Everybody knows that bad things happen. We see it on TV all the time and read about it the newspapers. Does it sink in? No. And there’s a very simple explanation why it only goes so far to affect the minds of the population: Human beings have a well-trained and capable ability of shutting out grief, being selective of good and bad. Not only that but some things are just so horrific that they can’t be fathomed. Can you really register the difference in how sad you feel when you hear that a million people have perished and 100,000 have? It’s as if we get to a certain point and then switch off. Not only that, but contributing to this is the fact that there are so many things we all worry about. And everything is relative. I am sure that a population of people dying of drought might be able to understand that. The difference is obvious between us, of course: for us it’s about what affects our lives. For them it’s about whether they live or not.

Enigin don’t want to rub all the appalling tragedies in your faces. No. They only want to point out a few things. And the following blog-post is all about how we are wiping out the animal species of the world.

There is one shocking picture that really depicts just how sad our way of life can be. It involves a large boat and a whale. It should go some way to making you think; although it’s not as in-the-media as drought and famine, this is also something we all need to be aware of.

When buying a new fridge or freezer, aim for one that has a high efficiency rating. Most fridges will have a sticker on the front letting you know how efficient it is. If it’s a little more expensive, just remember that you’ll probably save on your electricity bills, anyway. In addition, buy a fridge that is the right size for your needs. If you’re a two person household, you probably don’t need a large fridge, and you certainly don’t need a huge two-door stainless steel contraption.

For your existing fridge, think about its efficiency. Older fridges tend to be less efficient, so if yours is old and a bit rickety, think about replacing it. This is particularly the case for garage or basement fridges, which are usually old fridges that have been evicted from the kitchen. Check regularly whether your fridge seals need replacing, as poor or cracked seals can let out a lot of the cold air, making your fridge work harder.

Two simple tips for an energy efficient fridge are to check the temperature levels, and to keep your fridge full. Some people set their temperature levels too low, meaning the fridge has to work harder than necessary. In addition, an empty fridge is harder to cool than a full fridge, so fill it up, even if it’s with frozen peas or bricks!

Following these simple tips and being mindful about the resources that you’re using in your kitchen should put you well on the track to following a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.

If you are considering getting a hybrid car to cut down on energy costs, then I recommend you also look at this enigin PLC blog. It is written by a guy who works with them and has some great ideas and info about new energy saving techniques!

Let’s face it, the kitchen is one of the places around the home that generates the most waste, and where the most chemicals are used. Given that the kitchen is used multiple times a day for food preparation, it’s only natural, right? Fortunately, rather than washing chemicals down the sink and throwing out your uneaten food, there are some more sustainable approaches you can take to your kitchen. Set up a compost bin or worm farm for all of your food scraps. This is a far better alternative to simply throwing your leftovers in the bin. Compost bins can handle all sorts of waste, from coffee grounds to fruit and vegetables to eggs, and you can use the resulting mulch to fertilize your garden. Reusable containers. Rather than using cheap takeaway containers that you throw out after one use, invest in some reusable containers, and make sure you use them. Do the same with your water bottles rather than purchasing a new water bottle every time you’re thirsty. Save energy. Invest in long life, low energy light bulbs, and make sure you turn off your appliances and lights when they’re not in use. Turning off your appliances at the power point can save you hundreds of dollars on your electricity bill every year! Avoid using chemicals. If you can, opt for organic detergents and cleaning liquids. Cleaning fluids such as vinegar are great for killing mould and getting rid of grime, and don’t have the same effect on the environment that bleach or other chemicals can. In addition, handsoaps made out of organic materials not only smell great, but they’re good for the environment, too. And of course, check out this enigin advice website to see some great energy savings tips! Really worth spending a couple of minutes on here!

One of the biggest contributors to the carbon footprint produced by most people is the car. Cars are well-known for pumping large amounts of pollution into the air—large cars or older cars that have not been properly cared for are especially to blame—but still, many people tend to be heavily reliant on their cars. It’s not uncommon to see a household with several cars—in some households, each individual owns their own car!

Fortunately there are some ways of cutting back on our car use in order to protect our environment. Outlined below are some suggestions you might like to use when considering how to reduce your car usage.

First, consider the amount of driving that you do. Are you driving to places that could be walked to? Or are you making multiple trips to perform different chores when you could easily take care of all of your chores at once? Are you the only person in the car most of the time, or do you have a passenger with you? Thinking about these points can help you consider whether you need to revise your driving habits.

There are a number of alternatives to driving. If you live within walking distance to the place you need to get to, walk! Or if walking’s not your thing, try hopping on a bicycle, or even a scooter. These will help cut back on emissions while improving your own health.

Consider taking public transport or carpooling. Rather than being the only person in a car, see if you can share your ride with a friend or colleague. If everyone did this, we could have potentially half of the cars on the road. If this isn’t viable, see whether you can take a bus or a train to your destination. Not only are these cleaner options, but they often work out to be cheaper and more convenient, too.

If you guys are looking for more creative ways to save energy, that I found some really good tips and tricks on this enigin blog. I really respect the goals that they are shooting for, you should really all check them out!

Everyone’s trying to make an effort to go green these days, and there are a whole lot of areas where we can change our habits to lessen our effect on the environment. Here are some tips for making your garden more eco-friendly:

1. Plant natives and hardy plants and trees. While exotic plants and trees can look amazing in your garden, the truth is that they often require a lot of maintenance, and may have an effect on the soil and other plants around your home.

2. Use a watering can. Using a watering can rather than a hose can result in substantial cuts to your water usage.

3. Use timed sprinklers. If you must use sprinklers on your lawn or garden, set them to turn on for a set amount of time. Time them for early morning, or late at night, where you won’t waste water through evaporation.

4. Don’t spray. Avoid using chemicals on your garden. Hot water is one great way of killing weeds, while pests can be tempted away with netting or traps.

5. Grow your own fruit and vegetables. Rather than buying food that’s shipped in from interstate or overseas, why not grow your own?

6.Compost. Set up a compost bin and a worm farm, and use the waste generated from these to mulch and fertilize your garden.

7. Let your plants seed naturally. Rather than re-sowing each year, let your plants seed themselves naturally. You can also store your plants’ seeds for later use.

8. Think about the materials used in your garden. Stone has to be quarried from somewhere, and peat is not a sustainable product. Try to use materials that can be supplied using less labor-intensive and environmentally damaging methods.

9. Consider the type of wood used in your garden. Stakes and fences are commonly made from wood, but it’s a good idea to check that they haven’t been stained or chemically treated, as these can affect your garden’s health.

10. Keep up to date on sustainable gardening methods. New information is released all the time, so by keeping on top of new research, you’ll have both a healthy and environmentally friendly garden.

Speaking of lovely nature friendly things. I just found this amazing page on one of my friends sites about an energy savings company! If you enjoy what I write on this blog you should really check it out!

Taking out the trash is one of those household chores that no one likes to do—but if you’re doing it often, maybe you need to rethink the sorts of things you buy, as well as what you throw out.

Excess packaging is one of the biggest trash culprits. We’ve all fought with products that are wrapped in plastic, stored in a box, and have some sort of safety seal to stop us getting to the goods. To reduce your trash impact, it’s time to start saying no to these products. Try to buy fresh produce—it’s generally not wrapped, and you can use your own eco-friendly bags to put it in. Avoid plastic-wrapped packaging, and try to aim for things wrapped in paper, or stored in reusable or recyclable containers instead. Avoid buying anything where the product is individually wrapped—‘single serve’ chocolates and sweets are notorious for their wasteful packaging. Buy them in bulk instead, and put them in your own reusable container. You’ll save on the trash, and you’ll probably save money, too.

Another thing to keep in mind is what you’re throwing out, and why. Do you find yourself throwing out old food at the end of the week? Half-eaten leftovers, or milk or vegetables that are past their best-before date? To avoid this, try planning your meals in advance, as this will help you buy only what you’re likely to use. If you do find that you have leftovers, curries, soups, and casseroles are a great way to use up that last slice of meat, the dregs of the milk, or those last few items in the vegetable crisper.

By taking a bit of time to think about your shopping and eating habits, you might well be able to cut right back on what ends up in your trash can, saving you not only from the chore of having to take it outside, but saving the environment at the same time.

As it sometimes crops up, I now and then look into online businesses as a matter of interest and I have just found a firm that does online human resources software. To have all applicable people logged into a central program seems like a really convenient idea to me, also a huge time saver, I have no idea why this is the first time it is getting popular.

With topics around climate change and sustainable living at the forefront of our minds, most people are at least thinking about taking some steps to live a more environmentally friendly life. Here are a few simple tips to reduce your impact on the environment.

1. Reduce your consumption. Every item you purchase has some effect on the environment, so consider cutting back on purchasing things you don’t really need—this especially applies to impulse buying!
2. Recycle. This is a simple tip, but one that a lot of people unfortunately don’t bother with. By separating your recyclables from your household waste, you’ll have a positive effect on the state of our landfills, and on our environment.
3. Reuse things. It seems that we’re turning into a single use society, which is bad news for our environment. Consider reusing your old jars and takeaway containers to store things, or to use in craft projects. Likewise, turn down plastic cutlery in favor of your own metal cutlery when grabbing takeaway—it seems like a small step, but it all adds up.
4. Buy second-hand. Each new item of furniture or clothing requires new resources, so why not try purchasing pre-loved items? With online retailers such as Ebay, and the huge variety of thrift stores around, it’s easy to find great, conversation-worthy pieces, and to save some money in the process.
5. Rethink your eating habits. Meat is a hugely resource-intensive food, so consider cutting meat from your meals at least a few times a week. Likewise, avoid heavily packaged and processed foods, and opt for fresh, seasonal produce instead. Not only will the environment thank you, but your waist will, too!
6. Get moving. Do you drive everywhere? Consider taking public transport, riding a bike, or walking instead. These are all great options to help the environment, and to add some activity into your day.
7. Around the home. Do you use long-life, low-energy light globes? Do you use the half-flush on your toilet? Do you switch off your appliances when they’re not in use?
8. Rethink your yard . Plant native trees rather than imported ones, and if you live in a dry area, plant shrubs or grasses that do not require frequent watering.
9. Grow your own vegetables. This is a fun and effective approach to reducing your impact on the environment. Start small, with a fruit tree or a tomato plant, and work up to more challenging varieties. Even apartment-dwellers can grow some potted herbs.
10. Get involved. There are plenty of community groups dedicated to helping the environment, so why not sign up? You’ll get to meet new people, and do your bit for the planet, too.

I have just updated the text on the site for diesel fuel storage tank, it turns out that they are trying to take a little bit more of a evironmetally responsible perspective to desiel and oil storage. Everyone check it out and tell me what you all think!

Going green becoming a way of life these days. People are beginning to see the necessity in it and are beginning to live Eco friendly lives. Below you will find some tips that you can follow to go green yourself and help our precious planet.

Be cautious of the amount of water you use. Turn it off when you are not using it. For instance, follow your city’s guidelines on grass watering, do not let the shower warm up for too long before getting into it and shut off water when brushing teeth, turn back on when ready to rinse.

Save electricity by turning off lights when not using them. During the daytime, open your windows and blinds to let in the sunlight. Not only is this a great way to cut costs on your electricity, but it also improves the mood.

Give your unwanted items away to free charity organizations rather than tossing out. Also, be more conscientious about recycling which includes paper, plastics, glass, metals and other things. To make this process easier, you can buy the reusable products such as water bottles instead of plastic bottles. More and more these days, companies are coming out with reusable products where all you have to do is purchase refills.

Be conscientious of how much you drive. If you live close to your place of work, you might want to consider walking or biking instead. The CO2 from cars is a major cause of climate change so the more we can cut down on driving the better for our environment it is. You might want to consider carpooling with your neighbors, friends or family to cut back on pollution.

Stick to buying Eco friendly products whenever possible such as chemicals, foods, containers, etc. Organic is good. Also, you should consider where you buy your products from. Stick with local shopping if possible.

These are just some ways that you can go green and help preserve Mother Nature. If we all do our part each day, we can make a big difference. Spread the word as much as you can and get as many people involved as you can.

A couple of work related things before I go, just did a bit of web design work for this agreat Bespoke Packaging business who does eco friendly packaging. Take a look and tell me your thoughts!

I have always prided myself for being in tune with the environment. I can remember being one of the few kids at school who took my sweet wrappers home, rather than just throwing them down in the playground.

Over the last ten years or so I have been doing my very best to change anything else in my life and to become even greener. Some things cannot be changed completely but it is surprising just how much we can all do to make a difference.

I think that over this period of time, there have also been a great deal of other people who are really trying to change their lifestyles. It is nice to see just how many people take their own shopping bags to the supermarket these days and most people are making a real effort to recycle everything in their rubbish in the best possible way.

It is only a few days into the New Year and when I took my empty jars round to the bottle bank earlier I couldn’t believe my eyes. Each of the recycling points was full to the brim and there were bags and bags of empty bottles all over the floor. My first thought was that the council should come and clean up the mess; but then I stopped myself. How wonderful it is that so many people are bothering to recycle their glass! They don’t have to bring it round to the recycling facility; they could just put it in with their domestic waste. All of these people really are trying to make a difference! Besides, the council will come and clear it all away sooner or later.

Perhaps there is hope for us after all. How brilliant it is to see such a huge amount of the public trying to do something positive for our world!

One last thing, I think that all of those who are into the idea of a more planet friendly lifestyle really need to look at this. This Enigin blog has some really inventive ideas for firms who are concerned about thier impact on the environment, I am really loving them this year!