Forest Education
More than half of the earth’s original forest cover has been destroyed due to human activity such as development, agriculture and logging.
Protecting the earth’s remaining forest cover is now an urgent task.
A forest’s ecosystem is made up of all kinds of living things. Trees, soil, undergrowth, insects, and animals all play a critical part in helping to maintaining life on earth. Forests create oxygen and filter out air pollutants which helps us breathe and helps stabilize global climate by absorbing carbon dioxide. They act like sponges and soak up rainfall which prevents floods and purifies the water we drink. Forests provide a home for 90% of the plant and animal species that live on land.
Forests are commercially important since they yield valuable resources like wood, rubber and medicinal plants.
Climate change is significantly impacting our lands. It is imperative that we dutifully manage the lands in our care in order to sustain their diversity and productivity.
Forest certification was launched over a decade ago to help protect forests from destructive logging practices. Forest certification was developed to act as a seal of approval. It is a means of informing consumers that a wood or paper product comes from forests managed in accordance with strict environmental and social standards.
What is Global Warming and How can we prevent it?
This generation is just now starting to realize the important issues that have existed for a very long time.
Learn everything you can about global warming and take the initiative to educate others such as family members, friends, co-workers and everyone you meet. The more people are aware of these issues the more likely they are to make constructive decisions.
Stay informed and actively involved. E-mail relevant articles to friends, family and community leaders to get them up to speed or to keep them apprised about any and all ongoing global warming endeavors.
What is it?
Global warming is the increase in the average surface air and ocean temperatures on our planet.
What’s causing it?
It’s believed there is a link between human activities and global warming due to industrial carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas thought to be responsible for this increase in these temperatures around the globe.
Global warming is predicted to generate significant changes in weather conditions such as more extreme ranges in temperature, melting of glaciers and ice sheets which will lead to a global rise in average sea levels.
Why is it occurring?
Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) report that over the past 50 years more than 13 000 sq km of sea ice in the Antarctic Peninsula has been lost. Melting in the Antarctic Peninsula removes sea ice that held back the movement of glaciers resulting in glaciers flowing into the ocean up to 6 times faster than before.
Global warming is the result of interconnected physical, ecological and social changes that have been caused by decades of unsustainable use of earth’s resources.
How does global warming work?
The greenhouse effect makes our earth’s atmosphere habitable by trapping heat and light from the sun inside water vapors, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane and other combined chemical vapors, both natural and manufactured.
This greenhouse effect forms a shield that allows the sun’s radiant heat energy into our atmosphere and moves excess heat concentrations out of our atmosphere. When gas concentrations in this shield are increased, excess gases become trapped inside our atmosphere thus causing increased global temperatures.
What actions can be taken to stop it?
Explore new, innovative strategies and technologies that can be used to make environmental initiatives cost effective and efficient.
- Plant a tree or plant native or drought-tolerant plants. Avoid using pesticides or herbicides on your lawn. The runoff can contribute to water pollution.
- Implement effective methods that encourage environmental sustainability such as supporting and advocating alternative energy sources such as wind or solar which do not emit CO2 gases.
- The consumable products we all purchase represent over half of the average family’s carbon footprint!
- Seek out products that have a low CarbonCounted footprint number. There is a logo called CarbonCounted that companies can put on their products to publicize their carbon footprint. (http://www.carboncounted.com
- Buy a carbon offset. Find entities that allow you to “buy off” your CO2 usage. Carbon offsets are attempts to neutralize one’s carbon debt through planting trees or giving money to organizations that help businesses go green or encourage green-friendly research and development. Most people are said to be accruing a carbon debt, or an increasingly high level of carbon consumption, due to activities such as driving a gas-powered car or using electricity.
- Buy only post-consumer recycled paper products, including toilet paper and tissues. The paper industry is the third greatest contributor to global warming emissions.
- Don’t purchase from companies that refuse to make post-consumer paper. Producing new paper, glass, and metal products from recycled materials saves 70% to 90% of the energy and pollution that results from products made from virgin materials.
- Work and volunteer locally. Get involved with environmental organizations that help lower pollution, reduce urban sprawl and preserve natural places.
- Shop at area stores and purchase locally grown foods, fruits and vegetables.
- Join a national or local environmental group that is serious and dedicated to fighting the climate crisis.
- Buy certified wood to support sustainably managed forests. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council certified forest products ensure that the wood was harvested in a sustainable manner from a healthy forest, and not clearcut from a tropical rainforest or the ancestral homelands of forest-dependent indigenous people.
- Encourage architects and builders to use more natural resources when building houses such as solar energy to heat water.
- Promote sustainability. Believe in doing business in a way that ensures a great tomorrow. Go the extra mile to help preserve the environment by staying on top of your conservation practices and be diligent by evaluating and reevaluating them on an on-going basis.
- Work together. Create equitable relationships with customers and in your community. Support local causes as well as charitable and volunteer organizations. Listen to suggestions and act on feedback from customers to ensure on-going, prosperous relationship.
Daily Eco Friendly Tips
Computer Equipment: USA Today recently reported that the power wasted while computers are sitting idle overnight really adds up. One study finally tried to measure it. They estimated $2.8 billion is wasted on excess energy costs each year in the U.S. alone. On a CO2 basis, that’s 20 million tons of carbon dioxide, about the amount produced by 4 million cars on the road. In order to put wasted energy in terms that are more easily understood, the study (http://www.1e.com/energycampaign/index.aspx) offers the following analogy: A company with 1,000 PCs left on overnight could save about $28,000 a year if the PCs are turned off after hours.
Turn off your computer to save energy and wear and tear on your computer hardware. Set up the sleep mode by changing your PC’s energy settings or install an energy-saving application so that it automatically sleeps when you’re not using it. The Department of Energy suggests turning off the monitor if you aren’t going to use it for more than 20 minutes. Shut down the entire system if you don’t plan to use it for more than 2 hours. Use a surge protector power strip with an on/off switch and just press and go on your way out the door.
Household
Laundry: 90% of the energy used by washing machines goes into heating the water. Wash laundry in cold water. Turing your washing machine dial to cold will help conserve energy and save on your electric bill.
Water Heater: The water heater is the second largest energy consumer in the home and using it efficiently can add up to big savings. With an automatic dishwasher, the hot water heater setting can safely be lowered to 130-140 degrees. If the automatic dishwasher has a water temperature booster, the water heater temperature can be set to 110-120 degrees. If your house will be vacant for two or more days, lower the temperature of your water heater until you return. If you have a new water heater, drain a few gallons from your tank every six months to remove sediment that accumulates and reduces the heater’s efficiency. If you only use your hot water once or twice a day, consider installing a timer on the hot water heater and set it to run two hours in the morning and in the evening.
Most new water heaters are already insulated. But if you have a heater that is more than five years old try wrapping a fiberglass blanket around it or install a ready-made insulation kit and you can save up to 10% on water heating costs. Insulate hot water pipes to reduce heat loss as the hot water is flowing to your faucets.
Lighting: Use smart, efficient ways to conserve energy that you don’t even have to think about. Use electric timers on hot water heaters and motion sensors or timers on indoor and outdoor lights. Set them to be on only at certain times of the day when they’ll be needed. Using this method you won’t be drawing and using electricity when it’s not needed throughout most of the day.
Automotive
Car: Make sure your car is properly maintained. Keep your car tuned up and the tires properly inflated. This will not only help ensure your car keeps running efficiently it can also help with gas mileage. If you don’t need a car to get to where you are going don’t use one out of habit. Walk, ride a bike or take public transportation whenever possible. Ride it to work, to run errands, or to have fun. When you ride a bike everyone benefits. You help conserve limited oil resources, you’re not polluting and you are getting some exercise.
Fuel: Try to save on C02 emissions and fuel by maintaining a consistent speed and don’t go over the speed limit. Rapid acceleration and unnecessary breaking can decrease fuel economy. Remember, there’s always cruise control.
Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
What is a carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused directly or indirectly by people, products, businesses or events.
What are greenhouse gases?
There are a variety of gasses in the earth’s atmosphere. Insulating gases such as methane, chlorofluorocarbons, nitrous oxide and ozone are referred to as “greenhouse” gases because they trap and hold heat like the glass in a greenhouse. The presence of additional greenhouse gases causes gradual increases in temperature on the surface of the earth thus causing changes in weather patterns, sea levels and other natural cycles that have a direct impact to life on the planet.
How can you manage a carbon footprint?
We can all take steps to help reduce the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Decrease your carbon emissions by developing alternative projects which utilize solar power and wind energy.
A simple flip of a switch is all it takes for you to get involved in the fight against global warming. When not in use, turn lights off, unplug electronics, computers, cell phones and chargers.
How can reforestation help?
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas responsible for the increase in the Earth’s average surface air and ocean temperatures around the world. Forests extract pollutants and carbon dioxide from the air. At your home well-placed landscaping can help you cut energy costs. Plant trees so they provide shade for your house and help it stay cool during hot summer months.
Seed Our Future Campaign
Be a part of the solution and join the campaign that is designed to help reduce the effects of global warming. Plant a tree. With more trees there will be more carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere.
Volunteer and get directly involved in a reforestation project. Or you can contribute to a reforestation project by giving the gift of trees. Trees planted to mark special occasions or in honor of a loved one is a gift that can be shared and will last a lifetime.
Educate children and get them involved in activities that will help them realize and understand the impact of global warming. Once they realize the importance of what needs to be done they can start making productive efforts in order to slow down or even prevent global warming for future generations.
Every Seed Our Future campaign strategy can be customized to suit any school function, community project, event or special occasion.
Eco-Friendly Home and Office Tips
Use Energy Saving Appliances and Equipment
Consider the environmental costs of major decisions and purchases.
Using energy efficient designs, ENERGY STAR appliances and equipment help save energy allowing them to use less energy to perform regular tasks. ENERGY STAR labeled computer use 70% less electricity than computers without this designation and automatically adjusts to a low-power mode when not in use.
Energy Efficient Commuting
Use innovative ways to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on your way to and from work.
One-third of all traffic is commuters. When possible use alternative transportation. Use less energy for your commute by switching to public transportation, carpooling, biking or telecommuting. Encourage your employer to offer commuter benefits that address limited or expensive parking, reduce traffic congestion, improve employee recruiting and retention and minimize the environmental impacts associated with drive-alone commuting. If you must drive, to save fuel and lower emissions go slower and be sure tires are properly inflated. Also, when relocating or changing jobs try to live close to work. You can check the fuel efficiency of your vehicle using EPA’s and DOE’s fuel economy Web site (http://www.fueleconomy.gov).
Green Power
Green power offers a number of environmental and economic benefits over conventional electricity, including lower greenhouse gas emissions, and it helps increase clean energy supply.
The sun and wind are renewable energy sources that can be used to generate environmentally friendly electricity. Buying green power is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your organization’s environmental performance. Partnering with the EPA can help organizations lower the transaction costs of buying green power, reduce its carbon footprint, and communicate its leadership to key stakeholders. There are also a number of steps you can take to make your home greener. Modify your house to generate your own green power by installing solar panels and taking advantage of incentives offered for renewable energy in your state.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Compost
Help conserve energy and reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal.
Avoiding extra packaging saves both energy and landfill space. Reusing packaging material saves more energy than recycling. Recycle office paper, newspapers, beverage containers, electronic equipment and batteries.
Yard and kitchen waste (leaves/grass/vegetable scraps) are 30% of trash. This amount can be reduced by composting. Biodegradable products have the ability to break down rather quickly and safely into the raw materials of nature and dissipate into the environment. Sustainable disposal of any product requires that its wastes are returned to the earth and able to biodegrade.
Heating & Cooling
Save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in your home or office by implementing effective measures for cutting energy costs.
Lower your thermostat in the winter. Raise it in the summer. Keep air filters clean and have heating and cooling equipment serviced regularly by a licensed contractor. When replacing old equipment, choose a high efficiency model and make sure it’s installed properly.
Sealing and insulating ducts in attics and crawlspaces will improve the efficiency of a home. When replacing windows, choose ENERGY STAR qualified windows for better performance. Getting a home energy audit will help detect air leaks, identify poorly insulated areas and will evaluate the over-all energy efficiency of your home or office.
Lighting & Controlling Energy Use
Decrease your office expenses, lower your energy bills and operate more efficiently by cutting back on unnecessary energy use.
Shut off unnecessary lights throughout the day and at night or installing motion-activated sensors. By replacing conventional bulbs with ENERGY STAR bulbs will not only help save money it will help save the environment. Unplug electronics from the wall when you are not using them. Even when turned off computers and other electronic devices still use small amounts of energy.
Water Conservation
Municipal water systems require a lot of energy to purify and distribute water. Conserving water can help lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Saving water around the home and in the office is easy. Get in the habit of turning the water off while shaving or brushing your teeth. Water the lawn or landscape during the coolest part of the day and only when needed. Don’t let faucet and toilet repairs go unattended. A leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water per day! Look for products with EPA’s WaterSense label.
Purchase Eco-Friendly Supplies
Stock your home and office with products that are made from recycled materials, are biodegradable or have reduced chemical content.
Finding eco-friendly supplies has never been easier! Buy only post-consumer recycled paper products, including journals and supplies such as paper towels, tissues, toilet paper and even break-room provisions.
School
Teachers and faculty members should continue to learn about and teach students about the impacts of climate change and the effect it has on the planet.
It’s important to educate our youth as to how their actions and decisions today might impact their future and the wellbeing of our planet. They need to be made aware of steps they can take to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by generating renewable energy. Student campaigns should be established to develop ways to decrease their emissions and help increase energy efficiency on campus.
While at school every student should understand and utilize a reducing, reusing and recycling regimen. These effective programs will help children understand that they are responsible for their actions and how their actions can have a direct effect on other circumstances.
Students should be taught about the potential effects global warming could have on ecosystems, wildlife and their habitats.
Reduce Plastic Bag Consumption
Start using reusable shopping bags. Refuse a bag. If you don’t need one, don’t take one. Reuse plastic bags you have accumulated as garbage liners.
Outdoors
Composting your food and yard waste reduces the amount of garbage that you send to landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Smart Landscaping can save energy, save you money and reduce your household’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Use a push mower, which, unlike a gas or electric mower, consumes no fossil fuels and emits no greenhouse gases. If you do use a power mower, make sure it is a mulching mower to reduce grass clippings.
Plant a tree with a child
Teaching children to love and care for the planet is the most important thing we can do to insure the future of humankind. Trees beautify an area and clean the air. Take a walk in the woods, or plant trees which store CO2.
Spread the Word
Tell family and friends that energy efficiency is good for their homes and good for the environment because it lowers greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
Organizations Moving Toward Sustainability
Green is good for business and the future of our planet! We should all be striving to leave a smaller footprint.
When it comes to their business practices more and more companies are becoming proactive and are more involved in energy conservation and sustainability.
Our health and well-being relies on the health and well-being of our planet. By protecting the earth’s precious natural resources (human and natural) we are taking steps that will ensure a legacy of conservation and sustainability for future generations.
Organizations need to implement ways to balance corporate customs with earthly responsibilities. By collaborating with likeminded companies that demonstrate their potential for growth and conduct their business in an environmentally sustainable manner you will cultivate a company that is improving a business model while at the same time helping the environment.
Whenever possible, companies should take a step further by integrating measures using renewable energy. Renewable energy utilizes natural resources such as sunlight, wind, tides and geothermal heat, which are all naturally replenished. Renewable energy technologies range from solar power, wind power and hydroelectricity to biomass and biofuels for transportation.
Reducing contributions to greenhouse gas emissions, or the carbon footprint, is one huge step toward sustainability.
One EPA study concluded that using one ton of 100% recycled paper saves 4,100 kwh of energy (enough to power the average home for six months) and 7,000 gallons of water. It also keeps more than 60 pounds of pollution out of the air and saves 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space. Paper industry representatives have estimated that one ton of recycled paper saves about 17 trees.
Whether it’s a commitment to using environmentally preferable materials or substances, wind powered renewable energy by off-setting electricity use with 100% wind power, utilizing 100% recycled paper or seeking out partnerships with sustainable herb sources, some organizations are going to great lengths to bring an eco-friendly venue to the workplace.
Trees For The Future (http://www.treesftf.org) is an agroforestry resource center that helps people in developing countries improve their rural livelihoods through the introduction of environmentally sustainable land management projects with a focus on beneficial tree planting. They actively educate students and communities about energy efficiency, global issues and our role in the environment.
Global warming is the increase in the Earth’s average surface air and ocean temperatures. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas responsible for the rise in these temperatures around the world.
By giving trees to be planted you can help seed our future. You will be directly helping to reduce the effects of global climate change. Planting trees by participating in our reforestation campaign enables you to not only help protect the environment you will also be helping to protect and preserve time-honored livelihoods and cultures for future generations.
Environmental Impact of Deforestation
The World Resources Institute considers deforestation one of the world’s most pressing land-use problems.
Deforestation leads to several community and environmental problems. Looming consequences such as loss of various forms of life that inhabit the planet, destruction of forest-based-societies and climatic disruption are eminent dangers all of us need to acknowledge.
The two largest surviving regions of rain forest are in Brazil and Indonesia. They are being stripped at an alarming rate by logging, fires and land-clearing for agricultural use and cattle-grazing.
According to the World Resources Institute, more than 80 percent of the Earth’s natural forests have already been destroyed and since 1900 up to 90% of West Africa’s coastal rain forests have disappeared.
Soil Erosion
Currently soil erosion is one of the most prevalent environmental problems. Accelerated soil erosion by water or wind may affect agricultural areas as well as natural environments. Soil is lost due to the deficiency of the protective cover of vegetation. This is a direct result of our negligent actions. Logging, overgrazing or improper farming practices are leaving the land unprotected and vulnerable. Trees help prevent erosion and landslides which in turn helps to enrich and nourish the soil.
A solution must be reached
Our actions and the choices we make today have the ability to make or break the future of our planet. Though this generation may not immediately encounter or suffer the effects of deforestation the next generation and their children will likely be the ones who not only bear the burden but suffer the consequences. Take steps to prevent soil erosion by keeping soil healthy. Soil rich in organic matter is less susceptible to getting washed or swept away. Whenever possible, switch to renewable energy sources such as water, wind or solar power. Plant trees to offset the carbon dioxide we are producing. Photosynthesis allows trees to take CO2 out of the air, replacing it with oxygen. Planting trees is the most cost-effective way to take CO2 out of the atmosphere.
Seed Our Future
Give a tree to be planted and become part of a campaign to help reduce the effects of global climate change. Planting trees in honor of or in remembrance of someone is the perfect choice for any occasion. Every Seed Our Future campaign gift can be customized to suit any event or special occasions.
Planting trees by participating in our reforestation campaign enables you to not only help protect the environment you will also be helping to protect and preserve time-honored livelihoods and cultures for future generations.
Deforestation
Deforestation
Immediate and long-term consequences of global deforestation will have ill effects and most certainly jeopardize life on Earth.
Forests are structured to help maintain a delicate balance in nature. With our current industrial practices, ranching, farming and logging we are causing the destruction of forests. These actions are directly jeopardizing the very important and much needed balance forests provide.
It Just Comes Natural
Trees naturally help improve the quality of the air that all living things breathe. Trees trap carbon and particles that are produced by pollution. Trees cool and regulate the earth’s climate. Trees determine rainfall and replenish the atmosphere. Water put back into the atmosphere forms clouds which then provide yet another way to block out heat from the sun.
While all consequences of deforestation pose impending threats, one more serious consequence is that of climate change caused by destruction or loss of trees. Earth’s atmosphere contains a variety of gases. Carbon dioxide is an insulating gas which helps moderate heat loss to outer space. Insulating gases such as this are referred to as “greenhouse” gases. They function like the glass in a greenhouse. They trap and hold solar heat. Greenhouse gases include methane, chlorofluorocarbons, nitrous oxide, and ozone. When there are additional greenhouse gases there will be gradual increases in temperature on the surface of the earth which can lead to changes in weather patterns, sea levels and other cycles in nature that also directly impact life on Earth.
Seed Our Future
Seed Our Future – give a tree to be planted in a reforestation project and become part of a campaign to help reduce the effects of global climate change.