Category: Environment

With each passing year, more and more people are becoming climate-conscious. In fact, more than 80 percent of people have said that they have made purchasing decisions based on sustainability, whether it be something major like a vehicle or something minor like paper over plastic bags. Around one-third of people in the United States have said that climate change is their top concern for activism, with many of those people looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint.

That means that many of us are looking to make some simple swaps that won’t cost an arm and a leg while also helping the environment. Thankfully, there are plenty of these swaps available. Let’s take a look at five of the most simple ones you can make when embracing an eco-friendly lifestyle.

Refillable Water Bottle

If you work in an office, you’ve probably noticed a lot of people who bring their own massive water bottles or jugs and refill them throughout the day. This is a much more eco-friendly way of consuming water than the alternative of grabbing a new plastic bottle every time you want to grab a drink of water. It’s certainly worth spending good money on, too, as a good water bottle will last for years.

Well over 80 percent of water bottles in the United States alone end up making their way into garbage bags or are littered instead of recycled. That’s over 35 billion empty water bottles each year that get thrown out. If everyone in the country swapped to reusable water bottles instead, it would reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced from plastic bottles by more than 2 million tons.

Swapping Toilet Paper

Everybody uses the bathroom, and people go through a lot of toilet paper on a daily and yearly basis. With that said, standard toilet paper produces more than 40 million tons of waste annually, and that number continues to climb. One way that you can help combat that trend is by using more eco-friendly toilet paper, with new options popping up left and right. Most of these are made from bamboo, which produces much less waste.

Bamboo, compared to the yellow pines and Douglas firs that are typically used for toilet paper, is much more biodegradable while also being durable enough to be used as toilet paper. While bamboo toilet paper is more expensive, it’s one of the easiest swaps that you can make to help the environment. While it might take some getting used to, you’ll notice how much easier that bamboo toilet paper breaks down in water.

Use Bar Soap

We’ll keep things in the bathroom and talk about how much better it is for the environment to use bar soap instead of liquid soap. There are several reasons why bar soap is better for the environment, with the most obvious being the packaging. With bar soap, you’ll likely get an easily recyclable small box that the soap comes in compared to the large plastic container used for liquid soap.

Bar soap also uses much less water than liquid soap while lasting, on average, several times longer than liquid soap. The packaging alone for liquid soap is 20 times that of bar soap, and people tend to not be conscious when it comes to liquid soap use. When using bar soap, you probably just use what you need and set the soap back, whereas with liquid soap you probably use several pumps when you only need one. 

Driving Less

Fossil fuels are one of the biggest contributors to climate change, and having billions of cars around the world is certainly a big reason for that. This has become public knowledge, and many people are wondering how they can drive less. While switching to an electric vehicle would be ideal, that’s not exactly a simple swap due to the cost of these vehicles.

Thankfully, there are plenty of other ways in which you can drive less and help reduce your carbon footprint. If you live within a city, taking a bicycle or walking when it’s nice out can cut down on your fuel costs and emissions greatly. On those days when the weather isn’t so great, taking a bus or train (again, depending on the city) will also improve fuel usage.

Glass Storage Instead of Plastic

There was a time when plastic containers were all the rage because it was a new concept and offered a lot of convenience for the kitchen. However, over the years, we’ve learned just how harmful those containers can be. Not only do they produce a lot of waste, but they also contain microplastics that can be harmful to both your health and the environment. 

Because of this, more people are switching to glass containers for the kitchen. While they could be much more of an immediate hazard if dropped compared to plastic, they’re much better for the environment and are far more durable. They’re easier to clean, and even more aesthetically pleasing than plastic, so there really is no losing (as long as you aren’t clumsy).

As the world faces increasing environmental challenges, it has become more important than ever to raise environmentally conscious children who can contribute to a sustainable future. Instilling eco-friendly habits at an early age can not only help to protect the planet but also improve children’s well-being and future prospects. Today, we will explore five ways to encourage environmental consciousness in kids and help them develop lifelong eco-friendly habits.

Start with Education

One of the most effective ways to encourage environmental consciousness in kids is through education. Teaching kids about the environment and the importance of protecting it can help them understand the impact their actions have on the planet. You can make learning fun and engaging by using books, documentaries, and interactive tools. Some great resources for teaching environmentalism to kids include “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss, “The Magic School Bus Gets Cleaned Up” by Joanna Cole, and the “Nat Geo Kids” website.

You can also get kids involved in environmental projects at school or in the community. Many schools and community groups offer programs and initiatives that focus on environmental education, such as recycling and composting programs, community gardens, and tree-planting activities. By participating in these activities, kids can learn about the importance of protecting the environment and make a positive impact in their community.

Encourage Outdoor Activities

Spending time in nature is not only a great way to connect with the environment but also provides numerous benefits for children’s physical and mental well-being. Nature-based activities can help reduce stress, improve mood, and increase creativity. Encourage kids to explore the outdoors by going on hikes, bike rides, or nature walks. You can also plan outdoor activities that incorporate environmental education, such as bird watching or nature scavenger hunts.

Another fun and eco-friendly activity for kids is gardening. Whether you have a small garden in your backyard or a plot in a community garden, gardening can help kids learn about where food comes from, the importance of healthy soil, and how to care for plants. You can involve kids in every step of the process, from planting seeds to harvesting the produce, and encourage them to take ownership of the project.

Involve Kids in Eco-Friendly Practices at Home

One of the best ways to encourage environmental consciousness in kids is to model eco-friendly behavior at home. There are many simple changes families can make to reduce their environmental footprint, such as reducing household waste, conserving energy, and using eco-friendly products.

To reduce household waste, families can implement practices such as composting food scraps, recycling, and using reusable bags and containers. You can also encourage kids to turn off lights and electronics when they are not in use and to take shorter showers to conserve water. Additionally, families can choose to use eco-friendly products, such as biodegradable cleaning products and natural personal care items, to reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals.

Get Involved in Community Initiatives

Another great way to encourage environmental consciousness in kids is by getting involved in community initiatives. There are many volunteer opportunities for families, such as park clean-ups, tree-planting events, and beach clean-ups. These activities not only help to improve the environment but also provide kids with a sense of community and the satisfaction of making a positive impact.

Joining a community garden or farmers market is another great way to get involved in the community and promote sustainable living. These initiatives offer opportunities to connect with local growers, learn about where food comes from, and support local businesses.

Lead by Example

Finally, one of the most effective ways to encourage environmental consciousness in kids is by modeling eco-friendly behavior. Parents can lead by example by incorporating eco-friendly practices into their daily routines, such as using public transportation or biking instead of driving, reducing food waste, using reusable bags and containers when shopping, and conserving energy at home. When children see their parents and caregivers making environmentally conscious choices, they are more likely to adopt these behaviors themselves.

In addition to modeling eco-friendly behavior, parents can also talk to their children about the importance of protecting the environment and why it matters. By discussing environmental issues in an age-appropriate way, parents can help children understand the impact their actions have on the planet and encourage them to make a positive difference.

The use of computing technology has revolutionized many aspects of our lives, including environmental monitoring and conservation. Environmental monitoring is the process of gathering data on the natural environment to assess its health and identify potential threats. Conservation, on the other hand, is the effort to protect and preserve natural resources for future generations. 

The use of computing technology in these fields has enabled more accurate and efficient data collection, analysis, and decision-making. Today, we will explore the various ways in which computing technology is being used in environmental monitoring and conservation, as well as its benefits and limitations.

Environmental Monitoring

One of the primary uses of computing technology in environmental monitoring is in the collection and analysis of data. With the help of sensors, satellites, and other devices, environmental data can be collected and processed in real time. This allows for the detection of environmental changes such as temperature fluctuations, air and water pollution, and natural disasters. In addition, computing technology can be used to analyze large datasets to identify trends and patterns, providing insights into long-term environmental changes.

Computing technology also allows for remote monitoring of hard-to-reach areas, reducing the need for physical presence and minimizing disturbance to wildlife. For example, drones equipped with sensors and cameras can be used to monitor wildlife populations and habitats, providing valuable data without the need for human presence. This is particularly important in areas where human presence can cause disturbance, such as in protected areas or areas with endangered species.

Another benefit of computing technology in environmental monitoring is the ability to automate certain tasks such as data collection and analysis. This saves time and resources, allowing for more frequent and thorough monitoring. In addition, automation reduces the risk of human error, ensuring more accurate and reliable data.

Conservation

Computing technology is also being used in conservation efforts to protect and preserve natural resources. One way in which computing technology is being used is in wildlife monitoring. By using sensors and cameras, researchers can track wildlife populations and movements, providing valuable information for conservation efforts. For example, this technology can be used to monitor the populations of endangered species, track migration patterns, and identify areas where wildlife is at risk.

Computing technology is also being used in habitat monitoring. By using sensors and cameras, researchers can track changes in the natural environment, identifying areas that are at risk of degradation or destruction. This information can be used to inform conservation efforts and to develop strategies for habitat restoration.

Another way in which computing technology is being used in conservation is through the development of predictive models. These models use data on environmental conditions and wildlife populations to predict how changes in the environment will impact wildlife populations. This information can be used to inform conservation efforts and to develop strategies for mitigating the impacts of environmental changes.

Benefits and Limitations

The use of computing technology in environmental monitoring and conservation provides numerous benefits. One of the primary benefits is the ability to collect and process large amounts of data quickly and efficiently. This allows for more frequent and thorough monitoring, providing valuable insights into environmental changes and wildlife populations.

Another benefit of computing technology is the ability to automate certain tasks, saving time and resources and reducing the risk of human error. This also allows researchers to focus on other aspects of conservation efforts, such as developing strategies for habitat restoration or working with local communities to promote conservation.

However, there are also some limitations to the use of computing technology in environmental monitoring and conservation. One of the primary limitations is the cost of the technology. Some of the most advanced sensors and cameras can be expensive, making them difficult to access for researchers and conservationists with limited resources.

Another limitation is the potential for technological failure. Computing technology is not infallible, and failures can result in the loss of valuable data. This risk can be mitigated through redundancy and regular maintenance, but it is still a potential limitation of the technology.

Plastic is everywhere in our modern world. From the packaging of our food and drinks to the clothes we wear and the technology we use, plastic has become an essential part of our daily lives. But did you know that plastic is also one of the most harmful materials to our environment, human health, and climate change? Today we’ll uncover the shocking truth about plastic by presenting five surprising facts that everyone needs to know.

Fact 1: Plastic never really decomposes

Plastic is made up of long chains of molecules that are not biodegradable. This means that plastic never really decomposes, but instead, it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces known as microplastics. Microplastics are now found in almost every part of the world, including remote areas like the Arctic and Antarctic. Microplastics can be ingested by marine life, which can lead to health problems and even death. And because we consume marine life, microplastics can also end up in our bodies.

Fact 2: Plastic pollution affects marine life

The world’s oceans are facing a crisis due to plastic pollution. According to a report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050 if we don’t take action. Plastic pollution affects marine life in many ways. For example, sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and can die from ingesting them. Plastic debris can also entangle marine animals, leading to injuries or death. And because plastic never really decomposes, it can remain in the ocean for hundreds of years, continually harming marine life.

Fact 3: Plastic production has increased rapidly over the years

The production of plastic has increased rapidly over the years. In 1950, the world produced just 1.5 million tons of plastic. By 2015, that number had risen to 322 million tons. Plastic production is expected to double by 2050, which will result in an even greater impact on the environment. The environmental consequences of plastic production include the depletion of natural resources, pollution of water and air, and the emission of greenhouse gases.

Fact 4: Plastic waste poses health risks to humans

Plastic waste poses health risks to humans in many ways. For example, microplastics can enter our bodies through the food chain. Studies have shown that microplastics have been found in seafood, bottled water, and even in the air we breathe. Microplastics have been linked to health problems such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and even cancer. Plastic waste can also attract harmful chemicals, such as phthalates and Bisphenol A (BPA), which can have negative health effects.

Fact 5: Recycling is not a cure-all for plastic waste

Recycling is often touted as the solution to our plastic waste problem. However, recycling is not a cure-all. In many cases, plastic cannot be recycled, or the cost of recycling is too high. Even when plastic is recycled, it still has a negative impact on the environment. The process of recycling requires energy and resources, and it often produces lower-quality materials than virgin plastic. The best way to reduce plastic waste is to reduce plastic use and consumption.

What can we do?

Reducing plastic use and consumption is the best way to address the plastic crisis. Here are some steps we can take to reduce our plastic waste:

• Use reusable bags, water bottles, and containers instead of single-use plastic items.
• Choose products with minimal packaging or packaging made from sustainable materials.
• Avoid products with microbeads, which can contribute to microplastic pollution.
• Support policies and companies that promote sustainable practices and reduce plastic waste.
• Properly dispose of plastic waste by recycling or composting.

Bonsai trees are fascinating and beautiful, and they are an excellent way to bring nature into your home or garden. Their unique, miniature forms and intricate details inspire many enthusiasts to dive deeper into the art of growing and maintaining these tiny trees. In this article, we will explore the fascinating world of bonsai trees, their history, and the essential tips for their care and maintenance.

The History of Bonsai

Bonsai originated in China during the Han Dynasty over 2,000 years ago. The art form then spread to Japan in the 12th century, where it found widespread popularity. The word “bonsai” is derived from the Japanese words “bon” meaning tray and “sai” meaning tree.

Initially, bonsai trees were created for the benefit of the wealthy family who could afford to have one. However, as the practice became more popular over time, bonsai trees became much more accessible to everyone.

Bonsai Tree Care and Maintenance

Choosing the Right Bonsai Tree

When selecting a bonsai tree, keep in mind that it should be resilient and able to withstand changes in the environment. Selecting the right tree for your home or garden is key. Some good beginner-friendly options include Junipers, Ficus, and Maples.

Soil and Fertilizers

Good soil quality and the use of the right fertilizer are essential to the health of your bonsai tree. Organic fertilizer such as compost or manure is highly recommended, because it provides the essential nutrients that your bonsai tree needs, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Remember also to use soil mixes that will provide adequate drainage.

Watering Techniques

Bonsai trees are sensitive to overwatering and under-watering. Therefore one must find a balance. When the soil appears dry or the leaves begin to wilt, it’s time to water them. You must water slowly and thoroughly to ensure that the roots of the plant absorb the water.

Light Requirements

Bonsai trees require a healthy amount of sunlight. The right amount of light will depend on the type of tree. Choose an area where it can receive bright sunlight for at least four hours each day but avoid exposing it to the harsh midday sun.

Pruning and Shaping

Pruning and shaping are necessary to achieve and maintain the desired form of a bonsai tree. When pruning, it’s important to remove dead, damaged, or aging branches. Shaping the tree requires patience and a gentle touch.

Repotting

Over time a bonsai tree’s roots may grow so much that they start to outgrow the pot. Repotting is key to ensuring that your bonsai tree stays healthy. Repot your bonsai tree once every two years.

Tools Required for Bonsai Tree Care

If you’re interested in bonsai tree care and maintenance, you need to invest in the right tools. Basic tools required for effective bonsai maintenance include a shear, wire cutter, and concave cutter. Advanced tools such as root cutters, branch cutters, and grafting knives are ideal for more serious enthusiasts.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Bonsai trees are relatively easy to take care of but there are a few common mistakes to avoid. Over-watering, over-fertilizing, improper pruning, and selecting the wrong bonsai tree are some examples.

Placement in the Home or Garden

Bonsai trees can be placed indoors or outdoors depending on the type of tree. Most bonsai trees need plenty of sunlight and fresh air to grow and remain healthy, so they are best kept outdoors. When keeping the tree indoors ensure that they receive enough natural light and be careful to avoid exposing them to artificial heat sources, such as heaters or radiators.

There are many wealthy individuals who have used their vast resources to help protect the environment. These five billionaires have dedicated a great deal of their time and money to protecting the planet. Let’s take a closer look at each one and see what they are doing for the earth.

1. Richard Branson

Sir Richard Branson is an English business magnate, investor, author, and philanthropist. He founded the Virgin Group in 1972, which controls more than 400 companies in various industries. In 2006 he co-founded Carbon War Room, an organization that helps countries reduce their carbon dioxide emissions while also generating economic development. Branson also provides funding for numerous environmental protection initiatives through his Carbon War Room Foundation and has started over 30 non-profit organizations devoted to climate protection worldwide.

2. Paul Allen

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen founded Vulcan Inc., a private investment firm that focuses on research and development related to environmental preservation, conservation, and renewable energy technologies such as energy storage systems and low-cost solar energy generation units. He has invested millions of dollars in projects focused on protecting endangered species, restoring coral reefs in Hawaii, conserving coastal wetlands in Florida, preserving forests in Africa, and improving water management systems around the world.

3. Michael Bloomberg

Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg is one of the world’s leading environmentalists when it comes to philanthropy work related to climate change mitigation efforts. Through his foundation Bloomberg Philanthropies, he supports numerous projects aimed at increasing access to clean energy sources such as solar power, reducing air pollution from burning fossil fuels by transitioning to electric vehicles, and promoting efficient building designs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions while saving energy costs.

4. Bill Gates

Billionaire Bill Gates is another major environmentalist who dedicates much of his time to sustainability issues concerning our planet’s future health and well-being. Through his foundation – The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – he funds research studies that focus on finding new ways of using renewable resources such as wind and solar power instead of depending on polluting sources like coal or natural gas combustion turbines for electricity production or transportation needs around the world. Additionally, he contributes funding towards developing countries’ efforts towards establishing sustainable agricultural practices with an emphasis on organic farming techniques rather than chemical based fertilizers and pest control methods which harm not only soil fertility but also human health due to possible contamination with dangerous toxins found in those products used for food production purposes.

5. Jeff Skoll

Canadian entrepreneur Jeff Skoll created eBay Inc., where he served as president until 2003; since then he established the Skoll Foundation which promotes social entrepreneurship worldwide by providing capital funding support for global projects aimed at tackling climate change issues, community growth, economic wellness, and education accessibility among others. His foundations work closely with like-minded organizations such as TED Conferences, The World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Global Compact, Conservation International & UN Women – involving high-profile entrepreneurs within these projects too.

Water is something many take for granted, but the United Nations reports that more than 3.5 billion people – roughly half of the planet – are currently vulnerable to water scarcity. Worse, it projects that this number will rise to more than 5 billion people by 2050. This is due to multiple factors, such as pollution and infrastructural problems as well as overconsumption. 

The Fresh Water Problem

Obviously, water is an absolutely essential component of human health. Without access to potable water, a human can only survive for around three days at best. But fresh drinking water is only the start of the problems when it comes to meeting our ongoing water challenges.

As the global children’s charity World Vision puts it, “access to clean water changes everything; it’s a stepping-stone to development.” Where clean water is plentiful, communities don’t need to compete for rights to limited water resources. Crops and livestock get enough water to flourish. Personal hygiene and household sanitation improves. These advantages, in turn, lead to a healthier population of adults who can serve as productive workers as well as children who can readily attend school.

The Causes of the Water Crisis

There are many different contributing factors to the water crisis, many of which can be addressed through better regulations and changing procedures.

Scientists, who have studied the issue most carefully, have directly tied the effects of global warming and climate change to the water crisis. In addition to engendering extended periods of drought and other long-term harmful environmental conditions, climate change is increasing both the frequency and intensity of hurricanes and other violent weather events that can destroy water supply infrastructure.

Other factors contributing to the mounting water crisis include armed conflict, forced migration, corporate greed, political disenfranchisement, and the poor handling of wastewater and water waste. The problem is also precipitated by a lack of reliable water data and a lack of cooperation among natural resource experts across national lines.

How You Can Help

Any serious attempt to address the water crisis must include sweeping changes to public policy and business regulation. However, this doesn’t mean that the average person is powerless to help.

It all begins with simple awareness. People who understand the true severity of the water problem may be motivated to prioritize healthy water stewardship in their daily lives. Something as simple as taking a shorter shower can make a real difference if it becomes a permanent habit.

Other ways to practice healthy water stewardship include installing low-flow toilets, reusing graywater, and collecting rainwater for watering gardens and lawns. Of course, it is also important to ensure that you aren’t losing water to leaking pipes or other plumbing inefficiencies. People who live by the ocean can even look into desalinizing technology that can transform seawater into freshwater.

Moreover, humbly and quietly changing your own actions will contribute, however subtly, to a gradual change of awareness in your country, making it more likely for much needed regulation changes and global action to occur.

You can also consider donating to a water charity, such as WaterAid. WaterAid is a charity that has been helping address water issues for over three decades, and their website is a wealth of information on the subject, too. 

Have you lived your whole life within the confines of a large city and aren’t sure what people are referring to when they say that the stars are big and bright? That’s because urban areas are subject to light pollution, meaning that the stars are barely visible on a given night while those that live in these areas can have their daily natural cycles disrupted. There are a lot of things that lead to light pollution such as skyscrapers and traffic lights, but here are a few of the more surprising contributors.

1. Satellites

While we tend to think of light pollution coming from near the Earth’s surface, a lot of it actually comes from outside of the atmosphere. Artificial satellites that orbit around the Earth are huge contributors to light pollution. Each year, more satellites are added into orbit and it’s clogging up a lot of the view that people have of space.

This has been an issue for a lot of researchers here on Earth that are trying to study the stars from the surface. “For the first time in human history, we’re not going to have access to the night sky in the way that we’ve seen it,” said professor Samantha Lawler of the University of Regina, who compared satellite usage to cars in the fact that it was interesting at first but has now become cluttered.

2. Vehicles

Light pollution tends to be thought of as only the sky high above us, but it can also be a more surface-level issue. Vehicles in rural areas don’t contribute much to light pollution since you only tend to get one vehicle that goes down an otherwise empty road every few minutes or so. 

When there’s a traffic jam at night on a major freeway, though, a lot of light pollution is created. Think of those timelapse photos of freeways at night with the big blurs of white headlights and red taillights. When you add in the people that use headlights brighter than what’s necessary, that only makes things worse.

3. Sports Stadiums

For people who live in major cities, you’ve probably driven by a sports stadium and seen that the lights were on. You figured there may be a home game that night, only to check the schedule and see that the local team was either playing on the road or not at all. 

This is a huge contributor to light pollution in urban areas, so why do they keep them on when the stadium isn’t holding thousands of fans? A lot of this is for the handful of security and staff that are still working at the stadium, though the large lights at the top of the arenas tend to be much more than they need.

4. Bad Streetlight Bulbs

While we mentioned that streetlights are some of the biggest contributors to light pollution, the way that they affect people on a personal level can easily be fixed. Streetlights should be equipped with bulbs that give direct light to the areas on the street or sidewalk and nowhere else.

Bad lighting on a streetlight causes light trespass, making an uncomfortable aura of illumination where it’s not supposed to be. Have you ever lived close enough to a streetlamp to the point where you can tell that it’s on from your bedroom despite it being pointed away from you? That’s an example of light trespass.

5. Advertisers

Companies are always demanding your attention, which you probably already know if you subscribe to any streaming service or watch videos on YouTube. At night, these advertisements get pervasive in terms of light pollution. Think of places like Times Square or the Las Vegas Strip where advertisements are illuminated to the point where they can’t be missed.

Even in rural areas, billboards have several high-powered lamps illuminating them and pointing straight into the night sky. It’s a part of the society in which we live, but ads seem to take precedent over a quiet dark night.

Water is something many take for granted, but the United Nations reports that more than 3.5 billion people – roughly half of the planet – are currently vulnerable to water scarcity. Worse, it projects that this number will rise to more than 5 billion people by 2050. This is due to multiple factors, such as pollution and infrastructural problems as well as overconsumption. 

The Fresh Water Problem

Obviously, water is an absolutely essential component of human health. Without access to potable water, a human can only survive for around three days at best. But fresh drinking water is only the start of the problems when it comes to meeting our ongoing water challenges.

As the global children’s charity World Vision puts it, “access to clean water changes everything; it’s a stepping-stone to development.” Where clean water is plentiful, communities don’t need to compete for rights to limited water resources. Crops and livestock get enough water to flourish. Personal hygiene and household sanitation improves. These advantages, in turn, lead to a healthier population of adults who can serve as productive workers as well as children who can readily attend school.

The Causes of the Water Crisis

There are many different contributing factors to the water crisis, many of which can be addressed through better regulations and changing procedures.

Scientists, who have studied the issue most carefully, have directly tied the effects of global warming and climate change to the water crisis. In addition to engendering extended periods of drought and other long-term harmful environmental conditions, climate change is increasing both the frequency and intensity of hurricanes and other violent weather events that can destroy water supply infrastructure.

Other factors contributing to the mounting water crisis include armed conflict, forced migration, corporate greed, political disenfranchisement, and the poor handling of wastewater and water waste. The problem is also precipitated by a lack of reliable water data and a lack of cooperation among natural resource experts across national lines.

How You Can Help

Any serious attempt to address the water crisis must include sweeping changes to public policy and business regulation. However, this doesn’t mean that the average person is powerless to help.

It all begins with simple awareness. People who understand the true severity of the water problem may be motivated to prioritize healthy water stewardship in their daily lives. Something as simple as taking a shorter shower can make a real difference if it becomes a permanent habit.

Other ways to practice healthy water stewardship include installing low-flow toilets, reusing graywater, and collecting rainwater for watering gardens and lawns. Of course, it is also important to ensure that you aren’t losing water to leaking pipes or other plumbing inefficiencies. People who live by the ocean can even look into desalinizing technology that can transform seawater into freshwater.

Moreover, humbly and quietly changing your own actions will contribute, however subtly, to a gradual change of awareness in your country, making it more likely for much needed regulation changes and global action to occur.

You can also consider donating to a water charity, such as WaterAid. WaterAid is a charity that has been helping address water issues for over three decades, and their website is a wealth of information on the subject, too. 

As we continue into the future and are becoming more desperate for renewable resources, there aren’t many options left. With more focus on climate change, landfills are getting a lot of attention. Because humanity has thrown all of their trash and even toxic waste into large piles, they’re quickly adding and filling up, and it’s hurting the environment.

As of right now, landfills are the third largest cause of methane pollution in the world, and landfills are causing cancer and other ailments to people on a global scale. Could these landfills that we all know can be damaging actually be able to help us in the long run, though? Back in the 1950s, what is now known as Ariel Sharon Park in Israel experimented with what’s known as landfill mining, and it’s going to be a lot more common in the near future.

Landfill mining is rather simple to explain. Instead of continuing to add onto the top of landfills, mining seeks to shrink the mass by taking out what can be reused and isn’t toxic. Landfills are excavated and sifted through, finding valuable materials that can be used again. Some of the major targets for landfill miners are aluminum and scrap metal. To do this, there are a few different methods that are currently used.

Some landfills have a large magnet that is able to attract some of the more valuable goods before the landfill is sealed off for public safety. Others use an actual excavator to sort from the bottom to the top. When passing a landfill, you may have seen these methods being used before, but mining has gotten a lot of new attention. Surprisingly enough, this includes cryptocurrency.

Believe it or not, one energy company was able to raise millions of dollars to turn methane from landfills into a Bitcoin mining operation. This is because the methane from the landfills was instead used for turbines that generated crypto mining equipment. If cryptocurrency is able to maintain its popularity and versatility in the coming years, you can expect deals like this to become daily headlines.

Another futuristic way that landfill mining is heading toward better renewable resources is by turning some into hydrogen mines. In Oman, one project that’s estimated to be $1.4 billion is underway that is taking solid waste and converting tens of thousands of tonnes into hydrogen through a “thermo-chemical process…achieved without the use of external electricity or burning waste.”

Experts are predicting that because of landfill mining, we’ll be seeing the use of aluminum skyrocket in the near future. No other resource is easier to mine than aluminum, and our new technology is making it so that it’s also going to be the most reusable. That’s going to save a lot of money, too, with an estimated $800 million in aluminum thrown into the trash instead of properly recycled in the United States alone in just 2020.

Through the power of landfill mining, Dr. Subodh Das notes that the United States could save up to $400 million per year in aluminum alone. When you add in some of the other resources such as the valuable copper, zinc and steel, it’s easy to see why landfill mining is getting a big push as we move towards sustainable and renewable energy.