Carbon Footprint

Daniel Stouffer asked:


How to stay ahead and address the early action requirements for Stationary Equipment Refrigerant Management to be included in updates to AB 32.

The California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32), first passed in 2006 with additional early actions taking effect in 2010, is a broad and comprehensive directive with the goal of reducing greenhouse gasses (GHGs) by approximately 25% by the year 2020. This objective of the early action stems from increases in carbon equivalent emissions in California since 1990. The intent of the legislation to reduce greenhouse gasses to their 1990 levels, thereby reversing 16 years of pollution in less than 14 years.

As part of the California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) the Air Resources Board (ARB) has approved an early action measure to reduce high-global warming potential (GWP) greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions by establishing new legislation and defining requirements related to improved monitoring of AC/HVAC systems, enforcement of regulations, reporting of refrigerant usage, and recovery, recycling, or destruction of high-GWP refrigerant gases.

The greenhouse gasses (GHGs) as defined by the California’s AB 32 are identical to those gasses identified in the Kyoto Protocol. These gases are already being regulated, monitored, and managed by many other countries around the World. In addition to carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the most widely known GHG, the following gasses are also defined as GHGs with high global warming potential (GWP) carbon equivalent emissions by the AB 32 legislation:

* Methane (CH4): a byproduct of waste decomposition, and natural geological phenomena; the majority of methane is derived from natural gas drilling.

* Nitrous Oxide (N2O): a pollutant created by industrial processes, motor vehicle exhaust, and industrial air pollutants reacting with the atmosphere; like methane, nitrous oxide can also be a product of waste decomposition in nature and agriculture.

* Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6): a gas used for various electrical applications, including gas insulated switchgear. Sulfur Hexafluoride is also used for experimental applications.

* Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs): a collection of commonly used refrigerant and aerosol gasses with a wide variety of other commercial applications. CFCs and HCFCs are considered Ozone Depleting Substances (ODSs), as defined in title VI of the US Clean Air Act (Section 608).

The California EPA’s Air Resources Board (CARB) has developed a complex and highly detailed system of greenhouse gas management for refrigerant gasses, known as the Stationary Equipment Refrigerant Management Program, and stricter standards for new or existing refrigeration systems installation and ongoing maintenance. According to CARB this strategy includes careful monitoring of potential refrigerant gas leaks, improved record keeping and certification of personnel as well as specifications for PFC and HCFC recovery equipment.

The proposed Stationary Equipment Refrigerant Management Program, which integrates two AB 32 early action measures, addresses the detailed monitoring and management of the PFCs and HCFCs noted above and includes tracking requirements for new and existing commercial and industrial refrigeration systems. Likely to be implemented by January, 2010, is the monitoring and management of high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants in large systems in the range of 2,000 pounds of refrigerant gas.

CARB is charged with the monitoring GHGs and high GWP gasses, as well and the eventual development and enforcement of specific and quantitative new regulations covering carbon related emissions which refrigerant management with the tracking, reporting, cylinder management, and gas recovery for stationary refrigerant and air conditioning (AC) systems all becoming key integral parts.

The CARB proposal could also involve fines for mismanagement of refrigerant record keeping, intentional venting of systems, and the inability to regularly submit the required refrigerant usage reports. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is an extension of the EPA and works to monitor and enforce the US Clean Air Act. Section 608 of the Air Act regulates refrigerant gas usage, leaks, recovery, and annual reporting.

The overall intent of CARB’s strategy is to monitor and reduce the introduction of man-made GHGs and high GWP gasses into the atmosphere, as called for in the California Global Warming Solutions ACT (AB 32) in effect since 2006 with tighter controls, monitoring, and overall regulations becoming enforceable by early 2010.

Refrigerant gas monitoring, tracking, and management are important business planning considerations. Just like organizations manage assets, like a delivery truck, the consequences the release of high GWP gases, such as refrigerant gases, must be consider. Refrigerants cost money, harm the ozone and environment, and are subject to mandatory carbon emissions reporting. As organizations with AC/HVAC systems containing refrigerant gas of 50 pounds or more will soon find out, the effective monitoring, management of data, and systematic reporting of refrigerant usage will be key to business success in our emerging carbon economy.

Ungira Pandit asked:


Our generation is learning its lesson and paying the price with the effects of global warming creeping up on us. 12.5 million tonnes of paper are consumed by the UK population and a devastating 4.7 million tonnes of that paper ends up in landfills. Almost 80% of the original forests and trees on the globe have been cut down and degraded. Once mature trees are cut down, it is pitiful to convince ourselves that we are replacing the logged trees with saplings which will take years to take their full fledged form. Using recycled paper for printing is the best way to prevent this industry from taking a toll on the environment. Recycled printing is the process of recovering waste paper to make new paper which will be used for printing. The waste paper is broken down into singular fibres that are blended together to create new paper. The types of waste paper required for created recycled printing paper are old newspaper, corrugated paper, high grade paper, de-inked pulped substitutes and mixed paper.

Recycled printing paper has a variety of benefits for you and your company. It is cost effective, eco-friendly and has an appealing natural quality. Some types of recycled paper further delve into their natural attributes by included crushed petals, and grass to the fibre blend and incorporate vegetable and flower based inks. Because of the natural quality of recycled paper, it is often used for printing greeting cards, business cards, wedding cards and much more. The process of blending broken fibres together gives recycled printing paper a softer attribute than virgin paper and does not falter in quality. Virgin paper refers to new tree fibres that have never been used for making paper. Recycled printing paper has an enhanced opacity available in different textures, weights and colours. Recycled printing paper should contain at least a minimum of 30% post consumer waste to be considered as recycled.

It used to be that people shied away from recycled paper due to its drab and grey toned colours. This was caused by the ink in used paper blending into the fibres while they were being broken down to make new paper. Now there are de-inking processes available to accomplish white recycled printing paper. This procedure also cleans the fibre pulp by removing unwanted fillers, clays and fibre fragments.

Recycled printing paper requires less water as well as energy. In fact, 50% less energy is used when recycled printing paper is produced. Approximately 1 tonne of recycled paper prevents 1.32 tonnes of carbon emissions from entering our atmosphere. The reduction of carbon emissions, logging, water consumption and energy all have a positive impact on our environment, making recycled printing paper an ideal source for businesses. It is a social and environmental responsibility of you and your enterprise to used recycled printing paper. Utilizing recycled paper reduces waste in landfills and also the strain on our forest resources. Take an initiative to save trees and preserve the environment while running your business. Utilizing recycled printing paper reflects a prestigious environmentally conscious image for you and your company.

Groshan Fabiola asked:


When we think of recycling, the first thing we associate it with is the benefits that this action has upon our environment. If we think about it a little more, we might even consider the economic reasons, and start giving some serious thought to recycling. But there is one other important aspect that many of us have never thought of – the social reasons. In other words, what about recycling for charities? Yes, that’s right. Now you can recycle for charity and help the less fortunate people, while keeping our environment clean.

Many people find it easier to give away used objects rather than donate money. Such objects include used cell phones, inkjet cartridges, toner cartridges, all sorts of wireless objects, and even aluminum cans.

Aluminum is the perfect metal for recycling, for several reasons. First of all, it can be recycled over and over again, and used indefinitely. We are now using approximately two thirds of all the aluminum that has been produced since its discovery, some one hundred and eighty years ago! Secondly, recycling used aluminum cans save a lot of energy, by comparison to producing new ones from virgin ore. A single recycled can saves enough energy as to keep a 100W-bulb running for about four hours! Moreover, we are saving on our natural resources, while protecting our environment.

All this being said, what more reasons do we need for recycle used aluminum cans? If you take into consideration the fact that you’re recycling a used object which is no longer of use to you, and help some unfortunate people in the process, recycling for charities becomes all the more useful and dignifying.

You may consider that your effort doesn’t count for too much, because a used aluminum can is only worth about one cent. You couldn’t be farther from the truth. Statistics say that 2.5 canned beverages are consumed by each employee daily, while at work. Think about what this means at a large scale, and how much money could be raised if you were to start a ‘recycle for charity’ campaign in a company or organization. And the process is as simple as contacting a charitable organization that deals with such things and installing a container on the location. They will take care of all the other aspects of the program.

A recycling for charities program can be started in schools as well, and it you be all the more beneficial, as children can be involved in this fund raising program, and be given a good reason to be responsible and proud of themselves. They will be taught that even children can help in making a difference on the environment and on society.

If you have any questions as to where the money is going when you recycle for charity, you will probably be happy to learn that this money is used exclusively to help the less fortunate people from all over the world.

Remember that recycling for charities makes you and the others environmentally aware, while helping people in need, such as children from poor third-world countries, homeless people, sick people, old people, and many more.

For more resources about Recycle for charities or even about Recycle for charity please review http://www.cansforcharity.org

Chris asked:


One of the easiest ways I think to get some extra money is to simply do some recycling. Depending on where you live recycling centers may be close or far away. Luckily my neighborhood is located about 15 minutes away from a really good recycling center. With the way that our society is changing, you can now almost recycle anything that you own or do not need anymore. Many local agencies are stepping up the efforts to help protect our environments and communities. A great recycling center will take: wood, clean dirt, car oil, rubber, cardboard, aluminum cans, glass, plastics, old cars, batteries, and electronics, amongst many other categories. Some of the categories will not pay. For example tree shrubs clippings that you may have along with old pressboard furniture will be chipped together to make mulch. This product is distributed and sold to local landscaping companies and unfortunately you will not get any money for donating old furniture or tree and shrub clippings.

Some categories you do get some cash for which are the ones that you need to be aware of. Depending on the time of year it is they will pay for a certain amount of clean dirt. I made a koi pond at my house and dug out a 12′ x 18′ area with some places 2′ deep and some places up to 4′ deep. Before just hauling it all away to the dump I made a call and asked if the recycling center was in need of clean dirt and to my surprise they were. I do not remember the weight when we hauled it to the recycling center but my total load gained me $150. Aluminum cans, glass products, and plastics are almost always paid for. If you are at a party or you are having a party one of the best things you can do is collect all the recyclables. On a weekly basis my household goes through a 24 pack of aluminum drinks and after a few months of that it adds up. Glass and aluminum pay for themselves in my household. Last month I cashed in on $52 for aluminum and $33 for glass. One thing that would be worth looking into is what plastics if any the recycling center will accept. I have not had any luck with plastics at my recycling center; they will accept plastics but not pay for them.

So if you can make money just by being a gatherer and collector it will help. One of the benefits is that you get some extra money in your pocket and you also can help the environment by contributing to the reusing of resources. Our government has created thee programs to give people an incentive to help and I see these programs not stopping in the future. You should benefit from making money through recycling as much as possible. An extra $85 a month is worth the simple task of just picking empty containers up and putting them in a bag for recycling.

Amelie Mag asked:


The emergency context will require a fast response from every person; when attacked, the person may try to defend himself/herself. There have been a lot of studies concerned with the body’s response to high emotion, shock and even the common stress. These are in fact the conditions that may be experienced during a fight. The so-called emergency hormones are likely to react very rapidly and the entire human system is put on a sort of auto-pilot condition. This condition reacts in case of emergency situations and it is the basic element when it comes to every bodyguard training.

The defensive tactics are designed in order to ensure every vip protection; loosing the effective control when it comes to emergency situations is not to be regarded as a positive thing. On the contrary, every human life is likely to depend on the correct reaction in an emergency situation. The tactics that are to be found in every bodyguard training are learned taught in order for the person to understand the importance of having the proper reaction to an emergency situation. Every person needs to stay in charge of each situation; for instance, in the case of vip protection, the bodyguard is the one who must have the correct reactions.

The measure of control is to be achieved especially because this control can mainly depend on some factors such as the relational, emotional and mental ones. The person who is in charge with someone’s protection needs to know that as soon as he realizes the imminent danger, he will be able to handle the crisis situation. Every emergency case needs to be handled in the proper and effective manner and every person is likely to be fully aware of this aspect. For instance, if you are frightened enough, you may blame the high stress environment for your inability to react in the proper manner. When on fear or other negative emotions, you may find yourself unable to react and defend yourself. The defense tactics are to be learned by every bodyguard in order for him to be able to protect a person who cannot act promptly enough.

But every person should know that fear is to be regarded as the main stressor, in fact, fear is the one that pushes the button thus instigating the human body to have neurological and chemical reactions. This chemical cocktail can make you react in the wrong manner by not being able to protect yourself. But every bodyguard is likely to be fully aware of these consequences; the vip protection is mainly based on the fact that surprise is the key element of every emergency situation. Surprise is the single successful element that can transform an emergency situation into a real disaster. Every attack is likely to shock the targeted person thus making him/her to lost valuable seconds in order to understand what is really happening. These seconds are vital but, in the case of a trained person, they are used in the appropriate manner in order to minimize the effects of the attack.

The trained person will be able to use all the defensive tactics without loosing precious time; this person will be able to adjust himself to the emergency situation and he will be able to react in the correct manner in order to protect someone’s life. The vip protection is mainly related to the fact that a trained person can be able to use his skills before the attack is over. This aspect is highly important because an ordinary person cannot be able to react so quickly in order to defend his/her life. Tactics are to be used before every attack is over; otherwise, they can be quite useless and the person cannot take advantage of their benefits. Certain safety procedure and principles are to be used in daily life in order to perform the vip protection; personal security means that the risks of criminal acts, kidnapping and assassinations are highly reduced by the constant and correct application of these procedures. Defensive tactics are to be used in order to achieve the desired result.

For instance, in the case of the vip protection, the person in charge will have to become responsible for that person’s personal security; all the security measures should be commensurate with the existing threat in order to avoid unnecessary risks that may endanger one’s life. Constant awareness is to be secured because this feature can be regarded as the real cornerstone when it comes to good personal security and the proper management of the emergency situations.

Akhil Shahani asked:


A lot of small businesses are founded on high technology or a breakthrough concept. If you’re a technopreneur, and the inventor of a property (software, technology, idea or process), have you looked at how to protect your ownership of the same? Don’t look puzzled - protection of your intellectual property (IP) rights is as important as creating the property itself.

Many entrepreneurs have got into a mess by not paying adequate attention to intellectual property rights. Let’s say for example, that Mr. Smith has invented a new engineering process while being employed with a company. The company may have patented the same and acknowledged Mr.Smith as the inventor. However, the patent belongs to the company and not to person who invented it. If Mr.Smith decides to start his own business, he has no right to use the same technology.

There may be other cases where a trademark or copyright infringement might occur inadvertently – for example with a brand name or logo that bears a strong similarity to another. Think twice before you model your business logo after the Big Blue, regardless of how much inspiration you’ve drawn from them.

Undoing an intellectual property rights violation fiasco may be expensive and fraught with difficulty. Therefore, it is best to take adequate precaution beforehand.

Start by taking a look at the ways in which intellectual property can be protected.

Patent

Patents protect ideas (or processes or products). It takes a long time to procure one and is an expensive business. However, this works to protect the owner of the patent from future claims of ownership of the same idea.

Patents are valid for a limited period, after which the idea becomes free for others to use. They are also awarded for a certain geographic area – and in today’s global environment, a really BIG idea may need to be protected worldwide.

Copyright

Acquiring a copyright is the way to protect written works such as books, software, or even music. However, a copyright only protects the intellectual property from being duplicated, as in the case of software products. On the other hand, a person can take “inspiration” from an idea belonging to someone else, tweak it a bit, and get away with it, scot free. Don’t we see that happening all the time?

Trademark

A trademark protects a property that is used to make a company or product marketable – for example a brand name or logo. In case of the use of generic sounding names, trademarks protect the visual rendition but not the name itself.

Other examples of intellectual property protection are

• Prevention of the theft of trade secrets, although this can be quite difficult to achieve

• Non disclosure agreements that prevent employees or vendors from divulging confidential or sensitive information to others

It must be noted that protection of intellectual property rights is a specialized legal science by itself, and you will need to engage the services of an IP lawyer to take care of your interests. Be sure not to overlook them.

Iprwire Staff Writer asked:


Your home should be a safe haven for your family. They should be able to relax, enjoy each other, and sleep in comfort and safety. But in order to provide this type of environment for your family members, you must deal with your home’s fire protection systems.

There are many products that fall into this category. One of the most important ways to protect your family is to have an emergency evacuation plan. Teach each member of the family what the best way to get out of his or her room is. You should also choose a meeting place where all members of the household are instructed to go if they should need to evacuate the home. Practice this plan using drills so that you are sure everyone knows what to do. This is something everyone can do to keep their families safe.

Another way to protect your family is to install fire protection products into your home. This is much more extensive than just installing a smoke detector, although a smoke detector is the first piece of equipment you need. Make sure the smoke detector is always equipped with fresh batteries so that is working at all times. Test it monthly, and make sure every floor of the house has one. You can also consider installing a sprinkler system to continue to protect your home.

Another thing you need to do is have your wiring checked, particularly if you live in an older home. This requires the assistance of a professional, but it is important because loose or frayed wiring or improper fuses can spark a blaze in no time. But you need to find a quality professional who knows exactly what to look for when checking your home’s wiring, which can be a challenge.

Finally, if you are remodeling your existing home or building a new one, have a professional fire protection contractor help you build safety features into the property. For example, you can make your walls and floors out of fire-resistant materials, like brick or tile. This keeps any flames from spreading too quickly, allowing your family time to escape from the property if a blaze should start.

Finding the right professionals to help you protect your family is not easy. Many people masquerade as fireproofing experts, yet they do not hold the necessary licenses and insurance. Without proper licensure or insurance, you are setting yourself up for disaster. If something should go wrong with your property, you have nowhere to turn for help. You need to consider the fireproofing contractor you use very carefully.

One Source Fire Protection is a place you can go to find the fire protection professionals you need. All of the professionals who partner with the site are licensed, insured, and experienced. Their site offers the only database on the internet that catalogues those businesses in the fireproofing industry. When you visit, you can post a job to the contractors who will then contact you directly. And since they carefully screen all of the companies and contractors they work with, you are assured you are getting quality help. Visit http://www.onesourcefireprotection.com to find these features and protect your family.

Groshan Fabiola asked:


The redistribution of wealth from the more fortunate to the less fortunate is facilitated by the progressive tax system in the United States. It is also made by the judicial system through litigation, therefore many of entrepreneurs, business owners, retirees and others who have cumulated significant amount of wealth are often financially devastated by the U.S. judicial system. That’s why every wealthy person, even the ones with an average amount of property, need asset protection plans to prevent the risk of claims from the unknown future judgment creditors, particularly the frivolous claims, or even the employment- related claims that cannot be covered by most insurance policies, among many other exceptions to liability insurance coverage.

The best solution is to implement asset protection plans correlated with your estate plan. This way, providing additional assurance for your financial future and the means to make gifts of interests in protective assets to family members, far away from the view of your future creditors and from all of the creditors of your family members, your asset protection plan will intensify your estate plan, because the objective of legitimate offshore asset protection planning is to avoid litigation altogether. To do this, it uses a structure linking the prudent use of professional advice and foreign law. But pay attention for this is not intended to protect dishonest or incompetent persons from creditors. The asset protection plans, among legitimate tax- neutral and investment vehicle are available. Tempting investment vehicles can be represented by international variable life insurance and international variable annuities with reputable companies in secure offshore jurisdictions. Having different commission structures, they are better protected and are not subject to certain U.S. taxes.

It is also good to know that asset protection plans may incorporate the insurance against automobile accidents, which is rarely maintained at the level necessary to cover these kinds of claims. Because of the high level of coverage, it may be prohibitively expensive or even impossible to insure.

Being done with full IRS compliance and disclosure, asset protection planning and proper tax planning do not involve tax evasion or anti-IRS theories. Always keep in mind that high quality asset protection plans come with good advices, formulated on a case-by-case basis. Ignore the cheap asset protection advices posted on the Internet. Asset protection plans are not implicated in hiding money offshore or using offshore credit card accounts.

Asset protection plans provide with excellent solutions to asset protection issues. Being compliant with U.S. laws, variable life insurance policies and variable annuity contracts offer a wider range of investment opportunities at lower costs beside U.S. policies for policies with total aggregate premiums of over $100,000.

Another matter which needs your full attention is in choosing a consultant for asset protection plans. On the Internet you will find many offshore service providers who offer various offshore tax planning and asset protection schemes. You will first have to look for a consultant with extensive tax experience that is able to give you competent and comprehensive U.S. tax advice.

Asset protection plans are complex and challenging tasks in today’s environment, and need to be properly designed and implemented. Just as a living trust is of small use if it is not funded, an asset protection plan is of little use unless it is funded and the documentation is done correctly.

For more resources about Nevada corporations or even about asset protection planning and especially about asset protection please review these links.

Peter Marcus asked:


Rust - the very term may really annoy people who want their products to be always strong, shiny and long-lasting. Rust can form even over an iron surface coated with paint. In this highly industrialized world, heavy machines and equipments are made of iron. All this iron machinery has to be protected from the deadly and demonic “rust”. To overcome this biggest hurdle called “rust”, many rust protection solutions and techniques have been developed and widely used in day-to-day life.

Over many years of struggle, scientists have come up with rust inhibitors that prevent oxidation of iron. As it is oxidation of iron which results in rust formation, these rust inhibitors tend to slow down or stop the chemical reaction between air and iron avoiding rust formation and thereby increasing the durability of iron products. There are many situations in which the natural process of oxidation and corrosion cannot be avoided. But, at the same time, rust formation can be prevented if precautionary steps are taken.

The real time circumstances like shipping or exporting heavy machinery through ships may damage the iron products when they come in contact with salty sea air. So, while shipping heavy industry products, corrosion-prevention and rust-protection solvent based coating, and oil based coating and packaging films etc ought to be used. These precautionary steps help in protecting them from rust caused by salt air during sea travel. When iron goods are stored for a long time in aggressive environments, rust inhibitors from providers like Zerust may help. The series of industrial metal packaging material comes handy when preserving goods for long time.

In day to day life, the wear and tear of machineries and iron products are quiet common. To prevent the iron products from rust, a wide range of rust inhibitors, rust protection coats and rust removers help a lot. Categorized by the level of protection required by us, Zerust has classified its products into different types. Zerust’s rust inhibitor and rust protection sheets, coating and sprays can protect iron machinery in any type of environment – from the typical to the most aggressive or extreme. You can find more information on how to protect iron machinery from rust at www.zerust.com.

David Heller asked:


Maintaining a workforce in modern times is a difficult task to say the least, particularly when it requires keeping on top of legislative changes and government red tap. Nevertheless, it is important for the well being of your workforce to make sure you have adequate protective clothing in place during working hours. Whether this involves buying specific items for your workforce, or devising a company uniform policy for health and safety reasons, you can source the right protective clothing for your needs. In this article we’ll look at why protective clothing is important for your organisation, and where you can find it.

Protective clothing comes in a range of different styles and sizes, spanning most of the traditional ‘dangerous’ industries. Whether you’re working in a heavy construction environment or handling volatile chemicals, chances are you’ll need some safety equipment in order to do your job. But why is protective clothing important from the point of view of the organisation employing staff? Furthermore, why should the organisation care if its staff are well protected?

From a moral point of view, that seems obvious. Employers should want to take care of their staff and take all measures to avoid them coming to any harm. Unfortunately morality and business don’t always go hand in hand, and it can be hard to ensure employers live up to their obligations. Recent health and safety legislation has had the effect of making the workplace safer for employees, leading to a range of industrial court actions against offending employers. As an employer, it is now in your best interests to be seen to be caring for your staff and the environment in which they work, which is why it can be a good idea to invest in protective clothing for your workforce.

Finding protective clothing is important for the health and well being of both your staff and your company. By failing to provide the right protective clothing and safety equipment, you may end up with an injured workforce or even complex and costly litigation along the way, which can be seriously detrimental for business productivity. Wherever possible, locating protective clothing should be high on the list of priorities for the employer or small businessman, to provide long term value for your business and your staff, and to avoid the dangers of the work environment for the health and safety of your employees.