April 13, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Felicity Lightbody

Saving the planet and reducing your carbon footprint is the key to reducing the spread of global warming. This, along with over population are two of the biggest threats to all life on this planet. As the lead species involved in the destruction of life, we know that surely we should be taking every opportunity to help slow down the effects of carbon dioxide on our planet.

The maintenance of key features on the planet such as the rainforest and ice caps is what will stop the eventual destruction of the planet. The steps required to make a big change in how we affect the planet have been well documented in terms of the international treaties and agreements on reducing the production of greenhouse gasses. The fact is that everyone can make a difference. Many people have been affected by the global economic crisis and cannot afford to take direct action like sponsoring the rainforest but can do small things like turning off unused lights, televisions and electrical equipment. It will also cut down on our electric bills in the process.

Recycling has become more of a way of life for all of us especially when most local councils know recycling is great for the planet by reusing precious resources but it can also generate them serious money. Recycling our used plastic, metals and glass can save a huge amount of money for companies in production and our local officials can sell the resources to those who can reuse them and generate an income through our waste, so it’s a win win situation.

Taking recycling another stage further is items such as clothing, shoes, household fabrics and household furniture. There are many charities willing to collect unwanted items in the hope they will be able to sell them for a small profit that will help needy people as well as helping those who cannot afford to buy these items new. Before you throw something out next time think about possibly donating it to a charity shop especially if it is not ruined or worn but simply something you do not enjoy anymore then pass it on to someone who might. Even those items that have been ruined can be chopped up and used as cleaning rags rather than buying new ones.

There has been a massive increase in the recycling of metals and as the cost of mining metals from the earth has increased, so much recycling metal has become a big business with plenty of people willing to sift through skips for scrap metals.

Technology is a great source of metal which is why simply throwing away electrical items can be a real waste and many big businesses know there is money to be made in recycling phones. Envirofone was one of the first in this field to see the potential waste when mobile phones were being thrown into the bin. There is a surprising amount of precious metals inside a mobile and in the right hands even a broken mobile can be fixed and sold to someone else or the parts used to prevent damaging the environment and wildlife. Envirofone review second hand or broken mobile phones and give a customer a price for their unwanted phone and make a payment once the phone is safely received and in the stated condition.

There are many companies now offering a similar service to envirofone, cash for old mobile is quite a common service and big companies services such as O2, Boots and even the Post Office are getting in on the act. The recycling of technology has become very big business and now there are even sites who can recycle other digital equipment such as laptops, computers, cameras and accessories for a PC.

The basic idea is nothing has to be thrown away. Making a real effort to think about how we can salvage something before we discard it will ultimately help save the planet. The more we use the resources we have already taken from the planet, the better. We can also reduce the waste in producing items by incorporating recycling into the production of certain goods, especially packaging, then even better. Everyone can lead a greener life by recycling.

Felicity is a intermittent journalist, writing infrequent columns in the UK on telecommunications and mobile devices. See how much you could get for your old mobile phone with Envirofone, as well as comparing the price on all the phone recycling companies like Mobile Phone Exchange at recyclemobilephones.co.uk

For more information on this, please visit recyclemobilephones.co.uk Blog.

Article Source: Felicity Lightbody

What Simple Things Can I Do to Help Save the Planet? Think, Reuse, Recycle!

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April 8, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Eric C. Eckl

“I can do small things every day that will make an impact on water pollution.”

It’s such a simple statement, and it’s true. So why is it so hard to send a message — over the airwaves, online, or in print — that actually evokes that reaction? Unfortunately, many environmental messages accidentally evoke an entirely different reaction, instead:

“It is hard to believe that the actions of one person can really contribute to lessening water pollution.”

I pulled those quotes from test audiences that reviewed a pair of environmental public service announcements. It’s my job to help environmental organizations pre-test their commercials and other marketing materials before they are released to the public. The two spots had a lot in common. Both of them urged everyday citizens to do their part in their daily lives to stop water pollution before it starts. But here’s the key difference — the producers of more successful advertisement crafted their message to encouraging. The producers of the less successful advertisement crafted their message to be educational.

Tennessee Water Works produced the “Heroes” advertisement, which prompted that confident “I can do small things every day” response. Who are the “heroes” this ad is about? People like you and me, who plant trees, recycle their motor oil (instead of dumping it in the drain), and care for their lawns responsibly. This advertisement holds up the example of ordinary people doing ordinary things and tells the viewer how great it is. In just 30 seconds, the advertisements repeatedly send the message that these people are heroes and their small actions add up to something important. According to the test panel, this message eventually sinks in.

The government of Honolulu produced the “Water for Life” commercial that prompted the second, doubt-filled reaction. This spot is educational. It shows images that reveal how trash and pollution find their way into storm drains and out into the ocean that Hawaiians love. Sure, it’s true. But it’s grim — bumming the viewers out with shots of murky, polluted water, garbage, and choking wildlife. According to the test audience feedback, viewers see reason to believe that solutions are within reach, or that they have a part to play in bringing it about.

Environmental experts are often dismayed at how little the average citizen understands about their work. It’s easy to find yourself falling into the “if only they knew” trap — “If only they knew they lived in a watershed,” “if only they knew the storm drain went to the creek.” It is our natural tendency to produce commercials, web pages, brochures, and other materials that try to cram a whole of science into a tiny amount of attention. But the test panel reactions to these commercials underscore the shortcomings of these line of thinking. When it comes to raising environmental awareness, it turns out encouragement is even more important than education.

Eric Eckl is an expert on using marketing techniques to raise environmental awareness and encourage environmental action. He writes the water blog “Water Words That Work.”

Article Source: Eric C. Eckl

Environmental Awareness: Encouragement vs. Education

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October 30, 2007 by jameslucas.

Great Ideas to Get your Kids on a Permanent Earth Friendly Kick
The importance of teaching our children to be environmentally conscientious cannot be over emphasized. If children learn and know how to respect and appreciate nature and what this beautiful planet holds for them, then the legacy of responsibility will continue.

Helpful Hints on Teaching Your Kids About the Environment
Our hopes are on our children. To be able to leave them some legacy of Mother Nature and the environment, we need to educate them about what an important task we have on hand. Raising their awareness about environmental issues and their impact on global warming will help them to understand the urgency and need to act now.

What is an Ecosexual?
Ecosexual is a new term used by many to refer to a person so dedicated to their commitment of improving the environment that it controls their intimate relationships, and sometimes their friendships as well. An ecosexual chooses to drive an environmentally friendly hybrid car and only eats organic foods. With this type of stereotype, it is no wonder that their beliefs are often unaccepted by mainstream society, even with the modern green movements already in place.

Pair of Republicans Go Green
Harry Smith has an exclusive interview with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who have teamed up to fight for limits on greenhouse gas emissions.

Maroon 5 Go Green With Their First Headlining Arena Tour
Maroon 5 announced their first headlining arena tour and the band has teamed with Global Cool to ensure they are Carbon Neutral.

Big Ideas For A Small Planet: Work 1
New Belgium Brewing Company serves up an ideal place to work.

Big Ideas For A Small Planet: Work 2
Recycled materials make for good building materials.

Big Ideas For A Small Planet: Pray 1
Kids dump a trash can to see how much recyclable garbage they are tossing.

Big Ideas For A Small Planet: Pray 2
The cycle of life - using cremated remains to generate life in the ocean.

Big Ideas For A Small Planet: Create 1
Taking a jumbo-jet polluter and turning it into a sustainable architectural piece.

Big Ideas For A Small Planet: Create 2
Artists push environmental issues to provoke discourse.

Big Ideas For A Small Planet: Sports 1
Skier and activist Allison Gammet takes to the hills.

Big Ideas For A Small Planet: Sports 2
Build a better board: environmentally friendly skateboards.

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May 15, 2007 by jameslucas.

Green and Environmental Awareness Campaigns Online
Learn how to best leverage the power of the Internet of your environmental organization’s cause. A website can not only get information out, but bring information in and help organize your efforts, all while letting like-minded people know about your cause.

Bring Out the Tree Hugger in You by Becoming Environmentally Responsible
If you’ve ever heard the phrase tree hugger used to describe someone, you may think it is a negative term. Used negatively, the term can be used to describe someone who seems to be too concerned with the environment. Hippies can also be called tree huggers and many people are not starting to associate tree huggers and tree hugging with negative meanings. The opposite is true; tree hugger is actually a positive term for someone who is interested in or participates in environmentalism and conservation. These people are known for doing all they can to protect the environment and encouraging people not to waste our natural resources. If you want to get in touch with your inner tree hugger, take the steps below to improve your own environment and get involved in your community.

Environmentalism
Many of you know that I think that whenever zealously is involved any argument or position is jeopardized, regardless of the kernels of truth on which the initial position was built. The Great Global Warming Scandal is a perfect example of the swing of the proverbial pendulum from the Earth-is-going-to-hell-in-a-handbasket Environmentalist perspective to the more Bush-ian hey-how-could-humans-effect-anything-on-such-a-global-scale.

Sundance Channel GREENIMATION: Going Green, or Else
This short asks - do you really need to drive 20 blocks to get a pint of ice cream? Vanilla at that. Some people would say no…as well a few others…Going green maybe be not only smarter but forced upon you if you’re not careful.

Sundance Channel GREENIMATION: How Much Can a Polar Bear?
In this short, due to global warming the polar icecaps are melting, placing pressure on polar bear families in the arctic circle. Here we see how their changing environment impacts directly in the home.

Sundance Channel GREENIMATION: Wasted
In this short, Milbert experiences a surplus environmental disasters resulting in a lesson that can only be learned cartoon characters.

Sundance Channel GREENIMATION: Breakfast
Meet Greg, Christian and their favorite crappy diner; then find out why it’s not easy to convince your friends to go to environmental pep-rallies.

Sundance Channel GREENIMATION: Yung Yeti
In this short, Yung Yeti and his friend Mr. Buck, the raccoon live in the forest and go about their lives being conscious of their environment.

Sundance Channel GREENIMATION: Meet the Banes
In the not-so-distant past, a man named Sterling married a woman named Daphne and conceived an offspring named Carson. Together, they are the most repulsive, insufferable, downright detestable family on Earth. If they are not stopped soon, they will surely destroy our fragile planet. Meet the Banes.

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