Nature, charm, and unique flavors: let’s go to the discovery of the Farmhouse Sant’Egle and its magnificent surroundings for a slow holiday, while living in luxury

We are in Sorano, in the province of Grosseto, in the heart of Tuscany Maremma. Here wanting for us there’s a 5-star and eco-friendly farmhouse, where we can fully enjoy nature without sacrificing any comforts, where we are surrounded by Tuscan hills, beauty, art, and cultivated fields.

Sant’Egle, an organic farmhouse surrounded by Tuscan hills

Sant’Egle Farmhouse is a historic residence rich in legends, a customs of 1600 between the Pontifical State and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. The charm of the building has remained, thanks to a careful and sophisticated restoration. So, now, it’s the perfect destination for those looking for an exclusive place, tastefully furnished, characterized by genuine hospitality and Tuscan flavors.

A truly sustainable farm holiday

Staying at Sant’Egle, our vacation will be CO2 free. 100% of the energy used is produced from renewable sources. All lights are led to help save energy. Heating, such as the hot water, is provided by the solar panels. Rainwater is used for irrigation of the garden and the agricultural part. All crops are organic, as are other products used in the restaurant. The accommodation also wants to preserve biodiversity.

Around Sant’Egle Farmhouse: starry sky and green Tuscan hills

Between luxury and rusticity

Every room, tastefully furnished, and every common space host objects and artifacts of artists from all over the world, making each room an art exhibition to live at all times.

The garden welcomes us with a porch furnished with sofas and comfortable cushions, with a centuries-old tree under which there are tables, chairs, chaise longs, hammocks, a gazebo to enjoy just moments of relax and a straw theater where in summer we can watch movies or performances of various kinds under the stars. There is also a bio-swimming pool, with salt water, surrounded by greenery and a heated wood-fired bathtub.

Live the farm

A course on Organic Synergic Agriculture, a course for making cheese and jams, a lesson of popular cooking in Tuscany, making bread and cakes with sourdough, and a day in the garden to learn to cultivate organic saffron: Sant’Egle Farmhouse allows you to experience nature in so many ways, even with dirty hands!

Additionally, at Sant’Egle Farmhouse there is a new holistic space with an incredible view among Tuscan hills, perfect for anyone wishing to organize a course, a cultural event, a show, or a spiritual retreat.

What to see in the surroundings

Within a few hours you can reach unique places in the world. Mount Amiata and its routes, Lake Bolsena, the natural hot streams of Saturnia for a few hours of relaxation: there is so much to do and discover in Maremma, a perfect destination for us eco-travelers.

In this magical Tuscan place we can admire a wide variety of environments and ecosystems: in a few kilometers we can pass from the hills to the sea, from the mountains to the lagoon. Our journey could start from Manciano, one of the most beautiful villages. From here we start biking and, through nature and its sounds, passing from Montemerano, we arrive at Saturnia hot springs. From here you can easily reach the wonderful village of Pitigliano, which will leave us breathless.

We can then discover the Etruscan Archaeological Park of Vitozza, then climb and explore the incredible Mount Amiata.

This is our recipe for a farm holiday, between luxury and nature!

The article A 5-star farmhouse in the Tuscan hills was originally posted on Ecobnb.

The heat pump is the ideal solution to save money and reduce CO2 emissions. Find out why!

Are you looking for an ideal solution to reduce heating costs while minimizing the impact on the planet? The heat pump is among the best options for not being dependent on methane gas, to pollute less fighting the energy crisis. In fact, this machine is able to transfer the thermal energy present in the air, in the water, or even in the ground to heat but also to cool the rooms. Let’s see together how it is beneficial for our wallets.

How does the heat pump work?

The heat pump works like a refrigerator. But in the opposite way: the refrigerator generates cold thanks to external heat while the heat pump obtains energy from the environment and gives it to the house in the form of heating or cooling thanks to the heat exchanger.

The heat pump and the environment

The heat pump is a perfect solution to reduce the waste of energy and to safeguard the environment. Since it does not produce harmful gas emissions, pollution is reduced. On the other hand, in other cases, pollution is much higher, especially when talking about obsolete heating systems.

Therefore, the European RePowerEu program has established, among the various points, the abandonment of gas boilers in new buildings starting from 2029, as well as the obligation to double the diffusion of heat pumps and install photovoltaic panels on all new buildings.

And, in fact, the energy efficiency of a heat pump is considerably higher if it is combined with a clean energy production plant, and bill savings can reach up to 100%. Not to forget that in this way the environment will also thank you since renewable sources are employed.

Through the combination of a heat pump with photovoltaic panels, you do not burn fossil fuels and therefore there are no carbon dioxide emissions. This certainly increases environmental and energy sustainability.

The advantages of the heat pump

Using electric heat pumps, already installed for summer conditioning, and also for winter conditioning means that there is a reduction in electricity consumption which almost reaches a saving of 4 billion cubic meters of gas in 12 months.

By using less methane, you have greater safety as any risks that may be linked to gas leaks are eliminated. In this case, it would also be ideal to adopt the electric induction system for cooking.

What is the induction system? Induction requires the use of an electromagnetic system to heat the pans and food.

How many types of heat pumps?

There are many types of heat pumps:

• The air-water, which passes the thermal energy that is in the fresh air to the heating system;
• The air-to-air systems, transfer the thermal energy of the air outside, and inside both to heat and to cool. A classic example is air conditioning with a split system;
• The water-water type uses the thermal energy present in the groundwater;
• The geothermal ones, that use the thermal energy coming from the ground.

Are heat pumps really worth it?

As far as energy is concerned, heat pumps are doubtlessly ideal. Starting from 1 kWh of electricity, they produce up to 5 kWh of thermal energy.

Therefore, the energy we have produced in this way will always, and in any case, be greater than that used.

Let’s not forget that the cost of a heat pump for a single building varies from 2,200 euros to 5,000 euros (it is clear that this is an indicative cost and the correct price is given only and exclusively by the professional you will get in contact with) especially since the expense will be amortized quickly by the savings that will be made on the bill.

Compared to another type of boiler (wood or gas), the maintenance of the heat pump is not anything particularly difficult, as it must be done only to ensure that the pump itself maintains its efficiency. Furthermore, smoke tests or an annual check is not foreseen (as it happens for the boiler gas).

Cover image via CanvaPro

The article The heat pump to fight the energy crisis was originally posted on Ecobnb.

Our daily food choices have a significant impact on the environment and the sustainability of our planet. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the food sector is responsible for about 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This is due to the entire life cycle of food products, from production to packaging, transportation, preparation, and waste disposal. By choosing sustainable food, you can make a great contribution to the environment. Let’s see how.

Sustainable eating

However, there are some choices we can make to reduce the environmental impact of our food. Firstly, e can reduce the consumption of meat and dairy, which are among the most impactful food products for the environment.

According to a 2018 study published in the scientific journal Science, meat and dairy production account for 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions in the food sector, despite representing only 18% of the world’s calorie intake.

We can choose a plant-based diet or reduce the consumption of meat and dairy by opting for plant-based alternatives such as legumes, which have a much lower environmental impact.

Moreover, we can choose local and seasonal food products, thus reducing the need to transport food products from far away and reducing the environmental impact of transportation.

Also, buying unpackaged food products and reducing the consumption of pre-packaged products can reduce the environmental impact of our food.

Finally, we can reduce food waste. According to the FAO, about one-third of all food products produced for human consumption are wasted every year. This represents not only an economic loss but also a significant environmental impact, as food production requires water, energy, and other natural resources. We can reduce food waste by purchasing or preparing appropriate amounts of food and by properly storing food products.

There are also some interesting innovations in the food industry that promise to reduce the environmental impact of our food. Synthetic meat, for example, could be a sustainable solution to meat
consumption. Synthetic meat is produced in a laboratory using animal cells, reducing the need to
raise and slaughter animals for meat. This could significantly reduce the environmental impact of meat
production.

In conclusion, our daily food choices have a significant impact on the environment and the sustainability of the planet. We can do our part by reducing the consumption of meat and dairy, choosing local and seasonal food products, reducing food waste, and opting for food products with a lower ecological footprint.

Author: Luca Cordasco

The article Food and Environment: The Impact of Our Food Choices on Sustainability was originally posted on Ecobnb.

The eco-business development involves increasing the client base, creating a team of qualified specialists, and improving marketing strategies, not forgetting about the content. But, in addition to all the apparent moral and ethical aspects, social and ecological undertakings can, in the most unexpected way, give quite actual commercial results. And one of the factors in achieving such results is a high-quality eco-friendly content strategy, which you’ll learn in this article.

1. Analyze the Leading Eco-Brands

Researching your competitors is the first step to building a content strategy for any business. And it would help if you started with the most successful competitors in your field. So start taking inspiration from them.

2. Study the Concept of Green Marketing

You can’t get far without theory. And in this context, you should study what green marketing is all about. For example, as the Balance states, this concept is nothing less than selling products and services based on their environmental benefits. So this definition takes you one step closer to understanding eco-consciousness in today’s world. However, there’s still a lot of work ahead of you, and you should start looking for all the available online marketing resources from brands that are doing their part to be environmentally conscious.

3. Learn Green Terminology

Each area of business has a specific terminology that you also need to parse in terms of content strategy. To do this, again, you need to carefully study green brands, which will give you insight into the meta-language of the environmental movement. Note that keywords and phrases in the green universe will significantly contribute to your content strategy development.

4. Look for Different Sources of Inspiration in Current Topics

Examples of such topics might include investing in pressure cookers or adequately disposing of chipped dishes to join the green movement. It helps you create an effective meta-level strategy that will take the environment to the next level. You can also look for other solutions and take inspiration from successful competitors.

5. Create Quality Content Relevant to Your Audience

Suppose you promote pressure cookers made from eco-friendly materials (you can substitute any eco-friendly product or service here). In that case, you need to detail its benefits (e.g., saving money and cooking time). Remember that your blog and social media content should interest users and encourage them to take targeted action.

6. Increase Traffic Through an Eco-Friendly Product/Service Concept

Based on the pressure cooker example, you can incorporate different recipes for pressure cookers and InstaPots into your content strategy, which will significantly increase food and food-related traffic from your green online audience. That way, with the minor use of resources, you’ll get increased loyalty from your followers.

7. Avoid Working Off Of a Template

You need to apply a grassroots and organic strategy to your business, paying attention to each client and working with them from the ground up. Forget the templated approach because you need to develop your unique style of communicating with your audience on behalf of your brand for it to be truly natural and best meet your customer’s needs.

8. Use Eco-Friendly Design

Why not use the significant benefit that one hundred points increase the loyalty of your audience? So emphasize the green design of your products in your content, indicating the following points:

The source of materials;

The steps in the manufacturing process;

Possibility of any waste generated during the manufacturing process.

9. Optimize Your Strategy

When working on your strategy, you shouldn’t pile on content just for the sake of content. Finding your client’s goals for the content strategy, not its framework, would be best. It refers to organic reach and the ability to make the strategy work for each user. Finally, every brand wants to stand out, and that’s where an effective content strategy comes into play.

Conclusion

Developing an effective eco-friendly content strategy requires considerable time and effort. You can’t have it all at once since it takes time to implement various initiatives. Remind yourself, your customers, and anyone else who asks you about the importance of “being eco-conscious” that just one small change for the better can make a big difference and have far-reaching consequences.

Author: Odessa Powell has been copywriting and writing texts for business pages on social networks since her student years. She worked as an editor for the popular writing service Best Writers Online. Currently, her range of professional interests includes the topics of self-development and motivation. In her free time, she enjoys yoga and learning foreign languages.

The article 9 Tips for Writing an Eco-Friendly Content Strategy was originally posted on Ecobnb.

Do you want to know more about ecology and learn English at the same time? Read this “Have you ever..” sentences. Find out with eco English with Natasha

Have you ever planted a tree? If so, tell us more

Have you ever walked on foot instead of driving? If so, tell us more

Have you ever heard of ‘green washing’? If so, tell us more

Have you ever attended a ‘Green Fest’  in your local community? If so, tell us more

Have you ever heard of Greta Thunberg? If so, tell us more

Have you ever heard of climate change? If so, tell us more

Have you ever worked out/calculated your own carbon footprint? If so, tell us more

Have you ever done anything to stop the pollution? If so, tell us more

Have you ever recycled the food leftovers? If so, tell us more

Have you ever bought recycled stationery for your office or for your school equipment? If so, tell us more

Have you ever sorted your own household garbage into the appropriate dustbins/ wheelie bins? If so, tell us more

Have you ever bought planet-friendly fashion items? If so, tell us more

Have you ever felt an eco-anxiety? If so, tell us more

Have you ever volunteered in WWF projects WWF – Endangered Species Conservation | World Wildlife Fund? If so, tell us more

Have you ever driven an electric car? If so, tell us more

Have you ever joined a climate change public debate? If so, tell us more

Have you ever made your own handmade deodorant rather than buy one in supermarkets and/or chemist’s shops? If so, tell us more

Have you ever signed a petition to ban smoking in public places?  If so, tell us more

Have you ever gathered signatures in your local community to help an eco project? If so, tell us more

Have you ever heard of clean air zone for private cars in big cities being launched now? If so, tell us more

Have you ever taken your own country/ government to court for climate inaction? If so, tell us more 

Have you ever considered getting rid of the electric light bulbs completely? 

Have you ever thought of going to live away from the big cities i.e. and even to live off the grid? If so, tell us more 

Have you ever considered investing some funds/your life savings in an eco – village? If so, tell us more

Have you introduced gluten–free food in your eating habits? If so, tell us more

Have you ever thought about whether humans were meant to be /were born to be carnivores or not? If so, tell us more

Have you ever joined a climate watch group?  If so , tell us more

Have you ever phoned EPA hotline in the USA? If so, tell us more

Have you ever sent an email to Greta Thunberg ? If so, tell us more

Have you ever thought that Greta Thunberg should spend more time in school than get involved with climate change? If so, tell us more

Have you ever thought that teenagers should spend time in school only until they reach adulthood to get involved with serious environmental projects?If so, tell us more

Have you ever thought of challenging the views and acts of Greta Thunberg? If so, tell us more

Have you ever suffered from an eco-anxiety? If so, tell us more

Have you ever heard a talk in which Dr Jordan Peterson schools a climate change alarmist?

Have you ever donated your old clothes to be recycled? If so, tell us more

Have you ever heard of zero waste?  If so, tell us more

Have you ever seen the documentary Point of No Return?  If so, tell us more

Have you ever taken an environmental awareness quiz? If so, tell us more

Has your school / classroom gone paperless?

Has your household gone solar? 

Have you ever thought that climate change alarmists might be wrong? If so, tell us more

Have you become a vegan/a vegetarian/ a raw foodist by any chance recently? If so, tell us more

Have you perhaps started using vegan toothbrushes made of bamboo? If so, tell us more

Have you ever bought small pocket notebooks whose dust jackets are made of recycled rubber i.e. car tires? 

Have you ever written a paperless homework and sent it to your school teacher? 

Have you ever had a meaningful debate with climate change realists? 

Have you ever done any gardening? Have you ever purchased any gardening tools? If so, tell us more

Have you ever purchased solar panels for your home or if not yet, have you considered it? If so, tell us more

Have you ever thought that the climate change/climate crisis might be a hoax/ a smokescreen? If so, tell us more

Have you ever purchased a Save the Earth T- shirt? If so, tell us more

Have you ever heard of the global warming controversy? If so, tell us more

Have you ever asked somebody nicely to give up smoking for their own good?

Have you ever kept a frog in a glass jar at home or let it roam freely in your home? What about a lizard , a turtle, a snake, a big parrot etc? If so, tell us more

Have you ever heard of the Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo who first put forward the idea of a ‘green wall’ in 2005?  Namely, the 7,775km long 15 km wide tree belt will cross 11 countries from west to east across Africa.If so, tell us more

Have you ever heard of woke culture , virtue signaling and cancel culture among environmentalists? If so, tell us more

Have you ever heard of ECOSIA search engine, the search engine which uses their profit to plant trees where they are needed most? If so, have you ever used it? If so, tell us more

Have you ever heard of charity organizations being just dodgy businesses and not truly doing what they are incorporated to do so but still enjoy a tax free status? If so , tell us more

Have you ever heard of any environmental slogans and buzz words? If so, tell us more 

If you think you would like to win THREE free 90 mins lessons online in environmental English , feel free to send an email to eco.english.with.natasha@gmail.com with  your 150 to 250 word long essay or a story on one of the topics / questions above explaining your experience in full detail.

The article Have you ever…? Umpteen questions on environment using present perfect tense was originally posted on Ecobnb.

The language of ever rising  temperatures on  Planet Earth seems to have been rampant recently— well, or shall we say , the language situation seems to be well ‘heating up’, pardon my pun. In the early years of the 21st century,  the term “climate change” was recommended since it sounded less scary and intimidating than the eerie-sounding “global warming”. In this day and age, environmentally aware Earthlings, who do seem to care about greenhouse-gas emissions find both “climate change” and “global warming” too cozy, carefree, and convenient, so they tend to prefer a number of other related words or collocations such as “climate emergency” “global heating”,  “climate breakdown”. Some eco alarmists seem to be using the term  “climate apocalypse” which is to most people an overkill. Given that the word “apocalypse” comes from the Ancient Greek which stands for “disclosure” or “revelation”.  This word may well be a very good linguistic choice to describe the never-ending news about raging forest fires and melting ice shelves we are being bombarded with on a regular daily basis, regrettably though.

There is an evident year-on-year increase in the use for global weather and climate-related vocabulary. World reputed dictionaries keep coming up with new climate vocabularies such as Collins’s 2019 Word of the Year, “climate strike”, which refers to a plethora of worldwide protests and environmental movements. The oft-cited collocation “climate strike” was first coined in 2015 for the environmental protest in Paris of the same year, in the wake of Greta Thunberg from Sweden and her apparently superb work.  Her image and persona has skyrocketed into the limelight. She is the world’s most famous and infamous example of a “climate activist”, which is yet another collocation in frequent use. She appears to be particularly popular amongst both young and the middle-aged woke individuals but some tend to think that the whole  lot suffers from so-called “climate anxiety” or “eco-anxiety”, defined as “a level of psychological harm or  stress caused by concern for the environment and the future doom and gloom ” 

Most western elites seem to be accepting climate concerns, generally speaking, You may have noticed yet another phrase being used far too often not to be noticed, ‘net zero‘ which refers to a state in which the greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere are balanced by removal out of the atmosphere. The term net zero is rather significant because – for CO2 at least – this is the state at which global warming stops. Another useful and hugely important lexical chunk is depletion of ozone layer, which is the thinning of the ozone layer present in the upper atmosphere but for some people, it is no skin off their nose.

The societal elites in the West seem to be committed to “net zero” which is a part of any “Green New Deal”, a new trend on the horizon used to describe political projects that make the environment pivotal to rules, regulations, and legislations in general, normally referred to as a “green agenda”. This mirrors a reemergence of the word “green” itself to refer to both environmental issues and environmentalists.

Environmental issues have been associated to the color green since the early 1970s: in Germany, public concern about nuclear power stations gave rise to the formation of such groups as Grüne Aktion Zukunft (Green Campaign for the Future); whereas a smallish group of green activists in the USA sailed to Alaska in 1971  so as to try and prevent a nuclear-weapons test. Their ship was named the “Greenpeace”, and alas a new organization was born.

Global warming appears to have reached a tipping point in public acceptance, scientifically speaking. Yet  it keeps causing political controversies globally.  On one hand,  “extinction” is a buzzword in the English-speaking world , which comes from Latin language for extinguishing, putting out, or quenching such a fire or a light). That word is conveniently used in the name for the Extinction Rebellion movement of activists.  the Extinction  in environmental context refers to the dying of all remaining members of  certain species, 

Let me introduce another relevant word “ecocide”, a neologism for the complete destruction of an ecosystem or other part of nature, is also on the increase)  FWIW, any noun in English language ending with – cide refers to murder, killing, death caused by  serious  reasons or factors  at work. 

Ever  growing number of people are painfully aware of “single-use” items (particularly  single-use plastics, now regarded as too extravagant of the eco deplorables spoilt for choice )

Since last year there has been a social-media trend for clearing litter from public spaces and posting photographs of the result called:  the hashtag #trashtagcalled 

On the other hand, a growing number of level-headed people are also calling out  “eco-fascists”  because of their disdain for climate activists by associating them to totalitarian and authoritarian political movements in history to protest their alleged (though not much shown) wish to control all aspects of our modern lives. Such skeptics, even though they might be yet another King Canute trying to turn the tide of apparent social progress but we are still to see what the future holds for us all.

Cover image: photo via Canva PRO

The article Green is gold! was originally posted on Ecobnb.

With the growing concerns about global warming and other pressing environmental problems, more and more organizations, companies, and educational facilities are looking for a way to make a change. They complement different competencies to make their offices and campuses greener. Of course, such initiatives in large establishments are inspiring and can’t help but leave a positive footprint on our Planet. But to achieve greater results, each of us should personally join these initiatives.

If you are also concerned about the fate of our planet, you must go greener yourself first. But how do you do this on campus? Below, you will find the answer!

Avoid Driving to Class

Each of us leaves a significant carbon footprint. This problem has been growing for many decades and has become one of the most pressing. According to Global Energy Review, despite a small decline in global CO2 emissions in 2020, in 2021, this indicator has gone 5% up, approaching the peak indicators from 2018-2019.

One of the simplest ways for a student to make a change is to avoid driving. By reaching class by foot or alternative transportation methods, students can significantly reduce their carbon footprint. However, it can be hard to start. After all, driving is the fastest way to get to school, so giving up on it can eat up more time from your already busy schedule. However, don’t forget that you can always have an academic writing service write my term paper and delegate some of your tasks to professional writers. This way, you will save more time for walking or taking a bike to class.

Donate or Repurpose Old Stuff

Clothing, shoes, gadgets, household, and other goods we purchase all tend to wear out and become outdated. But what is the right thing to do when this happens? If you have a habit of throwing unnecessary stuff away, it’s time to change it.

Donating, repurposing, and even selling your old stuff is much “greener” than throwing it away. Of course, it will require more dedication and effort on your part. But once again, it’s better to carve out a bit of time to make a positive change than to continue harming the environment.

Reduce Paper Waste

According to studies, the paper thrown away every year in the US alone amounts to around 1 billion trees. The total annual waste of paper in the world could be enough to heat 50 million homes for 20 years. These numbers indicate the massive problem with paper waste. So, if you want to go greener, the first thing you should do is to reduce the amount of paper you use in daily life.

There are several effective ways to make it possible. Namely, you can store your files and learning materials digitally and take paperless notes. These small steps will let you minimize the waste and thus go greener.

Make Recycling a Habit

Another big step toward reducing your daily waste and making a positive effect on the environment is to start recycling. Invest in several recycling bins and learn how to sort your garbage at home. It might take a while to learn and get used to it. However, recycling is proven to be a massive step toward protecting our planet. So, don’t give up and get on the right track with it.

Reduce Energy Waste

According to surveys, modern college students, on average, use five different devices. Most often, they use them on a daily basis and, respectively, charge them daily too. If this sounds like you, imagine how much energy you might be wasting every day.

Here’s what you should do instead. First of all, never leave your gadgets plugged in overnight. Most gadgets charge within one or two hours, and the rest of the time is just a waste of resources. Secondly, don’t keep your devices plugged in longer than necessary. If you follow these tips, you will significantly reduce your energy waste. And as a nice bonus, you will extend your gadgets’ battery life and reduce your bills.

The Bottom Line

Going green on campus can be incredibly hard. Having no or very little experience in this area, most college students simply don’t know where to begin and how to make “greener” decisions in their everyday lives. But here’s what you need to know – big changes always start with small steps.

The tips from this article are the small steps you can start taking right now. So, start acting and make a change!

The article Students and Environment: 5 Hacks to Go Green on Campus was originally posted on Ecobnb.

In connection with the increasing scale of anthropogenic impact on nature, the relevance of objective ecological monitoring increases. The use of satellite imagery, in this case, makes it possible to get full coverage of a vast territory and conduct environmental assessment not only within the limits of individual observation points but also in any selected area, regardless of its remoteness and accessibility from the ground. More so, satellite imagery is available for different years, enabling change detection by comparing pictures of the same area through a particular time period.

Satellite imagery also comes in different resolutions. For instance, high-resolution images are used for monitoring local issues that require more object detailing, where middle and low-resolution images are used for larger areas observation to see the whole picture. Satellite images can also be taken in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum as well as in the ultraviolet, infrared, and other parts of the spectrum, allowing for seeing different details and nuances, depending on the object of research. Thanks to satellites, it is possible to receive data on weather patterns, floods, fires, moisture levels, and many other phenomena and parameters.

Today, the market offers different software that leverages satellite imagery analytics to help solve global issues on Earth, including carbon emissions, water shortage, soil degradation, etc. For example, different crop monitoring systems like EOS Crop Monitoring enable agriculture industry players to increase yields and profits while applying sustainable farming practices. But before we move on to such solutions, let’s see what exactly observation from space can offer for tackling the most pressing issues on our planet.

The Power of Environmental Satellites

Satellites are perfect tools for not just observing the global picture but also for detecting features and events hidden or unseen to the human eye. And one of the biggest set of benefits they offer concerns environmental monitoring. The tasks of space environmental monitoring solved in practice include:

• Detection of illegal storage of solid domestic waste, industrial waste
• Monitoring and mapping of subsoil infrastructure
• Study of the dynamics of negative processes in mining areas
• Detection and mapping of areas of soil contamination caused by industrial and agricultural wastes
• Land management in agriculture (crop monitoring, farmland mapping, etc)
• Monitoring of land degradation processes (erosion, salinization, swamping, etc);
• Water pollution tracking
• Monitoring of environmentally hazardous facilities (industrial enterprises, mining facilities, wastewater treatment plants, power and transportation facilities)
• Detection and monitoring of oil spills
• Deforestation and its causes detection and monitoring.

Satellites in Farm and Forest Management

One of the most pressing environmental issues farming activity causes is water pollution. Over 80% of agricultural nitrogen gets into water systems, the European Commission’s report states. The solution to this problem could be reduction of fertilizer use. But how do farmers do so without losing significantly in yields and profit?

The answer is satellite crop monitoring. With the development of space tech and AI algorithms for satellite imagery analytics, it became possible to extract various types of data for remote crop management, including VRA approach implementation.

For example, EOS Crop Monitoring software enables data-driven decision-making to agricultural industry players. Thanks to using advanced AI algorithms for satellite imagery analytics, the platform aids users in adoption of precision farming. The tool enables vegetation state tracking, crop growth stages detection, problem areas identification, and more.

When it comes to fertilizer application, this crop monitoring system offers a Zoning feature where users can generate vegetation and productivity maps based on vegetation indices measurements. These maps allow for creating VRA maps with zones for precise input application, including fertilizers. For instance, productivity maps help calculate the amount of potassium and phosphorus that should go in each field area, based on the data about field productivity through a selected time period since 2016. And vegetation maps depict the current state of crops in each field zone, enabling to decide on nitrogen fertilizer application.

Satellites are also widely used in forest monitoring and management. Among the main tasks solved by this remote sensing method in forestry are:

• Detection and management of illegal logging
• Forest productivity analysis
• Detection and mapping of issues: the impact of pests and diseases, drying or waterlogging, etc.
• Forest fires prevention, detection, and impact mitigation.

Satellites in Climate Change Monitoring

Thanks to providing for wide and remote Earth observation, satellites are most helpful in tracking major impacts of climate change, such as weather patterns, sea level rise, global temperatures, floods, droughts, vegetation state, wildfires, and much more.

Having all this data for several years and analyzing it, experts in different industries can make smarter decisions regarding their activities to shift towards sustainable practices when performing any operations to mitigate the impact of their work on the environment and their business simultaneously.

Cover image: photo via Canva PRO

The article Ecological Problems on Earth — Solutions in Space was originally posted on Ecobnb.

An ecological footprint measures how much natural resources a human being consumes against the earth’s ability to regenerate them. Right now, man is consuming more natural resources in a year than the earth can produce in one year. By the GFN’s (Global Footprint Network) calculations, the earth will regenerate 12-month-consumed resources in eighteen months. It now falls to you and me to reduce our ecological footprint in ways we will mention in this article.

We make huge ecological footprints by the little things we do, like using paper and plastic and taking long showers. Making healthier day-to-day habits, like replacing items only when necessary, goes a long way in reducing an ecological footprint.

Opt for a Cleaner Transportation

Photo by Murillo de Paula on Unsplash

There are different ways you can reduce your ecological footprint; transportation is one of the best ones. Driving contributes to the ecological footprint, so not driving when there is alternative combat the problem. You can bike, walk, or follow public transport when possible. If you don’t own a car, you reduce your ecological footprint this way by as much as 20%.

If you own a car, using it less will reduce it; you will avoid traffic jams and keep your city’s air clean. Besides driving your car less, you can also service your car frequently to keep its emission control system in top gear. Also, keep your car’s tires inflated adequately and check your car’s air filter regularly. Furthermore, avoid taking airplanes on short trips, and take a train or bus instead.

Use Energy-Saving Gadgets At Home

photo via Canva PRO

The gadgets you use at home for domestic chores also significantly contribute to your ecological footprint. Those home gadgets, like your blender, electric vacuum cleaner, refrigerator, and others, often consume high energy. Opt for energy-efficient appliances and dispose of used ones safely to reduce your ecological footprint. Also, ensure your ceilings and walls are well insulated; you might also want to use double-pane windows.

Go for energy-efficient appliances like faucets, toilets, and low-flow showerheads for your home. Rather than using energy-consuming design features, opt for green features instead, like recycled materials or a rainwater catchment recycling system. Additionally, go for sustainably-produced, second-hand, or recycled furnishings. Last but not least, go for biodegradable and non-toxic cleaning products for your home; this is good for your health and the environment.

Make Your Habits Energy-Efficient

Photo via Canva PRO

Another significant way you can reduce your ecological footprint is by cultivating energy-saving habits in day-to-day activities. For example, use less air conditioning in summer and keep your thermostat relatively low during winter. Regularly check your air conditioner’s filters, keeping it clean and operating at peak efficiency. Also, make a habit of unplugging your electronics when you’re not using them; a power strip makes this easier.

A power strip is especially useful if you have a television, smartphone, or computer – which most of us do. That’s because even when turned off, these gadgets still sip power; a power strip ensures they don’t. Additionally, choose rather dry your clothes naturally as often as you can; use power-drowning tumble dryers less. Also, regularly defrosting your freezer and refrigerator will considerably bring down your ecological footprint.

Check Your Goods and Foods Footprint

Photo by Shelley Pauls on Unsplash

Practically everything we do contributes to our ecological footprint, including the foods and goods we purchase at the supermarket. An ideal way to reduce your ecological footprint is by shopping at your local farmer’s market rather than the supermarket. Local in-season foods at the local farmer’s market don’t travel long distances to get to you. Plus, low-input farming, like organic farming, uses little to no fertilizer and pesticide, making their manufacturing energy-efficient.

In addition, go for foods without much packaging to reduce waste, and grow your own vegetables and fruits. Think about eating at least one meatless meal a week; if you can do it more than once, even better. Surprisingly, the livestock industry emits more greenhouse gases than the transport industry globally; vegetarians have half the ecological footprint of non-vegetarians. You don’t have to become a vegetarian; just go meatless once in a while.

Saving Water Makes Significant Impacts

Photo by Nicolas COMTE on Unsplash

Reducing the water quantity you use at home can reduce your ecological footprint significantly. For example, when you take shorter or less frequent showers, you save water and the energy required to heat it. Additionally, consider washing your car less often and taking it to a carwash instead; commercial car washes usually use less water. Also, consider running your washing machine and dishwasher only when full; this reduces your carbon footprint greatly.

You can also reduce your water footprint by turning off the tap while brushing your teeth and fixing household leaks. Also, avoid disposing of paints, medicines, and other pollutants down your sink. Drinking tea rather than coffee reduces your water footprint; producing coffee beans takes more water than growing tea leaves. Last but not least, go for quality rather than quantity when you buy anything; our clothes often use a lot of fresh water.

Conclusion

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

The responsibility for reducing ecological footprint lies on the consumers, you and I, as well as the manufacturers. People can make informed energy-saving decisions when businesses are transparent about their manufacturing processes, and governments take regulations more seriously.

When there’s sufficient information on the impact of certain elements or products on the ecological footprint, consumers can be responsible for their purchases. The little, seemingly insignificant choices we make daily impact our ecological footprint. Thus, making healthy and sustainable choices can positively affect the ecological footprint.

Author Bio: Anna Johnson is an educational freelance writer who majored in ecology in college. Although she works primarily as a freelance writer, she loves to volunteer for environmental outreaches where she speaks about preserving nature. One of the most striking things Anna loves to talk about is ecological footprints. She is so passionate about it that she qualified as one of the most outstanding assignment geeks on the ecological footprint in college.

The article Ecological Footprint: Best Ways to Reduce it was originally posted on Ecobnb.

Today we consume and produce meat more than we ever did. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, every year 65 million animals are slaughtered for meat. More than 340 million tonnes of meat were produced in 2018 compared to 71 million tonnes in 1961. The demand for meat and meat consumption have increased a lot in the last 50 years as countries got richer and the populations grew.

Photo by Our World in Data

Of course, this massive production has consequences, intensive livestock farming has environmental effects and fuels global warming, deforestation, and water consumption and causes soil, air, and water pollution. In fact, about 25% of all the global climate change problems we are currently facing are connected to our diet. Firstly, livestock accounts for 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions, nearly as much as transportation. This alone should alert us on the gravity of the issue.

According to the FAO, 7 billion tonnes of CO2 are generated annually, 41% of these emissions are caused by the production and processing of feed for the animals, and 44% are due to enteric fermentation (ruminants produce a large amount of methane during their digestion which is more harmful than carbon dioxide), 10% are due to manure storage and processing, what’s left is caused by the transportation of the final product, meat.

Photo by Our World in Data

However, not all livestock is raised equally, and therefore not all livestock has the same ecological footprint, for instance, beef and lamb are the meats that cause the majority of gas emissions (74%) and they require large amounts of water (13.500 liters for 1 kilogram of meat only) compared to pork (4600 liters) or chicken (4100 liters). Moreover beef fuels climate change the most but it’s the least consumed meat.
Another issue is the deforestation to make way for livestock, the vast majority of farmland (70%) is used to plant corn, wheat, and soy to feed livestock when it would be enough to feed at least 3 billion people. The lack of agricultural land causes deforestation, it’s the case in the Amazon rainforest where 91% of land acquired through deforestation is used for grazing or for the production of soybeans that will later be fed to cattle.

Photo by Our World in Data

The current meat rearing practices are unsustainable and the situation will worsen as in a few decades the global population will grow to 10 billion, as a result finding new sustainable ways to produce food is an urgent matter and requires everyone to do an effort to reduce our meat intake, we don’t have to become vegetarian or vegan, but we can lead a healthier lifestyle for us and for our planet, not to mention that there are plenty of alternatives to meat such as soya beans, lentils, and eggs, people tend to forget that they can provide us with more proteins than meat can.

Cover image: Photo by Jo-Anne McArthur on Unsplash

The article Meat Consumption is Bad for the Environment, here’s why was originally posted on Ecobnb.