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Category: Green Technology

Apr 22 2018

Earth Day 2018 – End Plastic Pollution!

Posted on April 22, 2018September 27, 2019 by Carol Johnk
Happy Earth Month® 2018!!
Plastic Pollution!
 
 

This is the 48th anniversary of Earth Month® and the theme this year is Plastic Pollution. For the purposes of this blog, I’m only going to focus on marine plastic pollution. Learning about all the plastic pollution in our rivers and oceans is quite depressing and a bit scary. According to The OceanCleanup faq section – “we will never remove every last gram of plastic from the oceans.” However, they do go on to say that it is possible to facilitate a significant decrease – up to 50% – within 5 years (the web page is from 2018).

 
So, while this is perhaps the most depressing blog I have ever written, after I write about the seriousness of marine plastic pollution, I will present ways in which we – as individuals, communities, and corporations – can help reduce plastic pollution in our waterways and on our land.

Stop and think, really think, about all the plastic used during a day. You probably start out using a plastic toothbrush and perhaps a disposable razor. Do you use prepackaged meals (cold cuts, frozen meals, pre-cut vegetables, etc), plastic utensils when packing your lunch? Stop at the local coffee shop on your way to work or class and get a cold drink in a clear plastic cup? With a straw? Stop at the grocery store and pick up a few groceries, batteries, bottled water, and use the plastic shopping bags? Head to a local sports bar and have your drink in a plastic cup? Wash your dishes with dish soap in a plastic bottle? Have a baby or toddler? How many baby bottles, bottle nipples, and pacifiers do you have? You get the idea – I could go on and on.

Do you think about where all the plastics go when you are done with them? Hopefully you recycle as much as you can. If you use prepackaged food in plastic containers do you wash/rinse the dishes before you recycle?  (did you know if you leave food in a recyclable container and put it in a recycle bin it contaminates the entire bin and everything must be dumped in a land fill?  Clean your recyclables first!)

The vast majority of the plastic waste ends up in the world’s waterways and oceans. “It is only comparatively recently that the scale of marine contamination from plastics has been realised. Since plastics are light, strong, durable, and inexpensive, their usage is massive. Coupled with the fact that they can persist for centuries and are buoyant, it is perhaps not surprising that plastics make up between 60 and 80% of all marine debris.” (Marine Pollution and Human Health, pgs 84-85)

Photo: Marine Debris Program, Office of Response & Restoration

There is a sea of plastic garbage located halfway between Hawaii and California. It is called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP). It is the largest of 5 offshore plastic garbage zones in the world’s oceans. It is three times the size of France; two times the size of Texas.  In 2015, Ocean Cleanup launched a fleet of 30 ships & boats to  collect samples of the plastic in the GPGP. They collected 1.2 million plastic samples, which were hand counted, sorted, and classified by type and size. It took over 2 years to complete the classification.

Charles Moore, founder of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, discovered the GPGP in 1997. Two years later he went back with a fine-mesh net and measured the weight of the plastic in comparison the weight of the plankton. He found six times more plastic than plankton. Moore notes that on Kamilo Beach in Hawaii there are more plastic particles than sand particles – until you dig a foot down. On Pagan Island (between Hawaii and the Philippines) they have a “shopping beach. If the islanders need a cigarette lighter, or some flip-flops, or a toy . . . they go down to the shopping beach and pick it out of all the trash that’s washed up there from thousands of miles away.” (Garbage and Recycling, pg. 24).

None of this includes the sheer magnitude of sea creatures and marine birds that are killed and destroyed by the 1,000s because of the pollution. I also have not mentioned that plastic is manufactured from oil, which will eventually run out. . .

Okay, that’s the tip of the garbage-berg, so to speak. Now, what can be done? As I mentioned earlier, we will never be able to remove all the plastic from the oceans. BUT we can all have an impact on preventing the plastic pollution from getting worse. Garbage and Recycling suggests we need to reuse plastic and design plastic which can be reused – very little plastic can be melted down and molded into something else. The vast majority of plastic is contaminated with chemicals, and therefore not reusable.

There are steps that can be taken by you, as the consumer. Garbage and Recycling suggests the easiest way to make a difference is to give up plastic shopping bags and plastic water bottles –  these are the largest contributors to plastic pollution. When shopping for items packaged in plastic, be aware that some items are in packaged in more plastic (or cardboard…) than is necessary. It can make it more obvious on the shelf, but is not good for the environment.

Earth Day 2018 has created resources to help individuals “take a personal journey and get ready for Earth Day 2018.” Most of us have heard the 3 Rs of Recycling: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Earth Day suggests the 5 Rs of Recycling:

  • Reduce: Cut down on amount of plastic used. For example, carry a reusable water bottle.
  • Refuse: Refuse to use the plastic – check for a non-plastic alternative. Do you need a plastic straw? Bamboo and metal straws are available.
  • Reuse: Find products that are designed for multiple uses. Reusable shopping bags, waxed lined bags instead of sandwich bags. Purchase items made from recycled plastic (for instance, I own a door mat made from recycled flip flops)
  • Recycle: Check with your city’s sanitation department to find out what they accept for recycling.
  • Remove: This is easy. Pick up plastic trash when you see it. Participate in community clean-up days.

Garbage and Recycling suggests buying 2nd hand clothing or have a clothing swap with friends and neighbors. We don’t often think about what goes into producing our clothing. It will not only help the environment, it’s also easier on your pocketbook! It is also suggested to make art or other household projects. Try making this bottle cap lamp – find instructions here for 20 ways to reuse plastic bottles!

 

Known as “Mr. Trash Wheel,” this floating device sucks up plastic from polluted harbors. Photo: The Waterfront Partnership

 

Action is also being taken on a larger scale. Technology is helping businesses and communities become more creative with ways to clean waterways. For example, Baltimore is using “Mr. Trash Wheel,” and “Professor Trash Wheel,” which were invented by sailor and engineer John Kellett. A brewery, Saltwater Brewery, in Florida has created six-pack rings which feed marine life. They are made from beer by-products (barley & wheat) and are safe for both humans and fish to ingest. Magellan Manufacturers/We Conner have door mats made from recycled flip flops. Engineer Toby McCartney has been developing discarded plastic into asphalt which is being tested in the United Kingdom.

Photo from Earthship Global : Michael Reynolds official website.

In Garbage and Recycling we learn about an American architect, Michael Reynolds, who considers tires, bottles, and cans to be “natural resources.” He has used garbage and natural resources to design and build sustainable, self-sufficient homes called, “Earthships.” They are sturdy enough to withstand a force 9 earthquake and have been described as “magical,” and “beautiful.”

In 2009, Typhoon Ketsana flooded Taguig City in the Philippines. Water Lilies were partly to blame for the flooding – they multiply quickly and plugged drainage systems.  However, a month before the typhoon hit, the city launched the Water Lily Project. The project trains residents to weave water lilies into bags, slippers, and Christmas decorations, which they can then sell, thus helping the local economy, too.

Jamil Shariff, author of 50 Green Projects for the Evil Genius, suggests paying attention to, and saving packaging which is not recyclable. Save the packaging and note where it was purchased. Then, take the packaging back to the store, ask to speak with the store manager, and explain that you think it is is not recyclable and you do not feel it is your responsibility, or the responsibility of the community, to bear the cost of recycling the packaging.  An alternative method (and perhaps easier!) is to write to the manufacturer of the particular product. This can be especially effective if you state that this is why you won’t purchase the item. Companies need to sell their products and consumers who refuse to buy their products get their attention.

Want to discover how small or large your carbon footprint actually is? Go here for both an individual and small business carbon calculator.

In Living Green : A Practical Guide to Simple Sustainability, author Greg Horn states: “Making small, individual changes can lead to broad, sweeping changes that will allow us to sustain ourselves for generations to come.”

Take that small, first step on your journey to help end plastic pollution and help save our planet!

 

*************

This video is from TheOceanCleanup

Resources:

Hester, R.E., 2011. Marine pollution and human health. Cambridge : Royal Society of Chemistry. Engineering Library GC1085 .M37 2011

Mancini, Candice, Editor. 2011. Garbage and recycling. Farmington Hills, MI : Greenhaven Press. Engineering Library TD792 .G365 2011

Barnett, Sloan. 2008. Green goes with everything : simple steps to a healthier life and a cleaner planet.  New York : Atria Books.  Engineering Library RA770 .B37 2008

Shariff, Jamil. 2009. 50 green projects for the evil genius. New York : McGraw-Hill Engineering Library GE195 .S47 2009

Horn, Greg. 2006. Living green : a practical guide for simple sustainability. Topanga, CA : Freedom Press. Engineering Library RA776.5 .H67 2006

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch : Making Waves: Episode 126.  National Ocean Service.

Great Pacific Garbage Patch. March 29, 2018. NOAA  Marine Debris Program : Office of Response & Restoration.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. 2018. The OceanCleanup.

Johnson, DJ, Feb. 21, 2017. 20 Ways to reuse and Recycle Empty Plastic Bottles. Budget Dumpster  presents the Fill.

Earth Day 2018: End Plastic Pollution Countdown to April 22. The World’s Largest Environmental Movement. Earth Day Network.

 Googly-Eyed Trash Eaters May Clean a Harbor Near You. The People v. Climate Change. National Geographic.

Wanshel, Elyse, May 31, 2016. Edible Rings on Six-Packs Feed Marine Life if They End Up in the Ocean. HuffPost, An Oath brand

United Kingdom testing durable roads made of recycled plastic.  Digital Trends. Designtechnica Corporation. Date Accessed April 17, 2018

We envision a world free of plastic pollution.  Algalita. Date Accessed: April 23, 2018

Other Resources:

From robotic bees to bacteria, the tech that is making for a greener tomorrow.  Digital Trends : Emerging Tech. Date Accessed: April 23, 2018

Interested in learning more about whether recycling is the greener alternative when considering all the manufacturing costs? Check out the article Waste Not in New Scientist.
Waste Not. 7/22/17. New Scientist. v. 235, issue 3135, pgs. 39-43

Plastic Statistics : Plastic Ain’t so Fantastic. Ocean Crusaders. Date Accessed: April 18, 2018

For a list of plastics used in every day items, check this webpage from Robot Bonanaza

 

 

Posted in Blog, Earth Day, Earth Month, Green Technology
Apr 07 2017

You Light Up My Life… For Earth Month!

Posted on April 7, 2017March 8, 2017 by Carol Johnk

 

You know you want to “go green,” but there are SO many ways and so many choices – where do you start?

One good place to start is with your lighting! We all need lights and light bulbs in our homes – so why not start there!

Light bulbs on the market now are more environmentally friendly and can save you money. But, with all the different types of bulbs available, how do you know which bulbs are right for your situation? There are the incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, light-emitting diodes (LED), and compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL)… So, what’s a person to do?

Let me “enlighten” you….

Before you start making decisions on what lighting is right for you, here is a quick lesson in lighting terminology:

  • Wattage: The amount of electricity consumed by a light source
  • Lumens: The amount of light that a light source produces
  • Efficacy: Lumens per watt
  • Footcandles: the amount of light reaching a subject

 

A frosted incandescent light bulb.

You know how when you go to change an incandescent light bulb and it is hot to the touch? In Green Goes with Everything: Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Cleaner Planet author Sloan Barnett explains that happens because an incandescent bulb is “…basically a little electric space heater that just happens to also give off light.” Do you know if you have a 60 watt incandescent bulb, the wattage refers to how much energy the bulb uses (60 watts) – not how much light is given off…

 

A CFL bulb produces a warm, soft, diffused light and can last up to 10,000 hours! They emit as much light as an incandescent bulb, but use one-fourth the energy.

CFL Compact Fluorescent Light

A downside of CFL bulbs is that they take longer to reach full illumination. They are also more expensive than incandescent bulbs. However, they last so much longer they will more than pay for themselves over the long run. Another downside is that CFL bulbs contain a small amount of mercury which can be released if it breaks or is disposed of improperly. Even with the mercury each bulb contains, the EPA says CFL bulbs still help reduce mercury emissions in the United States because of significant energy savings.  They reduce the demand for electricity, which reduces the amount of coal burned by power plants, which reduces emissions of mercury when the coal is burned.

There are specific cleanup instructions if a bulb containing mercury should happen to break. These include airing the room out, specific materials to clean up and dispose of the broken bulb. Visit the EPA website in order to find out the complete instructions for cleaning up a broken CFL bulb. It is important to recycle used CFLs, also. Recycling prevents the release of mercury into the environment. Most of the materials in fluorescent bulbs are recyclable and can be reused. Many states and local jurisdictions have regulations about disposal of CFL bulbs, so be sure to check your local regulations. Visit the EPA recycling webpage for more information.

Think a CFL bulb is too harsh, too white and way too bright? Many new CFL bulbs are designed to mimic the yellowy light of an incandescent bulb. There are now silicone covered CFL bulbs which give off a softer, more pleasant glow.

Philips WhiteVision Halogen Headlight Bulb

 

A Halogen bulb – or a “tungsten-halogen filament incandescent bulb” – contains a small capsule of halogen gas, which provides a bright white light. They produce more light, use less energy and last longer than the standard incandescent bulb. They do cost more, but last from 2-3 years. Halogen bulbs are often used in vehicle headlights.

 

An LED uses semiconductor technology to emit narrow-spectrum diodes when an electrical current passes through it. In 2014, 19% of global electricity and 6% of greenhouse gas emissions were attributable to lighting. In the beginning, only red LEDs were available and used primarily as the indicator lights in electronic appliances and equipment. Green, yellow and blue LEDs are now available – most of the new holiday lights are the primary colored LED lights. White, super-bright, LEDs are now widely used in entertainment, retail, residential, safety and security lighting, and outdoor area lighting, not to mention backlit TVs and video screens.

Want a little guidance when selecting your light bulbs? Energy Star has a guide on their webpage to help you choose just the right bulb. An Energy Star light bulb has:

  • Been independently certified to deliver efficiency & performance
  • Has the same brightness (lumens), 90% less energy (watts)
  • Will last 15 times longer – which equals money savings
  • They help protect the environment & prevent climate change

 

Want to try your hand at making your own LED lightbulb?

 

 

light-bulb-types

 

 

 

Resources:

Horn, Greg. 2006. Living green : a practical guide for simple sustainability. Topanga, CA : Free Press. Engineering Library RA776.5 .H65 2006

Ryan, Eric. 2008.  Squeaky green : the Method guide to detoxing your home. San Francisco : Chronicle Books. Engineering Library RA770.5 .R993 2008

Barnett, Sloan. 2008. Green goes with everything : simple steps to a healthier life and a cleaner planet. New York : Atria Books. Engineering Library RA770 .B37 2008

Lo, Teddy. 2014. Planet LED. Novato, California : ORO Editions. Engineering Library TK7871 .89 .L53 L6 2014

Choose a Light Guide. Energy Star : The simple choice for energy efficiency. EPA and DOE. Date accessed: Dec. 6, 2016

Types of Light Sources and Light Bulbs. 2016. American Lighting Association.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs). Aug. 10, 2016. US Environmental Protection Agency.

Make Your Own LED Libghtbulb! May 22, 2015.  youtube

Other Resources:

United States. Federal Trade Commission. Office of Consumer and Business Education, : United States. Department of Energy. 2006. Energy efficient light bulbs a bright idea. Washington, D.D. : Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Office of Consumer and Business Education. Digital PDF [electronic resource].

Get to know your light bulbs with our comprehensive type guides. Bulbs.com : The LED Authority. Date accessed Feb. 6, 2017.

Christmas Lights Power Consumption. Feb. 6, 2017. Christmas Lights, Etc.

Posted in Green Technology

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