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WHAT IS GREENWASHING AND HOW TO AVOID IT?

by Lola
written by Lola

Unfortunately, not everything that contains the word “green” in its name means good for the environment. People can easily be misled by “eco-friendly” product labels, which are often neither sustainable nor harmless to the environment. This is exactly what we mean by the term greenwashing. 

Greenwashing: What does it mean?

Greenwashing, aka “green sheen” is a marketing spin, more precisely a form of marketing and PR propaganda that can be seen in various advertising campaigns and even in product design. It aims to misrepresent an organisation, product or service as more environmentally friendly than it actually is. In this way, companies are able to attract more interest from potential customers who want to lead a sustainable lifestyle. 

The term derives from “whitewashing” and slightly differs from the so-called greenscamming and greenspeak. Greenwashing and greenscamming use the element of deception in order to portray an organisation’s activity as eco-friendly or to cover up policies and actions, which are harmful to the environment. On the other hand, although with similar motives, greenspeak is a slightly more neutral term. When a company or organisation “speaks green”, it means that it uses environmental language to falsely represent itself as sustainable. Here you can find more detailed information about greenwashing and its nuances.

Why is Greenwashing a problem?

Well, there really is no need to explain why misleading people is wrong, however, greenwashing can lead to even bigger problems. Giving false information to conscientious customers about the sustainability of a product negatively affects their views on the idea of shopping and even living environmentally friendly. When people feel betrayed, it is normal for them to lose faith in the cause. Nowadays living sustainably is not an easy task and if you fall victim to greenwashing, you are more likely to say to yourself: “There is no point.” and give up.

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Another very serious issue with greenwashing is that it can directly cause damage to the environment. When, for example, a company slaps a “biodegradable” label on a product that is not, you can guess what happens. Eventually, people will treat the product as biodegradable and will throw it away as bio compostable waste. This way it will not break down effectively and will end up harming the environment.

What is more, greenwashing can turn into a problem even for the companies that are using this marketing spin. It can have the opposite effect, leading not only to a loss of trust from customers but also to scandals and lawsuits. In general, greenwashing can be detrimental to all parties involved.

Examples of Greenwashing

Greenwashing is an increasingly common problem and there are numerous examples of it:

McDonald’s 

Let’s take a look at the green sheen history of McDonald’s, which is unsurprisingly rich. In 2009 the giant company changed the background colour of its logos in Europe from red to green. This way McDonald’s wants to appear more environmentally friendly to the public eye. In 2019 they introduced paper straws that eventually turned out to be non-recyclable. And in 2021 McDonald’s announced that they are going to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and accordingly were accused of greenwashing. 

It is a well-known fact that the company is not exactly the greenest, having in mind that they are the largest user of beef in the world. Animal husbandry releases harmful emissions, which have a major contribution to the climate change crisis, more specifically the greenhouse effect. But that is not all. McDonald’s has a practice of using tons of unnecessary packaging that ends up polluting the environment. If you want to find out more about livestock breeding and its impact on the environment, read this article.

Coca-Cola

Before we begin talking about the Coca-Cola company, one thing should be clear – they are the largest plastic polluter worldwide. Considering this, the company recently made a commitment publicly, that they would get every single bottle back by 2030 and recycle them. Of course, not long after this statement, a lawsuit was filed against Coca-Cola for their exaggerated and almost impossible promise, which makes them look more environmentally responsible than they actually are.

Starbucks

Another ridiculous greenwashing case is Starbucks. In 2018, the company introduced a lid with a built-in plastic straw as a response to the high-profile problem of plastic pollution. However, it turned out that the new straw-less lid contained more plastic than the original lid and straw combo. Starbucks must be acknowledged that this time at least the plastic was recyclable. Although, critics say that if something is recyclable it does not necessarily mean that people will recycle it.

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Are regulations helping us? 

There are different regulations for greenwashing around the world and different countries have different conceptions about those regulations. For example, the body that deals with greenwashing in the European Union is the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). It handles investigations related to sustainability problems. Counterfeiting harmful to the environment products and services is one of the many issues OLAF regulates. This also includes greenwashing, greenscamming and other deceitful practices that are misleading about the eco-friendliness of an organisation. 

On the other hand, in the USA things look a little different. The responsible body there is the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which deals with environmental marketing claims. There are four green guidelines that give the right to the FTC to prosecute deceiving marketing techniques. However, the intention behind those guidelines is to be followed voluntarily and not to be enforced. 

How to avoid Greenwashing?

Undoubtedly, the best method to protect yourself from greenwashing is to do a little research before you buy something branded as “environmentally friendly”. Take a look at the sustainability claims of the organisation and if they seem too unspecific and vague, there is probably something fishy. Always look for more detailed information and certifications.

Try to stay sceptical and do not trust every “eco-friendly” label you see. Also do not be afraid to ask questions. If you are feeling doubtful about the sustainability of a certain product, reach out to the company and learn more about their claims. Something very important that you should pay attention to is the organisation’s transparency. Real environmentally friendly companies are always transparent with their actions and practices. 

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Another thing that is definitely a red light when it comes to greenwashing is green claims, which are not supported by facts. Just because there is a label that says “eco-friendly” does not mean that the product is necessarily sustainable. On the contrary, it is common for such eye-catching claims to turn out to be a trap, aiming to attract more customers.

Just like any other type of disinformation, greenwashing is hard to avoid these days. Still, it is not impossible. You just need to learn to be more careful while shopping and to not blindly trust everything you see. Read, research, ask and inform yourself. This way you can successfully prevent becoming a victim of greenwashing. 

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AirEnvironmentSoilWater

20 Sustainability Facts That May Surprise You

by Lola
written by Lola

The environment has so many variations, So it’s very difficult to understand it from every angle, we look at 20 fun environmental and sustainability facts.

Our top Sustainability facts

  • Seaweed maybe the food of the future. The farming of seaweed is becoming more and more popular. Seaweed is versatile and highly nutritious and can grow quickly when compared with on land crops. Some forms of seaweeds can be harvested in as little as six weeks. With an ever-increasing worldwide population, Seaweed really looks like an amazing way forward for food production.

  • The circular economy is a really useful way for products to be reused and have longer product lifecycle. Also In doing so, save thousands to the yearly budget for the average household. Would you like to learn more about the circular economy and potentially save your family a lot of money and help the environment at the same time check out our article on the Circular economy. 

  • The indigenous population only accounts for 5 per cent of the global population but is responsible for the protection of 80 per cent of the world’s biodiversity. Maybe we should be looking towards the indigenous people as a trend setters and learn from their methods.
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Sustainabilty facts part 2- The future of electricity

  • Electric cars do actually produce carbon, 17 metric tons to be exact. It is a much smaller amount when compared with a normal combustion engine car that produces around 45 metric tons. Long-term production methods can be advanced to reduce the amount of carbon electric cars produce in production.  

  • An Ambitious project by the name of the Sahara solar breeding project aims to build solar panels by extracting silica from the desert sands. The goal is to not only produce solar panels but build solar power stations. This ambitious plan will use the electricity from previously built solar power stations to power the manufacturing of solar panels. The overall aim of the project is to build enough solar power plants to fullfill 50 per cent of the worlds energy needs. The future looks bright.

  • Global energy production is the world’s biggest emitter contributing to 60 per cent of all greenhouse gases. To put this into context to power the entire world with solar we would an area of 500,000 square kilometers. In context this would only use up 1/18th of the Sahara desert. That’s just Solar alone, adding wind and hydroelectric and any other methods into the mix it looks possible that we could power the world sustainably.  

If you are interested in technology and the environment check out our article on sustainable technology of the future.

Trees, trees, trees

  • Planting trees is the cheapest way to reduce emissions over expensive and high tech methods like carbon capture. The cheapest and best way forward is by simply planting trees. Seems obvious, now time to get on with the job ahead, we as informed customers should demand sustainably manufactured goods.

  • Paper from trees can be recycled up to 6 times, seems like a lot except when compared with aluminum. Aluminum can be recycled an unlimited number of times. Aluminum is a very versatile metal. It does not rust or corrode and is said to be the most abundant metal on earth.   

  • A global initiative launched by the world-famous ethologist Jane Goodall aims to plant 1 billion trees in the next decade, which seems like a great initiative if ever there was one. Worldwide there are over 3 trillion trees.

  • China and India some the world’s biggest pollution emitters, plant more trees by a significant margin than any other country. With 80 per cent of all wildlife living in forests and 20 per cent of global emissions coming from forest destruction. We need to look after our forests 
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Now, ten more sustainability facts

Sustainabilty facts part 3- What about in your household?

  • Biodegradable plastic doesn’t necessarily mean it will easily degrade, there are a number of factors, even though some plastics may say they are biodegradable they maybe only able to be recycled in a few special recycling centres. Some biodegradable plastics only degrade under very specific conditions, which could mean they end up in landfill and degrade at the same level as regular old plastics. Around 30 to 50 percent of the world’s plastic is biodegradable. Be sure you are getting easily degradable plastics when purchasing.

  • Running a tap for 2 minutes uses around 3.5 gallons of water, taking a shower uses around 25 gallons of water and taking a bath uses approximately 60 gallons of water. Daily tasks tend to use up a lot of water. It may make you think when running the tap and a shower is definitely a better use of water than a bath.

  • LED’s or energy efficient bulbs could reduce the amount of energy needed by up to 75 percent when compared with the standard incandescent bulb. Added to this these types of bulbs last up to 25 times longer than standard bulbs. Time to replace those old bulbs.

  • Rainwater harvesting is a great way to collect otherwise wasted water for future uses. Rainwater harvesting is more and more becoming a building requirement in warmer countries. In wetter counties the chance of collecting and potentially being partially self sufficient in water usage seems like a great way to save money and the environment.

  • A water faucet that leaks one drop of water per second, adds up to 165 gallons of water a month. With temperatures set to increase and demand for clean water at an all time high, making sure your leaky tap is sorted is more important than you may have thought.  

The most surprising sustanability facts

  • Changing your font from Arial to Times new roman can save up to 30 percent of your ink usage. 30 per cent is a big number especially with the high cost of printer cartridges. Save money use Times new roman.

  • Laptops use much fewer resources to produce than desktops and use around 50 per cent less energy. Who would have thought laptops are so much more energy-efficient.

  • Wave power is a lesser talked about source of energy that could be an easier way to produce energy. Wave power is consistent and creates per meter around 30kw to 40kw of energy. With Solar and wind power being very much dependent on the weather conditions. Wave power may well be the future first choice for energy.
  • Plastic bags and Styrofoam take around 1,000 years to decompose, so be careful this up and coming Christmas and ensure your packaging is sustainable.

What country is the most eco friendly?

Denmark is the most ecofriendly country on the planet, followed by Luxembourg, Switzerland and then the UK. Sustainability in Denmark is built into their culture and has been part of their culture for hundreds of years. They also have a world-class green energy system.  

So, That’s a wrap, so what sustainability facts are the most surprising and what sustainability facts should be common knowledge?

Want to learn more about sustainability, check out our Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, or if you need sustainable products, that have gone true rigorous testing to ensure they are in fact sustainable, check out our marketplace at Green Cloud Nine

   

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AirLiving SustainablySoilUncategorizedWater

Sustainable Agricultural Needs To Be Talked About More

by Lola
written by Lola

Sustainable agricultural needs some work.

So, what does the average person really know about sustainable agriculture? Can it affect the environment? Yes, Is it important, of course. We take a deep dive into all things’ agriculture, what’s good what’s bad and how the future looks sustainably.   

Let’s start with a definition as a basis:

According to the Merriam webster:

Agriculture is

“the science, art, or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock and in varying degrees the preparation and marketing of the resulting products”.

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So, cows produce lots of methane 

So, most people know that cows’ stomachs digest in a complicated way. Cows produce a lot of C02 and can cause overgrazing in green areas. This causes an increase in desertification and land erosion, which is obviously bad.

Dairy and meat products are very popular, so the idea of just removing livestock and hoping this will solve the issue is not very practical. Farmers and governments need to find a balance, to keep everyone happy.

What about crops?

Crops have issues too, the use of harsh chemicals are damaging to not only the land but also to the wildlife and waterways. If good environmental practices are not kept, this has an effect on other areas too. Many staple crops are a vital part of the diet of local people. So having a happy medium is the overall goal.

Ok so let’s look a bit deeper at some sustainable agricultural issues, that we currently have.

All things livestock

There are also the problems of where the animal manure goes when it is produced. Will it seep into local water supplies? This could cause possible illness and depending on where in the world the farm is located could mean extreme sickness or even death. Water pollution really is a worldwide problem.

Planting and natural vegetation headaches

Deforestation

Farm animals need land to graze and be held. Unfortunately, in some poorer areas, the only way to do this is to cut down forests that contain valuable wildlife. These areas also balance the local ecosystem. Interestingly, It takes 20 times less land area to feed a person with a plant only based diet. This seems pretty considerable seeing as similar benefits from meat can be found in plant-based meat.

Some well-known large-scale deforestation cases have been seen in Brazil, Liberia and Ecuador. All of which have a wide range of wildlife that are being endangered and potentially wiping out some species. Reforestation has so many benefits and is a cheap way to cleaner air and healthier ecosystems.  

The use of damaging chemicals, are they really that bad?

Agriculture uses a large number of different chemicals to increase yields and protect crops against potentially harmful pests. Other usages include cleaning and disease protection for animals. But obviously, some of these can be harmful too.

An example of this is the use of the fertilizer N03. If it ends up in the water supply, It could, in turn, lead to bluebottle disease for babies still in the womb.

In terms of animal life, the use of Organo-phosphates insecticides such as parathion and malathion can damage Algae in Rivers and lakes which provide oxygen for fish. The issue here is it could mean the fish can actually drown.

Farms need plastics, right?

Plastics are used in many parts of the agricultural process from the roofing of greenhouses to the plastic used for bales of hale for animal feed.

It also helps in the process of growing food that normally can’t be produced during colder seasons. Many of the plastics that are being used are difficult to recycle or even not recyclable at all, which is not so good.   

Animal Agricultural, what is being done?

Amazingly, healthy animals have been shown to produce less C02 than normal, which seems like an easy place to start to reduce emissions? you might think, it can’t make that much of a difference, right? Well, animal produced emissions can be reduced by up to a staggering 30 per cent with proper dietary care, and disease control.

Next, up Vaccines, we are pretty used to this word at this stage, but how about an animal vaccine?

In New Zealand Scientists are working on a vaccine, that will alter animals’ digestive systems to reduce or even eliminate the emissions they produce. Maybe this is too good to be true, only time will tell. But if it worked and was priced appropriately and with proper government legislation in place this sounds like a game-changer.  

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Sustainably produced wood and paper needs to be everywhere.  

How are companies are dealing with extensive deforestation?

Deforestation is now a bit of a buzzword, but with good reason. Many blame the recent extreme weather as a consequence of the extensive deforestation practices. So, what is being done to help? For many, it’s their only way to put food on the table for their families.

A good solution might be by starting with the companies that are buying the wood in the first place.

In 2020 companies like Penguin and Marks and Spencer’s signed up to buy only sustainably sourced wood and paper, which seems like it should be standardised by governments. But it’s a start.

Checking and supporting companies that follow these types of initiatives, will not only help these companies but pressure others to follow in their footsteps.  

Plant-based meats- Does it really taste like meat?

So, what about agriculture? Producing plants rather than farming agriculture might be the answer. Around 50 per cent of the world, habitable land is being used for agriculture, but livestock agriculture only produces only 20 per cent of the world’s calorie count.

Plant-based meat has been massive gains in support and is already mainstream in many developed countries. Could plant-based alternatives be the answer……

Off land, the farming of seaweed is growing in momentum as seaweed can grow in many different climates and helps regulate the sea’s level of acidification. It is easy to grow in large amounts and has a large nutritional value. Seems like a win-win to me.    

Natural pesticides- What are the options?

Obviously reducing the number of chemicals that help with our food production has been shown to improve our health, but with an ever-increasing world population, is that really practical?

The use of natural pesticides could be a good alternative, a good example of this is the use of rosemary plants, the rosemary plants attract predatory insects that in turn kill the insects that cause the disease.

Most interestingly In India, an army of ducks are being used to eat crop-damaging pests. Which seems like a novel approach. That is all good and well, but what about farms that have thousands of hectares of land? Well, that’s a bit more complex and chemical producers need to work less harmful pesticides for a start.  Sustainable agriculture adds an extra area of complexity, but maybe the old methods just work.

Plastic, plastic everywhere

Laws in the US and in China, don’t fully push the use of biodegradable plastics in all sectors of Agricultural. The US and China are also the biggest users of such plastics. So changes in the law could cause a massive effect on the future of sustainable agriculture as a whole.

The use of biodegradable plastics is becoming more and more popular. The use of biodegradable plastics on crops seems like the most viable option but still hasn’t become mainstream. In 2019 China banned the use of low-quality plastic mulch for planting. Unfortunately, this has only seen a margin reduction in plastic waste.

The US currently has no laws at all in relation to plastic being biodegradable. Going forward all governments need to look at their plastic usage. Small Legislation changes could make a massive difference.

We at Greencloudnine only promote and sell products that have passed a sustainability audit as we believe in honest sustainability. Want to learn more about sustainability? Check out our post on green technology. Alternatively, if you are looking for tips on how to be more eco-friendly check out our post sustainable lifestyle changes.

Promote the use of planting in urban areas and your local areas,

Some unused areas are now being seen as a blank canvas to be turned into an oasis for city life. Not only can rooftops be used as communal areas, but also gardening areas, to produce fruit and vegetables for families.

In Tokyo, Japan on a train station roof, someone came up with the bright idea to create a rooftop farm. You can rent a plot that comes with the necessary tools to plant what you like. This means you and your family can benefit from cheap fresh locally produced vegetables and fruit. Seems like a win-win for everyone.  This is the true meaning of sustainable agriculture.

Similarly, micro parks also known as pocket parks are becoming more popular. In urban areas, they’re ideal for locals to enjoy nature, socialize and bring down temperatures and pollution levels.

New York City has a number of micro parks, most notably the beautiful Paley Park. Micro parks are very popular and show that with limited resources, they are a very viable idea for cities worldwide.

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Support your local farmers:

Why not support your local farmers? Reduce the amount of distance your food travels, and also gain all the great health benefits of very fresh produce. Ideally buying from sustainable organic producers.

Sustainable Agriculture is the way forward, it doesn’t just benefit the wildlife but us too. Sustainable agriculture promotes the air we breath and the food we eat.

So, have you enjoyed our segment on Agriculture? Why not check out our post on the wonderful Kombucha, the sustainable drink of the future. More of a social media fanatic, check out our Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn channels to keep updated on all things great in sustainability. 

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Extreme Weather Events July and August 2021
AirEnvironment

THE DEVASTATING CLIMATE CHANGE EVENTS OVER THE SUMMER

by Lola
written by Lola

The end of summer is here and September has just begun. 

I hope that you enjoyed your holidays and had a great time in the company of family and friends and that you were able to rest and chill!

Both in my home country, Spain, and where I currently live: the Austrian Alps, this summer has been very typical when it comes to the weather. Well, in fact not just this summer but all around the calendar in the last few years, we have noticed extreme weather changes and more dramatic consequences: for example, we have often jumped from extreme heat close to 40°C one day, to unusually cold temperatures, around 10°C the next. 

This is something that concerns me. Have you noticed what happened in our world during the summer? 

Our ecosystem experienced a series of extreme weather events. Unfortunately, what we just faced is a preview of what will happen more frequently in the next few years, bringing increasingly devastating consequences, especially if we don’t do anything to prevent it. 

Here you can find a recap of which events hit our planet, and, of course, us as humans too:

🌡️ DROUGHT AND HEAT WAVES

In many countries, the last months of June and July were the hottest months ever recorded. 

In Siberia, until now one of the coldest places on earth, ground temperatures even reached 48°C.

A shocking piece of news: summers in the Northern Hemisphere could last nearly six months by the year 2100!

Do you like summer? Of course, everybody does, but would you be happy to experience drastic temperature changes and be unable to appreciate spring or autumn anymore? The biggest issue is the fact that harsh changes of Earth’s seasons carry risks for the environment and human health. Sectors that are dependent strongly on certain temperatures and precipitation levels such as agriculture, energy, and tourism would be particularly affected. And because seasons dictate the life cycles of plants and animals, climate change could disrupt species’ ability to adapt. 

As temperatures increase, so does the incidence of illness and death. For example, extreme heat kills more Americans each year, than hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and lightning combined.

🔥WILDFIRES

This summer officials found fires along the western coasts of the USA and Canada, across the Mediterranean, and in Russia, where the forestry protection agency has recorded about 240 fires! 

Firefighters in Mediterranean nations including Italy, Turkey, Greece, and the Balkans attempted to contain these horrible forest fires for weeks. Turkey alone has suffered 2,105 forest fires since January, and smoke still lingers incessantly in some areas.

Of course, these fires cause a loss of biodiversity and extinction of plants and animals, loss of natural regeneration, and a reduction in forest cover. This results in an increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and of course, global warming. 

Global warming itself can be the trigger of this phenomenon too. As you can see, it is a never-ending destructive cycle.

Fire fighting helicopter carries water bucket to extinguish the forest fire

🌊FLOODS

Floods have killed more than 200 people in Europe this summer alone. 

Days of rainfall led to severe flooding in the central Chinese province of Henan. The monsoon in India was more severe than ever. In Myanmar and Bangladesh, villages housing Rohingya refugees were flooded. African countries are also battling severe floods.  

All around the globe, many people died and hundreds of thousands lost their homes to these natural disasters. 

The heavier rains cause rivers, and lakes to overflow, which not only damages life and properties but also contaminates drinking water, creates dangerous material spills and promotes mold infestation and unhealthy air. A warmer, wetter world is also a precursor for food and water-borne illnesses and disease-carrying insects…

Flood water covers the roads and part of local houses in the Fishlake area on November 12, 2019 in Doncaster, England.
DONCASTER, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 12 (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

↪️ WHY ARE THESE CLIMATE-CHANGE EVENTS HAPPENING OVER THE SUMMER ?

Establishing a direct causal link between an individual case of flood, fire, or storm and the broader climate situation is a research field that is still evolving — and something that is still hard to investigate practically. 

A lot of factors can influence a natural disaster, including local weather conditions, the shape of the landscape, human choices… Even without climate change, some catastrophic events would occur. But the fact that climate change is making extreme weather more frequent and intense is a “sure connection”, says Peter Stott, an expert in climate attribution at the UK’s Met Office.

NOAA reports that June this year is the fifth-warmest June in the 142-year global climate record. Evidence shows that 2000 to 2009 was hotter than any other decade in at least the past 1,300 years. This warming is altering the earth’s climate system, including its land, atmosphere, oceans, and ice in various ways. 

If you find these Reports related to climate change interesting, you can’t miss my last article about the UN Report.

Climate scientists say with every 1 degree Celsius rise in temperature, the air can hold water longer, leading to a hot and dry condition in North America. But it also leads to an increase in huge rainfall in Europe.

Today’s scientists point to climate change as “the biggest global health threat of the 21st century.”  If you think that we are alone in this struggle, and what we do here won’t cause any harm on the other side of the world, you are wrong! We are all indeed connected. 

We think it’s time to become imperfect warriors for our environment and pay attention to small changes to be made in our daily life to protect our world! Soon you will find easy tips to help fight climate change from the comfort of your home!

We leave you with this quote:

“In a world of more than seven billion people, each of us is a drop in the bucket. But with enough drops, we can fill any bucket.”

David Suzuki

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AirEnvironmentSoilWater

WHY THE 2021 UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE REPORT IS VITAL FOR SUSTAINABILITY

by Lola
written by Lola

You have probably heard from many media sources around the world about this United Nations report. You may or may not know why this report is incredibly significant for sustainability. So let’s explain in more detail, the last report was created in 2019 and gave a very detailed account of where the climate and environment currently are and how they may change.  The main body of the united nations for climate change is called the IPCC. They use science to predict and help mitigate impacts and risks now and in the future caused by climate change.

What’s most interesting about these findings are they are not just some hearsay from an unreliable source. This report is backed up by science. So how concerned should we be?

Let’s start by talking about what the actual findings are:

Co2 levels are ever increasing:

  1. According to the IPCC report, the Co2 level as of 2019 are at the highest levels for the past 2 million years. Which sounds pretty significant. With an ever-increasing world population, and a high dependency on fossil fuels. It only looks set to increase. But only time will tell. With many hardworking environmentalist groups determined to implement change.

The Ice caps are more important than you think for climate change.

  1. Global surface temperature is increasing year on year faster than ever before. The ice caps are melting causing an increase in sea levels. Which has already according to science been the explanation behind an increase in erosion and flooding. Most recently we have seen extreme flooding in parts of Europe. Floods in Europe of this magnitude haven’t been recorded in over 500 years. 

Deforestation is destroying the environment:

  1. There has been a consistent increase in greenhouse gases. This is caused mainly by human activity. Land and sea are absorbing around 56 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gases. With the continued deforestation worldwide and water pollution, its a cause for concern. Countries like Nigeria, which historically had almost 50 per cent of the land area covered by trees. Now it’s down to only 10 per cent. This affects poorer countries the most, with many using the forests as a livelihood. 

Get ready for sweltering temperatures  

  1. Year on year increases in world temperature’s, which are only due to continue. Animal migrations are causing animals to change their behaviour, eating habits and where they migrate to. This has a knock-on effect with other animals and plants that depend on the migration.  The temperatures are also causing some of the warmer areas to be uninhabitable. Some people are even being forced to leave their land . Most recently the highest ever recorded temperature was recorded in Europe with a scorching 48.8 degrees on the Italian island of Sicily.  This maybe a sign of things to come.

The rainy season is crucial for monsoon life:

  1. A Decrease in monsoon rain, likely caused by aerosol emissions (sea spray, smoke and dust). It’s surprising how the little things can have such a big effect on the environment. Changes in the levels of rain in the monsoon have a massive effect on the wildlife and people of the monsoon lands. Aerosol emissions can cause the weather to be altered. This has a considerably negative effect on people and wildlife’s sources of food, water and shelter.   
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Let’s talk some more about climate conditions 

Even more devastating Typhoons:

  1. An increase has been seen in the number of tropical typhoons over the last 4 decades. Typhoons cause destruction and damage wherever they are. According to this report it is most likely the result of man-made pollution. In 2019 Japan was hit with typhoon Hagibis which was the 19th typhoon of that season. It caused immense flooding and around 10 billion USD of damage. Is it set to continue? 

More wildfires and drought? 

  1. Interestingly the IPCC report says that it is very likely that heatwaves, droughts and fire weather are likely caused by man-made practices. Most recently we have seen the Australian wildfires, which are usually started by lightning strikes or by people. Due to the extreme weather the fires spread further and lasted longer than previously seen.
  1. So, what does it mean if the ice caps melt, just some flooding, right? Well, the ice caps surface does more than just retain water. The ice caps snowy surface amazingly is responsible for reflecting the Ultraviolet light away from the earth. But how much UV are we talking about? Clean fresh snow can reflect up to 90 percent of all the suns ultraviolet rays. This truly shows how significant the poles are for our future.  

So, let’s turn this around and talk about innovative solutions, it’s not just big businesses and governments that are responsible, we are too. Why not, play your part and check out our environmentally verified vendors who care and like you want to be part of the green movement? 

So, what is being done?

Well, let’s take a look at some very interesting and innovative ways environmentalists are moving the bar, for the better. 

We need more flora and fauna 

  • Sea levels: Early warning detection systems, improved floodplains and flood resistant hoses are some ways being used for low level areas. These methods are helping combat rising sea levels and saving people from relocation. But are they enough? Places like Dar es Salaam have been trying to relocate locals who are in areas most likely to be hit by floods. 
  • But what about green initiatives? In Jakarta, Indonesia, locals are using more green space to combat flooding. The increased use of vegetation means that flood water is absorbed at a much higher rate. Protecting the surrounding areas.    

Carbon capture technology seems promising

  • Worldwide temperatures: As the United Nations report states, there has been dramatic changes already in our climate over the last 100 years. And even more rapid changes in the last decade, the use of renewable energy, and reducing the amount of CO2 into the environment will make a incredible difference. Also the reduction or elimination of energy production that damages the environment. A massive increase in reforestation and other technologies like carbon capture, could help too.
  • All of these methods need to come together to aid in the reduction in global warming temperatures.  This is the tip of the ice berg, in terms of progress, but its a start.

Electric vehicles and Solar power

  • Green houses gases: the biggest areas of responsibility for greenhouse gases are Industry, Transportation and electricity. So, finding ways to reduce or eliminate these effects will play a big part in the future of the plant. For transport we have seen increases in the use of Electric vehicles. Hydrogen also could be a very viable option if it can be produced greenly, and less labour intensively than it is currently. 

  • Energy production: the use of renewable technology like wave, wind and solar power. These are all good viable ways to have 100 per cent renewable energy powering a country.

  • In industry production methods also need to be changed to combat damaging polluting effects. This Sector is a massive user of electricity, so powering it sustainably, is massively important. Sunnier countries have an ideal situation to increase solar energy levels. Provide jobs and possibly even export excess electricity to the less sunny countries.

  • Current solar projects include putting solar panels around the perimeter of the Sahara desert. This project could power all or some of Africa in the near future. The future for solar looks bright.   
sun, solar energy, solar power plant-4020112.jpg

Will carbon capture save our current and future climate ?

A more obvious method to reduce carbon is using plants and our oceans to absorb and store the C02. Scientists are finding interesting ways outside of the obvious. How about innovative C02 absorbing material, or carbon capture devices. These methods are becoming more and more common. Carbon capturing is where the carbon is taken in from the atmosphere and stored, usually underground. In highly polluted cities like Beijing, this technology is already in use. The city has seen good results from this method and many other countries are also using this technology.

Usually, this method of technology is complicated and expensive.

But some innovative companies are testing carbon capture machines on a smaller scale. They are offering carbon capture devices that are much smaller and easier to transport and cheaper to purchase. Will we see carbon capture machines in our homes? Maybe.

Fake snow  

  • The arctic and Antarctica: We previously talked about how the ice caps reflect UV rays from the sun. The reduction in the size of the ice caps will have a negative effect on UV protection for everyone. But some scientists are testing the use of artificial snow. This is used to fill in the gaps left from melted snow. Scientists have seen positive results from this method, but it seen as a last resort.
  • Other possible solutions may come in the form of wind powered pumps that can make the ice in a sustainable way. Finding the ideal solution will not be easy. Our efforts are the best way to bring our environment back to being a good place for the world’s stakeholders.   

Artificial rain 

  • Heatwaves and drought: The use of artificial rain is one way that’s being looked at, Dubai is testing the use of cloud seeding. This is where scientists seed chemicals into the clouds, which makes a reaction that makes it rain. This technology has been used in the US for many years, but issues with possible water pollution from the chemicals used are still an issue.   

If you’re reading this and support the ever-changing environmental movement, why not check out our new post about the amazing kombucha the drink of the future. You can also find us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook to keep updated on interesting environmental reading and green entrepreneurship.

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    Wooden toy cars on a green grass field
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    WILL TRANSPORT EVER BE SUSTAINABLE?

    by Lola
    written by Lola

    Finding a sustainable transport method is not easy.

    I sold my car last year, after driving it for over 10 years. I had purchased my Mazda second hand, and when I first got my hands on it, I decided I would drive it until I simply couldn’t anymore. After sixteen years, it could no longer pass the vehicle inspection, and it became time to retire it. 

    Once I had turned in my car, I thought long and hard about whether or not I was ready to invest in a new vehicle. At the time I was starting some online studies which did not require physical presence and I was working only part time in Innsbruck. I found several good connections with the train, and I could reach the station by foot in just 15 min, so the idea of getting a little walk to the train, plus having an environmentally friendly and stress free commute, convinced me that getting a car did not make sense at all.

    So I bought a yearly train + bus ticket and that has worked great for me, even considering that this part of the world is a bit challenging when it comes to infrastructure.

    Unfortunately, the happy solution I have been enjoying, may no longer work for me in the near future. I am currently working from home, but once my startup gets launched and starts growing, I will likely need a proper office space to work from. Also in the next few years, we would like to build a house in the plot of land we bought 2 years ago, which I am afraid, is not at walking distance to the train station. 

    So, I know that at some point, I am going to make a decision about how to move around, and whatever I end up deciding, I would like it to be sustainable. I am sure that many of you are facing a similar dilemma, so let’s look together at some data.

    The hard reality of transportation

    Busy traffic and pollution in a city

    The environmental impact of unsustainable transport methods is not to be taken lightly. Cars and other transportation models that are dependent on oil and gas are incredibly unsafe and increasingly unsustainable for the environment and clean driving. 

    Cars and trucks collectively account for nearly one fifth of all global emissions!!

    Each vehicle produces about 2,6 kilograms of carbon dioxide and other dangerous greenhouse gases per every liter of petrol used, with 10% being derived from the extraction, production, and delivery of the gas and the remaining 90% coming right out of vehicle’s tailpipe and going straight into the atmosphere. 

    The international transportation sector accounts for over a third of global emissions every year, and oil-related emissions continue to be on the rise. Your average passenger vehicle releases 4600 kilograms of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year; the equivalent of 74 full barrels of poisonous and fatal gas being released right into the very air you breathe. 

    These statistics are a sobering look at the reality of the dangers of unsustainable transport. For me, this was enough to make me want to never drive a regular car again.

    What about public transport?

    I personally enjoy using public transportation as a greener alternative to any car. But there’s also the added concern that many modes of public transportation are not environmentally sustainable, relying on heavy petrol or diesel fuel in addition to oil and similar fuels that continue to pollute the planet. 

    Public transportation it’s not perfect: an inner-city bus emits approximately 125 grams of carbon dioxide gas per passenger and kilometer. Heavy rail transit like trains or subways emit 6 grams of carbon per passenger and kilometer, while commuter rail lines emit closer to 63. 

    These small figures are drastically better than the individual private vehicle rate of 250 grams per passenger and kilometer. However, when you factor in the amount of individuals who use public transportation every day and consider that the carbon dioxide emissions are calculated per individual and per km traveled, the carbon footprint of public transportation becomes formidable as well. 
    On the bright side, public transport helps reduce traffic congestion, and don’t rely on lithium-ion batteries – the potentially dangerous reusable batteries that power many alternative cars, and if fully utilised can be a fantastic alternative to private transportation.

    Do we really have sustainable transport alternatives?

    Without discussion, the greener way to move around is to walk or to cycle, but unfortunately that is not always an option, especially if like me, you live in the mountains. I tell you more about that in this other article. 

    As I was researching, I found different choices for so-called sustainable vehicles on the market, and within them, surely you have noticed the incredible hype around eVehicles. Every car manufacturer is offering their own version and promoting their benefits for our personal and professional lives, but beyond the publicity, it’s important to consider if they are as sustainable as they promise and whether or not they might make a good option for us.

    Some arguments in favour of electric cars

    eVehicles, or electric vehicles, are cars or trucks that charge and power only through electricity. They continue to break into the transportation sector as a popular sustainable alternative for private transportation and are being marketed as the next generation of sustainable and reliable travel because they offer some clear benefits:

    Your electric vehicle just needs access to an electric grid and can charge overnight or for just a few hours, almost similar to how you would charge your phone when not in use. 

    Efficient, affordable, and environmentally friendly, they are an innovative new way to commute to work, school, and everything in between. 

    Electric vehicles are designed to reduce a number of dangerous environmental impacts in comparison to traditional cars. They don’t need petrol or diesel, they don’t emit carbon-heavy and dangerous smoke, and they only need electricity to be fully active. 

    They reduce pressure on fossil fuel public transport systems by giving people more options to travel and commute, which in turn improves air quality and benefits the atmosphere. 

    Electric vehicles also last a long time. Their design is resistant to water and climate damage so you can invest now and cut your travel expenses and environmental impact in half.

    Electric cars are not the ultimate solution for green transport

    The batteries that power electric vehicles are made from lithium-ion, and they make up almost the entire lithium-ion market. Against what we may think, the usage of these batteries produce a large amount of carbon emissions, meaning that every time you drive your electric vehicle you’re increasing your carbon output even as you decrease your oil input. 

    Producing the battery for an electric car uses twice the amount of energy it takes to make a traditional or combustible car engine and also has twice the global warming potential. 

    Another shocking fact is that battery production creates more environmental pollution than just carbon emissions; for example the pollution involved in mining the materials for the batteries has already damaged thousands of kilometers of land and water and polluted many cities and nearby areas in Latin America.

    Batteries are also expensive and challenging to recycle, so at the end of your electric car’s lifespan you’re really producing a lot more waste which is hard to dispose of.

    On the bright side…

    While it’s true that some electric vehicles are responsible for considerably lower emissions than other traditional vehicles across Europe and across the world, some have been found to produce up to three times less emissions than other traditional methods of transportation, including public transportation. 

    Also, it seems that in many smaller countries electric vehicles don’t make that much of a difference in immediate energy consumption or emissions reduction. Not only that, but the production of electric vehicles also has a tangible impact on related local and global ecosystems.

    The emission rate of electric vehicles is not consistent and depends highly on the local atmosphere and air quality. For example, in China, an electric vehicle might actually produce more greenhouse gases than traditional methods of transportation based on the level of existing air pollution around them.

    How is the outlook for the future?

    There are still many questions around the sustainability of electrical vehicles. We have seen that some benefits of electric vehicles are tangible, and manufacturing and driving emissions continue to fall as manufacturers further innovate and refine their sustainable energy practices. 

    On the other hand, the cost of this sustainable progress could also mean even more pollution in our atmosphere

    Another critical point to consider is that if countries don’t decarbonize electricity, no matter how great e-vehicles are, if they run on dirty electricity they will not be really sustainable, and not much better than traditional fuel cars. 

    A promising outlook comes from the intense research around hydrogen as a fuel but whether we will be driving clean Hydrogen vehicles any time soon it is to be seen.

    At the moment, I find myself undecided, so I hope I can hold up my decision to buy a new vehicle for a while and see how this whole thing develops.

    What are your thoughts on electric cars? How are you solving your transport challenges?

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