Home Ecology

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"Home is Where the Heart Is" Many of us may not realize this, but the word "ecology" originates from the Greek words meaning the "study of homes." Our house needs to be private, safe, and comfortable. We still need to keep in mind that our home is a part of a larger home--the earth.

Problem: Forests vs. Furniture
Most of the time, our furniture comes from tropical forests. There, precious woods such as teak, rosewood, and mahogany are logged irresponsibly, leading to tropical deforestation. To help consumers be aware of companies that cut wood responsibly, the Rainforest Alliance is issuing "Smart Wood" certificates to these companies. To be designated as a "responsible" logging company, watershed stability must be maintained and erosion must be controlled. Furthermore, loggers need to replant trees to avoid total deforestation.
Another alternative to buying wood from tropical forests is to purchase furniture made from wood grown in plantations. This prevents forests from being cut down, which can take hundreds of years to regrow.

Problem: Toxic Chemicals at Home

There are many hidden health and environmental hazards that can be found at home. Here is a small list:

Acids: these can be found in standard household cleaners and pool chemicals. Those with a pH of 0 to 5 are highly corrosive.
Batteries: they can contain corrosive and toxic chemicals, such as lead, mercury, and cadmium.
Cadmium: this metal element is poisonous to humans and can be found in paint and batteries.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs): these are manmade chemicals that are trademarked as Freon, Genetron, and Isotron. They destroy ozone by introducing chlorine into the stratosphere.
Lead: this heavy metal is poisonous when inhaled or ingested. It is found in old paint, pottery, old pipes, dust, and old water supplies.
Mercury: this metal can be found in batteries that look like "buttons," found in hearing aids, watches, and calculators. It is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature, and is highly poisonous.
Petroleum distillates: these are hydrocarbons which are produced by the refinement of crude oil. They are present in lip cosmetics, fertilizers, and fuels.
Solvents: these chemicals can dissolve other substances. Some common toxic examples are benzene, alcohol, methanol, naphthas, paint thinner (turpentine), acetone, and a few cleansers and paints.
Polyurethane: can be found in furniture as foam. It is highly flammable.
Formaldehyde: a toxic chemical that is used as a preservative; present in no-iron sheets.
Paint: Use latex paint instead of oil-based paint. Oil-based paint is highly toxic, and its manufacturing produces nasty pollutants. Dispose of paint as hazardous waste, or with latex paint you can let it evaporate outside for one year. Then, you can dispose of it with the rest of your trash. Don't clean your paintbrushes outside, because this can contaminate groundwater; clean them in a sink. Or, instead of trashing excess paint, you can donate it to a school or to someone else who needs to use it.

Usually, we use very toxic household cleansers. However, there are alternatives. We can use phosphate-free, biodegradable detergents and dishwashing liquids. Chlorine-based scouring powders should be avoided, and furniture polishes should be 100% pure beeswax. To avoid metal polishes that contain ammonia and sulfuric acid, which can irritate the skin, you can use common household chemicals. Lay the cutlery on aluminum foil in a pan, and cover it with 2-3 inches of water. Next, add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Boil it for 2-3 minutes, and then dry. Brass and copper can be cleansed with lemon juice and salt instead.

Problem: Excessive Garbage
We need to learn how to manage the stream of waste that flows out of our house every trash day. By simply recycling, reducing, and reusing your waste, you can help the environment (and earn or save money!). But how can you know what can be recycled? Well, take our simple quiz:

Choose whether each statement is True or False
1. Glossy magazines and shiny paper can be recycled.
2. Plastic milk jugs can be recycled.
3. Paper milk cartons can be recycled.
4. Envelopes with a glassine window can be recycled.
5. Any glass container can be recycled.
6. Metal cans and aluminum foil can be recycled, although there may be no place to recycle them in your community.
7. Styrofoam cups can be recycled.
8. Yard waste should be thrown away with the rest of the trash.
9. Toner cartridges from laser printers can be recycled.
10. Containers that held insecticides and drain cleaners, along with batteries, can be thrown away with the rest of your trash.

Problem: Energy Decisions -- Which type of power is best?

Important Quote

-"Fossil fuels are limited, and nuclear power has great problem. Why, then, are we not using the resources which the Earth gives us - the power of the waves or the wind? We must look ahead, and there is no time to waste. If we can split the atom, we can surely harness the tide!"-

Patrick Moore - British astronomer, broadcaster, musician and composer.

Fossil Fuel
Of the fossil fuel, natural gas emits the least amount of carbon dioxide per unit of energy. Oil is next, and then coal emits twice as much carbon dioxide as natural gas. The worst carbon dioxide emitters are synthetic fuels made from coal. The problem with fossil fuel is that they cannot be replaced, and they release carbon dioxide, a gas which contributes to the greenhouse effect. One possibility to improve the environmental impact of fossil fuel is to remove the carbon dioxide from the exhaust gases of fossil fuel at the power plant, like large industries and utilities. It is estimated that to remove one half of the carbon dioxide will double the price of this type of electricity, and a removal of 90% of the carbon dioxide will cost six or seven times as much.

Solar Thermal
Solar electricity is a very promising alternative to other electricity options. This type of electricity is formed from steam produced by solar heat, aided by the burning of natural gas. During the day, this type of electricity costs just a little more than that of nuclear power plants.

Photovoltaics
Another type of solar electricity is formed when sunlight directly strikes photovoltaic cells. The cost of these cells has dropped dramatically, and potentially this type of electricity can be produced below the cost of nuclear power. Research on photovoltaics could help alleviate the energy problem in the future, since much of the sun's energy is wasted by being reflected off the earth and back into the atmosphere. If you would like more information about setting up solar devices to harvest the energy of the sun, you can contact the American Solar Energy Society, 2400 Central Avenue G-1, Boulder, CO 80301, phone: 303-443-3130, fax: 303-443-3212.

Hydropower
Although hydropower is clean, it has devastating effects upon an ecosystem. There are few crucial sites left for natural wildlife and river recreation, and we should preserve these. Dams change natural cycles in the water, which can disrupt the water cycle and destroy an ecosystem--without water there is no life. Dams also can cause contamination of the water with mercury, and disrupts the spawning ground of fish. Many salmon swim upstream to mate, jumping up cascades and over obstacles; they cannot jump over a dam! Flooding of areas that were previous homes to other animals results from damming a river, along with drying up fertile areas.

OTEC (Ocean-Thermal)
This type of power generation utilizes ocean currents caused by vertical temperature differences. However, the environmental impact of this type of energy is not yet known.

Geothermal

Old Faithful Geyser, Yellowstone National Park

To obtain geothermal energy, heat is taken from hot water deep underground. The heat comes from radioactive decay deep within the Earth. It is not known how practical this type of power is as a replacement for fossil fuel, but it is known that the world's geothermal base is as large as our coal base.

Wind Power
Have you ever travelled through the desert and seen funny looking white egg-beaters or windmills? These strange-looking devices are harvesting the power of the wind. Wind arises from the unequal heating of the earth from the sun, which causes a wind turbine to spin. We can then harvest the energy. Unfortunately, it takes many turbines to produce electricity, and when there is no wind, there is no electricity generated.

Nuclear
Over the years, nuclear power has been discredited, although it emits no carbon dioxide. The biggest problem is the storage and disposal of radioactive material, which is dangerous because it can cause mutations and all sorts of cancers. Furthermore, nuclear power plants can easily be converted into highly destructive weapons, which makes this type of power dangerous to the countries using it, and all the countries around it. We don't want another cold war!

The best choice: Be Energy Efficient
By not wasting electricity, you can help reduce carbon dioxide emissions created by making the electricity, and save money. Furthermore, by saving energy you can help the environment! You can't lose by just doing simple things such as turning out the lights when you are not in the room and carpooling -- as a bonus you can save money.

Fact

Compact fluorescent light bulbs give the same amount of light as incandescent bulbs, using only 20% to 40% of the electricity. By replacing a 100-watt incandescent bulb used just four hours a day with a 22-watt fluorescent bulb, you can save 114 kilowatt-hours on your energy bill and 180 pounds of carbon dioxide anually.

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