Last Update: 28 November 2017

ZOO
Part II
Resources and their Classification M - 126
M
What is Energy?

Energy can have many forms- kinetic, potential, light, sound, gravitational, elastic, electromagnetic or
nuclear. According to the law of conservation of energy, any form of energy can be converted into another
form and the total energy will remain the same. For eg: a laborer when pushes the pile of bags, his potential
energy stored inside him is converted into the kinetic energy from the movement of matter or when you burn
the wood it's chemical energy is converted into the heat energy or when you charge your mobile phone the
electrical energy is converted into the chemical energy which gets stored inside the battery's molecules.

The many different natural and renewable energy technologies highlighted throughout the website are by no
means breakthrough. Many of the renewable energy technologies have been around for years, and as time
goes by, are increasing in efficiency.

What are the sources of energy?

Energy are broadly classifies into two main groups: renewable and Non-renewable.

Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is energy which is generated from natural sources i.e. sun, wind, rain, tides and can be
generated again and again as and when required. They are available in plenty and by far most the cleanest
sources of energy available on this planet. For eg: Energy that we receive from the sun can be used to
generate electricity. Similarly, energy from wind, geothermal, biomass from plants, tides can be used this
form of energy to another form.

Non-Renewable Energy

A non-renewable resource is a natural resource which cannot be produced, grown, generated, or used on a
scale which can sustain its consumption rate. These resources often exist in a fixed amount, or are consumed
much faster than nature can create them. Fossil fuels (such as coal, petroleum and natural gas) and nuclear
power (uranium) are examples. In contrast, resources such as timber (when harvested sustainably) or metals
(which can be recycled) are considered renewable resources.

Why should we conserve energy?

Energy needs to be conserved to protect our environment from drastic changes, to save the depleting
resources for our future generations. The rate at which the energy is being produced and consumed can
damage our world in many ways. In other words, it helps us to save the environment. We can reduce those
impacts by consuming less energy. The cost of energy is rising every year. It is important for us to realize
how energy is useful to us and how can we avoid it getting wasted.

To start saving energy is not a big thing at all. We can start saving the energy from our home itself, just by
turning off the lights during day hours, washing clothes in cold water or using public transport instead of
using our own vehicle and later can implement these things on much wider scale at society level, then at city
level then district level and finally at country level. You might notice a small change in your monthly bills

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by implementing these changes as they would be getting decreased more and more. With so many
alternatives and so many techniques about there, if millions of people like us start doing these things, it will
help us to save much more money and also help the environment.

Natural resources

Natural resources (economically referred to as land or raw materials) occur naturally within
environments that exist relatively undisturbed by mankind, in a natural form. A natural resource is often
characterized by amounts of biodiversity existent in various ecosystems. Natural resources are derived from
the environment. This is currently restricted to the environment of Earth yet the theoretical possibility
remains of extracting them from outside the planet, such as the asteroid belt.[1] Many of them are essential
for our survival while others are used for satisfying our wants. Natural resources may be further classified in
different ways.

Classification of Natural Resources:

A. On the basis of origin, resources may be divided into:

Biotic - Biotic resources are obtained from the biosphere, such as forests and their products, animals,
birds and their products, fish and other marine organisms. Mineral fuels such as coal and petroleum
are also included in this category because they formed from decayed organic matter.
Abiotic - Abiotic resources include non-living things. Examples include land, water, air and ores
such as gold, iron, copper, silver etc.

B. Considering their stage of development, natural resources may be referred to in the following ways:

Potential Resources - Potential resources are those that exist in a region and may be used in the
future. For example, petroleum may exist in many parts of India, having sedimentary rocks but until
the time it is actually drilled out and put into use, it remains a potential resource.
Actual Resources are those that have been surveyed, their quantity and quality determined and are
being used in present times. The development of an actual resource, such as wood processing
depends upon the technology available and the cost involved. That part of the actual resource that
can be developed profitably with available technology is called a reserve.

C. On the basis of status of development, they can be classified into potential resources, developed
resources, stock and reserves.
D. With respect to renewability, natural resources can be categorized as follows:

Renewable resources are ones that can be replenished or reproduced easily. Some of them, like
sunlight, air, wind, etc., are continuously available and their quantity is not affected by human
consumption. Many renewable resources can be depleted by human use, but may also be replenished,
thus maintaining a flow. Some of these, like agricultural crops, take a short time for renewal; others,
like water, take a comparatively longer time, while still others, like forests, take even longer.
Non-renewable resources are formed over very long geological periods. Minerals and fossil fuels are
included in this category. Since their rate of formation is extremely slow, they cannot be replenished
once they get depleted. Of these, the metallic minerals can be re-used by recycling them.[2] But coal
and petroleum cannot be recycled.

E. On the basis of availability, natural resources can be categorised as follows:

Inexhaustible natural resources- Those resources which are present in unlimited quantity in nature
and are not likely to be exhausted easily by human activity are inexhaustible natural resources
(sunlight, air etc.)

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 Exhaustible natural resources- The amount of these resources are limited. They can be exhausted by
human activity in the long run (coal, petroleum, natural gas, etc.)

RENEWABLE ENERGY
A. Solar Energy

Solar Energy is the energy that is produced by the sun in the form of heat and light. It is one of the most
renewable and readily available source of energy. The fact that it is available in plenty and free and does not
belong to anybody makes it one of the most important of the non-conventional sources of energy. Solar
energy has been used by people since ancient times by using simple magnifying glasses to concentrate the
light of the sun into beams so hot they would cause wood to catch fire.

Mainly, Solar energy can be used to convert it into heat energy or it can
be converted into electricity. Solar energy can be converted into
electricity by means of solar thermal energy and photovoltaic. Through
Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) cells, solar radiation gets converted into DC
electricity directly. This form of energy can be used to power solar
watches, calculators or traffic signals. They are often used in locations
that are not connected to electricity grid. Solar heat energy can be used
to heat water or space heating which means heating the space inside the
building.

Solar energy can be broadly categorized as active or passive solar energy depending on how they are
captured and utilized. In active solar energy special solar heating equipment is used to convert solar energy
to heat energy whereas in passive solar energy the mechanical equipment is not present. Active solar include
the use of mechanical equipment like photovoltaic cells, solar thermal collectors or pumps and fans to trap
the solar energy. Passive solar technologies convert solar energy to heat energy without use of active
mechanical systems. It is mainly the practice of using windows, walls, trees, building placement and other
simple techniques to capture or deflect the sun for use. Passive solar heating is a great way to conserve
energy and maximizing it's utilization. An example of passive solar heating is what happens to your car on a
hot summer day.

Environmental Impact

Although Solar energy is considered to be one of the cleanest and renewable sources of energy among the
available sources but is has some environmental impacts too. Solar energy uses photovoltaic cells to produce
solar power. However, manufacturing the photovoltaic cells to produces that energy requires silicon and
produce some waste products. Inappropriate handling of these materials may lead to hazardous exposure to
humans and the environment. Installing solar power plants may require large piece of land, which may
impact existing ecosystems. Solar energy does not pollute the air when converted to electricity by solar
panels. It is found in abundance and does not help in global warming.

Future of Solar Energy

Solar technology is now poised to play a larger role in the future, thanks to new developments that could
result in lower costs and improved efficiency. In fact, the solar PV industry aims to provide half of all new
U.S. electricity generation by 2025. More and more architects are recognizing the value of active and
passive solar and learning how to effectively incorporate it into building designs. Solar hot water systems
can compete economically with conventional systems in some areas. Perhaps the future is here now. Shell
has predicted that 50% of the world's energy will come from renewable sources by 2040. In recent years
manufacturing costs of photovoltaic cells has dropped by 3-5% per year while government subsidies have
increased. While to some such facts about solar energy seem trivial, this makes solar energy an ever-more
affordable energy source. In the next few years it is expected that millions of households in the world will be
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using solar energy as the trends in USA and Japan show. Aggressive financial incentives in Germany and
Japan have made these countries global leaders in solar deployment for years.

B. Wind Turbines

Wind Turbines are rotating machines that can be used directly for grinding or
can be used to generate electricity from the kinetic power of the wind. They
provide the clean and renewable energy for us of both home and office. Wind
Turbines are a great way to save money and make the environment clean and
green.

Basically there are two types of wind generators, those with vertical axis and those with horizontal axis.
They can be used to generate electricity both onshore and offshore. Wind Turbines can be combined to form
clusters called "wind farms" which are used by large companies to use that power as their backup. Apart
from generating electricity they can also be used for grain-grinding, water pumping, charging batteries.

Historically, wind turbines were used for sailing, irrigation and grinding-grains. It was in the early 20th
century that it was used for generating power. Today, large wind turbines can be seen in the rural areas or
near the sea coast where speed of the wind is generally throughout the day. Device called wind resource
assessment is used for estimating the wind speed.

Future of Wind Turbine

Over 20,000 mw of wind turbines were installed in 2007 bringing world- wide capacity to 94,112 mw, up
27% from 2006. Cheap, Low efficient wind turbines are available in the market for home use. Five nations
ie Germany (22,300 mw), the US (16,800 mw), Spain (15,100 mw) India (8000 mw) and China (6,100
mw) account for 80% of the world's installed wind energy capacity. Wind energy continues to be the fastest
growing renewable energy source with worldwide wind power installed capacity reaching 94,112 MW in the
year 2007. In terms of economic value, the global wind market in 2007 was worth about $36 billion,
according to Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). In capacity addition, the US was in the lead in 2007,
followed by China and Spain.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Wind Energy

Excessive heating of earth due to burning of fossil fuels have forced people across the globe to generate
power through wind. It is being used extensively in areas like USA, Denmark, Spain, India and Germany.
Like any other source of power generation, wind energy has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of Wind Energy:

1. Renewable Energy : Wind energy in itself is a renewable energy which means it can be produced
again and again since it is available in plenty. It is cleanest form of renewable energy and is currently
used many leading developed and developing nations to fulfill their demand for electricity.
2. Reduces Fossil Fuels Consumption : Dependence on the fossil fuels could be reduced to much
extent if it is adopted on the much wider scale by all the countries across the globe. It could be
answer to the ever increasing demand for petroleum and gas products.
3. Less Air and Water Pollution : Wind energy doesn't pollute at all. It is that form of energy that will
exist till the time sun exists. It does not destroy the environment or release toxic gases.
4. Initial Cost : The cost of producing wind energy has come down steadily over the last few years.
The main cost is the installation of wind turbines. Moreover the land used to install wind turbines can
also be used for agriculture purpose.
5. Create Many Jobs : Wind energy on the other hand has creates many jobs for the local people.
From installation of wind turbines to maintenance of the area where turbines are located, it has
created wide range of opportunities for the people.

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Disadvantages of Wind Energy:

1. Noise Disturbances : Though wind energy is non pollution, the turbines may create a lot of noise.
This alone is the reason that wind farms are not built near residential areas.
2. Threat to Wildlife : Due to large scale construction of wind turbines on remote location, it could be
a threat to wild life near by.
3. Wind Can Never Be Predicted : The main disadvantage of wind energy is that wind can never be
predicted. In areas where large amount of wind is needed or winds strength is too low to support
wind turbine, there solar or geothermal energy could prove to be great alternatives.
4. Suited To Particular Region : Wind turbines are suited to the coastal regions which receive wind
throughout the year to generate power.
5. Visual Impact : Though many people believe that wind turbines actually look nice but majority of
them disagree. People consider wind turbines to have an undesirable experience.

C. Geothermal Energy

Geothermal comes from the greek word Geo which means earth
and therme which means heat. So, Geothermal energy means
energy or power extracted from beneath the earth. The energy
inside the earth was formed by the decay of minerals and
forests several years ago. Traditionally, it was used for bathing
and heating purposes but today it is also used for generating
electricity. Geothermal energy is called renewable source of
energy because heat is continuously produced inside the earth.

This heat is brought to the near-surface by thermal conduction

and by intrusion into the earth's crust of molten magma originating from great depth. As groundwater is
heated, geothermal energy is produced in the form of hot water and steam.

Geothermal energy is produced inside the earth's surface. The earth's layer consists of innermost layer called
Iron Core which itself has two layers: solid iron core and an outer core made of hard rock, called magma,
mantle which surrounds the core and the outermost layer called crust which forms oceans and continents.
When magma comes close to the earth's surface i.e. crust it heats up the ground water which gets trapped in
porous rocks. They may also flow along faults and fractured rock surfaces. Now these hydrothermal
resources have 2 ingredients: water (Hydro) and heat (thermal). When these hydrothermal resources occur
naturally these are called Geothermal reservoirs. Various tools and techniques are used nowadays to detect
geothermal reservoirs.

Geothermal Energy Existence

Geothermal energy exists in the form of: 1) Volcanoes 2) Hot Springs 3) Geysers

Geothermal energy is clean and sustainable and environment friendly. It may be noted that the so called 'ring
of fire' of the Earth envelopes the Pacific rim. Though there are over 300 hot springs sites in India, this form
of energy is yet to be tapped. In USA, California generates highest amount of electricity through Geothermal
energy.

Future of Geothermal Energy

The future of geothermal energy depends on three factors: it's demand, supply and it's competitiveness
among other renewable resources in terms of cost, availability, reliability etc.. Demand for geothermal
energy is going to increase and increase with the increase in the population and extinction of other non-
renewable sources. Moreover, today government also support the resources which are cleaner and do not
spoil the environment. Supply of geothermal energy is limited and confined to certain areas only. The entire

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resource of geothermal energy is fairly bigger than that of coal, oil and gas. Geothermal energy can be made
more widely available if the methods and technologies used to extract it are improved. Geothermal energy is
still not explored fully. Several miles below the earth surface is hot, dry rock being heated by the molten
magma directly below it.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy

As our reliance on fossil fuels have started to increase, geothermal energy is seen as the new source of
power generation by digging out the heat stored inside the earth. Though not used fully due to factors such
as location and high costs but in the years to come when fossil fuels would start to diminish, it will turn out
to be the cheapest source of power generation. Geothermal energy suffers from its own advantages and
disadvantages as described below.

Advantages of Geothermal Energy:

1. Significant Cost Saving : Geothermal energy generally involves low running costs since it saves
80% costs over fossil fuels and no fuel is used to generate the power.
2. Reduce Reliance on Fossil Fuels : Dependence on fossil fuels decreases with the increase in the use
of geothermal energy. With the sky-rocketing prices of oil, many countries are pushing companies to
adopt these clean sources of energy.
3. Environmental Benefits : Being the renewable source of energy, geothermal energy has helped in
reducing global warming and pollution. Moreover, Geothermal systems does not create any pollution
as it releases some gases from deep within the earth which are not very harmful to the environment.
4. Direct Use : Since ancient times, people having been using this source of energy for taking bath,
heating homes, preparing food and today this is also used for direct heating of homes and offices.
5. Job Creation and Economic Benefits : Geothermal energy on the other hand has created many jobs
for the local people.

Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy:

1. Not Widespread Source of Energy : Since, this type of energy is not widely used therefore the
unavailability of equipment, staff, infrastructure, training pose hindrance to the installation of
geothermal plants across the globe.
2. High Installation Costs : To get geothermal energy, requires installation of power plants, to get
steam from deep within the earth and this require huge one time investment and require to hire a
certified installer and skilled staff needs to be recruited and relocated to plant location. Moreover,
electricity towers, stations need to set up to move the power from geothermal plant to consumer.
3. Can Run Out Of Steam : Geothermal sites can run out of steam over a period of time due to drop in
temperature or if too much water is injected to cool the rocks and this may result huge loss for the
companies which have invested heavily in these plants.
4. Suited To Particular Region : It is only suitable for regions where temperature below the earth are
quite low and can produce steam over a long period of time. For this great research is required which
is done by the companies before setting up the plant.
5. May Release Harmful Gases : Geothermal sites may contain some poisonous gases and they can
escape deep within the earth, through the holes drilled by the constructors.

D. Nuclear Energy?

Nuclear energy is another non-renewable source that has gained popularity in the last few years. With the
depleting resources and high energy demand the world is looking towards the nuclear energy as its source
that is created from the nucleus of an atom. Nuclear energy, as the term says, is released from the very
nucleus of an atom. This happens as a result of its mass being converted to energy. Even though nuclear
power is safer than burning electricity for fossil fuels, it is still a hazard to our health and the environment.

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Nuclear power is produced through two different processes: Nuclear Fission and Nuclear Fusion.

Nuclear Fission

Nuclear fission is the process of releasing the atomic energy by splitting the nucleus thus creating two
products of roughly half the mass of the original. A nuclear reactor splits the nuclei of uranium atoms,
creating large amounts of energy. This process also creates radioactive waste and radiation, which can
contaminate the environment. Nuclear fission is the physical process responsible for all types of power
generation, including that used in both nuclear weapons and nuclear power plants.

Nuclear Fusion

Nuclear fusion is the energy source of the future. It is what provides the sun and the stars with the energy to
shine continuously for billions of years. Nuclear fusion is when multiple atomic particles join together to
create a larger atom. Fusion reactors join hydrogen atoms together to form helium atoms, neutrons and other
forms of energy. This is the same type of nuclear energy used in hydrogen bombs. Fusion has been used
here on earth to produce nuclear bombs, but has not yet been controlled so that we can obtain useful energy.
Unlike nuclear fission, there is no limit on the amount of the fusion that can occur.

The Future of Nuclear Power

Nuclear energy is a powerful force. Attempts have been made to find other constructive ways of harnessing
it. Nuclear power is an important source of energy in many countries. 442 nuclear reactors are now
operating worldwide with a total capacity of 300,000 MW. Two and a half times this number will be added
by 2030 and four times as many by 2050, says the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the bastion
of the global nuclear community.

Higher oil and gas prices make alternatives such as nuclear power more attractive and are expected to lead to
growth in nuclear generating capacity worldwide. Improvements in reactor design enhance safety, increase
efficiency, and reduce costs, making nuclear generation an economically attractive source of energy. Many
countries, including the UK, have recently affirmed their intention to continue their use of nuclear energy for
electricity generation, and although this decision has been condemned by anti-nuclear pressure groups, all
the indications are that nuclear power will continue to be an important source of energy for us for a long
time to come.

Environmental concerns about the disposal of spent nuclear fuel persist, and countries are addressing those
concerns in different ways. The US is developing a disposal facility on government property, but this
solution is itself controversial.

E. Biomass Energy?

Biomass is a renewable energy because it contains the

energy which comes from the sun. Biomass is basically an
organic material made from plants and animals. Through the
process of photosynthesis, chlorophyll present in plants
absorbs the energy from the sun by converting the carbon-
dioxide present in air and water from the ground in
carbohydrates. The chemical energy that is present in plants
is passed onto the animals and people that eat them. So,
when these plants and animals are burned they turn back into
carbon dioxide and water and release the sun's energy they
contain. In this way, we can say that biomass is renewable
source of energy because we can always produce more crops

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and plants and waste will always exist. As long as biomass is produced this source of renewable energy will
last for ever. Examples of biomass include: plants, crops, trees and garbage.

Biomass in itself contains chemical energy. So, when you burn wood which is a biomass fuel, the chemical
energy inside releases as heat. It can also be used to produce steam which can further be used to generate
electricity. Using biomass for energy can cut back on waste and can also help in reducing the landfill. With
the increase in costs people are trying to turn to more biomass and less fossil fuels

Pros:

1. Less dependence on fossil fuels

2. Reduction in landfill disposal
3. Easily available and inexhaustible fuel source
4. Has the potential to reduce greenhouse gases. Though it also emit carbon-dioxide, but carbon-
dioxide released by it is largely balanced by the carbon dioxide captured in its own growth. Where as
carbon-dioxide released by fossil fuels was captured by photosynthesis millions of years ago.

Cons:

1. Could contribute a great deal to global warming and particulate pollution if directly burned.
2. An expensive source and research is needed to reduce the cost of production of biomass based fuels.
3. Biomass conversion projects are limited and therefore on a smaller scale there is more likely a net
loss of energy.
4. Land needed to produce biomass may be in demand for other purposes such as conservation or
housing or agriculture use.

Recycling

Recycling is the process of taking up of old materials and waste products and using them to make another
product to complete the cycle instead of just throwing them away. Much of the products used for packaging
today like paper, plastic, glass, metal, electronics, aluminum cans are already recycled. In other words,
recycling of old products could produce fresh supply of new same products.

Recycling is good for the environment, in the sense, we are using old and waste products which are of no
use and then converting them back to same new products. Since we are saving resources and are sending
less trash to the landfills, it helps in reducing air and water pollution. Energy consumption is also reduced by
recycling since less energy is required to make a new make a new glass bottle from a recycled one because it
melts at a lower temperature than the raw materials. Basically, Recycling serves two purposes: First, it avoid
landfills and helps in reducing air and water pollution and secondly, valuable material like aluminum cans
and plastic and glass are reused in other forms and not wasted.

Recycling starts from home itself. When you are using a old
product to something new, you are actually doing recycling. For
eg: when you use plastic milk or juice bottles into magazine
holders. At larger level, old consumer goods are collected and
processed to make new fresh products out of them. Paper,
plastic, glass, aluminum cans are examples of some products
that are recycled in large quantities.

3 Steps in Recycling

There are 3 factors which we needs to consider while thinking

about how to recycle - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. You can
reduce the amount of waste by just selecting those products which do minimal waste. Choose products that

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can be easily recycled, can be used productively and have minimum packaging. Carry hand made bags
instead of plastic bags. Search for the products that are more environment friendly. Give away old items
which are not in use or which can not be recycled to poor people. Instead of paper mail subscribe to E-paper.
Reuse involves using the items in the other way rather than discarding them. With this we can certainly
increase the life time of that item and also it doesn't require any special skills or knowledge to reuse those
items. It also costs less than purchasing the new product. We can reuse aluminum foils, old magazines,
newspapers, old clothes, jars, envelopes, containers. We can also use rechargeable batteries rather than
single-use batteries. Eat food in steel plates instead of disposable plates. Recycle involves use of the old
products in homes or offices for further purposes when you have tried reduce and reuse. Look out for
different easy for recycling paper, plastic, metal and glass. Buy products that can be easily recycled.
Purchase items that are environment friendly and avoid buying hazardous material. Encourage your friends
and family to get involved in recycling.

Why Should We Recycle

Several reasons exist as to why we should promote recycling. Recycling helps us to

convert our old products into new useful products. In other words, it is good for the
environment. Since we are saving resources and are sending less trash to the
landfills, it helps in reducing air and water pollution. Listed below are few reasons
why we should all recycle old products.

1. Reduce pollution : The more you recycle old products the less you will require the need of buying
new products. As a result there will be energy saving.
2. Reduction in the harmful gasses will not only help in cleaning the environment but will also clean
the air we breathe. The more clean air we breathe the more positive impact it will have on our life.
3. Reduction in Landfills :Size of the landfills can be significantly reduced if we reduce our daily
waste and recycle more. If we don't recycle the product the landfills site will become more common
around the city which will certainly affect wildlife and environment. So to reduce it we must recycle
as much as we can.
4. Conservation of materials : All the new products are made from the raw materials which are
procured from harvesting the earth's natural resources. for eg: you need wood to make paper and
wooden products.

If more trees are cut down to make such products it will affect wildlife and environment in a
significant way. This can be reduced if recycle more and more paper and rely less on new products.

5. Save Energy : When there will be less demand for new products then of course less products will be
produced which will help in saving the energy. Conservation of energy is the key element for the
fight against climate change.
6. Save Money : When you will recycle old products and have less dependency on new products the
obviously you will end up in saving some money. That money can then be used for some other
purposes. When recycling is done on large scale the money saved can have huge impact on your
monthly expenditure.

How Paper is Recycled?

Paper is one the material that can be easily recycled. Recycled paper is paper that was made from paper and
paper products that has already been used and recovered. People need to take their time and save the paper
products so that they can be recycled. Paper recycling begins with us. We all need to show our interest in
recycling to make it successful.

The Paper recycling activity can start at school, college, home, office, local
community and even at drop off centers. We all need to understand what products

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can be recycled before staring the recyling process and how to properly prepare them for the recycling.

If you have a keen interest in knowing how the paper is recycled, you can make a visit to your nearby
recycling plant and see how the waste paper undergoes recyling process. Most companies share process and
information with people to make them understand better how the recycling process takes place and
encourage them to participate in this process.

Paper is collected from the bin and deposited in the large recycling container along with the paper from the
other recycle bins. This is the first process in the paper recycling process. Once the paper is collected from
the recycle bins it is taken to the recycling plant where the waste paper is sorted and separated into types and
grades.

The second process is pulping. In this process large amount of water is addded to the waste paper to produce
pulp. Once pulp is produced it is then passed through a series of screens to remove larger pieces of
contaminants for eg: inks, staples, plastic film and glue. The clean paper pulp is then placed in the machine
that uses centrifugal cleaning to spin more of the debris from the paper pulp.

The paper is the left to dry and is rolled up to be sent to shops. Different materials are then added to the pulp
to create different paper products such as cardboard, newsprints or office paper. The bleaching process needs
to be done if paper is intended to be white.

The whole recycling process for a newspaper takes around 7 days. Study suggests that paper can be recycled
approximately seven times. Each time the paper is recycled, it's length decreases which impacts it's strength.
These recycled products always bear recycling logo so you can make sure that you buy environmentally safe
techniques. This helps in cleaning the environment and reducing the landfills.

Tire Recycling

Tires become totally unusable once they are torn and damaged. They
then end up in taking up the space in our landfills which affects the
environment and also results in climate change. They also become the
home ground for mosquitoes and rodents which are responsible for
carrying many diseases.

One major risk associated with disposal of tires is pollution of

underground water. Many people burn their tires which releases some
toxic chemicals into the atmosphere which may affect the health of the people. You must have seen street
kids playing with the tires making another perfect recipe for disaster.

The best way to reduce the filling of tires in the landfills is to become involved in tire recycling. One of the
major issue in tire recycling is the durability of tires as they are very hard to break down and therefore are
seen lying in open space in large heaps.

With the market growing for recyling of tires, many companies are chipping in with the help of grants from
the local and state governments and are finding some practical uses of putting that waste into some valuable
uses. Recycling of tires involved taking in the old tire and converting them back into other type of products.

It is estimated several millions tires from private as well as commercial vehicles are discarded every year.
Earlier only a few percentages of tires were recycled bit with more companies coming in and help given by
government bodies, about 80% of tires are recycled which prevents old tires from taking up the space in
landfill sites. We, people also need to contribute our effort in making this environment clean so as to make
this place a better place to live in for our future generations.

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Various recycling methods exist for tire recycling. Tires are being used by number of companies by
substituting fuels like wood, coal and natural gas which are consumed in utility boilers. Tires are also being
used as fuel at wood and paper mills throughout the nation. Another process involves heating up the tire in a
reactor unit under high temperature without oxygen. Once the vapor is formed it is sent to water cooled unit
where it is condenses into a liquid fuel forming diesel and other fuel oils

The products that can be made from the old tires include Fuels, shower tiles, carpet padding, rubber roads,
speed bumps and several more. The good thing about tire recycling is that it can be recycled again and again
though the process is really a intensive one. The benefits include reducing landfills space, releases less toxic
chemicals into the air, Prevent the spread of diseases which could occur by piling of the tires in the landfills
sites.

Now today with almost every tire can be recycled there is no reason of piling of the tires building up at
landfills sites. With new technologies coming in new cost effective methods are being produced to produce
new tires from the old ones by reducing the amount of toxic chemicals in the air.

What are Recycle Bins?

Recycle Bins are large containers that you must have seen outside your
home, in parks or streets and are used to store recyclable material. Once
it is filled with the material the same is then picked by the local
municipal body or local recycling firms to process those and make new
products from them.

These recycle bins are very large and normally placed at local
supermarket store or recycling centre. These bins are also separated from inside so that they can contain
different types of material in different compartments. For e.g.: You could wish to separate paper, plastic and
disposable glasses. Local recycling firms then process this garbage which in turn helps in making the
environment clean and reducing the landfills.

In order to make sure that more and more people participate in recycling activity local municipal
corporations are now encouraging home owners to dispose off their waste products in recycle bins. These
bins are provided to the home owners by municipal corporations themselves. These are normally called
household bin are most commonly type of bin today.

Recycle bins is a great way to start recycling. It has helped enormously in last few decades to process waste
products which could otherwise would have ended up in filling up the garbage. Recycling in other way
would help in Energy Conservation, Reducing pollution and landfill reduction.

Large bins are also placed at major parks, malls and offices so that people throw away the waste products at
appropriate places. Offices dispose large quantities of paper everyday while malls dispose off large quantity
of disposable glasses and plates everyday.

Few countries in the world have proper recycling colors and logos to help people identify the most
appropriate bin. This helps people to put proper things in proper places so that recycling firms can easily
separate different items from the large quantities of waste products.

Conserve Energy and Money in Your Home

The major energy users in your home are heating system, air conditioning, electric
water heater, refrigerator, dryer, lighting - all contribute to your overall monthly
electricity bill. Below are few tips to help you use them more efficiently, lower your
energy use and save money on your monthly electric bill.

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Kitchen Energy Savers

1. Use cold water rather than hot to operate your food disposal. Cold water also helps get rid of grease
by solidifying it, so it then can be grounded up and washed away.
2. Install an aerator in your kitchen sink faucet.
3. Never boil water in an uncovered pan. Water will come to a boil faster and use less energy in a kettle
or covered pan.
4. Keep range top burners and reflectors clean. They will reflect heat better, and you will save energy.
5. Match the size of the pan to the heating element. More heat will get to the pan and less will be lost to
the surrounding air.
6. Turn off the oven five to ten minutes before cooking time is up and let trapped heat finish the
cooking.
7. When using the oven, cook as many foods as you can at one time.
8. Get in the habit of turning off the elements of surface units on your electric stove several minutes
before completing the allotted cooking time.
9. Avoid opening the oven door repeatedly to check food is cooking. This allows heat to escape and
results in the use of more energy to complete the cooking of your food.
10. Use pressure cookers and microwave ovens if you have them. They save energy by reducing cooking
time.
11. Use small electric cooking apliances or ovens for small meals rather than the kitchen range or oven.
They use less energy.
12. Don't preheat the oven unless absolute necessary, and then for no more than 10 minutes.
13. Avoid using the broiler. Is is a big energy user.
14. Thaw frozen foods before cooking. It will save time and energy.

Dishwashing

1. Be sure your dishwasher is full but not overloaded whe you turn it on.
2. Scrape dishes and rinse with cold water from the faucet before loading them ino the dishwasher.
3. When buying a dishwasher, look for an energy efficient model with air power and overnight dry
settings. This can save you 10 percent of your dishwashing energy costs.
4. Don't use the "rinse-hold" on your machine for just a few solid dishes. It uses 3-4 gallons of hot
water each time you use it.

Refrigerator/Fridge

1. If possible, don't place your refrigerator or fridge in direct sunlight or near the stove.
2. Regularly defrost manual-defrost refrigerators and freezers. Never allow frost to build up more than
1/4 of an inch.
3. Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. Test them by closing the door on a piece of paper
or dollar bill so that it is half in and half out of the refrigerator.
4. Don't keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold. Recommended temperatures: 38 degrees F. to 40
degrees F. for fresh food compartments of the refrigerator; 5 degrees F. for the freezer component.

Hot Water Heater

1. Insulate the outside of your water heater with an insulation blanket to reduce heat loss and save $10
to $20 a year.
2. Turn down the water heater temperature dial to 120 degrees F. or less, or to warm setting. If you
have a dishwasher, be sure to check your manufacturer's instructions for minimum water
temperature.
3. Buy a high-efficiency water heater. When you need a new water heater, purchase a unit with a high
Energy Factor(EF) rating. The higher the rating, the more efficiently the unit will operate.

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Heating System

1. Keep your heating equipment well tuned with periodic maintenance by professional service
representative.
2. Use kitchen, bath and other ventilating fans sparingly. You can blow away houseful of heat in just 2-
3 hrs using ventilating fans. Turn them off when their job is complete.
3. Turn down your thermostat at night or when you are away for more than four hours during the day.
Do not turn off your heating system entirely as this may cause pipes to freeze.
4. If you have a simple open fireplace, consider installing a glass screen, a radiant grate or fireplace
insert. They will help cut down on the loss of warm air through the fireplace chimney.
5. Maintain proper air circulation. Keep heating supply registers and cold-air return register clear of
draperies and furniture.
6. Set your thermostat at 68 degrees F. during the day and 60 degrees F. at night. You can save 3
percent on your heating costs for every degree you reduce the temperature below 70 degrees F. for
the entire heating season.
7. Clean or replace the filter in your forced-air heating system each month. Foam filters can be rinsed
with water, but be sure they are dry before replacing.
8. Keep draperies and shades open during the day to let the sushine in; close them at night.
9. Dust or vacuum radiator surfaces frequently. Dust and grime impede the flow of the heat.
10. Don't place lamps or television sets near your thermostat. Heat from these appliances is sensed by the
thermostat and could cause your furnace to shut off sooner than is needed for adequate warmth.
11. Check the duct work for air leaks about once a year if you have a forced-air heating system. To do
this, feel around the duct joins for escaping air when the fan is on. Relatively small leaks can be
easily repaired by covering holes or cracks with duct tape.

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