desiree_jade410 asked:


honestly, i think things are getting way way out of contoll!! i bought pullups for my youngest last week, and they went up 4 friggen bucks!! how are we supposed to live like this? what are you doing as far as “going green” if we all did just a little, it may be a little easier on everyone else!

DALE

Gregg Hall asked:


Biofuels are made by taking matter and making it into fuel. I recently was watching dirty jobs on the discovery channel and saw an Isuzu pick up truck running on bio diesel. Now I thought to myself how in the world and what is bio diesel. Bio diesel is the oil from fryers like a restaurants deep fryer. The makers will take gallons of used vegetable oil and peanut oil basically any fryers oil and use them to make bio diesel. It is a long process but it only cost about 55 cents a gallon and gets about 40 mpg depending on the vehicle. I can’t exactly remember how it was made but there was a chemical reaction with the methanol that made all the sludge stick to the bottom of the gallon and after that you have bio diesel.

Even though the government still has a long way to go to get these alternative fuels many Americans have already learned the chemistry to producing these fuels. A recent study by a Pacific Northwest university said that they cannot find a way to make the fuel as good as gas made from oil. Gas will only go so far but the bio diesel will go a long way because it is cheap to make and isn’t hard to convert motors to run on them they just have to already be a diesel motor.

Biofuels are made by using matter from the environment to make a usable fuel to burn. These biofuels better to use then the fossil fuels that we burn every day. The bio fuels need to be able to use in cars or vehicles because that is where most of out fossil fuels go to. They need to make a way or fuel that can run in any car and can make it at a very cheap rate.

Even though it has a long way to go till everyone is using these there are still a few people in the United States who have these bio fuel labs in the garages at home. The study done up north by a university still cannot find out why they can’t make a small amount of bio fuel and that is because you don’t have the right properties. You are probably trying to use something with no significant bio value at all.

Even though the oil has been though in the stock exchange does not mean that we Americans cannot make something that can be used as an every day alternative, dropping all the oils prices are not going to do it because then people will continue to use them. The people just need to take the matter into their own hands and make something that can be used every day as a fossil fuel alternative. It isn’t hard people are already using bio diesel every day. Nothing stopping them from making their own. The government knows how to make these fuels they just don’t want to because they want to keep stealing all our money even though they are the ones printing the money.



HAYDEN

Glady Reign asked:


The increasing harmful effects of greenhouse gases from car emissions are being felt by almost every country in the world. Due to this, effort has been put to the development of cars that will use alternative fuels for it has been proven that such vehicles would be actually able to help produce less or no harmful emissions at all.

The choice of alternative fuels is great but the efficiency of these possible energy sources is still in question. Problems still arise from the use of alternative fuels to which dedicated companies are investing time, effort, and money to find solutions to. One of the first mass produced cars to address the problem is the Toyota Prius which uses an electric motor to drive the car though in a very limited capacity only. Other companies are also developing cars which will not only provide good performance but, at the same time, help in the campaign to protect the environment.

One such company is Volvo - the Ford Motor Company subsidiary based in Sweden which is known for their safety-first attitude towards the production of their cars. The company has developed a Flexi-Fuel system that allows the car’s engine to work on a combination of ethanol and gasoline. This technology is already being employed by some of their car models available in selected European market. These models are the newly unveiled Volvo C30, the S40 sedan and the V50 wagon. Their fuel of choice is the E85 - the 85 denotes the percentage of bio-ethanol in the engine’s fuel with the other 15 per cent being gasoline. The combination reduces the cars’ emission of harmful greenhouse gases by as much as 80 per cent without endangering the cars’ performance level.

The engine of the cars which employs the FlexiFuel technology has been modified slightly to accommodate the corrosive nature of ethanol. The different components which come in direct contact with the fuel have been fortified to increase their resistance to the corrosive effect of the biomass-derived fuel. Parts such as the Volvo valve cover gasket, fuel hoses and different seals have been also modified for use with the ethanol based fuel. The injection valves are likewise reinforced and increased in size due to the fact that E85 has lower energy content than gasoline. Hence a larger amount of fuel needs to be burned to give the engine the same power produced by gasoline-only engines.

The use of ethanol as fuel is a good step towards harnessing alternative renewable sources of energy but it has its drawbacks. Problems experienced by ethanol powered vehicles includes, but is not limited to, the negative effect it has on electric fuel pumps by increasing internal wear due to the fuel’s corrosive nature. E85 is also not compatible with capacitance fuel level gauging indicators which may result on erroneous fuel quantity indications. Another question on the ethanol’s use as fuel is the manner by which it is produced. While cars which use this kind of fuel decrease our dependency on fossil fuels, the process to produce ethanol actually means having to use fossil fuels.

Whether the decrease in the emission of car is greater than the release of harmful greenhouse gases from the process of producing ethanol remains to be seen. While ethanol is priced lower than gasoline, the ethanol’s energy content is lower than that of petrol which means that the engine will need larger amount of fuel in every intake stroke. This fact poses a question whether using E85 will increase the cost incurred by the consumer on their fuel consumption.

The use of ethanol on a mass produced car is just a small step in harnessing alternative sources of energy. This technology alone cannot single-handedly resolve the global community’s dependence on the fast-depleting reserve of fossil fuels but it is a significant step forward.



MOSHE

Jeanette Bronee asked:


Isn’t it about time that caring about what sustains us is part of our daily awareness and lifestyle, and becomes a constant practice like brushing our teeth?

Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Profit before survival seems to be more important. Short-term perspective comes before long-term, and our interaction with the planet that takes care of us every day isn’t something that comes naturally to us.

I’m talking about Mother Earth. Earth Day has come and gone; are we still keeping Her in mind?

How can we take something this essential to our existence for granted? Luckily, going green is the buzz phrase these days. Finally, it’s fashionable to be earth friendly. When our appearance is more important than our values, we lose the aspect of being human and the ability to interact instead of using. The ability to see ourselves as a part of a relationship that is an expression of who we are, rather than what we would like to be perceived as, is lost.

Nine Easy Actions to Keep Mother Earth Healthy

The obvious one is recycling, which seems so basic that it should be second nature, but it isn’t. Please go out of your way to recycle and if possible, compost.

Choose products from recycled materials over those that aren’t. For example, spend a little more money on quality clothes that last longer, then save those items until they come back into fashion. Or give it to those who need it when you don’t. Some companies are also introducing eco-fashion, even big-name brands like Levi.

Carry your own bag instead of getting one from the grocery store. There are a lot of little foldable ones on the market these days that fit nicely into your handbag.

Choose non-toxic products. This is better for your health and the environment.

Eat in a way the helps sustain the earth rather than exploiting it. Consider buying locally or purchasing food from your neighborhood’s farmers market.

Buy produce and food in its whole form so little or no packaging is needed.

Get a water filter and refill a water bottle instead of buying more plastic ones.

Get your newspaper online. And don’t print documents unless you need to.

Save energy. Turn off lights, don’t wash dishes under running water, only use the air conditioner if really needed, and use rechargeable batteries.

Product Tips and Food Choices

Choose Organic Foods

Eating organic food is healthier for you and for the environment as it omits the pesticides and toxic fertilizers. It also helps sustain smaller farmers, instead of factory farms, which leads to less pollution.

Factory farms pollute more and contribute to global warming. Apart from the fact that they treat animals inhumanely, the meat from these animals is harmful to your health. Choose sustainable farmed food, adapt a food-style high in vegetables, and when eating meat and eggs, choose from free-range, non-antibiotic, and non growth-hormone animals.

Choose fish from non-toxic farming resources or from the wild.

Shop and eat in appropriate proportions, cook with care, and don’t waste it. This does not mean eat everything on your plate, that doesn’t help the environment either. Overconsumption causes disease and therefore more waste with the need of medicine and hospitals, not to mention, you suffer. Instead, ask in advance to omit foods from the dish that you already know you are not going to eat anyway. Bring leftovers home with you for lunch, or give it to someone hungry in the street.

Go Wasteless and Choose Natural, Non-Toxic Products

Try to buy non-toxic household cleaners, unbleached toilet-paper, and paper-towels. You don’t have to breathe in the fumes or have toxic products touch your skin. It also causes less pollution to manufacture these products. Products from Seventh Generation, EarthWise, BioKleen, and Ecover are all good options.

Use recycled paper at the office and omit the throw-away pen.

Store your food in glass containers that last longer, especially if you use a microwave (not recommended) to heat your food. Plastic breaks down over time and is also unhealthy for you as it leaks into the food when heated.

Buy microfiber cleaning cloths that are washable, reusable, and trap the dirt and spills better than using tons of paper towels.

Buy larger containers of dish soap and pour into smaller containers as you need it, instead of many small bottles.

Wash and dry out your Ziploc bags. Hang it on a chopstick in a glass to dry.

Buy products that come in glass containers with lids that ***** on so you can use them for storage later.

Take off your shoes indoors means less cleaning, less use of energy, and less toxins in your home.

Choose airlines with the newest fleet when traveling. They use less fuel.

There are many things you can do to green your life, every day of the year, not just on Earth Day. All it takes is a conscious mind and a willingness to take care of our planet with everyday choices.

“Achieving genuine happiness may require bringing about a transformation in your outlook, your way of thinking, and this is not a simple matter.” The 14th Dalai Lama



HUMBERTO

ToyDirectory.com® and TDmonthly™ Magazine asked:


Try Out New Products and Eco-Friendly Activities

By Julie L. Jones

April 2008

Given the barrage of environmentally friendly product hitting the market, now is the perfect time to capitalize on “green” by celebrating Earth Day not only on April 22, but all month long. Aside from sporting earth tones and attaching seed packets to your business cards, what can you do? Read TDmonthly Magazine’s 12 tips below:

1. Notify Press Early. Contact local media in early- to mid-April and let them know your store is “a source for kids to start thinking about being ecological … and [has] toys and educational products that will reinforce this,” advised Jon Schallert, retail marketing consultant and president of The Schallert Group Inc.

2. Create a Special Section. “Thematically organize products that are green-oriented into a section of the store,” Schallert suggested. Products by Imagiplay and Uncle Skunkle Toys feature sustainable rubberwood, for example, and Kapla planks are made with wood from renewable pine forests.

3. Involve the Community “by having a wall of art from a local school — with environmental messages,” suggested Executive Director Trish Poe of Kids For a Clean Environment. Doing so may encourage visits from kids who want to see their artwork on display.

4. Try a New Earth-Friendly Line. “I think [Überstix] would be a nice product to bring in close to Earth Day,” Donna Frederick, manager and buyer for The Play House Toy Store in Durham, N.C., told TDmonthly. The company makes “scavenger” craft kits that encourage recycling.

5. Blog About It. In the weeks leading up to Earth Day, feature one eco-friendly toy a day — on your blog, on your website, or in an email to customers. Not only do the press gather story ideas from blogs, Schallert told TDmonthly, but “a blog immediately elevates you in search engine rankings.”

6. Become a Donation Post. “[Toy stores] could be a collection point for toys ‘gently used’ and offer a percentage discount for items received per family,” Poe told TDmonthly. The toys can then be cleaned, disinfected and donated.

7. Help Customers Shop. “Create a shopping list of the top-50 green-oriented games and toys [you] sell,” Schallert recommended. “I’d teach every one of my sales people to put these lists in customers’ hands: ‘Here are 50 toys we’ve highlighted around the store that are just great for teaching kids about ecology.’”

8. Recruit an Expert. Bring in a schoolteacher or environmentalist to talk to your customers about steps they can take to help protect the environment. Have them award small prizes from your store to kids who answer questions correctly.

9. Partner With Manufacturers. See if any of the companies you work with are having special promotions. More than 150 retailers, for example, are participating in an in-store contest with Plan Toys’ Balancing Cactus Game, awarding prizes to players who balance the most branches.

10. Reinvent Your Window Display. Spotlight eco-friendly products and, on a sign next to them, indicate why they’re so designated. Or, build a dollhouse out of recycled soda cans. Get creative!

11. Teach a New Game. Children attending Earth Day festivals in major cities will learn to play Matter Group’s Xeko adventure game. What can you teach in your store?

12. Read About the Earth. Host a day with arts and crafts activities and a special story hour, Poe suggested. You can find a couple of earth-friendly book options in TDmonthly’s Eco-Friendly section, along with several other “green” products.

To read more, please visit: http://www.toydirectory.com/monthly/article.asp?id=3173



MARCIA

Hilal Abdelwali asked:


Ever since the military allowed the design of the hummer to be made public, people have gone crazy over its design. General Motors acquired the brand name and marketing rights of the hummer and now that alternative fuels have begun to grow in popularity, they are also beginning to make an alternative fuel hummer.

Classically, the hummer has been a non-favorite vehicle for environmentalists because it gets horrific gas mileage and uses more gas than a regular vehicle. That is why it made sense for someone to come up the design for an alternative fuel hummer that would be easy on the environment as well as the drivers pocketbook.

There is a pioneer in the green movement to make a hummer that could run on alternative fuels. He is with a non-profit organization who promotes cleaner air by using cars that burn alternative fuels instead of gasoline. He decided that he was tired of his gas guzzling hummer and wanted to make it more environmentally friendly considering his association with him. So he set out to make an alternative fuel hummer. And he succeeded.

He now sells alternative fuel hummers that have shown to be very popular and selling at a really quick rate. He tricks out his vehicles and makes them visually appealing as well. He is highly thought of especially among the young crowd who want an environmentally safe vehicle that looks cool and can run on alternative fuel and that would be Toms hummers.

His alternative fuel hummers run on bio-diesel made from soybeans and corn. They use less petroleum than a hybrid car and are capable of running entirely on vegetable oil alone. That is right, you can run one of his alternative fuel hummers on Crisco! This alternative fuel hummer may be the biggest thing on the road, but it does not use one drop of petroleum and gets 23 miles per gallon.

Celebrities are big fans of these alternative fuel hummers including California governor Arnold Schwarzneggar who owns two hummers that run on bio-diesel. He recently had one of his hummers modified to run on hydrogen as well which emits absolutely no greenhouse gas which, of course, is great for the environment.

If you love the look of a hummer but want one that runs on alternative fuel, fear not. The product is out there to buy ready made or you can one converted into an eco-friendly vehicle. Keep in mind it will cost you some money, but when you consider what you are doing for our planet, owning and driving an alternative fuel hummer can be well worth the cost!



HUNG

Alisha Dhamani asked:


If it’s a diesel, it’s an alt fuel vehicle by default. Biodiesel blends can be used in any diesel engine; however, it’s important to use the blends in accordance with the manufacturers specs. With more and more clean diesels coming on line, keep your eyes peeled for those ULSD pumps too. With fueling stations in all 50 states, it’s getting easier and easier for diesels to go cleaner and greener.

Biodiesel is a non-toxic and biodegradable fuel that is made from vegetable oils, waste cooking oil, animal fats or tall oil (a by-product from pulp and paper processing). Biodiesel is produced from these feedstocks through a process called transesterification, by reacting the oil with an alcohol (usually methanol, although ethanol can also be used) and a catalyst (such as sodium hydroxide). The resulting chemical reaction produces glycerine and an ester called biodiesel. The majority of biodiesel is produced by this method.

Compared with conventional diesel, biodiesel combusts better with a higher cetane rating and produces fewer life cycle greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) which contribute to climate change.

Biodiesel blends, a mixture of petroleum diesel and biodiesel, can be used in any diesel engine. As biodiesel can be blended with diesel in any concentration, the blend level depends on economics, availability, the desired emissions level, material compatibility and combustion characteristics.

An increasing number of Original Equipment Manufacturers are endorsing the use of lower biodiesel blends, e.g, 5% in their engines. Some manufacturers now extend warranty coverage for new diesel powered vehicles to use lower blends of biodiesel, provided the fuel meets applicable standards. Some manufacturers also provide vehicles pre-filled with biodiesel blends.

In colder climates, biodiesel tends to lose viscosity, particularly at higher blend levels. To counter this effect, changes to the feedstock source or additives may be needed to address the cold flow properties of this fuel. Research and testing is underway to reduce biodiesel production costs and address cold weather problems.

Biodiesel is considerably less flammable than petroleum diesel, which burns at 50 C (120 F). Pure biodiesel (B-100) does not ignite until 150 C (300 F). The flashpoint (the temperature at which it will ignite when exposed to a spark or flame) of a biodiesel blend falls somewhere between these temperatures, depending on the mixture.

Because biodiesel is a mild solvent it is important to wipe up spills and dispose of rags safely. Biodiesel may deface some paints if left on painted surfaces for a long time.

Hybrids are vehicles of mixed composition basically, an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. Commonly powered by a gasoline engine that generates its own electricity and stores it in an onboard battery, hybrids are a popular choice for awesome fuel economy and squeaky clean emissions.

Pure electrics offer zero emissions and plug directly into a standard AC outlet–while their range is limited, there are a selection of good choices available.

If it’s a flexible fuel vehicle (FFV) it can subsist on a diet of E85, gasoline or any percentage of the two. E85 is 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, and burns cleaner than gasoline, contributing fewer greenhouse gas emissions.One of the cleanest burning fuels, natural gas is a common retrofit and fleet alternative fuel.

Although there are over 5 million vehicles worldwide powered by natural and compressed gas, in the United States there’s currently only one production vehicle available that comes ready to fuel up at any CNG station–but that’s not the only way to power up with CNG.

Also known as liquefied propane gas (LPG), propane powers over 10 million vehicles worldwide, with 270,000 of them on the roadways of America. Find out if it’s the fuel of choice for your set of wheels.

There are basically two ways to use hydrogen to power a vehicle burning it in an engine or using it as an energy carrier for a fuel cell. While hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are in various states of development, there are a few that have actually hit the roads.



LELA

Tina Rinaudo asked:


Most businesses use promotional products to advertise their businesses, especially at conventions and trade shows. However, it is important for many people to be environmentally friendly. While many promotional products are not, there are choices that you can pick in order to promote your business while still keeping nature in mind. Using environmentally friendly promotional products will help you and your business do your part to save the world.

First, consider the product from which the promotional products are made. Plastics are common, although products can also be made out of paper, wood, ceramic, and a variety of other materials. Before ordering, call the company to find out their policy about using these products. Where the plastics recycled? Can be they recycled easily? Keep in mind that recycling plastics can usually be done, but some communities limit the categories of plastics that can be recycled. 1-5 are usually your best bets. In any case, paper products can also be recycled.

Learn about how the products will be shipped to you as well. Larger products will undoubtedly take more space, and therefore require larger shipping boxes and more packaging material. Of course, you can work with your promotional products company to discuss shipping options in order to cut costs and be more environmentally friendly. Sometimes, smaller boxes are possible. If the order is shipped together, you may also be able to cut back on packaging. You can even discuss the use of recycled newspaper or other environmentally friendly packing options with your promotional products company. It never hurts to ask, right?

Remember, if the product is useful, it is better for the environment. Why? Well, if a product is useful, there is less of a chance that people will throw it away. Unfortunately, many people do not recycle, meaning that your promotional products have a good chance of ending up in a landfill. Instead, useful products will be continually used in the home. Mugs, cups, umbrellas, pens, letter openers, and Frisbees are all good examples of promotional items that are less likely to find their way to the trashcan.

You can also provide promotional that promote not only your business, but also saving the environment. A great example of such a product is the tote bag. Tote bags can be used in place of paper or plastic bags at the grocery store in order to cut down on their consumption. However, you can also attractively print your name or logo on the side of a tote bag in order to advertise your business. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

Of course, don’t forget that you and your business can do other things to help the environment as well. Use recycled paper to print brochures and business cards. Carpool to conferences, driving when possible instead of flying. Use the same displays and posters wherever your go and for as long as possible. If businesses around the world team up to be more environmentally friend, the earth will be a happier place to live.



KENDALL

Cody asked:


So what’s going on?

I have naturally really blonde hair like kind of platinum/silvery. It’s getting a green tinge but I don’t want to shave it all off can I reverse this and prevent it from happening?

EARLINE

Crazy Stuff asked:


I think it should because the earth is more brown than green

…….Maybe it should be change to going blue!…..

Think about that!

JULIANNE