Zyra's front
page //// Categories //// The Natural World //// site index
Environment and Ecology
Ecology, environmental issues, green issues, recycling, saving the environment, resource-management, good sense generally.
There's a popular misconception that all human activity is a sin against the environment and that anything high-tech is fundamentally bad. But Green exists in many shades, some naive Green, some crazy green, some more like Red (as in The Red Flag and the flying thereof). However, there is a sensible way of thinking about the Ecologicals, which is that the end-product of complete disregard of anything environmental will result in the end of the world. So, it's good to have a moderate set of environmental principles.
Cutting down trees isn't bad for the environment, provided you plant some more. Using energy does no damage to the environment, provided the energy comes from various free natural resources which never run out. For example, solar, wind, wave, hydro, will never run out. In contrast, non-renewable resources such as coal and oil will eventually be exhausted, as they don't get renewed in reasonable time. Atomic fission is also unenvironmental as the waste-product doesn't go away.
One of the myths of ecology is that anything capitalistic or decadent is fundamentally anti-environmental. Not true. For example it's possible to run a high-performance car on pure alcohol, methanol, or hydrogen, all of which are entirely naturally renewable. The more rich you are, the more practical it is to do things environmentally. Managing the environment has many parallels to managing your money!
Another idea going around is that you can never win and never do any good, and that the environment can only be worsened and never improved. What I recommend on this is to terraform the planet Venus. Nature has made the planet Venus an environmental disaster, but humanity could convert Venus into an earthlike planet with reasonable weather and life. It is a matter of having an advanced spacegoing technology.
Meanwhile, as that's some time in the future, there are practical environmentally-good things that we can all do now. Recycling, re-use of stuff, generally doing things the right way rather than the wrong way. Putting used teabags on the garden is a good start.
This page is going to require considerable expansion, but in the meantime here are a few interesting items...
A few links and pages:
The eccentric: Burning Gambling Machines to Save Money
It's possible to recycle an automatic washing machine glass as a cooking bowl
Wind Power Asia 2003 (was
http://www.cnwpa.org/)
Save animals from extinction:
World
Wildlife Fund
Join WWF - sponsor an animal -
gift membership - etc.
RSPB
Much more than just birds!
Sea Salt
Eco cotton clothing!
Campaign To
Protect Rural England
Supporting local produce not
supermarkets!
World Land
Trust
Buying lands to preserve
habitats and their wildlife!
Climate
Change
Things that remain important
regardless of who's to blame for Climate Change.
Alana
Ecology
Nature watching made easy!
Natural
Collection
Natural Goodies!
Green
People
Organic health and beauty!
My Being
Well
Natural health and beauty!
British
Eco
British Ecology!
Zero
Point Zero
Ethical green gifts!
Even
Greener
Save water, compost and feed
the worms!
Gossypium
Fair Trade Clothing
GREENPEACE
Eco Warriors!
Basket
Ware
Eco friendly baskets!
Envirofone - recycling of old mobile phones
Very PC - energy efficient computers
Bio Diesel and other Alternative Renewable Fuels
Energy Efficient Electric Light Bulbs
Recycling of AOL CDs - that's a shame for AOL! - was http://nomoreaolcds.com/
Computer Recycling - also see Linux
Conserve a tree - experts in ecological recyclable paper
Tree 2 My Door
- ecological gifts: A great
'sustainable gift' website offering tree gifts and wild flower
gifts. The throw away culture of the 1980's and 90's is passing
and a new culture of sustainability is fast becoming the norm -
that's what makes Tree2mydoor the gift site of the future!
Tree2mydoor
offers a unique 'Ancient Wisdom' tree gift range, allowing
Internet users to explore the ancient meanings of native trees to
the British Isles. According to Celtic wisdom, selected trees
belong to different Zodiac signs and have individual ancient
magical properties. The Beech tree, for instance, is considered
the 'Mother of the Woods' and offers protection and nurturing. It
represents deep wisdom and was assumed to help formulate future
ways. The 'Tree of Love', the Crab Apple, is symbolic of healing
and immortality, while the Rowan is the Celtic 'Tree of Life'.
The Rowan was thought to help lift emotions and encourage
relaxation.
On the subject of renewable energy and Biofuels, go and have a look at the CLA website (Country land & business assoc.) at www.cla.org.uk
Eco-friendly electricity? See Powergen
Rubber inner tubes (even if punctured) can be effectively recycled in a strange style of stretchy string
Waterworld? - is that a possible fear?
Carbon Sequestration - notions or facts?
Carbon Trust - How to save energy and save money for your business
Coral - save it!
www.cat.org.uk - Centre for Alternative Technology - we offered them a website in 1987
www.biodieselfillingstations.co.uk - Bio Diesel
Freecycle.org - stuff changing hands for nowt. - good, but you should have a separate email address for it.
Conservation of Indigenous Beliefs - credodiversity
www.cix.co.uk/~dmccarthy - does an environmental audit for you
www.greenmetropolis.com - book recycling
Don't Dump That! - Give things away (free), don't throw things away. Find things you want (free), rather than having to buy them.
CO2 references - carbon dioxide
www.itsnoteasybeinggreen.org - Dick Strawbridge and his bold eco-friendly household!
Poor Man's Guide to DIY Windmills and other Alternative Energy Projects - an eBook and other downloadable stuff
Compost - organic / kitchen waste recycled into soil
Electricity - make it, don't buy it! - another helpful eBook
If a tree falls in a forest and no-one hears it, does it make any sound?