Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta sustainability. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta sustainability. Mostrar todas las entradas

martes, 4 de febrero de 2014

New age of green tech



Green technology or, as it is often referred to, environmental technology, attempts to address the negative impact humans have on the planet by promoting technology that is developed and utilized according to certain standards that protect the environment. Green technology applies environment science to conserve the environment and its resources.

Some of the major segments of green technology include energy conservation, solar power, hydrogen fuel cell, and doubly-fed electric machine.

Green technology is one of the fields most promoted by the Eco-friendly organizations which are so popular these days. In addition, governments make policies to implement it, corporations adopt to it to suit their services and products, and non-profit organizations promote it far and wide. It's always in the news, on the radio, and in the press because everybody believes humans cannot remain indifferent anymore to the impact they have on nature and that the time has come to conserve and protect the planet.




Green Electronics

One of the major categories of green technology, and one that interests most people because it has a direct impact on their daily lives, is green electronics. Computers, mobile phones, televisions, and various gadgets and devices are only some of the electronics indispensable for the average person. Electronic devices are not only important for prosperous countries but for developing nations as well. The widespread use of electronics all around the globe makes green electronics a issue of critical importance.

The major manufacturers of electronics, such as Apple, Nokia, or Sony, have been concentrating their efforts lately on green technology because consumers are no longer satisfied with cutting-edge technology alone. They want, besides top-notch features, the assurance that what they buy is manufactured and can be utilized without harming the environment.

Recycling electronics

Recycling is a worldwide initiative closely linked to green technology. People are encouraged by governments and organizations not to throw their old electronics together with their everyday trash. Also, more and more recycling centers for out-of-use electronics appear around the globe every year that try to minimize the waste and pollution associated with discarded electronic devices and, when possible, to ensure that reusable materials are not wasted.





Energy conservation

But green technology is also about the way electronics are developed and used today. Energy conservation is a critical concern that affects the way electronics are manufactured. Regularly new standards emerge that regulate the energy consumption of everyday electronic devices, according to policies adopted by governments. The aim of the energy conservation movement is to reduce the electricity consumed by electronics so that less fossil fuel will have to be burned to create that necessary electricity.

Robotics and green technology

Robotics is a field closely connected to green technology that is rapidly developing. Robotic solutions that try to increase the efficiency of industrial operations while minimizing the effects they have on the environment, is one area of robotics that is rapidly advancing. Manufacturers from all fields adopt robotic solutions to increase productivity and to reduce waste materials and pollution.

In the years to come it will be up to science to make technology greener, but consumers also have a duty of their own. By buying electronics labeled as Eco-friendly and by recycling their old electronic devices they will make their own contribution to the upcoming age of green electronics.
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10 Eco Friendly Investment Tips



1. Decide what you mean by Eco Friendly
Are you opposed to nuclear energy, or do you see it as a practical solution to global warming? How do you feel about biofuels with all the ethical and environmental questions they raise? Do you wish to discriminate on grounds other than environmental - many ecofriendly funds are also ethical funds and screen out businesses involved in alcohol, tobacco, pornography and animal testing. Are these causes that you feel strongly about?

2. Do your research
A number of fund managers have strong teams looking at Eco Friendly investing including Aegon, F&C, Jupiter, Legal & General, Norwich Union and Standard Life.
Some of these funds have a list of companies that they will not invest in because they are polluters or their environmental track record is not good. Other Eco Friendly funds will actively invest in companies working in socially responsible areas such as pollution control and clean fuels. Blackrock New Energy investment trust and Triodos Renewable Energy fund are "pure-play" environmental funds.

3. Find an ethical IFA
A good adviser should draw up your personal eco profile before recommending any funds.

4. Consider your attitude to risk
Renewable energy start-ups can be high-risk. If you're a low-risk investor you might want to avoid stocks and shares altogether. To reduce risk, don't put all your money into one fund or sector. Instead spread it between different funds, sectors and geographical areas around the world.




5. Use your tax breaks
Most eco friendly investment funds can be held inside your annual £7,200 Isa wrapper, which means you escape most income tax and all capital gains tax on the money you make. Ecology building society, Triodos offer eco-friendly cash Isas.
Ecology's Earthwise cash Isa currently pays 5.1 per cent, provided you make no more than one withdrawal a year - otherwise the rate is 4.1 per cent. The Triodos cash Isa pays 4.4 per cent and Co-operative Bank's cash Isa pays 4.75 per cent.

6. Choose an eco-friendly pension
Plenty of pension companies offer ethical funds, but do some research to see if their investments are green. Many have holdings in large mining corporations, oil giants like BP, Shell, Total and other environmentally questionable companies.

7. Choose your manager carefully
Does your fund managers approach look rigorous and does the fund have a specialist team. A green fund manager should be looking for new investment opportunities in areas such as organic food, climate change, and waste and water.

8. Manage your expectations
Environmentally friendly funds are at a disadvantage when competing against those funds that are free to invest in any company, and are likely to see smaller returns.

9. Monitor performance
Strike a balance between principles and profit. Don't just examine where the fund invests - check how it has performed (but remember, past performance is no guarantee of future returns).

10. Our Tip
The Aegon Ethical Equity fund has very strict investment criteria but has also performed strongly.
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Which Businesses Are Eco-Friendly



When it comes to supporting companies, it’s been said that every dollar is a vote. When you do business with someone, you are indirectly condoning their methods. If you purchase an Apple computer product, you are sending the message that you believe that the inhumane labor practices that Apple uses in developing nations are worth the low cost and high availability of your new iPad. If you use General Electric appliances, you are sending the message that you condone tax evasion. And when you do business with a company that doesn’t follow green practices, then you are demonstrating your compliance with corporations that choose profit over sustainability and conservation.

On the other hand, if you work with businesses that do their part to protect the earth, you’re showing your support for a greener future. For example, if you were to purchase emergency food storage supplies through Thrivelife.com, you’re rewarding them for their sound environmental practices and eco-friendly products. “But wait,” you say, “I don’t know which companies are eco-friendly and which aren’t; I’m not consciously condoning anything.” Well, that excuse may have been viable a few decades ago, but with access to the internet, anyone can do a little research and see which businesses are living up to our high expectations.

Here are a few tips on how you can check up on your favorite companies to see just how green they really are.




1. Do an internet search

The quickest way to investigate a company is to simply type its name into a search engine and then include the word environment (or something similar). The returns that you get should include any progressive environmental initiatives that the company has instigated, and any other relevant data about their eco-friendliness. At the same time, careless, damaging, or environmentally irresponsible actions will come to light as well. Just make sure you ignore anything listed on a company’s homepage; many businesses today are shameless “green-washers.”

2. Check for sustainability reports

You can bet that companies that are trying hard to preserve the environment want to share that information. Check to see if a company produces a corporate social responsibility report or a sustainability report. These can often be found through links on the company’s web site (yes, I know I said to ignore information you find on their website, but full reports are a lot harder to fabricate than a few unfounded claims; chances are that a non-green company will simply not bother with a report at all), or by googling the company’s name + “social responsibility report,” “environment report,” or “sustainability report.”

3. See if they’ve earned any environmental awards or accolades

Rewards and recognition are annually given to corporations that do their part to protect nature. If the company in question has received any, then there will be record of it on the internet. If they haven’t, then they may not be as eco-friendly as you hope.



4. Visit ratings sites
Independent, non-profit organizations such as Green Seal can be a great resource. Their website includes a search program so that you can quickly and easily locate eco-friendly businesses. Other sites will actually rate companies based on their eco-friendliness. Climate Counts takes into account everything from recycling programs to the energy efficiency of automated shipping systems and gives the company a score.
5. See who they’re affiliated with
Certified green businesses will certainly make sure that their association with respected environmental groups is known. Inversely, some companies will claim to be green, but have no problem doing business with environmentally irresponsible organizations. Check around the internet and see who the company is paired up with. With a little bit of patience and some internet know-how, you’ll be able to figure out which businesses deserve your patronage, and which ones need to be taught a lesson about sustainability.
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