Festivals and big events of any nature tend to leave a lot of waste in their wake, and use up a lot of resources of the local community. The amount of disposable material produced in these places is huge. There is a growing consciousness about a green lifestyle and people are practicing that on many levels, taking big and small steps, including celebrating in a green manner. If you’re a fan of festivals, and have a green attitude, here’s a list of the most eco-friendly festivals you can attend this year, and have a great time too, while keeping your eco-footprint low:
Environment Guide
Australia’s fire season started early and 2019-2020 bush fires were the worst the country has ever seen. The government had to declare emergency in November of 2019. The devastating fires destroyed an area approx. 25.5 million acres, killing 33 people, including volunteer firefighters, and more people are missing. Homes have been destroyed. The summer was the hottest on record, and winds fanned the fires making them uncontrollable. Over a billion animals and birds, insects and reptiles have been killed, bringing some species to the verge of extinction. Let’s take a look at the environmental impact of Australian bushfires:
How to prevent Ozone depletion (and what would happen if we don’t)
The mere thought that there exists a layer that is strong enough to slash through the Sun and destroy life on Earth is enough to send chills down the spine. However, the fact that there also exists another layer strong enough to stop the former one is comforting. But what happens when the protective layer begins to diminish – little by little, right under our noses? One of the biggest phenomenon’s that marked the late 70’s was the observation of the depletion of the ozone layer. What is alarming is the fact that there is a remarkable decrease over the polar regions of the Earth. It is also the root cause of people developing health hazards like skin cancer and damages to plants and plankton as well as cataracts. Many governments have banned various harmful chemical releasing products in an attempt to prevent ozone depletion.
The Most Popular Greenwashing Strategies (from groceries to tourism)
You have probably seen a lot of green products in stores. It might have crossed your mind that you never know how true this claims is. There is new marketing gimmick nowadays – the greenwashing strategy. Companies try to ‘greenwash’ customers into buying their products which are not actually green or eco friendly. These companies are very smart, but you can be smarter. Here are some tips for you to recognize some popular greenwashing strategies, which you can see through the next time you ponder over a ‘green product’:
Excellent building materials for long lasting eco-friendly buildings
Home is the safest place for any living being on this planet. And a strong home makes the security concern even better. Right from wood to brick and even plastic, man has been experimenting with different types of construction materials to make his home strong and durable from the ancient times. In the ancient times, humans used caves as homes to protect themselves from wild animals and inclement weather. Over time, he had to travel to various places in search of food and other materials. Therefore, he had to build homes with various durable materials. After the evolution of architecture, there has been a constant change in the structure and design of the buildings. Nevertheless, five materials have stood the test of time and are being used today to build the strongest buildings in the world. Let us check out best building materials for long lasting buildings.
Modern hospitality industry is looking for greener pastures. With the escalation of worldwide travel and heightened competition, sustainability is a key factor in successful brand management of hotels. Increased accreditations in planet-friendly practices are driving the hospitality industry to prove their environmental merit.
India has experienced water scarcity for many years even though there is good rainfall. There are floods in many parts of the country, yet there is no water for its citizens. The cities and villages do not have potable water and they have to deal with the havoc that floods bring. Going back 150 years, when the government did not supply water, there does not seem to have been problems in water supply, unless there was less rain that year. Let’s analyze the reasons why India is water stressed in spite of having decent rainfall.
Fish, which you thought was one of the healthiest foods you were happily consuming, might actually be harmful for you. Not all fish, but those which have high mercury levels will have adverse results on your body. Exposure to mercury has been linked to several physical and mental health problems. Find out all about the mercury in fish and how you can be safe from it.
2010 onwards we saw increasingly more severe instances of natural calamities. Earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanoes, landslides and drought plagued earth the last ten years. Most scientists believe that this was due to nature as well as the climate change wrought due to humanity’s inconsideration for the environment. In the year 2010 alone, a quarter of a million people worldwide died due to natural disasters, more than those killed by terrorism in the past 40 years. Let’s take a look at the worst natural disasters of 2010s and see the damage done to life and property.
Every year in the months of October and November, the farmers in Punjab, Haryana and western UP burn the straw stubble which remains after wheat, rice and other grains are harvested. This burning of the dry straw releases particulates and pollutant gases into the atmosphere and people in the surrounding areas including the national capital suffer immensely. The nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide which form smog drift over the Indo-Gangetic plain. The farmers have to bear the brunt of it, and are doubly affected, by the pollution and the loss of nutrients such as Potassium, Phosphorus, Nitrogen and Sulphur in the soil. Let’s take a closer look at the stubble burning issue and what could be the solution: