How Loving the Environment Radiate a More Beautiful You?

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Everyone is striving to exhibit beauty on the outside by donning expensive clothing, hairstyles, makeup, jewelry, and anything else that could add an extra touch of elegance. But, did you know that there is a deeper beauty than the external beauty we run after? Radiance is an aspect of beauty that resonates from the inside. It’s not about having a perfect face, body, or image. Radiance is more awe-inspiring than the regular beauty everyone is chasing after. It’s actually the light that shines from our hearts.

So, how can one experience this magnificent form of beauty? Here are a few ways you can love the environment and radiate a more beautiful you.

Be Mindful of Mother Earth

There is overwhelming evidence that being mindful loving the environment can help people reconnect with nature and appreciate every gift that the earth has to offer. Actually, many people suffer deeply without even knowing it. They tend to cover up their suffering by being absorbed in busy lifestyles. The truth is; they are simply alienated from Mother Nature.

The practice of mindfulness enables you to touch Mother Earth within your body and help you heal. So, as the people heal, the earth heals as well. This insight can be practiced by anybody and the overall enlightenment goes a long way in ensuring collective awakening. Everyone should be aware that the earth and its inhabitants are endangered.

Mindfulness boils down to simple everyday life activities like taking a cup of tea. Your life can be totally transformed if you truly devote your attention to it. Enjoy the tea by slowly savoring it. Be fully present in the cup instead of being carried away by life’s sorrows, fears, work, past, or even your future. Be available for life.

True Beauty is Reflected in the Soul

The true beauty of a woman is reflected in the soul. The caring that she seamlessly gives and the passion she shows both emanate from deep within. These are the inner qualities of a woman that make her radiant. Compassion, kindness, love, and decency are just some of the qualities that the soul produces.

So, why is there so much emphasis on the outside look? Women are harshly judged on how they look regardless of their age. There is always something that is wrong and needs to be fixed, and many women fall to the unrealistic expectations marketed to them by the world. It’s a continuous cycle of change, and when you manage to change one, you’ll be told there is something else you need to fix to become even more attractive. So, women are often shut off from their true selves and waste their time and energy chasing empty demands.

How Nature Impacts Our Well-being

Research indicates that our environment can improve or worsen our stress levels, which by extension impacts our bodies. Anything you see, hear, or experience at any time is changing not just your mood, but the way your immune, nervous, and endocrine systems work. Stressful situations can cause you to feel sad, anxious, or helpless, which in turn elevate your blood pressure, muscle tension, and heart rate.

A pleasing environment, on the other hand, reverses all that. Humans often find nature pleasing, and that’s why you should spend more time with Mother Nature. Even simple viewing of nature scenes will reduce anger, stress, and fear and enhance a pleasant feeling. Nature has a way of reducing mortality and improving the overall well being.

Caring For The Environment Brings Out Your Inner Beauty

The earth is naturally endowed with beauty. You may not live close to forests or parks, but a mere act of bringing a plant home can create unmatched beauty to your home. By creating beauty in your environment, it reflects on your true beauty that glows from within. Furthermore, Mother Nature brings a whole pack of healing effects. For instance, fragrant jasmine is believed to attract more love and wealth to your home while every plant helps purify the air around your home.

Don’t get overly frustrated when you wake up one morning and don’t feel on top of the game. Once in a while, life will bring its fair share of frustrations and that should stop you from walking out with your head high. Look straight in the mirror and focus on what you truly love. Spending time thinking about the positive gifts of life reinforces the beauty attributes and help them radiate out into the world.

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The Role of Water Treatment in Environmental Sustainability

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Water scarcity is one of the largest threats facing humanity today due to constant water shortages being experienced all over the world. Only a small percentage of the world’s water (about 3%) is fit for human consumption with two percent of this amount present in glaciers and ice caps. The United Nations has given water due prominence by making it one of its millennium development goals. Such is the importance of water that governments have started developing new technologies and projects to cushion its effects on the world population. These initiatives include desalination, rainwater harvesting, wastewater treatment and water location transfers.

water-pollution

What is water treatment?

It is the process of eliminating harmful contaminants from water so that it can be safe for human and animal consumption. In order to make sure that excellent water is obtained and sanitation quality is observed, the process is divided into several phases. A rudimentary breakdown of the phases is as follows:

Preliminary phase: large filters are used to remove big inorganic solid materials like metal, paper and plastic.

  • Elimination of silt and grit that is abrasive to machinery.
  • Primary sedimentation to remove solid organic material.
  • Sludge phase where microorganisms are used to dissolve organic solids and the resulting biomass is decanted.

Tertiary treatment phase: where chemical (chlorine) is used to remove harmful pathogens. The resulting product is fresh water that is fit for human consumption.

Water treatment helps us achieve environmental sustainability in the following ways:

1. Reduction of Waste

Water treatment reduces the volume of waste that is released into the ecosystem. When wastewater is treated, the quantity of waste that is released into the environment is cut down significantly resulting into overall improvement in the environment’s status. By cutting down environmental pollution, water treatment helps to reduce health hazards that emanate from a polluted environment.

There is reduction of water wastage that is induced by water pollution. Water treatment has a financial benefit in that it trims down the amount of money that is used by a country to rehabilitate a polluted environment.

2. Production of energy

As described above, there is use of microorganisms (bacteria) in the sludge phase to breakdown organic matter and produce a large quantity of biomass. In this process the organic matter is mixed with the bacteria, enclosed in bio-digesters and subjected to medium range temperatures of about 35 degrees C. Biogas is produced during this process. Methane constitutes a high percentage of biogas and can be used for generating energy to power the water treatment complex. If the energy produced is of significant quantities it can be injected into a country’s national electricity grid.

The advantage of this green energy cannot be overstated since it decreases the over reliance on non-renewable sources of energy like petroleum, coal, wood and charcoal. This will reduce the carbon footprint of a country and its expenditure on meeting its energy needs. Case studies in various countries have established that an efficient water treatment plant can produce forty percent of the total energy that is required to run the plant.

Biogas can also be used for domestic cooking fuel, for generation of electricity and heat energy for homes and for powering vehicles.

3. Source of clean water

As mentioned before, the water resources in the world are dwindling at an alarming rate. The available water resources will not be able to sustain the projected population increase in the coming years.

Wastewater treatment will ensure there will be a balance between water supply and demand. Through filtration of harmful contaminants from wastewater and giving out hygienic and safe water, there will be adequate supply for everyone. Homefixplanet.com offers the best solutions for water treatment systems. The lurking fear of harmful water supply, drought and water shortage will be a thing of the past if water is recycled.

4. Production of fertilizer

The biomass that is produced from the sludge phase is decanted and dried: this turns it into organic fertilizer. The current trend in the world is to use less of chemical (inorganic) fertilizer for farming. This is because scientific studies have shown residual presence of these chemicals in harvested crops has long term effects on the consumer.

The other deterrent aspect of chemical fertilizers is eutrophication that results when used fertilizer is leached into water bodies. Eutrophication is the exponential increase in aquatic life (due to leached chemical fertilizer) at levels that cannot be sustained by water ecosystems. Use of organic fertilizers does not result into eutrophication because their level of leaching is negligible due to their slow process of biodegradation and absorption into the soil.

5. Disease prevention

Wastewater contains potentially harmful bacteria that can make consumers of water contract parasitic infections. Parasitic infestation occurs in people of all ages: toddlers and adults. The infection may range from mild to severe and even critical. It may affect your gastrointestinal tract, skin, body organs and blood.

wastewater-treatment-uae

Gastrointestinal tract infection is common in children of all ages and normally involves giardiasis, dysentery, cholera and gastroenteritis which are spread through contaminated water. This infections result into diarrhea. During water treatment, waste water is passed through filters that remove contaminants and destroy lethal microorganisms.

Water treatment therefore plays an essential function in removing pollutants from water (approximately ninety seven percent) that could be awfully harmful if consumed. There are no harmful bacteria that end up in the environment that would otherwise have damaging effects on animals, plants and people. Waste water also contains harmful chemicals which if released to the environment would destroy flora and fauna life forms.

6. Clean environment for recreation

Wastewater treatment ensures people will be able to enjoy water sports without having to worry about water pollution. Water from treatment plants can also be supplied to areas experiencing drought. Thus water treatment is an eco-friendly process that helps in reducing water wastage by recycling water that would otherwise have been deemed to be unsanitary and end up being disposed.

Final Words

The process of water treatment has many benefits and that makes it viable in the long and short-term answer to the water crisis bedeviling the world today which keeps on multiplying simultaneously with increase in world population.

Mathematical models project the world population to increase up to nine billion people in the next few years. This is bound to increase the volume of waste water that will be produced, making water treatment a critical aspect of environmental conservation and sustainability. Expanding wastewater treatment sector will produce large quantities of fresh water and help bring down the level of water scarcity.

Recommended Reading: 8 Careers That Can Help the World

Water Resource Management in GCC – Issues and Challenges

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GCC countries are suffering from a huge deficit in their water resources reaching more than 20 billion cubic meter, being met mainly by an intensive over-drafting of renewable and non-renewable groundwater resources for the agricultural sector, and by the extensive installation of highly expensive desalination plants for the municipal sector, and by reusing a small percentage of treated wastewater in the agricultural and municipal sector. Furthermore, conflict between the agricultural and domestic sectors on the limited water resources in the region are rising, and as a result, groundwater over-exploitation and mining is expected to continue in order to meet growing demand in these two sectors.

water management in GCC

If current population growth rates, water resources management approach, water use practices and patterns continue, annual water demand may reach more than 50 billion cubic meter (Bcm) by the year 2030.  With the anticipated future limited desalination capacity and wastewater reuse, this demand will have to be met mainly by further mining of groundwater reserves, with its negative impacts of fast depletion and loss of aquifer reserves and the deterioration of water quality and salinization of agricultural lands, of which these resources usefulness is questionable with the expected deterioration of their quality.

Under these circumstances, water will become an increasingly scarce commodity, and would become a limiting factor for further social, agricultural and industrial development, unless major review and shifts in the current policies of population and adopted food self-sufficiency are made, and an appropriate and drastic measures in water conservation are implemented.

A diagnosis of the water sector in Gulf Cooperation Council countries indicated that the main problems and critical issues in these countries are:

  1. Limitation of water resources and increasing water scarcity with time due to prevailing aridity, fast population growth, and agricultural policies;
  2. Inefficient water use in the agriculture (traditional irrigation practices), and municipal/domestic sectors (high per capita water use, high rates of unaccounted-for-water);
  3. Rising internal water allocation conflicts between the agricultural and municipal sector;
  4. Rapid depletion and groundwater quality deterioration due to their over-exploitation, with multiple impacts on agricultural productivity and ecosystems;
  5. Inferior quality of water services in large cities due to fast pace of urbanization; and
  6. Weak water institutions due to fragmentation of water authorities and lack of coordination and inadequate capacity development.

Currently, there are two main challenges of water resources management in the GCC countries. These are the unsustainable use of groundwater resources with its ramification on these countries socio-economic development, and the escalating urban water demands and its heavy burden on their national budget and negative impacts on the environment.

As the quality of groundwater deteriorates, either by over-exploitation or direct pollution, its uses diminish, thereby reducing groundwater supplies, increasing water shortages, and intensifying the problem of water scarcity in these countries. It is expected that the loss of groundwater resources will have dire consequences on the countries’ socio-economic development, increases health risks, and damages their environment and fragile ecosystem regimes.

Moreover, the development of many GCC countries is relying heavily on non-renewable fossil groundwater, and the issue of “sustainability” of non-renewable resources is problematic, and requires clear definition.

aquifer deterioration in mena

Sustainability of these resources need to be interpreted in a socio-economic rather than a physical context, implying that full considerations must be given not only to the immediate benefits and gains, but also to the “negative impacts” of development and to the question of “what comes after?” An “exit strategies” need to be identified, developed, and implemented by the time that the aquifer is seriously depleted. An exit strategy scenario must include balanced socio-economic choices on the use of aquifer storage reserves and on the transition to a subsequent less water-dependent economy, and the replacement water resource.

Despite their relatively enormous cost and heavy burden on the national budged, limited operational life (15-25 years), their dependence on depleting fossil fuel, and their negative environmental impacts on the surrounding air and marine environment, the Gulf nations are going ahead with desalination plant construction and expansion in order to meet the spiralling domestic water demands – a function of population and urbanization growth.

The rapid increase in urban water demands in the GCC can be explained by two factors, rapid population growth and the rise in per capita consumption; per capita average daily consumption in the domestic sector ranges between 300-750 liters, which ranks the highest in the world. This is due mainly to the reliance on the supply side of management with little attention given to the water demand management and the non-existence of price-signaling mechanism to consumers.

water conservation in Middle East

The other strategic issue is that, despite the current and anticipated future dependence of the GCC countries on desalination to meet its domestic/drinking water supply, desalination remains an imported technology for the GCC countries with limited directed R&D towards these technologies.

Furthermore, desalination industry have limited added value to the Gulf countries economies (e.g., localizing O&M, plant refurbishment, fabrication, manufacturing of Key Spare Parts, qualifying local labor to work in desalination industry, etc..).

SEA as Sustainability Mainstreaming and Planning Tool in Jordan

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Seeking to find its own recipe for sustainability planning, Jordan is piloting Strategic Environmental Assessment as a tool for planning and managing development zones or special economic areas. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a systematic process for evaluating the environmental consequences of proposed policy, strategy or master plan in order to ensure they are fully included and appropriately addressed at the earliest appropriate stage of decision-making on par with economic and social consideration.

Using a unique model, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has prepared Strategic Environmental Assessment and Strategic Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) for the Dead Sea Development Zone which was given a special status in 2009 to attract quality investments and to share economic gains with surrounding local communities.  Despite the fact that EU member states have well-established systems for SEA, this particular Jordanian-tailored application on the Dead Sea Development Zone Master Plan has incorporated specific aspects to introduce this project as a regional/international model in sustainability mainstreaming. The major benefits of SEA include:  

  • Enhanced sustainability of natural resources
  • Prevention of costly planning mistakes
  • Conservation of time and money
  • Simplification of Environmental Impact Assessment
  • Promotion of compatibility amongst Master Plans
  • Enhancement of development strategies
  • Improved public sector efficiency, and
  • Enhanced credibility in decision making

Key Takeaways

For years, Jordan has pushed for more serious consideration and buy-in for environmental issues from various players; the government, private sector, and civil society. While this has worked in some areas, it is no secret that it has not been quite successful in many others. Many argue that the standalone environmental policy and plans are not enough when it comes to balancing economic and social development needs. Key takeaways from the Jordanian SEA experience in the Dead Sea Development Zone are being discussed in the following paragraphs:

No Environmental 'Surprises' for Developers/Investors

The SEA process exists to ensure the early integration of environmental considerations into the preparation and adoption of Master Plans and development programs with a view to promoting sustainable development. The preparation or amendment of a Master Plan and the work on assessing the likely environmental effects should be undertaken in parallel so that the environmental considerations can be integrated into the preparation of the plan from the start. 

As a result there should be no environmental “surprises” for the Master Planning Team, no development “surprises” for the SEA Team and no expenditure wasted on designs which have environmental difficulties. The key result of the SEA will be Master Plans which respect the environmental carrying capacity, and therefore avoid, reduce or offset the likely significant environmental effects from investment projects. 

Clear Guidance for Development Programs

SEA and SEMP includes enough details to guide further detailing of the Master Plan and development projects. They provide specific environmental objectives that are extracted from national goals and zone-specific considerations. The involvement of stakeholders in the SEA process is a key success factor. The key groups and institutions, foreign investors, environmental agencies, NGOs, representatives of the public and others, including those groups potentially affected by the likely environmental impacts of implementing the Master Plan should be identified and consulted. Due to the unique nature of the Dead Sea are, several levels of consultations were organized including concerned Ministers.

Good Governance and Private Sector Involvement

SEA places the environmental protection burden on government's shoulder. Through the proposed SEA/SEMP framework, roles and responsibilities of environmental management are clearly defined amongst various regulators, developers and investors, as well as some NGOs. The institutional coordination and good governance principles would be typically covered in contractual agreements and memoranda of understanding to ensure proper implementation.

Nevertheless, both SEA and SEMP are legalized and enforced according to the development zones legislative framework, which is the first attempt of its kind in Jordan to require SEAs. Throughout the process of preparation and implementation of the SEA study and SEMP, regulators, planning consultants, developers and NGOs have been learning a lot.

Going Beyond Compliance

Due to the environmentally sensitive nature of the Dead Sea area, measures to go beyond regulatory requirements are introduced in the SEA and SEMP. For example, an enhanced energy efficiency target of 30% and water efficiency of 20% would make the Dead Sea Development Zone a real destination for sustainable tourism. Such pilot would also serve as a national model for others to follow towards cascading the national water and energy efficiency targets on zone (regional) level.

Enhanced Partnerships

Support and buy-in from the government is needed to bring the SEA and SEMP to reality. Water, wastewater, solid waste and energy infrastructure elements are crucial for the successful achievement of the set environmental targets. Innovative financing mechanisms to green the area's infrastructure need to be investigated including those with public-private partnership.

National Readiness, Awareness and Capacity-building

It is clear that the knowledge and skills needed to prepare SEAs and SEMPs are slightly different than those needed for EIAs. Jordan has been requesting big projects to submit an EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) for over a decade now. Consulting firms providing such service are becoming used to the EIA model with little or no exposure to SEA and other environmental planning and mainstreaming tools.

During SEA consultation sessions and with the presence of dozens of NGOs representatives and national experts, the level of input is still leaning towards the EIA/individual project impact rather than plan/policy/strategy interrelated impacts. Even the regulators need to review and approve SEAs with a more strategic eye on the potential impacts.

Conclusions

SEA implementation in Jordan is expanding to other development zones and this will change the very nature of planning in the country for the better and will position Jordan as a regional leader in environmental mainstreaming and sustainability planning. A similar approach might be designed to assess the environmental sustainability impacts of urban/sectoral community development plans and propose guidelines for promoting compliance and beyond compliance measures in the MENA region. 

التأمل والبيئة

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للتأمل أنواع، ومن احدى أنواع التأمل هو المشي في الطبيعة او ما يعرف ب “تأمل المشي”. والبعض يفضل المشي على الجلوس في الحديقة او على الشاطئ. فسكون الطبيعة وجمالها يساعد الفرد في إيجاد الانسجام والتوازن. ولا أهدف من هذا المقال الى القول ان مكان التأمل هو الطبيعة بل يمكن ممارسة التأمل في المكتب أو في المنزل. لكن من منظوري الشخصي يكون أحد أفضل الأماكن للتأمل هو الطبيعة.

البيئة لديها قوة تحويلية، فهي توفر الصفاء وتساعدنا في العثور على أنفسنا مرة أخرى. ان التأمل في مكونات البيئة من نبات وحيوانات يؤدي الى احترام وتقدير هذه المخلوقات. وهذا الاحترام يؤدي الى الحفاظ على البيئة.

مكافحة التلوث وحماية البيئة

في عالمنا الحالي نحتاج للتأمل للحفاظ على البيئة. ففي ظل الثورة الصناعية والتكنولوجيا واستنزاف الموارد الطبيعية، بات من الطبيعي خلق مفهوم جديد بعيد عن تسليع الموارد. ان جعل الموارد الطبيعية عنصرا اقتصاديا قابلا للبيع والشراء عزز الانانية وأدى الى تفضيل المصلحة الشخصية على حماية البيئة.  كما دفع الكثير للتعدي على الموارد البيئية واستنزافها لأجل تحصيل المال. فنرى اصطياد الأسماك تحول من الشباك الى سفن ضخمة تجرف كل ما تمر فوقه. ولا يسعنا المجال لذكر التعديات البيئية.

وهنا يأتي دور التأمل والذي يزفه المرء بالإحساس بهذه الموارد وتعظيمها.

تغير المناخ والتأمل

تغير المناخ من المشاكل التي تواجه العالم أجمع وتجر عليه الويلات. ولكي يصبح تغير المناخ أولوية عالمية، يجب خلق وتوضيح نقاط الاتصال بين حياة الناس اليومية وظاهرة الاحتباس الحراري.ومن احدى العوامل التي أدت الى تفاقم هذه الازمة والعديد من المشاكل البيئة هو أن الكثيرين منا لا يدركون ارتباطنا كبشر بالبيئة وأننا جزء منها ولسنا اوصياء علبها. كثيرون لا يدركون فائدة إقامة علاقة أفضل مع الطبيعة. ويأتي هنا دور والتأمل، الذي يمكن أن يؤدي الى الوعي المستنير الذي يمكن من فهم أفضل للمناطق الطبيعية المحيطة بنا.

 يمكن لليقظة ان تؤدي الى تغير في طريقة تفكيرنا وطريقة معالجتنا للأزمات الاجتماعية والبيئية التي تواجهنا. لذا من الممكن بتضافر الجهود ان يساعدنا في بناء مجتمع أكثر استدامة.  نستنج من أعلاه ان التأمل يساعد في تنمية التعاطف وتعزيز قيمنا الأخلاقية الجوهرية مما ينعكس بدوره على رفع الظلم وإدراك العدالة الاجتماعية وتغليب المصلحة العامة. وعلى الإنسان أن يعي نعمة وجود الطبيعة الجميلة حوله فيحافظ عليها، فالوعي بالأخطار الناجمة عن التصرفات الغير واعية تؤثر سلبا على حياة جميع أنواع المخلوقات. فالتفكر ومعرفة أهمية الحفاظ على توازن الطبيعة يؤدي الى تنمية مستدامة على الصعيد البيئي والاقتصادي والاجتماعي.

Recycled Clothing: 6 Creative Ways To Upcycle Fabric

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Whether you’re an avid recycler or not, chances are you’d have quite a lot of fabrics from old clothing with you. For the clothing pieces which are still wearable to re-sell or donate, you may have given those away already. Although, for those that can’t be worn as shirts anymore, that’s where fabric scraps come into play.

Fabric scraps can still have a brand-new life to them, so don’t throw them away. With a few crafty tricks here and there, you can make better use out of those fabric pieces. Hence, read more for some of the best ideas for recycled T-shirt printing and fabric scraps.

Creative Ways To Upcycle Fabric

1. Coasters

The pandemic has brought about the coming in of many new hobbies by homeowners. Now the hype seems to have shifted to the dining area. Table setting has gotten higher up a notch with many homeowners now putting more effort into table cloths, placemats, and even small details like napkins and coasters.

If you buy brand new ones all the time, sets can be quite expensive. However, the good news is that you can also get started with table-setting even when you’re working with a limited budget. You can do this by upcycling old fabric into coasters.

Let your creativity shine as your coasters don’t always have to be identical. For as long as they still fall within the same theme and vibe you have in your home, those coasters will still be able to do their job.

2. Fabric Scrap Shoe Laces

If you have plain sneakers in your closet, you can add some sass and style to it by switching out the laces. Yes, you can easily buy new shoelaces. But, if you have fabric at home, you can use it as shoelaces.

For instance, floral fabrics make cute prints for shoelaces. If you have a little girl, those laces are going to look dainty in outfits. It’s also a unique break away from the monotonous choices available at the market.

3. Baby Bibs

Do you have a baby along the way? Or, you maybe you have someone dear to you who is also an expecting mom? You may give them the special gift of hand-sewn baby bibs. After using your fabric scraps for this, you can go the extra mile by embroidering their name.

4. Coin Purses

This third item on this list is for those of you who have a knack for sewing. All you need to buy is matching zippers, and you can start sewing small coin purses. If you’re interested in adding a personalized touch to these coin purses, consider delving into embroidery digitizing. This technique allows you to create intricate and custom designs that can be embroidered onto the purses, making them even more special. If you don’t like using coin purses, you can make some for your kids and their friends. You can even give those away as thank you gifts during their birthday, or perhaps as small, Christmas gifts for the entire class.

5. Luggage Tags

If you know someone in your circle of friends who also enjoys traveling, fabric luggage tags are another good way for you to make good use out of your fabric scraps.

When luggage tags can be quite expensive, you can save so much money when now you’ve got your luggage tags. You may create one for each bag or each member of the family. If you have a fair or weekend market coming up in your local area, you may also opt to sell those luggage tags.

6. Create A T-Shirt Comforter

This sixth item on the list is a special keepsake that moms will love to do. If you’re at a loss as to what you should do with your little one’s onesies, you may have wanted to sell or donate them. However, there might be a  part of you that also wants to keep some of those onesies as memories from when your little one’s infancy.

recycled clothing

The solution to this dilemma is to sew those clothes or onesies to a comforter, duvet cover, or quilt. This would also be a special gift to give your little one. You may give it to them one day when they may leave home and they’re not little anymore.

Conclusion

Making the conscious decision to live a more sustainable way of life is one of the best choices you can make. This entails making the most use out of things you have at home and even those that you’ve already thought of already as scraps. Hopefully, the list of fabric upcycling ideas above could get you started with your DIY craft projects. Now you can finally repurpose those clothing items which are simply waiting for a push of new life.

Eco-friendly Tips to Buy an AC

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Many homeowners are now aware of the importance of conserving the environment and how they can contribute towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. They realize that through saving energy, they can not only save some money, but they can also play a part in making the world a better place. One appliance that definitely consumes a high amount of energy in most homes is the air conditioning unit. That is why it is so important that you look for the most eco-friendly brand when making your purchase. Fortunately, these brands are not too hard to find.

In order to find an eco-friendly AC unit, you need to be aware of the most important features to look out for. It’s not just about going to the store and asking to be given one. Once you know what you want, finding it will be very easy. Here are some eco-friendly tips to help you buy an AC:

hvac-air-filter

1. Choose the appropriate size

Size is very important when choosing an AC. If it is too small, it will end up overworking your system and increase your energy bill as a result. At the same time, such a unit will not be capable of balancing the air being cooled by its condenser with the hot air it releases. You can have a technician look at your house and recommend the proper size for you.

2. Find a unit that has two-stage compressors

Compressors consume the most energy in AC units. The work of compressors is to push out hot vapors in order for the refrigerant to cool down. If your AC has two-stage compressors, it will be compressing less on a cool day and more on hot days. This will save you a significant amount of energy.

3. Go for highest energy efficiency ratings

The ENERGY STAR® or SEER ratings are hugely significant in a wide variety of appliances. Any AC unit that has these types of certifications or ratings will use much less energy than one that doesn’t. In fact, the amount of energy saved can go up to 50%. At the same time, the unit is likely to have a thermostat that you can use to set the system’s temperature.

environmental impact of air conditioner

4. Install a programmable thermostat

This is one of the cheapest ways to make your AC eco-friendly. When you have a programmable thermostat, you will be able to program it to turn it off when you are not at home and on when you are just about to come back.

5. Regular maintenance

Having your AC inspected and serviced by a professional contractor is crucial if you want it to remain energy-efficient. Service entails checking for leaks and also ensuring the air flow is good. If there is a need for a new AC filter, the professional will make the recommendation.

Conclusion

Air conditioning provides us with some comfort on extremely hot days, especially during the summer. However, they can also be the source of considerable environmental harm. The best way we can prevent this is by investing in eco-friendly AC. These five tips should help you in this regard.

Carta: Creating Art-from-Trash in Jordan

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Carta, a novel paper recycling initiative in Jordan, was launched when Najwan Al Masri noticed the increasing amount of paper wastes being generated at her home (especially when her son started to write and draw) and she thought “Why not to upcycle waste papers into beautiful Art and Crafts”. The thought developed to an idea which then grew into a project with careful research and study about how to make something unique and useful. Carta is trying to give paper recycling a new dimension of creativity, innovation and passion. EcoMENA talks to Najwan Al Masri, the Founder of Carta, to know more about her innovative art-from-trash venture:

art from trash

EcoMENA: What are the main aims and objectives of your initiative?

Najwan Al Masri: The main aim of Carta is to create beautiful paper waste-based art pieces that are environmentally friendly, touching the values and interest of our communities, and building a meaningful relationship with those around us. Recycling paper is an elegant civilized treat to Earth and it can be mixed with Art to create something that decorate our life in the real sense of the word.

EcoMENA: What motivated you to launch Carta and what drives you to continue?

Najwan Al Masri: As any woman who would like to be an effective part of the community especially that I have a great passion for art, and what I noticed (through teaching my son how to paint and do simple crafts for his school) about the amount of papers we throw every day; I decided to start something that represent what I love and believe.

The amount of support and appreciation that I daily receive with each piece I make drives me to continue and dream big.

EcoMENA: What kind of impact Carta has made on the society?

Najwan Al Masri: Carta has helped in increasing the awareness about paper recycling in our community, and we now have many partners supplying us waste papers to use in our works. I really appreciate the huge amount of support received from the community and I hope that my message of art, peace and love will spread all over the world. You may visit our Facebook page for more information about Carta.

EcoMENA: What are the skills or values required to run a social enterprise like yours?

Najwan Al Masri: I believe a social entrepreneur should have creativity, patience, good communication skills, cultural understanding and the ability to learn, develop, and to accept criticism.

A beautiful handicraft made from waste papers

EcoMENA: What are the major hurdles in establishing a successful social enterprise in MENA countries?

Najwan Al Masri: It is crucial to get the acceptance of the community for new ideas and concepts, especially when providing a product/service that compete with the imported products.

EcoMENA: How has been the progress until now and where do you foresee your organization in the coming 5 years?

Najwan Al Masri: The progress is exceeding our expectations as our small community is growing every day. We expect to have our own shop that will exhibit many products representing our idea of art-from-trash and recycling papers (and other waste materials). In addition, we also hope to have our own space to hold capacity-building sessions and training courses on art, crafts, and recycling.

EcoMENA: Do you have any advice for young entrepreneurs in MENA?

Najwan Al Masri: Believe in yourself and your abilities, focus on the value of your work rather than profit, and think of ideas that can make your country as well as the world a better place to live.

6 Easy Ideas to Teach Sustainable Living to Your Kids

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Talking about the environment with children is one of the best things we can do to encourage ‘green’ habits for a sustainable world. Developing the habit of thinking about the impact of their actions on the earth is as important as learning about other aspects of faith and growing spiritually – they are interlinked.

To make sustainable living a way of life, we can make small daily changes. Here are a few ideas to teach sustainable living to your kids:

1. Getting serious about waste

Consider the waste your household generates – what can you buy less of? Is there a way to avoid extra packaging? Can you reuse items from friends or family instead of buying new?

ideas for sustainable living

2. Recycling

Get children involved in creating waste management systems in the house to keep paper and cardboard recycling separate from plastics, metals and glass. Check out your local waste disposal and recycling website for guidelines. Discuss these with your children to understand the full range of recycling services on offer locally.

3. Water conservation

Share some visual prompts online to show your children what 1 gallon of water looks like to help them understand this fact: the average person uses 80–100 gallons of water a day. Practise water conservation by not leaving the tap running whilst washing up, brushing their teeth, or making wudu.

islam-water-conservation

Save water by using the shower instead of filling a bath and using a watering can instead of a hosepipe. Even better, use a water barrel to collect rain to feed outdoor plants.

4. Get growing

Gardening is a great way to nurture the skill of caring for our environment and taking responsibility. Balcony and windowsill pots are ideal ways to grow plants any time of the year. Research seasonal vegetables if you have an outdoor garden to use. It will also help children understand the time and effort that goes into growing vegetables to reduce food waste in the home.

gardening by children

In the garden, making bird baths, bird feeders and insect hotels are wonderful activities to help the survival of minibeasts and birds.

5. Food

Buy local seasonal fruits and vegetables with minimal packaging. Freeze fruit and vegetables that may be in excess. Get children used to checking food stocks in cupboards and the fridge before grocery shopping to make sure older items are used up before fresh food is stored. Make a family recipe book to collect favourite recipes that use up fresh produce.

Leftover food scraps and peel can be put in a composting bin and not in general waste. There are many child-friendly instructions on how to make a compost box in the garden for general food waste.

food waste management

6. Plastic patrol!

Explain to your children what the problem with plastic is: it does not degrade and can cause harm to plants and animals that come into contact with it.

Children can help to spot the alternatives to plastic when you’re out shopping, such as cups and bottles made of bamboo; wooden hairbrushes; and metal or ceramic food containers.

Note: This is an excerpt from Suma Din’s latest ‘The Gift of the World’ published by Beacon Books.  The article has been reproduced with the kind permission of Beacon Books.

You can purchase the book directly from this link

Water Crisis in Egypt and Degeneration of the Nile

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Egypt is struggling to cope with water shortages and food production. It is expected that Egypt’s per capita annual water supply will drop from 600 cubic meters today to 500 cubic meters by 2025, which is the UN threshold for absolute water scarcity. Egypt has only 20 cubic meters per person of internal renewable freshwater resources, and as a result the country relies heavily on the Nile for its main source of water.

Water scarcity has become so severe that it has been recorded that certain areas in the country could go days without water, with pressure sometimes returning only for a few hours a week. The country can no longer delay action and must act now.

Degeneration of Nile

Agriculture

Agriculture contributes roughly 15% of Egypt’s GDP, and employs 32% of Egypt’s workforce with rice being the biggest produce in the country. Rice is an important part of an Egyptian family’s diet. However, the cultivation of rice is very water intensive. On average about 3000 liters of water is used to produce 1 kilo of rice. This number can vary depending on climate, soil type and water management practices.

The government has restricted cultivation of rice to an area of 1 million acres (farmers were previously able to use most of the Nile Delta for cultivation) in specified areas of the Nile Delta. The government has even resorted to taking drastic measures as spreading incendiary compounds on rice fields cultivated outside the area allocated by the government. This has caused outrage and demonstrations by farmers who insist that the area allocated is not enough for them to be able to make ends meet. This type of tension caused by the lack of water was one of the catalysts of the Arab Spring in 2011/2012.

To alleviate population tension and unrest the government has been trying to increase water supply by exploring with reusing treated agricultural and municipal wastewater for agriculture. However implementation of such initiatives is not being applied fast enough to cope with the rising demand.

Government must enforce new irrigation methods in the country (Egyptian farmers still rely heavily on flood and canal irrigation in the Nile Delta) as well as smart agricultural practices such as using less water intensive crops. Resorting less water intensive water crops could drastically cut water used in agriculture and help increase water supply.

Pollution of the Nile

The Nile has been a lifeline for Egypt at least since the time of the pharaohs. Yet, despite the world’s largest river’s importance to the country, its water is being polluted by various sources, and pollution levels increasing exponentially in recent years.

The degeneration of the Nile is an issue that is regularly underestimated in Egypt. With so many people relying on the Nile for drinking, agricultural, and municipal use, the quality of that water should be of most importance. The waters are mainly being polluted by municipal and industrial waste, with many recorded incidents of leakage of wastewater, the dumping of dead animal carcasses, and the release of chemical and hazardous industrial waste into the Nile River.

Pollution of Nile

Industrial pollution is wrecking havoc in Nile

Industrial waste has led to the presence of metals (especially heavy metals) in the water which pose a significant risk not only on human health, but also on animal health and agricultural production. Fish die in large numbers from poisoning because of the high levels of ammonia and lead. Agricultural production quality and quantity has been affected by using untreated water for irrigation as the bacteria and the metals in the water affect the growth of the plant produce, especially in the Nile Delta where pollution is highest.

Of course the pollution of Nile is a complex problem that has been continuing for more than 30 years and the government is trying to implement stricter rules on the quality and type of waste/wastewater dumped into the river to reduce the pollution of the Nile. However, swift and decisive action must be taken towards cleaning the Nile, such as treating the wastewater prior to disposal, and placing stricter restrictions on industries to dispose of their waste safely and responsibly. This issue cannot be ignored any further as the continual increase in population will cause an increase in demand on Egypt’s dwindling water resources. Every drop of water counts.

The Blue Nile Dam

Another challenge at hand is tackling the issue of Ethiopia building a dam and hydroelectric plant upstream that may cut into Egypt’s share of the Nile. For some time a major concern for Egypt was Ethiopia’s construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in the Blue Nile watershed, which is a main source of water for the Nile River.

Construction of the Renaissance Dam started in December 2010, and has the capacity to store 74 to 79 billion cubic meters of water and generate 6,000 megawatts of electricity for Ethiopia a year. This creates major concern for Egypt, who is worried that this dam would decrease the amount of water it receives (55.5 billion cubic meters) from the Nile River. Egypt is concerned that during dry months, not enough water will be released from the GERD thus decreasing the water received downstream. This will greatly hinder Egypt’s attempts to alleviate the water shortages during those months.

Earlier this year, Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan assigned two French companies to prepare a report on the impact of the dam on the three countries. This report will clarify the affects the Dam will have on downstream countries. The results of this report are yet to be released.

Conclusion

In case of business-as-usual scenario, Egypt runs the risk of becoming an absolute water scarce country in less than a decade. Therefore Egypt has a battle on its hands to ensure adequate conditions for its population. Like many other water scarce countries around the world, it needs to mitigate water scarcity by implementing smart water conservation techniques, adopting water saving technologies, and control water pollution.

With climate conditions expected to get drier and heat waves expected to become more frequent in the MENA region, Egypt cannot afford to neglect its water conservation policies and must act immediately to meet the population’s water demand.

Sources of Information

https://www.ecomena.org/egypt-water/

http://planetearthherald.com/egypt-faces-water-crisis-the-end-of-the-nile-as-we-knew-it/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/04/egypt-water-crisis-intensifies-scarcity

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/04/30/Egypt-must-preserve-its-lifeline-by-tackling-the-water-crisis-now.html

https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/06/14/470358/Egypt-water-crisis-street-protests-Dakahlia-North-Sinai

https://phys.org/news/2016-04-egypt-avert-crisis-driven-demand.html

https://tcf.org/content/report/egyptian-national-security-told-nile/

https://ecesr.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/ECESR-Water-Polllution-En.pdf

https://www.ukessays.com/essays/environmental-studies/water-pollution-in-egypt.php

http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/ericeproduction/III.1_Water_usage_in_rice.htm

https://phys.org/news/2010-11-rice-production-withers-egypt.html

https://www.juancole.com/2016/06/conflict-ethiopias-renaissance.html

What Does The Quran Say About The Natural Environment

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For a Muslim, caring for the environment is a part of faith. There are many verses (known as ‘ayahs’) about the natural environment. The Quran describes plants, animals, the elements of rain and wind as resources for use by people and animals. Some features of the natural environment, such as water, are mentioned several times as proof of God’s existence and power.

What Quran Say About Environment

The Holy Quran asks the reader to ‘think, ponder and reflect’ on the natural signs in the world and contemplate their purpose. Read on to know more about the Quran and natural environment:

On Rainwater Cycle

‘It is He who sends the winds as heralds of good news before His Mercy. We send down pure water from the sky, so that We can revive a dead land with it, and We give it as a drink to many animals and people We have created.’ (Quran, 25:48–49)

‘And We have sent down blessed rain from the sky and made grow thereby gardens and grain from the harvest.’ (Quran, 50:9)

quran and the natural environment

The Variety of Crops

‘And it is He who sends down rain from the sky. With it we produce the shoots of each plant, then bring greenery from it, and from that We bring out grains in layers.’ ‘And from the date palms come clusters – of its emerging fruit hanging low. And [We produce] gardens of grapevines and olives and pomegranates, similar yet varied. Look at [each of] its fruit when it yields and [at] its ripening.

agriculture-palestine

Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.’ (Quran, 6:99)

‘Eat and drink but do not be wasteful: God does not like wasteful people.’ (Quran, 7:30)

‘Let man consider the food he eats! We pour down abundant water and cause the soil to split open. We make grain grow, and vines and fresh vegetation, olive trees, date palms, luscious gardens, fruits and fodder, all for you and your livestock to enjoy.’ (Quran, 80: 32–34)

On Animal Life

‘And there is no creature on [or within] the earth or bird that flies with its wings except [that they are] communities like you. We have not neglected in the Register a thing. Then unto their Lord they will be gathered.’ (Quran, 6:38)

wildlife-jordan

Mountains

‘And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that you may be guided.’ (Quran, 16:15)

 

Note: This is an excerpt from Suma Din’s latest book ‘The Gift of the World’ published by Beacon Books (UK).  The article has been reproduced with the kind permission of Beacon Books.

You can purchase the book directly from this link

ما يمكن أن تفعله أندية كرة القدم لتصبح أكثر مراعاة للبيئة

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تواجه بيئتنا مشاكل خطيرة في عصرنا الحالي، مما يتطلب الجميع حول العالم أن يبذلوا جهداً واعياً لحياة أكثر صحية، وصديقة للبيئة. وإذا خطر ببالك أن هذا متعارف عليه عند الجميع، فلماذا لا يطبقونه؟ فاعلم أن الأمر ليس بهذه البساطة كما تعتقد.

كيف لأندية كرة القدم أن تساهم؟ تعتبر الاندية جزءاً رئيسياً من المجتمع، وتستضيف عشرات الناس أسبوعياً وبهذا تستطيع أن تكون بارزة ومؤثرة لانها الرياضة الاكثر شعبية بين الناس على صعيد يومي.

how to make football club eco friendly

يمكن للأندية توفير بيئة خضراء آمنة للأطفال للاستمتاع بها، بتحول أندية كرة القدم إلى نوادي صديقة للبيئة، وهذا الامر ليس له فوائد هائلة للبيئة وحسب وإنما سيثبت أنه مؤثر على جميع أعضاء النادي ولاعبيه من الجيل الحديث. لكن ماذا على أندية كرة القدم أن تفعل حتى تصبح أكثر صداقة بيئياً؟

فيمايلي نود أن نشارك دليلنا السهل لتطبيقه في نادي كرة القدم ليصبح صديقاً للبيئة:

إستخدام الطاقة المتجددة

بدايةً، يتوجب على أندية كرة القدم أن تدرس وتبحث جيداً في استخدام الطاقة المتجددة، لأنها تحتاج قدراً كبيراً من الطاقة لضمان كفاءة عملها، فمثلاً، الكشافات الضوئية ومتطلبات غرف تبديل الملابس لوحدها تحتاج قدراً كبيراً من الطاقة. وبالرغم أن الأندية تستطيع الحد من استهلاك الطاقة، فالافضل تغيير المصدر.

إن الخلايا أو الالواح الشمسية وطاقة الرياح أو حتى تخزين البطاريات، كلها تعتبروسائل صديقة للبيئة وبإمكانها تشغيل النادي. إن استخدام هذه الوسائل أكثر فائدة للبيئة وممكن أن توفر بعض المال للنادي. حيث سيكون بالامكان بيع الفائض من الطاقة المتوفرة من المصدر الخاص بهم وذلك سيقلل الكلفة الاجمالية لتشغيل النادي.

تقليل النفايات

تعتبر مشكلة النفايات مشكلة كبيرة عندما يتعلق الموضوع بسلامة وصحة بيئتنا، وهنالك طرق متعددة تستطيع أندية كرة القدم أن تحد بها النفايات وتساهم في التقليل من هذا الامر السلبي. يمكن للنادي أن يوفر المزيد من مرافق إعادة التدوير وتشجيع أعضاء النادي بزيادة وعيهم حول كيفية التخلص من الاشياء، وهذه التوعية كافية لجعل الاعضاء واللاعبين أكثر وعياً بنفاياتهم مما سيحدث فرقاً كبيراً.

Electric Vehicles Pros and Cons

تخصيص مرافق للسيارات الكهربائية

إذا استطاع النادي أن يُشجع الاعضاء واللاعبين للتحول الاقتصادي الاخضر فهو يستطيع أن يصبح نادي كرة قدم “خالي من الكربون”. وما الافضل من تشجيع استخدام السيارات الكهربائية كطريقة للوصول؟ سيكون ذلك عبارة عن قصة نجاح ومثال يُحتذى به في النادي نفسه والمناطق المحيطة به حيث سيوفر محطات شحن لهذه السيارات، وحتى توفيرها للمشجعين في أيام المباريات.

التسوق المحلي

يجب أن تحاول أندية كرة القدم أن تحصل على جميع منتجاتها من مصادر محلية وقريبة، لأن تقليل مسافات الشحن والنقل البعيدة سوف يكون وسيلة مذهلة لتقليل البصمة الكربونية للنادي، وبالتالي سيكون نادياً صديقاً للبيئة. مثل شراء الطعام والشراب من المصادر المحلية القريبة. وهذا يعني أن هذه المنتجات لن تقطع مسافات طويلة أو بعيدة مما يضمن حصوله على منتجات طازجة وذات جودة أفضل.

ترجمة: ماجدة هلسه

أردنية متعددة الإهتمامات، لديها من الخبرة ما يقارب السبعة وعشرون عاماً في مجال المالية والإدارة في المؤسسات المحلية والدولية، وتعمل ماجدة حالياً مع التعاون الدولي الالماني كموظفة مالية. ومع ذلك كله وعلى الصعيد التطوعي، فإن لديها شغفاً كبيراً بالترجمة في كافة المواضيع والمجالات، وقد بُني هذا الشغف بالخبرة الشخصية والعملية على مدى هذه السنين.

Note: The English version of the article is available at this link.