If you flip across the news channels or nature based programs, you are bound to hear the many grave concerns that are being expressed by a host of persons ranging from politicians, to environmentalists and down to lay folk about the concerns that the environment is currently facing the world over.

What exactly is the environment?

Why are we all so concerned about it? In a very generic sense the environment refers to the milieu or context of and the surroundings in which a particular item exists. For instance, we may say that the political environment in Iraq is not conducive for democracy and peace. However, when we refer to the environment as it impacts Planet Earth, we are referring to the state of the natural world or of the ecosystem.

The natural ecosystem means the sum total of the organisms that exist on the earth and the interconnectedness of these organisms (including humans) with the earth and its resources. Hence, the ecosystem refers to the connection between the living (biotic) and the non living (abiotic) constituents of the environment.

The Environment Today

In general, we differentiate between the built and the natural environment. The natural environment essentially consists of aspects of nature which exist and have their being without human intervention like air, the soil, water, the atmosphere, animals, birds, plants and humans themselves. On the other hand, the built environment consists of human creations like towns, cities, industries, vehicles and a host of other man-made structures.

The problem in the environment today

The problem in the environment today is on account of the excessive and repressive interventions of humans on the natural environment in the post industrial era. The industrial era commenced in the 19th century and we saw rapid advances over the last century and a half. It witnessed huge advances and strides made by humans in the sphere of harnessing natural resources and advancement in areas of science and technology. Naturally, this was also accompanied by exploitation of natural resources including land, water, minerals and even space.

The growth of human intervention in the natural environment has been necessitated also by the rapid growth of human population over the last two centuries. The global population exceeds more than 6 billion currently and this has far reaching ramifications for the impact on the environment. It is not quite possible to sustain such a huge population on the planet with limited natural resources. Hence, environmental pressures and ecosystem breakdowns have occurred where human beings have over exceeded the capacity of the earth to meet human requirements which have expanded unsustainably.

The environment consists of quite fragile ecosystems, many of which are now extinct or severely threatened. The earth has enough to meet human needs but certainly not to meet human greed! It is quite true that we have not inherited this earth from our parents, but merely borrowed it from our children. Till date, the earth is the only known planet in this vast galaxy that has an environment conducive for life. The environment is all that we have to sustain us and our progeny. It’s high time that we paid less attention to our greedy desires and listened more closely to what the environment needs to sustain itself for the long term.

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1. Each morning upon rising, and each evening before sleeping, give thanks for the life within you and for all life, for the good things the Creator has given you and for the opportunity to grow a little more each day. Consider your thoughts and actions of the past day and seek for the courage and strength to be a better person. Seek for the things that will benefit others (everyone).
2. Respect. Respect means “To feel or show honor or esteem for someone or something; to consider the well being of, or to treat someone or something with deference or courtesy”. Showing respect is a basic law of life.
   • Treat every person from the tiniest child to the oldest elder with respect at all times.
   • Special respect should be given to Elders, Parents, Teachers, and Community Leaders.
   • No person should be made to feel “put down” by you; avoid hurting other hearts as you would avoid a deadly poison.
   • Touch nothing that belongs to someone else (especially Sacred Objects) without permission, or an understanding between you.
   • Respect the privacy of every person, never intrude on a person’s quiet moment or personal space.
   • Never walk between people that are conversing.
   • Never interrupt people who are conversing.
   • Speak in a soft voice, especially when you are in the presence of Elders, strangers or others to whom special respect is due.
   • Do not speak unless invited to do so at gatherings where Elders are present (except to ask what is expected of you, should you be in doubt).
   • Never speak about others in a negative way, whether they are present or not.
   • Treat the earth and all of her aspects as your mother. Show deep respect for the mineral world, the plant world, and the animal world. Do nothing to pollute our Mother, rise up with wisdom to defend her.
   • Show deep respect for the beliefs and religion of others.
   • Listen with courtesy to what others say, even if you feel that what they are saying is worthless. Listen with your heart.
   • Respect the wisdom of the people in council. Once you give an idea to a council meeting it no longer belongs to you. It belongs to the people. Respect demands that you listen intently to the ideas of others in council and that you do not insist that your idea prevail. Indeed you should freely support the ideas of others if they are true and good, even if those ideas are quite different from the ones you have contributed. The clash of ideas brings forth the Spark of Truth.
3. Once a council has decided something in unity, respect demands that no one speak secretly against what has been decided. If the council has made an error, that error will become apparent to everyone in its own time.
4. Be truthful at all times, and under all conditions.
5. Always treat your guests with honor and consideration. Give of your best ood, your best blankets, the best part of your house, and your best service to your guests.
6. The hurt of one is the hurt of all, the honor of one is the honor of all.
7. Receive strangers and outsiders with a loving heart and as members of the human family. All the races and tribes in the world are like the different colored flowers of one meadow. All are beautiful. As children of the Creator they must all be respected.
8. To serve others, to be of some use to family, community, nation, and the world is one of the main purposes for which human beings have been created. Do not fill yourself with your own affairs and forget your most important talks. True happiness comes only to those who dedicate their lives to the service of others.
9. Observe moderation and balance in all things.
10. Know well, those things that lead to your well-being, and equally well, those things that lead to your destruction.
11. Listen to and follow the guidance given to your heart. Expect guidance to come in many forms; in prayer, in dreams, in times of quiet solitude, and in the words and deeds of wise Elders and friends.

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Why Bother With QR Codes Now?

The growing use of smartphones is driving the increased use of QR codes. While smartphone penetration is only about 30 percent of the U.S. market, this number is on the rise. What’s more, since only 22 percent of Fortune 50 use QR codes, according to research from Burson Marsteller, the adoption of QR codes is just beginning. This opens the opportunity for your business to capitalize on this growing trend and impress your clients.

As a content marketer, why should you be interested in QR codes? Here are seven justifications you can provide to your management team.

Engage users

Not only can you use QR codes to attract new prospects, but they can also encourage users to spend more time with your content. Whether you’re representing a museum, a transit map or a company-run scavenger hunt, QR codes can provide additional information despite space limitations.

Connect offline and online content easily

With QR codes, readers don’t need to type in a complex URL. They can just snap a photo and are taken to the appropriate page. For example, QR codes are great in printed magazines where you want to direct a user to a specific page or a video without requiring users to enter a long URL.

Make mass media responsive

Attract prospects in locations that you might not consider marketing your products and services. You can place QR codes on a broad range of materials such as business cards, conference materials, store signage and windows, product packages and flyers. Consumers who snap their smartphones over the QR code may become your new customers for your business.

Provide additional product information

This is particularly useful to supplement an ad, or give additional usage information via product packaging. Bear in mind that it can be difficult to use a QR code through plastic wrapping.

Convert shoppers

Give prospects more relevant information when and where they want it. Research shows consumers prefer to get product and sales information via their smartphone when they’re in retail establishments rather than consult store personnel. Retailers can benefit by placing QR codes on products, shelving, circulars and signs to provide information that helps close the sale.

Drive customer action

Get prospects to raise their hands for coupons and other forms of marketing materials via a QR code. To this end, incorporate a call-to-action in your advertising or offline content or surface.

Make media trackable

As with any marketing program, it’s important to track your QR code metrics. Since QR codes are still a relatively new technology requiring a smartphone and a QR code reader, results may be low. Compare QR code usage to the usage of URLs added to content marketing.

If you are new to using QR codes, here are some tips to get started:

• QR codes should link to a URL that is optimized for mobile viewing
• QR codes should be at least one inch square and placed in areas that have connectivity
• Depending on who you are targeting, you may want to provide instructions on how to use QR codes since they are relatively new
• An incentive may be needed to motivate prospects to scan since they may need to install a QR code reader.

Are you using QR codes? If so, how are you using them, where are you using them and what results are you achieving?

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Lakeland, FL (PRWEB) February 7, 2011

The 2MW array will be completed next month and is comprised of 8600 modules erected on 9 acres off U.S. 441. Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) will purchase the electricity produced for twenty years at a fixed rate of 0.26 per kWh under the terms of their feed in tariff program (FIT).

Gainesville accounts for 39 percent of all solar PV installations in Florida, according to the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), and Sybac’s solar farm is the largest to be built under GRU’s program.

While many investors have reserved the allocation rights to participate in GRU’s FIT program, which has a cap of 4MW a year, investment deals are taking longer to finance which has made it difficult for many to move on to the construction stage. Sybac Solar stepped in and purchased the land and allocation rights from Entrust Holdings, a real estate investment company, and funded the project themselves, introducing their German investment model to the U.S. market.

Artur Madej, Sybac’s president, tills this field of dreams when it comes to building MW scale power plants. Build it and investors will come. The Lakeland office follows the same business model that Germany follows. They provide full service EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) including installation and maintenance for individual investors and they also build their own portfolio of solar farms for resale to investors. “A feed in tariff provides a solid bankable security that provides confidence for investors with a guaranteed return for 20+ years,” said Madej. “There are many in the investment community looking for turn-key solar farms with FIT contracts who are not interested in the project development phase. We just purchased the allocation rights for an additional 500kW system in Gainesville which will be built in the next 4 months and we are working on two 10 MW development deals in Ontario, Canada which has a province wide feed in tariff program,” said Madej.

The total cost to build the solar farm is estimated at approximately $7 million, or $3.50 per watt, a price that is significantly less than the regional average price of $5.50/watt calculated by NREL. Buying power is the reason why Sybac is able to install systems below the prevailing price charged by other solar integrators in Gainesville. The Lakeland office leverages the buying power from its German parent that installs over 300 MW a year in Italy, Spain, Germany and the Czech Republic. The company is currently installing a 26MW solar plant outside Berlin.

Sybac Solar’s investment in Gainesville has paid dividends in local job creation as well. The company has hired fourteen local subcontractors to work directly on the build. “The Gainesville Chamber of Commerce was a tremendous help,” said Rick Falz, Sybac Solar’s Director of Technology. “They put us in touch with the best local companies that included a fencing company, land clearing, surveyors, engineers and attorneys.” Working with a local workforce is part of Sybac’s corporate philosophy. “We are giving back to the environment with every solar module that we install. We choose to work with a local workforce whenever possible to help the community grow,” said Markus Falz, Sybac’s Project Manager. Sybac’s investment in Gainesville has created over 33 jobs in the construction and installation related services helping to foster economic growth in the area.

The solar power plant will produce over 3,106 mWh of electricity a year, enough to power 300 homes and save 64,780 lbs. CO2 over the life of the system, equivalent to approximately 130,000 auto miles.

[From Sybac Solar Builds Largest Privately Held Solar Farm in Southeast]

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Algenol describes itself as a “science-driven company using biotechnology to produce biofuels and green chemicals from carbon dioxide emissions.”

Who could possibly object to something so green and clean? Anyone with a basic understanding of life. It is impossible to make energy from CO2 emissions, without adding a lot of other ingredients. Algae require water, sunlight and (drumroll…) nutrients – like all other living organisms.

A “lifecycle assessment” of algae fuels recently published in Environmental Science and Technology in January 2010 reports that switchgrass, canola and even corn farming have lower environmental impacts than algae in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and water use. Fertilizer requirements are high on the list of problems, because manufacturing fertilizers is so energy intensive. As phosphorus supplies dwindle, many argue it’s unwise to squander what remains on biofuels rather than food.

Using excess nutrients from local contaminated waterways might help, but entails other risks: many algae fuel companies are depending on genetically modified strains of algae, or even varieties developed using synthetic biology. Algae play a key role in global cycles and are responsible for much of the oxygen. Given these algae are being designed to be hardy, and to spit out ethanol, (toxic and corrosive), we should ask ourselves: can we ensure there will be no “mistakes” resulting in releases into the environment?

Experimentation with algae fuels has been underway for a long time – and yet no commercial scale production yet exists! How much money, and how many years of ongoing investment are needed? Florida is being asked to help foot the bill for developing biofuel industries (on top of whopping great subsides already coming from the feds – Algenol, for example, is recipient of a $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy). Floridians should ask themselves: are there better options for our tax dollars? The long term prospects for biofuels are questionable. Report after report has revealed the lack greenhouse gas savings, and the conflicting demands for food, water, land, fertilizer…all of which are slated to intensify in coming years.

American Biofuels Now, among others, argues biofuels will help provide “energy security,” but this is laughable. With a military that, by conservative estimate consumes more than 320,000 barrels of oil each and every day, we will need several planets worth of algae farms to supply even a fraction of that demand, (and end up fighting wars over fertilizer and water access). Perhaps a longer view would favor reducing demand for transportation fuels as a better investment? Public transportation, fuel efficiency, reorganizing our communities to enable work-from-home and offering incentives to ride-share and cut back on commuting distances are a few possibilities with guaranteed – and honest – benefits that can be banked on, for certain, in every home. Pouring money into claims of “making energy from CO2 emissions and sunshine” doesn’t inspire confidence.

— Rachel Smolker works with Biofuelwatch/Energy Justice Network.

[From Guest opinion: Florida has much better ways to use tax dollars than biofuel subsidies | The News-Press | news-press.com]

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The 2011 Florida Renewable Energy Tour is set to kick off Thursday in Palm Beach and Broward counties.

The tour will highlight job creation and local economic growth through renewable energy development and will visit 10 cities this month, leading up to the March legislative session, according to the Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy.

Stops on Thursday’s tour include Waste Management in Pompano Beach; Roofing Concepts Unlimited in Coral Springs; a Boca Raton residential solar array installed by Graboski Roofing; a commercial solar array installed by VB Engineering and a new engineering building at Florida Atlantic University.

A town hall meeting featuring local elected and economic development officials is scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday at Palm Beach State College, Boca Raton campus.

The tour is free and open to the public and is supported by more than 100 companies and organizations in Florida. To learn more and register online, visit the Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy at www.farenergy.org.

[From Florida Renewable Energy Tour is set for Thursday]

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TAMPA, Fla. , Feb. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — PennWell Corporation is proud to present its eighth Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America taking place March 8 – 10, 2011 at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. The event has added several influential industry leaders to its lineup of speaker participants in ten comprehensive and informative conference tracks. Executive Directors from North America‘s leading renewable energy industry associations–including solar, wind, hydro, biomass and geothermal–will discuss federal and state policy and finance issues during a special plenary session on Thursday, March 10, 2011 as part of Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America at the Tampa Convention Center.

Confirmed participants in the plenary session–one of the first to involve leaders from all forms of renewable energy since the new Congress began work in early January–will include Denise Bode of the American Wind Energy Association, Rhone Resch of the Solar Energy Industries Association, Elizabeth McDonald of the Canadian Solar Energy Industries Association, Bob Gibson of the Solar Electric Power Association, Karl Gawell of the Geothermal Energy Association, Linda Church-Ciocci of the National Hydropower Association and Robert Cleaves of the Biomass Power Association. Allan Marks, partner in the Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy law firm and Barry Worthington, Executive Director of the U.S. Energy Association, also will take part. David Wagman, Chief Editor of Renewable Energy World North America magazine, will moderate the session. The session is open to all registered delegates at this year’s Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America.

“The timing of this year’s Renewable Energy World conference and expo couldn’t be better with the extension of the tax credits in December and the arrival of the new Congress in January,” said Dick Rauner, Group Publisher with PennWell Corp., which owns and produces the show. Rauner said “the industry leaders who are joining our plenary session will help attendees understand what the next two years might look like at the federal level and how renewable energy companies can continue to gain momentum across North America.”

After the opening keynote session on Tuesday, March 8 at three o’clock, Renewable Energy World North America will open its exhibit floor of more than 175 leading renewable technology and services companies. Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America provides more learning opportunities, more networking opportunities and more business opportunities than any other all-renewable event making it the premier, can’t–miss, all-renewable power generation event in North America.

For more information on Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America and to register, please visit www.RenewableEnergyWorld-Events.com. Advance registration is available online until March 3, 2011. Registration will also be available on-site at the Tampa Convention Center.

Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America is owned and produced by PennWell Corporation. PennWell Corporation is a diversified business-to-business media and information company that provides quality content and integrated marketing solutions for the following industries: Oil and gas, electric power, renewable energy, water, electronics, semiconductor, contamination control, optoelectronics, fiberoptics, enterprise storage, fire, emergency services and dental. Founded in 1910, PennWell publishes 75 print and online magazines and newsletters, conducts 60 conferences and exhibitions on six continents, and has an extensive offering of books, maps, web sites, research and database services. In addition to PennWell’s headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the company has major offices in Nashua, New Hampshire; Houston, Texas; London, England; Fairlawn, New Jersey; Moscow, Russia; and Hong Kong, China. For additional information about PennWell, visit www.pennwell.com.

SOURCE PennWell Corporation

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[From Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America Announces Key Industry Participants -- TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --]

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There is no doubt that 2010 was a difficult year for the economy, yet the hope for the coming year is high. And for good reason — Many leading U.S. economists predict that the economy will grow an astounding two to four percent in 2011. This is welcome news after two years of a painful recession.

What can businesses do to prepare?

What can executives, entrepreneurs and webmasters set in place so as to benefit from the projected economical growth of 2011? As economists begin to try and answer this question, we must first look at the possible trends and business motives that grasp the world economy. A common theme within the economy that has shown increased popularity is green technologies, products and services.

Why go green?

Because by “going green” we are protecting the environment. But an added benefit is that by going green, businesses are seeing long-term business growth and opportunity.

There are few segments of the financial system today that have shown continued growth during what economists call the “great recession”. One thing is clear; the trend toward green technology is not fading. Every economic region has seen significant growth in the eco-friendly industry and companies are aware of the growing trend toward green-technologies. It is apparent that the green power movement shows no sign of decline. Indeed, the green movement continues to grow, despite the contraction in the economy since 2008. Green technology is one segment of the world-economy which has shown steady growth during the recent difficult economic times.

Green Trends and Predictions for 2011

This can serve as a guide for businesses as a place to prepare for green trends that will continue throughout the coming year.

1. Energy and Air Emissions

Many industries around the world are faced with two primary energy challenges: how to efficiently provide clean, secure and affordable energy and how to minimize the impact on the environment.

Two major power-hungry segments of the economy include:

• Airline industry
• Data center industry

Traditionally, these energy hogs utilized the most energy of any other industry in the United States and generated the largest carbon footprint. Business owners are looking for options within these industries that are more eco-friendly with a reduction in carbon emissions.

What to do?
Many companies that utilize a great deal of travel are looking for ways to not only minimize their carbon footprint, but also reduce their expenses. Companies are deploying various means of eco-friendly business models so as to reduce the amount of air-travel they utilize. And, in order to reduce the demand for power-hungry data centers, web masters, site designers and businesses are moving their web sites to green web hosting, which provides more efficiency and uses less energy than hosting in traditional data centers.

• Telecommuting is becoming more popular among businesses with the use of VOIP services such as Press8 telecom. With the Press8 Hosted phone systems, companies are able to offer their employees the option of telecommuting — an attractive option because of high gas prices, nightly traffic jams and long commutes. Press8 phone systems offer methods to ensure employees working at home or from a remote office location are making productive use of their time.
• Green web hosting among businesses is becoming more popular because it presents a clear solution for a reduction in the utilization of traditional, power-hungry data centers. Many webmasters are moving their web sites to companies that utilize green data centers. A word of caution: many so called “green web hosting” companies are merely web hosts that purchase Renewable Energy Credits (REC’s) and then these companies market their services to the Internet community as “green”. In order to be a “true” green web hosting provider, the web host must utilize a “green data center”. GreenHostIt, an Austin, Texas web hosting firm, offers green web hosting for personal and business web sites and hosts its servers in a “true” green data center.

2. Water and Wastewater

As part of a progressive replacement program, companies will continue to develop and install innovative water-saving technology and procedures. The challenge is to implement conservation measures to reduce water consumption, and thus the “water footprint” a company generates. Many strong industries within the economy are moving toward improving their wastewater treatment facilities. The investment is high but the payoff is significant.

What to do?
Companies can explore the option of updating their wastewater facilities. And those companies that do not have the resources for a large infusion of cash to update these facilities might consider outsourcing to treatment facilities that already have this technology in place.Many companies are implementing reverse osmosis systems which operate by pumping water under very high pressure through a semi-permeable membrane. Today’s systems provide the same amount of water for only about 35 percent of the electricity consumption.

3. LED Lighting

Commercial, Residential, Marine, and Solar — each of these industries is seeing strong movement towards “advanced lighting”. By upgrading lighting, these industries are recognizing substantial savings through alternative energy and efficient lighting. A leader in this industry is NeuTex Lighting and through their comprehensive catalog of advanced lighting products, companies and individuals are able to capitalize on significant savings in energy expenses by “going green”.

What to do?
Before building a new house, commercial building, marine operation or solar configuration, consider speaking to your local city government about green building practices.

• Neutex Lighting is a good source of information and their web site describes the ever increasing group of ways that companies and individuals can be less wasteful.
• GreeningDetroit.com offers a unique directory designed to provide building solutions, products and services, green news and environmental responsibility options.

4. Eco-friendly automobiles

Trends in the automobile industry show strong growth in hybrid and fuel-efficient diesel engines. New product development with these types of engines is accelerating. Fuel-hogs such as large SUV’s and vans are harder to re-sell and more expensive to maintain at the fuel pumps.

What to do?
Before purchasing your next automobile, consider a hybrid or diesel powered engine. The up-front cost is higher, but long-term savings in terms of fuel and overall maintenance is significant.

4. Reduction in waste

Consumers have taken notice and appreciate companies that produce products packaged in eco-friendly materials.

What to do?
Reduce, reuse, and recycle. The first step in managing waste is to reduce the amount of material used. To further cut back waste generation, companies can work with suppliers on container return programs. By recycling trash, companies are diligently working to decrease the amount of waste generated. Companies world-wide are showing signs of more often utilizing alternatives to packaging their products in materials that are harmful to the environment — specifically plastics. Consumers notice and show their appreciation with their wallets.

These companies are examples of cutting-edge corporations that are “going green” to reduce, reuse, and recycle:

• Chantal Cookware, a major cookware manufacturer, encourages recycling in the day-to-day business operations at their facility and with their suppliers. For example, when shipping products Chantal only uses recycled paper and air pillows rather than cheaper Styrofoam pellets.
• Thirsties, a company that manufactures modern cloth baby diapers, boasts the use of only the best made-in-America components in order to reduce their carbon footprint, to help support domestic textile mills, and to ensure diapers will last wash after wash. This company provides an excellent product that reduces the buildup of disposable diapers in our landfills.
• WexelArt frames manufacturer produces art frames that can be re-used by simply removing the art and replacing with new art. The frames can also be used by companies to display brochures, promo posters, or sales and special offers. A genius product that allows companies and individuals to reuse frames for many different purposes.

5. Improvements in the food industry

Soy growth among farms across the world is showing rapid growth in this economy. Soy foods are a source of high-quality protein and has the potential to be a key source of income for farmers.

What to do?
Many farmers and food producers are developing management plans for sustainable growth and promoting standards and verification mechanisms which help to grow crops that are more efficiently utilized. The soy industry is showing significant growth because of the high nutritional components of soy. Many food manufacturers who are not yet involved in production of soy food materials are now exploring the options and benefits of including soy in their product line.

6. Higher use of post-consumer recycled fiber

Consumers appreciate the use of post-consumer recycled fiber in packaging and its use among responsible corporate entities is growing.

What to do?
Many companies are utilizing 10% post-consumer recycled paper. Examples include coffee cups at your favorite coffee shop. Consumers notice and companies will continue to explore the benefits of higher use of this renewable resource.

7. Higher use of recycled rubber materials

Used automobile tires liter landfills and are among the largest and most problematic source of waste at landfills due to their large volumes. Tires can be recycled for use on basketball courts, new shoe products, hot melt asphalt, and recycled asphalt pavement – among other things. Industries that recycle these materials and re-use them in construction are showing strong growth.

What to do?
Where there is growth, there is strong interest. Companies might consider researching possible use of these types of materials in the construction of their products and market them as “recycled” automobile tires. This benefits the environment and benefits the companies that recycle them in terms of possible economic gain.

8. Higher incidence of recycled batteries and computers

Companies are more and more often recycling old computers when they are replaced with better and faster machines. Apple recycling program, HP recycling program and Dell recycling program are among a few of the top programs that offer this service.

What to do?
Companies can utilize these services and consider advertising to their consumer base that the company participates in programs to recycle used computers in an effort to reduce landfill waste.

10. Clothing material trends

The fashion industry is seeing strong trends toward renewable resources such as eco-friendly bamboo. Not only is bamboo considered one of the most renewable resources in the world; it is also one of the softest materials, even more so than cotton.

What to do?
Companies that are involved in the fashion industry should take note of this growing trend and explore the possibilities of including these items in their product line.

• SavageDesigns – an ecologically and socially conscious clothing and design company that is committed to increasing the health of its consumers by providing healing clothing with nettle fibers.
• Cariloha – bamboo clothing manufacturer that offers franchising opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Green marketing for business

Along with the rise of green consumers, we see the rise of eco-labeling, which is “green advertising”. That creates the opportunity for just about anything to be marketed as green. It is important that the marketing strategies that companies use are “true” and companies that market their products and services as eco-friendly are indeed “green”. This article can help entrepreneurs and business owners find “true green” companies and services for the growing eco-friendly economy.

(ArticlesBase SC #3987144)

Stephanie Rosendahl – About the Author:

Ms. Rosendahl has over 19 years experience in systems analysis, hosted applications, and management as well as 12 years experience in search engine optimization and Internet marketing. Ms. Rosendahl has a Bachelors from Houston Baptist University with a double major in Computer Information Systems and Business Management.

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We have made many updates to our site including the WordPress 3.0.2 update released this morning. This follows fast on the heels of the WordPress 3.0.1 beta 1 release earlier.

Enjoy your safe computing.

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By: Gareth

Threats To The Bottlenose Dolphin

Dolphins are an excellent example of an apex predator; they are fast, agile and extremely intelligent, which allows them to hunt very successfully using their echolocation to detect their prey.  The bottlenose dolphin is well known for its use in popular culture, on TV and aquarium shows. Their intelligence has also enabled various militaries around the world to train them to locate sea mines. Furthermore there are cases where dolphins will help fishermen by driving fish into their nets and catching and eating any that escape.

However, it is not all good news for the dolphin, they are under threat from numerous sources. So what are the threats to Bottlenose dolphins?

Very few predators are brave enough or intelligent enough to attack a bottlenose dolphin, their speed and strength make them a very formidable animal. However when bottlenose dolphins are small they are vulnerable to sharks, but once a dolphin reaches maturity it is simply too quick and too strong for the shark. They can either escape or some may even go on the attack and ram the sharks with their snout.

Transient killer whales have been known to hunt dolphins and their sheer size and strength makes them a fearsome predator. They are renowned for their technique of hurling themselves on top of their prey with great force, stunning or killing them instantly. Their size and pack hunting makes them a threat to dolphins.

Despite the threat from sharks and killer whales, the dolphin doesn’t have too many predators in the sea; the main threat comes from humans who are responsible for thousands of deaths every year.

In Japan, dolphin meat is considered a delicacy and every year the controversial dolphin drive takes place with hundreds of bottlenose dolphins being killed. The dolphins are rounded up and driven into a narrow bay and slaughtered in such great numbers that the sea actually turns red. “Drive Hunting” as it is known is not just a Japanese event, it is known to occur in the Solomon Islands, the Faroe Islands and also in Peru in South America.

The Tuna fishing industry is also responsible for many dolphin deaths each year. The nets used often result in dolphins becoming by catch. They become trapped in the fishing nets and drown as a result of not being able to reach the surface to take in air.

Let’s help save the dolphin

Natural predation is not the main threat to the survival of the bottlenose dolphin; it is unnatural hunting from humans that is the threat. We need to help preserve this majestic creature for future generations to enjoy. Adopt a dolphin and you can really help change the world.  Dolphin Adoption makes a wonderful gift, for anyone, especially animal lovers because it helps provide valuable resources for dolphin conservation throughout the world.

Adopting a dolphin is a way for you to become involved in saving a species. You may not be able to head out into the ocean to get hands on with dolphins, but purchasing the wonderful gift pack allows organisations to continue their work on your behalf. Your money will go to providing equipment, training and education for people to make sure the bottlenose dolphin survives into the future.

(ArticlesBase SC #3504822)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Threats To The Bottlenose Dolphin

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