We all want to do our part to help the environment, but sometimes our budgets simply don't allow it. Here are some eco-friendly changes you can make around your home that won't break the bank.
Inspite of the fact that majority of the planet is composed of water, water shortage and wastage continues to be the biggest problems faced by us. Planet earth has a serious shortage of clean and usable water since most methods of water extraction and cleaning are expensive and involve complex machinery. In such a situation, it becomes highly important for us to look for ways not just to conserve water but also manage it well. These methods must be followed and implemented not just by individuals but also farmers and companies across the world. The following are the 6 best water management techniques and methods which companies and businesses must follow.
Create a corporate water policy
The first step a business must take to manage water and water resources is to develop or create a corporate water policy. This policy must be an organization wide policy which is created with a certain goal in mind and with clear guidelines for actions.
Understand the current state of water risks in the company
The next thing you need to do is to understand the current state of water risks in the company. This understanding must be relevant to specific watersheds, divide them into categories and measure the potential of each on the various operations. This will help to make plans to solve the issues and risks properly.
Gauge the business’s water footprint both locally and across value chain
Another step that businesses need to take to manage the water resources and the water content is the gauge and understand its footprint both locally and across the entire value chain. Only on knowing this can a business take a holistic approach of water use and discharge impacting the products or operations of the company.
Engage internally at the facility and externally with local stakeholders to evaluate risks
The company must engage both internally and externally to evaluate the various risks and one way to do so is by applying some innovative technologies. A business owner must educate one’s own employees and facilities about importance of water management. This helps to realize efficiencies and mitigate the various risks.
Report externally and look for independent assurance
Another step that a business must take to manage water and water resources is to report externally and look independent assurance. Transparent reporting methods improve and enhance the ability of the business to understand the risks related to water, opportunities and impacts related to it.
Other methods
There are many more ways to manage water and some of them include investing in water management by thinking ahead of the long run and moving ahead of compliance oriented strategies and methods and rather adopt some rigorous and proactive ones.
Every big and small business must use water carefully and conserve it as much as possible. A little effort from everyone can go a long way to solve the problem of water management in the world.
by: TEDTalks (video), 2015-12-08 16:28:30 UTC
Downloadable, printable clothing may be coming to a closet near you. What started as designer Danit Peleg's fashion school project turned into a collection of 3D-printed designs that have the strength and flexibility for everyday wear. "Fashion is a very physical thing," she says. "I wonder what our world will look like when our clothes will be digital."
From 3D-printed food to the Bouroullec brothers' first TV, Dezeen's award-winning video content explored a wide range of design stories in 2015. We've compiled the 10 most popular movies in this YouTube playlist. (more…)
This bikini is made from a sponge-like material that repels water but absorbs oils, designed to help filter impurities from water and turn swimming to an "eco-friendly activity". (more…)
by: Environmental Leader, 2015-12-09 20:00:48 UTC
Volkswagen has been suspended from the London Stock Exchange’s FTSE4Good Index Series after cheating emissions regulations by installing defeat devices in millions of its cars. The FTSE4Good Index Series is designed to measure the performance of companies with strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. The FTSE Russell’s independent ESG advisory committee decided to suspend […]
by: Environmental Leader, 2015-12-10 21:52:01 UTC
Avery Dennison has introduced two self-adhesive bio-based polyethylene label films that include more than 80 percent renewable content. The resin used for the new bio-based PE films is made from Bonsucro Certified Sugar Cane, which follows rigorous social and environmental monitoring prior to certification. Both products offer performance and recyclability comparable to standard PE85 resin. With […]
In parallel to the U.N. COP21 climate change summit, adidas and Parley for the Oceans announced a new collaboration at Parley for the Oceans x COP21 – Oceans. Climate. Life press event at the United Nations in New York: the 3D-printed Ocean Plastic shoe, a concept constructed with ocean plastic content for the upper and a 3D printed midsole using recycled polyester and gill net content.
adidas and Parley for the Oceans unveiled the new concept as an example of how the shoe industry can use technology to reduce ocean plastic pollution and explore new footwear solutions.
If the the recycled ocean plastic material upper and 3D printed midsole sound familiar, you’re not mistaken. This new Ocean Plastic concept is the technological and material aggregate of an earlier collaboration between adidas and Parley for the Oceans combined with their recently revealed 3D printed shoe, the adidas Futurecraft concept. The synthesis reveals some of adidas’ plans to merge sustainability with technology into their footwear line:
The 3D-printed Ocean Plastic shoe midsole stands for how we can set new industry standards if we start questioning the reason to be of what we create. We want to bring everyone from the industry to the table and create sustainable solutions for big global problems. – Eric Liedtke, adidas Group Executive Board member responsible for Global Brands
Prior to the 3D-printed Ocean Plastic shoe midsole, adidas and Parley for the Oceans celebrated their partnership in the unique surroundings of the United Nations headquarters and showcased a world first with a shoe upper made entirely of yarns and filaments reclaimed and recycled from ocean waste and illegal deep-sea gillnets.
Additionally, the adidas Group announced they’ve begun phasing out plastic bags from their retail stores, a process that should be completed by the beginning of 2016 in continuation of the company’s sustainability program initiatives.
The following post is brought to you by Nest. Our partners are handpicked by the Design Milk team because they represent the best in design.
Here’s a thought: what if we applied the same sort of New Year-inspired aspirational and proactive lifestyle changes for our homes as we hope to accomplish for our bodies. Imagine, instead of planning, purchasing, and promising all in the hopes of dropping a few pounds, what if the goal was to make your home a better place to live, work, and relax. With that in mind we’ve set out to list a roadmap for modernizing and upgrading a home, from room to room:
Declutter: Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up Marie Kondo became a bit of a cultural phenomenon with her first book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. It seemed like everyone we knew had picked up a copy or was handed one down from a friend already infected by the Zen of decluttering as prescribed by the Japanese expert. She has a new follow-up book, a sort of illustrated Cliff’s Notes for decluttering and organizing, filled with line drawings illustrating clothing folding methods and storage organization techniques. It seems appropriate a new year requires a new way of living, starting with a more organized home as “step one”.
Improve Airflow: Big Ass Fans Haiku with SenseME I have one of these ceiling fans installed in our dining room and it’s made a huge difference over this summer, circulating air efficiently and quietly on a programmed schedule (a big deal because we live without air conditioning), a feature that I can adjust remotely using their iOS app (Android compatible too). Surprisingly, it’s also been great at circulating warm air during this autumn too, and the powerfully bright array of LED lights is effective of bringing in simulated sunlight into the darkest room in our home and turning on automatically using a motion sensor at predetermined times. The sleek Haiku was a big upgrade from the frankly unsightly big box home improvement store ceiling fan that it replaced, and I’m planning to purchase a second unit for the TV room.
Upgrade Your Lighting: Cree Connected LED Dimmable Light Bulb The Cree Connected dimmable LED light bulb, a much more affordable $15 compatible bulb that syncs with either Wink or a ZigBee certified hubs upon entering bulb’s six digit serial number into your existing system. Rated for 815 lumens with an eye-pleasing 2700K light temperature, Cree’s LED bulbs only require 11.5 watts and are rated for a life expectancy of 22.8 years. This is the sort of low hanging fruit home upgrade that seems a little expensive today, but over the lifetime of use will prove to be a smart energy and cost efficient DIY.
Cool Down: Noria Air Conditioner Not everyone lives in a home or apartment with an HVAC system. For those living in an older building, it’s more likely than not you rely upon a window AC unit during the summer to keep things bearable. But it’s hard to call window AC units anything but an eyesore; at best, they’re tolerable necessities. Plus they’re extremely heavy and difficult for one person to install or remove. The Noria from Likuma Laboratories is shaping up to be a contender as an intriguing cooling solution for renters or those with double-hung windows, addressing traditional negatives associated with window units with a slim and lightweight design that makes installing and removing the unit seasonally a snap. Wi-fi connectivity and control via mobile device are in the plans too!
Get Energy Efficient: Nest Learning Thermostat The Nest Learning Thermostat was arguably the first important mainstream Internet of Things device that sparked home improvement types to look beyond the hammer and nails aisles and into integrating energy monitoring into their homes. People who had never given much thought about HVAC system were suddenly singing the praises of a device, which looked like nothing before in the category. With its success, manufacturers and developers spiderwebbed outward into every niche of home management and monitoring, with more arriving each day. The Nest Learning Thermostat has evolved further since launch, now in its 3rd generation, even sleeker in shape and size, a brighter and sharper screen, more sensors, and a smarter learning AI capable of adjusting temperature to your preference, then turning itself automatically down to save energy when you’re away. The coolest new feature in this 3rd generation of the Nest Learning Thermostat line is Farsight, a room monitoring technology which lights up the display when you enter the room, showing the temperature you set or the time (with a choice of a digital or analog clock face). Nest is also being continually developed to work in connection and coordination with an expanding stable of other thoughtful home devices in the home, from washing machines to pet feeders, making it a futureproofed ecosystem.
Automate Your Front Door Security: August Smart Home Access System With the Doorbell Cam, Smart Keypad, and Smart Lock combo, the August system upgrades any entry point into a home security system with monitoring and automated security features all accessible via app. Designer Yves Béhar conceived the systems as an easy way for homeowners to upgrade their front doors without having to call in a locksmith, with the Smart Lock designed to be easily installed onto existing door entry hardware. The new Doorbell Cam automatically notifies users via app when someone is at the door, providing a “peephole” view of the front door even when you’re away from home. It’s a convenient feature for someone like myself who works in a room far from the front door; in practice, I could take a peek at who has rung the doorbell, giving friends entry access, while ignoring the doorbell of an uninvited solicitor.
Automate Chores – Feeding Time: Petnet I was actually one of the early beta testers who paid to help refine this automated pet feeder. For years we had a hulk of an automated pet feeder, which relied upon manually inputting the feeding times like an old VCR. So when I learned the Petnet was completely app controlled, I was ready to dive in and manage our cats’ feeding schedule using a pair of these units. Beyond a slightly bumpy first few months, the Petnet has gotten better and is extremely reliable after moving from beta to a final product. The unit dispenses dry kibbles in portions from 1/16 – 1 1/2 cups, which keeps our cats on a set schedule and amount, insuring they stay at a healthy weight. It also lessens the morning routine of the “wake up and feed me, stupid human” paw in the face routine. And for that alone it’s worth the price.
Upgrade Your Home Audio: Sonos PLAY:5 I already was convinced the Sonos PLAY:5 system was the best multi-room streaming audio solution on the market today after testing it firsthand. They’ve since solidified that opinion with a recent announcement that Apple Music compatibility will be available via their beta app program, joining nearly every other major music streaming service. As noted in our recent review of the system, the Sonos PLAY:5 is adept at customizing its output using an interior decor acoustic measurement technology called Trueplay, adjusting how and where music is output according to what’s nearby; the speakers also adjust automatically to work in either vertical or horizontal orientation. The PLAY:5 is for someone who wants to upgrade their home audio without having to worry about component compatibility nor a multitude of accessories. It’s just unpack, plug-in, connected to a mobile device, then stream and listen.
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2015-12-31 14:11:36 UTC
Now every drop counts for two. All of the water that falls into the white ceramic of the washbasin follows an exclusive drainage system. Thanks to ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2015-12-14 19:30:45 UTC
Understanding Alternative Energies gives and overview of the most common alternative energy options currently available. Comes in handy for designers ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2015-12-11 07:32:05 UTC
When most people think of a wooden vehicle, they don't think high performance. They are more likely to picture a canoe made of a hollowed-out log ...
Created as precious lighting decor, these beautiful jellyfish-inspired lamps emanate a warm glow.
Comments by our Users
Be the first to write a comment for this item.