5 Reasons Plastic Is So Hard to Replace

by Henry Finch on April 23, 2022

It is pretty chic to hate plastic these days. If you are a politician, it is incredibly easy to target manufacturers for financial penalties in order to make it appear as though you’re concerned enough about the environment to eliminate plastic. If you are a consumer, it is easy to blame plastic for all the environmental ills you see around you. But if plastic is as bad as it’s made out to be, why has it survived for so long?

Few would argue that careless waste disposal is a good thing. Few would argue that we should just throw our plastic trash wherever it’s most convenient. Plastic waste doesn’t belong in waterways or city sewers. But at the same time, plastic doesn’t qualify as the world’s biggest evil just because human beings don’t want to make the effort to dispose of it properly.

At any rate, plastic has survived because it is extremely hard to replace. Here are five reasons explaining why:

1. It’s Lightweight

One of plastic’s chief advantages over other manufacturing materials is its weight. It is extremely light compared to other options. Moreover, manufacturers don’t have to compromise on durability and integrity. A plastic food container is just as durable as a glass one, maybe more so when you consider how easily glass shatters. In terms of weight and strength, plastic is tough to beat.

2. It’s Cheap to Produce

Manufacturers are more than happy to make extensive use of plastic because it’s cheap to produce. We already harvest crude oil to produce gasoline, diesel, and other petroleum products. We might just as well turn some of that crude into plastics. It is fairly easy to do once you have a refinery operational.

By the way, cheap plastics lead to cheap retail prices. That’s big. Your average consumer isn’t willing to pay significantly more at retail just to get non-plastic packaging.

3. It’s Easy to Work With

Next up, plastic is easy to work with. It can be molded into just about any shape. Furthermore, you can do something with plastic that you can’t do with glass, paper, and other materials: vacuum seal it. Vacuum sealing is one of the reasons that plastic is so popular as a food packaging material.

4. It Can Be Recycled

The fact that most of the world’s plastics end up in landfills is not the fault of plastic itself. The blame lies in how we use plastic. The material is very recyclable, as evidenced by companies like Tennessee-based Seraphim Plastics. Seraphim makes a tidy profit recycling industrial scrap plastic in seven states.

What makes industrial plastic recycling commercially viable is process. If we applied the same process to consumer plastics, recycling them would be just as viable.

5. Technology Depends on It

Even if all the other reasons for keeping plastic around were not enough to support it, this last reason can carry plastic all by itself: modern technology relies on it. Get rid of plastic and you also have to get rid of your cell phone, computer, and nearly all the other consumer electronics you take for granted. Ditto for electric vehicles and gasoline-powered cars with high mileage ratings. Steel and aluminum just won’t cut it.

A lot of people complain about plastic. They call for its complete elimination without thinking about the implications thereof. But a world without plastic would be a very different world.

Commercially viable plastics have been around since the early 20^th century. In other words, it has been more than a hundred years since plastic came on the scene. It is not going away any time soon.

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Understanding E-Waste and its Challenges

by Henry Finch on March 21, 2022

What is e-waste?

E-waste is a term used to describe the waste stream generated by electronic products. It includes old televisions, computers, microwaves, and anything else you might have in your office that plugs into an electrical outlet.

This could include items such as printers or even rechargeable batteries for electronics. What are some reasons why I should care about e-waste? You may ask yourself what type of impact this has on the environment, but you also need to think about how it impacts business productivity. The more time employees are spending looking through rubbish bins for paper-clips or dealing with broken copiers, means less work getting done. This puts companies at risk when trying to keep up with their competitors.

How can companies address e-waste?

The first step is to set up recycling stations around your office with bins for paper, batteries, and other standard waste products. Having these recyclable items placed in an open area where they can be easily accessed will encourage employees to use them instead of throwing everything away at the same time.

Incentivise recycling through a reward system where you give back points, money, or other perks when an item has been recycled and responsibly disposed of. Reward systems are a powerful way to encourage behaviour that aligns with company values – in this case, responsible waste disposal practices. Once again, donating the funds collected from these rewards would be another good option here too! You could also offer incentives such as discounts on products or services if they bring in certain items (e-waste).

What options are available for e-waste?

There are many options for what you can do with e-waste once it is collected. Electronics contain valuable materials such as gold, copper, and silver, recovered through proper recycling methods. For example, some of these metals could go towards producing new products like mobile phones or laptops! This means less carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from mining activities to create a brand new product, so this is another way that small business owners can protect the environment while remaining sustainable at their own company. For most businesses office waste can be collected by a commercial waste disposal company that offer wheelie bins to dispose of both paper and electronic waste.

Impact of e-waste on the environment

As the amount of e-waste increases, so makes the threat it poses to human health and the environment. Toxins in electronics can leak into soil and groundwater, affecting food sources and ecosystems worldwide. The UNEP states: “…e-Wastes contain a large number of hazardous substances which may pose potential risks to human beings and wildlife if inappropriately handled…the recycling process itself also generates waste streams [and] greenhouse gases”. Inappropriate handling practices result in toxic by-products when these products are broken down during recycling.

Environment

How Reusable Mesh Produce Bags are Good for Keeping the Environment Clean?

by Henry Finch on January 27, 2022

We all have that space that is away from our house reserved for unwanted plastic bags. Yes, they are available easily, but there’s likewise a hesitation there to throw them aware instantly after getting them.

Instead of accumulating a wealth of single-use plastic bags that are not just inconvenient, however, bad for the environment as well as, strive to use reusable mesh produce bags. There are a plethora of advantages to investing in a reusable bag. Listed below are some of the advantages to using reusable mesh produce bags.

1. Conserve Resources

However, they appear to be light and small, plastic bags have a much bigger environmental footprint than you might envision, starting with the energy needed to make them. 12 million barrels of oil are utilized to make the plastic bags consumed in the US every year, as per the Waste Management Northwest. On a smaller scale, as per SPREP.org, you could take a car a mile for the similar amount of gasoline it takes to produce 14 plastic bags.

2. Low Pollution

The impact of plastic on the environment can be dangerous. Plastic products like plastic bags can take around 15 to 1,000 years to collapse, and that is expecting they even make it into a landfill rather than winding up in water like rivers, streams or the ocean — or moving around the neighborhood. Out of the 100 billion plastic shopping bags people utilize every year, just around 1 percent are recycled, a good amount of plastic bag pollution is generated annually.

3. Save Money

Utilizing reusable bags over plastic bags can save a lot of money in a few regions – such as your own pocket.

Several stores are starting to impose an additional charge for plastic bags. By having your own reusable bag, you are saving money every time you visit the grocery store, purchase a new outfit, or run errands. Several stores, if they don’t impose any charges for plastic, are providing an incentive for getting your own bag. So, either way, you keep looking at it, you’re saving money on every purchase.

4. Save Resources and Money

Plastic bags are somewhat non-biodegradable, utilize natural gas and crude oil to manufacture, and need even excessive fossil fuels to ship.

By utilizing a reusable pack, you are not just decreasing how much non-renewable resources are essential to produce plastic bags, but on the other hand, you’re decreasing the amount of money your entire community spends on clean-up costs every year.

Despite how you get rid of plastic bags, they lead to blowing onto the street, clogging waterways, as well as penetrating other natural environments. In addition to the fact that this is an eyesore, it additionally costs money to clean up.

5. Declutter Your House and Secure Space

Plastic sacks occupy a lot of room as well as frequently mess your car, household, and workspace. Consider it: If you bring home 5 grocery bags worth of food a week, then there would be around 260 bags a year. And that’s just on groceries. Those plastic bags surely clutter your kitchen cabinets, your car; and your pantry, wasting space for other, quite crucial things other than waste that we can’t seem to part with.

Though bigger than a plastic grocery bag, reusable bags can fold up as well as end up grabbing significantly less space than your plastic bags. And, in comparison to the 20 to 50 plastic bags in the surroundings of your house, you’ll have maybe 3 or 4 reusable bags to take their place.

6. Durability and Reliability

Dissimilar to the flimsy plastic bag you get from retailers, reusable bags are durable as well as hold more at a time. Go on, fill up that cotton or hard plastic bag to the brim—it won’t break. That implies fewer excursions to and from your car and more to be easily carried at a time.

Also, their durability prevents them from tearing or ripping. Bid farewell to multiple trips, spilled groceries, and double bagging.

And as they are reliable, you can utilize them for various purposes. Personally, many people use their vegetable mesh bags for groceries, lesson plans, beach bags, and even as a purse. There are infinite benefits to these packable and convenient bags.

7. Peace of Mind

By using reusable bags, you will just not make sufficient space in your home, but you’ll have great peace of mind. Plastic bags are among the top ten most usual objects found in oceans as well as on beaches. An estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are utilized every year, and they’re becoming soils, oceans, animals, and rivers.

In Conclusion

Seeing the above-mentioned benefits, it is clear that you will feel much better when you stop accidentally gathering unnecessary plastic bags. Whether or not you’re aware of your consumption patterns or not, as you start to see the waste disappear, you’ll feel really great.

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The greenest cities in the United Kingdom

by Henry Finch on January 10, 2022

There is a global endeavor to become more ecologically friendly in an increasingly urbanized society. There is no shortage of green space for citizens to enjoy in many parts of the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States.

Cities in the UK and Europe have been ranked based on various factors, including air quality, pollution, quality of life, life expectancy, and green areas. In addition, the London Boroughs have a unique green space overall.

A weighted ranking method has been utilized. According to the Green City Index, a city’s green space content may be measured in the near vicinity.

Six variables are weighted out of a potential 60 points to determine the greenest boroughs and cities:

The number of Parks
Numerous landscaped areas
Inhabitants of wildlife and nature reserves
How many playgrounds are there?
Streams and Rivers
the total number of trees that exist

Many elements make a city green, ranging from its number of green spaces to its pollution levels. However, you may be surprised by the cities at the top of our lists.

Despite the extension of the ultra-low-emissions zone this week, London failed to make the top 10. The capital’s high proportion of pedal-powered commuters, on the other hand, contributed to its ranking as the 11th best city in the world. The lowest three teams were Coventry City, Sunderland City, and Wolverhampton.

Sheffield

According to The Independent, Sheffield, long dubbed by George Orwell as the “ugliest town in the old world,” has been awarded the greenest city in the United Kingdom. The Steel City’s 22,600 acres of green area and a strong level of renewable energy generation “aided the Steel City in topping the table.” Since 2016, significant portions of Sheffield’s award-winning “Grey to Green” plan have also been developed.

Edinburgh

Scotland’s two most populous cities, Glasgow and Edinburgh, were both featured in the top 10, but Edinburgh came out on top, according to The National. The city also features a low percentage of automobile commuters and a substantial proportion of ultra-low-emissions cars. Each person has access to more than 230 square meters of green space.

Cardiff

According to Welsh government estimates, despite having the lowest recycling percentage of any Welsh local authority, Cardiff nevertheless rates better than several other UK cities. The council aims towards carbon neutrality by 2030, which it intends to accomplish via planning and infrastructure development and urging citizens to modify their behavior.

Brighton and Hove

“Tim Stanley of The Spectator” blasted Brighton’s Green MP Caroline Lucas for turning the city “into a laboratory for their crazy ideas” four years after she won the Brighton Pavilion seat. Eco-restaurants and zero-waste stores are two examples of Brighton businesses attracting new customers. According to Brighton and Hove News, it was awarded the “accolade” of fourth place, of its low recycling rate. The Rampion Offshore Wind Farm, which covers more than 40 square miles, benefits the region. Brighton isn’t going to lose its green streak very soon, given that Lucas has won the seat three times in a row.

Bristol

Bristol has long been recognized as a green light, even outside the borders of the United Kingdom. It was named Europe’s Green Capital in 2015. It was the first city in the nation to declare an environmental crisis in November 2018, when it also established a target of achieving net zero emissions by 2030. However, university academics in the city indicated last year that the aim is unlikely to be realized without considerable improvements to the city’s transportation network.

Leeds

Leeds is already a lush city, but as part of its net-zero goal, the council intends to boost tree planting and foster conservation and biodiversity. Significant investments in the city’s infrastructure have been undertaken, with housing and transportation being two main growth areas.

Glasgow

The Cop26 host city includes about 100 parks and gardens, a plethora of independent and eco-focused enterprises, and a fleet of electric buses that will be expanded by 2023 owing to a £50 million investment. According to the I news site, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned last week that there will be “disruption and discomfort” for Glaswegians during Cop26, but that the majority of people in the city recognize the significance of the summit “for the future of the world.”

Nottingham

Nottingham City Council has set an ambitious goal of being net-zero by 2028, the earliest of any city in the United Kingdom. It’s making tremendous progress, with carbon reduction and offsetting strategies in place and approximately a fifth of the city’s electricity coming from low-carbon sources. According to the Nottingham Post, local councilor Sally Longford said last year that the degree of support from local people has been “flabbergasting.”

Newcastle upon Tyne

Cleaner transportation is a crucial component of Newcastle’s green strategy, with plans for 200 extra electric buses and an increase in the number of electric car charging sites established across the city. In recent years, there has been an emphasis on minimizing the amount of garbage generated by inhabitants and redirecting as much as possible to recycling processes.

Belfast

With just 280,000 people, Belfast is the UK’s tenth greenest city. Travel guides and tourist boards emphasize the city’s eco-credentials, directing tourists to restaurants and stores that are kind to the environment. Its Green and Blue Infrastructure Plan calls for the enhancement of vegetated areas and the city’s waterways by 2035, focusing on biodiversity and synergy with the urban environment.

Conclusion

We hope the article proves helpful for you. We have discussed the ten greenest of the United Kingdom. If You want to explore more details about the greenest cities in the United Kingdom, you can check out this article.

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Most Efficient Solar Panels For Commercial Buildings

by Henry Finch on December 9, 2021

One of the noticeable benefits of incorporating solar panels is it can drastically lower energy bills. After its installation with large walk through general access doors for the safety of electrical controls and connections, you will pay much less to nothing for the electric power generated from the sun. Moreover, most of the solar panels available on the market nowadays have a 25 years warranty.

For those property owners planning to have solar panels in their buildings, it is essential to know and prioritize the efficiency of specific solar panels from different manufacturers. Its efficiency is a valuable metric used to determine its percentage range to convert sunlight irradiation on its surface into electricity.

Solar Panel Efficiency

The efficiency of the solar panel is a measurement of a panel’s ability to convert solar energy into electricity. For instance, if the sun shines on a solar panel with a 20 percent efficiency rating, it will convert 20 percent of the energy into usable electricity. Suppose two different efficiency panels have the same amount of sunlight with the same duration of time. In that case, the higher efficiency panel will produce more electricity than the solar panels with less efficiency. The solar cells’ electricity production ratings determine the efficiency of the solar panel, which influences the cell’s composition, surrounding components, electrical configuration, and more.

How Efficient are Solar Panels?

With the new innovative technologies, most solar panels have an efficiency between 15 percent up to 20 percent efficiency, having outliers on either side of the range. Some high efficiency can even exceed up to 22 percent, but the most photovoltaic panels available in the market do not exceed 20 percent efficiency. Solar panels with higher efficiency are a bit expensive than lower efficiency panels; however, it helps meet your energy needs in your commercial spaces. Today the most efficient solar panels on the market have a high-efficiency rating of 22.8 percent. In contrast, most solar panels have a range from 16 up to 18 percent efficiency ratings.

What are Solar Cells?

Solar cells are also known as photovoltaic cells or PV; they are the ones that generate electricity from sunlight. It is connected and neatly organized into a solar panel frame. Typically, solar cells come from silicon semiconductors that absorb sunlight from sunlight and convert it into usable electricity.

Factors that Affect the Efficiency of the Solar Panels

Solar Cell Material

Thin-film, cadmium, telluride, polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon, etc., affect the solar panel efficiency.

Busing and Wiring

The organization of busbars and wires can impact solar panels efficiency.

Angle and Positioning

To capture sufficient sunlight, a proper installation and optimizing the angle can also affect its efficiency.

Climate

Location and the type of weather can significantly affect the efficiency of the solar panel.

Most Efficient Solar Panel for Commercial Buildings

Solar panels that use monocrystalline solar cells are the most efficient choice you can get from the market. This type of solar cell comes from a pure form of silicon that converts more sunlight into electricity. It is also known as single-crystalline cells. It is also easy to identify by their cutting edge and their black cell color.

Monocrystalline solar cells offer the best deal when using the specific space efficiently and saving space. This type of solar access panel takes up less space than their solar panels’ counterparts available in the market, which is an excellent choice if you want to incorporate more solar panels in your roofing.

It offers an incredibly long lifespan advantage, longer than any other solar cell technology available on the market. And this type of solar panel is estimated to have a lifespan of 50 years; as a result, most of the manufacturers of these solar panels offer 25 years warranties which is quite phenomenal as this covers half of its expected lifespan.

This monocrystalline solar panel is relatively more expensive than any other counterparts. It is known for the most costly option of solar panels available in the market as they are the most efficient solar panel cells.

As solar panels become popular nowadays, more property owners often choose which is the most efficient. Solar energy is a much greener energy source than fossil fuels to power up the building structures. It also helps in other forms of energy production without having emissions and reduces the carbon footprint.

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Solar Panel System for Commercial Buildings

by Henry Finch on December 9, 2021

Commercial buildings consume a lot of energy to operate. As the number of consumers increases, so are the needs for various goods and services. This situation only aggravates the demand for more energy consumption, driving its price higher and companies looking for alternative energy sources.

The rooftops of commercial buildings are the ones that frequently receive sunlight. Installing solar panels on roofs and other open spots like parking areas may be a cost-effective solution to capture natural energy while also repurposing otherwise underutilized space. However, recognizing what to check and what to avoid in the rapidly increasing solar panel market may be a tricky procedure to traverse.

The Advantage of Using Solar Panels

Solar power from rooftop panels can fulfill some part of an office building’s electrical needs, making it a logical alternative for commercial structures. Another issue to consider if you own a business facility is the building’s worth. A system with a built-in renewable energy source will become more valuable.

Solar energy for business buildings may become an income-generating enterprise since some areas allow you to sell your excess power back to the grid, providing excellent returns on investment.

Installation: What You May Need to Know

The installation process of solar panels on your commercial roof is a combination of electrical and roofing work. You need to consider your roof’s warranty and if it may suffer damage during the installation. Therefore, finding an experienced and reputable licensed professional is a must.

You must first conduct a site inspection, preferably through a roof hatch with service stairs for roof hatches, and ensure no vulnerabilities in your electrical, roofing, and structural areas.

The structural supports that hold the panels in place in typical solar panel installations are stainless steel or anodized aluminum material that provides a robust connection and extended product life. Depending on various parameters, these systems can then be ballasted, pierced, or a mix of both.

A qualified solar specialist will keep walkways and entrances to rooftop equipment clear for maintenance personnel’s long-term safety. When it comes to the installation procedure, it’s also a good idea to follow these guidelines:

When contemplating a solar panel system, always visit a professional installer. These skilled installers offer comprehensive analysis and turnkey designs and installs, including fabrication, permits, construction, and engineering.

Solar panels come with a 25-year guarantee. Owners and building managers should think about how old their roof is before adding one. When it’s time to replace a roof, it’s the most excellent time to think about installing them because the roofing and solar panels will both have warranties out around the same time.

Anyone ready to put solar on an aged or aging roof that will soon need replacement in the next few years is someone you need to avoid.

More people will see solar panels integrated into the building’s design with the continued advancement of other technologies and the growing interest in sustainable measures. Some examples of such development include solar-covered walkways, canopies, window shades, and even solar parking lots that give shade and electric car charging to clients or employees.

Other Challenges

Although there are advantages connected with solar panel installation, there are some obstacles, such as the high prices of the equipment and the need for a wide surface area to place the panels. Other factors may hamper the correct working of solar panels, such as pollution, weather phenomena like foggy and rainy days that block the sun’s rays, necessitating the usage of battery charges to keep energy for emergencies and other events.

These issues are minor compared to the numerous benefits of using solar technology in commercial buildings and a slew of different advantages that a company may get by associating itself with sustainability and being environmentally friendly.

Combining Spray Foam Roofing and Solar Panel

Integrating solar panels and spray foam will result in further energy efficiency because the foam will increase the building’s insulating factor, resulting in decreased costs due to heating and cooling. By combining these two sustainable elements, your building will indeed become more energy-efficient, and you’ll also have a sustainable roof, which means you’ll be contributing less to pollution.

Building owners who wish to improve their facilities, decrease energy expenditures and insulate for better comfort can combine the two technologies on rooftops. Spray foam roofing with photovoltaics is ideal for achieving net-zero energy in various commercial projects in many locations.

More and more buildings will soon adapt to the different challenges brought by climate change, and utilizing solar technology is just one of the many currently undergoing development. If you need updates or any interests or planning to install a system in your building, ensure to get your necessary advice from a licensed and credible professional.

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Automation in Construction Using Precast Panel

by Henry Finch on December 9, 2021

The precast installation consists of connecting separate components of the building construction in one region. These precast panels enable quick and easy construction of building structures as beams and walls usually remain the same. Sewage, cemetery walls, drainage sewage pipes make use of such units.

The types of moldings for precast include plastic, steel, timber, fiberglass, or rubber. Installation of precast in construction has some advantages as they are durable, efficient, and ready-made, making them economical and easy to install or use. It is also suitable for any structure construction project and sustainable over a long period.

Construction Industry

As the construction industry consistently proliferates across the globe and since most construction projects demand a shorter duration period, most builders prefer the installation of precast. Most of these panels have undergone testing, and some are immune to hazardous materials and natural disasters. They are being transported, lifted, and connected, like building blocks.

There are various factors to consider when using precast panels in the construction project, such as ease of handling, smooth erection, safe design, and a trouble-free demolition if a situation arises. The precast material should meet the safety and quality standards specified by local government building codes.

The engineer and architects would have to look at the erection and structure-related aspects. Other factors that need to consider on precast installation are efficient erection, stability, strength capacity, and more. During the installation, it should ensure the safety of the personnel involved. Meanwhile, the worker should have proper training and experience in precast installation.

Precast Automation

Some companies offer fully automated concrete precast panel production, providing top-rate precast quality and capacity. It reduces operating costs through optimized production, careful design process, individually tailored solutions, and automation technologies.

These fully automated precast panels optimize precast production from the building plan design up to the construction site. It also features advanced software, state-of-the-art production machinery, modern table circulation, and automatic cover planning, controlling, and monitoring, making the building construction process more quick and easy.

These automated precast processes offer straightforward material management and optimization and directly synchronize with information product design, and the production execution shows the number of products all the time. The line operations are controlled and monitored from one central location with real-time data production for any required adjustments, such as incorporating valuable building components like heavy-duty access doors that need some measurement adjustment. The system shows the finished product location and no time for unnecessary tracking.

These are several advantages in using automated concrete precast building construction:

The precast elements concurrently help to commence early site work.
Minimize scaffolding and propping costs
Help to expedite construction projects.
Significantly reduce time on site.
The uninterrupted and continuous erection of precast in the project helps to fast-track schedules in construction.
During precast installation, the off-site manufacturing and onsite construction can overlap and help to reduce site construction time.
Reduce tools and materials stored on site.
Minimizes site defects
Its concrete curing time will not affect the project’s time frame as most precast panels products are trafficable after the installation.
Help to lower labor costs in the site
Help to reduce project cost from reduced build time.
Shorter project times and early revenue receipts
The uninterrupted and continuous erection of precast in the project helps to fast-track schedules in construction.
The precast installation uses advanced connection technology and can proceed safely and swiftly with expert erectors in almost any weather condition.
Significant cost savings

Durability

Concrete precast allows increased consistency and accuracy of building reinforcement than traditional construction. Its accuracy of placement reinforcement provides the same durability level in the structure.

It offers an advantage in pacing mature concrete to its loading and service environment. The concrete precast ensures its best when exposed to aggressive loads. Traditional concrete construction cannot carry load immediately and requires scaffolds, propping, and time to age. It prevents creep under design load at an early age of the concrete that will cause deflection in the structure permanently.

Precast concrete is very famous in low and mid-rise buildings as it offers superior sound control and fire resistance. With various aggregates finishes and shapes, precast panels provide multiple options, reduce onsite installation costs, staging, and time, and significantly help with a shorter construction project duration.

Environment

Possible Implications Of COP26 On The GreenTech Industry

by Henry Finch on November 23, 2021

Good COP, Bad COP

Labelled ‘a fragile win’, world leaders from almost 200 countries have agreed on a new climate deal after two weeks of negotiations at the annual COP26 summit in Glasgow. A record-breaking number of ambassadors gathered in the City, pledging to cut methane emissions, tackle deforestation, phase out coal and drive technology in the GreenTech industry.

“This is real progress in keeping 1.5 degrees within reach. Progress that we have made together. But the need for continued action and implementation to match ambition must continue throughout this decade,” Alok Sharma, the COP26 President told delegates after the agreement was signed.

Whilst some are calling it a success, others a failure and many saying it’s something in between, innovation among green technology startups are the only drivers turning the pledges into reality.

So what does it mean for the GreenTech industry? Storm4 reveal the three key opportunities GreenTechs should focus on from the COP26 outcomes.

A Focus On Methane Creates New Opportunities For The GreenTech Industry

A key development to emerge from the first week of the summit was an agreement by more than 100 countries to slash methane emissions by 30% by 2030. Research has shown that curbing methane emissions using existing technologies could shave up to 0.5 °C off global temperatures by 2100, providing an opportunity for the GreenTech industry to make these technologies the norm instead of an exception.

Being the world’s top emitter, China has shown a renewed interest in tackling the issue by pledging to cut methane emissions for the first time. The US has also made it a centrepiece in their commitments, which if implemented, could prevent the release of 37 million tons of methane by 2035 — equivalent to more than the annual carbon emissions from the nation’s fleets of passenger vehicles and commercial aircraft.

Storm4 foresee this pledge to open the doors for AgTech and waste to make their mark, who are responsible for 40% and 20% of methane emissions respectively.

Carbon-Trading Takes The Limelight

After six years of confounded battles due to fears of breaking the Paris settlement, negotiators at COP26 agreed upon a deal on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The long-awaited standards have created the foundation for establishing a carbon trading market that synthesises with existing credit systems.

Based on the premise that credits can be exchanged for carbon reduction, the market is on the cusp of growth as countries around the world clamber to partner with this new generation of startups to meet their net-zero pledges. Startups such as Pachama and Cloverly are proving the value and significance of the carbon market, having received impressive funding rounds of a combined total of $26.4M in the last year.

With carbon-trading rules now concrete, Storm4 expect to see demand from governments and corporates soar, funding from investors continue and new startups emerge.

The US Is Back On The Scene

One of the notable promises to come out of COP26 was the US’ commitment to the GreenTech industry. Joe Biden’s ‘Build Better Back’ economic bill will be transformative in the fight against climate change, doubling its climate finance commitment to $11 billion per year.

The landscape is already thriving, with startups having more success in drawing venture capital and scaling. As many as 43 unicorns currently operate out of Greater Los Angeles, Greater Boston, New York, and the Bay Area, with 61 more are on track to hit unicorn status in the foreseeable.

This demonstrates the growing demand for more sustainable technologies from consumers in the U.S. Having a more mature climate tech ecosystem than anywhere else in the world, Storm4 anticipate investment levels to continue to rise as a focus on climate change dominates the political landscape, business environment, and the community at large.

While pledges are a promising step in the right direction, Storm4 believe attention must now shift to implementation. Reliance on the GreenTech industry is the only hope to ensure COP26 becomes a catalyst for change.

Infographic provided by Bridger Photonics – gas mapping lidar

News

5 Ways to Get Your Team to Comply With Safety Procedures

by Henry Finch on October 20, 2021

If you want to meet your environmental social governance standards while ensuring the safety and wellbeing of your employees, simply introducing policies and strategies in line with industry standards is not enough.

Achieving health and safety goals within the workplace is impossible without employee engagement, so you require a collaborative effort to ensure compliance.

Here are five sure ways to ensure that your employees understand and comply with health and safety regulations.

1. Create clear and feasible policies

An excellent way to garner the interest of your employees is to ensure that your safety policies honestly reflect the nature and challenges of the job.

For example, how well do you understand the job requirements of different departments? How clearly can you communicate safety protocols that can reduce risks of injury or hazards?

Policymakers should request input from employees from each part of the organization. This is a good way to ensure that the policies resonate well with the employees and address visible issues. Also, pay attention to phrasing and terminology to avoid the chances of being misunderstood.

2. Ensure that safety programs are easily accessible

Accessibility is another key factor that can affect compliance with occupational health and safety directives. Are employees aware of where these policies can be found, and can they be accessed from their smartphones and tablets or only through a company-designated computer?

Are there excessive security measures hindering access? It also pays to consider the best formats in which the information is provided. Reference documents are the most common medium, but you can also provide safety guidelines through video presentations.

3. Provide regular and updated training programs

Employees cannot adhere to safety guidelines if they do not fully understand what is required of them. Training programs are usually designed to encourage employee participation and demonstrate how best to replicate the procedures included in the training manuals.

Bear in mind that practical application is a more efficient way to retain information. With each improvement to established guidelines or new equipment or safety risk, organize programs to retrain employees and refresh their memories.

4. Give positive reinforcement

Showing appreciation and reminding your employees that they are making a difference can go a long way in improving employee satisfaction. This in no way means that harmful practices or mishaps, no matter how slight, should be ignored.

Rather than sharply criticizing an erring employee, a softer, kinder approach to criticism would be more effective. Such practices would help create a supportive environment within the organization. This, in turn, will encourage increased employee participation.

5. Emphasize employees’ responsibility

As stated earlier, effective health and safety practices result from a collaborative effort between employers and employees. It is important to remind employees that they have a responsibility to ensure their safety and that of their co-workers.

Create channels for feedback so employees can provide helpful suggestions on changes or improvements. These observations are critical data for reassessing and updating safety programs.

It will also show that your organization genuinely listens to the concerns of its employees, and they, in turn, will feel more committed to compliance if they play a more active role.

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The Best Battery Type for Your Industrial Operations

by Henry Finch on September 27, 2021

Proceeding further into this era of technology, we see the enhanced utilization and significance of batteries. From being used in smartphones and electric cars, the use has now extended to the industrial level as well. But, with the rise in its usage arises the question of quality. So, have you been looking for the best battery type for your industrial use?

Batteries are a vital instrument that provides dependable power

to different types of electric equipment and machinery; therefore, it is important to choose the right battery. As far as industrial use is concerned, we have a variety of batteries which makes the selection of the most suitable battery very complicated. On the other hand, lithium-ion batteries offer a wide range of benefits that makes this type distinct from others yet a more worthy option to go for.

Let’s have a glance at why Lithium-Ion batteries are a perfect choice.

Lithium-Ion Batteries

Lithium-Ion batteries, also known as Li-Ion batteries, are extensively preferred for portable devices and heavy machinery. From small electronic devices to enormous satellites and air crafts, this battery has proven its worth everywhere. Moreover, these batteries are lightweight, and they also tend to charge quicker than all the other batteries in the race. Thus, investing in a Li-Ion battery is a favorable decision in all aspects.

For Traction Purpose

Lithium-Ion batteries are also used for traction purposes. They can be used in traction applications to design motorbikes, wheelchairs, and much more. As a Li-Ion battery has higher durability and is a reliable source, it is notably the best choice for traction purposes.

Enjoying so many advantages, one should also keep in mind that these batteries are more expensive than others. However, this issue is overshadowed by the fact that these batteries do not require expensive maintenance procedures, so it is again a benefit in the long run. Furthermore, Li-ion batteries grant you some relief as they work with the same efficiency regardless of being at any charging stage. On the contrary, the Ni/Cd battery needs to be fully discharged in order to protect the memory. These are a few reasons why lithium batteries are considered an ideal choice.

For Aviation Devices

Aviation devices such as drones, planes, and many flight instruments are very sensitive when it comes to their working and handling. Therefore, one should not compromise while purchasing any stuff for these purposes. Thus, it is essential to choose the right and ideal type of battery. Lithium-Ion batteries work faultlessly for aviation devices and related flight instruments by providing power to the navigation units.

Hence, choosing Li-Ion batteries will be the right decision to meet the standard of aviation devices, and it will definitely not be a regretful decision.

For Industrial Purpose

Narrowing down to the industrial use, unsurprisingly, choosing the right battery for industrial use can be a tough decision to take, largely due to the use of batteries on the industrial level being very rigorous. Yet, the presence of so many other options makes it more difficult to choose.

But as stated earlier, lithium-ion batteries are best for aviation and industrial purpose in numerous ways. Majorly, it lasts much longer than other batteries; in other words, it is more durable and tends to charge faster. Moreover, it requires very little or no maintenance at all. A couple of tips like storing it at a lower temperature and taking proper care will result in prolonged life of the battery.

One can enjoy endless benefits on such a less number of precautions. By taking advice from the professionals and keeping all these things in mind, you will definitely make the right decision regarding the ideal choice of batteries for your industrial use.