Month: October 2022

Cleaning

 

Wouldn’t it be nice to clean your house with things that are also clean themselves? And by that, we mean: without chemical additives and good for people and the environment. If you found these cleaners in Hobart but also want to start with sustainable cleaning or have been working on it for a while: these are our tips for sustainable cleaning.

1. Avoid aggressive cleaning agents

If you start with sustainable cleaning, the first step is to avoid aggressive cleaning agents in the future. For example, do not use bleach, this contains chlorine and is very bad for the environment. Regular cleaning with a natural soap or an all-purpose cleaner is equally hygienic and less harmful to the environment. In addition, avoid chemical unblocking agents. Choose the suction cup or regular soda granules that you pour hot water over to unclog a clogged drain.

2. Buy sustainable cleaning products

The second step is to delve into products to use in sustainable cleaning. In the beginning, it is sometimes a bit of a search for the right products, but in most supermarkets nowadays you can certainly find something sustainable. Think of brands like Klok, Sophie Green, or Marcel’s Green Soap. In our Sustainable Home Cleaning Guide, we list green options for cleaning products, detergents, and air fresheners.

3. Ventilate your home regularly

Then: the air quality in your home. Due to chemical cleaners and building materials that ‘exhale’ toxic substances, the air quality inside can sometimes be much worse than outside. In addition, the new houses are often extremely well insulated and are therefore pot-tight. It is therefore good to air your house regularly and to open your window when you go to sleep.

4. Bring soda and vinegar back into your home

The remedies of that time still work. Acidic cleaning products are indispensable in the household. That’s because the acid can dissolve soap residues and lime. Many well-known cleaning products, therefore, contain an acid. That can be a strong acid such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid. Or a weak acid, for example, ecological vinegar or citric acid.

Hydrochloric acid is the substance that we usually find in commercial descalers for household appliances and in aggressive descalers for toilet bowls. Descalers with hydrochloric acid are very corrosive products that are extremely irritating to the skin. Bottom Line: Use natural acids like lemon and vinegar for sustainable cleaning. These are the safest to use and the least harmful to the environment. You can also clean a lot with baking soda.

5. Replace your air freshener

Get rid of that air freshener with artificial odors that are bad for the environment. Bring flowers and plants into your home that spread a nice smell and filter the air. Furthermore, a number of ecological brands have natural air fresheners. You can also buy a fragrance diffuser where you put water and essential oil for a pleasant smell in your home. Please note that the fragrance diffuser is made of durable material.

 

ALSO READ: How Eco-Friendly is the Qatar World Cup?

 

6. Look for sustainable detergent or washing eggs

Detergent can also often be more durable. In the Sustainable Home Cleaning Guide, we list a number of green detergents that contain natural ingredients and take the environment into account. In addition to more sustainable detergent, you can also look at so-called washing eggs. Ecological washing eggs are made from recycled plastic and contain granules that make detergent unnecessary. That saves plastic and it is also budget-proof since you can usually do about 60 to 70 washes with a washing egg.

7. Use microfibre cloths for sustainable cleaning

Microfibre wipes may not be a natural product, but they last a very long time – about 600 cleanings – which we think makes them preferable to cotton wipes or disposable wipes. With a microfiber cloth, you can clean quickly and thoroughly with a little detergent and they can be used both wet and dry. Very versatile for sustainable cleaning! In addition, there are also more and more green options when it comes to microfiber cloths, such as this one or this one from HEMA.

8. Stick to the dosage

Another sustainable tip is to always adhere to the dosing instructions on the label of the detergent or detergent. In practice, far too much detergent is often used. This is wasteful and also causes streaking and stickiness, which means that cleaning must be done again. Pay extra attention to concentrated products because the chance of overdose here is quite high.

9. Avoid dry cleaning

Chemical cleaning is usually done with the substance perchloroethylene; this substance is very harmful to the environment. However, a number of dry cleaners clean chlorine-free (including the dry cleaners from Albert Heijn and Hangers Cleaners). We are also working on less harmful cleaning methods, such as with CO2 or wet cleaning with soap and water.

10. Design your home with ‘cleaning in mind’

A more general tip to clean your home is to decorate your home accordingly. This is especially true if you have a house designed or have your own house that you can make adjustments to. Think of the use of materials, no unnecessary corners, or, for example, a ‘floating’ kitchen. You can do this in consultation with an architect.

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Humans have been poisoning and abusing the ecosystem that supports them for decades. However, the magnitude of environmental concerns can leave individuals feeling helpless and unsure of how to make a difference.
There is a long list of problems plaguing our planet, but three dominate: climate change and global warming; water pollution and ocean acidification; and biodiversity loss. To protect the only planet we know where life can thrive, we must address these three concerns immediately and proactively. Plus, concentrating on these three key areas will have a trickle-down effect on other environmental concerns, such as ineffective recycling systems and food waste.

 

Let’s take a look at three pressing ecological problems and the approaches that can be taken to address them.

Problems with Climate Change and Global Warming

Global warming and climate change are a worldwide threat that are largely caused by human activity.An increase in global average temperatures, extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and other negative changes have been attributed to the increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. All forms of life are being affected by these shifts. One of the leading causes of these environmental problems is pollution of air, land, and water caused by excessive deforestation, industrialization, and overfilling of landfills, all of which release CO2 and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Some good ways to deal with these issues are listed below.

  • Foster the development and production of environmentally friendly tools.
  • Every type of building, from offices to homes, should strive for zero waste and zero emissions.
  • Smart technology, such as stationary compactors, can be used to increase waste compaction in landfills, making more room for more useful activities. It’s available in a variety of sizes and shapes to accommodate any amount of garbage.
  • To lower atmospheric CO2 levels, we must increase forest cover, restore seagrasses, and increase the use of agricultural cover crops.

 

Ocean acidification and water pollution

Some of the leading causes of water pollution include rapid urbanization, improper sewage disposal by industries, oil spills, the disposal of chemical or radioactive wastes, and plastic pollution. Many countries around the world are currently facing a serious threat to human survival due to water scarcity and pollution.
Somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 percent of all atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions are taken up by the world’s oceans. When seawater absorbs CO2, it undergoes a series of chemical reactions that increase the concentration of hydrogen ions, making the seawater more acidic and contributing to ocean acidification. As a result, it becomes more challenging for mollusks, deep-sea corals, oysters, and other marine organisms to produce and maintain their shells and other calcium carbonate structures because there are fewer carbonate ions in the seawater.

 Improve existing marine protections

  • Biodiversity is important because it keeps ecosystems stable and provides us with food and other life-sustaining resources. Humans are wreaking havoc on biodiversity in many ways. These include the destruction of habitats, changes in climate, pollution, secondary extinctions, and the introduction of new species. Several strategies exist to combat the extinction of species.
  • The government should enact stricter laws and policies to protect biodiversity.
  • Stop the destruction of habitats and promote their restoration.
  • Incorporate eco-friendly practices into your daily routine.
  • Get rid of unwanted pests.
  • Improve biodiversity conservation efforts through knowledge dissemination.
  • The most important step in protecting this gift we call home is gaining an appreciation for it. Those of us who care about the health of the planet for future generations have a responsibility to do what we can to mitigate the effects of environmental degradation.

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Poland has a large number of natural and protected areas that are characterized by exemplary biodiversity. About a third of the state area consists of nature conservation and landscape protection areas.

Environmental protection in Poland

Numerous forest and moor areas, meadow and peat complexes as well as largely unregulated river and lake landscapes are home to numerous species of animal and plant life. Rare and endangered animal species such as white storks, bison and wolves find their habitat here.

The environmental situation in Poland has improved significantly in recent years. However, people are still struggling with the environmental policy failures of the past, especially in the areas of air, sewage and waste.

The main contact point for financing investments in the environmental field is the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. Fees and penalties finance primarily the economic use of the environment and from fees for raw material extraction. Because polluters pay for the use of the environment, a constant funding volume for environmental investments is secured. The projects are now largely co-financed with the help of community funds from the EU.

People who want to work or study in Poland should know environmental protection laws before going. Aside from getting information on how to apply for digital nomad Poland, they need to be aware of the environmental protection policies.

digital nomad poland

Why you should care about the environment

Protects ecosystem

The environment is what houses the ecosystem and helps it grow and thrive. If you don’t protect and take care of your environment, you endanger the lives of many animals, plants and crops, and even your own.

All of the ecosystems that make up the environment are closely interconnected. A single change in an ecosystem could completely change the dynamics created. There are many ways you can help your ecosystem and protect the environment.

Protects humanity

One of the main reasons why you must work to protect the environment is to protect humanity. Without the environment, you would have no place to live and no resources to live on.

Right now, many different factors are polluting the air, food, and even water. Fortunately, natural gas is on the rise in the US. It is a great resource to power your homes, businesses, schools, factories and more. This is a change you should drive if you want to create a better environment.

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Fans watching the world cup live

 

The outlook for this Saturday in Doha is not surprising: sun, blue skies, and 33 to 39 degrees. After all, the weekend, on which there are still exactly 100 days until the Football (Qatar Cup 2022), offers temperatures below the pain threshold of 40 degrees for the first time this week in the weather forecast – which is good news in the desert emirate of Qatar in the summer.

Officially, there has been some good news related to the sun and Qatar in recent months. Although the country of the World Cup host is considered one of the hottest spots on earth, the World Cup in winter should not only be “the best ever” (FIFA boss Gianni Infantino), but also the “most sustainable World Cup”. The more questions there have recently been about human rights, and the difficult situation of workers, women, and LGBTQ people, the more the organizers have used almost every opportunity in recent months to talk about solar energy, sustainability, the reduction of CO2, climate neutrality, and ecological visions. “We will set new standards,” reads a glossy presentation with the headline: “Sustainability has been at the heart of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 from the very beginning”.

Presumably the greenest World Cup of all time in Qatar?

The presumably greenest World Cup of all time is to take place in the desert of all places. The only question remains: Are all the good-sounding promises from the pretty brochures of the organizing committee also true? Or in other words, how green is the desert really?

Mohammed Al Alwaan stands in front of his greatest treasure on a hot day in Doha, wipes a bead of sweat from his forehead, and shines with the sun. The project manager of the 974 stadium talks without a dot or comma. For seven minutes and 14 seconds, he talks about the “most sustainable stadium” in the world before taking a short breather for the first time. “Do you really have any questions?” he jokingly asks the journalists who stand in a semicircle around the Qatari in front of the “probably first recycling stadium in the world” and listen.

The concept of the arena, which consists almost exclusively of containers from China that can be reused after the World Cup, is unique, he says. 974 containers based on Qatar’s international area code (+974) – just as many were needed for the record-breaking completion in just one and a half years. In addition, the stadium is around 20 percent cheaper than comparable arenas. “We don’t want to have white elephants at this World Cup,” says Al Alwaan as he explains what will happen to the plug-and-play stadium after the World Cup.

Football World Cup in Qatar: The entire stadium can be dismantled again

There is a whole range of possibilities, says the man, who is dressed in the traditional white robe and the red and white checkered Ghutra on his head. You could dismantle the entire 40,000-spectator stadium after the World Cup and rebuild it elsewhere in the world. You could also make two 20,000-man arenas or even four 10,000-fan stadiums out of it. Or: First of all, you leave it exactly where it is. In the district of Ras Abu Aboud right on the water. “The view is wonderful,” says Al Alwaan.

Despite all the justified criticism of Qatar and the organizers, one must admit that the stadium is indeed a visual highlight. But whether Qatar’s outlook in terms of sustainability is so promising remains questionable even after the lengthy conversation with the proud stadium project manager.

Philipp Sommer – what a fitting name in connection with the Qatar World Cup – from Deutsche Umwelthilfe has his doubts. “I would first ask the question whether it is really necessary to build a stadium for only one purpose,” Sommer said in an interview with Deutsche Welle. It is not really sustainable to build a new arena just for this World Cup, in order to possibly dismantle it again directly after the World Cup.

In Germany, everything is criticized

In Qatar, you know the criticism. And you know that in Germany everything you do before this World Cup is criticized anyway. “We are really making a lot of effort. I am very proud of my country that we are developing so quickly in such a short time,” says Bodour Al Meer, who has taken a seat in the stands of the 974 Stadium. The woman with the black robe and the black hijab is just as enthusiastic about the sustainable stadium, which is the only World Cup arena that largely dispenses with air conditioning for the normal spectators, as project manager Al Alwaan. And just like Al Alwaan, the Director of Sustainability of the World Cup Organizing Committee is latently annoyed by all the critical questions. “Our views are not changing, they have changed for a long time,” says the former environmental manager of Qatar’s oil and gas economy.

Bodour Al Meer speaks in fluent English about new cycling routes through Doha, the visit of Green Minister Robert Habeck (“I can’t expect us to work closely together”), the expansion of solar energy, reusable water bottles for the World Cup volunteers and about the brand new metro across Doha. “My children especially love this metro,” says Al Meer – and sounds a bit like talking about the latest roller coaster on Hamburg Cathedral.

 

ALSO READ: Looking for a Green Alternative to Bitcoin

 

The driverless metro system: almost like a roller coaster

In fact, you almost feel like you’re on a roller coaster when you use the driverless metro system that went into operation in October 2019. The only difference: You don’t have to worry about long queues on the three lines. Because in addition to the three children of Bodour Al Meer and a few tourists, the noble and air-conditioned commuter train, which even offers the first class of gold, does not seem to have really established itself in Doha yet. At least football fans from all over the world should be looking forward to the metro reaching almost all World Cup arenas in November and December. However, it remains to be seen whether local public transport will continue to be used by the Qataris after the World Cup. Sustainability Director Bodour Al Meer is important to stress that “the metro was not only built for the World Cup – the World Cup only accelerated our plans”.

People in Doha are familiar with fast construction projects. The city is growing at a record pace. Anyone who has visited in the past holidays should already be surprised about new roads, hotels or shopping centers in the next holidays. In Lusail, where the final stadium was also built, a ski hall with a 200-meter slope will soon be inaugurated. And in the Villagio Shopping Mall, you can already skate or play ice hockey despite outside temperatures above 40 degrees.

All these construction projects also ensure that Qatar’s CO2 balance sheet in recent years has been devastating. In 2019, the emirate had the worst CO2 balance sheet worldwide. In 2020, they have climbed a place in the right direction, because the 19,000-inhabitant mini-state of Palau in the Pacific Ocean has an even more serious CO2emission per capita.

Does Qatar want to get a green image with the World Cup?

“I don’t like to talk about it because I don’t think these statistics are entirely fair,” says Metro supporter Al Meer. “But we are trying to reduce our emissions. We do a lot.”

Christian Behrens, a colleague of Sommer’s at Deutsche Umwelthilfe, rather believes that Qatar is doing a lot to get a green image. “In Qatar, they are very much aimed at the concept of climate neutrality – and at the same time everyone knows that something is being created there that is not ecologically sustainable,” the expert told “Sportschau”. “That has the character of greenwashing.”

One million trees have been planted

Greenwashing is always used when companies or institutions try to present themselves as particularly environmentally conscious and environmentally friendly through monetary donations, PR measures, or the like. A Qatar example: Because the organizers promised in their brochures “to measure, reduce and offset all greenhouse gas emissions of the FIFA World Cup 2022”, so-called CO2compensation about one million new trees will be planted.

  • Football World Cup in Qatar to start a day earlier
  • In search of human rights in Qatar
  • Germany’s desert Campo – a preliminary visit to the World Cup quarter

But because the weather in Qatar is just like the weather, these trees unfortunately also have to be artificially irrigated. This water would be recycled, says Bodour Al Meer. What she doesn’t say is that the Qataris need ten oversized seawater desalination plants for the recycling process. And these – how could it be otherwise? – consume vast amounts of energy.

After all, you have more than enough energy in Qatar. Both in terms of gas and oil, as well as in the area of great efforts to ensure Infantino’s “best World Cup ever”. A series of promotions are planned this weekend to remind us that there are only 100 days left until the biggest, best, most sustainable, greenest, greatest, and most superduperig World Cup ever. In the three shopping centers Doha Festival City, Place Vendome, and Mall of Qatar there are ticket raffles, gaming offers, and smaller football competitions.

Above all, however, you can escape the heat in air-conditioned malls.

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