Category: Other Stories

  • What Types of Green Cars Exist?

    What Types of Green Cars Exist?

    Protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility. We share the planet, so must share its care. Recycling and using organic products that maintain sustainability are part of the equation. Transportation also plays a major role.

    Standard cars burn fossil fuel and put contaminants into the air. Neither is good for the environment. New technology has provided cars with alternative engines that burn less or no fuel and significantly reduce emissions, in some cases to zero. Driving one of these green cars is a way to be a part of the solution. It’s good to know what kind of green cars exist to make an informed decision about which to buy.

    Hybrid Vehicles

    The most common of these cars are the hybrid vehicles. They are readily available and you can learn more at GreenCars. Hybrids combine an internal combustion engine with an electric motor. The electric motor powers the vehicle during normal driving operations and the standard gas engine kicks in at high speeds or when more power is needed. When the standard engine is running it powers the battery and under braking, the battery draws power and helps slow the car. Hybrids are can potentially be more expensive than standard cars but the savings in fuel makes up for that. These cars only put out harmful emissions when using the gas engine. The total output is greatly reduced.

    Plug-In Hybrids

    Another type of hybrid, the plug-in, has a battery that can be recharged at a charging station. These cars get even better mileage than standard hybrids but you do need to have a place to charge them. This can be a problem for people who live in areas that don’t have charging stations and rent their homes or apartments and thus, can’t install a charging station at home.

    Electric Vehicles

    A type of car that is becoming more common is the electric vehicle. These cars run solely on an electric motor, use no fossil fuel, and give off no tailpipe emissions. They provide an innovative and excellent solution to environmental concerns. However, they do have a limited range and you must have access to charging stations to keep them powered. An electrician can install a Level 2 charger in your garage to help expedite charging time.

    Conventional Green Cars

    For those who prefer a vehicle powered by a standard internal combustion engine, there are models that are greener than the typical car. Some of these run on biofuels which means no consumption of fossil fuels. Through the use of catalytic converters and similar devices, these engines have a reduced output of gases that harm the environment. When looking for a new vehicle, ask about alternative fuel cars.

    Choosing a Green Car

    Fighting against global warming and protecting the environment is a job that everyone should be a part of. When considering buying a new car, think about the green options. Information on them is readily available. Choose the one that suits your needs and then drive around confident that you are doing your part.

  • Unlocking the Benefits: A Guide to Closures for Bottles

    Closures are an essential piece to any bottle or jar. They perform various functions depending on the container size and contents.

    Dispensing closures help consumers control the exact amount they use, reducing product waste. Non-dispensing closures like continuous thread and twist top caps offer simple functionality with an intelligent design that can boost any brand’s look.

    Durability

    The closures for bottles add the final touch to complete the packaging of a bottle or jar. They have many functions, including a security seal after the initial opening of the product and a hassle-free way to reclose the container.

    In addition, closures can provide a variety of visual and auditory cues to alert consumers to potential tampering or unauthorized access to the product. For example, child-resistant closures use barriers to prevent young children from gaining access to products that can be dangerous when ingested, and tamper-evident closures are designed to show evidence of tampering.

    Closure types are available in various materials and designs to meet different needs. For instance, phenolic (bakelite) closures are made of a hard phenol-formaldehyde thermosetting plastic and can tolerate high temperatures and chemicals. These are some of the most durable closures available.

    Convenience

    The cap is one of the first components a consumer interacts with when using your product. The ability to open and reclose your bottle with just one hand and hear an audible snap when it’s securely resealed these details can enhance, not detract, from the overall brand experience and consumer satisfaction.

    The closures you choose should align with how your product is used. For instance, if your bottle targets healthy, active consumers, a sports-style closure can help you stand out on shelves.

    Closures also innovate to deliver a better user experience and meet consumer demands, like sustainability. For example, dispensing closures allow for precise dispensing, decreasing the amount of product used and preventing waste. Some caps are made of a single type of plastic for easy recycling.

    Appearance

    Closures come in various colors, shapes, and sizes to harmonize with the bottle and create a unified unit. Often, they help the product stand out in a crowded marketplace and attract consumers by appealing to their senses.

    Besides being functional, closures can also help protect against evaporation or contamination of the contents. The cap on glass bottles of high-proof spirits can create a pressure seal, preventing air from spoiling the contents.

    Other closures are designed to enhance the consumer experience, such as dispensing closures that help consumers control precisely how much product they use and prevent waste. Packaging innovations are constantly being developed as consumer demands change, and closures are no exception. Some new closures have been specifically designed to match the finish of a specific bottle type and provide the best possible fit.

    Safety

    A bottle closure should seal a container securely to prevent leakage, spoilage, and contamination. Closures can also provide a specific end-user experience, such as dispensing a controlled amount of product or a spill-proof design.

    Some screw caps have tamper-evident features that allow consumers to see if the cap has been opened, used, or altered. Other closures protect the contents from environmental hazards like light and heat. For example, the cellulose band on some screw caps shrinks to form a skin-tight film over the bottle finish.

    Some bottle closures also help reduce packaging waste by making it easier for manufacturers to reuse bottles and jars. For instance, the one-piece pop & click closure uses up to 65% less plastic than a 38mm push-and-turn closure. It is also BPA-free and made from PCR plastics to ensure that it meets sustainability requirements. In addition, it keeps oxygen and carbon dioxide out for extended shelf life for soft drinks and carbonated beverages.

  • How Eco-Consciousness Can Help Drive The Feminist Movement

    How Eco-Consciousness Can Help Drive The Feminist Movement

    Feminism, a term that dates back to the 1830s, is a social movement that is characterized by the idea of gender equality. Feminists have pushed for changes in women’s voting rights, abortion access, and closing the pay gap, just to name a few issues. It may seem odd to think that environmental issues may be on the “feminist agenda” so to speak, but it actually makes a lot of sense once you take a closer look.

    Women Come From All Around

    Women come from all corners of the earth. This includes places that are impacted by things such as climate change, pollution, or deforestation. When the world is suffering, so do women as a result, because of the intersectional nature of the two issues. Just as you must consider someone’s race, ability, or class status alongside their gender in order to have a full view of their experiences, you must also consider the state of the world they live in. This is why it is essential to look at the world’s problems through an eco-femme lens.

    Women Depend On The Earth

    Women disproportionately make up around 80% of people who are impacted by climate change. There is a greater likelihood for women to experience domestic and sexual violence after events like natural disasters, as well as a greater susceptibility to injury and illness. Stereotyped gender roles also play a part in the way many women depend on natural resources. In societies that still expect women to be the only ones who do things such as gathering food, collecting water, washing clothes, and childcare, it is evident that the environment plays a key role in women’s lives. Read also: What is Bluewashing?

    Eco-consciousness, therefore, is one of the key factors in today’s feminist movement. You cannot consider women without considering all kinds of women who live in all environments and have different relationships with the earth. Only then can the conversation about equality truly begin.

  • Preparing for Disasters: Tips and Tools

    Disaster can strike at any moment, which is part of what makes the risk so scary. You might live in an area prone to hurricanes, earthquakes, or tornadoes, which can all cause serious damage in just a few minutes or hours. If you don’t already have an emergency plan or disaster tools and equipment, then you might be wondering what you would need in case catastrophe strikes.

    Warmth

    Especially if you live in a cold environment, keeping warm in case of power outage is a major concern. You want to make sure you keep extra blankets around the house and in your car just in case you got stuck away from home. It’s also smart to have a stash of extra winter clothes, such as sweaters, mittens, and jackets, to keep everyone as warm as possible until the lights are back on.

    Power

    Some people have gone weeks after hurricanes without any access to power or running water. You never know how long you might have to go without electricity, so having a generator is always a good idea. Look for solar-powered generators if possible because when a big storm hits you might not have access to gasoline for fuel. Although a large generator to power your entire house seems helpful, you might want to opt for something smaller and more portable. This will make it easier to move if your home is no longer safe to stay in without having to worry about living off the grid for a few days.

    It also helps to keep a flashlight handy in all of your common areas in case things happen at night. You might have your phone for a day or so, but once it dies, you’ll surely still want to see in the dark. Flashlights can provide safety and comfort in crisis situations.

    Water

    A water filter or pump is good to have on hand because it keeps you from running out of clean drinking water. When the tap stops running some people might panic; and if stores aren’t open there will be no where to go to grab fresh water. A portable filtration system can help you to siphon from lakes, rivers, or streams and ensure the water is safe to drink and won’t make you sick.

    These are just a few things that can be useful in a disaster situation. You never know when disaster will strike, so do your best to be prepared.