How Do We Stop Consumerism

This world is sinking in stuff. The stuff we pack into our wardrobe, store in our garage and acquire in shopping malls, and boutiques. Stuff that gets thrown out and washes up on shore, and stuff that causes billions of tons of carbon dioxide to split into the atmosphere every year. But all this stuff isn’t really necessary to live, indeed often we are not so happy because of it. So why do we buy all of this? But more importantly, how do we stop this uncontrol consumerism fueled by capitalist growth? Today, we try to answer those questions by shaping out a possible route through which we can end consumerism and craft a more ethical way of living well on this planet. When a brand launches a nice pair of jeans, buying for status, acceptance, desire, or because of an advertisement are all implanted in our conception of success and mental well-being. Under capitalism, we buy the right things as a way for us to follow acceptance from and connect with our peers. The blast of ads we encounter every day drives us to purchase those new items is not an inherently biological trait. Our hunt for harsher overconsumption is a symptom of capitalism. An economic system was dependent on constant growth to create profits. For a business to succeed, outcompete others, and ultimately rake in more profits, it must grow. One of the masterminds of this profit imperative is advertising. A way to make new products seem fresh, exciting, and even essential for your lifestyle. That new iPhone, headphones, and basically all of the fast fashion are the perfect example of this phenomenon. This advertising is not telling you what the company’s products are, but instead, what you could be with their company’s product. In short, capitalism needs to make more and more s remain effective. But more consumption and more income do not associate with more happiness. Studies reveal that after our basic materialistic needs are met, any additional consumption does little to improve happiness. In addition to its impact on individuals’ self-conception & mental health, capitalist overproduction, and subsequent overconsumption especially massive waste, emissions, and pollution. A country’s rise in emissions correlates strongly with its growth in GDP. Same with energy consumption and production. The capitalist growth model is unsuitable for a zero-carbon world. A fact that has been on display in the failures of decoupling strategies that try to use renewables aids over a gaping wound. And we can see it in the fact that even though renewable capacity is at an all-time high, so too is fossil fuel capacity. We’re emitting more than we ever have. Decoupling strategies just don’t adequately address the overwhelming scientific evidence that recognizes we need drastically reduce emissions quickly if we are to stay below 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming.

So, what other choices do we have if the capitalist growth/profit economy can’t exist alongside a zero-carbon, environmentally ethical one? The degrowth Solution Under the pressures of capitalism and consumerism, certain people are grasping for some form of release valve. Whether it be minimalism, slow living or zero waste living those with the privilege to do so are working to carve out some respite from the unhappiness of capitalist alienation. All of these lifestyle choices correctly recognize the detrimental effect of capitalist consumption on life and the environment, but they lack a structural approach that recognizes the importance of both the individual and the system. This is where degrowth comes in. Essentially, degrowth calls for a realignment of the economy from one based on overconsumption and “obsessive accumulation” to one that produces goods to satisfy real needs like housing, education, health, transport, and arts. At its core, degrowth seeks the dramatic contraction of rich countries to increase well-being for poorer countries. It now takes the Earth one year and some months to regenerate what we consume in a year, and by we, it means the richest 10% of the world, who are responsible for 50% of carbon emissions. So, degrowth completely reimagines living well in countries like the US or Germany. It means buying less, reducing meat consumption, repairing and no second homes on an individual level, but ultimately degrowth cannot function as just individual lifestyle choices. Systemic pathways, like subsidizing all housing retrofits, shutting down the 100 companies that are responsible for 71% of the emissions of the world, redistributing all food waste, dramatically expanding public transportation methods, localizing food production as much as possible, eliminating unnecessary marketing, and a robust emphasis on low carbon, care-oriented jobs like educators, therapists, and in-home care providers, are just some of the many ways to simultaneously improve the well-being of all while drastically reducing the Global consumption levels. You don’t have to live in cave degrowth doesn’t mean going back to the stone age, but it does mean a drastic reduction in energy and material consumption from the largest historical emitters like the United States. The simple truth is that to both avoid global warming above 1.5 degrees Celsius while simultaneously establishing a decent living for the majority world, consumption levels of the world need to decline. One study modeled those countries with the highest per-capita consumers could cut their energy consumption rate by 95% and still live well with a combination of efficient technologies and alternative lifestyle choices. In addition, they found that a global reduction of energy consumption by 60% is not only feasible but also could be done in a way that brings a comfortable lifestyle to every single person on this planet. And if you’re thinking that a 60% reduction or even a 95% reduction would mean living in caves, you’d be wrong. The new reality would look like life for all people and experience well-being instead of relying on extra stuff to manage our emotional health. It would be an economy based on mutual repair and care.But this economic matter cannot happen under a state capitalist economic model. Indeed, degrowth to be handed down in policy from the ruling class it would look the same as severity measures or even the conditions we’re now living through now in the pandemic. Because, under capitalism, no growth means recessions, the consequences of which inevitably fall on the working class and the marginalized. This is why degrowth is just one piece of the puzzle. Towards ecosocialist degrowth: While degrowth does a sufficient job recognizing the inherent destruction of our current capitalist growth/profit system, it needs to be in conversation with ecosocialism. Ecosocialism cannot work without degrowth, and vise versa. A synthesis of the two creates a constant path away from capitalism. The appropriate means of production by laborers and the masses, and the subsequent full democratic control of the workplace and the state is essential to implement any measure of degrowth. Reducing consumption must bubble up democratically from the many, otherwise, it can quickly fall into harsh measures of economic oppression. This is why ecosocialism is essential, it allows for the reconstruction of the economy not based on profit and ultimately endless growth, but one based on needs—ultimately handing the working-class agency and liberation. Why does work need to defines our life? Why is it so much easier to buy than to repair? Faced with the realization that capitalist decoupling is not working as we continue to increase global consumption, an ecosocialist degrowth intervention must happen. After all, what could be more alluring than life with more time to be with the people you love and do the things you want to do.

Non-Toxic Paints: Healthier for You and Environment

Non-Toxic Paints: Healthier for You and Environment

Why should non-toxic paint matter? why should it matter to us the reason is that it matters to us because we don’t want to introduce anything into our home that is unhealthy whether it be food, skincare products, any building materials, or the paint that comes off and you inhale, smell and surrounded by.

There are several ways in which you can make your painting project into a sustainable painting project. From purchasing low VOCs paint to careful cleanup, eco-friendly paints are simple. 

Buying low and no VOCs paints before we go any further what is volatile: a material that changes from solid or liquid into gas the more volatile a compound the easier it will sublimate or evaporate into a vapor. Organic relating to or derived from living matter although VOCs are organic that can also be human-made as well as naturally occurring compound made up or consisting of two or more existing parts or elements. Volatile organic compounds can be found in many things including fossil fuels exhaust fumes adhesives paint. As the paint dries the moisture evaporates thus releasing VOCs into the air and not only, they are bad for the environment but they are also harmful to animals including us humans while a small acute dose of VOCs has little impact. The biggest concern is long-term repeated exposure which leads to a variety of health problems. Low VOCs paints may cost a few more money per gallon and these low VOCs paints are as good quality as other paint. 

Purchase paint applicators made from renewable and recycled materials. There are many green painting applicators in the market available now but a little bit costly.

Carefully measure to determine how much paint you need for your project. Carefully measuring will prevent leftover paint and will help to prevent wastage. 

Choose latex or acrylic paints. According to new research acrylic and latex paints are the best for the environment. Oil paints contain the highest level of fumes and chemicals. 

Scrape excess paint from cans, brushes and rollers. A wall scraper or stick works well. Scraping before washing will make the applicators easier to clean and work. Wash your paint applicators indoors and not in a drain on the street or outside in your yard. The paint could harm your soil so first scrape your brush in the open place then wash it.

Do not pour paint thinner down the drain because these thinner and oil-based paints contain toxic chemicals. Add litter or shredded newspapers or some rough paper right into the paint can. This will absorb the liquid. You can then discard the paint can in regular waste. If your place has a hazardous waste drop-off center, then take the thinner or thinner to this center.

Dispose of paint properly by converting extra acrylic paint to a solid by removing the lid. This will allow the solvents and water to evaporate. Then discard in the regular trash bin. If a recycling center exists in your place, then recycle the empty paint can there.

Tightly sealed paint cans and should be stored upside down. This will help elongate the life of the paint extra.

Donate unused paint consider donating your extra paint to a local shelter house.

Environmental Impact of Coffee Production

The liquid that fuels millions around the globe. Coffee providing caffeine and warmth to early-morning risers and late-night workers alike. There’s little doubt that coffee is an essential commodity, but all this consumption means it also holds with its environmental consequences. So today, we are going to investigate the true cost of coffee by asking two questions: What’s the impact of growing coffee on the environment? And why do we grow it this way we do? Five hundred billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide every year. And in the United States, where the coffee flows like water, drinkers consume roughly 400 million cups a day.

The demand for coffee is undeniable. It’s the second most traded product next to crude oil. But there’s something hidden in these large numbers: an absolute split between the geography of coffee consumers and coffee producers. The countries that import the most coffee, like Germany, United States and France, are primarily situated in Europe and North America, while the biggest producers are situated in the Global South, with countries like Vietnam, Brazil and Colombia exporting the bulk of the world’s coffee. Essentially coffee plantations have spread out across the majority world to stuff the coffee addiction of the Global. So, when considering the environmental impact caused by coffee, it’s not just the visible waste of unnecessary cups that we need to address, it's also the impact that covers how coffee is grown. So, in a very simple way, there are two ways of cultivating coffee: sun-grown and shade-grown. Sun-grown coffee is just a simple way to describe the relatively new industrial coffee farming systems. These production methods were getting started in the 1970s and 80s which hunted to industrialize supply chains to increase yields and turn down prices. But as many of the coffee-growing countries like Brazil and Colombia change over to this new industrial way of farming, which depends on chemical resistant and sun-tolerant coffee strains like Robusta coffee, they began to experience the ecological concerns of this globalized system. Sun grown coffee depends on large feeds of closely planted crops of coffee that are grown without the protection of shade trees, drench in chemical herbicides and pesticides, and then harvested in one fell dive using expensive technology, which is not unlike the monocropping approach applied to corn and soybeans in the US. As a result of technification, smallholder farmers in some cases are forced out of coffee production altogether, because they are unable to keep up with the crushing combination of high input costs of big machinery and the low prices caused by competition with larger mono-crop farms across the world. This industrialized coffee system can lead to numerous environmental problems like mountainside erosion, soil degradation, chemical pollution in waterways, as well as deforestation. Sun-grown coffee is one of the most sprinkle crops in the world. This not only causes ecological damage in the form of runoff and species loss, but it also harms the health of workers at farms where the chemicals are computed over safety equipment. Essentially, sun-grown coffee farmers are stuck in an order that demands high yields and low prices at the expense of the community and the environment around them. But there is another method of growing coffee. In fact, it is how coffee has always been grown up until recently. Under the protective shade of other trees. Shade-grown cultivation is the traditional system of growing coffee. This system prioritizes a biodiverse landscape to build a healthier habitat for coffee plants. Indeed, coffee plants prefer shade when they grow in the natural environment. This type of growing system allows for a much more diverse, and ultimately stable, method of growing coffee. By allowing the coffee plant to bloom in its ideal habitat, it requires fewer chemicals and the trees that are intercropped with coffee not only provide shade but have the potential to carbon sequestration from the atmosphere. If more farmers adopt tree intercropping systems like those used on coffee plantations, they could potentially sequester 17.2 gigatons of carbon dioxide over the next 30 years. This carbon sequestration happens because intercropped trees on a coffee farm in many ways look like forests. As a result, this means they have the added benefit of attracting countless pest-loving birds that act as a natural insecticide for the coffee. And unlike sun-grow monocultures, clearing forest land for shade-grown coffee production is unnecessary. Alongside all of these environmental benefits, intercropping with nut or fruit trees means a more diverse and ultimately a more stable livelihood. This means that if a coffee crop fails one year, it won’t necessarily spell collapse. So, yes while overall yields might be a bit lower than an industrial system, shade-grown coffee means more economic security, less mechanization, and a healthier ecosystem. On the top of the list, the coffee just generally tastes much better. Ultimately, the industrialized system, while good for higher yield has pushed coffee-growing into an environmentally destructive activity. Shade-grown coffee clearly demonstrates that coffee doesn’t have to damage the soil or its environment, in fact, traditional coffee growing has been around for hundreds of years. The important thing here is to observe where and how this transition to an environmentally destructive practice is happening. So, let’s be simple and clear, this didn’t just happen naturally. When we looked toward the environmental impacts of coffee then, the answer is not as simple as just buying single-origin, shade-grown varieties. This is an important part of the solution, but we must simultaneously understand that for more ecologically sound systems to prosper, they need a global economy that actively seeks to support and fund them. One that prioritizes environmental health, communal well-being, and quality goods and stands in simple contrast to the current global capitalist system which seeks high production, low prices, and growth regardless of social and environmental cost.

Sustainable Building Material

When you think about sustainable construction you probably think about things like green roofs or just greenery and natural kind of area and things like solar panels or some kind of renewable energy source connected to the building and then also having a garden or something like that. But what makes a housing development sustainable; sustainable housing is really energy-efficient and it utilizes things like a smaller area and also good insulation and of course, you have really good materials sourcing really utilizing things that are reusable or reused also sustainable development has minimal impact on the natural environment. 

As the awareness is creeping about how we damage the earth by irresponsible and unsustainable practices, building designs are also changing. The impact has come about from considerable environmental damage and the depletion of natural resources.

The building construction cannot take place in isolation and a large number of factors have to be taken into account.  This makes use of natural elements, finding eco-friendly alternatives and using them wisely. This also means efficiency in construction.

Careful planning and team works are required since the outcomes of decision implement design should succeed in the right manner. Hence the right planning is crucial also takes into the scope maintenance and future renovations.      

During the construction process, on-site pollution and effluents have to be kept in check. Materials like cold-formed steel are environmentally friendly. Apart from being lightweight, the steel is longer lasting and fire-resistant. Moreover, cold formes steel is a recyclable material.

Saving energy means less use of fossil fuel and electricity consumption. The situation should deliver maximum daylight to save on generated energy. The implementation of solar energy generation technology results in sustainable building construction.

For foundations, concrete has become a preferred material. The volatile organic compound emission is low, besides the material management is less wasteful. A solid insulated foundation is provided by concrete mixture to the sustainable building. Concrete blocks can be prefabricated in the industry. These are then transported to the site of construction and installed there.      

Steel framing is becoming much-used framing material due to its many benefits. Cole-formed steel tops the list as it is more advantageous and eco-friendlier. This type of material offers faster installation in the case of floor walls and ceilings.

In a colder environment, creating effective heat barriers results in saving on energy this means that a well-insulated home will consume less energy.  

The right approach to sustainable building construction has become the need of the day. With the threat of global warming, increasing daily, it has become imperative to prevent greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide to reach the atmosphere. There will be an increasing focus on sustainable construction in the coming years and for a good reason as future managers, we must understand the concept of sustainable construction and learn how to apply it to construction for sustainability now and in the future.

How Climate Change Affects Community Health

Global scientific consensus tells us the world’s climate is changing day by day. These changes are creating some new health risks in communities across the World. Extreme weather changes, unhealthy air quality, and disease outbreaks are becoming more severe and more frequent, affecting more people in World. Changes to our climate mean our communities need to prepare for the health risks of extreme weather. Extreme heat can lead to Heatstroke, Heat exhaustion, Heat cramp, Dehydration, and Death. Anyone can be at risk. But some are more vulnerable, including, people with heart or lung conditions, pregnant women, older adults, children, athletes, and Outdoor workers. So how do we prepare for extreme weather changes? Communities can: establish cooling centers, plant trees to lower urban temperatures and educate residents to protect themselves and their loved ones such as drinking plenty of water and checking on older people and neighbors. A changing climate also means more frequent and more severe flooding and storms. That puts people at immediate risk of being injured or killed by debris, or floodwaters. After a severe flooding or storms event, possible health risks are contaminated food or drinking water by Bacteria, viruses, and toxic chemicals in floodwaters, fungus, and Difficulty accessing health care services, like emergency help, prescribed medications, and supplemental oxygen in these events, older people, people with disabilities, and lower-income households are more at risk. They may all have a harder time running away from a storm and may face more health problems if they can’t evacuate. To prepare, communities can: find out which neighborhoods, people, and resources are most at risk; upgrade infrastructures such as sanitary sewer systems and roads; and educate residents on how to stay safe during and after an extreme weather event such as avoiding driving in flooded areas. As average temperatures rise worldwide, air quality can also change. That looks like longer and stronger pollen seasons, which can trigger allergies and asthma attacks; Changing weather patterns and hotter temperatures, which can make air pollution worse by increasing the density of dangerous tiny particles; and more frequent droughts that can lead to wildfires, which release dangerous pollutants into the air. Children, people with asthma and respiratory conditions, young children, older adults, and people with compromised immune systems are more at risk of being infected. Work that can help communities includes collaborating with community partners to set up health-focused air quality alert systems and educating residents on how to check alerts to know when it’s safe to do exercise outside. Changes to our climate can also mean more risk of diseases spread by pests like mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, and rodents. With higher average temperatures, diseases transmitted by pests can multiply faster, spread to more places, and infect people over longer periods of time each year. Lyme disease, Zika, West Nile virus, Coronavirus and hantavirus are examples of the resulting health risks. People who spend most of their time outdoors in areas where pest-borne diseases are common are most at risk. Communities can prepare by creating systems to track and assess people's health effects and working with local partners on outreach strategies to help residents protect themselves, such as staying out of certain areas, using PPE, and using insect repellant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is empowering health departments to prevent and adapt to the local health risks of a changing climate through the Climate-Ready States and Cities Initiative. CDCs Building Resilience Against Climate Effects framework helps health departments plan a coordinated community response. Using Building Resilience Against Climate Effects, communities are:

Identifying the range of climate impacts and the people, resources, and location most at risk

Quantifying the health problems that are associated with a changing climate

Assessing science-based interventions to address those health problems

Developing and overseeing community adaptation plans, and evaluating the process to learn more about what works.

Conclusion

An effective response to climate change is essential to prevent illness, improve public health preparedness, and mitigate risk. Today climate change has a clear impact on our health. The government has recognized this and supports the health system to take immediate action to combat the effect of climate change to optimize economic, health and environmental outcomes.

What's Your Carbon Footprint? Simplest Ways to Reduce Your Footprint

What's Your Carbon Footprint? Simplest Ways to Reduce Your Footprint

The term carbon footprint is a commonly recognized phrase today in the field of climate change. This word originates from an ecological footprint.  Determining our “carbon footprint” means measuring the number of greenhouse gases that we are adding to the atmosphere. The term was coined from carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas contributor to climate change. In simple words, we describe carbon footprint as “measuring the number of greenhouse gases that we are adding into the environment”. According to the UK Carbon Trust, a carbon footprint is "the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, product or event".   Whenever we use the energy created from fossil fuels such as oil or coal, we are generating carbon emissions, which increase the level of greenhouse gases entering the environment. Our carbon footprint is created by day-to-day personal and cooperate activities such as flying, driving, cooling, and heating our business or home and using electrical appliances. Even the products we purchase can contribute to our carbon footprint because of the energy that was required to create and transport them. There are many products available to help you reduce your carbon footprint, and in many cases reduce costs, such as recycled products, efficient light bulbs, solar energy, wind energy, tree plantation and more. When we offset our personal carbon emissions, we are doing our much-needed part in helping to put an end to climate change and global warming. We can offset our personal carbon emissions by investing in green projects that create efficient energy such as wind power, solar power, farm power, plant trees, and more. To take an active role in neutralizing our carbon emissions today use an individual carbon calculator to calculate your carbon footprint.  You might be surprised how much carbon we create each day, and hopefully learn a little about where we can make some positive good changes. We are all concerned about the water we drink, the air we breathe and the environmental legacy we leave behind for our future generation. 

As we all become more aware of how our behavior affects the environment around us, it is our duty to proactively engage in ways to reduce our individual, business and institutional carbon footprints for our future generations.  So what we can do, buying carbon credits, which result in the funding of green projects, making fewer trips to the grocery store, use the homemade dishwasher, more tree plantation, teaching our children about environmental responsibility and simply turning off the electrical appliance when we are not in the room (simplest act everyone can do easily), all these make a difference in the world in which we live.

What is the Greenest Form of Travel?

For most people, summer means traveling whether it’s going home to visit family or exploring new places, travel means using some form of fossil fuel-dependent transportation. But the problem experience as browse through the various train, plane and bus tickets have been finding out which is the greenest option. It is important to at least try and figure out some environmental guidelines for deciding which transport option is best for, especially when considering that. In 2014 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change narrated that the transportation sector reports for 23% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. So, a simple question: when traveling, which form of transportation requires the minimum emissions? Unfortunately, the answer to this question is not so smooth. The carbon footprint of planes, cars, and trains depends on several dependent environmental factors like infrastructure, the build of the vehicle (like electric or diesel), distance, and location. So instead of trying to decide on the best form of green transportation, we are going to look at how various factor's effects, including distance and number of passengers in the vehicle, change the emission footprint of various transport modes. So, let’s start with a relatively shorter distance: a quick business trip within the city looked at the various transportation options, and according to their number-crunching, the plane wins the award for shortest distance traveled at, 350 miles or 570 km, with cars and buses taking second place at 472 miles or 759 km, and trains chugging along in the last place with a 544 mile or 875 km transit. So, planes have extremely little distance to travel, but that doesn’t necessarily balance with fewer emissions. Instead, if we look at the number of passengers transported per tour combined with the gasoline fuel equivalent of the mode of transportation, we get some unexpected numbers. The electric car is by far the most efficient fuel-wise, but taking the bus also requires fairly fewer emissions.

It gets quite interesting when we switch our attention to planes, traditional cars, and trains. The total CO2 per passenger for a plane trip at 75.3kg and a train requires 84.3 kg. But these numbers vary a little bit depending on how it is calculated. Part of the reason why a train can be so emissions exhausted is that many trains still run on diesel. In this case, the train that reaches almost all the way from one city to another, which uses a dual-mode engine, that runs primarily on diesel, but switches to electric when it reaches some other stations. So, in short, the best way to travel within the city is by bus if you don’t own an electric vehicle, and the worst is via a flight or train. But what about longer distances? Do things change? Especially when you consider that a lot of a plane’s emissions come from take-off, landing, and taxing it seems like the longer the distance traveled the more efficient the flight becomes. According to a peer audit report by the Union of Concerned Scientists, the emissions associated with a 1,000 mile or 1609 km solo trip reveal some interesting results. Taking the bus is still by far the best option due to its ability to transport a large number of passengers on a comparably small amount of gas. surprisingly, however, flying in an economy seat has approximately the same carbon emissions associated with it when compared to a typical train. As flights get longer, and if the flight is non-stop, the carbon emission becomes smaller per mile, but if you are flying out of a crowded airport with constant delays, that footprint can balloon in size. Essentially, the more time the plane spends in the air going from point one to another, and the less time it spends circling the airport waiting for runway clearance, the more efficient it will be. Ultimately, the “greenest” of travel is massively dependent on context. There is no hard and fast answer to the form of travel that is best for the environment. But, if you are in desperate need of a rule of thumb here’s a conditional green transport lineup for a solo traveler: In general, a bus is better than a train is better a plane which advantages the average car. But that order can vary depending on the distance traveled and the number of passengers within that car. Ideally, an application like google maps could estimate the various emissions associated with your particular route and transportation choices. That way you would be able to quickly understand the environmental consequences of your journey. Right now, however, we have to rely on a carbon footprint calculator, for emission estimation. At the end of the day, we can only do so much to cut down our carbon footprint when traveling. Calculators are great, but innovations for infrastructure and technology are necessary to quickly detach emissions from transportation. Rapid electrification of cars, buses, and trains and the creation of reliable clean grid energy will make the uncertain process of green transportation much more certain. One of the keystones of any clean energy grid is solar power. And to understand how to best harness the yield from the Sun, we need to understand the physics behind this clean and green renewable resource.