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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!
Oscar
and Belle
Baby clothing from sustainable
products
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!
Littlearth
Ecofashion!
Ethical
Superstore (previously Zero Point
Zero ) - Ethical green gifts!
Even
Greener
Save water, compost and feed
the worms!
Gossypium
Fair Trade Clothing
Planet
Earth Clothing Co
Eco-friendly extreme wear
iStraw
Cleaner, purer water
Strata
Shops
Including furniture from
recycled materials
Go Faxer - fax without paper!
Moku Gift - Fight global warming! - plant some trees!
Terra
Plana
Eco footwear!
GREENPEACE
Eco Warriors!
Basket
Ware
Eco friendly baskets!
Envirofone - recycling of old mobile phones
Pure Planet Recycling Ltd - recycling of old computers and electronics
Phone Recycle Bank - sending phones to developing countries
Love 2 Recycle - they will also take your old phone off your hands!
Indigenous - organic clothing
Yew Clothing - eco-friendly sportswear
Isle of Eigg - folk with good-sense energy generation
Prancing Leopard - green fitness wear
Very PC - energy efficient computers
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.
Bio Diesel and other Alternative Renewable Fuels
Extinguish underground coal mine fires
Energy Efficient Electric Light Bulbs
Rapanui - famous eco-fashion company based on the Isle of Wight
Eelgrass-Friendly Mooring Buoys
Cardboard Boxes in Shops - Re-use is better than recycling!
Solar / Wind Power - was http://www.earth4energy.com/indexx.php - shame about the Clickbank Problem
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
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
Greener Scotland - recycling, as seen on TV.
Climate Crisis - Famous environmental commentary by Al Gore in "An Inconvenient Truth".
Adventure of a Thermohygrograph - environmental monitor on tour
Eco-friendly electricity? See Powergen
Solar Power in Spain: Temple Business .NET
Renewable Power Solutions - RPS Solar and other ecological sustainable energy generation
Toyota Prius Battery - also see Hybrid Cars
Rubber inner tubes (even if punctured) can be effectively recycled in a strange style of stretchy string
Waterworld? - is that a possible fear?
Spies infiltrating Ecological Groups - Funny, I thought the police were supposed to catch actual criminals? However, now we know about the infiltration, it may be time to figure out how to dig out "moles" and also to lobby the government to cease wasting £250,000/year on being silly.
Carbon Sequestration - notions or facts?
Carbon Trust - How to save energy and save money for your business - was www.thecarbontrust.co.uk - GONE! How can that have disappeared?! I thought it was for the long-term future!
Warm Front - free loft insulation - saves money AND the environment
Coral - save it! - the rich abundant sea-life, not just the gambling casino, although that's quite fun too!
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
Hungarian Red Sludge - shame about the Danube
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 - was http://www.poormanguides.iblogger.org/index3.html?hop=zyra1 - shame about the Clickbank Problem
Compost - organic / kitchen waste recycled into soil
Electricity - make it, don't buy it! - another helpful eBook - was http://www.electricitybook.com/?hop=zyra1 - again, shame about the Clickbank Problem
If a tree falls in a forest and no-one hears it, does it make any sound?