Unfortunately, the presence of man has led to destructive changes, but we still have a chance to change everything for the better.

The best thing that is happening today is changes in societies for the better, and the desire to change. Today, we see changes in waste management, environmental management, etc.

When we talk about the environment, it should be understood that it is not only the weather, it is animals, birds, and all living creatures on this earth.

The most interesting facts and figures about the environment:

• 27,000 trees are destroyed every day to produce toilet paper.
• Recycling one aluminum can could provide enough electricity to run a TV for at least 3 hours.
• 80 billion aluminum cans are used every day.
• Paper can be recycled only six times. After that, the fibers are too weak to hold shape.
• 40% of all water in the world is sold in bottles.
• A glass bottle made nowadays takes 4000 years to decompose.
• The oldest tree in the world is more than 4600 years old.
• Our planet is increasing by 77 million inhabitants annually.
• 35% of landfills consist of packaging materials.
• Rainforests are shrinking by 100 acres every minute.
• American companies alone use enough paper to wrap the earth three times. And it’s great that the business world is moving in a paperless direction in their work.
• Only one percent of the water on our planet can be used for drinking, 97% is in the ocean and another 2% is frozen water in the Arctic today.
• 30% percent of cold air disappears from your refrigerator when you open it.

These are just some facts and figures to understand how society still needs to do a lot to move towards sustainable development on the planet.

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Many things and products for the home that leave their ecological mark. Plastic mops, brushes, sponges, detergents – all this pollutes the environment.

1. The first useful eco-habit of many people is sorting garbage. For a convenient separate collection of plastic, paper, and glass, you can buy a special cardboard container with three compartments. It is easy to use and inexpensive. You can place it on the balcony or kitchen, in a place for garbage.

2. Part of the trash is occupied by organic waste: leftovers, peels of vegetables, fruits, leaves, and sometimes flowers. In landfills, organic matter rots and releases methane, a gas that is explosive and accelerates climate change. It is because of it that fires occur in landfills in hot weather.

Organic waste can be safely disposing of with a composter. This is convenient to do even in the apartment.

3. The next way to make your home more environmentally friendly is using brushes for washing dishes. For example, instead of the usual plastic sponges, you can buy brushes and sponges made of natural materials.

These can be coconut fiber or agave fiber kitchen brushes. Unlike plastic parts of ordinary brushes, they are biodegradable.

Natural brushes also wash away dirt and can last up to 6 months. In addition, after wear you do not need to buy a new brush, just change the nozzle itself.

4. An alternative to synthetic washcloths can be a loofah or a jute washcloth. Its use for cleaning, washing dishes, and bath procedures.

5. Natural soap can be used to replace cleaning detergents. It is quite enough for cleaning surfaces, dishes, and even washing.

Household chemicals containing phosphates get into the water and spoil the microflora of water bodies. Natural soap is an environmentally friendly alternative. In addition, it can also have a pleasant aroma.

Modern manufacturers of eco-friendly products use natural aroma oils in the production of natural soap.

6. Wax napkins are an ecological alternative to food film. They are made from natural ingredients, so you can safely store food in them.

These napkins can be used to wrap vegetables, fruits, and bread, store greens, cover cooked food and even freeze food.

7. If you drink tea from sachets, it is better to buy a reusable bag. The fact is that the tea bags contain polypropylene – a plastic sealant that prevents the paper from soaking in hot water. Due to the mixture of materials in the sachets, it is difficult to recycle, and therefore they increase the amount of plastic waste that pollutes the environment.

There are also zero waste solutions for the bathroom:

8. For example, brushes made of natural materials are an alternative to toilet brushes, which are often made entirely of plastic. They are made according to the same scheme as washing brushes: natural bristles and a wood base.

9. If you are thinking of upgrading your soap dish, you can buy a ceramic one instead of a plastic one. It will last a long time and will be an excellent eco-replace for plastic.

10. If you don’t already have a toothbrush cup, you can buy a wooden stand instead of a plastic one.

You can also replace the plastic cup with a glass or ceramic one.

11. Packages in everyday life are always needing, and now there are many alternatives to polyethylene. For example, you can buy backpacks or reusable bags made of flax or mesh material. With them, you can not only go shopping but also store food at home.

12. In case of a cocktail party at home, you can buy reusable metal tubes or bamboo tubes. This will reduce the amount of plastic waste.

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In addition to harming the environment, plastic utensils can harm the human body.

Is it safe to use disposable tableware?

We now live in the so-called Plastic Age. This material is used for everything in a row because of its cheapness and lightness. However, there are already a large number of studies proving the dangers of plastic.

Under the influence of temperature or time, it can emit harmful chemicals into beverages or foods. So, any plastic is dangerous in contact with food, especially if it has scratches that will inevitably appear over time.

What to look for when choosing a reusable plastic container?

Choose only PP polypropylene (“5”), be sure to look for the markings in the triangle on the container and its lid.

But we recommend using non-plastic alternatives – ceramics, glass, food steel (marked “18/8” or “18/10”). Such materials will last much longer. Moreover, glass and ceramics can be safely heated.

What foods should not be stored in plastic containers?

• Fatty foods (oil, fish, etc.)

Oils can be bought in glass, or pour into glass bottles at home for long-term storage.

• Alcohol

Especially beer and light drinks.

• Vinegar

The vinegar reacts quite aggressively with plastic. It is dangerous to use it for eating after contact with the bottle.

• Hot foods

Try not to store any foods in plastic. And even freeze food in glass jars or natural bags. Low temperatures, as well as high temperatures, open the way for chemicals to our foods.

Any plastic enters into a chemical reaction, and its microparticles get into food. To date, scientists have discovered that nine types of plastic can accumulate in the human body.

Manufacturers advise to look at the marks and use the dishes according to them. For example, if there is no label that it can be used for hot drinks, it is better not to do so, because Bisphenol A (BPA) may be released. It is harmful to human health. It is best to prefer dishes made of glass, clay, ceramics.

But if you can not do without plastic:

• choose denser plastic for packaging;
• prefer reusable containers and bottles;
• do not use disposable utensils a second time.

If you bought water in a plastic bottle – do not throw it, do not subject it to any deformation. It is also important to avoid direct sunlight, do not leave it on the windowsill or in the car so that the water does not heat up.

FYI: If plastic is intended only for cold foods, it is not necessary to store hot foods in it. For each plastic product, there is regulatory documentation that you can request from the manufacturer. It must indicate the shelf life of this product and its chemical properties. The manufacturer usually gives a warranty period: if it is written that it is a year of operation, the safety of use applies only to this period, no more.

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In order to stop the exploitation and killing of animals for the sake of natural fur, world brands continue to abandon their use. Instead of natural, faux fur is a trend on the catwalk and in the mass market.

Unfortunately, faux fur is not as environmentally friendly as it may seem at first glance. It is made of synthetic materials – acrylic, polyester, nylon, which are still harmful to nature. For example, during washing, each synthetic item releases about 2,000 plastic particles, which then fall into water bodies and thus harm their inhabitants and people. In addition, faux fur will decompose in a landfill for up to a thousand years.

Along with the desire to be more aware and responsible about the environment, there is an understanding that no matter how hard we try, we must always choose between environmental friendliness and ethics, especially when it comes to clothing. Which shoes to choose – genuine leather or eco-leather? Buy sweater from natural wool or acrylic? And what about faux fur?

The global trend of abandoning the use of natural fur by brands due to the cruelty and unethical production is only gaining momentum.

But how environmentally friendly is faux fur and are there alternatives that can reduce the negative impact on the environment while remaining ethical?

There is a stereotype that natural fur decomposes quickly. This would be the case if it had not undergone chemical treatment during production. Many toxic substances are used to preserve fur: formalin, formaldehyde, cyanide-based paints, which inhibit the decomposition process.

In turn, low-quality faux fur, which can be seen more and more often in the mass market, being in a landfill, almost does not decompose, poisoning the soil, groundwater, and even air, releasing tons of dangerous substances into the atmosphere.

Back in 2011, the Dutch company CE Delft conducted a study on the environmental impact of various materials, comparing natural fur with cotton, acrylic, polyester, and wool.

It turned out that the production of natural fur has the worst impact on almost all environmental indicators, including:

• climate change,
• hazardous emissions,
• eutrophication (waterlogging).

Next was wool, followed by cotton (due to excessive water consumption) and only at the end – polyester and polyacrylic.

It turns out that faux fur, which usually consists of 70% acrylic and 30% cotton, is more environmentally friendly and has less impact on the environment.

What can we as consumers do to save ourselves and the planet? The best solution would be to buy things from small local brands, thereby reducing the carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions during transportation. Also, pay attention to reselling and, if desired, look for other alternatives.

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How a thermo-cup, an electronic ticket, and a flea market reduce deforestation.

Sort and recycle paper

To get a ton of paper pulp, which will make office paper, you need 4 tons of wood. Depending on natural and production conditions, this figure is equal to several felled trees. The production of recycled paper requires half as much raw material. That is, 1 ton of paper pulp requires only 2 tons of waste paper.

Avoid unnecessary printing

If you are already printing something, make sure that it is really necessary, and even better – that it will be used by several people, more than once. Electronic tickets instead of paper, printing on drafts, electronic versions of publications instead of paper – all this makes it possible to significantly reduce the use of paper.

In the world, more than half of paper products are made from recycled paper or cardboard. It can be packaging, toilet paper – it is easy to identify by the appropriate labeling on the package, and if it is not bleached – by the gray color.

Advertising flyers, which are distributed near the subway, live exactly 30 seconds: from the moment they are distributed, to the nearest landfill, where they will not be recycled.

However, this is not the only way to advertise your services or products. By giving up flyers, you encourage advertising customers to use environmentally friendly marketing tools. The same applies to other types of paper advertising products.

HOW: Print on both sides. Pay attention to the structure: a minimum of free space on the paper and slightly reduced margins of the document help to save a lot of paper. Reducing the margins by half can save more than 5% paper.

Discard paper – business cards, notes, or conferences can be downloaded to your phone or other digital media.

Use a thermo-cup instead of paper cups

Paper cups are mostly used only once. To prevent them from getting wet, they are covered with a special polystyrene film, so they can be processed only in special plants, and they are not in every country. In Britain, where such plants operate, seven million paper cups are used per day and 1% of them are recycled.

In some countries, due to food safety standards, a paper cup cannot contain more than 10% of processed raw materials, and therefore requires new wood raw materials for production.

It is estimated that the abandonment of paper cups by the staff of the office, which employs about 50 people, will save more than one tree a year.

HOW: Use reusable utensils at home and in the office.

Exchange things, not buy new ones

Old furniture, books that you no longer use, do not have to go to the dump. There are many ways to give such things a “second life”. The production of new things directly affects deforestation, and their reuse is an important contribution to reducing volumes. This principle works in the opposite direction – if possible, use used things, not buy new ones.

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The ozone layer of the earth is the part of the stratosphere in which ozone atoms are present. The ozone layer creates a thin protective film over the surface of the entire globe and protects all living things from the effects of solar radiation – ultraviolet.

What is the danger?

It is no secret that refrigerants used in old air conditioners pose a danger to the environment. Upon entering the atmosphere, R-22 freon evaporates, rises to the top and, when interacting with ultraviolet light, destroys the ozone layer of the earth. Currently, air conditioners use a new refrigerant – Freon R-410A is completely safe for the environment and much more efficient when used as a “working body” of the air conditioner.

R-410A Freon cannot be used in older air conditioners due to the fact that the operating pressure required for normal operation of the air conditioner with R-410A Freon is one and a half times higher than in old air conditioners with R-22 Freon.

Recommendations in use

Do not forget that you need to use the air conditioner in hot weather properly to avoid unpleasant consequences.

According to experts, after a long break in the use of the air conditioner, you need to wash its filters and wipe the surface of the device under the cover, experts say. This is necessary to avoid the spread of dust and microorganisms that can cause an allergic reaction.

Also, ecologists recommend not to open the windows when the air conditioner is running. This is due to the fact that when you open the window, you can only achieve higher energy consumption – that from the point of view of ecology not be good. The conditioner does not increase the oxygen content in the room, does not replace ventilation. For humans, it is useful only because it affects the body’s heat exchange – ecologists say.

Experts also remind us about the need to service the air conditioner on time.

Currently, there are about 1.2 billion air conditioners in the world, the maximum efficiency of which reaches only 14% of theoretical performance (for comparison, LED lamps to work with an efficiency of up to 89%). The installation of air conditioners in a quantity of 3.3 billion new units is projected by 2050, ie this is a market that is really worth fighting for.

However, not enough is done to increase the efficiency of technology, because manufacturers are interested in reducing the cost of models in retail, but not in reducing the cost of their long-term operation and reducing environmental impact through greater energy efficiency.

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How to stop using plastic, save some money and reduce environmental damage.

1. Buy a reusable water bottle

Your own bottle of water will not only save you from thirst and waste of money but will also give you the opportunity to experiment with the taste of the drink. The most environmentally friendly alternatives are metal and glass bottles, but reusable ones (made of high-quality plastic) are also suitable.

2. Replace plastic bags with a reusable fabric bag

Almost every trip to the store ends with the purchase of a plastic bag. It performs its function for several minutes, after that it ends up in a landfill in the role of garbage or garbage bag.

Small fabric bags are a good alternative. In some stores, you can buy them directly at the checkout. They almost do not tear, do not wrinkle and take up little space.

3. Do not use plastic bags when weighing vegetables in stores

For these purposes, bags of natural fabrics have been invented for a long time. You can buy or sew them yourself from old clothes or bedding. And you can also refuse packages if one product is weighed: one apple, one carrot, one onion or one lemon.

4. Recycle food waste and paper into compost

This method is ideal for the summer season. Creating a compost heap will reduce waste and facilitate maintenance of the garden.

5. Give preference to glass storage systems

They are not only prettier than plastic containers but also do not harm health.

6. Buy wooden combs and toothbrushes

They are not inferior to ordinary plastic in price or functionality. Moreover, some tree species, such as bamboo, have an antibacterial effect.

7. Refuse disposable devices in favor of metal

In stores, you can buy small sets consisting of a fork, a spoon, and a cover, which you can always take with you.

8. Use cotton wool and toothpicks instead of cotton buds

It is not only cheaper but also more convenient since now cotton wool will take only the form that is convenient for you.

9. Replace razors with more environmentally friendly metal machines

Although they are not so easy to use, their contents will cost you a penny. It is worth noting that this item is also suitable for women.

10. Go to other means for intimate hygiene

Daily panty liners can be replaced with a timely change of underwear. And during menstruation, it is better to use menstrual cups or reusable tissue pads. The first can be ordered on the Internet, and the second can be sewn independently.

The transition from disposable to reusable products reduces the amount of plastic waste, and also significantly reduces the cost of some items in the budget. The purity of the planet depends only on us!

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Of course, this does not mean that you need to give up all the benefits of civilization, but it’s worthwhile to acquire useful eco-habits.

Saving water and electricity

The case when it will be good not only to nature, but also to your wallet:

• Turn off all electrical appliances. Even in sleep mode, the computer consumes energy.
• Always make sure you turn off the lights when you leave home.
• Switch to energy-saving light bulbs.
• Check that all the plumbing in the house is working: more than 20 liters of water can pour out of a slightly leaking tap in a day.
• Taking a bath every day is an unacceptable luxury, and for health it is not very useful.

Paper saving

Often we forget that paper does not appear from the air and that all of our unnecessary printouts are ruined trees. Therefore, before you print something, once again think about whether it is so important. In most cases, even electronic tickets are enough to show on the phone screen. Well and, of course, plant trees.

Boycott plastic bags

Surely, each of us at home has the notorious “package with packages.” But let’s face it – plastic bags are harmful to the environment. Therefore, try to take old bags from home with you to the store, but rather, go to canvas bags.

Recycling

Do not throw used batteries into the trash; take them to special collection points.

Do not discard equipment. Working equipment can be sold, and the old one can be handed over to special collection points.

Cleanliness and order in nature

When going on a picnic, do not forget about one simple rule: after us it should be even cleaner than before us. So do not be too lazy to take with you all the garbage that will be in the district, even if it has been lying there for years.

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Currently, garbage is filling our planet, plastic bags, plastic bottles, beer bottles and cans and various liquids.

Actually, all that we do not need, we throw in the trash, including unused items and furniture. Plastic bags decompose in only a few hundred years. And due to the ingestion of plastic waste, about two million birds and marine mammals die each year. Researchers estimate that 75% of the world’s population in 2050 will have difficulty accessing fresh, healthy water if pollution continues at the current rate.

Garbage is toxic and poisons the seas, oceans, rivers, lakes, surface and subcutaneous waters. They poison the soil. Poisonous birds and other animals become victims of poisoning. We read about flocks of dreams many times.

The world produces an incredible amount of garbage and waste. Some of them, such as plastic, break very slowly and for a long time. Since the dumping of toxic waste on land is expensive and risky, many countries are trying to drown them in the seas and oceans. Radioactive waste from nuclear power plants, nuclear weapons factories and waste from hospital laboratories is particularly dangerous.

Americans annually produce more than 600 million tons of hazardous waste. Storage of this waste in itself costs about 80 billion dollars.

Americans produce about 300 million tons of garbage per year. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), every American loses 4.6 pounds per day. 65% is from residential buildings, and 35% from schools, hospitals and enterprises. 55% of this garbage goes to landfills, 33% is recycled and about 12% is incinerated. In San Francisco, 68% of garbage is recyclable. This is the best result among major cities. USA. New York spends almost $ 1 billion a year collecting and recycling trash. And what a city looks like that does nothing to scavenge, just remember Naples. Seeing Naples drowning in garbage is just “you can die.”

One method of disposing of garbage is incineration plants. Combustion energy can be used for heating or power generation. IncineratorsIncinerators facilitate disposal of debris, but pollute the air. From the point of view of environmental protection, it would be more desirable to recycle secondary raw materials (recycling). Recycling of recycled materials reduces the amount of waste, does not poison the environment and reduces the need for raw materials, and thus serves to maintain non-renewable raw materials. The problem is that industry is reluctant to use recycled materials in the production process.

There are so many sources of environmental pollution that it is very difficult to identify everyone. In many countries, a permanent system for monitoring and controlling the state of the threat to the environment was introduced in order to protect public health and launch emergency measures in a timely manner.

The developed industrial world is rapidly absorbing the raw material resources of the entire globe. Only a fifth of the inhabitants of our planet live in rich industrialized countries. However, they consume up to 80% of the earth’s raw materials. Often, different countries rich in poor countries pay them for this service. Thus, “ecological bombs” are created.

We do not have accurate data on how much waste our world produces. We read about poisoned waters in rivers, lakes and seas. Various harmful substances, such as freon, are released into the air. We litter the environment with hard and long-lasting plastic. Pollution of the earth, water and air harms not only people, but also fauna and flora.

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It sounds unbelievable, but over the last few decades we’ve produced enough plastic to wrap the whole globe. You do not need to look at the statistics, just look around yourself – billions of people killed by plastic animals, polluted beaches and oceans, and even our health problems, caused by the consumption of plastic microelements, have become everyday life. What can we do to have a real impact on the environment? Here are some useful tips that should be among our daily habits.

OWN BOTTLES FOR WATER
Recently, reusable bottles have become increasingly popular. The choice is enormous, starting with those to whom we can pour a drink before leaving the house, and ending with filter bottles that we can fill where we like. Limiting the purchase of drinks in plastic bottles is not only saving money, but also a relief for our planet.

CHOOSE PRODUCTS NOT PACKED WITH PLASTIC
When shopping in a supermarket, it’s hard not to notice the overwhelming amount of plastic packaging on all shelves. Try as much as possible, however, those that are not unnecessarily wrapped in harmful to our environment material. After all, we can simply glue the price on the vegetable we buy, instead of packing it into unnecessary nets, which when they return home, will land in the basket? However, if you need to buy something not packaged in a non-organic way, try to take a large package to minimize the plastic consumption, eg change five-liter bottles of water into one.

PLASTIC REPLACEMENT OF METAL FROSTS
If it’s difficult for you to give up plastic drinking straws, it’s worth replacing them with metal ones. For you the difference is insignificant, and for the environment really huge. Also, try not to use plastic cutlery, plates and cups that can be easily replaced with a traditional tableware.

CHOOSE YOUR COFFEE CUP
In an increasing number of cafes, sellers will agree to make coffee or tea for the cup we brought. This is a good solution, because the disposable, even paper ones, seemingly ecological, are often covered with very thin layers of film, which makes them difficult to recycle. We also say NO to plastic covers. It’s worth taking your own thermos with you – this product is easily available in most stores.

CARRY THE BAG FOR PURCHASE
It seems to be one of the most obvious advice, but it can not be overlooked. A wide range of eco-bags is the opportunity to help our environment, and in addition a much more aesthetic option than a regular plastic bag.

TAKE A VOICE
Tell people around you how and why it’s worth protecting our planet from the increasing amount of plastic. Maybe you can convince your close friend, school friend, partner or family to apply a few simple rules that will help our environment. Each of us can have a huge impact on the world in which we live. Let’s not postpone this for later. The right time is right now.

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