How To Trade Sustainable Instruments Online

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Many people assume that sustainability and online trading doesn’t go well together, but where are here to prove the opposite. In fact, we would argue that online trading is the best type of financial investment for people that encourage sustainability and in this post, we’ll explain why that is.

What is Online Trading?

In this guide, we refer to online trading as trading done using online brokers, also known as CFD trading. These brokers provide traders access to trading platforms where you can trade everything from stocks and commodities to cryptocurrencies and forex.

Now, unlike a traditional stockbroker, for example, an online broker offers derivatives of these investment platforms meaning you never own the underlying asset but instead speculate on its value. Let’s say you want to trade on Tesla’s stock, then your job is to predict whether or not the value of the stock will increase or decrease in a set amount of time.

The beauty with this setup is that it allows brokers to offer a larger selection of instruments that your average broker, which, in turn, make it easier to find sustainable trading opportunities. We’ll talk more about different sustainable instruments that you can trade further down, but first, we want to explain how you can start trading.

How To Start Online Trading

Getting started in the world of online trading is quite straightforward, even when living in the Middle East or Africa. All you really have to do is figure out who you’re going to trade with and then what you’re going to trade, so let us walk you through the process.

Find an Online Broker

The number on thing that you have to do is find an online broker. Without the broker, you won’t gain access to the markets or a trading platform and, subsequently, you won’t be able to trade. There is a plethora of brokers on the market and they all provide a unique product so you need to know what you’re looking for. Generally speaking, there are three things to focus on in your hunt for a new broker.

  1. Safety – Trading is always associated with the risk of losing money, it’s something we all have to accept. However, there are other risks involved in the industry that you can completely avoid. By using a regulated and licensed broker, you can rest assured that you and your funds are protected and that you won’t get ripped off.
  2. Assets and Platforms – Every broker has a unique selection of assets on offer and every broker’s platform is slightly different. Therefore, you must ensure that you’re happy with both. Also, make sure that the sustainable instruments you’re interested are listed.
  3. Suitable Accounts – As a trader from MENA, you might be obligated to open a special Islamic Trading account according to religious rules. Luckily, many of the world’s leading broker offer this type of account and you’ll be spoiled for choice.

Pick Your Sustainable Instruments

With a broker set up and some money deposited on your trading account, it’s time to start trading. As mentioned earlier, there are several kinds of sustainable instruments available today and you can pick and choose the once you are the most interested in or the ones that you think will bring in the most profit.

Also Read: Binary Options Trading – A Comprehensive Guide

A Glance at Sustainable Trading Instruments

Stocks

Naturally, trading stocks from sustainable and environmental-friendly companies is one easy way to ensure that you’re investments are morally accepted. ITT Industries (ITT), Brookfield Renewable Partners LP (BEP), and First Solar (FSLR) are all considered to be “green investments”.

Indices & Funds

As the interest in sustainability grows around the world, the number of green investments follow. Today, there are more sustainable indices and funds available to traders and investors than ever before.

Commodities

Commodities can be a complicated selection of assets because many of the most profitable commodities are gas and oil in different shapes. That being said, the number of green energy options is increasing so the market is growing. Also, you can trade precious metals and food items which aren’t necessarily sustainable but also not damaging to our planet.

Forex

Forex, or exchange rates, is perhaps one of the greenest markets out there. There is no connection to morally lacking corporations and the assets aren’t bound to anything but there own exchange rate and the central bank that controls them.

Cryptocurrencies

Lastly, the cryptocurrency market is the newest and most sustainable market to trade on right now. Similar to regular currencies (forex), cryptocurrencies aren’t connected to any oil-drilling companies. However, what makes them more sustainable than currencies is that they are decentralized and therefore, not even connected to a central bank or a specific country.

Evaluating Different Investment Platforms in the European Market

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To invest money online, it is necessary to pick the strategy first. Classic investment solutions exist, such as stocks and bonds. However, investing in individual stocks is rather difficult, especially for people with no experience. In this case, it is recommended to invest via special AIFs or alternative investment funds. These solutions have numerous benefits and can be accessible even to people with zero savings. There are many investment sites available right now for the European market, and you can find some of the options below:

Pros and cons of different investment platforms in European Market

Quanloop

Quanloop is an alternative investment fund with a unique business model. This investment platform acts like a single borrower from its users. All the investments are attracted on the website to be then unvested in the borrowing companies. The platform makes investing more secure for users.

Pros

  • One of the main perks of this site is the high liquidity of assets. People can withdraw their capital every day.
  • Any EU/EEA citizen above 18 years old can invest with Quanloop.
  • The lowest investment possible here is one euro.
  • Investment plans can be used for convenient passive investing.
  • There is a referral program that offers users an additional return for inviting their friends.

Cons

  • As this service collects all the funds, users are unable to choose borrowers.

Crowdestate

Founded in 2014, this P2P investment provider focuses on real estate businesses and projects. Individuals and companies can become investors on this site. To make a transaction, SEPA transfers are preferred. Verification is required to use this service.

Pros

  • The average annual interest rate on investments is 13%.
  • Taxes for Estonian users are partly covered by Crowdestate.
  • The investment process can be automated using the tools available on the site.

Cons

  • To invest capital, the users need to make a minimum transaction of 100 euros.

Bondora

This is one of the Estonian investment services made to bring investors and borrowers together. Loans can be placed on this platform where investors pick the options they want. These loans are mainly leases, business loans, etc. Private investors and businesses need to be from the EEA to use this site.

Pros

  • Service has some of the lowest requirements for investments as visitors can invest starting with 1 euro.
  • For more precise investment control, users can choose one of the three investment plans.
  • Both Bondora users and new visitors that use referral links can receive monetary bonuses.

Cons

  • This service does not help with filling in tax declarations.
  • The average yearly return is only 9%.

Peerberry

This P2P investment website was created in 2017. Any user or business with a European Union bank account can make a money online investment. The standard return rate yearly is 10%. Funds can be withdrawn to the original bank account that was used for investing.

Pros

  • The minimum investment required is 10 euros.
  • All investments can be automated, or, alternatively, users can set things up by hand.
  • A generous referral program is available for inviting friends and receiving bonuses.

Cons

  • The secondary market is not available at this moment.

Mintos

This is a Latvian investment fund that opened in 2015. While their main office is in Europe, there are also offices in South America. Businesses from different countries can request loans, and site users choose to make their investments.

Pros

  • Everyone can invest as long as they own an appropriate bank account in the EU.
  • The smallest investment possible is ten euros.
  • People can receive a 12% annual return on average.

Cons

  • There is no help with paying or filing taxes.

When looking for a solution where to invest money online, investment funds always come in handy.

What are the 5 Causes of Global Warming?

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The extra heat in the earth’s atmosphere is called “global warming.” It has increased global temperatures. To date, global warming is a top contributor to climate change. It also results in extreme weather conditions, the destruction of communities, and rising sea levels.

Today, the earth is warming quicker than it has in history. Because greenhouse gas emissions also cover the earth, the heat from the sun is trapped. It also disrupts the average balance of nature.

reasons for global warming

Causes of Global Warming

Here are five top reasons why global warming keeps increasing today.

1. Consumerism

It is easier for consumers to have access to multiple products today than ever before. There have been innovations in technology. Annually, more products are being produced. Some are being overproduced as demands keep increasing.

A lot of these items need to be more sustainable. More waste is being created, and clothing and electronic products now have a shorter life span.

2. Transportation

The use of transportation is another prominent cause of global warming. Fossil fuels are often used for planes, cars, ships, and trucks. Today, road vehicles are reported to have the most significant contribution when it comes to carbon dioxide emissions. Most of them are subjected to the combustion of petroleum products.

However, emissions from planes and ships keep growing. Globally, transportation is responsible for up to one-quarter of carbon dioxide emissions related to energy.

3. Generating power

Generating electricity contributes mainly to global warming. Electricity is often generated by burning gas, oil, or coal. This, in turn, produces nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide.

4. Food production

Farming also contributes to methane, carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gases. Clearing land for agriculture, grazing, and deforestation contributes to global warming. Every process for producing food also uses equipment that runs on fossil fuels. This causes more emissions over time. Click here to know the benefits of rotational grazing.

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5. Overfishing

Humans need protein for survival. Across the world, many people depend on this industry. As the demand for fish keeps skyrocketing, marine life will be reduced. It may result in a need for more diversity in the ocean.

Conclusion

The increase in global warming is alarming. Knowing the major causes of this issue will help people understand how to tackle it better. The use of transportation is one of the largest contributors to this problem. For more inquire, read this article to get more information about the scopes 1, 2 and 3 emissions.

How Green Campus Help Students to Save The Planet

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Although some people don’t agree that there is climate change, the subject is very real. Unfortunately, people who are bearing the full brunt of this situation are underdeveloped countries that experience flash floods, rising sea levels and droughts.

There are other repercussions of climate change, such as food shortage due to severe droughts or floods and that increases the prices of basic needs in stores. Some college campuses have taken a stand against damaging the ecosystem and are helping save the planet. How are these green campus students accomplishing that?

Here are methods that have been employed by green campuses to tackle climate change.

Sustainable dormitories

Green campuses have worked on lowering their impact in damaging the atmosphere by offering sustainable dormitories. These dormitories promote green living amongst students by lowering the usage of normal electric grids and not using the municipal water source. That is accomplished by mounting solar panels and the elite few have solar farms where they harvest electricity.

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Rainwater harvesting is also highly promoted by implementing its collection using large barrels. Some colleges have also received commendations that recommend their initiative in going green.

While you spend time researching about saving the environment or volunteering in various campaigns, the grades may suffer when it comes to academics. In that case, you can easily pay for dissertation and get done high-quality work. The same service can also help you with other writing work that includes thesis, term papers and essays.

Lowering emissions

Another thing that damages the environment is the emissions caused by cars, buses, and trucks. Governments have been trying hard to discourage the use of vehicles that emit a lot of harmful gases by introducing emission taxes in an attempt to save the world.

However, not so many people understood the concept, but a few did. Some people commute using the subway, bus, carpooling and other methods. Students saving the planet also engaged in the same activities to reduce carbon emissions and that’s one of the ways to help the environment.

Green campuses limit their parking space, so students don’t come with their cars and instead, they cycle, carpool, or use public transportation to get to school.

Recycling program

Probably when you first heard the word green living and how to help the environment, you thought of recycling. The recycling industry is huge right now and although some do it for the profit, some do it for sustainability in the environment.  In 2013 alone, the U.S recycled 87 million tons of waste, which made up 34% of the total trash collected.

Colleges are also involved in this initiative and have different recycling campaigns. Some have large trash cans located centrally that have categorized sections of where glass, cardboard, paper, and other materials go. The categorized waste encouraged the recycling process, which in turn saves the environment.

Decreasing waste

The majority of waste in the ocean is plastic, which is mostly caused by beverage packaging such as juice and water that comes bottled. While on the other hand, the other waste is made up of fast food disposable containers. If people continue using these packaging materials, the ocean will end up being more plastic than water.

To stop that, colleges have introduced the subject of having non-disposable containers. Instead of buying a bottle of water every time you are thirsty, you can now head to a water bottle refill station in colleges that have that program running.

Campus cafeterias also implement this model by encouraging students to bring their own utensils instead of taking disposable ones. Another interesting way to reduce your carbon footprint is to prefer vegan meals.

The bottom line

Many students have started recognizing the importance of living sustainably and the negative effects of climate change are a wake-up call for the rest of the population. If people stop abusing the environment by implementing the measures that these green colleges have, the world will be a better place. You can start small by avoiding buying bottled water each and every single time but rather have your own water bottle that can be refilled.

Useful Resource: How to Maintain Your Social and Academic Life Balance

6 Eco-Friendly Tips to Move into a Small Apartment

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With the minimalistic trend enjoying more popularity than ever before, many are looking into simplifying their lives. A lot of people are adopting the belief that simplicity is key to a stress-free and peaceful life. And since the idea is to incorporate simplicity in all aspects of our lives, our homes were naturally a great place to start. No matter their level of income, young people nowadays are preferring efficiency and functionality when it comes to their space over needless extravagance.

Quaint little apartments are in high demand and it is actually unsurprising. A single adult does not need a 4-bedroom duplex with huge hallways if he/she lives alone, such a place will take time, effort, and money to maintain and upkeep.

So, if you are planning on making the change yourself and moving into a small apartment, here are a few eco-friendly moving hacks to consider:

1. Take Furniture Measurements

If you are planning on taking your old furniture along with you, you will need to make sure that it will fit in your new place. Take all necessary measurements and compare them to the new apartment. Otherwise, you can treat yourself to some new pieces custom-made for perfect fit.

If you live in Austin or Texas, and basically sleep away the hot summers, do yourself a favor and get a mattress that attunes to your sleeping habits like the ones boasted by Liberty Furniture as the best from distinguished brands. Just because you are moving into a smaller apartment, it does not mean you have to give up the simple-but oh so essential- life pleasures. Opt for creating your cozy little space that has it all!

2. Donate Your Extra Stuff

Generally, when you move out, you will find tons of things that are no longer of use and you need to get rid of. However, when you are moving into a smaller apartment than the one you used to live in, you will need to be even more selective on what makes the cut and moves with you. Use conveyancing solicitors london if you want expert help in the conveyancing process.

You will definitely find lots of clothes, toys, and furniture that are still in good condition that you won’t be able to take. Find a local goodwill charity and donate them. This will free you of unneeded items and make people happy with this generous gesture.

3. Seek Compact or Multipurpose Furniture

Now that you are limited with the size of your new apartment you will need to get creative with how to best use every single inch of space. Manufacturers are now coming up with interesting combinations of multipurpose pieces put together for ultimate efficiency.

You can invest in a bed equipped with extra storage units. Or you can go for a daytime couch that can comfortably turn into a guest bed for when your friend is sleeping over. You can even apply the same concept to your kitchen utensils; seek multifunctional furniture to save space that you cannot afford to waste.

4. Use Colors and Textures to Maximize Space

Using light colors is a great way to create an illusion of spaciousness. Choose whites and neutral colors for wall paint in all of your rooms, and also for your furniture and textiles. If your apartment is well lit, go for airy curtains in transparent materials to benefit from the natural light’s effects.

Follow interior designers’ advice in best-utilizing home accessories, for example, mirrors are well-known to make a room seem bigger than it actually is. Make sure you use the right sizes strategically placed and angled.

5. Whenever Possible, Get Rid of Doors

Ok, maybe not for the bathroom! But, once you move in, you will notice the huge space that gets eaten up by opening and closing extra doors; instead, use stackable partitions or fabric room dividers. These can be part of your décor while serving their purpose as door replacements.

6. Keep it Organized

Compared to your current bigger place, organizing and cleaning your new smaller one will feel like a walk in the park. But, in your small apartment, you cannot get away with shoving any clutter away of sight when you’re having company; you will actually have to clean up. Or, to make your life easier, try to put a simple organizing system to follow and don’t wait until there is no space for you to even walk from the mess!

Regardless of the reason behind your move into a small apartment, think of it as a new adventure. It takes creativity and imagination to find ways to fit the same life you have in a smaller place. Embrace this as a chance to let go of things that no longer serve you. After you get used to it, you will prefer to skip nights out and stay in for some cozy indoor time.

Recommended Reading: Why Hire Eco-friendly Cleaners For Your End of Tenancy Cleaning

How to Balance the Looks of an Interior Decor Predominantly of Wood

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The go-to when it comes to hard furnishings in the home is wood. But when you’ve got TV stands, cabinets, bookshelves, coffee tables and more filling the one room, you might find yourself overtaken by patterned tan. Wood is timeless and natural, so it’s a great investment, but you might want to add some variety in there so your eyes don’t glaze over when you step into your home. How do you do that, then? Well, we’ve got a guide to balancing your wooden décor so that your home looks stylish and timeless.

how to balance your wooden décor

Vary grades of wood

There are a lot of different tones of wood. The simple birch tone that you’re imagining is right in the centre of the dial, with bleached white beach wood on one end and deep ebony on the other. Rather than going for a matching set of furniture around the room, you can mix up the gradients of wood you go with. If you look at these Price Busters dining room sets, for example, you can find lots of ideas on how to mix and match colours and materials.

Even better, there is a chance for some high contrast here that will allow you to make your furniture really stand out. You can have a couple of wooden pieces that are deep mahogany or white beach wood, contrasting with white or cream walls or dark walls respectively – or even just other pieces of furniture.

Add some other natural textures

A room full of wood is almost inevitable when it comes to furniture, but it can be a bit too much at times. You can offset the overwhelming feeling by mixing in a few other materials. Consider a wooden dining table with plastic or upholstered chairs, for example.

Or, if you want to keep to a nature-focused aesthetic, like Japanese or bohemian, you can look at other natural materials to scatter throughout the room. Look into wool throws, rattan doors and chairs, stone fireplaces, terracotta décor, and more.

wood decor

Play with hard and soft furnishings

As warm as the tone of wood can be, it is still a solid material that can feel a little cold when it fills your room. Think about offsetting this cold atmosphere with some soft furnishings. An upholstered chair, a wool throw, a table runner, all these are great ways to bring some coziness to the room. They are simple moves and usually very affordable, so they are a great solution to warming up a cool wood-filled room.

Add some pops of colour

And, let’s face it, wood really comes in one natural colour, just with various tones. If you have a room entirely full of brown, from beige to dark, you might still miss the concept of colour. If you don’t feel bold enough to paint the walls a statement colour, you can add little pops of color throughout the room in these little accessories. Whether it’s a runner or a throw, or a statement chair, you can add bits of colour around the room.

Recommended Reading: How to Wrap Your Home in Soothing Pastels

طرق جمع المخلفات البلاستيكية

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اصبح استهلاك البلاستيك في نمط حياتنا اليومي بمعدل هائل متجاوز للمعدلات التي كان يتم عليها الاستهلاك خلال العقدين الماضيين, حيث ان البلاستيك واللدائن يلعب الان دور مهم في الحياه العصرية الحديثة.كما اصبحت جمع و طرق التخلص من النفايات البلاستيكية تشكل اعباء وتحديات  بيئية كبيره نظرا لطبيعتها غير القابله للتحلل.

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وتوجد اربع طرق رئيسية تقوم  بها المجتمعات المختلفة لاعادة تدوير البلاستيك والاوعية: اوعية الفصل الصندوقي من المنبع, التجميع واعادة التدوير من المقالب العمومية, اعادة الشراء للمخلفات و برامج الودائع المسترده.

الطريقة الاولي اوعية الفصل الصندوقي من المنبع

تعتبر اول عمليات الفصل والاكثر انتشارا واستخدام. وهي طريقة جمع المواد القابله للتدوير من صناديق مصنفة حسب نوع المخلف. وتعتبر الصناديق عامل اساسي للحد من المخاطر البيئية وزيادة معدل اعادة التدوير. ويتم جمع المواد عادا في صندوق كبير, اواكياس ملونة او عبوات بلاستيكية صغيره مفتوحة مصممة خصصيا للمحتوي الشكلي.

برنامج اعادة التدوير من صناديق الارصفة عموما الاكثر ملاءمة لسكان المجتماعات المحلية ويتنج عنها زيادة  معدلات التخلص من المخلفات المنزلية.  والاماكن التي تقوم باستخدم تلك التفنية يتحتم عليها اتباع اسلوب فصل المخلفات من المنبع في اكياس او عبوات منفصله والتي تنقل بعد ذلك لاماكن التجميع الرصيفية وتاتي سيارات البلدية والمحليات بعد ذلك لتجميعها.

الطريقة التانية التجميع

في هذه الطريقة, يتم وضع حاويات للمواد القابله لاعادة التدوير المعنية في مواقع جمع مركزية في جميع انحاء المنطقة. مثل موقف السيارات والمساجد والمدارس والمراكز التجارية او المجتمعات المدنية الاخري. وتكون هذه الحاويات موضحة علي النحو الذي يسهل  علي المستخدم معرفه اماكن التنزيل. حيث يتم فصل المواد القابله للتدوير عن طريق نوع المواد في حاويات جمع كل منها. برامج التجميع لإعادة التدوير, هي الاكثر ملاءمة لتجمع سكاني ياخذوا نفاياتهم الي مرفق جمع النفايات او محطة النقل المركزية. ولكن عيب هذة الطريقة انها تعاني من انتاجية منخفضة او لا يمكن التنبؤ بالكميات.  

الطريقة الثالثة مراكز اعادة الشراء

ويتم اعادة الشراء من قبل شركات خاصة والدفع للمستخدمين حين يتم توريد المخلفات المباعه والقابله للتدوير منفصله. وميزه هذه الطريقة انها تهيئ المواد القابله للتدوير لعملية الانتاج بشكل اسرع وايضا تقلل نسب الملوثات بشكل كبير. وايضا الحافز المادي للمستخدمين تجعل عملية الفصل من قبلهم اكثر مطابقة للمواصفات.

مراكز اعادة الشراء مشابهة لمراكز التجميع ما عدا انهم يدفعون للمستخدمين والمنتجين للمخلفات بناءا علي سعر سوقي محدد.

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الطريقة الرابعة برامج الودائع المسترد

هذه البرامج تتطلب جمع نقدي للتحويلات المالية من شراء اوعية البلاستيك. و هي تشبه كثيره نظام الضمان. فعندما يتم استرجاع الحاويات الي مركز الضمان او الي البائع الاصلي, فان المبلغ المدفوع مقدما يرد كليا او جزئيا الي الضامن. وهذا البرنامج مألوف لدي اي شخص في الولايات المتحدة الامريكية و لاي  شخص اشتري مشروب في علبة او زجاجة.

وهي وديعه مستردة علي انواع معينة من عبوات المشروبات القابله للتدوير من اجل ضمان زيادة معدل اعادة التدوير. وتشير الدراسات الي ان تشريعات حاوية المشروبات خفضت مجموع القمامة علي جوانب الطرق بنسبة تترواح بين 30% الي 64%.  

ترجمه: هبة احمد مسلم- دكتور الهندسة البيئية. باحث في الشئون البيئية. معهد الدراسات والبحوث البيئية– جامعه عين شمس.مدرس بالاكاديمية العربية للعلوم والتكنولوجيا والنقل البحري-  مصر.

التحكم في البيئة والطاقه داخل المباني.هندسة الميكانيكة- وكيل محرك دويتس الالماني بمصر. 

الإسلام و حماية البيئة

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حماية البيئة هو جانب هام من جوانب الإسلام. بما اننا خلفاء في الأرض، فإنه يقع على عاتقنا كمسلمين العناية بالبيئة، فهناك غرض محدد وراء وجود أنواع مختلفة، سواء كان ذلك نباتات أو حيوانات.  لذا يتوجب على المسلمين التفكير في العلاقة بين الكائنات الحية وبيئتها والحفاظ على التوازن البيئي الذي خلقه الله فحماية البيئة أمر أساسي للمعتقدات الإسلامية، والبشرية لديها مسؤولية لتضمن الحفاظ الآمن للبيئة

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حماية البيئة والحفاظ على الموارد 

المنظور الإسلامي حول حماية البيئة يعكس صورة إيجابية عن الإسلام وكيف يحتضن كل مسألة  تواجه البشر على وجه الأرض.  الموقف الإسلامي تجاه البيئة والحفاظ على الموارد الطبيعية لا يعتمد فقط على حظر الاستغلال المفرط ولكن أيضا على التنمية المستدامة، القرآن الكريم يقول:

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَـٰٓئِفَ ٱلْأَرْ‌ضِ وَرَ‌فَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَ‌جَـٰتٍ لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ رَ‌بَّكَ سَرِ‌يعُ ٱلْعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَغَفُورٌ‌ۭ رَّ‌حِيمٌۢ   سورة  6:165

يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ خُذُوا۟ زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَ‌بُوا۟ وَلَا تُسْرِ‌فُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْرِ‌فِينَ   سورة  7:31

شجع النبي محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم غرس الأشجار والزراعة والتي تعتبر سبب للحسنات. ويتضح هذا في الاحاديث التالية  روى أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه ان رسول الله  صلى الله عليه وسلم  قال: ” مَا مِن مُسلم يَغرِسُ غَرْسًا أو يَزرَعُ زَرْعًا فيأكُلُ مِنه طَيرٌ أو إنسَانٌ أو بهيْمَةٌ إلا كان لهُ بهِ صَدقَةٌٌ “

الإسلام ضد قطع أو تدمير النباتات والأشجار دون داع، كما هو واضح في الحديث التالي: عن عبد الله بن حبشي أن النبي محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم قال “مَنْ قَطَعَ سِدْرَةً صَوَّبَ اللَّهُ رَأْسَهُ فِي النَّارِ” رواه أبو داود و شجرة السدر تنمو في الصحراء ويُحتاج إليها الي حد كبير في المنطقة قليلة الغطاء النباتي.  والدمار الناجم عن إزالة الغابات في كثير من البلدان يتسبب في تآكل التربة وقتل التنوع البيولوجي للأرض.

تظهر براعة منهج الإسلام في استخدام الموارد الطبيعية، فجميع البشر وكذلك الحيوانات والحياة البرية لها الحق في تقاسم موارد الأرض. ويحظر الاعتداء على أي الموارد من حيث المبدأ الفقهي الذي يقول “ما أدى الي حرام فهو حرام”.

عندما ذهب أبو موسى الأشعري رضي الله عنه الى البصرة كوالي خطب في الناس “ان أمير المؤمنين عمر بعثني اليكم، أعلمكم كتابكم، وسنة نبيكم، وأنظف لكم طرقكم” وعن أبي هريرة أن رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وسلم) نهى أن يبول انسان في مصدر للمياه او في الطريق او في ظل او في جحر. هذه القيم تظهراهتمام الإسلام بتجنب تلوث الموارد الحيوية وأهمية النظافة.

impact of environment on mental health

نشر الوعي البيئي

هناك طرق مختلفة يمكنك بها رفع الوعي البيئي في الأوساط الشخصية والمهنية. فانتشار الشبكات الاجتماعية بين جيل الشباب يجعل من السهل نشر الوعي البيئي باستخدام حساب الفيسبوك وتويتر وغيرها. وهناك طريقة بسيطة وفعالة تستعمل وهي استخدام رموز الاستجابة السريعة QR Code  في حرم الجامعة.

وفكرة أخرى عظيمة ان تبدأ حملتك في المدرسة أو الكلية أو مكان العمل لزراعة الأشجار. يمكن أن تشجع الطلاب وأعضاء هيئة التدريس وزملاء العمل للتبرع مبلغ رمزي من المال من أجل حملة الزراعة. فزرع النباتات حول مدرستك أو المنزل أو مكان العمل ليس فقط مظهر جمالي ولكن أيضا توفر لكم بيئة صحية وتحسن نوعية الهواء الداخلي. روى جابر رضي الله عنه أن النبي محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: ” مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَغْرِسُ غَرْسًا ، إِلَّا كَانَ مَا أُكِلَ مِنْهُ لَهُ صَدَقَةً ، وَمَا سُرِقَ مِنْهُ لَهُ صَدَقَةٌ ، وَمَا أَكَلَ السَّبُعُ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ لَهُ صَدَقَةٌ ، وَمَا أَكَلَتِ الطَّيْرُ فَهُوَ لَهُ صَدَقَةٌ ، وَلَا يَرْزَؤُهُ أَحَدٌ ، إِلَّا كَانَ لَهُ صَدَقَةٌ”

الخلاصة

الوعي البيئي وحماية الموارد الطبيعية هي جزء لا يتجزأ من المعتقدات الإسلامية. كخلفاء لله على هذه الأرض، يجب علينا الاستفادة من الموارد الطبيعية بطريقة مستدامة لضمان استمرار عطاء الله لنا. ويتضح بشكل جميل مبدأ الحفاظ في القاعدة التي تقول أنه حين الوضوء لا يجب ان نسرف في الماء ولو كنا على نهر جار. كبشر، نحن القيمين على جميع الخلق، بما في ذلك التربة والهواء والماء والحيوانات والأشجار. من الأهداف الرئيسية لتعاليم الدين الإسلامي وسنة الرسول (صلى الله عليه وسلم) بناء والحفاظ على بيئة صحية ونظيفة تخلو من أي مصدر للتلوث وسوء الاستخدام.

ترجمة: طه واكد – مهندس مدني مهتم بشؤون البيئة – مصر

شريك مؤسس في مشروع دقيقة خضراء  –  معد وكاتب حلقات دقيقة خضراء عاليوتيوب

النفايات الطبية في دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي

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كان هناك وعي متزايد بالحاجة للإدارة الآمنة للنفايات الطبية في جميع أنحاء العالم . تتولد النفايات الطبية من جميع القطاعات الصحية بما في ذلك المستشفيات والمختبرات ومراكز التشخيص والبحث، وعيادات طب الأسنان وبنوك الدم والمشارح ومراكز التشريح، والمستشفيات البيطرية والمختبرات الصناعية ,, إلخ . النفايات الطبية التي تشكل أكبر خطر على صحة الإنسان هي النفايات المُعدية (أو النفايات الطبية الخطرة) التي تشكل 15 – 25 في المئة من إجمالي نفايات الرعاية الصحية .

ويمكن أن تشمل النفايات المعدية جميع أنواع النفايات التي تلوثت او يشتبه في تلوثها  بسوائل الجسم مثل الدم ومشتقاته، وأنابيب القسطرة والقفازات، والفحوصات المستخدمة لفحص البكتيريا  ومخازن العوامل المُعدية، ضمادات الجروح، والحفاضات، وعينات التشخيصالتي يتم  التخلص منها، والمواد الملوثة (مسحات والضمادات والشاش و,,)، والأجهزة الطبية التي التخلص منها، الحيوانات المختبرية الملوثة الخ .

كمية النفايات المنتجة في المستشفى يعتمد على مستوى الدخل القومي ونوع المنشأة المعنية. مستشفى الجامعة في بلد ذات دخل مرتفع يمكن أن تنتج ما يصل إلى 10 كيلوغراما من النفايات لكل سرير في اليوم , بكل الفئات مجتمعةً .

النفايات الطبية في دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي

يواصل قطاع الرعاية الصحية في دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي  النمو بوتيرة سريعة للغاية ، الأمر الذي أدى بدوره إلى زيادة كبيرة في كمية النفايات الناتجة عن المستشفيات والعيادات والمؤسسات الأخرى. وفقا لتقديرات معتدلة ، يتم إنشاء أكثر من 150 طن من النفايات الطبية في دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي كل يوم .

السعودية تقود المجموعة مع جيل من نفايات الرعاية الصحية اليومي لأكثر من 80 طنا . . بقدر ما تشعر الإمارات العربية المتحدة بالقلق ، فإنه يتم إنتاج ما يقارب 21.5 ألف طن يوميا من النفايات الطبية في دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة، منها 12 طن يوميا تنتجه إمارة  أبوظبي وحدها. وتنتج الكويت حوالي 12 طن بينما يولد البحرين 7 أطنان من النفايات الطبية الخطرة يوميا .

هذه الأرقام تدل على حجم المشكلة التي تواجهها السلطات البلدية في التعامل مع مشكلة التخلص من النفايات الطبية في جميع أنحاء دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي . الكمية المتزايدة من النفايات الطبية أصبحت تشكل تحديات كبيرة للصحة العامة والبيئة في المدن الرئيسية في المنطقة. و الوضع تفاقم  من خلال أساليب غير مناسبة للتخلص  منها، عدم كفاية الموارد المادية، وعدم وجود بحوث بشأن إدارة النفايات الطبية .

توليد النفايات الطبية في بعض دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي

حجم النفايات الطبية ( طن في اليوم الواحد )

الدولة

80

المملكة العربية السعودية

21.5

الإمارات العربية المتحدة

12

دولة الكويت

7

مملكة البحرين

 

الحاجة إلى استراتيجية في إدارة النفايات الطبية

الإدارة غير السليمة لنفايات الرعاية الصحية من المستشفيات والعيادات وغيرها من المرافق في دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي تشكل مخاطرعلى الصحة المهنية والعامة للمرضى وعمال الصحة وحاملو النفايات، والناس عموما . كما من الممكن أن يؤدي أيضا إلى تلوث الهواء والماء والتربة والتي قد تؤثر على جميع أشكال الحياة. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، إذا لم يتم التخلص من النفايات بشكل صحيح، قد تكون فرصة لبعض  أفراد المجتمع لجمع  المعدات الطبية المتخلص منها (وخاصة المحاقن) وإعادة بيع هذه المواد التي قد تسبب الأمراض الخطيرة .

وفقا لمنظمة الصحة العالمية، إن الالتهابات المصاحبة للمستشفيات والتي تعرف بال (HAI) تؤثر على ما يقرب  5٪ من المرضى في المستشفيات. مشاكل النفايات الطبية المُعدية و تعقيدها  والارتفاع الأخير في معدل الإصابة بالأمراض مثل الإيدز، ومرض سارس والالتهاب الكبد " ب " فتح باب خطر أكبر من التلوث من خلال سوء التصرف والممارسات غير الآمنة.

إدارة النفايات غير الكافية من الممكن أن تسبب تلوثا بيئيا ونمو وتكاثر النواقل مثل الحشرات والقوارض والديدان وربما تؤدي إلى انتقال أمراض مثل التيفوئيد والكوليرا والتهاب الكبد والإيدز من خلال إصابات حاصلة بفعل  الحقن والإبر الملوثة .  بالإضافة إلى المخاطر الصحية المرتبطة بسوء إدارة النفايات الطبية، يجب النظر في تأثير ذلك على البيئة، وخاصة مخاطر تلوث المياه والهواء والتربة.

و يزداد الوضع تعقيدا بسبب الظروف المناخية والبيئية القاسية في المنطقة، مما يجعل التخلص من النفايات الطبية أكثر صعوبة. و بما أن النفايات الطبية هي أكثر خطورة من النفايات العادية، فإنه من الضروري على الحكومات والشركات الخاصة في دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي وضع برنامج ناجحة  لإدارة نفايات المستشفيات تجنبا لانتشار الأمراض وحماية البيئة.

ترجمة

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 Algal Blooms Affect The Environment

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Algal blooms are thick layers of small green plants that appear on the surface of lakes and other water bodies due to excess nutrients, especially phosphorus and nitrogen. This covering on the surface of lakes and other water bodies is known as eutrophication. The excess level of nutrients that algae depend on results from human activities that cause pollution, such as fertilizer, wastewater, manure, and sewage runoff.

environmental impacts of algal blooms

Eutrophication can also be a natural occurrence from moderate accumulation of organic matter, silt, nutrients, and sediments gradually from the watershed. Algae come in different colors ranging from green, red, yellow, and brown. The most common algal blooms are blue-green cyanobacteria and microalgae, also known as red tides.

Algal blooms affect the environment in various ways, including causing harm to both humans and animals. Its presence contaminates water and makes it unfit for consumption. Algae multiplication depletes oxygen in the water leading to the death of aquatic life. There’s a need for awareness creation among communities on dealing with algal blooms to conserve the environment. Awareness can be created through informative forums where researchers and community leaders, among other vital people, discuss important topics like the Indian river lagoon algae bloom.

This article will discuss some causes of algal blooms and how they affect the environment. Read on to learn.

Causes Of Algal Blooms

Below are some causes of algal blooms:

1. Dead Organic Matter In Water

Dead organic matter and nutrients in water promote the growth of algae bacteria, leading to algal blooms.

2. Light Conditions

Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, grow faster and in fluctuating light conditions. They can thrive in intermittent high-light and low-light conditions.

3. Drainage Of Nutrients

The growth of algal blooms is increased by excess amounts of phosphatic and nitrogenous fertilizers drained by rain from farms into the water bodies like lakes, rivers, and streams. Untreated raw sewage rich in nitrates and ammonia also flows into water bodies through drainage systems, causing the growth of algal blooms.

4. Global Warming

As the ozone layer is gradually destroyed, temperatures rise. These high temperatures cause nutrients such as ammonia and nitrates to decompose speedily and are used up by algae bacteria and quickly form algal blooms.

5. Slow-Moving Water

Algal blooms thrive best in large and still water masses. Blue-green algae, for instance, grow well in slow-moving water, less turbulence, and light winds. This is why they may not grow in fast-moving streams and rivers.

How Algal Blooms Affect The Environment

The following are some of the effects of algal blooms on the environment.

1. Threaten Human Health

Algal blooms contaminate water, thus affecting aquatic life. Humans may fall sick from drinking water and eating infected seafood. The water also has toxins that irritate the skin when people come into contact with it when swimming.

2. Kill Aquatic Life

Animals that live in water depend on oxygen to survive, similar to algal blooms. Their fast and dense growth causes competition for oxygen, leading to the suffocation of sea animals.

why algal blooms are bad for the environment

3. Cause High Accumulation Of Biomass

Biomass is highly accumulated as algal blooms grow, destroying the environment by blocking light, clogging fish gills, and depleting oxygen after algal cells decompose.

4. Affect The Food Chain

As discussed earlier, algal blooms destroy aquatic life. This happens through the toxins that they produce. The food chain is affected when small fish and shellfish, which are food to other sea animals like turtles, dolphins, and sea lions, are harmed. These animals are physiologically stressed, and their feeding is threatened since they avoid toxic prey. As a result, the energy flow within the ecosystem is affected.

5. Pollution By Ozone

Ground-level ozone, formed by nitrogen oxides from nitrogen compounds in the air, causes visibility constraints. The ozone can be transferred by the wind far away from urban to rural areas causing damage to trees and vegetation.

6. Acid Rain

Acid rain results from nutrient pollution, where Sulphur Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxide are released into the atmosphere and react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. This combination damages water bodies, grasslands, and forests.

Conclusion

As discussed above, algal blooms produce toxins that affect the environment in various ways. It could threaten human health and aquatic life. Algal blooms also contribute to the high production of biomass.

Awareness of the dangers of algal blooms will help you be extra cautious. Therefore, be careful about discolored and smelly waters, as they could be home to algal blooms. The water is contaminated and therefore not fit for consumption and recreational activities like swimming because it irritates the skin.

How To Dispose Of Paint

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As with most home improvement projects, it is likely that you will have some leftover painting supplies when you are done painting. However, you will soon discover that landfills will not accept paint. It is considered hazardous waste and not something that they want to risk putting in the landfill where it might leach into the water supply.

Since you are reading this article, you clearly want to get rid of your paint in an economical manner that is also safe for the environment.

Why Paint is Harmful to the Environment

There are a lot of chemically-made compounds that go into paint. The resins and binders are used to create the color for the paint. And then, the solvent carries that to the surface and provides the evaporation or drying mechanism.

The World Health Organization has made some correlations between the risk of cancer and the amount of exposure you have to paint.

There is an estimated 20-40% increase in your risk of cancer if you spend your life around the paint. Lung cancer is an unusually high risk. Danish researchers are also drawing a connection between neurological conditions and paint exposure.

When the paint is drying, it is releasing volatile organic compounds, or VOCs into the air. These react with the oxygen in the air to produce ozone, which has been implicated in causing the greenhouse effect of global warming.

While lead has been removed from paint since 1978, titanium dioxide can cause some of the most significant harm to the environment. These contaminants are costly to remove and can lead to hefty EPA fines if they make their way into the landfill’s leach water. Accordingly, most landfills have strict policies on how to dispose of paint.

Paint is one of those things that is easy to buy. You can do a little comparison shopping online or locally, and then get it at a local hardware store.

How To Safely Dispose Of Paint

ToolTally sells paint supplies such as paint sprayers and rollers. They suggest drying the paint out and then throwing it away like normal trash. So the first method for paint disposal is to leave the cans and buckets open and let them evaporate until they are dry.

This takes a little longer, but it is the cheapest method. You have to plan ahead and find a safe space where you can set them to air out. Once the paint is thoroughly dry, most landfills will accept them as they would any other waste.

One variation of this idea is to buy a cheap tarp or large piece of plastic. Spread that out in the sun and then dump the paint out on it. By spreading the paint out, you are able to get it to dry faster. When you are finished, wad up the tarp and throw the entire thing away.

The other idea that can speed up this process is to use some paint drying compound. There are special compounds made that you can mix directly into the paint, but two of the cheapest are quick-drying cement powder and cat litter.

Either of these options works wonders for thickening the paint and preparing it for disposal. Just dump it in and mix it up. In a matter of minutes, the paint is a sticky goo that is mostly dry, and within an hour or two, it is ready for the landfill. A lot of contractors like this method as it lets them dump their cans more quickly and get on to the next job.

Storing Paint

Storing and reusing paint is another excellent way to protect the environment. Often you will want to use that paint for other projects. Additionally, you might decide to include it with the house for the next homeowners in case they want to touch anything up. The paint will store for ten years, so it makes sense to hang onto it for as long as you need to.

When you store the paint, you want to make sure that it will stay fresh for the next time you need it. There are a few problems with leaving the paint in the cans. The first problem is that there is a lot of air in the can. This can cause a film to form on the top of the paint. Additionally, these cans take up a lot of room and are quite unsightly. Furthermore, if they get knocked over, the lids are not very secure and can come off and make a huge mess.

Finally, the inside of these paint cans will break down in the solvent-rich environment of paint. This can lead to oxidation and rust that then gets into your paint and taints it.

It is recommended to get airtight plastic or glass jars in which to store your paint. Use a funnel to transfer the paint over, and then label the jar with an explanation of what the paint is, where it was purchased, any relevant color codes, and with what piece of furniture or room that it goes. Including the date is a good idea as well in case you need to get rid of it down the road.

If you ever need to get rid of the paint down the road, you can mix in some concrete cement and dispose of it as described above.

Can You Donate Paint To Habitat For Humanity ReStore?

Each local ReStore will set the rules on what they will take. However, it isn’t common to find one that will accept used paint.

Can You Donate Paint To Goodwill Stores?

If you are Marie Kondo-ing your garage and want to donate your paint to Goodwill, you are out of luck. They do not accept paint as a donation as they consider it a hazardous material.

Can you Recycle Paint at Lowes, Home Depot, or Sherwin Williams?

These stores do not accept paint as it is considered a hazardous waste, and they don’t want to mess with that. If you have paint that you need to get rid of, search for a hazardous waste disposal facility or check with your landfill to see if they will accept paint after you treat it with one of our methods above.

Can Paint Be Put In Recycle Bins?

No. Most cities will remove the paint cans from the recycle bins and leave them with you before taking your other recyclables. When in doubt, check with your local laws to make sure you are abiding by their instructions and regulations.

Earth Day 2015 – It’s Our Turn to Lead

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Like Earth Days of the past, Earth Day 2015 will focus on the unique environmental challenges of our time. As the world’s population migrates to cities, and as the bleak reality of climate change becomes increasingly clear, the need to create sustainable communities is more important than ever. Earth Day 2015 will seek to do just that through its global theme: It’s Our Turn to Lead. With smart investments in sustainable technology, forward-thinking public policy, and an educated and active public, we can transform our cities and forge a sustainable future. Nothing is more powerful than the collective action of a billion people.

Due to rising population, more migration is taking place from rural to urban areas. Today, more than half of the world’s population lives in cities with urbanisation rates rising and impacts of climate change have prompted the need to create sustainable communities. The Earth day is observed believing that nothing is more powerful than the collective action of a billion people.

It is a fact that people are crowding cities and with the increase in population density, pollution of all sorts is increasing as well. Many cities are finding it difficult to cope with this fast urbanisation and to provide basic facilities like shelter, infrastructures, water, sanitation, sewerage, garbage, electricity, transportation etc. to its inhabitants.

People who live in high-density air pollution area, have 20 per cent higher risk of dying from lung cancer, than people living in less polluted areas. Children contribute to only 10 per cent of the world’s population but are prone to 40 per cent of global diseases. More than 3 million children under the age of 5 years die every year due to environmental factors like pollution.

Earth Day 2015 will seek to create awareness amongst people to act in an environmental friendly manner, promote and do smart investments in sustainable urban system transforming our polluted cities into a healthier place and forge a sustainable future. It’s exceptionally challenging for our communities and cities to be green.

Time for Action

It’s time for us to invest in efficiency and renewable energy, rebuild our cities and towns, and begin to solve the climate crisis. Most of the Middle East nations have limited land area and are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change which is affecting the social and environmental determinants of health, clean air, safe drinking water, sufficient food and secure shelter. We need to audit our actions and see what are we contributing towards your environment and community? Earth Day is a day for action; a chance to show how important the environment is to us. Earth Day is about uniting voices around the globe in support of a healthy planet. The earth is what we all have in common.

Let us be a part of this green revolution, plan and participate in Earth Day activities moving from single-day actions, such as park cleanups and tree-planting parties to long-term actions and commitments and make our city a healthier place to live as the message of the Earth Day is to “Actively participate and adopt environmental friendly habits”.