2003 California Wildfire Worst in Its History to That Time

In late October 2003 the state of California was slammed with the worst wildfire that it had experienced to that date. Twenty people where killed, and damage to local communities and infrastructure was extensive. The wild fire extended from the Mexican boarder north to the suburbs of Los Angeles. Hundreds of thousands of acres of forest where destroyed. Local vegetation and animal life suffered very large losses and many communities where effected by the disaster. Thousands of different species where... Read more »

Global Warming: 4 Tips To Help Slow it Down

Global Warming is happening, and it’s up to us to stop it. Every time we step into our car to run an errand, or buy take out for supper, we are adding to the affects our world’s over consumption of fossil fuels is having on the environment. Global Warming isn’t just about adding a few degrees to the world’s overall temperature. It’s about melting ice caps that will slowly erode some of the world’s most fertile farmlands, making growing the food the world consumes... Read more »

Air Conditioning And The Environmental Impact

When you think of air conditioning, do you ever wonder who made it, the history behind it, maybe different applications involved or even environmental concerns? Well, if so, then you have come to the right place. We will not only go over each of these but you will find that a Sub-Heading for ease of use marks each section. The Air Conditioner was first introduced in 1820 by Michael Faraday a British Scientist and Inventor. He discovered that by compressing liquefied ammonia you could cause the... Read more »

Top Ways to Recycle

Throughout history, people have been recycling waste materials in some way or another. The main reason that recycled materials were used, rather than new was that second hand material was cheaper to use. Today, we have other reasons for recycling our waste materials, such as preserving our planet, reducing waste materials being buried in the earth in landfill sites, and saving money by using second hand materials, rather than producing new materials. The first real recycling started out in pre-industrial... Read more »

Alternative Fuel Sources - Moving Away From Gas

With soaring gas prices, and concerns about the effects fossil fuel use is having on the environment, researchers are scrambling to find alternative fuel options for America’s dependence on foreign oil. While others are being studied, there are currently several promising fuel options already in limited use across the nation: Biodiesel: One of cleanest, cheapest and easiest fuel options to implement, biodiesel, fuel can be made from vegetable and soy bean oils and animal fats, as well as recycled... Read more »

Is Air Conditioning Doing More Damage Than Good

As the temperature rises during the summer season, many households turn to more than just ice-cold drinks to keep them cool. Air conditioning was once regarded as a residential luxury, but has become something of a necessity throughout the United States. Not only will air conditioning cool a room to a bearable temperature during balmy, humid summer days, but also uses the same techniques as a refrigerator to provide ventilation and dehumidification for indoor air. Brief Air Conditioning History... Read more »

Hybrid Cars - Positive Effect on the Environment

Car manufacturers tout their efficiency. Consumer advocates dispute claims of 60-plus miles per gallon gas efficiency. Amidst the controversy, environmentalists still claim, in the absence of anything better - that hybrid vehicles are still better for the environment than their traditional gas-guzzling counterparts. Hybrids, known for the way they combine both gas and electric power to offer a cleaner ride, have come under fire in recent months for their inability to reach gas mileage milestones... Read more »

Biodegradable Products - Understanding the Truth

Biodegradable products should be good for the environment, but that’s not always the case. What Is Biodegradable? To be classified as “biodegradable”, a product must be able to be broken down naturally into the raw materials of nature and disappear into the environment. Truly biodegradable products will break down into: -Bacteria -Fungi -Simple organisms -Carbon -Hydrogen -Oxygen - Carbon dioxide Co2 and water H2O Just because a product says its biodegradable, doesn’t mean... Read more »

Air Pollution - Your House May Be Harming Your Family

Kitchen cabinets, furniture, perfume, even candles and air fresheners - they can all contribute to the air pollution in our homes. Dr. Bernard Hamel, former Director for the Institute for Environmental Studies at Drexil University, estimates that the levels of potentially deadly toxins in the average American home may be five times greater than the level of toxic pollutants found in the dirtiest city air. Indoor air pollution poses a far greater risk to our health than outdoor pollution. Exposure... Read more »

The UK’s Waste Implementation Programme

At its simplest, waste management is taking care of unwanted byproducts, usually of human activities, and ensuring they do not cause any lingering problems. As in many other spheres of human activity, the devil lies in the details. There are arguments over the cost-effectiveness and actual effectiveness of recycling compared to storage, methods and techniques that work well for rural situations are different from those that work well for urban situations, and what is considered reasonable in the... Read more »