Shells | greenhouse ,power saving and environment

Plastic Recycling Signs

Save the Plastic, Save the World

Of all the inventions of human civilization, plastic stands out as one of the most double-edged.  It is one of the most resilient materials that is relatively cheap to produce, making it ideal for containers and portable furniture, among many other things.  This trait of plastic, however, also means that once it is thrown away, it is very difficult to get rid of completely.  Plastic is not bio-degradable by its nature, meaning that the millions of tons of plastic that we throw away every year do not vanish or return to the soil, but sit around in a dumping site somewhere, in vast waste deposits that only grow larger annually.  Another red light is the fact that oil, a resource that cannot be renewed, is the primary component in plastic production.  Every plastic bottle carelessly tossed away to add to those growing mountains of plastic trash is also a small amount of oil that will never return. Short of abandoning plastic altogether, the only concrete way to drastically reduce the amount of plastic waste floating about or piling up is to send it back to where it can be reused.  In other words, the key to the world’s plastic woes is with recycling.

In the workplace, there are many sources of plastic waste, from the drink bottles brought and thrown in the breakroom to the plastic wrapping and shells used for many office supplies.  Recycling these objects here is just as effective as doing it anywhere else, and indeed, many offices now actively support plastic recycling as one of the measures they can take to help preserve the environment.  The first step, of course, is to inform employees and colleagues about the importance of plastic recycling, and what it can do to reduce pollution and conserve energy resources.  Once the awareness has been created, the second step is to drive the point home with simple but effective reinforcement, the type that can be created by putting up a plastic recycling sign.  There are plenty of sharp, colourful, attractive posters on the market today that encourage the recycling of plastic, and can be positioned easily above a designated recycling bin or storage area for employee compliance.  The average office worker doesn’t want to deliberately destroy the environment with plastic waste; he just needs a bit of a reminder every now and then, and this is what a sign achieves.  Research conducted on the effectiveness of signs in encouraging people to observe environmentally sound policies has shown that people are much more likely to follow them with a sign than without.

Plastic recycling signs are relatively cheap, and worth far more than the investment an office would make in their purchase for the workplace.  The savings to the workplace itself may not be directly measurable, but the world will certainly be a better place for them, thanks to the employees who now have something to help them remember to do the correct thing.  With their assistance, the billions of pounds in plastic waste that are returned to productive use through recycling each year will only continue to increase.


About the Author:
Lara Hill is an environmental educator that writes about environmental responsibility in the workplace. A variety of <a rel=”nofollow” target=”_blank” href=”http://www.stop-painting.com/energyconservationsigns.html”>plastic recycling signs</a> can be found at http://energysavingposters.org.

Please Note... All links within articles are placed by their author-owners and not by this blog.Products with in those links may or may not be the best in the world.If it sounds too good to be true it could be a scam.Articles are posted for their info,ideas and or entertainment value only.

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Soap Nuts – The Benefits Of Washing With 100% Natural Detergent

Soap nuts are actually not a nut; they are in fact a berry from trees that grow in particularly in India and Nepal. A very ecological and economical way to do your laundry, they have been used for centuries thanks to their degreasing qualities.

Once ripe, soap nuts become sticky due to the high content saponin contained in their shells that, when added to water, act as a natural detergent. The detergent properties of the saponin in the soap nuts is due to a combination of lipophilic components (soluble in oily organic compounds) and hydrophilic compounds (soluble in water), which, when agitated, remove grease from clothes, skin or soiled surfaces.

Soap nuts used as shells or in liquid form, do not need any processing or industrial production. Neither do they require any added pollutants (phosphates, solvents, whitening agents) before use. Also when using soap nuts, the water released from your washing machine contains nothing harmful to the environment. In fact, the saponin from the nuts acts as a very good solution to combat the propagation of parasites and the aphids in the garden. Soap nuts are, therefore, considered as non-toxic and non-polluting.

Other Advantages of Ecological Laundry

Soap nuts are not aggressive towards clothing and linen
Soap nuts are very effective for washing delicates, wool and silk without pilling or spoiling the shape
Soap nuts are great for making colours vibrant again
Soap nuts are hypoallergenic and excellent for anyone who suffers from skin complaints
Soap nuts are more economical than traditional washing detergents
Soap nuts can be used for multiple purposes: laundry, jewellery, pets, household, etc.

What Results Can I Expect For My Laundry?

Due to the natural characteristics of saponin, soap nuts are considered to be less effective than chemical detergents but, they are sufficient for most washes. They are great for colours and delicates and can be used for hand or machine wash in temperatures of 30° to 90°. They are also suitable for dish-washing. The people who use soap nuts are generally of the opinion that this green, ecological manner of washing is as good as washing with chemical detergents, although for heavily soiled laundry, the use of a stain remover or bicarbonate of soda is recommended.

Instructions For Use in The Washing Machine

Put 6 half nuts into the cotton bag (normally provided) and add to the laundry in the drum
Add a couple of drops of your favourite smelling essential oil to the wash; because the soap nuts offer no scent.
Re-use the same nuts 3 to 4 times more for low/medium temperature, and less for hotter washes
When the soap nuts become soft, throw them on your garden compost heap and use new ones for your next wash

Soap Nuts Liquid Soap

If you decide to use soap nuts in a liquid form, the same rules apply in terms of using in the washing machine; temperatures ranging 30° to 90°.  Just add about 40ml of liquid direct into the drum or the drawer of the machine and wash as normal; not forgetting the essential oil for scent.

A Few Tips & Tricks

If your laundry is very dirty, pre soak it with bicarbonate of soda as well as the wash nuts.
If there are stains, rub with Savon de Marseille then soak as above
If the water is very hard, soap nuts can be less effective so add a little baking soda or white vinegar to the washing machine

How to Make Liquid Soap

More Uses for Soap Nuts


Available in the UK
For more information, visit our website at http://www.naturalfrenchsoap.com
and our blog at  http://www.naturalfrenchsoap.com/blog.html
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Please Note... All links within articles are placed by their author-owners and not by this blog.Products with in those links may or may not be the best in the world.If it sounds too good to be true it could be a scam.Articles are posted for their info,ideas and or entertainment value only.

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