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Archive for the ‘Conservation Tips’ Category

Recycling is a process – a series of activities, if you will, that includes: the collection and sorting of waste materials, the processing of these materials to produce brand new products, and the purchase and use of these new products by consumers.

Recycling is more optimized and efficient if we practice the three R’s of waste management: reduce, reuse, recycle.

Reducing waste that otherwise get’s carted off to the recycling centers or landfills is achieved through an intentional decrease in our purchases and consumption,composting of organic waste, and flat refusal to use disposable items like polystyrene and plastic bags. Reusing materials serve to lengthen a particular item’s usage. Examples of this are: repurposing glass bottles into artistic lamp shades, giving your old cell phones to family or friends for reuse, and upcycling street trash bins into community swimming tubs.

But, why recycle? Why go through all the trouble of recycling your garbage? How does recycling benefit us and the environment?

Let’s review the benefits of recycling:

Recycling Helps Protect The Environment

Recycling sharply reduces the amount of waste that gets deposited in our landfills or burned in incinerator plants. Engineered landfills in most cities are designed to contain toxic chemicals leaking from decaying solid waste from reaching our water systems. But, for how long? Already, we’re getting reports of dangerous chemicals contaminating water supplies in some cities. Burning solid waste for electricity may be efficient, but we pay the price in terms of increased carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.

Recycling Helps Conserve Limited Resources

To put this benefit in proper perspective, let’s consider this statement from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection: “By recycling over 1 million tons of steel in 2004, Pennsylvanians saved 1.3 million tons of iron ore, 718,000 tons of coal, and 62,000 tons of limestone. Through recycling newsprint, office paper and mixed paper, we saved nearly over 8.2 million trees.”

Resources like oil and precious metals (gold, silver, bauxite, copper, etc.) are all finite resources that will be exhausted, sooner or later. Cell phone and computer manufacturers, like Dell and Apple, recognize the need for a steady supply of raw materials – most are active in buy-back programs to recycle materials from used products.

Recycling Promotes Energy Efficiency

Recycling is far more efficient, in terms of energy consumption, than producing something out of fresh raw material. Done on a nationwide scale, this could lead to significant reduction in our energy costs. The energy required to extract , process, and transport metal from a mine to a refinery is obviously much greater than what’s required to recycle metal from used products – it costs more energy to manufacture a brand new aluminum can from fresh material than to make 20 cans out of recycled materials!

Recycling Helps Build A Strong Economy

Every cost-reduction, energy efficiency, materials conservation, and job generation benefit of recycling adds up to help build a strong economy for our country. Recycling, done on a country-wide scale, has a huge positive impact on the economy. There was dip in the price of recyclables last year when the financial crisis started, but it is testimony to the resiliency of this industry that prices are now back to pre-crisis levels – a recovery that’s well ahead than most other industries. Jobs are being generated and city and town governments are enjoying huge savings in electricity, garbage collection, and landfilling costs.

Recycling Creates Jobs

Recycling generates more jobs than landfilling or incinerating waste. That’s a benefit we can’t lose sight of, in this time of recession and high unemployment rate. Let’s consider the disposal of 10,000 tons of solid waste: burning it for electricity will create 1 job; collecting and dumping this on a landfill will create 6 jobs; processing the waste for recyling will generate 36 jobs!

Recycling Builds Community

People band together and build communities around common causes, issues, and advocacies. Recycling is no different. In many neighborhoods and cities across the country, we see concerned citizens working together in recycling initiatives, environment lobby groups, and free recycling groups. If you’re new to recycling or environmental advocacy, go find a local group to work with. Staying the course is more fun and rewarding when you have other enthusiasts cheering you on.

Recycling Can Be Financially Rewarding

If you just want to make money to get by in these hard times or start a home business, recycling is a profitable option. It’s relatively easy and inexpensive to start a home-based recycling business. You just need to plan on what material (cell phone, paper, or metals, etc.) you intend to collect, plan storage, contact the recycling plant for pricing, and you’re set to start collecting recyclables and reselling these to the recycling facility at a decent profit. The large recycling giants in the US all started as home businesses years ago – you can do it, too – those guys just recognized the huge potential of this business well ahead of the crowd.

The benefits of recycling to each of us, to society, and to the environment are our compelling reasons why we recycle. For many of us, recycling has become second nature – a way of life. It’s a small but extremely vital component of environmental protection – without recycling, all our efforts to protect the planet will be less effective, even futile. Let’s all continue recycling.

Transformation of human life from past to present has shown a major shift from basic living needs to having best in the society. In recent years, high rising needs has worsen energy & environment issues to alarming level. Irreversible threatening visible effects are the major concern of worry for the global population. 

            Despite entry of various innovative energy saving products, energy scenario is worsening. Simple reason, energy usage for comfort are touching high while many are still deprived of energy to meet their basic needs. Looking present trends, energy inefficient manufacturing sectors will become extinct soon. 

            Nature has provided enough energy resources and keeps on replenishing exhausted fuel stocks at her own pace. Energy consumption rate faster than its natural generation is creating imbalance in energy demand & supply cycle. Microscopic viewing of process plant ensures finer control of energy wastage. 

         Scarcity of energy resources and environment related hazards are already visible. Whether they are natural or man-made, this controversy will always exist. Rising energy price, leading to major politico-economic crisis across the globe, can’t be simply ignored. Process industries, being one of the major energy consumers, are worst affected due to continuous rise of energy price. 

            Each one of us is dependent over the energy and may contribute for energy conservation by: 

Finding alternative energy sources Developing processes/equipment for effective utilization of available energy Decreasing usage of energy consuming units  

           Looking the necessity, 10 simple points are presented here to enhance the participation of large number of people for energy conservation drive. On similar lines, various workshops can be conducted to motivate more people towards energy conservation. 

1.) Sense Energy Wastage 

Though energy is required for the process transformation, unnecessary wastage of energy should not be acceptable. Thus, it is important to sense energy wastage in every process step. Realization of energy wastage is the starting step towards the energy conservation. Following are the typical examples in relation to sense energy wastage in every process operation:

Heat losses from stripped off insulation from hot pipes/equipment Excess cooling water circulation in the system Air leakage from the ducts Distillation column operating at high reflux

 

 2.) Stop Energy Appliance when not in use

 Realization of energy wastage followed by proper timely actions will definitely contribute for saving energy. Stop energy consuming appliances when they are not in use. For example, ensure stoppage of:

Pump motor after complete material transfer Utility circulation pump after process completion Conveyors when material transfer finishes Exhaust fans after gas removal from work place

 

3.) Search Energy Efficient Solutions

 Stop action will ensure today’s energy saving but search of new energy efficient solutions is desired for continuing energy conservation in future too. Following are some of the identified areas for innovating energy efficient solutions:

Energy efficient electric drives Up-gradation of low quality heat for reutilization Modified distillation column internals Reduced downtime for maintenance

 

4.) Select Energy Saving Devices

 This is the decisive stage when two or more alternatives need to be compared w.r.t. energy consumption and the energy efficient one need to be selected. Following are the typical industrial examples where choice needs to be made one over other:

Low pressure drop units over high pressure drop High pipeline size over small pipeline size Complicated pipe routing over simplified routing Heat recovery system over heat wastage

 

5.) Shift Towards Available Energy Sources

 Re-look the process plant for available waste energy or doing minor shift in working style or process streams reduces down energy requirement. For example,

Preheating stream using waste heat instead of use of fresh heat Utilizing available liquid head instead of using pump for liquid transfer Shift to natural drafts instead of electric exhaust fans Use of non-conventional energy sources instead of conventional

 

 6.) Service Energy Consuming Units

 Effectiveness of some of the energy consuming units used in the process plant reduces after some period of operation. Thus, they require servicing to regain their efficiency. Following examples depict the need of servicing:

Cleaning heat exchanger surface for high heat transfer Oiling rotary units for reduced friction Replacing damaged column packing for higher efficiency Cleaning filter media for reducing pressure drop

 

 7.) Scrapping Energy Inefficient Units

 Beyond a certain stage, servicing alone may not regain energy efficiency of the operating unit. Thus old units need to be scrapped and replaced by the new ones. Sometimes new innovative, energy efficient units may also replace older energy inefficient units. Following are the industrial examples:

Blocked, damaged heat exchanger Damaged distillation column packing Inefficient electric motors Old damaged insulation over pipelines/equipment

 

 8.) Schedule More Activities at a time

 Advanced planning helps in energy saving exercise. Thus, planning is required for carrying out more activities with the same energy consumption. For example;

Carrying out all maintenance activities in single plant shut down Plant modifications at the time of preventive maintenance Redesign operational cycle of batch operation to reduce idle time Hot stream directly for next processing step instead of sending for storage

 

9.) Sacrifice Comforts & Status

 Essential transformations can’t be avoided in the process plants, but energy conservation requires some level of compromise in our comforts. Thus attitudinal changes are desired. For example:

Don’t wait for others to stop idle running machinery Don’t switch on lights, fans until essentially required Don’t overlook energy saving suggestions Do provide additional time for energy conservation

 

 10.) Spread Energy Conservation Message

 Spreading the energy conservation learning to various levels of people becomes essential today. Following need to be considered:

Practice first then preach Awareness of environmental threats related to energy Share energy experiences at every levels Arrange energy conservation workshops

With watering restrictions at an all time high across the United States, many consumers are trying to strike a balance between keeping their lawns green in the summer, and conserving the precious supply. Environmental concerns stretch far past pollution alone: conservation has become a major hot button in recent years as well.

These lawn watering tips will help you find that happy medium.

Basic Considerations

1) Adjust sprinklers to water only grass areas. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I see homeowners with sprinklers that are throwing more water into the street than into the turf.

2) Mow grass to a height of 2 to 3 inches. Taller grass shades the roots and soil surface and helps reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation. When in doubt, raise your lawn mower wheels to the highest setting.

3) Use sprinklers that disperse large drops low to the ground vs. high and misty sprays.

4) Utilize quality water hoses with fittings that do not leak and waste water.

When to Water Your Turf

1) About one inch of water, twice per week (including rainfall) is adequate for maintaining a healthy lawn. Use a can or rain gauge to help determine the amount of water applied each time.

2) Water on a consistent basis in the summer. Keep your lawn on a schedule whenever possible.

3) A good soaking twice a week is better than watering lightly every day. Allowing the soil to dry between watering will allow the roots to grow to greater depths and help make turf more drought tolerant.

4) Water during the cool part of the day to minimize water lost to evaporation. Early morning hours prior to 9AM are the best. I tell folks to start their sprinklers when they get up for work (assuming they do not have an in-ground irrigation system), and shut them off on their way out the door. This usually means 1 solid hour has been utilized and equates to about an inch on the ground.

5) Avoid watering during midday hours when it is hot and sunny to prevent scalding the

turf.

6) Watering at night is not recommended because the lawn stays wet for a long period in the night air which can bring disease and affect the health of your lawn.

When Watering Restrictions Hamper Your Irrigation

Township or city watering restrictions are sometimes imposed due to limited treatment capacity or reduced water supplies. Here are a few ideas in the event severe lawn watering restrictions are needed in your area.

1) Water less frequently, but gradually reduce the amount of water you give your lawn. This will help reduce stress and condition the turf if a complete ban on lawn watering becomes necessary.

2) Reduce the amount of foot traffic allowed on the lawn as much as possible. Let the kids play ball at the public park and not in your dried-out back lawn.

3) Allow the grass to grow longer to reduce moisture loss from the soil. You should also mulch your clippings so natural moisture is returned to the lawn.

Water conservation does not mean your lawn turns to straw, it just means you have to educate yourself and follow a few simple guidelines.