Ecology – Eco Karen

7 Tips How You Can Save Paper at School

Students use computers today so much that when they use paper, they forget to save it. Online writing services like PaperWritten help students with assignments so they don’t have to write anything. Even though the world is digitalized, we still need paper for many basic tasks, especially in school. So how can students save paper in school?

Paper is a very precious resource because as you know, it is gotten from trees. Saving paper means fewer trees have to be cut to process more. Forests are essential for human survival because they help reduce the carbon Iv oxide levels in the environment. Without trees, the world would feel like a boiling oven.

In many schools, paper accounts for close to half of the trash and most times you’ll find its unused paper. Every school requires a paper-reduction programme that teaches students the importance of saving paper.

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1. A Paper Reduction Policy

This is the best place to begin as a school because if there are rules against wasting paper, students learn to save what they have. The paper reduction policy should not apply to students alone but to teachers as well. After all, the students will most likely follow what the teachers do.

Teachers should lead by example so that students can follow suit. The paper reduction policy should not just be a number of printed rules printed out and pinned on walls around school. It is the institution’s obligation to ensure each student knows about the policy.

Teachers should keep reminding their students why saving paper is so important to the environment. This is an excellent way for society to raise environmentally friendly children.

2. Educate the School’s Entire Fraternity

You realize that schools are not comprised of students and teachers alone. If the entire school is to save paper, everyone should be educated on the importance of doing the same. Educating the school’s entire fraternity ensures the institution works towards a common goal. The parents should also be looped in because school is not the only place students use paper. This should be a principle instilled in students and the practice should not end when they step out of school.

3. Post Signs on Printers

Printing is among the ways in which schools waste paper. Learning institutions should post signs on printers to remind whoever is using it to save paper. You should cross check setting before printing to ensure you’re printing out the right documents. Also, don’t print out extra copies unless it’s absolutely necessary.

4. Re-Use Single-Sided Paper

Many students assume that once one side of paper is used, they can trash it. However, there’s an entire side that remains unused. Re-using single-sided paper is not only environmentally conservative, it also teaches students to maximize the resources they have. Wasting resources just because you have enough is not a sustainable approach.

5. Do Away with Towel Dispensers in Wash Rooms

Instead of using paper towels in washrooms, schools should consider installing hand driers. This is an excellent paper-reduction strategy. Paper driers are convenient and reliable. They dry hands fast and they don’t have to waste output in schools.

Schools should ensure they install hand driers from well-reputed companies so they don’t have to worry about regular repair or replacements. Spending a little more on quality products ensure they last for years.

6. Each Class Should Have Waste Reduction Goals

When each class sets waste reduction goals, the school’s overall waste output will significantly reduce. Institutions should even consider making this a contest where the class with the lowest amount of paper waste wins. This is an excellent motivation for students to maximize the resources they have.

The administration should also track paper usage across the school and centralize paper orders. This is also an excellent cost-saving strategy because schools don’t get paper for free, or do they?

7. Settings on All Printers Should be Double-Sided

Every printer in the institution should print on both sides of the paper. The departments concerned should check all printers and copiers to ensure the default settings have been changed to double-sided. This way, no one will accidentally print on one side without knowing it.

Many times, people hit print without confirming if the settings allow for double-sided printing. This is especially true for people in a rush to get their documents out. Students should also be taught how to use printers and copiers so that they can apply what they’ve learned at home. After all, the aim is to ensure students hold these principles dear throughout their lives.

Conclusion

Saving paper is an excellent environment conservation strategy because papers are manufactured from trees. Schools should ensure they come up with paper reduction policies and educate everyone on why it’s important to save paper. Teachers should lead by example because students are likely to emulate their teachers.

The Advantages of an Eco-Friendly Home

With eco-living trends on the rise, it’s important to know what benefits making your home environmentally friendly can offer.

I’ve seen a major increase in eco-living trends within the past decade. More and more people are making their homes more sustainable, effectively reducing their carbon footprints. What benefits does making your home green actually offer, though?

We all know it makes an impact on our lives and the environment, but what is the full extent of that impact? Can changes in just one home make a difference? After a little research, I found out exactly what benefits making your home into a green one offers.

Economic Benefits

Many view eco-living as an expensive commodity, but even home builders know that isn’t true. The cost of building an environmentally friendly home is not much higher than building a traditional one and builders are even receiving mark downs by meeting green design standards, effectively making the price about the same.

The materials to build these homes cost less, while they require less maintenance and have a higher property value. Couple all of that with tax benefits and energy efficiency, and you’ll see that eco-homes are boosting the economy.

Social Benefits

We as people are profoundly affected by the spaces we live in. Amenities like natural lighting, improved air quality, and chemical-free building materials all contribute to our overall well-being. So, a healthier home means a healthier you!

Those living in green homes experience a better sense of well-being, happier moods, and healthier vital signs just from the conditions that surround them.

Environmental Benefits

This is the more obvious category, but green homes might have more of an impact than you think. Cool roofing methods help to eliminate dangerous environmental changes from increased heat and promote water conservation, while reduced chemical emissions aid local wildlife. Significant waste reduction works to conserve resources while eliminating a portion of landfill mass.

Temperature moderation also aids in eliminating the need for excess energy with the implementation of smart thermostats. Also, probably the most obvious, these homes aid in combating climate change by reducing carbon footprints.

It’s amazing what choosing to implement eco-living practices can do to the environment, the economy, and our own health. While some us (and by that I mean me) cannot afford to move into one of these gorgeous homes, we can still do our part by making minor changes around our own homes to help them become more eco-friendly.

What ways do you make your home more green? Were you surprised by the health benefits these homes offer in the link like I was?

Easy Eco-Friendly Home Hacks That Save Money

While many view eco-living home renovations as drains on a bank account, there are a number of ways that going green can actually save you money.

I see a lot of articles online talking (or rather complaining) about how expensive it is to live an eco-friendly life. Sure, installing state of the art solar panels is going to run you an easy $20,000 but no one said you have to go that far just to reduce your carbon footprint.

In reality, choosing to make your home more environmentally friendly can actually save you money every month. Don’t believe me? Well, I have proof!

Cook From Scratch

Its no secret that cooking at home with fresh ingredients saves an incredible amount of money, but have you ever considered it’s eco-friendly benefits? I hadn’t either, but it makes sense when you think about it.

When you use fresh ingredients from the farmer’s market or your garden, you eliminate much of the energy used in processed foods. Processing in an industrial kitchen that certainly eats up energy; then food is wrapped up in plastic and hauled on a truck all the way to the constantly-running freezers at the supermarket. Cooking with local produce is a simple way to save money and do your part to conserve energy.

Use a Pressure Cooker

This was another one that I found surprising. Using a pressure cooker to make meals saves an astounding amount of energy when compared to other cooking methods. It also happens to be much faster way to get the job done.

That means less time waiting for a hot meal, less energy wasted, and less money spent on your electric bill.

Start a Garden and Go Vegetarian

This is a two-for-one win in my book. Growing green beans, salad greens, and cherry tomatoes instead of buying veggies at the store can save you a ton of money in a year’s time. Even growing herbs in your windowsill can save hundreds over time.

Aside from zero-energy consumption, growing your own garden also allows you to make more veggie dishes than meaty ones. Not only is this cheaper, but greenhouse gas emissions have gone up in the past decade from an increase in livestock raised for slaughter. Saving animals, reducing causes of climate change, eating healthier, and saving money all at the same time is about as green as you can get.

My runners up for this list were:

Line dry clothes
Take shorter showers
and switch to organic cleaning products

What eco-lifestyle choices have helped you to reduce your carbon footprint while saving money each month?

Eco-Living on a Budget

Want to go green but can’t afford solar panels? Don’t sweat it, there are plenty of ways to live eco-friendly that won’t break the bank.

I would love to live in a zero-net energy home complete with solar panels, an enormous aquaponics garden, and water conserving showers but let’s be honest here. How many of us can actually afford such an extravagant home? I mean, eco-living is not cheap!

Thankfully, there are ways you can turn your household into an environmentally friendly one without draining your personal savings account. I’ve uncovered some of the most cost effective home improvements anyone who wants to reduce their carbon footprint can easily afford.

Heating Bills

Don’t have the money for a smart thermostat? Neither do I! Instead, conserve energy by setting your regular thermostat to 68 degrees in the wintertime.

Sure, you’ll have to bundle up to stay warm. Having reduced your energy consumption will have been worth it though!

Unplug it All

Even when things like your laptop go into sleep mode or are turned off, they still suck in power from your wall outlets. Unplug any form of charger or cord possible anytime you are not using that electronic device. This one is on me! (Because it’s free, get it?)

Compost It

Starting a compost pile is a cheap and efficient way to reduce waste in your home. All you need to buy is the composting bin, and the rest takes care of itself. Now you can feel good about recycling that banana peel instead of letting it rot in a landfill. Composting at home has never been easier.

Switch to Cloth

Do you find yourself using paper towels and napkins a lot? Take reducing your waste one step farther by using cloth napkins and cleaning rags instead. Yeah, you’ll have a little bit more laundry to do but it will cut back on your home’s waste more than you think.

Speaking of saving on paper-esque items, filing your taxes online saves a binder’s worth of paper! Choosing to use cloth or canvas grocery bags also helps to cut down on plastic waste.

Get a Houseplant

For around 10 to 15 dollars, you can purchase a new houseplant from nearly any hardware store. It will help keep the air quality in your home cleaner, and I personally love tending to my plants.

Repair Leaks

We can’t all be Tim the Tool Man from Home Improvement, but fixing a leak is usually as simple as tightening a cap or bolt. Leaky pipes under your sink can waste up to 3,000 gallons of water a year! All you have to do is give a few twists of a wrench to help conserve water and save on your utility bill.

These are some of my favorite examples, but there are hundreds of cheap ways to make your home more eco-friendly. What are some ways you’ve found succesful without breaking the bank?

The Importance of Ecotourism

This newer traveling trend isn’t just about enjoying the beauty of nature. It serves many purposes to the environment, cultures, and the world.

I’ve covered what ecotourism is and some of the best spots around the world to travel to, but I think it’s important to highlight exactly why this form of sustainable traveling is so important. It has more benefits than many might think, and I was even surprised by a few of them. If you’ve ever considered giving ecotourism a try, then consider the following benefits.

You: The Traveler

While experiencing something new and adventurous, you bring back more than just a few souvenirs from your travels. Ecotourism provides you with stories, memories, and conservation messages that stay with you for a lifetime. Your experience gives you a taste of the culture and the importance of preserving the natural beauty of the area you traveled to.

It gives the traveler an insight and appreciation for wildlife that they may not have had before, or strengthens the one they already have. It also gets important discussions started about conservation, whether those are about the area you visited or your home country.

The Host Country

Natural areas used to only be valued for the resources they could provide, but ecotourism has given these areas a new value. Now, people appreciate them for their landscapes, wildlife, and indigenous cultures. It also helps to preserve these areas, making the thrill of seeing animals in the jungle more important to the world than cutting down the trees for lumber.

The Communities

Ecotourism benefits developing communities by creating a more stable economy. From lodge owners all the way to local shops, the flow of money helps to create environmentally-friendly jobs and spur conservation efforts within these communities. Each dollar spent helps feed children, save animals, and house families.

Global Impact

Easily on of the fastest growing industries in the world, ecotourism’s influence is constantly spreading farther across the globe. Every person in every piece of the puzzle is an ambassador for positive environmental change on a global scale. The powerful stories you as the traveler and they as the community are able to tell cause more and more individuals to hop on the sustainable, eco-living bandwagon.

I am passionate about the positive influence ecotourism is having on the world and its natural habitats. As this nature conscious trend continues to grow, and it will, the world will identify and appreciate the importance of preserving what natural ecosystems we have left to enjoy. What are your thoughts on ecotourism, and have you ever traveled to a natural destination?

What Exactly is Ecotourism?

Maybe you’ve heard of the term ecotourism before, maybe you haven’t. Either way, this post is here to inform you on this absolutely fantastic way of travel.

Everything seems to be going “eco” these days, and that couldn’t make me any happier. From the spur in health consciousness to business adopting environmentally friendly practices, the world is slowly becoming a better, more sustainable place.

Ecotourism is one of the practices people around the globe have been picking up, but what exactly is it? How does one do it? These questions an more are all answered below!

Defining Ecotourism

The International Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education.” Essentially, it means leaving only your footprints behind when you visit a location.

The Principles

As with any movement, there are a set of principles to follow when practicing this form of travel. It starts with minimizing any impact you may have on the environment as well as the culture and people of the area. That can be as simple as not leaving your trash on a hiking path, or something more thought-driven like respecting the customs of a particular religion or culture.

Aside from respecting the people of the area, I try to contribute direct financial support for any conservation efforts they make. Alternatively, I could financially help the surrounding area by choosing to buy from only local small businesses. I would also avidly work to conserve natural resources by using as little power and water as possible.

The end goal is to unite conservation, communities, and sustainable travel. Some even take things a step further by choosing to stay in the area and work to market it as an ecotourist location while helping to construct low-impact facilities and aiding the indigenous people of the area in conservation efforts.

Others choose to become interpreters who uphold the area’s spiritual beliefs and create positive interactions between visitors and indigenous people.

Sustainable Travel Just Makes Sense

Traveling to a new location is always an exciting adventure, but enjoying and preserving the beauty of nature while doing it is even more of an enriching experience. As traveler’s, we have to do our part to preserve environments and cultures around the world before industrialization and mega corporations decimate them.

What are your thoughts on ecotourism? Where have you traveled to recently where you could put these principles into action? I would love to hear about it!

Your Guide to Ecotourism

If you’ve ever wondered what this growing trend is, then these 5 steps can help you make the most of yur next vacation.

Ecotourism goes by many names, like green travel or ethical travel, but what exactly is it and how can you go about doing it? While though I understand the concept behind it, even I had a tough time figuring out how to leave nothing but my footprints behind when traveling.

I decided to take some advice and a well deserved trip to the Grand Canyon. These are the five sustainable steps I followed to keep things as green as possible.

1. Keep it Simple

Packing light is the first step to making your travels as eco-friendly as possible. A lighter load means better fuel efficiency for the plane you are flying on. While it was difficult to pick and choose only the necessities, I found that the money saved on baggage was well worth it.

2. Conserve Water

This is one you can do at home as well, but save water everywhere you can. I took shorter showers, turned off the faucet while brushing my teeth, and even re-used my towels for a few day instead of washing them.

Honestly, I didn’t find this part all that challenging. Sure, I didn’t get to take a luxuriously long shower but I did my part to not waste a precious resource. Plus, I didn’t even have to use the hotel’s laundry service.

3. Conserve Energy

These are things I do at home already, but they certainly help to keep things green. The easiest way to accomplish this step is by turning everything off (AC, TV, lights, everything) and putting the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door. That keeps housecleaning from using up energy to run the vacuum while keeping my room free from harsh cleaning chemicals.

4. Reuse and Recycle

While it might be common sense to not throw your trash wherever you’d like, I actually found it difficult to break a few old habits for this one. For instance, returning brochures and maps when I was done using them took some getting used to. Things like refilling the same water bottle all week and using only one bar of soap for both my shower and hand washing routines also took a little more conscious thought than I’d like to admit.

5. Leave Only Footprints

I’m a huge fan of adventure. but straying from hiking trails can harm the native flora, which can have negative consequences to the rest of the ecosystem. By not straying off on my own path, I was helping preserve local wildlife!

The Hidden Final Step

I would like to add respecting the culture and the area to this list. While Arizona isn’t exactly exotic to us here in the states, it adds to the traveling experience when you immerse yourself in the ways of a people.

How do you stay green when travelling? I’d love to hear about your travels and experiences!