A round-up of this week’s environmental, green and ecofriendly news and updates.
You know those cheap goods that are made in China? (They’re everywhere). Well, there’s a price to pay for them.
They’re definitely cheaper in store. But Chinese-made goods bought in the United States and western Europe have killed more than 100,000 people in China in one year alone – a direct consequence of the air pollution caused by their manufacture, according to New Scientist.
When we see pictures of the terrible smog in Beijing, we think that China really needs to curb its pollution. But mot of that pollution comes from making consumer goods – for us.
(And were not even mentioning the problems of plastic manufacture and disposal).
Next time you see household goods that are made cheaply from plastic in China……
Because I don’t smoke, I haven’t researched e-cigarettes. But I should have!
There are some very interesting things about them – from second-hand smoke to their effect on the environment.
Read all about them in this useful guest post.
An Australian home builder has announced plans to include a Tesla Powerwall in all new homes. The move is expected to slash electricity costs for homeowners.
Solar panels on home rooftops will gather energy, which can then be used to power appliances, fed back into the grid, or stored for later use. Cloud-based monitoring means homeowners can track energy consumption right from their smartphones. Good stuff!
How much do you drive? A lot? A little?
I used to drive a lot – I had a very long commute to work each day. For more than 10 years.
Now I work from home. It’s changed my life. Here’s what happens when you drive less.
Global Green News:
A Michelin-starred French chef is phasing out beef from the menus of his restaurants in France and the UK. Bruno Loubet tells his chefs that, because it takes 7 kg of grain to make 1 kg of beef, it’s not sustainable. Instead, he focuses on making fabulous vegetarian dishes. He’s not a vegetarian but he eats very little meat, in line with his belief that we need to slow climate change.
New research seems to indicate that breathing through your nose (rather than your mouth) is better for you. Apparently it helps you to think more clearly, as well as filtering out bacteria and dust from the air. You also get slightly more oxygen. So, close your mouth!
Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is clearly visible at night this week – it looks like the brightest “star” in the sky (until Venus rises just before dawn). Jupiter will be unusually close to the moon (a rare occurrence) on the 10th April, so look up to the sky after twilight and you’ll see the two travelling across the sky all night.
US Green News:
I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised. Properties owned by the Trump family are among the least energy-efficient in New York City, according to a new report. Some examples:
- Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue uses more energy than 93 percent of the city’s largest residential complexes.
- The Mayfair, a hotel-to-condo conversion owned by the Trumps, uses more energy than 98 percent of comparable multifamily buildings.
The full moon this month is on the 11th April, and it’s called the Pink Moon – not (sadly) because it turns pink, but because of the gorgeous pink flowers of the wild ground phlox throughout North America at this time. The April full moon is also known as the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon and the Fish Moon.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
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Some good stuff here today, Clare. I avoid buying made in China stuff. Stopped shopping pretty much altogether anyway. It’s how I make my political statement. Stopped years ago. Do you know how hard it is to buy clothing NOT made in China? Hadn’t given the pollution problem for them a thought till you mentioned it. How much do we need? I don’t need e-cigarettes or any kind. I can’t even be on the same block as a smoker. Already enough lung damage after living with smokers for 40 years. Moved out of California to get away from bad air. I drive very little. Once a week maybe and never far. Doesn’t help my insurance premium any though. My sister drives a LOT! My daughter uses public transport most of the time. I do as well. Do wish I could afford solar panels but we have so many cloudy and rainy days a year, I doubt they would pay for themselves. We still need to get them more affordable.
You’re right Marlene, it’s really quite difficult to avoid things that are made in China – they really are everywhere. My parents and sisters all smoked while I was growing up. It was so horrible that I vowed never to start smoking – my father was told he had to stop smoking for medical reasons and I saw how difficult it was. I’m really glad I never started. Isn’t it interesting that insurance premiums don’t take into account how much you drive? Luckily the price of solar is coming down all the time (it’s one of the few things), but yes, it’s definitely way better in sunny locations. How terrible to have to move because of bad air quality! Thanks for commenting!