How Businesses Can Become More Sustainable by 2025

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Due to the changing consumer perspectives across the world, sustainability is rapidly becoming a necessity in the business world. To give you an idea, about 66 percent of consumers don’t mind spending more on a product or service provided it is offered by a sustainable brand.

Unfortunately, while a whopping 90 percent of corporations regard sustainability as a crucial part of business, only three-fifths of them have a sustainability strategy in place. This article presents tips on how businesses can become more sustainable by 2025.

sustainable business

1. Setting Sustainability Goals

The first step towards building a sustainable business is to set clear goals. More specifically, business management should discuss and document what they intend to achieve by 2025 concerning sustainability. Examples of sustainability goals include, among others, waste reduction, the adoption of clean energy, environmental conservation, and a healthy workforce.

The right goals not only provide a sense of direction in the quest for sustainability but also motivate stakeholders. Take note that since 2025 is not so far away, every sustainability goal set should be achievable within the remaining time frame. Therefore, setting feasible objectives is important.

2. Partnering With Other Businesses

Sustainability is a global initiative, and hence, everyone has a role to play towards its achievement. Therefore, it makes sense to say that businesses can support each other through partnerships to achieve sustainability faster, especially because it is not a cheap affair. For instance, businesses need a lot of resources to become sustainable, something that can be hard to achieve without external support.

Through partnerships, businesses can share resources amongst themselves as well as support small businesses in their sustainability initiatives. For instance, a business that specializes in providing green energy can supply its products and services to other businesses at a lower yet profitable price.

3. Implementing Wellness Programs

Social sustainability is equally important in business as it contributes a great deal towards environmental and economic sustainability. Keeping this in mind, businesses should implement wellness programs aimed at promoting good health at the workplace.

Common workplace wellness programs include yoga classes, massage therapy, on-site fitness centers, healthy food, and employee support programs. “Yoga and meditation are all you need to ignite your best life and open into your full potential on and off the mat,” says Brett Larkin, the founder and CEO of Uplifted Yoga. It is worth noting that wellness is not just good for employees’ health but also for the journey towards sustainability.

weatherization strategies for solar panels

4. Adopting Clean Energy

The global sustainability goal is to achieve zero carbon emission by 2050. Since carbon emission emanates from daily activities, every business should take individual initiative to reduce the carbon footprint. One great way to achieve this is by adopting clean energy. This involves using renewable and efficient heating and lighting energies such as solar, wind, bioenergy, geothermal, and hydropower. For instance, by installing solar panels at the premises, an entrepreneur can harness solar energy and use it in their daily activities to reduce pollution.

5. Educating Staff on Healthy Living

Apart from workplace wellness programs, employees should also take personal initiative to live healthy away from work. This can be in ways such as eating healthy foods at home, biking or walking to work, exercising, and taking care of their mental health. In an interview, Michael Dean, the co-founder of Pool Research said, “Exercise is a basic necessity for everyone looking to improve their lives in every aspect, and swimming remains among the best exercises ever invented.” Therefore, to achieve sustainability, healthy living should be regarded highly by business stakeholders.

6. Creating a Healthy Working Environment

A peaceful working environment can greatly contribute towards enhancing collaboration, collegiality, and productivity at the workplace. This, in turn, helps promote social and economic sustainability in businesses. “A good company should treat every employee with the utmost respect, and never let anyone feel alone, down, or unwanted,” said Eric Mills, the Own/CEO of Pro Support Accessories, in a recent interview. Valuing employees motivates them to work hard to attain the organization’s goals, which include attaining sustainability.

supply chain and sustainability

7. Supporting Sustainable Innovation

Businesses should be open to modifying their products and services to suit their sustainability objectives. For instance, instead of packaging products in plastic materials, they can adopt biodegradable materials such as wood and paper. This will help reduce the quantity of plastic dumped in landfills.

Sustainable innovation also involves changing policies, procedures, and operations to promote environmental conservation and sustainability. For instance, creating a policy that bans smoking at the workplace can help maintain a clean working environment, improve productivity, and promote good health amongst employees.

8. Revisiting Waste Management

Only about 9 percent of plastic is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills. Unfortunately, the plastic in the landfills ends up in soil and water bodies, contaminating the environment and affecting every living organism along the food chain. Therefore, it is prudent for a business to manage their waste properly to avoid dumping plastics and other non-biodegradable materials in landfills.

Sustainable waste management strategies include, among others, reusing, recycling, biological treatment, and reducing waste. For instance, businesses can reduce their packaging to reduce their wastes and make disposal easier and sustainable.

Also Read: Business Waste Management – What Your Business Can Do Better

9. Learning From Competitors

Most businesses have now embraced sustainability, and are formulating strategies of promoting it in their operations. This means that you can learn what other businesses are doing and incorporate them in your strategies if they tally with your business core values and culture. For instance, if you’re looking for ideas for implementing wellness programs in your business, you can look at what your competitors have achieved so far and adopt their strategies.

10. Reviewing Performance

 With time, every business should be able to identify what is working and what is not. There is no harm in abolishing policies and practices that don’t help promote sustainability and implementing those that do. For example, if employees don’t seem satisfied with the new rules and regulations at the workplace, it is always a good idea to hold meetings and find ways of improving or adapting to the new policies. In short, review the sustainability strategies regularly for improvement purposes.

The Bottom Line

Sustainability is the new strategy for business growth and development. Therefore, businesses should use these tips to achieve sustainability. When used correctly, these tips can help businesses become more sustainable by 2025.

البصمة البيئية لقطر

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لا يزال الأثر البيئي لقطر مصدرا للقلق. وفقا ل“تقرير الكوكب الحي” 2014 الذي أعده الصندوق العالمي للحياة البرية (WWF)، فإن معدل البصمة البيئية للفرد في قطر هو الآن ثاني أعلى المعدلات في العالم، شأنها شأن دول خلجية أخرى، و تفوقت الكويت، لتصبح أسوأ “الجناة” من بين  ال 152 دولة التي تم قياس بصمتها البيئية. وتأتي دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة في المركز الثالث في القائمة، أما المملكة العربية السعودية، أكبر منتج للنفط في العالم، فتحتل المركز ال33. و بمقارنة البصمة الإجمالية مع القدرة البيولوجية للكوكب – قدرته على توليد إمدادات مستمرة من الموارد المتجددة واستيعاب النفايات – فقد خلص التقرير، استنادا إلى بيانات عام 2010،  إلى أن متوسط البصمة البشرية للفرد يتجاوز قدرة الكوكب بمقدار 1.5. هذا وتتجاوز البصمة البيئية في معظم بلدان” منطقة “الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا“، القدرة البيولوجية من حيث ترتيبها عالميا.

یبلغ معدل البصمة البيئية لقطر، والذي يعبَّر عنه بوحدة الهكتارات العالمية (global hectares/gha) ، 8.5 – ثاني أعلى معدل في العالم، غير أنه یظل أقل من المعدل 11.6 المسجل في تقرير عام 2012. فقط وحدها الكويت التي سجلت أسوأ النتائج، ببصمة بلغت قيمتها 10gha . ووفقا لتقرير WWF، فإنه إذا كان لكل الناس على هذا الكوكب بصمة مقيم عادي في قطر، فإننا سنكون في حاجة إلى 4.8 كوكبا. في حين أنه إذا كنا نعيش نمط حياة مقيم نموذجي بالولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، فإننا سنكون في حاجة إلى 3.9 كوكبا. أما إذا كنا نعيش نمط حياة مقيم نموذجي بجنوب أفريقيا أو الأرجنتين فحاجتنا ستكون إلى 1.4 أو 1.5 كوكبا على التوالي. لقد كان متوسط البصمة في العالم للفرد الواحد يساوي  2.6 هكتار عالمي ، إلا أن متوسط القدرة البيولوجية العالمية للشخص الواحد كان 1.7 هكتار عالمي في عام 2010. وهذا يعتمد على القدرة البيولوجية الإجمالية للأرض التي تقدر بحوالي 12 مليار هكتار عالمي، و التي تدعم بها جميع البشر و حوالي 10 مليون أو أكثر من الأنواع البرية.

ويعزي سلمان ظفر، مؤسس EcoMENA  ، وهي منظمة طوعية تعمل على تعزيز التنمية المستدامة في العالم العربي،  الوضع القطري إلى نقص في الوعي البيئي بين السكان المحليين، وأنماط الحياة المترفة والاعتماد القوي على الوقود الأحفوري. ” لقد شكل التدفق الهائل للعمال من مختلف أنحاء العالم ضغطا كبيرا على الموارد الطبيعية المجهدة أصلا. و يضيف السيد سلمان بأن العمال المهاجرين، و الذين يشكلون جزءا كبيرا من السكان، يقيمون في البلاد لفترة محدودة من الوقت وبالتالي لا يكونون متحمسين بما فيه الكفاية للحفاظ على الموارد الطبيعية وحماية البيئة “. أما بالنسبة للكويت، وبحسب الخبير دائما ، فيمكن أن يعزى ارتفاع معدل البصمة البيئية إلى ازدهار صناعة  النفط والغاز بها، الزيادة في محطات تحلية المياه، وجود المئات من مدافن القمامة، الاستخدام المفرط للمياه والطاقة والسلع، وجود عدد ضخم من السكان المغتربين وغياب مبادرات ملموسة للحفاظ على البيئة.

معظم ال25 دولة التي  سُجِّلَ  بها أعلى قيم البصمة البيئية للفرد، كانت من الدول ذات الدخل المرتفع. و تقريبا في كل هذه الدول ، كان الكربون بمثابة العنصر الغالب في البصمة ، في حالة  قطر 70٪ . إذ بحسب تقرير WWF – في عام  1961، كان الكربون  وتحديدا  حرق الوقود الأحفوري، بمثابة العنصر المهيمن في البصمة  البشرية لأكثر من نصف قرن ، إذ كان يمثل 36٪ من من إجمالي البصمة ، ولكن بحلول عام 2010  ارتفعت هذه النسبة إلى 53 ٪. و في عام 2013، بلغ تركيز ثاني أكسيد الكربون في الغلاف الجوي فوق ماونا لوا في هاواي – موقع  أقدم محطة للقياس المستمر لثاني أكسيد الكربون في العالم – 400 جزءا في المليون لأول مرة منذ بدء القياسات في عام 1958. هذه  النسبة هي أعلى مما كانت عليه منذ أكثر من مليون سنة، هذا ويظهر علم المناخ المخاطر الرئيسية لتغيرغير مقبول في مثل هذه التركيزات. وعلاوة على ذلك ، فقد صنف عالميا عام 2014 العام الأكثر سخونة  منذ بدء القياسات، وتتوقع منظمة العالمية للأرصاد الجوية استمرار تصاعد  درجات الحرارة.

و قد جاء في التقرير أيضا أن عدد السكان في العالم  يزيد اليوم على 7.2 مليارا، وينمو بمعدل أسرع من التقديرات السابقة. ومن شأن التأثير المزدوج لتزايد عدد السكان وارتفاع معدل البصمة للفرد أن يضاعف الضغط البشري  على الموارد البيئية. كون الزراعة  تمثل 92٪ من بصمة المياه العالمية، فإن الاحتياجات المتزايدة  للإنسان من المياه، مع وجود  تهديدات تغير المناخ، من شأنها أن تفاقم ندرة المياه. هذا ويوضح المؤلفون أيضا على أن ، و على  المدى البعيد، لا يمكن  أن يؤخذ الماء على نحو مستدام من البحيرات وخزانات المياه الجوفية بمعدل يفوق قدرة تغذيتها. هذا وينتج عن تحلية مياه البحر إنتاج محلول ملحي (مع وجود تركيز عال جدا من الملح وأثار المواد الكيميائية  والمعادن)، و الذي يشكل تفريغه في البحر خطرا يهدد الحياة البحرية. من حيث التنوع البيولوجي، يبين التقرير انخفاضا عاما یقدر ب 52 ٪ ما بين عامي 1970 و 2010. إلا أن سرعة انخفاض العدد كانت كبيرة  بالنسبة لأنواع المياه العذبة (76 في المئة) بالمقارنة مع  أنواع المياه البحرية والبرية ( 39 ٪لكليهما).

فيما يتعلق بالقدرة البيولوجية لقطر،  تشكل مناطق الصيد 92٪ من المجموع، في حين أن البلاد تصنف في المرتبة 66 عالميا من حيث القدرة البيولوجية للفرد.على غرار دول الخليج الأخرى، فيمكن لقطر أن تتعامل مع العجز البيئي عن طريق استيراد المنتجات، وبالتالي استخدام الطاقة البيولوجية لدول أخرى؛ و/ أو باستخدام المشاعات العالمية، على سبيل المثال، عن طريق الإفراج عن انبعاثات ثاني أكسيد الكربون من حرق الوقود الأحفوري في الغلاف الجوي، يقول التقرير.

على الرغم من أن قطر  بدأت خططا لخفض قيمة بصمتها والعيش بصورة مستدامة نسبيا ، إلا أن آخرأرقام الشركة العامة القطرية للمياه للكهرباء (كهرماء) بخصوص الطلب على الكهرباء تظهر ارتفاعا بنسبة 12٪ عن العام السابق. مع أن هذا الارتفاع يتماشى مع النمو السكاني في البلاد، إلا أنه يعني أيضا أنه لم يكن هناك أي تخفيض في استهلاك الفرد من الكهرباء، و الذي يأتي في التصنيف بعد ال15 دولة الأولى في العالم. معدل استهلاك الماء للفرد لايزال هو أيضا واحدا من أعلى المعدلات في العالم.

الاعتماد الكبير لقطر على النفط والغاز، و سياسة الدعم في قطاع الماء و الكهرباء ، والكمية الهائلة من الطاقة اللازمة لتحلية المياه وتكييف الهواء ، كلها عومل تجعل من غير المرجح تحسن مكانة الفرد في البلاد من حيث البصمة البيئية  في وقت قريب، ولكن نظرا لصغر حجم البلاد فإن تأثيرها الكلي لا يزال صغيرا نسبيا.

ويعتبر سلمان شعبان من شركة إعادة تدوير المعادن  سبائك لاكي ستار التقرير فقط بمثابة تسليط للضوء على التطور السريع الحالي في قطر. ” إذ ليس من العدل أن نستخلص أي استنتاجات في هذه المرحلة حيث هناك بناء، ونظام نقل وطفرة سكانية. أي مكان سيمر من خلال مثل هذا التطور السريع لابد أن يكون له في البداية تأثيرا على النظم الإ يكولوجية. و يضيف أيضا “يتوقع انخفاض تدريجي لبصمة الكربون بمجرد الانتهاء من مرحلة البناء والتنمية.”ومع ذلك، فإنه تبقى لكل مقيم ومواطن  المسؤولية الأخلاقية في الحفاظ على الطاقة وحماية البيئة “،.و “يجب أن يكون إعادة التدوير جزءا أساسيا من  ثقافة كل أسرة”.

ووفقا لسلمان ظفر، توفير التعليم البيئي للمستوى الأساسي، رفع الدعم عن قطاع الماء والطاقة، وممارسات الإدارة المستدامة للنفايات، القوانين الفعالة، ومشاركة أصحاب المصلحة الإلزامية هي بعض من التدابير التي قد تؤدي إلى تحسين السيناريو البيئي في دولة قطر.

على الرغم من أن التقرير يثيرالقلق للبعض، إلا  أنه يوضح أن العديد من الأفراد والمجتمعات والشركات والمدن والحكومات تنتهج أفضل الخيارات لحماية رأس المال الطبيعي وتقليل البصمة الخاصة بهم، مع الفوائد البيئية والاجتماعية والاقتصادية. ولكن بالنظر إلى أن هذه التقارير الشاملة تستند إلى بيانات قديمة بأربع سنوات ، فإن التغييرات الحالية ، سواء للأفضل أوالأسوأ سوف تتضح في المستقبل القريب

ترجمة

هند سلامة، حاصلة على شهادة الدكتوراة تخصص الكيمياءـ البيئة من كلية العلوم عين الشق جامعة الحسن الثاني ـ المغرب، عملت كمديرة مشاريع في عدة مؤسسات و أعمل حاليا كمستشارة مستقلة في مجال البيئة و التنمية المستدامة و مترجمة  ، هذا عدا عن مساهماتي في البرنامج التطوعي للأمم المتحدة  UNVو متطوعة أيضا مع EcoMENA

The Need for Sustainability Communication in the Middle East

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Environmental and sustainability awareness has been around in the society for quite some time now; and buzzwords like ‘ecofriendly’, ‘green’ and ‘sustainable’ seem to be omnipresent. In spite of the proliferation of these eco-buzzwords, the state of sustainability communications remains poor and lacking in authenticity. This poor state of sustainable communication, aided by insufficient focus on authenticity, further allows unscrupulous organizations to ‘green wash’ their business or products.

The ‘greenwashing’, coupled with a lack of environmental knowledge on the consumer side engenders confused consumers who either despise any of the green eco-buzzwords or blindly accept green-washing as true sustainability. Currently, sustainability initiatives in the Middle East, be it local government or international, do not reach the common man.

sustainability-communication

People are still under impression that a few cursory steps towards ecofriendly lifestyle are enough. All in all sustainability is not yet properly understood in society. Most people wish to be more environmentally friendly but don’t know how. This is where sustainable communication can help.

Sustainability Communication for Businesses

There are two key elements to business sustainability communications:

  • Real Sustainability Efforts
  • Plentiful Sustainability Communication (external as well as internal).

Both of these elements are necessary. Without the former it’s a misleading greenwash, while without the latter, it’s a pocket of concentrated sustainability effort which will wither and die if the department handling this effort is disassembled.

For sustainability communications to work for businesses in the Middle East, there has to be real sustainability commitment and efforts from the business to make their product and services more sustainable. In this day and age of the internet, transparency and traceability about products and services are indispensable features which can prove the authenticity of the commitment of a business to sustainability goals.

There has to be external as well as internal sustainability communication for any organization which is taking efforts towards sustainability. The employees should get to know better about practicing sustainability policies or actions planned and implemented by that business. The employees can also act as sustainability advocates of that organizations.

In addition to having budget for CSR, organizations need to keep some time or fund aside for internal sustainability communication. In the long run these efforts can help organizations to stand out in the market.

Sustainable Communication in Media

If you open any newspaper or publication you are able to find some articles or information on the topic but most show a lack of clarity, and many appear to be written just as a formality. As an industry insider I can even reveal that most of the related news are mostly copy paste of original press releases sent by respective organizations. But if you look at other topics like lifestyle, fashion, those are well talked about, researched by in almost every publication.

Unfortunately we still don’t have enough qualified and expert sustainability journalists and writers in the region who actually understand what they are writing about. If you take example of Europe or Americas, they have many expert sustainability writers who write for main stream media and make sure the right information is reaching the society.

In general media in Middle East, though it’s newspaper or radio/TV channels need to give more attention to invest in qualified sustainability writers to acquire integrity and quality of sustainable communication.

Another issue of sustainable communication is it can take the form of an apocalyptic discussion, if you talk about environmental impact. People lose interest in such discussions quickly. Actually the statistic shows people in Middle East spend more time on internet than people from most other parts of world. But we need to accept that they prefer to have some light reading. We also need to create sustainability dialogue relevant to life of our readers and provide useful information for daily routine.

Instead of just talking about what is good and what is not, we need to show examples of doing good for environment, choosing sustainable options. So this takes me to my last point of sustainable communication, do what you preach. If we want our readers not just read but make changes in their lives; first we need to show how sustainable we practitioners are living. This will not only make sustainability relatable but also doable.

Demographics of Sustainability Communications

One important observation I have made, and many people in the field will agree, is that sustainability topic is well received by younger generation or millennials. These young people are pushing their parents and families to opt for more sustainable choices.

I would like to share one such personal experience. One of my readers contacted me and told her child insists on taking reusable bags with them all the time. Apart from how proud I felt about my reader and of course, her child, I was glad to know that the push of sustainable action is coming from young people.

When you communicate your sustainability efforts, be open for any feedback and criticism

When you communicate your sustainability efforts, be open for any feedback and criticism

During my eco-talks in schools, I always get positively surprised by how much these young kids know about environment and sustainability as compared to their adult counterparts. So we need to focus and include these young people in sustainable communication.

Consumer-Initiated Sustainable Communication

In this big market of consumers, we have almost no sustainable communication at consumer end. No surprise the region is facing larger issues like waste, waste recycling, and one of the highest rates of plastic consumption. We still lack sustainable communication initiated by consumers. What is needed in this region is a responsible consumer feedback.

Take the example of mending and renting services. The general shortage of mending and renting services a big indication of how the region has morphed itself a consumer’s paradise. This makes it critically difficult to create green consumerism as, market price, and availability in the market currently affects consumers much more than what the consumers really want.

However several consumers (more than we can perceive) would like to go back to the good old days when one really owned something, they used it for several years, got it mended over and over, and kept using it. It’s even better if the same brands are providing these mending and repair services of their own products in the region.

So if we could involve consumers in sustainability communication and dialogue, businesses can get feedback on what is truly missing, which will surely help them to make their business more sustainable.

Conclusion

Preaching what good you practice is not necessarily pompous if it is going to help the society be more sustainable. However at the core of any sustainable communication is a real effort in being sustainable, be it sustainability in energy, water, waste, or social.

The golden rule is, there is no knowledge without feedback of your actions, so when you communicate your sustainability efforts, be open for any feedback and criticism. This way we can create a positive loop of real sustainability actions, active and transparent communications, feedback and improvement, and better, more effective sustainability actions.

 

About the Author

Amruta Kshemkalyani, is an experienced sustainability professional and top sustainability influencer/advocate in UAE. While working in sustainable development field, she is also spreading environmental and sustainable living awareness in UAE through her blog www.sustainabilitytribe.com since 2009.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amrutant

Linkedin: https://ae.linkedin.com/in/amrutakshemkalyanitavkar

6 Eco-Friendly Ways To Redecorate Your Home

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When you are redecorating your home, it is important that you try to do it in an eco-friendly way. The world is changing, and more people need to be doing everything that they can to save the planet through their everyday life. If you want to play your part in saving the planet, you shouldn’t be wasting your old furniture and you should try to use less harmful paint and materials. We have put together some tips on how you can redecorate your home in an eco-friendly way. Make sure to keep reading if you’d like to find out more about this.

1. Thermal Curtains

Our first tip is to replace your curtains with thermal ones which can help to reduce the amount of energy that you use each month as they keep the heating in the room and thus keep your house warm in the winter season. You’ll find that there are plenty of thermal curtains available and you can get a lining that you can hang behind your current curtains if you like. You’ll love being able to use less energy every month while also having some nice new curtains hanging in your living room.

2. Don’t Get a New Kitchen

We know that it can be tempting to get an entirely new kitchen but if you want to redecorate your home in an eco-friendly way you should think about working on the smaller things. Instead of getting a new kitchen installed, you could replace your worktops with some laminate worktops for kitchens.

Alternatively, you could try to decorate your cupboards with some paint or decorations. Working on the smaller things like fixtures and fittings will be much more environmentally friendly than ripping your old kitchen out and replacing it.

3. Buy Real Wood Flooring

If you are thinking about replacing your current flooring, you should try to opt for real wood flooring. It is always a good idea to avoid buying carpet as this can be full of pollutants and chemicals which can cause problems for the environment.

You’ll also find that these chemicals will enter your home and remain there until it comes time to replace the carpet. If you want to redecorate your home in an eco-friendly way, you should avoid carpet and opt for real wood flooring.

4. Add Some Plants

If you are looking for a splash of colour in your home, then you should think about adding some plants. Not only is this an eco-friendly option but it can also make your home look amazing. When you have plants inside, you’ll find that they convert the carbon dioxide to oxygen. This makes your home a lot fresher and your air will be purified. Make sure to try this out if you want to add something new to your home.

IAQ

5. Upcycle

Getting sick of your old furniture and thinking about replacing it? It’s time to upcycle some of your pieces in an attempt to redecorate in a more eco-friendly way. Upcycling is really easy, and you’ll find loads of advice online about how you can transform your old chair into something new.

The more furniture you are able to reuse the better because you won’t be wasting anything in the process. Make sure to consider upcycling instead of investing in new furniture and throwing your old pieces away.

6. Use Low VOC Paint

Our final tip for those who want to redecorate their home in an eco-friendly way is to only use low VOC paint. You’ll find that this type of paint contains less harmful ingredients that can affect your home and the environment.

Think about the number of toxic emissions that will be in your home if you choose one with a lot of volatile organic compounds. You’ll find that there are plenty of low VOC options available for those who want to give their home a fresh coat of paint.

Final Verdict

If you are thinking about redecorating your home, you should try to do it in an eco-friendly way. Make sure to think carefully about whether you actually need to rip out your old kitchen or not and if you could be satisfied with updating some of the fixtures and fittings.

On top of this, you should aim to only use low VOC paint which will release a lot less harmful toxins into your home and the environment around us. If you think that upcycling could work for you, you should try to repaint or reupholster some of your favourite old pieces of furniture. You’ll find that you love how they look when they are finished, and you’ll feel proud of your own accomplishment.

Make sure to take all of our advice on board if you want to redecorate your home in a sustainable way. Get started and see what you can come up with.

The Role of Big Data in Environmental Sustainability

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Over the past few years, big data has gained significantly in popularity. Big data is being used for a wide array of applications. Businesses rely on big data to gain more insight into their customers. In return, this allowed them to market more effectively. Nowadays, it is possible to use big data, alongwith IoT and AI, for many other purposes, including achieving and maintaining optimum environmental sustainability. What is big data all about? How can it help achieve environmental sustainability? You’ll find out in the guide below.

big-data

What is Big Data

First and foremost, you should familiarize yourself with the term “big data”. What is it exactly? Well, this term describes the collection, processing and availability of significant amounts of data in real time. In the past, it would have been impossible to reap the benefits of big data. The technology just wasn’t able to keep up.

Today, this has changed. Big data is now used frequently all around the world and it has proven to be very beneficial. Big data can be used for tons of purposes, including predicting the weather, guess future stock prices, and even analyzing customer data. It may also be beneficial for protecting the environment and conserving our natural resources.

Benefits of Big Data

When it comes down to it, big data offers tons of benefits. First and foremost, it is timely. Big data can be analyzed quickly and conveniently with the right technology. Big data is also trustworthy. The information has been collected from the most reputable sources. It is also possible to remove irrelevant data from the equation.

This ensures that the business or governmental agency is only required to work with relevant data. In return, they’ll get the most relevant, accurate and beneficial results. This data is also actionable and secure.

Big Data and Environmental Sustainability

Big data may very well be able to play a vital role in environmental sustainability. In the beginning, this technology and information was only used by big businesses. That is beginning to change very rapidly. It is now believed that big data could be immensely beneficial for helping the world assess environmental risks.

Big data can play a key role in protecting the environment and natural resources.

Take Aqueduct for example. This water-risk mapping tool was designed by the World Resources Institute. It is capable of monitoring and calculated water risks pretty much all around the world. It does so by relying on big data, such as water quantity, quality and other changing regulatory issues.

Big data can also enable environmental sustainability by giving the world the opportunity to better understand its demand for food, energy and water. This is even possible when the population increases and climate change reduces these vital resources each and every year.

How Big Data Helps

Truly, it might be possible to use big data to enable environmental sustainability. It can help bring about better regulation. It can also help optimize resource uses to ensure that the world does not run out. The world is really on the brink and big data could make the difference. To know more about data science, enrol at Data Science Course in Bangalore.

4 Tips for Creating An Ecofriendly Home

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If you want to make your home greener, there are simple modifications that won’t require much effort at all. Making your home ecofriendly is as simple as changing a light bulb or investing in a dish towel that won’t require you to work very hard, but together they will help to create a complete eco-friendly home remodeling. Below are 4 important guidelines for creating a cozy, eco-friendly home.

1. Save light

It is known to all of you that LEDs are better for the ecosystem as compared to incandescent bulbs, but have you ever thought they can reduce your energy bill and also have a longevity exceeding 10 years. They have only one drawback which is that they produce a cool, blue-based lumination, instead of warm and comfortable lighting incandescent.

However, look for LED bulbs which give off a yellow-based lumination to get that comfortable glow. You’ll come across products on the market which allow you to choose between 3 options: soft white, daylight, and warm white.

LED-bulbs

2. Upgrade the windows

In all probabilities, wooden window frames are more eco-friendly, unlike any other material. As compared to the more common options that produce harmful toxic compounds, these wooden window frames are more resilient, insulating, and also less polluting.

Go for double-glazing if possible, while thick curtains that help to conserve more energy will likewise be a good idea.

3. Set up a smart meter

One of the biggest ways in which you use energy happens to be your heating. During the cold season, you often forget to switch off your heating system when not required. This can cause wastage of money and also energy. It will be possible to combat this by installing a smart meter.

lowering-home-temperature

You can program these devices in such a way they only switch on at specific times of the day – for instance, heating up before going home, and switching off at a particular time before you leave your abode. Everybody trying to minimize his carbon footprint and reduce his electricity bills ought to own smart meters.

4. Installing ducted air conditioning

Ducted air conditioning systems will help to control the climate of your home by effectively regulating the airflow, temperature, and air quality. In this way, they will provide your room with superior energy efficiency and you can even set up timers to switch on these devices anytime you want.

preventive-ac-maintenance

However, if your ducted heating and cooling unit started malfunctioning, do not hesitate to call an expert who will be able to fix it for you. But always remember to choose a competent repair company. It might be the fact that you have employed your local technicians in the past and these ducted air conditioning experts had the answer on every occasion, but there is a possibility for you to get cheated once in a while. Do adequate research beforehand to avoid unwanted headaches in the long run.

Parting shot

While implementing these above-mentioned plans for your new eco-friendly abode, do not forget to consider these environmentally-friendly options to safeguard your environment too. For this, you can go online and take the help of the pertinent videos and articles to get a fair idea on this subject. Prove to be a blessing for the surroundings and also prevent your own health from deteriorating.

Debunking 4 Most Common Solar Panel System Myths

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Solar panel systems’ sales have increased over the last few years. But there are still many who are yet to make the transition. One of the reasons for people resisting the change is the myths surrounding solar panel systems. And the sad part is that people believe these myths without even checking with a solar expert or reading about solar panel systems from a relevant source. So to clear the air, in this post, we talk about some of the most common solar panel myths and the facts behind them. Come let’s find out.

clean energy investment

Myth 1 – They are way too expensive

Unfortunately, it is because of this myth that many people do not consider installing a solar panel system. Most of them have this preconceived notion and they don’t even read up or talk to a solar expert to find out how much solar panel systems actually cost.

Fact – One of the reasons people fall for this myth is that they only consider the initial investment cost and do not take into account the savings that one makes after installing a solar panel system. The fact is that on average people are able to recover their investment cost within the first 4 to 5 years itself. And whatever savings that one makes after having recovered the investment cost is the returns that one makes on their investment. Also, many people are unaware of the huge subsidies that the Government of India offers on the purchase of a solar panel system.

Myth 2 – They don’t generate power during rainy and winter season

Another most common myth about solar power systems is that solar panel systems do not generate any power during the colder months. People think that solar panels work only on a warm sunny day.

Fact – The output of solar panels does get impacted during a cloudy day or during the winter season (as winter days are shorter as compared to summer days), but the fact is that solar panel systems still generate a significant amount of energy during these days too. On the other hand, the efficiency of a solar panel decreases when the temperature is very high. Also, there are highly efficient solar panels available in the market that ensure there’s minimal effect of seasonality on a solar panel’s efficiency.

Myth 3 – They are high maintenance

One of the reasons people believe that solar panels require high maintenance is because they are installed in the open. People are also skeptical about solar panels being damaged by external environmental factors such as strong winds, heavy rains, hailstorms. But this is a myth and now let us find out what the reality is.

solar-panels-maintenance

Fact – Solar panels are highly durable and are designed keeping all the external environmental factors in mind. Also, since they do not have any moving parts they hardly require any repair or replacement. As far as cleaning of solar panels is concerned, during the rainy season the dirt, dust and debris gets washed away with the rain. Besides that you only need to clean them around 1 to 2 times annually.

Myth 4 – They do not power your home during a power outage

You must have heard the age old saying “Half knowledge is a dangerous thing.” Well, the saying holds true about the myth around solar panel systems according to which solar panels stop functioning during a power outage or a power failure from the local grid’s end.

Fact – As you would be aware that on-grid (or grid tied) solar panel systems draw power from the local grid whenever there’s deficiency of power and similarly they supply surplus power to the local grid whenever there’s excess energy produced. And therefore, whenever there’s a power outage the solar panel systems do shut down to prevent any flow of surplus power from the solar panel systems to the local grid. It does so to protect the utility company workers fixing the lines during the power outage. But that doesn’t mean there would be no power available to run the home appliances during the power outage. Solar panel systems with batteries have enough power stored in the battery to provide the required backup during a power outage.

Yet to take the plunge?

If you weren’t sure of going solar just because you believed in one or more of the above listed myths, we hope we have been able to clear them and you would now consider switching to a solar panel system.

إستراتيجيات الحفاظ على المياه في الشرق الأوسط

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للتعامل مع تحديات إدارة المياه العذبة في الشرق الأوسط , لابد من إحداث توازن بين مخزون المياه الموجود و حجم الطلب . وهذا التوازن ممكن أن يحقق من خلال توظيف إستراتيجيات تزيد من كفاءة المياه و الحفاظ عليها . استراتيجيات حفظ المياه في الشرق الأوسط تتضمن التقليل قدر الإمكان من إستخدام المخزون المائي القابل للنقل , إيجاد مصادر مياه بديلة للإستعمالات المتعددة و زيادة كفاءة استخدام المياه من معدات و تجهيزات مناسبة .

home water filtration system

الإستراتيجيات الفعالة بالإضافة إلى مراقبة المياه التي تتعقب عملية استخدامها  و تحديد المشاكل , ممكن أن تخفض الإستهلاك الداخلي و الخارجي للمياه بشكل ملحوظ في الدول التي تعاني من شح شديد للمياه كدول مجلس التعاون الخليجي مثل الإمارات , قطر , الكويت و السعودية . معظم إستراتيجيات حفظ المياه لا تحتوي على تكلفة ضمنية إضافية و/أو مزودة بوارد فوري مع أن هناك بعض الإستراتيجيات مثل نظم معالجة مياه الصرف الصحي و و أنظمة سباكة المياه الرمادية التي غالبا  تتضمن استثمارات كبيرة .

تخفيض الإستهلاك الداخلي للمياه الصالحة الشرب

تخفيض استهلاك المياه الصالحة للشرب في الإستخدامات الداخلية ممكن أن يتم من خلال تركيب أجهزة تدفق منخفضة الكفاءة في دورات المياه  , المباول , المراحيض , الحمامات , مصارف المطابخ و استعمال مياه غير صالحة للشرب في النوافير ” الflush ” . مصادر المياه غير صالحة للشرب تؤخذ غالبا من مياه الأمطار , المياه الرمادية , المياه المستصلحة  أو مياه البلدية المعالجة من مخلفات الصرف الصحي . المباول التي تحتاج كمية منخفضة من المياه متوفرة في المتاجر ومن الممكن أن تستخدم في المباني التجارية . محددات التدفق و الضوابط الإلكترونية و المراحيض المختلطة من الممكن أيضا أن تساهم في تخفيض الإستهلاك الداخلي للمياه .

تخفيض الإستهلاك الخارجي للمياه الصالحة للشرب

ري المساحات الزراعية يستهلك كمية كبيرة من المياه الصالحة للشرب . إستعمال المياه في المساحات الخارجية ممكن أن يخفض بشكل ملحوظ من خلال  نهج متكامل . ذلك يتضمن توظيف تكنولوجيا ري موفرة للمياه , فرش التربة ” بأوراق شجر متحللة أو سماد ” , التقليل من فرش الأرض بالأعشاب أو إلغائه أصلا , إستعمال مياه غير صالحة للشرب أو معاد تكريرها , تركيب عدادات فرعية للتعقب و تسجيل إتجاه دخول مياه الري و أخيرا أختيار أنواع نباتات محلية أو متكيفة في تصميم المساحات الكبيرة و استخدام طريقة الحدائق الجافة . أنظمة الري عالية الكفاءة مثل الري بالتنقيط , نظام توزيع المياه الفوار ” النافورة ” , الري المنظم بجداول و الري المرتكز على الوضع الجوي جميعها تساعد في زيادة كفاءة المياه .

water scarcity in jordan

تخفيض إستخدام المياه العملية

استخدامات الأنظمة التقليدية للمباني للمياه العملية تتضمن أبراج التبريد , المراجل , المبردات , غسالات الصحون و الغسالات .إن كمية المياه المستهلكة في هذه الإستخدامات ملحوظة إلى حد كبير .  إستراتيجيات تخفيض إستهلاك المياه العملية تتضمن : إستخدام المياه غير صالحة للشرب مثل مياه المطر , المياه الرمادية أو مياه المخلفات المجاري المعالجة TSA  في عمليات البناء و أخيرا  أنظمة مثل أبراج التبريد . قياس أنظمة المياه العملية ممكن أن يساعد في جمع معلومات عن كمية إستهلاك المياه و معرفة مناطق التسريبات .

إستصلاح و إعاداة إستخدام المياه المتكاثفة

المكثفات المنتجة من معدات تكييف الهواء يمكن استصلاحها وإعادة استخدامها داخل المبنى. التكاثف يمكن جمعه عن طريق تركيب وعاء جامع للتكاثف ثم نقلها عبر انظمة مختلفة إلى أنابيب الصرف لأغراض إاعادة الإستخدام المختلفة مثل الري , نوافير تنظيف دورة المياه Flush  أو أي إستعمالات أخرى ليس لها إتصال بجسم الإنسان . و للأبنية التي يكون فيها حمل التبريد مساو أو أعلى من 350 كيلوواط كمية كبيرة من المياه المكثفة ممكن أن تستصلح و يعاد إستخدامها .

ترجمه

علا محمود المشاقبة , حاصلة على درجة البكالوريوس تخصص ” إدارة الأراضي و المياه ” من الجامعة الهاشمية – الأردن بتقدير جيد جدا , أعمل تطوعيا كعضو إداري مع مجموعة ” مخضّرو الأردن JO Greeners”  منذ ثلاثة سنوات و حتى الأن  , و متطوعة أيضا مع منظمة  EcoMENA  . موهبة الكتابة شيء أساسي في حياتي و قمت بتوظيفها في كتابة و خدمة القضايا البيئية .

How To Make Your Home More Eco-Friendly For The Winter

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It is very important to remember that the planet needs to be saved and it is the responsibly of the people that live on it to do so. Everyone plays a part in global warming and if you make a few changes in your home then you’ll find that you’ll be able to reduce your overall carbon footprint. As the winter approaches, you should make sure that your home is ready but that it is also eco-friendly. In this article, we are going to discuss how you can do this. Make sure to keep reading if you’d like to find out more.

warm home in winter

1. Insulate Everywhere

As it gets colder, more people are more likely to start turning their heating on to escape the cold. This is something which you should try to keep to a minimum if you want to improve your carbon footprint. A good way of getting around this is to make sure that all of your home is insulated carefully.

This includes things like your attic, your main house and even your shed or steel building like those from Armstrong Steel. When you make sure that everything is insulated, you can be sure that you are using less energy and staying warm at the same time.

2. Replace Your Boiler

You might find that you could actually be using a lot more energy than you need to be with your current boiler. As the winter approaches, it is important that you get your boiler serviced and that you replace it if you think that it needs to be replaced.

hot-water

 

Replacing your boiler will be quite expensive but it can actually make a huge difference to the carbon footprint that your family is putting out there. It is also advisable to get boiler cover insurance that takes care of repairs, and in some cases, the replacement of home boilers.

If you can’t finance or pay for your boiler upfront, you may be able to get support from certain schemes, if you meet eligibility criteria. You can find out more about this, along with how to apply for them, refer to BoilerGrants.org.uk for more information.

3. Change Your Light Bulbs

You might not have had to use your light bulbs as much over the summer, but you will find that replacing them is still important. You should think about installing some energy efficient lightbulbs which will help your home to be more eco-friendly.

LED-bulbs

These types of light bulbs are becoming more standard, so you should be able to find them in many different stores. If you do this then you should be able to see your carbon footprint reduced.

4. Take Shorter Showers

Our final tip for those who want to make their home more eco-friendly for the winter is regarding the amount of water that is used in your household. Think carefully about how much water you are using when you take a shower or how often you actually fill up the washing machine when doing a load. It is important to be making the most of the water that you have so don’t start wasting it.

Final Thoughts

If you can follow our tips in this article, then you will find that your home is a lot more energy efficient this winter. Your family’s carbon footprint will be reduced, and you will feel a lot better about your impact on the environment.

خمس عادات مستدامة وصديقة للبيئة لشرب القهوة

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تُعد القهوة من ضمن أكثر المشروبات إستهلاكا في العالم مع الماء والشاي، حيث يتمتع هذا المشروب بشعبية كبيرة حتى أن بعض الاشخاص ليس لديهم القدرة على بدء نهارهم وأداء وظائفهم اليومية دون تناول كوب قوي من القهوة. إن كنت من محبي القهوة، فهنالك أمور عديدة يمكنك ان تقوم بها لتجعل تجربتك مُرضية أكثر، حيث لا يوجد شيء يضاهي الاستمتاع بمشروبك الصباحي المفضل وبدون أي ضرر للبيئة. يمكنك المساهمة في إنقاذ العالم من خلال تبني عادات مستدامة وصديقة للبيئة بشُربك للقهوة.

coffee waste recycling

حضّر قهوتك الخاصة بك

أهم ما يعتبر لعبة بيد الرأسماليين في الوقت الراهن هو الراحة، حيث ان زخم الحياة الحالية قد وضع الناس في مكان لإعطاء راحتهم المقام الاول بغض النظرعن الاثارالبيئية المترتبة على أفعالهم.

إن سلاسل شركات القهوة أصبحت مشهورة جداً لأنها تحضر قهوتك في دقائق معدودة، لكن الانبعاثات الكربونية التي تنتج من هذه الشركات يؤثر سلباً على الطبيعة، لحسن الحظ، إن الاوان لم يفت بعد حتى نكون ذو وعي أكبر بالبيئة. قم بتحضير قهوتك بالمنزل، مع أن الامر يبدو صعباً إلا أنه يوفر لك صنع منتج يناسبك تماماً. وستكون مسيطراً بالكامل على حدّة وخفة المشروب، بالاضافة إلى توفير المال والمحافظة على البيئة بنفس الوقت.

إن كنت من مُحبي القهوة، فإنه يتحتم عليك أن تكون خبيراً بأفضل طرق لتخمير القهوة.

لقد أصبحت طريقة الصب ذات شهرة واسعة في الاونة الاخيرة، وهذه العملية المباشرة لتخمير القهوة تتضمن غمر حبوب البُن الطازجة بالماء الساخن، ليقوم بإذابة العناصر أو المواد القابلة للذوبان في هذه الحبوب.

ولتحضير طريقة الصب في المنزل فإنك تحتاج ثلاثة أشياء بسيطة:

  1. المطحنة اليدوية: قم باستخدام المطحنة اليدوية لا الكهربائية، لتوفير الطاقة وأيضاُ قم بشراء المنتجات عالية الجودة حتى تدوم لفترة أطول لتقليل النفايات، نوعية المطحنة ضرورية لتصل للطحن المناسب والصحيح لحبوب البُن.
  2. ماكينة الصب: ويكون معها كوباً خاصاً يعمل كحاوية لحبوب القهوة أثناء صب الماء الساخن فوقها، حيث تحتوي هذه الماكينة على ثقوب في اسفلها لتسمح بتنقيط الجرعة السحرية في كأسك.
  3. مرشح قابل لإعادة الاستخدام: تعتبر المرشحات من أهم المواد التي تساهم في زيادة نفايات صنع القهوة، بالإضافة إلى أنه يتم تبييضها بالكلور أو الاكسجين مما يساهم في زيادة النفايات الكيميائية، لتجنب هذه المشاكل فالافضل أن تستخدم المرشحات القابلة لاعادة الاستخدام حتى تتمكن من تعبئتها بكمية القهوة الخاصة بك، أما الذين لا يزالوا يتسخدمون الات الاسبرسو الاوتوماتيكية، فالافضل أن تبحث أن خيارات صديقة للبيئة ويوفر الماء والكهرباء.

إذا فكرت أن طريقة الصب طريقة معقدة وتأخذ وقتاً طويلاً، فأفضل شيء تقوم به أن تحضر قهوتك بكمية أكبر تكون صالحة للشرب لعدة أيام وتخزنها بالثلاجة، الموضوع يتعلق بتخطيطك لأسبوعك وتخليصك من الضغط والتوتر الصباحي لاسبوعك المزدحم.

إستخدام أكواب قابلة لإعادة الاستخدام

إن الفناجين او الاكواب ذات الاستخدام الواحد – على الرغم من الراحة التي تقدمها – إلا أنها ضارة جداً بالبيئة، وخاصة البلاستيكية منها. اذا كنت تفضل الذهاب للمقهى المفضل لديك، فعلى الاقل يجب أن تحضر معك كوباً متعدد الاستخدام لتجنب استخدام الاكواب المستخدمة لمرة واحدة. حيث أن الاكواب ذات الاستخدام الواحد مُضرّة بالوضع البيئي بالعالم. هل تعلم بأن أبناء هذه الايام ينتجون 300 مليون طن من النفايات البلاستيكية سنوياً؟ لذا كن انت مستهلكا صديقا للبيئة، واحمل معك كوبك القابل لاعادة الاستخدام اينما ذهبت لتستمتع بكوب قهوتك دون أن تشعر بالذنب.

شراء منتجات “التجارة العادلة”

قم بدعم الشركات المحلية التي تهتم بالبيئة، وادعم المنظمات المنتمية لحركة التجارة العادلة وهذه المنظمات يهمها الكوكب وزبائنها اكثر من الارباح.

أبحث جيدا عن موردي القهوة في منطقتك، بغض النظر إن كانوا هم المصدر الصحيح للقهوة أم لا، المهم أن يتعاملوا ويتاجروا بأخلاق. ومن ناحية بيئية ستتعرف على منتجاتهم وتتأكد إن كانت مثلك من عبواتهم وطريقة تغليفهم واستخدامهم للمواد الورقية أو البلاستيكية القابلة للتحلل.

recycling of used coffee grounds

إستخدام السماد الطبيعي

إن استخدام التسميد هو طريقة طبيعية لاعادة تدوير النفايات العضوية مثل حبوب القهوة المطحونة، حيث أنه بالامكان تحويل النفايات الناتجة عن تحضير القهوة إلى بودرة واستعمالها بتخصيب او تسميد حديقتك.

بخطوات بسيطة  كما يلي:

  • البحث عن مكان لعمل حفرة لوضع السماد: هذه الخطوة تعد سهلة جداً للذين يمتلكون حديقة أرضية، مع ذلك، فإن الذين يسكنون بالشقق بامكانهم التخلص من نفايات القهوة من خلال شراء وعاء/حاوية كبيرة وعمل ثقوب في القاعدة للتهوية ثم وضعها على صينية لتجميع الصرف، عليهم فقط بوضع التربة بالحاوية وستتولى الديدان عملية التحلل.
  • إضافة المواد طبقة تلو الأخرى: ضع الاغصان الجافة والقش في الجزء السفلي لانشاء مساحات في حفرة السماد لتدوير الهواء بالداخل، تأكد من تبديل المواد الرطبة والجافة لتسريع عملية التحلل.
  • ترطيب السماد باستمرار: قم بسقاية السماد بانتظام بالصيف لقلة المطر، فإن الرطوبة تعتبر عامل مهم في التحلل.
  • غطاء لحفظ الحرارة: بغض النظر عن رطوبة السماد، فإن الحرارة ايضاَ تسهل عملية التحلل، قم بتغطية الحفرة بالخشب أو بقايا سجاد قديم أو حتى غطاء بلاستيكي لتحافظ على الحرارة بالداخل.
  • تهوية السماد كل بضعة أسابيع: من أهم عوامل التحلل هو الاكسجين، لذلك يتوجب عليك أن تحدد وقتا كل عدة أسابيع لتهوية الحفرة وإدخال الاكسجين لها.

تجنب شراء كميات كبيرة من القهوة

مع ان شراء القهوة بكميات كبيرة يساعدك على تقليل التغليف، لكن توفر القهوة عندك دائماً سيدفعك لتحضير كميات أكثر من حاجتك اليومية او الاسبوعية. إحسب الكمية التي تحتاجها لمدة شهر وتجنب طحن أكثر من الكمية المحتاجة في نفس جلسة التخمير الواحدة.

لجعل قهوتك أكثر صداقة للبيئة، فإنه بالامكان “تحضير رغوة” بحليب نباتي عن طؤيق سحب الحليب وهذه الخطوة لا تتطلب أي طاقة أو كهرباء.

خاتمة

ليس عليك الاختيار بين إعداد قهوتك والحفاظ على البيئة. لإنك قادر على القيام بالأمرين معًا عن طريق تحضير القهوة الخاصة بك في المنزل باستخدام المطاحن اليدوية وماكينة التخمير والمرشحات القابلة لإعادة الاستخدام.

وبالطبع، تذكر أن تدعم الشركات التي تهدف إلى المنتجات المستدامة أيضًا حيث أنه من المفترض أنك إعتدت على استبدال الأكواب ذات الاستخدام الواحد بالأكواب القابلة لإعادة الاستخدام.

أخيراً، قم بتجربة السماد للتخلص من نفاياتك العضوية بشكل طبيعي وتجنب شراء كميات كبيرة من القهوة.

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 original English version of the article is available at this link.

The Paper Bag Boy of Abu Dhabi

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Paper_Bag_BoyAbdul Muqeet, also known as the Paper Bag Boy, has risen from being just another ordinary student to an extra-ordinary environmentalist, eco-hero and eco-warrior. At just ten years old, Abdul Muqeet has demonstrated his commitment to saving the environment in United Arab Emirates and elsewhere.

Inspired by the 2010 campaign “UAE Free of Plastic Bags”, Abdul Muqeet, a student of Standard V at Abu Dhabi Indian School, applied his own initiative and imagination to create 100% recycled carry bags using paper waste. He then set out to distribute these bags in Abu Dhabi, replacing single-use plastic bags that take hundreds of years to degrade biologically. The bags were lovingly named ‘Mukku bags’ and Abdul Muqeet became famous as the Paper Bag Boy.

Abdul Muqeet’s environmental initiative has catalyzed a much larger community campaign. During the first year, Abdul Muqeet created and donated more than 4,000 paper bags in Abu Dhabi. In addition, he has led workshops at schools, private companies and government entities, demonstrating how to create paper bags using old newspapers. His school along with a number of companies in Abu Dhabi adopted his idea by exchanging their plastic bags for paper bags.

Abdul Muqeet was one of the youngest recipients of Abu Dhabi Awards 2011, for his remarkable contribution to conserve environment. The awards were presented by General Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. In 2011, Abdul Muqeet was selected to attend the United Nation’s Tunza conference in Indonesia where he demonstrated his commitment for a cleaner environment through his paper bag initiative. He is actively involved in spreading environmental awareness worldwide, especially UAE, India, USA and Indonesia.

Abdul Muqeet continues to make headlines for his concerted efforts towards a plastic-free environment, and has been widely covered by leading newspapers in UAE and other countries. He tirelessly campaigned for the Rio+20 summit, urging world leaders to commit to the Green Economy. “Plant more trees; use less water; reuse and recycle; always remember that everything in this world can be recycled but not time,” says Abdul.

He has been remarkably supported by his parents and siblings throughout his truly inspiring environmental sojourn. Abdul Muqeet’s monumental achievements at such a tender age make him a torch-bearer of the global environmental movement, and should also inspire the young generation to protect the environment by implementing the concept of ‘Zero Waste’.

Construction Wastes Management in the UAE

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Out of total solid wastes generated in the UAE, the construction and demolition wastes or (C&D wastes) account for 70% of the total weight of solid wastes. Dubai alone produces nearly 5,000 tonnes of construction and demolition waste every day, which is about 70% of the total solid waste generated every day. In Abu Dhabi, C&D wastes account for 71% of total wastes generated. It is expected that construction and development activities and associated C&D waste production will continue to rise in this region.

construction waste management

Hence, if not managed appropriately, it is expected that dumping of C&D waste will become uncontrolled. This will not only cause negative environmental impact on soil, water and air and the surrounding ecosystem but also result in depletion of finite resources. This also creates social and financial burden to the society and to the country.  Hence, the management of construction waste is an essential aspect of sustainable building development.

To reduce the environmental impacts and improve the socio cultural, economic performance of buildings, various sustainability rating systems and green building regulations are created in the UAE apart from the sustainability rating systems available globally.

These rating systems and regulation have a credit category generally called “materials and resources” credit category, which includes the requirements for construction and demolition waste management. The main intent of having these requirements is to facilitate the waste reduction during construction and to prevent the depletion of material resources and associated environmental impacts.

The common sustainability rating systems used in the UAE are LEED, Pearl Rating System for Estidama and EHS Trakhees in-house certification. Various local Green Building regulations are made to regulate the building design and construction activities in each administrative location or jurisdiction. The local green building regulations are mostly aligned to USGBC LEED v3 but are more specific to the region.

As a general requirement, for the purpose of credit compliance, excavated materials such as soil, sand, land clearing debris and hazardous wastes are exempted for calculation of the percentage of wastes diverted from disposal at landfill facilities. However, it is required to divert these substances to places designated by the concerned department of the local regulatory authorities.

Let us have a close look at various green building regulations and guidelines for minimizing C&D wastes generation.

1. LEED

The LEED rating system makes it mandatory for the project owner to develop and implement C&D waste management plan. Like other rating systems the main intent is to reduce the volume of C&D waste that is sent to landfills and incineration facilities by employing strategies such as reduce reuse, recovery and recycle of materials from the C&D waste stream.

Apart from mandatory requirements, up to 4 credit points can be earned for building and construction projects in building and material reuse optional credit category and awards up to 2 points in the C&D waste management category which uses reuse and recycle methods.

2. Dubai Municipality

Dubai Municipality doesn’t provide in-house certification for green buildings but enforces green building regulations by issuing building permits for projects within its jurisdiction.

As per Dubai Municipality regulations, it is a mandatory requirement for all new buildings except the buildings in the CBD area to divert at least 50% of wastes materials by volume (cubic meter) or by weight (kg/ tonne) from the total waste materials generated during construction and/ or demolition of buildings by using reuse and recycle strategies. Excavated soil, land clearing debris and hazardous waste materials are not taken into consideration for this requirement.

3. EHS Trakhees

EHS Trakhees green building department is the regulatory wing of Port, customs, Free zone Corporation (PCFC) jurisdiction. It enforces its green building regulations on all new construction projects of the jurisdiction. Projects seeking in-house certification can earn 1 point for diverting 50% of C&D waste materials from landfill disposal and 2 points for 75% of C&D waste diversion. These requirements can be achieved by using various strategies mentioned earlier.

In the building reuse credit category, EHS Trakhees awards up to 3 points for maintaining the existing building structure (including structural floor and roof decking) and envelop (the exterior skin and framing, excluding window assemblies and non-structural roof materials). In the material reuse credit category, 1 to 2 points can be earned by reusing salvaged building materials and products directly or after refurbishing those. These materials can be beams and posts, flooring, doors and frames, cabinetry and furniture, brick, and decorative items.

The project can earn 1 point for having 5% of salvaged, refurbished and reused materials based on the total cost of materials for the project. Similarly, 2 points can be earned for using 10% of those materials in the project.

4. Pearl Rating System for Estidama

This rating system is the sustainability initiative of Urban Planning Council (UPC) Abu Dhabi. It is a mandatory requirement under this rating system to divert a minimum of 30% of C&D wastes through recycling/ salvaging. There is no credit awarded for this but it encourages the reuse of existing building stock, reduce waste and associated environmental impacts by providing credit earning options for retaining percentage of building structural system.

construction-wastes

1 credit point can be earned for reusing 25% of building structural system by surface area and 2 credit points for reusing 50% of the total materials. In the material reuse category, 1 credit can be earned by demonstrating that the total materials cost of reused and salvaged materials represent 3% of the total material cost.

Conclusion

If appropriate sustainability rating system is used and the green building regulations are followed aptly and adhered, not only the volume of C&D wastes sent to landfills or incineration will be reduced significantly but also the demand for virgin resources construction materials will be reduced.