CustomEarthPromos - Eco Blog US

This year, Earth Day Network, the world's largest recruiter to the environmental movement, is focusing its campaign on environmental and climate literacy, the idea that "education is the foundation for progress." According to Earthday.org, more than 1 billion people from around the globe now participate in Earth Day activities and festivities, making it the largest civic observance in the world. In honor of Earth Day on April 22, NASA has launched a campaign which invites you to celebrate the holiday by virtually adopting a piece of Earth as seen from space. The online adoption allows supporters to assign their name to one of the 64,000 available locations, essentially "adopting" a randomly selected piece of Earth. Once you've followed the simple adoption steps, you'll receive a personalized certificate for your unique numbered piece of Earth (on average 55 miles wide) featuring data from NASA's Earth-observing satellites. You can then go on to print and share it on social media and check out other locations using NASA's interactive map which will reveal even more Earth science data from their Worldview website. In Worldview, you are able to view images of vegetation on land as well as air quality measurements and even see how far pollution and soot from fires or volcanoes have traveled from land to the ocean. You'll also be able to see how your piece of Earth has changed over time since the majority of the data spans almost 30 years. In addition, NASA will be teaming up with Amazon Web Services to bring you live 4K Ultra HD video from space. The event will be available to the public on April 26. Ultimately, NASA's goal is to have the entire planet adopted by Earth Day and once all of the pieces have been adopted, they plan to start all over again, so that everyone who wants to take part will be able to. By adopting a piece of the Earth and sharing your activity, you'll be supporting Earth Day and helping to fulfill the network's mission to "diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide."  

The world's investment in clean energy fell in 2016, according to a new report released by Frankfurt School-UNEP this week. The Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2017 report revealed that global investment in renewable energy excluding large hydro fell by 23 percent to $241.6 billion, the lowest since 2013 – and for the most part, that's a good thing. Energy experts credited the drop to falling costs of wind and solar power along with China's slower economic growth and the phasing out of subsidies in Japan and other countries. There was record installation of renewable power capacity worldwide in 2016. For instance, investment in offshore wind grew 40 percent, according to another report by RS Components. This indicates a strong push away from fossil fuels toward renewables. Wind Power is Booming The UK is one of the best places in the world for wind power. In the last year, the UK generated more electricity from wind power than from coal. Scotland, in particular, is a wind power all-star. In an analysis of WeatherEnergy data by WWF Scotland, Scotland's wind turbines provided more than 1.2 million megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity to the National Grid last month which is enough renewable electricity to power 136 percent of Scottish households, or 3.3 million homes. However, the UK isn't the only nation celebrating milestones in wind power. India for example, recently added a record win power capacity of 5,400 megawatts (MW), vastly exceeding its initial target of 4,000 MW, according to India's ministry of new and renewable energy. Wind energy is also one of the largest and growing renewable resources in the U.S., despite the Trump administration vowing to scrap federal programs that encourage renewables. A new analysis from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), predicts the wind industry could drive a quarter million American jobs by 2020 and over $85 billion in economic activity over the next four years. The benefits of wind power and renewable energy couldn't be more clear. This industry has enormous potential and it's the one to watch for economic growth on a global level.

After the success of the UK's plastic bag fee that went into effect last year, Liberal Democrats predicted a fee on coffee cups would be next, and according to a new study, it looks like they might be right. Academics at Cardiff University in Wales conducted research from September to December 2016 on behalf of Bewley's, a leading coffee roaster in the UK and Ireland, which found that a combination of measures could reduce disposable coffee cups by 50 to 300 million annually. This is a colossal amount considering that the UK disposes of 2.5b coffee cups each year, according to estimates from the author of the report, Professor Wouter Poortinga. A Charge Could Increase Reusable Coffee Cup Usage by 17.4% The study found that the combination of supplying free reusable alternatives along with clear environmental messaging and a charge on single use coffee cups increased the use of reusable cups from 5.1% to 17.4%. via GIPHY “People are far more sensitive to losses than to gains when making decisions – so if we really want to change a customer's behavior then a charge on a disposable cup is more likely to be effective," Professor Poortinga said. Bewley's has been working with industry partners towards their goal of sustainable coffee cups for some time now. Louise Whitaker, Head of Marketing at Bewley's UK, said: “There is a huge amount of waste being sent to landfill each year and promoting reusable cups is part of the solution." And according to the BBC, other multi-national coffee shop chains such as Starbucks and Costa are also trying to tackle the problem. The findings from this research are due to be submitted to The Environmental Audit Committee who launched a UK government inquiry into waste issues into the damage being done to the environment, focusing on the impact of plastic bottles and coffee cups. Let's hope the Commons Select Committee gladly accepts this research and investigates possible solutions. Regardless, coffee companies should still recognize the impact their business is having on the environment and play their part is helping solve the disposable coffee cups waste issue.

By now, the importance of recycling to prevent waste from having such a negative impact on the environment should be common knowledge. Not only does recycling reduce the amount of waste that ends up in our landfills, it also helps reduce the pollution from harmful chemicals and greenhouse gasses that are released from landfill waste. But sometimes knowing this information isn't enough. If you've been struggling to convince your family, friends, or even colleagues of the importance of recycling, try throwing some recycling facts at them that will blow their mind and ultimately, convince them to take action. Paper Recycling Facts Each year, approximately 1 billion trees worth of paper are discarded in the U.S. with the average household throwing away 13,000 separate pieces of paper. The amount of paper and wood we throw away each year is enough to heat 50 million homes for 20 years. Plastic Recycling Facts  Annually, Americans throw away approximately 25,000,000,000 styrofoam coffee cups. So, if you haven't already, it's time to swap your styrofoam or disposable cup for a reusable mug,  not only for your homemade coffee but one that you can use at your favorite coffee shop, too.  A whopping 1,000 to 2,000 gallons of gasoline can be saved recycling just one ton of plastic. Think about the amount of gasoline you could save by recycling all of the time. via GIPHY On average, Americans use 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour – many of which are thrown away instead of recycled. Plastic bags and other plastic waste that end up in the ocean kills as many as 1 million sea creatures each year. Instead of buying plastic products and items, make a habit of purchasing organic and reusable materials that won't harm the environment. We also recommend simply swapping plastic bags for recycled reusable bags. In 2014, plastics comprised about 13 percent of total Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). The total plastic waste was 33.25 million tons of which only 3.17 million tons were recycled. Recycling is the Answer According to RecycleAcrossAmerica.org, when U.S. recycling levels reach 75 percent, roughly 1.5 million new jobs will be generated. This level of recycling is the environmental and CO2 equivalent of removing 55 million cars from American roads each year. via GIPHY Recycling is ultimately the top action that everyone on the planet can take to improve the environment, economy, and manufacturing. We are all capable of becoming green superheroes, so together, let's recycle and help save the planet. Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

It's official, spring is here which means it's time to shed your winter clothing and soak up the longer days. Nature enthusiasts will be rejoicing as it also means that camping season is upon us. But before you go setting up camp and reconnecting with nature, there are a handful of essential eco-friendly items that we recommend packing for your trip. 4 Must-Have Eco-Friendly Items for Camping 1. Stainless Steel Water Bottle It can be all too easy to pack disposable cups, plates, water bottles, and plastic wear, but you'll save yourself a lot of room as well as money (in the long run) by bringing reusable products with you, especially a refillable water bottle. We recommend getting a stainless steel canteen bottle that is durable and easy to clean and carry. By packing a reusable water bottle, you are also limiting pollution and reducing plastic waste. 2. Insect-Repelling Wristbands Leave your toxic bug spray at home or better yet, properly dispose of it and instead invest in insect-repelling wristbands or buy natural bug spray that is deet-free. These two eco-friendly alternatives will keep the bugs away and be kind to the environment. 3. Reusable Travel Mug If you plan on using your stainless steel water bottle for all of your liquids – great, but if you like keeping things separate, then consider adding a reusable travel mug to your list. Just make sure it's BPA-free and will keep your tea, coffee, or soup hot until the last sip. 4. Eco-Friendly Tent It's probably the biggest must-have on our list because after all, what is camping without a tent? But keep in mind that a large majority of tents are made from materials such as PVC, which when produced, release emissions that harm the environment and can cause health problems. So in your search, look for tents made from eco-friendly or recycled materials such as cotton or hemp. Interested in more eco-friendly tips and ideas? Stay tuned to our blog, like Custom Earth Promos on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Google+

Today, Saturday, March 25, 2017, marks the tenth anniversary of Earth Hour, an hour-long event coordinated by WWF and other volunteer organizations to shine a light on climate action. During the event, millions of people, businesses, and landmarks from around the globe will join together and switch off their lights to show their support for the future of the planet. Last year, millions of people across 178 countries united for Earth Hour. With climate change at the height of concern in 2017, the support for Earth Hour is expected to succeed that of last years. Some of the famous landmarks going dark for the event include the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Colosseum in Rome, the Space Needle, the Pyramids of Egypt, Tokyo Tower, the Eiffel Tower, and the Sydney Opera House. Some of the famous landmarks going dark for the event include the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Colosseum in Rome, the Space Needle, the Pyramids of Egypt, Tokyo Tower, the Eiffel Tower, and the Sydney Opera House. The event will start at 8:30 pm GMT and participants are encouraged to turn off non-essential lights in their homes for one hour. But of course, you can always leave them off for longer if you really wish to make a statement. Today 8:30pm wherever you are, let's turn off the lights to shine a light on #climateaction! #EarthHour ❤️? — WWF (@WWF) March 25, 2017 "Turning off lights for an hour does not affect emissions of greenhouse gasses, but is a symbolic gesture," Aiguo Dai, a professor in the department of atmospheric and environmental sciences at the University at Albany told USA Today. Interested in getting your friends and family involved in Earth Hour? You can choose to temporarily change your Facebook profile picture to include an Earth Hour frame or even choose to make a donation. The WWF also provides participants with an Earth Hour starter kit which includes a downloadable banner that you can use to promote the event on your website, social media pages, or in your local area. Join millions of people tonight for @EarthHour! ?⏳Show your ❤️ for our shared home with a new profile pic. Try it! https://t.co/po9Sr3p1e4 pic.twitter.com/4fLPES8pbV — WWF (@WWF) March 25, 2017 Earth Hour Tips from WWF "Turn up the dark!" The WWF suggests holding an unplugged concert and streaming it live on your Facebook page or another channel. If you do share your performance, don't forget to use #EarthHourLive. Candlelight Session Workouts. Choose your favorite workout and "burn some calories along with those candles." Or use this time to meditate and think of ways you can take action in the fight against climate change. The possibilities are endless. Commit to Reducing Your Carbon Footprint. If you haven't already, Earth Hour is a great day to make a resolution to reduce your carbon footprint. Make simple changes to your everyday life such as turning the lights off when you leave your home, switching to ...

Normally speaking, lists that rank "top colleges" base their criteria on academic-related factors such as quality of education and graduation rates. The Princeton Review, a college admission services company, does things a little differently. They rank schools based on "superb sustainability practices, a strong foundation in sustainability education, and a healthy quality of life for students on campus." Their list is also based on student opinion which is collected from institutional and student surveys. They give schools what they call a "green rating" better known as bragging rights for being an environmentally aware and prepared institution. The rating is on a scale of 60–99. They then recognize these schools in their annual ranking of the most eco-friendly colleges in America which range from Ivy Leagues to small, private schools in which they all share one thing in common: their love for the planet. In consultation with ecoAmerica, a research- and partnership-based environmental nonprofit, questions are created to complete the comprehensive ranking system, questions such as: What is the percentage of food expenditures that goes toward local, organic or otherwise environmentally preferable food? Does the school offer programs including mass transit programs, bike sharing, facilities for bicyclists, bicycle and pedestrian plans, car sharing, a carpool discount, carpool/vanpool matching, cash-out of parking, prohibiting idling, local housing, telecommuting, and a condensed workweek? Does the school have a formal committee with participation from students that is devoted to advancing sustainability on campus? What percentage of the school's energy consumption is derived from renewable resources? Do the school's students graduate from programs that include sustainability as a required learning outcome or include multiple sustainability learning outcomes? At the top of the list for the most eco-friendly college is College of the Atlantic located in Bar Harbor, Maine with a green rating of 99. This college's number one goal is to eventually become a fossil fuel-free campus. One of the students from this college said, "We are constantly thinking about the latest environmental/social justice issues and thoughtful debates about these subjects happen at every meal." With a formal sustainable committee, sustainability-focused degrees available, and 30 percent of the food budget being spent on local/organic food, there's no wonder why this college takes the number one spot. Appropriately named in the number two spot is the State University of New York: College of Environmental Science and Forestry. This college is focused on building a sustainable future through research and degrees in the environmental sciences, engineering, and design and management. In third place, again appropriately named is Green Mountain College. The campus has wind turbines and solar panels to generate energy, along with other forms of preserving ...

Last year, we covered a report that revealed the word's most sustainable cities with Zurich leading the way, followed closely by Singapore and London. A new report from eCO2 Greetings took a wider approach and used Yale data that measures Environmental Performace Index (EPI) to reveal thirty of the world's greenest countries. The EPI ranks the performance of countries based on issues in two environmental areas: protection of human health and protection of ecosystems. To evaluate a country's performance, the EPI also draws on 20 key indicators to create an overall score out of 100, with 100 being the best score and zero the worst. Did your country make the list? Take a look at the interactive map they created below to see how your nation compares to others. As you can see, Finland took the No. 1 spot, mainly due in part to their "social commitment to achieve a carbon-neutral society that does not exceed nature's carrying capacity by 2050." And though Zurich took the top spot for most sustainable cities, Switzerland actually came #16 on the greenest countries list. Nonetheless, the European country made the list for their commitment to renewable energy, specifically hydropower. Iceland came #2 for being home to one of the largest single geothermal power stations in the world, followed by Sweden in third place for being "the first city in the world to set the goal of becoming fossil-fuel free by 2030." What's really interesting to note though is that 25 out of the top 30 greenest countries were European. But we were most surprised to find the USA on the list given that it's one of the biggest producers of carbon emissions. It got a pass thanks to Obama's historic conservation efforts whereby he placed close to 550 million acres of habitat under protection. He also created two of the largest marine reserves on earth and the world's second largest desert reserve. The countries that didn't make the list might want to look to Finland, Iceland, Sweden and the other 27 countries for sustainable inspiration.

If you've tuned into the news, radio, or social media channels recently, you may have noticed an increase in conversation about how bizarre the weather patterns have been lately. From freak snow storms to record tornado outbreaks, devastating hurricanes, wildfires, and record-breaking temperatures, people have been looking for someone or something to blame. When we Googled "What is to blame for extreme weather outbreaks" to try and find the culprit, we discovered that the majority of search results pointed to one thing in particular: climate change. One reputable result, The Weather Channel, for instance, interviewed climate scientists to garner their thoughts on how much they thought climate change was to blame for the warm weather the East has been seeing this winter. But even they were left with loose ends to questions. Dr. Jessica Blunden, a climate scientist at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information told The Weather Channel, "While this incredible heat may very well be due at least in some part to climate change, we just can't attribute this particular event directly to global warming without more in-depth analysis." Since scientists won't know until the coming months if they can tie these peculiar weather patterns to climate change, the energy-efficient folks over at SaveOnEnergy took it upon themselves to find out how the rest of the general public feel about it all. As part of a study, they examined an astonishing 1.8 million tweets. After all, Twitter is a hot spot for trending weather topics and speculation. Most Used Climate Change Hashtags on Twitter Based on the analysis of data, they found natural disasters pertaining to weather such as  #flooding and #HurricaneMatthew to be mentioned in 46 percent of the tweets. But alongside this spike in weather-related hashtags were also familiar environmental terms including #Climate, #Renewables, #Carbon, #ClimateChange, #Paris Agreement, and #GlobalWarming which collectively, dominated 36 percent of the share. Study: New research techniques show the Earth's #oceans warming 13% faster than thought, affecting #ClimateChange and #weather patterns pic.twitter.com/ISTrUGSLSs — Daniel Schneider (@BiologistDan) March 13, 2017 This past year, states like Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Missouri, experienced record flooding while parts of Haiti, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Florida, and other territories witnessed the widespread destruction and catastrophic loss from hurricane Matthew. So, it's not surprising that #flooding and #HurricanMatthew topped the chart, however, the study did unveil that weather-related events sparked conversations about climate change and the environment. Interestingly enough, though, weather events weren't the only causes for fueling social media conversations. There was also a notable increase in July (8,000 tweets) in relation to trending climate topics on Twitter when Donald Trump secured the Republican ...

When it comes to countries that contribute the highest amount of CO2 emissions, China takes the number one spot, closely followed by America. Even though 79 percent of climate scientists agree that climate change is happening, public opinion across the U.S. has been hard to garner, until now. In a recent data-driven survey by Yale– a team of psychologists, geographers, political scientists, statisticians, pollsters, and communication scientists –reveal how Americans really feel about climate change. Despite skepticism about climate issues, the Yale Climate Opinion Maps found that 70 percent of Americans believe global warming is indeed happening, however, only 53 percent agree humans are to blame. If we take a closer state-by-state look, Hawaii, closely followed by New York, have an average of 78 and 77 percent, of people who accept that climate change is real. The darker the orange on the map, the more the state resonates with global warming. When it came to policy support, a whopping 82 percent of Americans were in favor of funding research into renewable energy sources, 75 percent supported the regulation of CO2 as a pollutant, and 68 percent backed the process of setting stricter CO2 limits on existing coal-fired power plants. More surprisingly, 66 percent were in support of requirements for utilities to produce 20 percent electricity from wind, solar, or other renewable sources, even if it were to cost the average household an extra $100 a year. The overwhelming support for funding and regulations is interesting considering that only 32 percent of respondents have discussed global warming with their friends and family, and roughly a quarter of people said they only heard about global warming in the media about once a week. This might explain why there was a severe lack of importance placed on climate change during the 2016 U.S. presidential debates. Overall, it's clear that the majority of Americans believe climate change is real and 73 percent "somewhat strongly trust" climate scientists about global warming, so it's about time the lesser majority and Mr. President start listening to the people and facing the facts.