Sustainability to slow Climate Change

1. Sustainability to slowClimate Change Dr. Sandra Cruz-Pol Professor Electrical and Computer Engineering UPRM2008

2. Living Green Learn to leave in harmony with nature, benefits the planet, your health and your pocket.

3. Green Living • is about changing our patterns of consumption and seeking out greener, natural and ethical alternatives to every conceivable type of product and service. • It’s about buying more wisely, consuming less, wasting less, thinking through the consequencesof our purchases. • It’s about reducing our impact on the planet and our fellows by making choices that are better for us, better for the environment, and better for other people. • http://www.greenguide.co.uk

4. Sustainability Environment Economy Social We all win

5. Sustainable?, Renewable? • Paper from trees is renewable • But is NOT sustainable • Paper from industrial hemp is renewable and sustainable. • No need to cut the root of the hemp plant • 1 acre of hemp produces 5-6 times the amount of fiber produced by an acre of cotton, plus nutritious seeds and biofuels.

6. Don’t eat Poison! eat organic

7. Why Organic? Products with no chemical fertilizers, or pesticides. • Only compost and natural methods. • Pesticides have Bromide: • damages the ozone layer (50x CFC) • worsens global warming. • this chemicals residues pass to the produces and to food, cosmetics, clothing .they affect nervous system, highly toxic. • Fertilizers content Nitrous Oxides: • Greenhouse gases so more hot, hot, hot!

8. 100 years ago, everything was organic! • Pesticides kill bees and have been related to Colony Collapse Syndrome (CCS) which is affecting plant pollination. • Insecticide (neo-nicotine), attacks immunologic system, nervous system, affects memory & orientation. _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ • Eco-friendly alternatives: natural pesticides (Neem), TerraCycle (“worm poop”), & crop rotation ,…

9. Home Gardens Make a School Garden! Consider “no till agriculture”

10. Hypothetical example Mr. Kevin Green makes eco-friendly choices. Kevin avoids high energy consumption. Will Kevin prefer whole wheat or white bread? Very good! Whole wheat since processed food requires more energy and it’s less healthy. Will Kevin plant grass or ornamental drought-resistant alternatives? Right again! Kevin will minimize the amount of grass on his lawn to save water.

11. Clothes & Climate Petroleum-derived fabrics: not sustainable and pollutes environment. Nylon, polyester, wrinkle-free, acrylic, no-iron, ... Cotton is Natural, yet receives 1/5 of all pesticides used in the World! Neurotoxins. • These chemical compounds damage people, flora water bodies, animals and plants. • Conventional cotton requires enormous amounts of water: 106,000 cubic ft of water per acre. El algodón consume 1/5 parte del pesticida de todo el planeta!  

12. Organic Fabrics • Organic Cotton- is mostly watered by rain and used no chemicals fertilizers or pesticides. • Bamboo – is naturally organic, grows quickly absorbing CO2, with little water, is naturally anti-bacterial. • Hemp- is naturally organic, grows quickly absorbing CO2, with little water, is naturally anti-bacterial , protects from UV. Other: silk, wool, modal, recycled material, tencel (beech wood), jute, soy, linen, cashmere…

13. Uses for hemp: • Food • Paper • Fabric • Oil • Construction • Medicines • Plastics • Beauty • Fuel • Paints Industrial Hemp Contains no THC!

14. Hemp seed contains similar omega 3 & 6 as those obtained in Fish. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A1Y574YL_4 Most Concentrated and Best Balanced Source of Proteins, Essential Fats and Vitamins in Nature.  www.healing-source.com www.manitobaharvest.com

15. The only thing is… • Hemp planting is prohibited in the US. and Puerto Rico • So we import it from Canada, Europe and other countries. Making it expensive. • 1 acre of hemp produces 5-6 times the amount of fiber produced by an acre of cotton, plus other products such as seeds and oil. • Canada produces kid’s hemp shakes which are highly nutritious.

16. Cleaning Products • Use eco-friendly cleaning products • Avoid using chlorine, and other products causeasthma, allergies, and damage environment. Related to dioxins, cancer and birth defects. • Use: vinegar, baking soda, borax, lime, orange, enzymes, oxygen, peroxide.

17. Personal Care Products • Organics ingredients • no petroleum base (mineral oil) • Vegetables oils and ingredients • Burt’s Bees bottles made with 70% recycled post-consumer materials.

18. Avoid Plastic Bags! • Most Plastic bags are made out of petroleum • Banned in Uganda, China e Ireland. • In China they’ll save 37 millions barrels of petroleum every year due to this ban. • Paper bags contribute to deforestation.

19. Plastic bags take more than 100 years to decompose. Most are not recycled. Use Reusable Bags Many animals mistake them for food and die as consequence.

20. Save $ DRY Cleaning Uses many chemicals (perchloroethylene) that damage nervous system.

21. Popular in liquid form, antibacterial soaps are helping to promote growth of resistant bacteria, according to a 2000 World Health Organization report. =>Super Bugs Anti-bacterial

22. Disposable Increases size of landfills, therefore more METHANE! Which traps 20 times more heat in the atmosphere than CO2 Energy to manufacture these products, waste of virgin, limited materials.

23. More things to Do & to Save $$ • Clean A/C filters • Take a ride, walk, bike • Eat Local • Reusable coffee filters

24. Buy Products with Less Packaging • Family Packs: Not individually wrap! *Excess Packaging needs energy to produce and many emit tons of CO2 to the atmosphere annually.

25. Human Footprint National Geographic’s • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8Iw0TH2czQ

26. The Story of Stuff www.storyofstuff.com More videos at: http://campusverde.uprm.edu/VideosVerdes