CustomEarthPromos - Eco Blog US

Solar energy can often feel like a recent development given the increase in popularity; however, it actually dates back to the mid-1800s when Alexandre Edmond Becquerel discovered the photovoltaic effect. He explained how electricity could be generated from sunlight and claimed that “shining light on an electrode submerged in a conductive solution would create an electric current.” Over 100 years later, in 1941, Russell Ohl invented the solar cell, shortly after the invention of the transistor. Yet, in 2015, only 13% of the entire US' electricity came from renewable sources with just 0.65% coming from solar. But, it appears we are making progress. According to a new study by Modernize, there is nationwide support for solar energy with solar panel installations up nearly 155 percent in the last decade. This research examines which states are leading the way with the most solar panel installations, the most incentives for going solar, and who is most motivated by these incentives. The below graph reveals the top 10 states for solar panel installations. Did yours make the list? It's no big surprise that California took the top spot when it comes to solar panel installs. The state is renowned for its eco-friendly culture. Arizona may not have come close to California, but they still came second, followed by New Jersey in third. A particularly interesting trend is that 5 out of the top 10 states are occupied by Northeastern states – New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania – states that aren't exactly known for their sunshine. It just comes to show that you don't need to be surrounded by constant sunshine to feel the solar appeal. The Future's Looking Bright Slowly but surely, solar energy is on the rise and we're excited to see how these numbers develop in the next few decades as successful solar installs are better understood and encouraged. But for now, it's safe to say Alexandre Becquerel would be proud of how far we've come with more solar energy on the way.

"Climate change is real. It is happening right now. It's the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating.” - Leonardo DiCaprio Do you remember back in February when Leonardo DiCaprio used his Oscar speech to speak out on climate change? It was utterly cool – and made us feel so proud – but it wasn't the first time we'd heard about this global issue. His inspiring speech left us nodding yes, but wondering what can we do to help?   Turns out, you can now help track climate change from your phone using NASA's latest app called, "I See Change." NASA scientists developed this app in the hopes to pool data from people all over the world, data that will give them real-time information about what is happening on the planet. Pretty cool right? iSeeChange is empowering communities to pay close attention to how weather and climate affect their environment, to better understand how climate change is impacting their daily lives. So, if you are perceptive about the environment around you and passionate about climate change, you may just be the kind of community scientist that NASA is looking for. What are some other ways you can help with climate change? If you're not very tech-savvy, not to worry. Below is a list of 10 things you can do to help reduce climate change that don't involve using your phone: 1. Plant native trees and shrubs around your home. 2. Recycle your paper, cardboard, glass, metal, and electronics. 3. Use public transportation, walk or bike instead of using your car, whenever you can. 4. Compost food and yard waste. 5. Reduce water waste by taking shorter showers. 6. Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient bulbs such as LEDs. 7. Buy products and food with reusable or recyclable packaging. 8. Use reusable shopping and grocery bags instead of plastic bags. 9. Seal and insulate your home. Install energy-efficient showerheads.   10. Turn off appliances at night or when you're not using them. Whether you team up with NASA to track climate change on your phone or pick one of the tips from our list above, there are infinite ways you can join in on the fight against climate change. Do you have any tips to add? Are there any things you're doing to help reduce climate change? If so, we'd love to hear from you in the comments section below.

Sometimes it can seem impossible to keep up with the latest eco-friendly trends, particularly when it comes to making changes in our home. From non-toxic cleaning products to reusable grocery bags, and energy efficient light bulbs, there are a myriad of ways to green your home and better your health as well as the environment. To make it easier to get started, we devised a short guide that features 5 green products for a greener home: 1. Add Plants to Your Space for Cleaner Air Studies by NASA and the EHP have found that indoor plants are better (and cheaper) than the ventilation systems used to filter out toxins. The Snake Plant, English Ivy, and Peace Lily are just a few of the many air-cleaning plants out there that you can easily find at your local home and garden center. 2. Use Low-VOC Paints If you're looking to spruce up your place with a fresh coat of paint, consider options that keep toxic chemicals to a minimum. Look out for cans of paint that are labelled, “eco-spec,” “low-odor,” or “zero-VOC.” Alternatively, you can ask home improvement stores for their recommendations. If you aren't a homeowner just yet, remember that it never hurts to ask your landlord to get your apartment move-in ready by using a low-VOC paint. 3. Ditch the Scented Candles “Burning an aromatherapy candle made of paraffin is similar to preparing a healthy drink of fresh squeezed juice and adding a shot of gasoline.” – Eric Johnson of Candleworks. Most of us light candles to add ambiance to a room, and when the air begins to smell of sweet aromas, it can be easy to forget the harmful effects scented candles can have on our health and the environment. Instead of choosing scented candles made from cheap wax that release chemical fragrances and metals into your home, opt for candles made with natural materials such as soy, vegetable or beeswax. 4. Be More Energy Efficient LED light bulbs have recently become more affordable and can last for more than 10 years. Nevertheless, they are still more costly than incandescent bulbs. But by replacing regular bulbs with energy efficient bulbs, you can reduce your electricity bills and reduce environmental harm. 5. Reusable Products BPA-free water bottles, reusable grocery bags, and eco-friendly food containers are just three alternatives to plastic, single-use products. By reusing everyday products, you can not only save money but space in our landfills, too. Are there any green products you use to make for a greener home? We'd love to hear about them in the comments below.

It's estimated that a trillion single-use plastic bags are used each year – that's nearly 2 million bags per minute – so, there's no wonder why some U.S. cities are beginning to wake up and hop on the eco-friendly bandwagon. In fact, just this week, San Diego became the 150th municipality in California to eliminate single-use plastic bags in certain stores and food retailers. Bravo, California! But it's not just the Golden State that's shining, Austin, Chicago, Seattle, and Cambridge, Massachusetts have also banned plastic bags. This news comes in perfect time with Plastic Free July which aims to raise awareness of the problems associated with the amount of single-use disposable plastic in our lives. It challenges people to refuse all single-use plastic or try to avoid plastic bags, water bottles, takeaway coffee cups, and straws. Yet, despite these recent efforts to reduce plastic usage, many people still use plastic shopping bags every day. If only they knew how easy it is to make the switch from disposable bags that clog our landfills to eco-friendly, reusable bags. Below are three eco-friendly alternatives to plastic bags: 1. Lunch Bags Whether you're packing a lunch for school, work or even a weekend picnic, it can be easy to grab a plastic bag. But there are some “cooler” alternatives out there (literally). Take these eco-friendly cooler bags for instance. They're not only reusable, but they'll also keep your food well insulated.   2. Trash Bags Plastic bags have been estimated to take 500 to 1,000 years to decompose in landfills, and since all of our garbage gets thrown in trash bags that end up in landfills, it makes the most sense to switch to biodegradable garbage bags. Don't you think? 3. Shopping Bags From organic cotton bags to canvas bags and folding totes, there are a ton of stylish alternatives to choose from that will help you say “no thank you” to plastic bags at stores. Do you have any suggestions for eco-friendly alternatives to plastic bags? If so, we'd love to hear from you in the comments below.

Over the past century, the number of landfills and dumps in the U.S. has increased drastically. The average American throws away 4.4 pounds of trash every day, which in a nation of nearly 324 million people, amounts to an estimated 728,000 tons of daily trash – enough to fill 63,000 garbage trucks. American's generated 254 million tons of waste in 2013, but what's even more shocking is the amount of waste produced per person in each state. Nevada might take the top spot for states with the highest tons of waste per person (38.4 tons), followed closely by Pennsylvania (35.4 tons) and Colorado (35.2 tons), but it's California with 35 tons of waste that surprised us most. With a statewide ban on plastic bags and San Francisco's recent ban on styrofoam, it was unexpected to find California among the top five states of waste producers.   However, that's not to say that these state residents are necessarily producing all of this waste themselves. Many state landfills take garbage from other states as part of the $4 billion trash trade industry. Waste less. Recycle more.  According to a report by SaveOnEnergy, Americans recycled an all-time high of 34.3% percent of garbage last year, up nearly 28 percent from 1960. But with an increase in recycling has come an increase in trash generation. More than 60 million plastic water bottles are thrown away every single day in the U.S., ending up in our landfills, parks, and streets. These bottles can take over 1,000 years to biodegrade, so it's about time we take a note out of Idaho and North Dakota's book and recycle more. On top of recycling, you can reduce your personal waste by using eco-friendly alternatives such as stainless steel bottles that are reusable and more environmentally friendly.

If we want to protect our planet, there must be a conjoined global effort to take care of the environment. Children have been known to cause utility costs to rise by leaving lights on in their rooms when they're gone and taking long showers, or baths. If you're dedicated to saving the environment, then why not get your children on board the eco-friendly bandwagon? There are tons of ways to get your kids started on doing their part in helping keep our planet clean. Teaching them at a young age about the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling will benefit the earth and help you save money. Also, it may even make you and your family happier and healthier! Make Going Green a Family Affair Little Tikes Company has made the “Go Green! Playhouse” which helps teach children ways they can help the environment. There's no better place to get your kids started on going green than right in your own backyard! This “Go Green! Playhouse” includes several educational pieces attached to the house like a flower garden, water reservoir, solar light, a working sink, plus a whole lot more! Your children will have endless hours of imaginative eco-friendly play in their new, educational outdoor playhouse. This playhouse helps educate children about the significance of going green and how it benefits the environment. Children love to play in the water, but they don't understand the importance of water conservation. Your children could be taught the value of conservation in their playhouse, which then teaches them to limit the amount of water they use inside. The readily available recycling bins show them that certain items should be recycled, instead of being put in the trash. Having them see how solar energy works inside their playhouse will help teach them to limit the amount of electricity they use. The gardening area on the playhouse could help you teach children how gardening could be fun. Going Green Helps Build Healthy Lifelong Habits Teaching your children about going green will help make your home healthier and more cost efficient, along with encouraging lifelong habits. Letting your kids know how their green habits will help save the planet will encourage them to be environmentally friendly even outside their playhouse. By maintaining a healthy and environmentally safe living environment, you and your family are helping to preserve and better our planet for future generations. Find out more about the "Go Green! Playhouse" at https://www.littletikes.com/products/go-green-playhouse?_pos=2&_psq=go%20gre&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Trillions of one-time use plastic bags are used worldwide each year. Although the United States is starting to take action against plastic bag waste, numerous other countries are years ahead of us. Countries all over Europe are taking measures to reduce plastic bag use 80 percent before the year 2020. Ireland Setting the Bar on Stopping Plastic Bag Waste Ireland has the most well-known bag tax, which started in 2002. They were the first to charge consumers directly, starting at a rate of 15 euro cents, or 20 cents the US, per bag. Inside five months of introducing the tax, bag usage dropped by over 90 percent, which greatly reduced plastic waste. Then in 2007, the bag tax was increased to 22 euro cents. Years later, in 2011, a law was amended with the aim of keeping annual bag use at or below 21 bags per person. Wherever you live, whether you're inland or by the ocean, you can't escape plastic bag waste. The European Commission said that over 90 percent of birds that surround their seas have plastic in their stomach, along with many sea turtles. Australian states decided to ban plastic bags in order to protect the whales that migrate there. Malaria outbreaks were linked with plastic bags collecting water in Kenya and in the Philippines, sewers are being clogged which created flooding. Cattle and sheep are choking to death from ingesting plastic bags. In Rwanda, you'll be forced to surrender your plastic bags when travelling into the country. Due to this anti-plastic bag strategy, there's even a black market for plastic bags. In South Africa, plastic bags are called the national flower, due to them being caught up in bushes and trees. There isn't anything better happening over in China, even with cities limiting plastic bag usage. Before the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, a national law was passed to ban extra thin bags and stores were charged a fee if they wanted thicker ones. Help Save our Environment from Plastic Bag Waste Plastic bag waste has had a huge negative effect on society and it's going to take more than a bag ban to make a full recovery. Getting rid of plastic bags is just one small link in the chain if countries want to get back to homeostasis. Plastic needs to stop being thrown away without being recycled – It needs to be reused for other materials. Plastic bags are only used for a couple of minutes, and thrown away, yet they'll last for hundreds of years, being shredded into smaller pieces and are never fully breaking down. More action needs to be taken against plastic bag waste or it will take over our planet.

Deforestation is Killing our Forests Each Year Every year, nearly 18 million acres of forest are lost due to deforestation. If the rate in which these forests are being cut down, the earth might not have any rainforests after another 100 years. A huge chunk of our earth's oxygen comes from the Amazon Forest, along with 25% of cancer fighting organisms. Now, deforestation has stopped for the most part in North America, but half of the tropical rain forests have already been cut down. Trees were once considered sacred and honorable. Oak trees were worshiped by the European Druids, redwoods a part of American Indian ritual, baobabs a part of African tribal life, and monkey puzzles to the Chilean Pehuenche. Every single tree around us is important and is there to help improve people along with the ecosystem around it. Trees don't just simply produce oxygen, they also clean the air of carbon monoxide, fight soil erosion, slow storm runoffs, clean the soil and create shade during the sunny weather. In the early 1970's, the "Dutchman's Tree Spade" was created. Over the years, the Dutchman Industry Inc. has made a number of models that can deal with trees of all kinds while maintaining efficiency and dependability. Today, Dutchman's Tree Spades are #1 in North America. Dutchman's also has a 1600-acre nursery distribution center with a range of deciduous and coniferous plants. Every year, the company continues to grow along side the trees to keep up with new challenges. Help Restore our Forests with Reforestation Reforestation is the natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands that have been cut down, normally from deforestation. Reforestation can be used to improve the quality of human life by soaking up pollution and dust from the air, rebuild natural habitats and ecosystems, mitigate global warming since forests facilitate bio sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide, and harvest for resources, particularly timber, but also non-timber forest products. We know deforestation cannot be stopped all together, but every little bit helps in solving this issue. If you're going to have trees removed from your property then try to make sure that they are being replanted elsewhere, or that the wood is being put to good use. Having trees on your property could also increase the value of the land. Also, on the other end of the spectrum, try not to waste paper! Maybe even plant a tree or two on arbor day. Trees are our friends and all they want to do is help people! For more info about Dutchman Industries go to Source

Vineyard Takes Unorthodox Measures to Stop Using Pesticides What do wine and ducks and pesticides have in common? Up until now, you might struggle to find any correlation between the two, but a South African vineyard has brought in an army of ducks to help control snails and pests that are responsible for attacking the wine maker's prized grapes. More than a thousand ducks are released twice a day through the vineyard to go over the land, guided by a herder. This isn't as crazy as it may sound. One of the biggest problems with the farming industry (the wine making industry included) has been the unapologetic use of pesticides to maintain crops. Not only are the chemical laden pesticides bad for the crops, they're especially bad for the environment and cause a multitude of problems, especially when used over a long period of time.  Vineyard Uses Creative Thinking The vineyard has been so enthused by the results its ducks have produced, they have gone on to create a wine named after them. Thanks to the ducks, the vineyard has almost completely ceased using pesticides, and plans on sticking with their feathered friends for the foreseeable future. While this method may seem unconventional, you can't argue with results. It's refreshing to see a farm be so creative in helping to keep the earth green, and hopefully farmers will take the suggestion, even if it's not employing their own army of ducks. It's truly amazing how easily a problem can be solved using a little creativity and thinking outside the box, which makes you wonder how many other environmental issues could be solved in a similar way. According to reviews from sommeliers, the wine that the vineyard has been producing since it started using ducks has never been better, and that is something I can definitely raise a glass to.

Pollution doesn't just come from throwing trash on the side of the road or into our environment, you can pollute the air too! Having clean air to breathe is essential for our survival. Protecting the environment from air pollution consists of controls and regulations on car emissions, ozone protection, and air quality deterioration prevention. Air Pollution is Poisoning our Environment Air pollution can occur by introducing chemicals and harmful particles into the air. Cars, factories, mold spores and even dust or pollen can cause pollution. All these are harmful to the environment and can affect people and the environment. Smog is one of the biggest concerns in cities. The term started in London in the 1990's to describe the smoke and fog combination that takes over our city skies. In 1955, the government started doing research on air pollution when the "Air Pollution Control Act" was created. By 1963, the United States Public Health Service created the "Clean Air Act", which related to “controlling” the pollution that was being done by cars and factories. Then by 1967, the "Air Quality Act" was created, which increased the amount of research being done on the air and allowed for more studies and monitoring. By 1970, the "Environmental Protection Agency" was created and has been enforcing pollution protection ever since. Finally, the 1990 amendments addressed acid rain, ozone depletion, and toxic air pollution, also establishing a national permits program for stationary sources, and increased enforcement authority. Help Reduce Air Pollution Before it Ruins our Ozone! From 1970 on, the Environmental Protection Agency have been researching and creating amendments to help stop this pollution that is slowly killing our environment. These poisonous toxins from cars and factories will ruin our environment and ozone layer if people don't start watching out for these harmful gases and taking responsibility for their actions.