Let the Clean Economy Begin

New thinking on climate change

Water-wise Car Washing

Source: GreenTips – UCS Newsletter

Taking your car to the local car wash instead of washing it at home might seem like a guilty pleasure, but from an environmental perspective it is often the better choice. When you wash your car in the driveway or street, contaminants such as grease and brake dust (as well as the detergent itself) flow into storm sewers, which discharge directly into our waterways. Car washes, on the other hand, are required to drain their water into sanitary sewers (which direct sewage to treatment facilities) or to filter and reuse it on-site.

Water efficiency is also a benefit of many commercial car washes. An analysis by the Maryland Department of the Environment found that car washes use approximately 50 to 75 gallons of water per car (assuming the water is not being recycled); using the self-service bay consumes only 15 gallons. A typical garden hose, on the other hand, which has an average flow rate of seven gallons per minute, would exceed a car wash’s water consumption after two minutes compared with the self-service bay or seven minutes compared with the automated wash if the hose were left running.

If you don’t live near a car wash, here are some ways to clean your car in an ecological way:

• Wash on gravel, grass, or another permeable surface. Grass and gravel help filter contaminants from your wash water so they don’t end up in the storm sewer.
• Use a water-saving hose nozzle. A nozzle with adjustable spray settings and automatic shut-off can save as much as 70 gallons per wash.
• Use the right soap. Choose a biodegradable soap that is chlorine- and phosphate-free. Avoid dish soap, which could remove your car’s wax finish.
• Use “gray” water. If you use biodegradable detergents in your home, and local regulations allow, you can wash your car with the water that drains from your washing machine or dishwasher. You can also use captured rain water.
• Dump your dirty soap bucket into a sink or toilet. These drain into the sanitary sewer (instead of the storm sewer).
• Consider waterless wash products. Several companies have developed nontoxic car cleaners that require no water; they are designed to be sprayed on and wiped off with a soft towel.

It’s Easy Going Green

From WWF (www.panda.org):

Environmentalism is often seen as giving things up, but it’s really about doing things better and thinking a little differently. The challenge ahead is to find a way in which we can all lead happy and healthy lives within the natural limits of our 1 planet.

There are many things you can do every day to reduce your environmental impact and live a more sustainable lifestyle. From turning off appliances at home when not in use to switching to renewable energy at the office to choosing the most environmentally friend travel option on your next trip, even the simplest daily activities can make a real difference in protecting our environment.

More on WWF website

Indonesian Earth Hour 2009 Poster

60 menit tanpa lampu

Earth Hour 2009 by WWF – Sign up for Earth Hour!

vote earth!!!

Jungle Camera Traps Reveal Secrets of World’s Rarest Rhinos

YOUR SIGNATURE CAN HELP PROTECT TIGERS, RHINOS AND ELEPHANTS

The Malaysian peninsula is home to some of the world’s most amazing wildlife, including Sumatran rhinos, Malayan tigers and Asian elephants.

But these and many other species in the region are under increasing threat due to poaching and the demand for their body parts in the illegal wildlife trade.

Take action now and help protect wildlife in Malaysia.

Wildlife in Malaysia is currently protected by the Protection of Wild Life Act 1972, which is severely outdated and riddled with loopholes. As a result many species continue to be poached and illegally traded at alarming rates, while wildlife offenders often escape arrest and prosecution.

Please sign our petition and urge the Malaysian government to strengthen the wildlife law.

We will present your name, as part of the petition, to the Malaysian government in August 2009.

Thank you for your support,

Dato’ Dr. Dionysius Sharma
Executive Director and CEO
WWF-Malaysia

P.S. Help us reach our target of 100,000 signatures by forwarding this message to your friends and family. Every signature counts!

Vote EARTH!!!

Earth Hour 2009 by WWF – Sign up for Earth Hour!

At 8.30pm on Saturday March 28 millions of people around the globe will take part in the world’s first vote on climate change.

Earth Hour 2009 aims to reach more than 1 billion people in 1000 cities around the world, inviting communities, businesses and governments to switch off their lights for 1 hour.

The results of the election will be presented at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December this year. We need 1 billion votes for Earth, to tell world leaders that they must take action now.

Join us at 8:30pm Saturday March 28 and take part in world’s first global election between Earth and global warming

Explore the World’s Oceans Online

WWF has partnered with Google Earth as they launch their newest feature, called “Ocean in Google Earth.” This new feature enables users to explore the world’s oceans online and allows audiences to view a wide-range of information about WWF’s marine places, species, threats and conservation projects affecting the world’s oceans.

Climate Change and Global Warming – Introduction

This article covers the issues such as: What is Global Warming and Climate Change? What is the Greenhouse Effect? The Greenhouse effect is natural. What do we have to do with it? What are the impacts of Global Warming? Rapid changes in global temperature, Extreme Weather Patterns, Super-storms, Ecosystem Impacts, Rising Sea Levels, Increase in Pests and Disease, Failing Agricultural Output; Increase in World Hunger.

Anup Shah, Climate Change and Global Warming Introduction, GlobalIssues.org, Last updated: Thursday, January 01, 2009