Empower Change: 10 Steps to a Successful Community Cleanup

Empower Change: 10 Steps to a Successful Community Cleanup

Initiating a cleanup drive in your community is always a rewarding endeavor, especially if you’re looking to make a positive contribution to the world. Not only does it contribute to the betterment of the environment, but it also fosters a sense of community spirit and shared responsibility.

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Implementing Effective Forest Management Plans: Strategies for Sustainable Environmental Conservation

Implementing Effective Forest Management Plans: Strategies for Sustainable Environmental Conservation

In a world grappling with the consequences of climate change, the urgent need to protect and preserve our planet's natural resources has reached unprecedented levels. Among these vital resources, forests stand as true lifelines, encompassing a wealth of biodiversity, regulating climate patterns, and supporting countless communities worldwide. However, preserving these invaluable ecosystems requires more than just good intentions. It demands a proactive approach that integrates careful planning, diligent management, and a long-term vision for sustainability. Enter forest management plans — the cornerstone of responsible stewardship that seeks to strike a delicate balance between human needs and the preservation of our planet's green guardians.

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The consequences of COVID aren't that good for the environment

The consequences of COVID aren't that good for the environment

What do you think when you see a used disposable mask lying by the roadside? Some may say that it is not surprising and that the main thing is that the person used it. Others will see that this a sign that masks have become yet another kind of garbage polluting the environment. Whether you see it as an inevitable consequence of the necessity of using masks in this pandemic era, or it sets off alarm bells in your head, it's something we need to think about seriously.

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The Real Cost of Litter

The Real Cost of Litter

There are not many places in the UK today where you will not see at least one piece of litter. Indeed, statistics from finance experts Money Guru report that roughly 62 % of people drop litter at some time, although only 28% ever admit to the fact. Litter and the resulting clean-up costs the local authorities, and the UK tax payer, more than £1 billion per year. £6 million of this is simply picking up litter from roadsides that has been thrown from passing cars. 

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Could Water Pumps “Refreeze” The Arctic?

Could Water Pumps “Refreeze” The Arctic?

guest post by Ian Craft

Whether you keep abreast of global issues or not, chances are you will be aware of global warming and the threat that it poses to our planet.  Polar ice caps are rapidly melting due to steadily increasing global temperatures, and if it doesn’t stop soon then we could be looking at nothing short of a global catastrophe.

So how do we combat this problem before it’s too late? The most effective solution is to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, but that of course is easier said than done. So as this is not happening, scientists are working hard thinking of alternative ways to try and reverse the situation.

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Do We Really Need Earth Day Anymore?

Do We Really Need Earth Day Anymore?

Somehow, this past Earth Day felt different. I’m not sure why, but somehow it struck me as strange that neither of my kids’ schools mentioned it in announcements, let alone did anything special to commemorate the day. While the news cycle in the US was dominated by the ongoing war in Ukraine and the presidential election in France, the omission of anything more than brief mentions of Earth Day in the major media outlets, and even the online ones I regularly consult, felt odd.

Whether or not people were actually thinking much about Earth Day and its significance, there is one thing that made this Earth Day important, and perhaps different than any previous Earth Day. But it also underscores the main reason why the largest secular holiday in the world has become obsolete.

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Religion and Ecology: Alliance of Faith

Religion and Ecology: Alliance of Faith

Religion, to listen to its critics and skeptics, is one of the biggest causes of antagonism and violence in the world. With much of the world’s attention riveted on the devastating refugee crisis caused by Daesh (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria; the Pope’s call for global action on climate change; the stampede that killed over 700 Hajj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia last week; and the role that evangelical Christianity plays in American politics, the pitfalls of institutionalized religion (and the perversion of religion) will remain a hot topic for the foreseeable future.

There is, however, another side to religion that is quietly being discussed by religious leaders, practitioners, and sympathizers. This side was encapsulated in Pope Francis’ address to the U.S. Congress on September 24th. It concerns the role of religion – specifically, its institutions and adherents acting in the name of religion – in the global environmental movement.

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How the Growing Green Movement Will Benefit You

How the Growing Green Movement Will Benefit You

Green is good, and it’s getting even better.

You can’t help but notice. There seem to be more organic foods available at your favorite grocery or warehouse shopping store. The media is paying more attention to the development of renewable energy, and some governments and private businesses have begun to invest heavily in this industry. Everyone seems to be talking about climate change. Healthy living is a big buzz word these days: the obesity problem in the US, the farm-to-table movement brought into schools, the importance of eating fresh over processed foods, and the ways that people are being exposed to toxic chemicals in their flooring, child car seats, lotions, sunscreens, and other personal care products have all made major headlines within the past year...

So what does this mean for you, your family, and your wallet?

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Regulating Carbon Pollution through the Climate Action Plan: Window Dressing or Pathway to an Energy Revolution?

Regulating Carbon Pollution through the Climate Action Plan: Window Dressing or Pathway to an Energy Revolution?

On Monday, President Obama revealed the final details of his Climate Action Plan, partially fulfilling a campaign promise he made in the lead up to the 2008 elections. Some critics of the Plan claim that it will have a negative impact on the job market, especially in the major coal producing states. Other critics say that it does not go far enough to reduce toxic greenhouse gases and is still subject to being undermined by the judiciary...[T]he Plan does raise an interesting question for the long term: is the regulation of carbon emissions merely a form of political window dressing or can it be a lasting solution to counter the negative effects of climate change?

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guest post on Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families website

guest post on Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families website

Green and Prosperous began as a vehicle for getting the word out about how toxic chemicals are routinely used in the products we buy. The Little Guidebook for Green Moms and Dads is the first ebook in a series of “Green Guidebooks” published by Kelly Pemberton, the face behind Green and Prosperous. AlthoughThe Little Guidebook focuses on children’s products, it has something to offer for everyone. The second edition of this ebook is available for download on Amazon.com...

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