Mantofa Articles Directory

Mercury is poisonous, yet it’s a critical part of most compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), the kind that environmentalists and some governments are pushing as a new way to cut energy consumption. Mercury is probably best known for its effects on the nervous system. It can also damage the kidneys and liver, and in sufficient quantities can cause death.

There were an estimated 150 million CFLs sold in the United States in 2006 and, and Wal-Mart alone hopes to sell 100 million in 2007. Some scientists and environmentalists are worried that most are ending up in garbage dumps. U.S. regulators, manufacturers and environmentalists note that, because CFLs require less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs, they reduce overall mercury in the atmosphere by cutting emissions from coal-fired power plants.

But some of the mercury emitted from landfills – in the form of vaporous methyl-mercury – can get into the food chain more readily than inorganic elemental mercury released directly from a broken bulb or even coal-fired power plants, according to government scientist Steve Lindberg.

“Disposal of any mercury-contaminated material in landfills is absolutely alarming to me,” said Lindberg, emeritus fellow of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The mercury content in the average CFL — now about 5 milligrams — would fit on the tip of a ballpoint pen, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and manufacturers have committed to cap the amount in most CFLs to 5 milligrams or 6 milligrams per bulb. To prevent mercury from getting into landfills, the EPA, CFL makers and various organizations advocate recycling. Besides commercial recyclers and some municipal waste collection services, some retailers accept used CFLs.

IKEA, the Swedish home furnishings chain, has free drop-off programs at all of its 234 stores, 29 of which are in the United States. Now advocacy groups are calling on Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and other big chains to get involved.

One problem with recycling is that it isn’t cheap. The value of the metal, glass and mercury reclaimed from recycling fails to offset the cost of the process. Costs can range from 20 cents to 50 cents per bulb – not a paltry sum when some CFLs sell for less than $2 at Wal-Mart.

But, compared with the overall lifecycle cost of buying and using a bulb, recycling would be less than 1 percent. Another obstacle lies in the fragility of the bulbs and their mercury content.

The U.S. government has no single recycling plan in mind. Among the alternatives are special curbside collections by municipalities, mail-back programs by manufacturers and drop-off programs at various places, including retail stores that sell CFLs, he said.

Some methods lend themselves to certain geographic areas more than others, because of differences in population density, transportation infrastructure and proximity to recycling sites.

State laws are also a factor. Federal regulations mandate recycling of fluorescent lighting, while exempting households and other small users. Some states, however, are strict. For example, California no longer allows anyone to throw CFLs in the trash, while Massachusetts requires manufacturers to implement recycling programs and meet certain targets.

As technology advances, however, mercury could become less of an issue, at least as far as light bulbs are concerned. Last month General Electric Co. said it was working on doubling the energy efficiency of incandescent lights and eventually developing versions comparable with CFLs. These bulbs, which the company hopes to begin marketing in 2010, will cost less than fluorescents but they won’t last as long.

Meanwhile, some environmentally minded consumers in Dallas, Houston and throughout Texas are embracing CFLs and doing their best to dispose of them responsibly.

Pat Carpenter writes for Precedent Insurance Company. Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at http://www.precedent.com

When most people think of supporting charities, they think of money. This can be a problem for people who are struggling to support their own families. Even if your assets are limited, you can still help. Here are just a few ways to raise money for charities that won’t cost you anything.

Recycle cell phones

Fast changing technology means people replace their cell phones more often than other possessions. However the phones have toxins that damage the environment if disposed in landfills. What’s the alternative? Recycle! Cell phones can be donated to almost any charity.

Organizations such as American Cell Phone Drive partner with thousands of charities to recycle cell phones. The recycler then pays the charity cash for the phone. Any charity can raise money by joining a program to recycle cell phones.

There are more than just environmental benefits when you recycle cell phones. Many phones can be repaired and reused, and reuse is the best way to recycle. Cell phones can be donated to people in developing countries where it is not economical to install regular telephone service. Another reason to recycle cell phones is to provide emergency communications. Did you know almost any cell phone can connect to 911, even if the phone is not currently active with a carrier? Families who can’t afford even basic telephone service can still have access to life-saving emergency assistance.

You can do even more to recycle cell phones by canvassing your friends and family. You might be surprised how many of them have an old cell phone in a drawer somewhere ready to raise cash for your favorite charity.

Join a “thon”

Charities have found that walk-a-thons, read-a-thons, and similar activities are very efficient methods of fundraising. They are inexpensive to setup and operate, generate good revenue, and are fun for the participants. Often people see beneficial side effects. For example, read-a-thons promote literacy and walk-a-thons encourage exercise and good health.

To participate in one of these activities, you collect pledges from family, friends, and neighbors. Then when the time comes, you read or walk your heart out. The more you do, the more the charity raises.

If that seems to tame for you, come up with your own idea. You might be surprised how much your friends will pay to pelt you with tomatoes or watch you shave your head.

Save money to make money

Find small ways to save yourself money and pass those savings on to charity. Use coupons at the grocery store. Buy a few store brand products instead of name brands. If you eat lunch out every day, start bringing lunch once a week instead. Rent a movie instead of going to the theatre. Each time you save money, put the savings into a charity jar and donate the proceeds once a month.

You can also choose brands that donate to charities. The Paul Newman brand donates huge portions of its profits to charity organizations. Ben and Jerry’s does as well and also support local farmers and purchase products from developing countries to support economic growth.

There are many more ways to donate to charity without spending your own money. Most non-profit organizations are desperate for volunteers and even a couple hours of your time a week can make a tremendous difference in someone’s life.

Author is a freelance copywriter. For more information on raising money for charity, visit http://www.americancellphonedrive.org/.

We should all be concerned with saving the rainforest, and we can do our part by making small changes to our lifestyles. If everyone chose to do so, the results would be amazing. Trees offer us beauty and shade of those hot summer afternoons. Trees also help reduce the effects of carbon dioxide. Planting more trees is a very easy way you can help the to preserve the rainforest.

You can help reduce the amount of waste by recycling, especially recycling paper. The number one reason why rainforests are being destroyed is to provide more wood for paper. Another reason is for building homes and businesses. There are plenty of other types of materials you can choose from so that the rainforest can be preserved.

Other products produced from rainforest trees include rubber and lumber. Take a good look at how much of these commodities you are using. Try to limit the use of them to only necessities and look for alternative materials when it comes to luxury items.

Do you drink large amounts of coffee or use spices each time you cook? If so, you can be damaging the rainforests. This is because the demand for coffee and spices are so high areas of the rainforest are being cleared away to grow them.

Americans contribute to 25% of the pollution worldwide. This is due to the fact that they consume more fossils fuels for their vehicles and factories than any other country. There are many changes you can make to cut down the amount of pollution you contribute on a daily basis.

Consider taking public transportation or carpooling to and from work. There are also many great models of hybrid vehicles that can operate for long periods of time on electricity. This is a good investment for the environment as well as to save money on the cost of fuel.

Each animal in the rainforest is important to the balance of its ecosystem. Make sure you report any illegal hunting in the rainforests as well as the illegal sell of animals that are removed from that natural habitat and sold as pets. The most common ones are parrots and iguanas.

Individuals need to realize that purchasing the parts of poached animals in the rainforest or these live pets encourages that behavior to continue. If we all do our part to make sure there is no market for such activities, then the financial motivation for doing so would be gone.

Write letters to Congress to encourage the government to place stricter laws on those who hunt illegally and remove animals illegally from the rainforest. You also need to write to encourage them to restrict how much land in the rainforest a company can clear as well as require them to plant new trees in the location afterwards.

Children need to be taught from a very early age just how important the rainforest is to our well being. They need to learn what they can do to protect the rainforest as well as to appreciate how it helps keep the air clean, affects our water cycles, and affects the climate around the world.

Children need to be educated both at home and at school. With the rainforests being completely cleared away at the rate of 6,000 acres per hour, we need to make some serious changes. Taking the right steps in our own lives and teaching our children to do the same will help ensure the rainforests and the animals that have a home there are able to survive for future generations.

The rainforests are essential to our well being. The trees produce oxygen that we need to breathe. They also help keep the air clean, and we need that due to the chemicals, emissions, and pollution we put into our environment.

Learn about Conservation & Preservation Initiatives at http://www.paradiseearthonline.com/

A lot of fuss has been made over the continual destruction of the rainforest and the amount of damage that is caused by illegal logging. But what does that really mean? Consider that there are thousands of animal, plant and bird species that live in the rainforests of the world, and that even today, scientists speculate that we still don’t have a full understanding of exactly how many species actually exist. Unfortunately, it now appears that we may never know.

At the current rate of rainforest and habitat destruction, it is estimated that around half of the known species of exotic forest birds will be extinct within fifty years. After that, scientific study has now discovered that species extinction may continue for up to a century after sections of the rainforest have been cut down and logged away. What many people don’t seem to realize is that rainforest habitats have a very intricate eco-cycle, and removing even one component of that cycle will affect many, many others – other bird species, plant species, insect populations, and ultimately exotic mammals.

While it may come as a surprise, some of the most affected rainforest habitats can be found in Southeast Asia. Severe deforestation of Indonesia and the Philippines has threatened several species of exotic doves and parrots in those countries, as well as the Philippine Eagle. Brazil, Madagascar, and areas of West Africa each have over 100 threatened bird species in their rainforests, a frightening confirmation that the current rate of logging practices simply cannot be sustained – lest all species of exotic bird life are lost.

With over 700 rainforest bird species at risk worldwide, the loss of even one of these species will affect others. In some cases, only a very small number of a species remain. For example, it is suspected that only around twenty Curassow birds survive today in the forests of El Salvador. In the West Indies, all but twelve of sixty parrot and macaw species have disappeared since human arrival, and in the jungles of South America, the intelligent Blue & Gold Macaw has slowly begun to disappear.

Clearly, it is absolutely crucial that something be done to prevent this kind of tragic loss. Better recovery plans and more effective laws need to be implemented, however it will take the cooperation of the entire globe – one country simply cannot do it alone.

Learn about preserving Exotic Bird Habitat at http://www.paradiseearthonline.com/