Circular Economy: How to Create Sustainability and Active Presence for Companies?

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Patagonia, an American company, has launched a program called “Worn Wear” to promote its sustainable approach. The initiative encourages customers to repair or reuse their clothing instead of buying new pieces, by providing spare parts for clothes that need repair. Additionally, the company offers a special program for customers through its website, where they can send in their used Patagonia clothing and exchange it for points that can be used to purchase new items. The company also provides important tips for caring for and repairing clothes, as well as offering some used products for sale.

how companies can benefit from circular economy

Of course, there are several companies from various countries that follow the sustainable and recycling approach, aiming to reduce the use of resources and keep them in the manufacturing and usage cycle.

So what is the purpose of all this? It is the circular economy, which I tend to call “circular improvement”. This is different from the linear economy, which relies on the usual process from resource extraction to usage, and then disposal of products, which turn into waste and pollution. In the circular economy, the product cycle is extended, while reducing waste and emissions in the product or service journey. This is based on the three principles of using, reusing, and recycling.

With the increasing environmental awareness on one hand, and the negative consequences of the linear economy on the other, it has become necessary to stop the continuous production of waste and its catastrophic effects on the environmental balance, which directly or indirectly affects humans.

So how can companies enhance their presence as effective brands through the circular economy? And can this approach serve them in terms of presence, profitability, and innovation compared to companies that use the linear economy?

In this article, we try to shed light on the importance of the circular economy in shaping the identities of companies in a competitive market. While the circular economy may not be a prominent feature for many sectors, it has proven to be a crucial approach in achieving sustainability and mitigating environmental impacts.

Companies can benefit from the circular economy by:

  1. Reducing costs by adopting more efficient production processes and reducing waste.
  2. The potential to save on raw material costs and disposal, which leads to increased profitability.
  3. Opportunities to increase revenue by designing products that can be reused, repaired, or recycled. These companies can also provide new sources of income by selling refurbished or recycled products.
  4. This is what Patagonia did, as we mentioned earlier, and its practice contributed to reducing costs, reducing waste, and increasing its profitability at the same time.
  5. Creating a unique positioning for the brand without competitors, making the distinction in this area prominent and ahead of others, especially for companies that rely heavily on the linear economy. The transition to the circular economy is an intelligent repositioning for the company, taking a new line that advances over the rest of the competitors.
  6. Building customer loyalty through these environmental practices, which make their impact on the target audience, especially those who are concerned about the environment and are aware of the products they buy. This interest can be reflected in several environmental and social images to form sustainable corporate social responsibility (CSR).
  7. A space for innovation and collaboration by continuously communicating with suppliers, customers, and all parties involved in the product or service cycle. Companies can develop circular models in manufacturing, transportation, and delivery.

One of the notable models, for example, is Philips, where it developed lighting service models, where customers pay for using lighting instead of buying products directly! This trend will reduce waste and provide new revenue opportunities for the company.

Of course, considering understanding the purchasing behavior of the target audience and the importance of aligning the company’s goal with the possibility of changing consumer behavior through possible and practical human engineering.

Challenges facing the circular economy practice

If we look at the matter, although it seems beautiful and encouraging, and although it is possible for companies that want to make their own presence with the sustainability of their products and revenues, there are a number of challenges as there are opportunities, including:

  1. The absence of qualified infrastructure for the circular economy. Therefore, everything we have is based on the linear economy. Hence, the matter needs to work in stages to smartly transition from the linear economy to the circular economy.
  2. Among the possible measures are the implementation of extended responsibility programs for the product, support for the development of supply chains, and the study of time, distance, and the mechanism contributing to the carbon or water footprint of the product or service. Each product consumes a certain amount of energy, which results in carbon emissions, and this is the “carbon footprint,” as well as the amount of water used to provide a product or service, which is the “water footprint.”
  3. Several companies are working to reduce water use during their product manufacturing, including Levi’s, Adidas, H&M, Stella McCartney, and Eileen Fisher.
  4. The need to provide policies and legislation, by directing towards the circular economy gradually, through legislation that encourages reuse, recycling, and waste reduction. The direction towards supporting companies, institutions, and entities that partially adopt the circular economy. This will encourage others to follow suit, and there will be models that can be relied upon even if only partially. This is the starting point for expansion and benefiting from the best practices.
  5. Working on creating public awareness, through continued smart and effective communication with the public through various digital and physical contact points, and demonstrating the mutual added value from the manufacturer of the product or service provider or even the consumer himself, in case of adopting the circular economy in the selection of products and services. It may be difficult for industries with complex supply chains, but there are still many areas where several industries can take their first steps in this direction.
  6. Awareness is through choosing environmentally friendly products and services, promoting a culture of recycling and reuse, and educating individuals on the importance of reducing waste and carbon emissions.

A roadmap for business sustainability can be achieved by incorporating sustainability into various elements of the company’s core identity. These elements include the purpose, vision, mission, values, positioning, promise, and products/services. They can be abbreviated as 4P2VM, which stands for Purpose, Vision, Mission, Values, Positioning, Promise, and Products.

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However, this cannot be accomplished in one fell swoop. It is part of a sustainability strategy that must be embraced by the company or organization. The low number of players in this economy is an opportunity to enter early and gain both material and spiritual benefits, as well as create change. There are challenges, but it is worth working on, and the following steps can help achieve it:

  1. Study the product and service cycle, and examine the possibility of reducing waste from the first birth of the product until its end of life.
  2. Identify areas where the product can move to be closer to the circular economy, such as the type of packaging used with the product, using recyclable or environmentally friendly materials.
  3. Connect that area to one of the aforementioned strategic points, such as the purpose, vision, mission, etc., to make it part of the company’s policy rather than a luxury.
  4. Examine the best practices and include them in the “optimized” product cycle, by studying the experiences of companies from different countries, and looking at the latest technologies and practices in this field.
  5. Start with the initial model of the product or service and calculate the cost, while educating the target audience to be a parallel path, one in the product journey and the other in the customer experience.
  6. Collect feedback from the product manufacturing cycle and from the customer experience and evaluate it.
  7. Make recommendations for continuous improvement.
  8. Expand the experience vertically in terms of supply chains and raw materials, and in terms of product logistics and quantity, while the focus remains on the customer experience and the impact on the environment.

Between environmental balance and innovation

The shift to a circular economy, as a qualitative leap for the economy, naturally presents challenges in transitioning from a linear economy inherited from the first industrial revolution to the present. However, it would be our best option if we want to maintain a healthy and civilized life simultaneously. This balance cannot be achieved with a linear and environmentally polluted economy, leaving heavy consequences of emissions. Rather, it can be achieved through a well-thought-out adoption of what we produce and what is wasted, and the journey between them.

The goal is to increase the lifespan of the product and reduce waste, thus improving the quality of life by providing job opportunities, promoting innovation and expanding the scope of use, and obtaining a better environment, resulting in fewer diseases and better restoration of the earth’s natural cycle.

Identity presence can be created by touching on these possible areas in the circular economy, if included in the strategies of governments and companies in a coordinated manner.

Ways to Make Your Business Eco-Friendly

The distinctive presence will be through understanding the circular economy scenario and linking it to the organization’s strategy, with smart employment of available tools to enhance it, including “artificial intelligence,” which can play a role in planning, financial analysis, risk management, understanding the behavior engineering of the target audience, and all this through data analysis, predicting demand and identifying future opportunities.

Artificial intelligence can also analyze data related to product and service usage and design models to develop more efficient and sustainable methods of production and consumption.

Local Reading and the reality of the Circular Economy

In Bahrain, we produce about 1.2 million tons of solid waste annually, at a daily rate of more than 4,500 tons. This provides many opportunities not only to work on recycling waste at the end of the linear economy but also to work on the beginning, during, and after the product’s birth, and in this way, the process of transforming the linear economy with time into a circular economy can be accomplished.

It seems that there is an ambitious vision, given that the Bahraini government has launched a waste management strategy for the period 2020-2035. The goal is to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfills to 60%. If we know that the landfill in Askar is expected to reach its maximum capacity in the coming years, this becomes crucial.

Based on the Economic Recovery Plan in Bahrain, the Kingdom plans to target investments of up to $30 billion in strategic projects, creating new investment opportunities in infrastructure and priority sectors across the Kingdom, including renewable energy sectors such as blue and green hydrogen.

Knowing the quantity and quality of waste and using data analysis, it is possible to determine the percentage of waste from residential, commercial, and industrial use. By providing this data to interested companies, universities, research centers, and institutions in and outside Bahrain, it is possible to work on reverse engineering and providing practical solutions to reduce the amount of waste and focus on transitioning from a linear to a circular economy.

All of this comes within the context of the clear vision of Bahrain’s 2030 economic vision, which talked about the importance of the need to change the current economic model according to sustainability, competitiveness, and justice. As stated in the vision, “Bahrain finds economic model that contributes to achieving sustainable development, enhancing competitiveness, and ensuring social justice.”

To achieve these goals, Bahrain has launched various initiatives and strategies, such as the Waste Management Strategy and the Vision 2030, which aim to create a more sustainable and circular economy. This shift towards a circular economy not only helps to reduce waste and environmental degradation but also creates new opportunities for innovation, job creation, and economic growth.

In conclusion, the issue of solid waste management in Bahrain presents both a challenge and an opportunity to transition towards a circular economy. By leveraging data analysis and engineering, and by implementing various initiatives and strategies, Bahrain can reduce its waste output, create new investment opportunities, and contribute to a more sustainable future.

“Kaizen Day-to-Day”!

When we aim for continuous small changes, as the Japanese call it “Kaizen”, some products can contribute to providing a daily experience for the audience and practically enhance their awareness. Among the displayed products is this device that converts food waste into organic fertilizer that can be utilized! Check out www.Lomi.com.

There is also a Saudi product that provides a smart farm at home, which enables self-sufficiency for some vegetables, and it was discussed in the “Future of Food” episode on the program “Seen” by Ahmed Al-Shugairi. Check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KC4XKEn10o.

These are images of converting the consumer into a “Prosumer”, i.e., a consumer and producer at the same time. This is a call for action in two directions: first, towards innovation to reduce the amount of waste we dispose of, whether it is food or other products. Second, through social engineering, which can be primarily done by governments, by legislations, laws, and incentives. The less you waste of what you consume, the more you can turn that into appreciation points that individuals can benefit from in different areas of life for products and services that interest them.

If we talk about a slightly larger circle in the industry sector, there are advanced technologies that can save a lot of waste, in addition to energy, by providing innovative and practical solutions. These technologies can balance between the environment, productivity, and quality. One of them is the Magic Fiber product from MTECHX, which is a tested Japanese innovation. It is a cotton piece treated with nano-technology and has unique advantages, such as its absorbency, which helps in treating oil leaks in water, as well as practical applications in factories.

Such technologies can be leveraged and employed to enhance sustainability on the one hand, and productivity and quality on the other hand. All of this can be achieved through the gateway of choosing sustainability as part of the government or company’s identity strategy.

Cycling in a circular economy!

What we need most is to pause for a moment, reflect, read the numbers on pollution, carbon emissions, and waste, and reverse engineer the compass of the economy to make it more circular rather than linear, even if gradually and in specific sectors at first.

This shift offers many opportunities to realign governments, companies, and institutions, with room for innovation and sustainable development, which would reflect positively on revenues, improvement, and growth.

green businesses in middle east

Both factories and banks can play a crucial role in promoting the circular economy through the umbrella of social responsibility and innovation. This should be included in their sustainability strategy to achieve positive results in the environment, economy, and market.

Universities can also leave their mark in the research and development of this change, with the importance of sustainable partnerships between universities, the public and private sectors, banks, and financing.

The circular economy will not be an option in the near future but rather an essential path that governments, companies, and institutions must take. This is an opportunity for them to work on it, whether for sustainability or to create a unique identity.

Future challenges are not limited to energy consumption but rather in how we recycle it to make it last longer. As it has been said before, “we don’t spin in an empty circle” but rather we can “cycle in a productive circle”.

How Websites and Online Businesses Can Become More Environmentally Friendly

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You may assume that it’s only the factories and manufacturing units that need to worry about becoming environmentally sustainable and friendly, but in reality, almost every aspect of our life has the potential to be more cautious of releasing harmful elements into the environment or simply affecting it negatively.

Recently, more and more research has been invested into how businesses can become environmentally friendly, even though they are completely hosted online. Websites and online businesses have the potential to significantly reduce their environmental impact by adopting environmentally friendly practices.

Ways to make websites and online businesses greener

In this blog, we’re going to take a look at some of the several ways in which you can achieve this too – let’s get started!

1. Green web hosting

Choose a web hosting provider that runs on renewable energy sources such as wind or solar power. Look for hosting companies that have carbon offset programs or are certified as green hosts. This way, you’ll indirectly be supporting a service provider which is taking great efforts in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions, and have a large impact in the long run.

2. Optimize website performance

Ensure your website is optimized for speed and efficiency. This includes optimizing images, minimizing code, and reducing unnecessary server requests. A faster website consumes less energy and reduces carbon emissions. If you’re looking to start your own business, then you can consider using a web service provider like NameHero which is known for its speed, power, and reliability. At the end of the day, your business is going to need a service provider that’s reliable and won’t cause too many glitches or disturbances to the business.

3. Use energy-efficient servers

Virtual private servers (VPS) or dedicated servers tend to be more energy-efficient than shared hosting. Consider using energy-efficient hardware and cooling systems to minimize power consumption. This way, you won’t be taking up much electricity and the heat you generate will be much less as well.

bitcoin-renewable-energy

4. Implement caching

This isn’t commonly known and is a slightly unknown practice, but you can utilize caching techniques to reduce server load and improve website performance. Caching reduces the number of requests made to the server, resulting in energy savings.

For instance, if you have a site that’s constantly slow and buggy, you should consider using these tips and tricks to speed up your site and also make it more energy efficient.

5. Enable server-side compression

All this means is that you will need to compress files on the server side to reduce the amount of data transferred between the server and users. This reduces bandwidth requirements and energy consumption, while also preventing the server from being slow.

6. Minimize JavaScript usage

Excessive JavaScript usage can lead to increased power consumption by devices accessing the website. Optimize and minimize the use of JavaScript to reduce energy consumption. There are many alternatives that you can use instead.

7. Efficient content delivery

Utilize a content delivery network (CDN) to serve your website’s static content from servers located closer to the end-users. This reduces the distance data travels, resulting in lower latency and reduced energy consumption.

8. Streamline website design

Design your website with a focus on simplicity and efficiency. Minimize the number of elements, use clean code, and optimize CSS to reduce the website’s overall energy footprint. Another benefit of this is that your site will automatically be easier to load and will not require as much time in design and code to make it shippable. The best part about this is that many users actually prefer a minimal site, instead of excessively designed sites.

steps to launch a sustainable online store

9. Encourage remote work

If you have a team working on-site, consider promoting remote work options. This reduces commuting-related carbon emissions and office energy consumption. Thus, your entire business can be run online and you won’t have to worry about producing much physical waste or consuming too many resources simply to commute to office and work there.

10. Emphasize digital over physical

Encourage digital downloads, online transactions, and electronic communication instead of physical products or documents. Minimizing paper usage and shipping reduces environmental impact.

11. Adopt sustainable packaging

If you sell physical products, choose sustainable packaging materials that are recyclable or biodegradable. Avoid excess packaging whenever possible.

12. Carbon offset initiatives

Consider participating in carbon offset programs or invest in renewable energy projects to offset the environmental impact of your online business.

13. Educate your audience

Raise awareness among your customers and website visitors about the importance of environmental sustainability. Encourage them to adopt eco-friendly practices and provide information on how your business is striving to be environmentally responsible.

Top Tips For Balancing Your Social and Academic Life

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Balancing school and friendships may seem easy on the surface. However, it gets challenging as school becomes more demanding and our friends’ needs evolve. It is normal to feel like you give more time to one than the other. But the best balance can be obtained by planning your time.

Sometimes we find ourselves giving away our social or academic away due to poor timing and planning. Your social and academic lives are equally important, and thus, you should find a way to allocate an equal amount of time for all of them. Being distracted by friends can affect your studies, while limiting your asocial life can cause loneliness and burnout. So here’re tips to help you find this balance.

how to maintain social and academic life

Carry Out Joint Studies

Friends not only offer emotional support, but also they can be instrumental in helping us achieve our goals. Therefore, it is essential to keep them close. One of the best ways to keep your friends closer is by creating a study group or conducting joint studies. In addition, you can organize library days, form a book club or hold group discussions.

Having your friends as your study partners will give you the motivation n to study, and you will still keep them close and spend more time together. You can also help each other out with assignments to reduce the need for seeking paper services.

Create Schedule

Creating a schedule helps you keep up with some aspects of your life or activities that you could have otherwise ignored due to lack of time. When creating your schedule, ensure you spare some time for your social life. Then, you can use the break in the schedule to find your friends and bond with them.

Once you plan your schedule, you will not feel like your social life is eating into your academic time since every activity will be spelled out. Sometimes we might feel guilty hanging out with friends while we have pending assignments. However, learning how to stick to your schedule would be best.

Create Healthy Friendships

Overbearing friendships can cause stress and anxiety since you constantly feel pushed to do things you do not want. So ensure you find friends who understand and support you. For example, a good friend will not feel bad when you take a rain check on a meet-up to complete a pending assignment. A healthy friendship involves helping each other in and out of school and understanding each other’s limits. So if you feel your friends are overbearing, it is time to create new connections.

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Join a Club

Joining a club helps you broaden your social circle with like-minded individuals. Finding a club that carries out activities you love will help you meet people with similar passions, and it can be easy to relate. For example, joining a math club will help you sharpen your mathematical skills as you make friends and socialize. In addition, school clubs often work around a fixed schedule, which will help you easily fix it in your planner.

Seek Professional Advice From an Academic Advisor

Sometimes finding the balance can be overwhelming, especially if you are under pressure from school. If you notice that you are struggling, ask for help from a professional academic counselor. They will help develop a suitable schedule that will favor your social and academic life.

Failing to find a balance will be detrimental to the different parts of your life. Staying in school without friends can sometimes cause loneliness and depression, and sometimes giving too much time to friendships can derail your studies, thus the need to find a balance.

Self-Discipline

Through self-discipline, one can prioritize without being carried away. Also, self-discipline means working within your limits so that you do not give in too much to friendships or focus on studies that you forget about the social aspect. Therefore, it will be much easier to take charge of your relationships and studies simultaneously.

Take-Home Point

Students often find it difficult to incorporate studies and entertainment into their schedules. It often feels like socializing hurts academics, and focusing on studies means limited to no socializing time. However, to eliminate such sentiments, it is essential to allocate time for everything.

Friends play a vital role in helping us thrive academically and socially. Thus, as much as you may want to focus on your studies, it is also essential to keep your friends close. Creating healthy bonds where you support and understand each other is vital to balance social and academic life.

Starvation in Poor Countries – A Pandemic Deadlier than Covid-19

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The world has been propelled on a fast track journey of dealing with Covid-19 across the developed world where the pandemic has created chaos and mayhem of astounding proportions. The faint light that gave hope was the fact that this was happening in the developed regions of the globe where people do have access to health services, adequate housing, well stocked warehouses, communications networks, financial assets and funds (even if diminishing under economic stress), and so forth. Now Covid-19 has reached into the areas which the learned persons write of as informal settlements.

The Onslaught on Vulnerable Masses

Let us be real, just as Covid-19 is real. The virus seeks out human beings regardless of their social status or financial assets. Humans means everyone. Now Covid-19 is smashing through the neighbourhoods of the poor, villagers, slums, refugee camps, migrant camps. These are all people that if they are luckily, have a subsistence life style. This lifestyle functions on a daily basis of hand-to-mouth. We work, we eat. We cannot social distance, there is no physical space for that. We cannot wash our hands all day, we have to walk to fetch our water or there is a limited supply of water in our community, and that is not clean. We quarantine, we die before Covid-19 gets to us.

Pandemics are desperate situations, but Covid-19 only kills a small percentage, Starvation is our pandemic and it threatens every man, woman and child on the Earth. We are all destined to die.

coronavirus-pandemic-africa

In the developed world, the infection rates are declining, and the severe lockdowns that were imposed are slowly being eased. This is good. It is positive for the developed world. But for us, on the other side of the globe, the backside of the world, the Covid-19 is only making its way through our neigbourhoods and villages. The death toll due to starvation will far exceed that of the Covid-related deaths in the developed nations.

This is not belittling the staggering death tolls of the nations with advanced technology, medical services, infrastructure and even charitable organizations that are feeding their poorer people. But our numbers will be catastrophic because we cannot eat.

The Danger for Africa

Let us discuss the African continent – Sub-Saharan nations, in broad terms. Trying to implement social distancing so as to flatten the curve of the infection rate are not viable options. Population densities are too great and living conditions are too poor. The healthcare systems are so limited and deficient that such an outbreak of Covid-19 will cripple services over night. There is not just a shortage of medical equipment but also medically trained healthcare workers.

What kind of shortage, in 2013, it was ascertained that there were 14 healthcare workers per 1000 people in Europe while in Sub-Saharan African nations there were only 2.2 healthcare workers. As for equipment, developed nations did not have adequate supply of ventilators. The developing nations have far less. It is reported that Nigeria has less than 500 ventilators for a nation over 206 million people.  The Central African Republic (CAR) has three ventilators for a population of under 5 million people. That is a ventilator per 400,000 Nigerians and 1 per 1.6 million people in CAR. The governments of these African nations do not have the financial operation capacity of the developed nations to take action of pandemic proportions. In addition, the weak leadership and corrupt authoritarianism have also weakened the nations.

covid19-africa

Every Sub-Saharan nation is resilient.  Nigeria and other west African nations have been well tested with the Ebola virus. But this time the threats looming over the continent are deadly hunger and deadly infection. These two threats will also weaken the social structure further with potential civil unrest and violent protests. These threats are not short term but could be prolonged for much longer time frame of years.

The Rough Road Ahead

Future productivity of these nations could be significantly affected in terms of labour and capital. Job losses could be even more precarious in the future especially with nearly 50 percent of the population being under the age of 30 years. The social structure of society could be weakened further with increases in domestic violence, increases in earlier pregnancies and marriages, and with even less access to education for the younger generations.

The economic prospects could also be very dim with nations unable to meet corporate and sovereign debts because of very substantial foreign investments on the past decades. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have acted on request, and secured suspended debt payments by the poorest of developing nations. Nations such as China have offered medical donations.

The economic measures that need to be extended by the developed nations to help undergirth these developing nations is critical for a global survival scheme. Without private and public support from the developed nations, these nations could spiral downwards very easily. This will require major changes in the mindset of the commercial – economic sectors to devise viable solutions or options that can be made available to developing nations.

Bottom Line

This current pandemic is a crisis of global proportions with the potential to totally devastate sectors of the developing world. It will require a concerted, cooperative approach, with a new, holistic vision towards the whole international community so as to avoid a massive humanitarian tragedy. It is already a crisis across the globe, and every nation is striving to salvage the level of social and economic attainment that existed pre-Covid-19. If the whole globe cannot restabilize, the developed world will also suffer from a significant kickback from the less developed nations if they fail to restabilize.

It sounds a message of doom and gloom, but human beings are very resourceful, creative and innovative. Everyone just needs to focus their mind on global unity.

Future of Urban Transportation in Saudi Arabia

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Transportation sector has played a prominent role in the socio-economic development of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However, there are a wide range of current and future issues which should be tackled to ensure sustainable development in the country. More than 75% of the total population of Saudi Arabia lives in urban areas. Given the worldwide trends and statistics on urban population growth, many have regarded the 21st century as the urban century, understanding the prominence and importance urban areas have played and will continue to play in the future.

Therefore, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia must focus its attention in the re-planning and re-designing of existing cities in order to absorb the pressure of increasing urban populations, in a manner that will improve environmental sustainability and energy efficiency. In re-fitting urban areas of Saudi Arabia for expected expansion, the future of urban transportation will be a much needed but thoroughly thought-out strategy to ensure the cities’ lifelines are able to cope with the needs and demands of the increasing urban population.

transportation-saudi-arabia

Prevalent Scenario

Accordingly to a 2014 article published in The Peninsula Times, Saudi Arabia had 15.9 million licensed cars at the end of 2012. The article also mentioned that an analysis by Al-Eqtisadiah (a Saudi newspaper) estimated that the number of cars was expected to increase to 18 million in 2014. Therefore if we were to do a ‘rough’ calculation using the projected number of cars for 2014 and the total population of persons in 2013, then for approximately every two persons there is one licensed car.

For urban areas, a ‘rough’ calculation using the 2010 urban population figure and the ‘roughly’ calculated ratio of one licensed car to approximately every two persons, means that if at present, over 22.9 million people live in the urban cities, then there is a high probability that there are over 11.4 million licensed cars in the urban areas of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The reality that such figures exist in the Kingdom for licensed cars in urban areas, solidifies the importance of reviewing present modes of urban transport. Such modes of urban transport must be seen as energy efficient, compact, aesthetically pleasing, safe, reliable and environmentally-sustainable. A key area in applying such type of urban transport is through the urban public transportation system. This can be done through the implementation of urban mass transit systems, for example, bus and extensive rapid railway systems. Such systems will encourage the city inhabitants to forego personal vehicles for public transport.

Fortunately, the Kingdom is well on their way in this regard, having an already functioning public bus and railway system. These two public systems are governed under two separate organizations, Saudi Arabian Public Transport Company, and Saudi Railways. Saudi Arabian Public Transport Company has an inter-city and inner-city bus system, while Saudi Railways is responsible for passenger railway transport in the Kingdom. The railway organization has many projects in the pipelines and is working on implementing their Master Plan, which speaks of the creation of a railway for urban transportation, Urban Transit.

Future Outlook

Even though the Kingdom is in the process of planning to implement extensions of those transport systems on a larger scale for urban areas, that type of infrastructure will take a number of years to complete. In the interim, simpler alternative modes of public transport, which can bring about positive changes to the country’s urban transportation sector, can be installed and implemented. One such alternative is a bike –share system. Although it is seen as child’s play, bikes have traditionally been used for transport.

However, with a bit of innovation and creativity, bike-shares having smart and green technology have popped up all over the world, in many of the mega-cities with huge success. In the case of Saudi Arabia, new city developments and economic zones can easily incorporate such a system into their plans and designs. The bike-share concept can also be incorporated on university campuses and other large-scale development centres throughout the Kingdom.

There are numerous advantages to a bike-share, such as improved health, air quality, urban environment and urban aesthetics. The Kingdom can successfully create its own version of a fashionably green urban bike-share system but it will require support from all stakeholders, especially the city dwellers.

Aside from the current usage of the public transport system, a lot more can be done to promote and encourage modes of public transport, as well as other initiatives to ‘nudge’ the urban population to reduce the number of personal cars in cities. One such initiative could be, ‘Use Public Transport Day’ or ‘Car-pool Day’.

Another approach to ‘nudging’ urban residents to reduce the need for cars, can be through the installation of pedestrian zones or pathways, where the entire roadway of a certain part of the city is free of cars, allowing for a better flow of pedestrian traffic. These along with many more examples, can be found in case studies on cities like Mexico City, Copenhagen, Malmo, Curitiba and Vancouver.

Conclusion

Prioritising and revitalising urban transport in Saudi Arabia is indeed a requirement as the urban population increases. It is encouraging to see Saudi Arabia taking strides to increase modes of urban transport for cities. However, the Kingdom needs to implement short and medium term strategies that will get the urban population to begin transitioning from conventional modes to environmentally-sustainable modes of transport. The needs of future urban populations are what should be considered by traffic and transportation planners, not future projections of the number of cars.

We must begin to think of the future needs of the population, in particular the urban population, for more proactive solutions to emerge in the transportation sector in Saudi Arabia, especially in big cities like Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam.

How to Make Sustainable Commercial Choices and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

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The importance of reducing a company’s carbon footprint has increased as environmental sustainability has gained popularity. The total emissions, expressed in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) units, produced by a company’s operations, directly and indirectly, are referred to as the carbon footprint. More information about this topic is provided below. It has been demonstrated that carbon pricing does not impede economic growth but instead sends a loud and clear message to firms, industries, and consumers to switch to greener energy sources. This conclusion is based on data from 70 national and subnational governments that have previously implemented carbon pricing.

reasons for global warming

Establish Carbon Reduction Goals

A crucial first step in reducing your company’s carbon footprint is to set carbon reduction targets. The appropriate approach may be used to achieve net zero carbon emissions, despite it seeming like a high objective. Carbon targets are measurable objectives that focus an organisation’s efforts on going green. Understanding the procedures for creating and achieving these goals is the first step in developing any long-term plan to reduce carbon emissions. To do this, you must gather a lot of information on the sources of your CO2 emissions and how they affect internal and external operations.

Companies may position themselves for success with an open strategy by dividing their intended goals into more manageable, attainable objectives. More information may be found in our next blog post, “How to Reduce Your Environmental Footprint One Carbon Target at a Time.”

Less energy consumption, please

According to research, energy usage frequently accounts for a significant portion of a company’s carbon footprint during commercial activities. Therefore, cutting back on energy use is a great way to decrease the environmental effect of your business.

Purchasing ENERGY STAR-certified energy-efficient equipment, programming thermostats to run only during business hours, unplugging electronics at the end of each day, and relying on natural lighting are a few ways to decrease energy consumption. These simple yet effective actions might drastically reduce carbon emissions while saving you money. Increasing energy efficiency doesn’t have to be a difficult task. Energy efficiency identification, monitoring, and optimisation across large-scale operations may be facilitated by software tools like Brightly StreamTM or Energy ManagerTM while prioritising activities that result in further cost savings and a minimal carbon footprint. Learn more about commercial gas here!

Control business travel

Reviewing your company’s travel rules is one of the finest ways to lessen the carbon footprint of your enterprise. The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 27% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 came from transportation. Regulating business travel is a straightforward yet efficient solution to lessen this impact, suitable for your company’s operations and bottom line. It must be essential to your greenhouse gas plan for lowering carbon emissions.

biorefinery basics

Etihad Airways flight from Seattle to Abu Dhabi in January 2012 was the first in the Middle East to be powered by sustainable biofuel.

As a business owner, you have a unique opportunity and duty to make changes that lessen your organisation’s carbon footprint and save the environment. You may drastically lower your company’s carbon footprint by restricting how frequently personnel travel by air and by road for work-related reasons. When it is practical, switching from flying to trains, buses, and other forms of public transportation can have a significant environmental impact due to their reduced emissions.

When commuting together, companies might encourage their staff to carpool. This lowers each employee’s emissions somewhat. Companies can also take other steps to become more energy-efficient, like switching to hybrid or electric company cars (even one electric car in your fleet can make a difference), letting workers work from home, using public transportation or ride-sharing services for business trips, and encouraging employees to bike or carpool to work. Here, reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the primary goal, but doing so without sacrificing productivity and efficiency in business.

Use viable suppliers

Rethinking your supply chain is one efficient way to lower your business’s carbon footprint. Choosing sustainable suppliers for finished goods or raw materials in your supply chain is as crucial as taking internal steps to make your workplace more environmentally friendly. Working with unsustainable suppliers increases emissions, and many companies unintentionally support these behaviours by continuing to do so. Even when the firm does not directly create Scope 3 emissions, the company is nonetheless indirectly liable for them since they are produced by any organisation that is part of its value chain.

supply chain and sustainability

To escape this obligation, you can directly request information about your suppliers’ carbon emissions or look for businesses that have earned the ISO 14001 certification, which attests to their dedication to tracking and reducing their environmental effects. You can help your business and the environment by utilising sustainable suppliers and reducing your carbon footprint.

Offsets for carbon

Businesses may effectively supplement their carbon reduction efforts and fight climate change by engaging in carbon offsetting. Companies purchase these offsets as credits to make up for their carbon emissions. Businesses may offset emissions and reduce their carbon footprint by funding authorised projects like reforestation or renewable energy.

To have a long-lasting impact, carbon offsetting should be used in conjunction with other proactive strategies for decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. It should not be the only component of a whole sustainability plan.

Limit your waste

Businesses need to remove waste wherever they can to lower their carbon impact. An essential component of global trash production is made up of commercial waste. Business owners must determine how to reduce product waste in their daily operations. Sustainable packaging, avoiding single-use plastics, converting paper documents to digital records, and placing recycling bins throughout the workplace are a few alternatives. Reusing items and packaging, recycling as much material as feasible, and rethinking product design to reduce needless materials should all be the focus of a company’s waste reduction plan.

Businesses can also look for alternate methods or supplies that use less energy and are less damaging to the environment. They should reduce their paper usage and use wiser purchasing practices to avoid overconsumption. Companies may lower their trash production, lower expenses, and enhance environmental performance by applying these measures.

In Conclusion

To make sustainable commercial choices and reduce your business carbon footprint, there are several steps you can take. First, establish carbon reduction goals and collect data to identify the source of your CO2 emissions. Then, focus on reducing energy consumption by using energy-efficient equipment, setting thermostats to operate only during working hours, and relying on natural illumination. Review your company’s travel rules and consider options like carpooling, using public transportation or ride-sharing services for business trips, and switching to hybrid or electric cars.

Choose sustainable suppliers in your supply chain and consider engaging in carbon offsetting. Finally, limit waste by using sustainable packaging, avoiding single-use plastics, converting paper documents to digital records, and recycling as much material as possible. By taking these steps, you can positively impact the environment while also improving your business’s bottom line.

Recycling of Aluminium Cans

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Aluminium is a soft, durable and lightweight metal, made from Bauxite ore, which is mined from the earth. Bauxite is converted into alumina, a fine white powder, which is then smelted at over 700°C to become aluminium, which is one of the versatile products universally being used by consumers in a number of applications. The process is expensive and uses huge resources, including energy and fuel. Making cans out of aluminium for storing soft drinks and juices is one of the commonly used phenomenons as it takes five tonnes of Bauxite to make just one tonne of aluminium cans.

aluminium-cans-recycling

Many of the food and drink products we buy are packaged in cans made from either aluminium or steel and both of these materials can be easily recycled after we have finished with them to make either new cans or other allied suitable products.

Aluminium cans are very common in our daily life and is often consumed as  drink containers and later thrown as garbage in bins or being littered on streets and open plots. The good thing is that these cans provide source of food and income to many poor people who resort to collect them from the bins and open areas and sell it to the middle recycling shops in exchange of money. This practice is certainly restricting huge quantities of cans going to municipal landfill sites saving valuable space and is prompting informal recyclable material collection.

The aluminium can is the world’s most recycled packaging container. We need to understand that all aluminium cans are 100% recyclable. It can take up to 500 years for aluminium cans to decompose. Aluminium does not degrade during the recycling process, which means it can be repeatedly recycled many a times. Recycling aluminium saves millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases, energy, electricity and fuel for its transportation. Making aluminium cans from recycled materials requires less than 5% of the energy used to make new aluminium cans from Bauxite.

The recycling of aluminium generally produces significant cost savings over the production of new aluminium even when the cost of collection, separation and recycling are taken into account. Over the long term, even larger national savings are made when the reduction in the capital costs associated with landfills, mines and international shipping of raw aluminium are considered.

It is our environmental and social duty to separate aluminium cans from other domestic waste and either give to recyclers or separately discard it at bins, so that it can be easily collected by poor iterants. Before disposal, ensure that the aluminium cans are empty and not soiled and damaged. The collected cans in the Middle East are then taken to a local recycling facility where they are crushed, compacted, baled and later transported and exported to other countries for recycling, where they are milled and remade into new products.

An important fact is that recycling an aluminium can saves enough energy to run a television for three hours. If we throw away two aluminium cans, we waste more energy than is used daily by each of the billion human beings in the developing world.

We need to conserve our environmental resources and practice environmental friendly habits including aluminium can segregation and recycling. Brazil, recycles more than 98% of its aluminium can production, ranking first in the world followed by Japan with 83% recovery rate. Let us strive to make Middle East a recycling heaven and protecting our resources from any kind of pollution.

World Environment Day 2016: Focus on Illegal Wildlife Trade

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world-environment-day-2016World Environment Day, also known as WED, is commemorated annually on 5th June and is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness on the environment and promotes suitable actions. WED’s agenda is to empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development, promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues, advocate partnership which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future.

The theme of World Environment Day 2016 is “Fight against the Illegal Trade in Wildlife” or Zero Tolerance for Illegal Wildlife Trade, which refers to the commerce of products that are derived from non-domesticated animals or plants usually extracted from their natural environment or raised under controlled conditions. It involves the trade of living or dead animals, skins, bones/ meat, or other products.

Wildlife trade is perhaps the most immediate threat to animals in many parts of the world. The illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be worth US$50-150 billion/ year. The global illegal fisheries catch is valued at US$10-23.5 billion/year and illegal logging, including processing, at US$30-100 billion/ year. Illegal wildlife trade is now an emerging issue. Today more elephants are being slaughtered than at any time in the past 20 years. Around 25,000 elephants were killed only in 2013 to supply the illegal ivory trade. For the rhinoceros between 2007 and 2013, the poaching increased by 7000% in South Africa.

Wildlife trade is a serious conservation problem. The world is dealing with an unprecedented hike in illegal wildlife trade, threatening to overturn decades of conservation gains. While, the legal wildlife trade is regulated by the United Nations’ Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which currently has 170 member countries. Illegal wildlife trade is attracted by high profits and low risks associated with weak governance, corruption, absence of legislations, weak monitoring and lax penalties. International cooperation and mutual legal assistance among countries can help prevent, combat and eradicate such trafficking.

Wildlife trade is a serious conservation problem worldwide

Wildlife trade is a serious conservation problem worldwide

One of the most powerful tools for addressing illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade is awareness and education persuading consumers to make informed choices. Campaigns to change the public opinion are powerful tools for reducing this demand. This includes the people buying the end product as well as shop-keepers, suppliers and manufacturers.

The key to success in the fight against illegal wildlife trade is collaboration among countries and international agencies. Efficient control of transboundary movements of wildlife products requires good information exchange and cooperation, involving importing, exporting and transit countries. Mechanisms need to be enhanced to facilitate rapid exchanges of information between enforcement agencies. We need to understand the damage this illicit business is doing to the environment, economies, communities and security.

There is a need to change habits and behaviour so that demand for wildlife products decrease. World Environment Day 2016 encourages the celebration for all those species which are under threat and taking suitable local and national actions by all stake holders to help in protecting and safeguarding them for future generations. Urgent action is required which can collectively save the illegal wildlife trade. Let us become better stewards of our planet. Our decisions today will shape the world our children and grandchildren will live in.

Popular Sources of Biofuels

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As the world seeks more and more ways to create eco-friendly energy sources, biofuels seem to be the only answer. Over the last few years, biofuels have been praised as being the best alternative to our fossil fuel crazy world. This is because they do not pollute the environment as much as the current fuel sources. Further, they are much cheaper.

biofuel-resources

Biofuels are produced from the following major sources.

Used cooking oil

This is one of the most popular sources of biofuels. Why?

Cooking oil is much easier to find. This is because it is used in a large number of households and other commercial entities that serve food. As such, biofuel companies can get into arrangements on how to collect the cooking oil.

Once it is delivered to the factory, the cooking oil then goes through a chemical process that cleans it and removes all impurities from it. It then goes through further processing until is suitable to be used as a fuel in vehicles and plant machinery.

Used cooking oil, as an environmentally friendly products is also used to produce other environmentally friendly products such as soap and even animal feed.

Corn

Another source of biofuels is corn. Corn is planted in large scale and set aside for the production of fuel. Once harvested and processed, corn produces ethanol.

This corn-ethanol is a popular fuel alternative and one derived from planted crops. Thus, making it the definition of biofuels. As a biofuel, it is clean and has little negative impact on the environment.

However, production of biofuel from corn has been met with a lot of controversy. This is because, the corn used to produce ethanol for fuel, is corn that could have been used as food by someone else. This means that, using corn for biofuel production may lead to large number of populations going without food.

Sugarcane

Sugarcane is a popular source of ethanol. Many sugar cane plantations and factories around the world, in addition to the production of sugar also produce ethanol. For a country like Brazil, one of the largest sugar producers in the world, biofuel ethanol produced from sugarcane is also highly popular in the country.

With the large production of ethanol from sugarcane, Brazil has managed to become an energy independent country. Due to this successful experiment in the country, sugarcane is considered as one of the leading sources of biofuel.

Canola

This is a crop that grows largely in Canada. It produces highly popular cooking oil known as canola oil. Canola oil as a food is popular for its low levels of cholesterol and thus considered among the healthy oils to use in cooking.

Besides cooking, canola is also a popular source of biofuel. It is easily and cheaply converted into a fuel. As a fuel, it has little emissions, thus it is friendly to the environment. It burns more efficiently than common fossil fuels used every day.

Challenges facing the production of biofuels

Availability of land

Biofuels are produced from sources that must be planted in fertile arable land that is also used for food production. As such, many food producers may be unwilling to use the land they use for food production for biofuel production lest they go hungry.

Made from food sources

Another challenge faced by biofuel production is that it is made from food. Corn which is a popular food product for both human and animals is also a popular source of biofuel.

This in turn leads to an increase in food prices as supply reduces due to the use of corn in the production of biofuels.

Conclusion

There are several sources of biofuel. These sources, as the term bio suggests, are also food products. With some chemical manipulation, they will produce high quality ethanol that is an efficient and clean burning fuel.

Used cooking oil is one of the alternative sources of biofuel that is not also a food source. It produces high quality biofuels that save the environment from the impact of fossil fuels.

Solar For Your Home

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Light from the sun can produce energy that powers an entire home. Solar panels use the most powerful but free energy source in nature.

Solar energy is a renewable source. It reduces the carbon footprint of your home. Your electricity bills can greatly reduce after installing solar panels. There can be complete riddance from them if solar energy is the sole electricity source.

guide to home solar system

Once that investment is made, you can save a lot on regular expenditures. However, is this the best solution for your home?

Let’s find out if it is the best option for your home among rising electricity prices.

Costs of a Solar Panel?

If you are an environmentally-conscious person, changing your electricity source to solar power is one of the changes you can immediately bring.

It not only reduces cost but can also bring down the carbon footprint while increasing home values. Hence, you can get money when you sell extra power back to the grid.

The installation and maintenance costs are still high enough to reconsider solar power for many.

Consider the costs and how much energy it produces after installing it throughout the house.  Compare it with what you would pay for electricity bills for the same amount of energy.

Calculate how many years it would take for the investment costs to pay itself in the saved costs of the electricity. Then decide if the investment is worth it.

Navigate Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

Before you install Smart Solar Energy in Newberg, Oregon, navigate the amount of energy you can save. Carry out a home energy audit to know where you are losing energy and how you can make the use more efficient. For instance, switch your lighting with energy-efficient LED bulbs.

You should also analyze the usage of electronics and appliances. Either replace them with highly efficient products or reduce their usage.

Note the energy use spent on heating and cooling your house. You will also need a significant amount of solar energy to meet that energy usage.

Weatherize your home and use cooling and heating appliances efficiently instead.

Benefits of Solar Panel

Working towards a green home by installing solar panels is not only beneficial to the owner but also for the environment.

A solar-powered home will reduce its carbon footprint. Besides that, it will also eliminate harmful emissions from the house. The market value of your home increases by installing solar panels. In fact, you can also earn money by selling the excess energy the solar panels produce.

Tips for Using Solar Power Effectively

Solar panels have a long lifespan working efficiently, up to 25 years. It is a long-term investment that will be covered in a few years. You also get green, clean energy throughout your home. You will no longer have to worry about power cuts or load shedding.

What Affects The Efficiency of Solar Panels?

If your solar panels are not working properly, external factors can affect their efficiency.

Suitability of Roof

Solar panels install on the roof, so it is essential to understand whether your roof can bear the weight of the panels. Wooden and slate roofs will be too brittle to handle up to 280 kg weight of the panels.

You need to consider the space alongside the weight. The panels need around 30 cm of space. Therefore, the roof should be spacious enough to hold it.

A 4kW solar system contains 16 panels which occupy up to 29-meter square space. Is your roof suitable for providing as much space?

Maintaining the Panels

Solar panels do not require as much maintenance. However, you would want them to work for 25 to 30 years without trouble.

solar panel maintenance

This is why you must routinely call a certified service provider or installer to check the solar panels. On your own end, you can ensure there is no dust, leaves, or branches blocking them.

Location and Angle

Solar panels need sunlight exposure from 9 am to 3 pm. Is the system placed in the most appropriate location where it receives maximum sunlight?

South facing direction is the most suitable for the solar panels ensuring they get maximum sunlight. After all, the angle and orientation of the roof affect the exposure to sunlight.

Solar Panel Size

Calculate the size of solar panels required by considering the size of the roof and your home’s energy requirements. The greater size of the panel corresponds to more electricity generation.

You can also choose efficient solar panels. For instance, monocrystalline panels are more efficient than polycrystalline systems. In that case, fewer solar panels generate more energy, and you will not need many.

Final Takeaway

Installing solar panels in your home is entirely your choice. You should first consider your budget and energy needs and then decide to install these panels. However, know that in the long term, it is an energy-efficient system that will improve the environment for future generations.

الاستخدام المسؤول للموارد الطبيعية لترتيب منزلك

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تنظيف المنزل هو روتين يجب القيام به بانتظام بحيث يؤهل إمكانية العيش في بيئة مريحة.  يمكن لبعض الطرق المستخدمة لتنظيف المنازل أن تؤثر سلبًيا على البيئة بطرق مختلفة. لمنع ذلك  يمكنك اتباع طرق صديقة للبيئة. يمكنك التعرف علي من ٦ طرق المسماة بالطرق الخضراء لترتيب منزلك:

green-ways-tidy-home

منتجات التنظيف المحضرة في المنزل

منتجات التنظيف منزلية الصنع بمكونات طبيعية مثل عصير الليمون والخل الأبيض وصودا الخبز وزيت الزيتون مثالية لتنظيف منزلك لأنها لا تؤثر سلبًا على البيئة. هذه منتجات آمنة وصديقة للبيئة  ويمكن استخدامها لأغراض مختلفة مثل تنظيف المطبخ والنوافذ والحمام.

إذا كنت تريد التخلص من الحشرات والمخلوقات البكتيرية التي تظهر على الأسطح ، يمكنك التفكير في طرق صديقة للبيئة للقيام بذلك. على سبيل المثال، المدن التي تتمتع بالجمال مدينة سياتل الامريكية التي تتمتع بمناخ دافئ ومحيطي وصيف جاف نسبيا. يمكن للحشرات والمواد الأخرى أن تزدهر في هذا المناخ ، لذا من الضروري إلى إيجاد طرق خضراء صديقة للبيئة للقضاء عليها. طرق العلاج الأخرى التي تستخدم فيها مواد كيميائية يمكن أن تكون خطرة على البيئة، والحيوانات الأليفة، وكذلك على البشر. لذلك يجب علينا دائمًا إعطاء الأولوية لسلامتنا وسلامة البيئة المحيطة بنا.

التجنب من استخدام المنظفات التي تساهم في التلوث

الخيار الآخر للتنظيف  للمنزل الذي لا يؤثر سلبيا على البيئة هو مراعاة المنظفات التي لا تسبب تلوث الهواء. على سبيل المثال ، بدلاً من تنظيف الأرضيات  بمكنسة كهربائية، من الأفضل استخدام المكنسة اليدوية. قد يستغرق ذلك وقتًا طويلاً ، ولكنه أفضل بكثير لبيه خالية من تلوث الهواء.

إستخدم الماء للتنظيف

يمكنك أيضًا استخدام الماء النظيف فقط عند تنظيف بلاط الأرضيات و السيراميك. إذا لم يكن هناك بقع ترابية على البلاط ، يمكنك ببساطة مسحها باستخدام الماء النظيف وتجنب المنظفات الكيميائية والمكونات الصناعية الأخرى لتأثيرها السلبي على البيئة المحيطة مما قد تنتج منها مشاكل صحية في حالة تعرضها للجسم .

إستخدم الصودا لتنظيف السجاد

عندما تكون سجادتك متسخة ، يمكن أن يكون مظهرها غير لايق ، ويمكن أن تنتج أيضًا رائحة كريهة منها. في هذه الحالة يمكنك استخدام صودا الخبز لتنظيف السجادة، وهي خيار مثالي لأنها خالية من المواد الكيميائية السامة. يمكن للصودا أيضًا أن تجعل سجادتك تبدو وكأنها جديدة.

إستخدم الماء المغلي للتنظيف

عند تنظيف الأسطح من مخلفات الزيت مثل طاولات المطبخ والأحواض ، يمكنك استخدام الماء المغلي لأنه الماء المغلي يمكن أن يذيب الأوساخ حتى تتمكن من مسحها بقطعة قماش نظيفة. يمكن أن يساعد استخدام الماء المغلي أيضًا على حل الرواسب التي تساهم في سد نظام الصرف في المطبخ فبدلاً من استخدام المواد الكيميائية التي يمكن أن تكون سامة وتتسبب تأثير سلبي على البيئة.

تنظيف الهواء الداخلي بشكل طبيعي

من الممكن تنظيف الهواء الداخلي بشكل طبيعي عن طريق فتح النوافذ قدر الإمكان. هذا الخيار آمن بدلاً من استخدام معطرات هواء اصطناعية التي يمكن أن تؤثر على البيئة. ولكن يجب عليك أولاً التحقق من عدم وجود رياح قوية يمكن التي من الممكن تنشر جزيئات الغبار داخل المنزل. فتح النافذة سيسمح بنشر ضوء الشمس ونسيم الهواء في منزلك مما قد يجعل منزلك منتعشًا وذلك قد يساهم يمنك الأمراض نظرًا لمدى فائدة ضوء الشمس والهواء الطبيعي.

تكتسب الاهتمامات البيئية اعترافًا متزايدًا في جميع المجالات حول العالم ، لذلك يجب أن نقوم بدورنا تجاه لتأمين بيئة أفضل دورك أيضًا. يمكنك القيام بذلك من خلال اعتماد طرق خضراء لترتيب منزلك. هذه الطرق نظيفة وصديقة للبيئة.

ترجمة:

محمد عدنان النخلي- مهندس كيميائي- مهتم في تفكك البوليميرات إلى موادها الأولية وتحويلها إلى مواد مفيدة، وتقليل المخلفات البلاستيكية في البيئة.

الطرق المتبعه لتخفيف آثار العواصف الرمليه والترابيه

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sandstorm-arabiaالعواصف الرملية والترابية تتسبب في آثار سلبية كبيرة على المجتمع والاقتصاد والبيئة في النطاق المحلي والإقليمي والعالمي. هناك ثلاثة عوامل رئيسية مسؤولة عن توليد العواصف الرملية والترابية – الرياح القوية، وعدم وجود الغطاء النباتي وعدم سقوط الأمطار. المخاطر البيئية والصحية لهذه العواصف لا يمكن التخلص منها  بشكل دائم، ولكن يمكن الحد من الاثار الناتجة من خلال اتخاذ التدابير المناسبة.

مع ارتفاع مستوي الغبار، فإنه يقلل من مدى الرؤية الأفقية التي يمكن أن تؤثرعلي حياة الإنسان بطرق عديدة. حيث ان هذه الجزيئات العالقة تحتوي أيضا علي الملوثات والبكتيريا وحبوب اللقاح التي تسبب تأثيرات سلبية على الصحة مثل الحساسية وأمراض الجهاز التنفسي. كما يحمل الغبار الملوثات التي يحملها الهواء مثل السموم والمعادن الثقيلة والملح والكبريت، والمبيدات الحشرية وغيرها و التي تسبب تأثيرات صحية كبيرة علي الانسان مستنشق الغبار الملوث. الغبار يمكن أن يؤدي الي تآكل المباني وغيرها من البنية التحتية المبنية حيث انه يحتوي علي الكثير من المعادن التقيله والجزيئات الحمضية كما أنه يحتوي على مستوى عال من الأملاح، وخاصة في دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي.

التأثيرات البيئية والصحية

سوء نوعية الهواء – ويرجع ذلك إلى زيادة في احمال الملوثات ودرجات خطيرة من الجسيمات العالقة في الهواء والتي تستنشق اثناء العواصف الرملية والترابية.

زيادة في المخاطر البيئية المتصلة  كالنقل والبناء والصحة.
ترسب الغبار على الاراضي الزراعية يمكن أن يسبب جفاف الأوراق وتؤخر نمو النباتات وتسبب أضرارا بالمحاصيل.

يسبب جزيئات الغبار العالقة في الماء عرقلة تغلغل ضوء الشمس في قاع البحر، وبالتالي يؤثر على دورة الحياة البحرية.

الآثار الاجتماعية

سوء الحالة الصحية نتيجة استنشاق الجزيئات العالقة والملوثات الموجودة بالغبار.

حوادث الطرق وأخطار الطيران بسبب سوء الرؤية الافقية.

تقيد وتأخير لمواعيد الهبوط والإقلاع من الرحلات الجوية وحركة السفن

زيادة في الإجهادات المرتبطة بتلف المحاصيل الزراعية.

الآثار الاقتصادية

الأضرار التي لحقت الهياكل الخرسانية والطرق وحمامات السباحة الخ بسبب ترسب الغبار

التكاليف المرتبطة تنظيف الغبار المتسلل داخل المنزل والمباني وتنظيف المركبات

تكلفة إزالة الرمال من الطرق والمباني

التكاليف المرتبطة بالحوادث، خسارة مادية أو تأخير في الرحلات الجوية، تأخير في حركة المركبات،

التكاليف المرتبطة بتنظيف اجزاء البنية التحتية مثل خطوط الأنابيب المدفونة بسبب الرمال والغبار النفط خلال العواصف

الحد من تأثير العواصف الرملية والترابية

يمكن الحد من الآثارالمرتبطة بالعواصف الرملية والترابية باستخدام عدد من تدابير الصحة والسلامة واستراتيجيات الرقابة البيئية.

العواصف الرملية والترابية على نطاق واسع عموما من الظواهر الطبيعية وأنه غير منطقي لاتخاذ الاجراءات لتلافي ومنع حدوثها ومع ذلك، يمكن أن تؤخذ تدابير الرقابة للحد من آثاره.

عملية انبعاثات الغبار على نطاق ضيق بسبب الأنشطة البشرية يمكن الحد منها باستخدام الطرق الميكانيكية المؤقتة مثل حاجز خرساني، التغطية للمكان، او طبقة مانعه للانتشار علي طريق الحزام الشجري الخ

اساليب السيطره المناسبة من عوامل رفع الغبار مثل زيادة الغطاء النباتي كلما كان ذلك ممكنا.حيث  أنه يساعد في استقرار التربة والكثبان الرملية ومصدات الرياح تعتبر نموذج لذلك.

استخدام الطبيعة ممثله في النباتات والأشجار يمكن أن يقلل من سرعة الرياح والرمال و الانجرافات الحادثه للتربه نتيجة شدة الرياح.

تنفيذ المباني بشكل جيد واختبار اماكن التسريب والتهوية خلال انشاء المبني.

الطرق المتبعه لتخفيف آثار العواصف الرمليه والترابيه

اتخاذ تدابير حذرية اضافية للفئة السكانية الضعيفة مثل الأطفال وكبار السن والمرضى.

استخدام أقنعة الغبار – أقنعة الغبار التي لها المرشحات المساعدة علي تصفية الجسيمات الصغيرة والملوثات. وبالتالي، يجب استخدام القناع خلال العواصف الترابية. وضع منشفة مبللة أو الأنسجة على الأنف والفم وشرب الكثير من السوائل.

تنظيف الوجه، والأنف والفم في كثير من الأحيان لمنع أي غبار يدخل إلى الرئتين ويجب الاستنشاق ببعض الماء عن طريق الأنف لتنظيف الأنف من جزيئات الغبار.

إغلاق الأبواب والنوافذ بإحكام، وسحب جميع الستائر مع وضع المناشف المبللة على الثقوب الصغيرة التي قد تكون مصدر لتسريب الغبار في النوافذ المستديرة

التقليل من الأنشطة في الهواء الطلق والبقاء داخل المنزل.

ترجمه:

هبة احمد مسلم – دكتور الهندسة البيئية. باحث في الشئون البيئية. معهد الدراسات والبحوث البيئية– جامعه عين شمس. مدرس التحكم في البيئة والطاقه داخل المباني.

للتواصل عبر hebamosalam2000@gmail.com