to flourish within ecological limits, and suggests strategies for governance to bring this about. He concludes with chapters on the transition to a sustainable economy, and a vision of lasting prosperity for the world.

Jackson writes clearly and accessibly, without “dumbing down” the content. It is a great and pertinent read in these times, and well worth the space on your Kindle.

Beekeeping :In your backyard?

This full moon is the closest and largest full moon of the year 2013.

Full moon falls on June 23, 2013 at 11:32 UTC (6:32 a.m. CDT in the U.S.). Thus, for many, the moon appears about as full in the June 22 evening sky as it does on the evening of June 23. This full moon is not only the closest and largest full moon of the year. It also presents the moon’s closest encounter with Earth for all of 2013. The moon will not be so close again until August, 2014. In other words, it’s not just a super moon. It’s the closest super moon of 2013.

The word “super moon” was first used 30 years ago by astrologer Richard Nolle, but has only come into popular usage since 2011

Astronomers call this sort of close full moon a perigee full moon. The word perigeedescribes the moon’s closest point to Earth for a given month.

Perigee moons are about 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than moons on the far end of the body's orbit from Earth, according to NASA. And the full moon will enhance our perception of its size.

The moon is the easiest celestial object to find in the night sky — when it's there. Moon phases and the moon's orbit are a mystery to many. Because it takes 27.3 days both to rotate on its axis and to orbit Earth, the Moon always shows us the same face. We see the Moon because of reflected sunlight. How much of it we see depends on its position in relation to Earth and the Sun.

Though a satellite of Earth, the Moon is bigger than Pluto. Some scientists think of it as a planet (four other moons in our solar system are even bigger), though that viewpoint has never caught on officially. There are various theories about how the Moon was created, but recent evidence indicates it formed when a huge collision tore a chunk of the Earth away.

Orbital characteristics of Earth's moon

• Average Distance from Earth: 238,855 miles (384,400 km)
• Perigee (closest approach to Earth): 225,700 miles (363,300 km)
• Apogee (farthest distance from Earth): 252,000 miles (405,500 km)

Interesting Fact:

The moon's gravitational pull might have been key to making Earth a livable planet by moderating the degree of wobble in Earth's axial tilt, which led to a relatively stable climate over billions of years where life could flourish.

Observe holes like structures on the Moon through telescope?

We call those holes "craters.They are the places where many years ago meteors hit the surface of the moon and put dents into it. There are thousands of big craters, but even more little ones. There are probably millions of little craters on the moon! Craters on the Moon range in size from as small as one inch to over 100 miles across.

The Moon is very hot during the day but very cold at night. The average surface temperature of the Moon is 107 degrees Celsius during the day and -153 degrees Celsius at night.

Why are some parts of the moon darker than others?

The reason that some parts of the moon are darker is as follows: The dark parts of the moon are called "Maria". These parts of the moon during the heavy bombardment period (in the early solar system when meteors were MUCH more common) were hit by large enough meteors to penetrate the crust and were close enough to the mantle for molten metal to flow through the crater. The crater would fill with this molten metal which is rich with iron, giving off a darker look.

How did the moon get its name?

Old English word for the moon was mona. In Latin it was mensis. In Greek it was mene (mee-nee). The words moon and month come from the same roots. That is probably because a month was originally measured by the phases of the moon.

Year	Date	Distance
2011	March 19	356,575 km
2012	May 6	356,955 km
2013	June 23	356,991 km
2014	August 10	356,896 km
2015	September 28	356,877 km
2016	November 14	356,509 km

How often is moon both full and closest to Earth? Closest full moons recur in cycles of 14 lunar (synodic) months, because 14 lunar months almost exactly equal 15 returns to perigee (moon’s closest point to Earth). A lunar month refers to the time period between successive full moons, a mean period of 29.53059 days. An anomalistic month refers to successive returns to perigee, a period of 27.55455 days. Hence:

14 x 29.53059 days = 413.428 days
15 x 27.55455 days = 413.318 days

This time period is equal to about 1 year, 1 month, and 18 days. The full moon and perigee will realign again on August 10, 2014, because the 14th full moon after the 2013 June 23 full moon will fall on that date.

Looking further into the future, the perigee full moon will come closer than 356,500 kilometers for the first time in the 21st century on November 25, 2034 (356,446 km). The closest full moon of the 21st century will fall on December 6, 2052 (356,425 km).

For the moon to come closer than 356,400 kilometers (221,457 miles) is quite a feat. In fact, this won’t happen at all in the 21st century (2001-2100) or the 22nd century (2101-2200). The last time the full moon perigee swung this close to Earth was on January 14, 1930 (356,397 km), and the next time won’t be till January 1, 2257 (356,371 km).

From tree to Paper:curious