One of the most enjoyable parts of summer is getting to shed the heavy winter clothing and to spend time outside soaking up the sun. The warm months also provides greater opportunities to relax outdoors, enjoying daytime and evening picnics and dinners. One downside to outdoor summer fun is the invasion of mosquitoes, fleas, no-see-ums and other pesky bugs. There is an expectation that this past unseasonably warm winter will result in an exceptionally brutal insect infestation this summer. Many communities have instituted mosquito programs to try to keep these infestations to a minimum because these bugs are disease carriers. Besides the discomfort of itching, allergic reactions and unsightly sores, mosquitoes can carry diseases that affect humans, such as malaria and West Nile virus, and they also can cause dog heartworms and encephalitis in other animals.
Although pesticide spraying is mandated in many communities for public health reasons, each of us can adopt green incentives to reduce the mosquito population in our neighborhoods. Green gardening goes a long way here. Planting a hummingbird garden is one way to help control the mosquito population because hummingbirds eat mosquitoes. Some of the plants that attract hummingbirds include bee balm, columbine, butterfly bushes, lantana, Catawba rhododendrons and many other red plants. A hummingbird garden can be as small as a patio garden or hanging plants or as large as landscaped community gardens. Any home or community can achieve beauty with a purpose.
Mosquitoes and other bugs are a natural part of summer, but if we live green, be green, we can reduce the impact of this problem.
According to a recent survey conducted by Research House, Eighty-nine percent of Ontarians feel that their communities would benefit environmentally and economically by incorporating green alternatives. The survey, which was conducted in April of this year, sought to obtain consumer insights into creating more sustainable communities.
Ontarians felt that in order to make greener communities, development should be promoted through local governments. More specifically, “Ninety-six percent of respondents felt municipalities could do more to ensure shared community spaces such as parks and recreation centers incorporate environmentally friendly products.” This statistic is encouraging as the green movement has seemed to move to top-of-mind-awareness in the global community. Being green is not an ambitious goal anymore, rather a reality that has set in for many individuals and companies around the world. Andrew Horsman, Executive Director of the Ontario Tire Stewardship reiterated this sentiment claiming, “Factoring environmental sustainability…isn’t just a trend. It’s a necessary, everyday consideration that extends beyond World Environment Day, to preserve our environment, health, and livelihoods of future generations.” The amazing reach of the green movement has invited more people, year after year, to not only think green, but to live green as well. As exemplified by the survey described, citizens are not only aware of the concept of sustainability, but also wish to implement programs to see these ideas through. To see more of the survey please check out the link below.
http://sustainablebusinessforum.com/derekwong/58656/ontarians-want-more-sustainable-communities
Vacation trips often are the highlight of the summer. Now more than ever, summer travel can be green. With a little research, it is possible to find great travel destinations with Eco-friendly amenities.
One such destination is the Hilton New York. Located in Manhattan, the Hilton New York is Manhattan’s largest hotel. It boasts 1,981 rooms plus common areas. It has a 16,000 square feet green roof system that is planted with vegetation from upstate New York. This remarkable system serves several purposes. The foliage absorbs airborne pollutants which prevent the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Secondly, it deflects solar radiation, thereby reducing the amount of energy needed to cool the air. The incorporation of this roof top garden has resulted in a significant decrease in the high temperatures in Manhattan from dense cityscapes and lack of vegetation.
The New York Hilton also uses an Eco-friendly natural gas to produce electricity and hot water. This system is expected to produce more than half of the hotel’s required electrical power, thereby reducing its carbon footprint by more than 30 percent. Additionally, visitors to all Hilton hotels, including the Hilton New York, benefit from LightStay, which is the chain’s worldwide system for improving its sustainability program. There is a constant analysis of all functions at Hilton hotels, including but not limited to housekeeping, waste management and use of paper products, to measure their impact on the environment and to make changes necessary to improve the ecosystem, all without cost to the customers. All eco-conscious visitors are encouraged to participate in the Global Soap Project which encourages everyone to donate discarded soap to be reprocessed and given to needy people all over the world.
The Hilton New York has set the benchmark for providing excellent service to its visitors while at the same time maintaining green standards and promoting sustainability and introducing customers to programs and efforts to help the green movement. This hotel truly allows you to vacation green, live green and be green.
Well, the answer to the above question remains to be seen, with time. For now, however, it does appear as though the Stock Exchanges from around the world do, as many are active members of the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative. One of the world’s best sustainability ideas, as labeled by Forbes, this initiative aims to provide a forum wherein international regulators, exchanges and investors can openly deliberate on issues of sustainability.
Formed in 2009, the SSE Initiative is co-organized by four United Nations organizations: the UN Conference on Trade and Development, the UN Global Compact, the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative, and the UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investment. According to a Reuters article, the SSE will be holding a Global Dialogue on Monday, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, prior to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), scheduled for June 20-22.
This is incredibly good news, and a great sign that these international powerhouses are actually taking sustainability seriously, going so far as to make it a priority. The dialogue is reportedly focusing on the transparency of the industry, through official sustainability reports, among other topics. Let’s hope that the movement not only continues, but that its thriving momentum carries forward to realizable changes in global corporate environments.
In recent years, China has emulated the American way of massive consumption, mainly due to its burgeoning middle class and influences from the west. Yet, the nation has taken note of the negativities associated when energy fuels the growth of a nation, and has outlined plans to change social policy to retard that behavior. In fact, China has outlined its need to create, “A social movement to radically change their attitudes about consumption by helping them develop a different vision of prosperity.” This vision, coined the “China Dream” is to promote a sustainable lifestyle, and not necessarily one fueled by consumption, to achieve prosperity. To promote a desire for this lifestyle, it is suggested by the author Peggy Liu, to look toward advertisers to make the green movement more attractive. China has the largest potential audience in terms of consuming media. Thus, the implications of a successful message to include social responsibility and sustainability could have a significant impact. But, in order for this to happen, government will have to also influence the purchasing behavior of its citizens. For example, policy changes of banning free plastic bags, has helped to eliminate over 24 billion bags in the first three years in the nation. Helping to change the actions of a country the size of China will influence other nations to follow suit, policy-wise, in their respective countries. China’s actions as a nation speak softly, but often carry a heavy stick. Their message with the “China Dream” is to socially impact the way we think and purchase goods, and to believe that the end goal of prosperity can be achieved through responsible and sustainable behavior. To check out more from the article follow the link below.
Financially backing programs that are supporting the trend of green movements is becoming increasingly popular. Companies such as Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, and most recently, Bank of America, have all agreed to invest billions of dollars into the environment. Some could refer to this as the “greening of Wall Street”.
The aforementioned Wall Street companies have recently been backing projects or companies in sectors such as renewable energy, emissions reduction, and reduced-carbon transportation. Whether they are doing this for their own personal beliefs or because they are feeling the heat from outsiders, all that matters is that they are doing their part to improve the environment.
Carbon Sciences Inc., the developer of breakthrough technologies to make transportation fuels, hydrogen and other valuable products from natural gas has acknowledged the recent strides towards improving the environment. Hopefully, the recent investments will go towards the recent natural gas boom, but also, towards reducing green-house gas emissions and how technology could be used to turn CO2, carbon dioxide, into transportation fuels.
Just because you aren’t a large multinational corporation with billions of dollars, that doesn’t mean you can’t do your part to improve the environment. Continue doing the right things, and you, too, can make a difference.
A little bit goes a long way.
Establishing a green home does not happen overnight but requires planning, commitment and practice. Summertime is a great time to start this endeavor. School is out, and the household is functioning at a slower pace than normal. This also is a teachable moment for both the adults and children in the family. The family can start with an outing to the local landfill. Just seeing the huge mounds of discarded plastics, electronics and other trash is an eye-opening experience. It effectively and dramaticallyquantifies the overall effect of one household’s trash at the curb combined with the whole area’s trash at a single location. Just think– this is only one of the landfills in this county alone!
Each family’s efforts towards living green represents a positive step in the right direction. It is best to start with a master plan. It can be as simple as first committing to reuse. Using washable cleaning towels as opposed to paper towels goes a long way as does the incorporation of reusable items such as mugs, plates, cups and water bottles. Consider the purchase of products such as liquid soap in bulk and refillable decorative bottles. Donating clothing, toys, household items and electronics to charities serves the dual process of helping others who are less fortunate, as well as keeping these items out of the landfill. These practices alone will substantially reduce the number of articles going in the trash and on to the landfill.
Summer vacation also is an excellent time to examine your energy and water usage and to make cost-cutting changes. This is a great time to take a trip to the hardware store to learn about and to invest in energy-efficient lighting and appliances. If a new appliance is on the shopping list, make sure it it an energy star product. These products are very energy efficient and will save money in the long run. This also is a good time to invest in energy-efficient light bulbs for your home. Thirdly, take a look at water filters. An investment in a tap filter negates the need to purchase bottled water, thereby lowering grocery costs and most importantly, reducing the number of plastic bottles taken to the landfill.
Going green in the summer presents several opportunities for families to learn healthier and environmentally friendly ways of living, establish green plans, save money and improve the environment. So this summer try to live green be green.
School is out and warm weather is here. This is an opportune time to get involved with the green movement. Teachable moments are everywhere. For older children who want to earn extra money doing lawn care, parents can give instructions on the use of green products to care for the lawn that do not pollute or produce runoff to streams and lakes. Younger children can learn how to grow flowers or vegetables using organic plant and vegetable food that is not harmful to the environment. There are few restraints here. Projects can be as large as outdoor land or as small as houseplants or patio gardens.
Planting an outside garden provides a great opportunity to enjoy the weather outside and is a great alternative to watching television or playing video games. Developing a schedule for gardening activities teaches children to adhere to routines and to commit to projects. These characteristics are key to success in both education and work. Researching green gardening, implementing a plan and then carrying it out fosters teamwork and promotes wholesome family time. The final product, whether it is a crop of tomatoes or other vegetables or a garden of beautiful flowers that were grown by an organic process that contributed to the health of the environment will be a source of pride for any family and most likely the highlight of the summer vacation.
Green gardening is a wonderful activity and learning opportunity that stimulates and teaches valuable lessons to children without mimicking the feel of the classroom, thereby providing a rewarding and unique adventure for both parents and children. Let’s use this natural classroom to go green this summer.
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